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Ralph A. Martinelli |
Ralph A. Martinelli (above, left), the publisher of 914INC., as well as Westchester Magazine, Westchester Home, Westchester Weddings, and Hudson Valley Magazine, has been named to the board of directors of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation. Martinelli is the vice president of parent company Today Media, Inc. Starting his career as a teenager in the 1970s at the Gazette Press in Yonkers, he has become a highly successful publishing professional, turning Westchester Magazine into one of the region’s top lifestyle publications.In addition, Today Media is also becoming a founding member of the HVEDC’s latest venture, the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance. The alliance focuses on helping food and beverage companies in the region market their products all over the United States.
“I am very pleased to be joining the HVEDC board and contributing to the great work this organization is doing across our region,” says Martinelli. “As a lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley and a champion of Westchester County, I look forward to helping our area grow economically now and into the future.”
Over the years, Martinelli has had extensive involvement with his community, serving on the board of directors of ArtsWestchester and partnering with the Food Bank for Westchester. He also actively supports and contributes to more than 200 local charities each year. Martinelli is a resident of Ossining and is an avid golfer.
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Edward C. Halperin, MD |
The Touro College and University system and New York Medical College (NYMC) have announced the appointment of noted radiation oncologist, medical historian, and educator Edward C. Halperin, MD, as the new chancellor of health affairs and CEO of the Valhalla-based health sciences university.
Halperin, who was also named provost for biomedical affairs at Manhattan-based Touro, is stepping down as dean of the University of the Louisville School of Medicine. He will assume the role of Chancellor and CEO of NYMC on May 1.
Prior to his position at the University of Louisville, Halperin, who specializes in radiation therapy for children with cancer, was chairman of Duke University’s department of Radiation Oncology and vice dean of the Duke School of Medicine. During his tenure at Louisville, he helped create new inter-disciplinary programs and an autism center. During his time as dean, applications to the medical school rose 67 percent, and fundraising nearly tripled.
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Valhalla has named three new staff members. Lisa Koch of South Salem has been named major gifts officer in the development department. Prior to joining Phelps, Koch was director of development for major and planned gifts at Purchase College.
Rebecca Williams, MD, of Yonkers, has been named associate program director of the new Family Medicine Residency Program at Phelps. Most recently, Dr. Williams served at Montefiore Medical Center as the attending physician for the Department of Family and Social Medicine and coordinator for Family Centered Maternity Care.
Kimberly Andron, LCSW-R, MSW, of Manhattan, has joined the Family Medicine Residency Program at Phelps as Director of Behavioral Medicine. Since 2009, Andron has held a faculty position of assistant professor of family and community medicine at New York Medical College.
New Business, Relocations, and Operations
The Westchester County Association announced that it has formed a partnership with Project for Public Spaces, to “take a leadership role in transforming Westchester into a community that’s more attractive to a younger, more diverse workforce,” according to the business group.
PPS is a nationally renowned organization, whose mission is to help transform public spaces into “vital places” that highlight local assets, spur economic rejuvenation, and build stronger communities. PPS will be working with WCA’s Young Professionals Group and Economic Development Task Force on issues to improve the county’s downtowns, civic areas, corporate campuses, transportation hubs, and more.
Simone Development Companies, a full-service real estate investment company, has announced the acquisition of Hillside Plaza, a 23,625-square-foot retail center in White Plains featuring a Joyce Leslie clothing store as the anchor tenant.
Located at 250 Tarrytown Road, the center includes the 18,000-square-foot Joyce Leslie store, a 2,872-square-foot Sleepy’s store, a dry cleaner, and a deli. The 2.16-acre property is located near downtown White Plains.
Simone Development acquired the property from Joyce Leslie, a popular retail chain specializing in trendy and inexpensive women’s and juniors’ clothing. It operates about 50 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The transaction was handled by Carl Silbergleit and Dave Scotto of Friedland Realty.
Kudos
Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco was awarded the CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation, recognizing the hospital’s commitment to fighting cancer in the workplace.
The accreditation is awarded by a group called the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, which was founded in 2001. The group comprises CEOs who came together for the cause of advancing the fight against cancer, and created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard, a comprehensive program designed to help combat cancer from every angle by focusing on prevention, early detection, and quality care.
“Our mission, in part, is to improve and protect the health of individuals in the community through programs that promote healing and wellness, and our staff is a vital part of that community,” says Joel Seligman, president and CEO of Northern Westchester Hospital. “We are committed to providing our staff members with programs and tools that help them get healthy and stay healthy. We are extremely proud to receive this accreditation in recognition of these efforts and to be recognized as a Gold Standard employer.”
Biz Buzz – Our business blog
A mixed-use adaptive development project on the waterfront in Ossining that has been discussed for years is apparently moving forward.
One Harbor Square, a residential and commercial project on the Hudson Riverfront in Ossining, was recently revised by the project’s developers, Louis Cappelli and Martin Ginsburg.
Appearing before the village Board of Trustees last month, the two well-known Westchester developers presented a plan for the project’s one-and two-bedroom luxury condos to be marketed as rentals, whereas they were previously for sale. The revised plans also call for the number of units to be increased to 188 from 150, while also decreasing the overall size of the building. Ten percent of the units will be designated for affordable housing. The proposal still includes plans for commercial use at the site, 5,000-square-foot restaurant.
Harbor Square was first proposed in 1998 and has been revised several times since then, in response to local critics who maintained that it was too large. The project will need special permits from the village if it is to be constructed.
Preliminary work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge has begun, bringing the promise of a new Hudson River span for Westchester to fruition.
Crews with the New York State Thruway Authority have been working on barges in the Hudson and testing the soil and bedrock along the path of the new bridge in order to judge its stability. Work crews are drilling down as much as 300 feet into the riverbed in order to test the soil.
Meanwhile, public meetings were conducted last week by state transportation officials to discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Statements for the project. Representatives from one group, ReplaceTheTZBridgeNow.org, a statewide coalition of major employers, transportation professionals, civil engineers, and labor organizations, spoke out at the hearings about the need for a mass transit component of the new bridge.
“Given that the lifespan of a new crossing will extend over a century, it is prudent to design the new bridge to take full advantage of the flexibility for future transportation modes that may not yet have even been invented,” says Ross J. Pepe, member of the coalition and president of the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley, Inc. and the Building Contractors Association of Westchester & Mid-Hudson Region, Inc. “These will certainly become self-evident over the lifespan of the new crossing, which will extend over a century. Therefore, it is prudent to replace the bridge now with design features that will permit the new bridge to optimize the flexibility for future transit modes in the project area.”
The Westchester business community was among those statewide giving plaudits to Governor Andrew Cuomo for his proposed pension reform plan.
From 2004 to 2011, New York State’s annual contribution to pension funds tripled from $455 million to $1.5 billion, and is projected to rise to $2 billion in 2014. As part of his proposed budget package, Governor Cuomo is seeking to save over $100 billion over 30 years by adding a new “Tier VI” to the NYS pension system. This would be accomplished by offering newly hired public employees two pension fund options: a reduced “defined benefit” program—similar to the current plan, but
modified to eliminate such things as counting overtime in pension calculations; or a new “defined contribution” plan, which is similar to a 401(k), through which employees would contribute to their individual retirement accounts in amounts that are based on their salaries, and could invest those funds themselves.
“The Tier VI plan will bring huge future savings to business owners and taxpayers, and provide fiscal stability for our state and local governments,” says Amy Allen, Managing Director-Advocacy and International Business at the Westchester County Association.
Hot Properties – 914INC.’s commercial real estate showcase
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Property: 9 Hunts Lane, Chappaqua
Brokered by: New York Commercial Realty Group |
Availability: This 7,200-square-foot building is ideal for medical, office, or governmental use. The asking price is $208.33 per square foot. It is located on 12,895 square feet of land. Taxes are $36,000 annually.
Selling points: This two-story building is located three blocks from the Chappaqua Metro-North train station, shops, and restaurants. It has parking for up to 25 cars and is located directly off of the Saw Mill River Parkway. The property will be delivered vacant, or the seller can lease back a portion.
914 Datebook – Upcoming Business Events
THURSDAY 3/15/2012
Mega Mixer Business Expo, 2 – 6 pm, Hilton Rye Town, 699 Westchester Ave, Rye Brook. The Mega Mixer Business Expo, sponsored by the Business Council of Westchester, is Westchester’s largest business trade show, attracting 200 table-top exhibitors and 1,500+ attendees every year. Whether you are selling a product or service or educating consumers, consider an exhibit at this business-building event. For more information, contact Ebony White at ewhite@westchesterny.org or call 914-948-2110.
Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Centennial Bash, 6 pm, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown. In honor of Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson (GSHH) is hosting a Centennial Gala honoring “Women of Leadership and Excellence.” GSHH will honor women who have distinguished themselves in their fields and are role models for girls striving to become the leaders of tomorrow.
The evening will be hosted by CBS news correspondent Alexis Christoforous and includes live jazz entertainment by Ragan Whiteside and the Fam, a silent auction, dinner, Girl Scout ceremony and a special Girl Scouts 100th birthday celebration. Honorees include actress and singer Vanessa Williams, U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson, a partner in PR, advertising, and marketing firm Thompson & Bender, LLC, The Watson Women of IBM, and an as-yet unnamed recipient of the Young Woman of Leadership and Excellence award. Tickets for the gala are $175 per person. To become a sponsor, attend the event, purchase a journal ad, or more information, contact Mary Ellen Hoffman at (914) 747-3080, ext. 739; mhoffman@girlscoutshh.org.
FRIDAY, 3/16/2012
NY State Legislators Breakfast, 8 – 10 am, Tappan Hill Mansion, 81 Highland Ave., Tarrytown.
The Westchester and Putnam Delegation of the New York State Legislature will be on hand for an interactive dialogue about the most pressing issues facing the state, in this annual event sponsored by the Westchester County Association.
This year, the focus will be on key mandate relief issues include pension reform, healthcare insurance contributions, and freezing salary increases when contracts expire. Alleviating these cost drivers to help make New York a more business-friendly and competitive state will also be a big topic of discussion.
To register, please visit http://www.westchester.org/eventregister.php?event=73.
MONDAY, 3/19/2012
Networking Mashup, 6 – 8 pm, The Winery at St. George, 1715 E Main St, Mohegan Lake.
This networking event is cosponsored by the Professional Women of Westchester and the Professional Women of Putnam. The cost is $15 per person, which includes appetizers. There will also be a cash bar. For more information, visit www.professionalwomenofwestchester.com.
TUESDAY, 4/3/2012
Business Networking and Sex, 8:30 – 10 am, The Doubletree 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.
Join The Business Council of Westchester to meet one of the authors – Frank J. De Raffele Jr., founder and president of Entrepreneurial Excellence Worldwide, Inc. – who will explain that the more effectively you can communicate and relationship-build with the opposite sex, the more successful you will be in your career. For more information, visit www.westchesterny.org.
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.
The reception will salute each of the four living Westchester County Executives – current Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino and former executives Andrew J. Spano, Andrew P. O’Rourke, and Alfred B. DelBello – for the important role they played in shaping the history of the County’s parks system, and in celebration of the parks’ golden anniversary.
Friends of Westchester County Parks will also honor David Swope for his outstanding commitment and generosity to land preservation, conservation, and Westchester open space.
The ticket cost is $250 per person, and sponsorship packages are available. For ticket or sponsorship information, contact Linda Fleischer at (914) 864-7048 or lafleischer14@gmail.com.
FRIDAY 4/13/12
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. Republicans Michael Smith and David Gelfarb and Democrats Catherine Borgia and Virginia Perez will be on hand to discuss where they stand on key issues such as housing, maintaining a triple-A bond rating, and privatizing Playland. Proceeds from the event will go to help support the work of the Call to Action Committee, a group leading the WCA’s government reform initiatives. To register, visit http://www.westchester.org/eventregister.php?event=108.
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. This year’s honorees include Pernod Ricard USA for Corporate Citizenship; Robert Martin Co. for Entrepreneurial Success; Community Mutual Savings Bank for Small Business Success; Lenore Minerva of Empress Emergency Medical Services for Women in Business Success; and Empire City at Yonkers Raceway for Family Business Success. For more information on the event, please visit westchesterny.org
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. The all-day event will culminate with cocktails, a silent auction, and dinner at the Mount Kisco Country Club. For more information, contact Michelle Brier at (914) 243-2208 or mbrier@guidingeyes.org.
ONGOING
Know a Wunderkind? You, perhaps? Nominate an under-30 county business professional (including yourself) for 914INC.’s second annual Westchester Wunderkinds. For more info or to submit a nomination, visit https://westchestermagazine.com/914-INC/Premiere-2010/Wonderful-Wunderkinds-Form/
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
