People
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Kevin J. Bannon |
Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester announced that Kevin J. Bannon of Mount Kisco will serve as president of the Board of Directors.
Bannon is the chief investment officer of Highmount Capital, a private wealth-management firm in New York. He retired from the Bank of New York in 2007 after a 28-year career, including serving as the bank’s chief investment officer from 1993 to 2007.
Bannon has been involved with the club for more than 20 years and is a long-time board member. He holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business of New York University.
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Jeanne Zaino |
Jeanne Zaino, PhD, has been appointed to the position of interim dean of the School of Arts and Science for Iona College. As interim dean, Zaino will oversee 25 departments in the School of Arts and Science, which includes over 25 faculty chairs and 135 faculty members.
Prior to this appointment, Zaino was the director of the Honors Program and associate professor of Political Science at Iona, where she taught courses in American government, presidency, courts, voting, elections, public opinion, political parties, and research methods. Her most recent research focuses on post-2000 electoral litigation, the import of poll workers, and the pedagogical benefits of metaphors.
Patch.com rival Main Street Connect has announced the appointment of Zohar Yardeni as its new CEO. Yardeni, who most recently served as Global Head of Product Capabilities at Thomson Reuters, replaces founding CEO Carll Tucker, who will assume a new role as MSC’s Chairman. Yardeni’s appointment comes on the heels of a successful $7 million fundraising effort by the company to fuel its continued expansion into Westchester and beyond, as it competes against the deeply-funded, AOL-owned Patch.com network of hyper-local news sites. “We are pleased to welcome Zohar Yardeni to the team at Main Street Connect,” said Tucker in a statement. “His breadth of start-up experience and web savvy will be a huge asset to the company. This new leadership, combined with the close of our second round of funding, will help expand Main Street Connect’s reach.”
Kudos
For the second year in a row, Jessica Galligan Goldsmith, a partner at Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever, has been chosen as both a 2011 New York Metro Super Lawyer and a 2011 Top 25 Super Lawyer in Westchester. The Top 25 list recognizes attorneys who received the highest total points in the New York Metro nomination, research, and blue ribbon review process.
First named a Super Lawyer in 2009, Goldsmith advises clients in the areas of estate and gift planning, charitable foundation planning, and estate administration and succession planning for closely held businesses. She is admitted to the bar in both New York and Connecticut.
Fiona Dogan, a top realtor in the Rye office of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, has been named a 2011 Westchester Five Star Real Estate Agent. Fewer than 4 percent of the licensed real estate agents in the county made this exclusive list, which was published in Westchester Magazine’s October issue.
Dogan also earned a Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service Platinum Sales Award in 2010, and was named one of the top five agents in her office that same year. Her accreditations include the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) designation, and she is also a relocation specialist, a new construction expert, and an experienced listing and rental agent.
Dogan’s real estate career began in 2004, when she rebuilt her own home. She joined Sotheby’s International Realty in 2007 and rose quickly to become one of the office’s leading agents. She handles all aspects of real estate, including buying, selling, and renting homes and apartments in Rye and the surrounding Westchester towns, including Rye Brook, Rye Neck, Harrison, Purchase, Port Chester, and White Plains.
Kevin Peters, managing director at the Purchase office of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, was one of several hundred financial advisors who were selected by their firms to attend the seventh annual Barron’s Winner’s Circle Top Advisors Summit, hosted by Barron’s magazine to promote best practices in the industry and the value of advice to the investing public. The invitation-only conference was held at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, Florida, from September 14 to 16.
In April, Peters was named as one of Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors.
The Top 100 Financial Advisors, comprising advisors from major security firms and independent operations, are chosen based on the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenue generated for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. This annual ranking is the basis for the Top Advisors Summit.
New Businesses, Relocations, and Operations
Acura of Westchester, based in Larchmont, announced it is partnering with three charitable organizations in a fundraising effort. The charities are the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which provides programs in support of Type 1 Diabetes research; Friends of Karen, which provides emotional, financial, and advocacy support to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families; and H.E.R.O. (Hispanic Executives Reaching Out), an organization which mentors, cultivates, and promotes future Hispanic executives within the law enforcement community.
Acura of Westchester will be donating a two-year lease on a New 2012 Acura TL, for which the charities will sell raffle tickets, retaining 100 percent of the proceeds.
The winning ticket will be drawn at a private reception on Wednesday, November 16, from 6 to 9 pm at Don Coqui restaurant in New Rochelle. All ticket holders are invited to attend, though the winner does not need to be present to win. For more information, visit JDRF.org/westchester or friendsofkaren.org.
The Law Offices of Leslie H. Tayne has opened new offices in White Plains and Mount Kisco. Headquartered in Melville, Long Island, it is the only New York State practice whose sole specialty is consumer debt resolution.
Deepening debt is common among senior citizens on fixed incomes, small business owners with cash-flow issues, married couples facing divorce, caregivers, or anyone who is struggling to make ends meet, Tayne says. Although Tayne’s firm typically handles cases totaling between $80,000 and $100,000, she is equipped to handle any amount of debt over $5,000.
SUNY Purchase has hired 23 new professors to keep up with growing student enrollment. In the last year, the student population at the school grew from 4,175 to 4,268, owing in part to enrollment growth in new majors like Arts Management and Theatre Performance. The college is also adding two new high-demand majors—Playwriting and Screenwriting and Latin American Studies—to a curriculum that already offers more than 50 majors and minors.
As part of an FCC initiative announced in July, the City School District of New Rochelle has received funding to implement a “Learning On-The-Go” wireless pilot project to support and advance digital learning. The district is partnering with Verizon Wireless on the project.
As part of the initiative, a group of 5th-grade students will receive Dell mini-laptops with Verizon Wireless broadband cards and a separate group of 4th-grade students will begin to pilot mobile learning devices before wider deployment to other students.
The district plans to focus on English language learners (ELL), economically disadvantaged students, lower-performing students, and students with disabilities in 5th through 9th grade. New Rochelle is one of only 20 school districts from around the country that were selected by the FCC for funding.
SCENE & SEEN—Our Business Blog
Undoubtedly, the big news in Westchester these days is that it finally appears (fingers crossed) that the past-its-prime Tappan Zee Bridge will be replaced. President Obama announced on October 10 that replacing the decrepit structure is one of 14 projects nationwide chosen for expedited federal review and approval. The 14 projects were selected based on a presidential executive order in late August, which directed federal agencies to identify and help speed up high-priority infrastructure projects that potentially could create a large number of jobs.
The first of what is likely to be many public hearings was held on October 25, with stakeholders and residents from all around the county coming to voice their opinions.
Business Council of Westchester President/CEO Marsha Gordon and Westchester County Association President Bill Mooney, who both spoke at the hearing, have said the project should include a mass transit component, including east-west and north-south options.
“This project must provide transit options that will better connect our county and region, and expand and encourage economic growth,” says Gordon. “For that reason, we must ensure this bridge is mass-transit ready.”
Mooney adds, “Just replacing the Tappan Zee with a new bridge without providing for mass transportation is a band-aid solution, not a cure… Infrastructure improvements are key to job creation and for the regional economy to flourish.”
Meanwhile, one out-of-the-box idea of what to do with the old structure has come from Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner: turn the bridge into a walking and bike path, like the High Line on Manhattan’s West Side. The creators of the High Line responded enthusiastically, saying on a New York City public radio station that the idea excites them.
Feiner has set a meeting for 8 pm on November 16 in Greenburgh Town Hall to discuss the idea.
Though news reports have stated that Bank of America will be looking to shed some 30,000 jobs in a cost-cutting effort in the near future, the financial institution is expanding in Westchester.
The bank announced that it is hiring more than 90 small-business bankers in the tri-state area to provide guidance and counsel to local small business owners, including five in Westchester.
Through a relationship with a Bank of America small business banker, customers will have access to local small business expertise and a dedicated resource. Small business bankers will consult with small business owners at their places of business and assess their companies’ deposit, credit, and cash management needs, the company said.
On October 23, county officials and residents gathered at Malcolm Wilson Park on the Bronx River Reservation in Yonkers to pay tribute to Kay Carsky by dedicating a park bench in her memory. The event was organized by the Friends of Westchester County Parks. Carsky, one of the founders of the Bronx River Conservancy, served as a Westchester County legislator, held other elective and appointive positions, and was active in not-for-profits relating to education and parks conservancy. Among those who turned out for the memorial were Deputy County Executive Kevin J. Plunkett, Friends of Westchester County Parks Board Chair Liz Bracken-Thompson, Friends Executive Director Joseph Stout, and other dignitaries.
On the other end of the county, Joseph E. Nyre, PhD, was inaugurated as the eighth president of Iona College.
Among the attendees of the ceremony were the presidents of nine colleges including Dr. Charles Flynn, Jr., College of Mount Saint Vincent; Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M, DePaul University; Sister Mary Eileen O’Brien, OP, Dominican College; Dr. Alice Hoersch, La Salle University; Dr. Brennan O’Donnell, Manhattan College; Dr. Judson Shaver, Marymount Manhattan College; Dr. Kimberly Cline, Mercy College; Elizabeth Hill, JD, St. Joseph’s College; and Ms. Judith Huntington, The College of New Rochelle. In addition, there were representatives from major universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Washington and Lee University, Fordham, New York University, University of Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and others.
Nyre earned an EdS. and a PhD from the University of Kansas and completed post-doctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School and the University of Kansas. He also earned an MA from the University of Missouri and a BA in psychology from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Prior to attending college, he served in the U.S. Navy.
“It is an enormous honor to be leading a Catholic institution of higher education that has always been devoted to educating the whole person by focusing on the mind, body, and spirit,” Nyre, the first non-Christian Brother to take the helm at Iona, has said. From the first time I set foot on campus, I felt a shared commitment to that mission by dedicated faculty, staff, and the board of trustees.”
HOT PROPERTIES—914INC.’s commercial real estate showcase
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White Plains Road |
Property: 520 White Plains Road, Tarrytown
Brokered by: Clark Briffel, vice president of SL Green Realty Corp.
(914) 872-4729
clark.briffel@slgreen.com
Availability: There are three units available in this building: a fourth-floor unit consisting of 2,348 square feet; a 6,947 square-foot fifth-floor unit; and a sixth-floor unit, which takes up the entire floor with 32,130 square feet of office space. The asking price for all three is $27 per square foot.
Selling points: The building features a repositioned lobby with wood walls, polished granite tiles, and textured wall coverings. A seating area with a wall-mounted, big-screen TV and Wi-Fi is available. The building also features a new gourmet cafeteria, has easy access to I-287, and is minutes from downtown White Plains hotels and shopping.
914 DATEBOOK—Upcoming Business Events
WEDNESDAY, 11/02/2011
Book Benefit for the Visiting Nurses Association of the Hudson Valley—6:30-9:30 pm, Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown. The Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley will present “Celebrating Milestones: A Woman’s Journey” featuring a book signing and presentation by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Brokaw, daughter of renowned newsman Tom Brokaw. “Celebrating Milestones” will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a vendor sale, auction prizes and gifts for all guests. Tickets are available for a $100 donation and can be purchased by calling (914) 666-7616, ext. 211 or online at www.vnahv.org. For more information, please call Laura Elmore at (914) 666-7616 ext 210.
THURSDAY 11/03/2011
The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center 2011 Annual Benefit—6 pm, Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, 555 South Barry Ave, Mamaroneck. A cocktail reception, raffle, and silent auction will begin at 6 pm, followed by dinner and an awards program in support of human rights education at 7 pm. The raffle grand prize is a trip for two to Amsterdam that includes roundtrip airfare courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, a private tour of the Anne Frank House, and a two night stay donated by the Amsterdam Marriott.
WEDNESDAY, 11/09/2011
Fall Leadership Dinner and APEX Awards, Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown (455 S Broadway, Tarrytown). Cocktails begin at 5:30 pm. Join the Westchester County Association as the organization honors its 2011 APEX Award winners. The keynote speaker will be Katherine Farley, senior managing director of real estate acquisition, management, and development company Tishman Speyer and chair of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts . For more information, visit westchester.org.
TUESDAY, 11/15/2011
Association of Development Officers 9th Annual Philanthropy Awards Breakfast—Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill (81 Highland Ave, Tarrytown). The breakfast honors those who have made a positive impact in the nonprofit community through their philanthropic efforts. Honorees are recognized by the following designations: Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year, Nonprofit Board Member of the Year, Outstanding Corporate/Foundation Philanthropic Award, Professional Fundraiser of the Year, the Youth in Philanthropy Award, and a posthumous Special Philanthropic Award. The event draws a large representation of nonprofits and the organizations that support them.
Sponsorships and individual tickets are available online at adoonline.org. Kaye Jackson of White Plains and Deborah Wilson of Pelham are co-chairs for this year’s breakfast. For more information about the breakfast, contact Wilson at (914) 305-6876.
WEDNESDAY, 11/16/2011
Young Professionals Networking Series, Westchester Country Club (52 Biltmore Ave, Rye), 5:30-8 pm. The Westchester County Association will host its Young Professionals Networking Reception, co-hosted by the Westchester Chapter of New York State Society of CPAs, the Westchester County Bar Association, and the Westchester Women’s Bar Association. For more information, visit westchester.org.
SATURDAY 11/19/2011
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich at Stew Leonard’s, 11:30 am to 2 pm, Stew Leonard’s, Yonkers. Stew Leonard’s will welcome restaurateur, cookbook author, and public television personality Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.
From noon to 2 pm, Bastianich will be at Stew Leonard’s grocery store to sign copies of her newest cookbook, Lidia’s Italy in America, which the store will offer at a discount. For more information, please visit stewleonards.com/press/11lidiayon.cfm
THURSDAY, 12/08/2011
914INC. magazine hosts a luncheon honoring the 28 women it selected for its new cover story: Westchester’s most Accomplished Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), featuring keynote speaker (and AWE honoree) Chris Madden. The luncheon will be held at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit westchestermagazine.com/womeninbusiness.
