Jacob Burns Casts Two New Board Members, PepsiCo Exec Bubbles to the Top, Puttin’ on The Ritz: Will Cappelli Sell His Crown Jewel?

Revolving Door

People Friedrich Eder (photo) has been named general manager of Brynwood Golf & Country Club in Armonk. He most recently served as director of clubs and club manager of Desert Mountain Club, Inc., in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.   The Jacob Burns Film Center elected two new board members—Anita-Agnes O. Hassell of Chappaqua and Lynn Sobel of Dobbs Ferry. Both women have a long history of providing leadership to cultural, educational, and community organizations. - Advertisement -   A new partner has joined the Ossining-based intellectual property law firm of Collen IP Intellectual Property Law, P.C.. Mitchell E. Radin (photo) will be involved in Collen IP’s trademark counseling and prosecution, licensing, and litigation practices.   Purchase-based PepsiCo, Inc., recently announced executive changes. John Compton, who most recently ran Frito-Lay and PepsiCo’s other foods businesses in the Americas, will take the newly created global role of president, reporting to PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra K. Nooyi. Brian Cornell assumes Compton’s role as chief executive of the Americas Food Division. Stacey Tank, senior vice president and chief corporate relations officer for Heineken USA, was recently elected to the board of directors of The Business Council of Westchester. New Business, Relocations, and Operations - Partner Content - Q&A Topic: Dental Implants Mammograms Still Top Choice for Breast Cancer Screening Somnia Anesthesia of New Rochelle joined the American Hospital Association (AHA) as an associate member. The company  plans to collaborate with hospital leaders from around the U.S. to improve healthcare delivery systems. Kudos Dinner in Hand, an online dinner delivery service based in New Rochelle, is celebrating its fifth year in business. Founder and owner Candida Canfield stated, “The key to surviving and thriving during a recession was to diversify. I added a hot-lunch program for small private schools and in-home catering to my existing dinner-delivery business. My advice to other entrepreneurs would be to think outside the box, be as flexible as you possibly can, and network, network, network. I joined women’s groups like the Junior League and attended women’s groups. I hosted an event at my home with everyone I knew and encouraged people to bring friends. I went to a variety of business groups’ meetings and joined clubs. Even if you’re not a ‘joiner,’ you have to find new ways to meet new people.” Dinner in Hand achieved gross revenues of $350K in 2011.   - Advertisement - Jonathan Gordon Joan Simon Admiral Real Estate Services Corp. of Bronxville announced that both Jonathan Gordon and Joan Simon have been recognized as CoStar Power Brokers by CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP), commercial real estate’s leading independent research firm. “CoStar Group is very proud to recognize the select few commercial real estate brokerage firms and brokers who performed at the industry’s highest level and achieved remarkable sales and leasing success in 2011,” says CoStar Group founder and CEO Andrew C. Florance. Nominations are now open for the Class of 2012 Rising Stars – Westchester’s Forty Under Forty, an honor bestowed by The Business Council of Westchester. Nominees must work in Westchester and be between 21 and under 40 (before June 30, 2012). Details and forms can be found at westchesterny.org.

Bizz Buzz Suburban citizen uprisings seem to be abounding in Northern Westchester. “Occupy Main Street,” a local movement driven by citizens via social media and town-hall-style meetings to brainstorm ideas to deal with the ever-growing vacancies and skyrocketing rents in Mount Kisco. Ideas being considered by merchants include leasing empty storefronts to “pop-up” retailers. Chappaqua residents and businesses are still grumbling about the reconstruction of the Chappaqua town bridge (which was repeatedly delayed and took close to three years) and the lack of parking in town while the main shoppers lot was being reconfigured. No sooner did the construction end then voices are being raised again. The latest concerns involve a 36-unit affordable housing development called Chappaqua Station, planned for Hunts Lane by Conifer Realty LLC. Traffic congestion and the size of the building (which will tower over other local structures) are among the objections being voiced by local residents and existing businesses on the already-busy street, which includes a bus company and a nursery school. Other small businesses may soon have a reason to celebrate, rather than protest. The Westchester County Association recently formed the Blueprint Accelerator Network, an initiative designed to speed the growth of small businesses and encourage new businesses to open in the county, create new jobs, and fill some of the 5 million square feet of currently vacant office space in Westchester. Provident Bank, The Westchester Bank, Mahopac National Bank, M&T Bank, Community Mutual Bank, and Greater Hudson Bank have committed a total of $150 million in debt financing and the WCA aims to raise an additional $50 million from in-kind contributions and private sector investors. We recently checked on the rumors that The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, in White Plains was put up for sale by developer Louis Cappelli. We could not confirm the gossip, but one anonymous source in the real estate community said, “He might be looking to get rid of the pain…but who would really want to take on that kind of pain right now?” Cappelli’s Concord Associates, LP, recently filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court involving his thwarted resort plan in the Catskills and is seeking $1.5 billion in damages. The suit against Empire Resorts, Inc., and Entertainment Properties Trust alleges that the latter broke antitrust laws in blocking his own development plans.

Hot Properties – 914INC.’s commercial real estate showcase   Property: Furnished sublease space 3 Barker Ave White Plains, New York

 Brokered by: Howard Properties Ltd. Howard Greenberg (914) 997-0300 howard@howprop.com Availability: This fully furnished sublet is available immediately and is great for a company who wants room to grow or has a short-term need. As little as 2,500 or as much as 5,000 square feet can be leased up to April 29, 2017. 
Selling points: The building, which has covered parking and a new lobby, is a short walk from the White Plains Metro-North station, shops, and restaurants. The offices and work stations are fully furnished and computer cabling and phones are in place. It even has a kitchen. You can move in and get back to business!

914 Datebook MONDAY, 4/2/2012 Professional Women of Westchester hosts a Networking Extravaganza at Lusardi’s,  1885 Palmer Ave, Larchmont. Registration is at professionalwomenofwestchester.com. TUESDAY, 4/3/2012 Business Networking and Sex, 8:30 – 10 am, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown, 455 S Broadway, Tarrytown – Can you get promoted, close the deal, and get that raise because of your sexual prowess? According to authors of the new book Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think, the answer is: Yes. However, the explanation, like the book, is not what you think. WEDNESDAY 4/11/2012 Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation 50th Anniversary Gala, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, Glen Island Harbour Club, New Rochelle – Friends of Westchester County Parks will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation with its 2012 Best Friends Awards reception. Political Friday, 8 – 9:30 am, Berkeley College, 99 Church St, White Plains – Join the Westchester County Association for this meet-and-greet with the freshman class of the County Board of Legislators. THURSDAY, 4/12/12 The Westchester Library System (WLS) holds its 21st Annual Book and Author Luncheon from 11 am to 2:30 pm at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown. The event celebrates National Library Week and features authors Benjamin Busch, Hallie Ephron, and Adam Gopnik. New York State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer will receive the National Library Week Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to libraries and literacy. Sponsors are Entergy, the H.W. Wilson Foundation, and TD Bank. Tickets are available at westchesterlibraries.org. THURSDAY, 4/19/12 Business Council of Westchester Hall of Fame Ceremony, 6:30 pm, Glen Island Harbour Club, New Rochelle – The Business Council of Westchester will induct the Class of 2012 to its prestigious hall of fame. MONDAY 6/11 Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s 35th Annual Golf Classic, Mount Kisco Country Club, 10 Taylor Rd, Mount Kisco, 8:30 am – 8 pm Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning will host this event, featuring some of the best blind golfers in the U.S.   Do you have tips, scoop, or gossip concerning business in Westchester? If so, our new INComing blogger, Nancy, is all ears-please email her at 914incoming@gmail.com