REVOLVING DOOR
People
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Kimberly Foster |
The Westchester Bank announced that Kimberly Foster has been named vice president.
Foster, who joined the bank in 2008, has played a key role in establishing the cash-management and deposit-operations departments for the bank.
Foster, a resident of Elmsford, began her banking career at The Bank of New York and was recruited by Sleepy Hollow Bank, where she was an assistant vice president of operations and branch administration for 10 years.
The Westchester Bank, which is celebrating its third year in business, currently has $260 million in assets and total deposits of $215 million. In addition to its headquarters at 2001 Central Park Avenue in Yonkers, the bank has a branch office at 464 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains.
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Paul Sutera |
Paul Sutera has been appointed to the position of senior vice president for advancement and external affairs for Iona College effective February 1st.
Sutera, chosen at the conclusion of an international search, served as associate vice president for development at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut and led all direct fundraising activities, managed a portfolio of major gift prospects, and oversaw the areas of principal gifts, school-based major gifts, gift planning, annual giving, and corporate/foundation relations.
Prior to joining Quinnipiac in September 2008, Sutera spent nearly 10 years at Rice University in Houston, Texas, in various positions including associate athletic director/director of development.
Sutera holds a BS and an MS from Central Connecticut State University and is a certified fund-raising executive. Sutera and his wife, Jennifer, live in Wallingford, Connecticut, with their two children.
The Business Council of Westchester has elected seven members of the county business community to its Board of Directors: Renee M. Brown of C.W. Brown, Inc.; Daniel Conte of the Westchester Marriott Hotel; Joanne R. Deyo of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; Timothy M. Jones of the Robert Martin Company, LLC; Patrick F. Lynch of OLA Consulting Engineers; Yuval H. Marcus of Leason Ellis LLP; and Simeon A. Schwartz of the WESTMED Medical Group.
Two board members, Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson and Jean Marie Connolly, have joined the executive committee. Executive committee member Cynthia Rubino is now chairing the governmental action council. Stephen J. Jones was re-elected chairman of the board of directors.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester, a non-profit community school for music and the arts, has appointed Edgemont resident Jean Newton as executive director. Newton has been on the Conservatory’s staff since 1995. Rodd Berro, who has been a member of the Conservatory’s board of trustees since 2008, was also recently elected as board president.
Rhonda Hausman of New Rochelle has been named general manager of the Radisson New Rochelle Hotel.
Hausman brings more than 15 years of experience to the Radisson, having worked previously as a GM for some of the leading hotel chains in the country, including Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield Inn by Marriott.
Hausman holds a BS from the Southern Illinois University College of Business and Administration. Prior to entering the hospitality business, she worked in the banking industry for 15 years.
New businesses, relocations and operations
HistoGenetics, a biotechnology company that specializes in molecular tissue-typing services, has purchased a 118,000-square-foot building in White Plains, where it plans to develop a major research and development facility. HistoGenetics, which provides hospitals and transplant centers with rapid DNA sequence-based tissue typing, will move to 104 Corporate Park Drive in White Plians, the former headquarters of Malcolm Pirnie, an environmental consulting firm. HistoGenetics will repurpose the building, which has been vacant for the past two years.
The all-cash deal closed on December 28 and was the largest office sale in 2011 for a relocation or expansion in Westchester County. New York Commercial Realty Group represented the buyer, Cerlee LLC and the CBRE team of William Cuddy, Jr., and Timothy Donohue represented the seller, GLIC Real Estate Holding, LLC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Kudos
The Westchester Children’s Museum was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from Wells Fargo in recognition of its efforts to engage children across the region in exploratory learning designed to stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Funds from the grant will target youth from low- to moderate-income families through WCM’s outreach program, Museum Without Walls.
BIZZ BUZZ
County governments in New York state have long had to deal with the problem of trying to rein in costs and keep property taxes low while the costs of unfunded mandates continue to grow. In late December, a Mandate Relief Redesign Team convened by Governor Andrew Cuomo released a report detailing measures that could save state municipalities $245 million annually. The 27-member team, which includes representatives from private industry, education, labor, and government, was tasked with looking for ways to reduce the costs of mandated programs, identify mandates that are ineffective and outdated, and determine how school districts and local governments can have greater ability to control expenses.
The team’s recommendations included removing the statutory salary requirements for police chiefs, requiring a census of preschool children every two years instead of annually, and allowing up to three school districts with fewer than 1,000 students each to share a superintendent.
However, the recommendations did not include weightier measures, such as a state takeover of Medicaid. New York requires counties to pick up a portion of the program’s cost, an arrangement not found in most other states.
“I think it is a good beginning but the key drivers of unfunded mandates, such as pension costs and Medicaid, still have to be tackled,” says Bill Mooney, president of the Westchester County Association and a member of the mandate relief team. “Our municipalities and school districts will continue to have financial pressures unless these issues are addressed.”
Meanwhile, the “most beautiful home in Westchester” is now off the market. Paddington Stone Realty of White Plains announced it recently completed a $10.8 million residential property sale of Scarsdale’s Heathcote Estates, which was named the No. 1 most beautiful home in Westchester by Westchester Home magazine in its Fall 2010 issue. The 11,600-square-foot, seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom Colonial built in 2006 by Cal Petrescu Architecture & Design is situated on more than 2.5 acres. The transaction marks the second highest residential sale in Westchester since 2008, according to the Westchester/Putnam Board of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service.
Food lovers looking for new and delectable culinary delights don’t need to make the trip down to Manhattan: Yonkers is having its very own Restaurant Week later this month.
Yonkers Downtown BID’s first International Restaurant Week will run from Saturday, Jan. 21 through Sunday, Jan. 29 and feature offerings from some of the most celebrated chefs in the region. Among the restaurants participating will be Peter Kelly’s X2O Xaviar’s on the Hudson, Zuppa Restaurant & Lounge, Dolphin, La Bella Havana, Khangri Japanese and Asian, Giovanni’s IV, Pizza Place, and others still to be announced.
All restaurants will offer 20 percent off lunch and 25 percent off dinner with options for at least five items at each meal. Prices do not include alcoholic beverages, gratuity, or taxes. For more info and to make reservations, visit www.yonkersrestaurantweek.com.
HOT PROPERTIES
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Property: 9 Hunts Lane, Chappaqua |
Availability: This two-story property features 7,200 square feet of office space. Asking price is $1.5 million.
Selling points: This building is ideal for office space or medical or governmental use and is located three blocks from the Chappaqua Metro-North train station, shops, and restaurants. It also features a wood porch for outdoor seating.
914 DATEBOOK
THURSDAY 1/12/12
Breakfast With the County Executive—8 to 9:30 am, Westchester Marriott, 670 White Plains Road, Tarrytown. County Executive Rob Astorino will address the economic challenges facing Westchester and report on the state of the county in an event sponsored by the Westchester County Association. His remarks will be followed by a Q&A session. To RSVP, please contact Laura Montopoli at lmontopoli@westchester.org or (914) 948-6444.
SATURDAY 1/14/12
MLK, Jr., Day of Service—8 am to 5 pm, at various locations. Consider taking this opportunity to spend a day of volunteer service in your community in the spirit of the late civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. The Westchester County government suggests those interested in participating contact The Volunteer Center of United Way for events in your area. For more information, visit http:// www.volunteer-center.org.
TUESDAY 1/16/12
11th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Legacy Awards Luncheon—11:30 am to 2 pm, DoubleTreeHotel, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown. The African American Men of Westchester will host this event to honor the legacy of Dr. King by recognizing young people for their service to the community. For more information, or to nominate a youth, visit aamw.com.
TUESDAY, 1/24/2011
Professional Women’s Networking Mash-up—6 to 8 pm, Augie’s Prime Cut, 3436 Lexington Ave, Mohegan Lake. This professional networking opportunity is jointly sponsored by the Professional Women of Westchester and Professional Women of Putnam. This first-ever “networking mash-up” costs $15 per person, which includes appetizers. Cash bar also available. For more information, visit professionalwomenofwestchester.com or professionalwomenofputnam.com.
THURSDAY 3/1/12
“Freshen Up Your Resume” Session—6:30 to 7:30 pm, Somers Library, 82 Primrose St, Somers. This session—presented by Laura Olert of Career Works, Inc.—will go over the latest trends in resume writing. It will discuss how to make you’re a resume unique and market your personal brand. Please bring your resume to this session.
THURSDAY 3/15/2012
Mega Mixer Business Expo—2 to 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 more than 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.
THURSDAY 4/19/12
Business Council of Westchester Hall of Fame ceremony—Glen Island Harbour Club, New Rochelle. The Business Council of Westchester is seeking nominations for its Hall of Fame, which recognizes the lifetime achievements of Westchester County businesses in five categories: small business, entrepreneurs, corporate citizens, family-owned companies, and women in business. Nominations must be received by January 13 and are accepted online only, at westchesterny.org/grow/hofnominate.html.
THURSDAY 2/9/12
The WestField chapter of Meeting Professionals International is hosting its annual Education Day, to provide an opportunity for business professionals to explore and develop their teambuilding skills. The day will include sessions on topics ranging from philanthropy and professional development to group dynamics. Fees are $60 for members and $70 for non-members by January12, and $75 for members and $85 for non-members after January 12. For more info or to register, visit mpiwc.org.
ONGOING

Know a Wunderkind? You, perhaps? Nominate an under-30 county business professional (you can even include yourself) for 914INC.’s second annual Westchester Wunderkinds. For more info or to submit a nomination, visit westchestermagazine.com/914-INC/Premiere-2010/Wonderful-Wunderkinds-Form
Do you have tips, scoop, or gossip concerning business in Westchester? If so, our 914INC. Incoming blogger, Bryan, is all ears—please email him at 914incoming@gmail.com
