JerseyMan Magazine V9N1

EXCLUSIVE

PHILADELPHIA MAYOR

Q&A JIM KENNEY

George Anastasia’s

MOB SCENE

INSIDE:

SIXERS INNOVATION LAB P. 28 ESPN’S KEVIN NEGANDHI P. 34

C E L E B R AT I N G O U R 2 0 1 8

MAN & WOMAN OF THE YEAR HONOREES Volume 9 • Number 1 – $3.95

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PUBLISHER

FROM JerseymaN magaziNe THE VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 1 ____________________________________________________________________________________

BY KEN DUNEK

Ken Dunek Publisher ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ashley Dunek

M

EDITOR George Brinkerhoff

y Father Jim Dunek passed away a little over a year ago. Missing his wisdom and guiding hand, I wrote him this letter:

Dear Dad, How is it in heaven?

How do you spend your time?

You were always a big horseracing fan, so I am assuming that the track up there has all the greats running; Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Man o’ War. Must be a great racing card in heaven.

Blackjack was something you enjoyed. Of course, you learned how to count cards and crushed the casinos here on earth to the point they kicked you out and banned you from playing anymore. I hope the pit bosses up there are a bit more tolerant.

Football Sundays were always special for you. I would imagine Vince Lombardi is coaching a team up there, and your favorite Chicago Bears players are giving him a good game.

Did you take up golf? The course in heaven must be spectacular. Probably Augusta National on steroids. You took me golfing once when I was a little boy. We got up at the crack of dawn and I caddied for you. Your score wasn’t very good but I sure enjoyed hanging out with you for a few hours.

Did you find anyone to play gin rummy with? It was always one of your favorites. You would talk incessantly about nonsense so I couldn’t remember what cards you took from the pile. And on the rare occasions I would get lucky and beat you, you always paid me. But when you won, you would never accept the money. We sure had some fun times together playing cards.

Are you sitting around the kitchen table talking politics with Uncle Hugh? Is Aunt Opal cooking you bacon and eggs? Are Grandpa Clem, Audrey, and your sister Pat keeping you company?

You would be proud of your son Mike. He has turned into such a fine man. Happily married and father of three girls and a grandfather to four beautiful grandchildren.

And my four daughters miss you so much. They miss their birthday cards with the checks inside too. You never forgot. And they will never forget you. My wife Terri still cries when she thinks of you being gone. You were like a real father to her.

Sorry to take up so much of your time Dad. I’m curious about what it is like up there.

But come to think of it, time must be plentiful in heaven.

I guess I am next up, but excuse me for not being in a hurry. So much to do with whatever years I have left.

This feeling of mortality has given me an appreciation of time. I don’t waste any days anymore, trying to squeeze the juice out of every second.

Hope I made you proud Dad. And keep a seat open for me.

It’s my deal.

ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, Michael Bradley, George Brinkerhoff, Sam Carchidi, Harry Donahue, Alexandra Dunek, Ashley Dunek, Mark Eckel, Molly Golubcow, Robert Kennedy, Sam Kraft, Dei Lynam, Anthony Mongeluzo, Kurt Smith, T. Jordan Wompierski Administrative Assistants Alexandra Dunek Allison Farcus Assistant Events Coordinator Jamie Dunek Editorial 856-813-1153 Advertising 856-912-4007 Printing 856-813-1153 Controller Rose M. Balcavage Sales Associates Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Terri Dunek, Allison Farcus, JP Lutz JerseyMan/PhillyMan Advisory Board Peter Cordua (Chairman) . . .HBK CPAs & Consultants Dave Czarnecki . . . . . . . . . . CzarStar/Kriebel Security Nick DeRose . . . . . . . . . . . Legacy Treatment Services Joseph Devine (Emeritus) . . . . . . . . . Kennedy Health Ted Flocco (Emeritus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernst & Young Puri Garzone . . . . . . . . . . Table 95 Hospitality Group Cate Heaman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prelude Solutions Bob Hoey . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janney Montgomery Scott Robert Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . The Kennedy Companies Julie LaVan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LaVan Law Michael MacFarland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TD Bank Anthony Mongeluzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCS Mike Regina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Sky Enterprises Greg Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carvertise Les Vail . . . . . Gloucester Co. Chamber of Commerce John White . . . . . . . . . . . Peerless Business Advisors

“There is no class so pitifully wretched as that which possess money but nothing else.”

– Andrew Carnegie JerseyMan Magazine/PhillyMan Magazine, products of the partnership of Ken Dunek, and Anthony Mongeluzo, are published by New Opportunity Publishing, LLC, with offices at 7025 Central Highway, Pennsauken, NJ, 08109. Copyright 2018.

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INSIDE 20

JOEL EMBIID

22

BRUCE ARIANS

26

Q&A WITH MAYOR JIM KENNEY

28

GIVING BACK

34

KEVIN NEGANDHI

46

GREATEST SHOW ON WHEELS

54

JIM JACKSON

62

BEING RELENTLESS

68

VETERAN SHARK TANK

JerseymaN magaziNe VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 1

ON THE COVER

Standing from left; Mac Nagaswami, Angela Parsons, John Murabito, Amy Rudley.

Seated from left; Violeta Yas, David Silver.

by DEI LYNAM

by HARRY DONAHUE

Shares his passion for Philly sports and pride in the city

C E L E B R AT I N G O U R 2 0 1 8 M A N & W O M A N OF THE YEAR HONOREES

Christian Crosby and the Sixers Innovation Lab

ESPN SportsCenter host has his dream job

Philadelphia Auto Show

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Award-winning broadcaster has mastered two sports

Nick Colleluori’s HEADstrong Foundation

Opening doors for our veterans

46 COLUMNS

1 2 J O T T I N G S • 1 8 G E O R G E A N A S TA S I A ’ S M O B S C E N E • 2 4 G E T F I T 74 THE CIGAR GUY • 76 TECH TIME • 78 THE WINE MAN

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Cover photograph Jeremy Messler Photography LLC

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JOTTINGS

“The rich invest in time, the

BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF

– Warren Buffett

_____________________________________________________________________________ poor invest in money.”

Photos courtesy Topgolf

IT’S A SMASH!

L

ooking for a new fun-filled activity this winter? How about some golf? Yup, I said golf. Topgolf’s newest facility just opened around here this past October in Mt. Laurel, NJ, and we were recently invited for a tour. What is Topgolf you ask?

“Topgolf is a golf entertainment venue with games made for expert golfers and for people who have never picked up a golf club in their life before,” says Colin Lester, marketing manager for Topgolf Mt. Laurel. “Topgolf is much more like a driving range mixed with a bowling alley than a traditional driving range, which

makes it fun for golfers of any skill level. Our climate controlled bays allow people to play golf and have a fun time with us year round.

Each playing bay has heaters that warms the space by about 40 degrees. Even when it’s

freezing cold outside you can come play Topgolf in a light jacket. We even have heaters that melt snow around our targets in the field.

We’re open rain or shine, hot or cold, so everyone can have fun with us year round.”

With over 100 hitting bays on three levels, and food and drink service while playing, what more could you ask for? Oh, using their proprietary state-of-the-art technology, they have computer screens which track every single ball you hit and keeps the score for you. All you have to do is sign in. Spiffy! And speaking of games, there are 9 different games that you and your friends can play (with two having a rookie and advanced levels), all while enjoying their extensive chef-inspired menu of mouthwatering food and drinks.

In addition to the three levels, the Mt. Laurel facility includes a full service restaurant and bar, and a lounge on the lower level with pool tables, shuffleboard and Xbox Kinect. Clearly, they know their business as it’s the second facil-

ity they’ve opened in New Jersey (the first is in Edison) and their 48th worldwide, catering to more than 13 million guests annually!

“It’s a friendly and welcoming environment for families, but it’s also a ton of fun for a younger crowd that are looking for a fun night out with friends. People can book anything from birthday parties to corporate meetings and team building activities at our venue,” Lester concluded.

Our conclusion? It’s a blast, the perfect activity for a snowy winter day. Or, for that matter, any day. So, go ahead, ignore the snow and those below freezing temperatures, and have a chuckle at Mother Nature while smashing some golf balls this winter. For more details check out topgolf.com.

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This Meteor Didn’t Hit

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HIS MONTH the Philadelphia Auto Show, where all the major auto manufacturers show off their latest most cleverly engineered products, once again opens its doors in Philadelphia, as it has almost every year since 1902. From the dawn of motoring through the 1920’s, Detroit had a bit of competition as the main manufacturing mecca for automobiles because many a long forgotten manufacturer built cars right here in Philadelphia.

One such homegrown automaker was Meteor Motors, Inc. Founded by Wade Morton, a race car driver of the era, Meteor opened its doors in 1919. In 1920, Meteor’s management saw the value in appearing at the auto show and attempted to secure a spot. Unfortunately they were denied, forcing them to take measures into their own hands.

At the last minute they were able to secure space in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel where they held a competing “show” of their own,

Meteor two passenger runabout

which was said to be “successful.”

Meteor built luxury cars of the day, selling for $5000 or more, which was a lot in those days. Their line-up eventually included a sport tourer, a two-seat runabout, a four seater, and a town car. Cars of that era were built differently, sometimes using different sources for the body and the engine. Meteor used their own chassis, along with bodywork from coach building body manufacturers (mainly Fleetwood in this case), and used an engine provided by Rochester-Duesenberg.

Meteor also campaigned an open wheel race car at the time, which was closely associated with Duesenberg. They used a Duesenberg engine along with their own body design. (In 1920, Willie Haupt, drove a Meteor race car to a 16th place finish in the Indy 500.) By one estimate, the total number of cars built by Meteor was between 20 and 100 automobiles; none appear to have survived into the modern era. Perhaps the cost of not appearing at the auto show in 1920 was too much to overcome. In any case, by 1922 those same doors that opened in 1919 shut forever.

While their motor cars are long gone, Meteor Motors’ doors, along with the building in which they produced their machines, appears to still be in existence on the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue.

For a look behind the scenes of this year’s auto show go to page 46.

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PATTERNED BRICKWORK HOUSES OF SOUTH JERSEY

Nicholson House patterned brickwork

H

ere’s more evidence proving New Jersey’s uniqueness.

(Like you needed any!) South Jersey is ground zero to a very unusual brick building tradition, employed mainly by English Quaker colonists from the 1680s to the 1830s. In a nutshell, the colonists used vitrified, or fired, brick which produced a darkened, glass-like glazing on select bricks, with which the bricklayers then created patterns, geometric designs, dates and initials of owners’ names mostly on the gable ends of the residences they were constructing. It’s definitely an east coast thing, almost like early examples of graffiti art, colonial style. Nearly four hundred examples of these remarkable patterned brickwork buildings still exist, with about 95% located within the boundaries of the old West Jersey colony in what’s now South Jersey. For 2018, Preservation NJ has put patterned brickwork houses on their top 10 most endangered list, in the hope of further educating the public about these singular structures to help foster future preservation efforts. For more information visit preservationnj.org.

The Abel and Mary Nicholson House was built in 1722 in Salem County, NJ. It has been declared a National Historic Landmark.

Photos Sue Halbert

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Photo Wawa

A Cool Combo

D

ELAWARE COUNTY’S 2SP BREWING (the brewing arm of 2 Stones Pub with five locations in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware) has partnered with Wawa to create a very special winter beer indeed. Working with Wawa’s in-house coffee expert, Michael McLaughlin, and utilizing Wawa’s Winter Reserve Coffee, Bob Barrar, brew master at 2SP, has matched it with oatmeal stout and crafted the aptly named limited edition Winter Reserve Coffee Stout as a collaboration between both the 2SP and Wawa brands. It’s only available this winter in the Philadelphia five county area (Bucks, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester) with an initial run of 1,000 cases. If you’re lucky enough to find some, consider yourself exceedingly fortunate, as you enjoy this fresh new stout overflo ing with Philadelphia area roots. Go to 2spbrewing.com for more info. n

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New Apartments Replace Old Mart – Pennsauken, NJ Sabre Systems, Inc. Founder Phil Jaurigue Named CEO of the Year

Delco Development, LLC and Pennsauken Township celebrated the grand opening of Haddon Point Apartments in Pennsauken yesterday at the community clubhouse located at 2100 Haddonfield Road, Pennsauken, NJ, the site of the Old Pennsauken Mart.

Left to Right: William T. Juliano, Kathy Juliano, Michelle Banfe, Tom Juliano, Mayor Jack Killion, Committeeman Rick Taylor, Larry Cardwell)

Ice Hockey Pioneer Inducted in to All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey – Bridgeton, NJ Phil Jaurigue, Chairman and CEO of Sabre Systems, Inc., was named CEO of the Year by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. This prestigious award is a reflection of Mr. Jaurigue’s lifelong achievements and successes as founder and CEO of Sabre Systems. From left; Sabre’s Megan Jaurigue, Tim Walters, Kristen Pyle, Phil Jaurigue, Dr. Angelina Pozon (Phil’s mother), Mary Pat Kessler.

11th Annual McKee Golf Classic Raises $60,000 for Tails of Valor, Paws of Honor – West Chester, PA An induction, posthumously, was held October 18, 2018 for a pioneer of professional ice hockey. Mr. James Arthur “Art” Dorrington, the first Black ice hockey player in the National Hockey League, was signed in 1951 by the New York Rangers. Left to Right: Joe DeLuca, Co-Chairperson of the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey; Ralph Hunter, Founder of the African American Heritage Museum; Judah Dorrington, Daughter of Mr. Dorrington and Dom Valella, Chairperson of the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey.

South Jersey Baseball Oldtimers 50th Annual Banquet – Gibbstown, NJ

Frank The Frank A. McKee Golf Classic 2018 raised a record $60,000 for its chosen charity, the Tails of Valor, Paws of Honor Program, a local organization that provides service canines to veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and physical disabilities. The Classic was held on Sept.

20 at the Broad Run Country Club in West Chester, Pa., and brought out 132 golfers to support the cause. Pictured left, J. McKee, Sr. presents a check to Heather Lloyd, Founder/Executive Director, Tails of Valor, Paws of Honor at the 2018 McKee Builders Golf Outing. Pictured right, Tails of Valor brought some of their dogs for a ‘meet and greet’ at the Golf Classic.

“Mr. Baseball’” Frank Barbetta (left), former owner of the Bensalem AA, later the Philadelphia Stars baseball team, a semi pro team from the Bucks County, PA, area, is joined by former 1993 NL Champions of the Phillies, from left, Mickey Morandini, Tommy Greene and Milt Thompson as well as Stars’ shortstop, Mike Barnes and Dave Hitchner, host of the South Jersey Baseball Oldtimers 50th Banquet, held at St. Michaels Mutual Hall in Gibbstown, NJ. Also honored was Dan Baker, who was presented with a plaque acknowledging his dedication, professionalism and dependability as Phillies PA Announcer since 1972.

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MOB SCENE

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY GEORGE ANASTASIA

Another Tragic Victim of the Opioid Crisis

A

PRIL KAUFFMAN was a victim of the opioid crisis that is ripping America apart. That, at least, is one of the takeaways from the murder trial of Ferdinand “Freddy” Augello who was convicted of arranging the murder of the vivacious Atlantic County radio personality and outspoken military veterans advocate.

April was found shot to death in her home on May 10, 2012.

Augello, the pony-tailed former leader of the Cape May County Chapter of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, spent nearly a year trying to set up the hit, according to trial testimony which indicated that several members of his outlaw motorcycle gang along with two alleged mob associates turned down the contract.

April Kauffman was found on the floor in the bedroom of the Linwood, NJ, home she shared with her husband, Dr. James Kauffman. She had been shot in the chest. The good doctor died in a Hudson County jail cell back in January after being charged with hiring Augello to carry out the hit. The cause of his death is listed as suicide, but sketchy details about his demise and about a suicide note he left have added to the mystery. The fact that it took authorities more than five years to put the case together further fueled speculation that the lifestyles of the doctor and his wife and their relationships to high placed political and elected officials made some people in authority reluctant to get to the bottom of what really happened and why.

Augello, from his prison cell and through Facebook postings from friends and associates, continues to deny the charges, insisting he was framed by other members of his outlaw biker gang looking to get out from under their own criminal problems.

A jury in Atlantic County thought otherwise and after a three-week trial in the fall took less than two hours to come back with a guilty verdict. Testimony in the case included details about a pill mill ring that Augello was running with James Kauffman, an endocrinologist who

had a well regarded and apparently financially lucrative medical practice in Atlantic County.

The story that emerged during the trial was a tale of sex, drugs and greed, a tragic and surreal drama built around phony prescriptions for opioids written by Dr. Kauffman and converted by Augello and his associates into a pill mill operation that poured several thousand little blue oxycodone pills on to the Atlantic County drug market.

In terms of the national opioid crisis, it was not a major operation.

Across the country, millions of those pills flow illegally onto the streets each month. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that 115 people die every day in the United States from overdosing on opioids.

Every day.

Couple that with studies that put the economic burden of the drug crisis—the costs tied to medical services, rehab programs, job loss and law enforcement efforts—at a staggering $78.5 billion annually and the pill mill operation at the center of April Kauffman’s murder seems almost inconsequential.

But the murder offers a look inside the opioid crisis and an explanation for how drugs like oxycodone—a drug that pharmaceutical firms had initially claimed was not addictive— make their way to the streets.

Phony prescriptions by unscrupulous doctors who have forgotten or chosen to ignore the ethics of their profession—first, do no harm—are the primary source of the drugs.

Networks of drug dealers using teams of bogus patients to secure the scripts and pharmacists willing to fill them is the next step in the process. The pills, usually paid for by unsuspecting insurance companies, are sold on the streets for $20 to $30 apiece.

In the Augello-Kauffman operation, testimony indicated, the doctor was writing bi-monthly scripts for 120 pills for from 10 to 15 Augello associates. At the low end (60 pills a month for 10 associates) that’s 600 pills on the street for sale at $20 a pill. That’s $12,000-a-month. At $30-a-pill the monthly gross rises to $18,000.

Again, not a big operation in terms of the

Augello continues to deny the charges, insisting he was framed by other members of his outlaw biker gang looking to get out from under their own criminal problems. national crisis, but significant money, especially for someone like Augello who, according to testimony, was always broke and constantly looking for a score.

A

UGELLO OWNED a sign painting business off Route Nine near Marmora and played in third-rate rock-n-roll bands.

He was by some accounts a poor man’s Keith Richards, someone who loved to perform but who was not particularly good at it.

“He didn’t like to practice and could only play four chords,” said someone who had fol-

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lowed Augello’s musical career.

According to the investigation and trial testimony, Doctor Kauffman used the lure of a pill mill to gain access to the Pagans, then promised Augello $50,000 if he could arrange the murder of his wife April. Augello jumped at the offer. But those who knew him said he never intended to do it himself.

For months he searched for a hitman. Several members of his outlaw club turned down the offer. At least two later agreed to testify for the prosecution. Augello was also picked up on surveillance video meeting with two associates of the Philadelphia mob at a casino in Atlantic City. But the mobsters apparently decided that Freddy was making them an offer they could refuse. Authorities said Augello eventually found a drug addict to carry out the hit for $10,000. Augello put the rest of Dr. Kauffman’s $50,000 in his pocket.

The hitman showed up at the Kauffman home on Woodstock Drive in Linwood shortly before 6 a.m. on May 10, 2012. The door was open. He walked inside and was handed a gun

by Dr. Kauffman who pointed the shooter to an upstairs bedroom where his wife was sleeping.

The doctor left for work as the hitman climbed the stairs. April Kauffman never had a chance. Neither, it turns out, did the shooter.

He died of a drug overdose a year later.

For nearly five years the doctor and the biker got away with murder.

“You will not find two more different people than the wealthy doctor and the defendant,” Atlantic County Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy told the jury at the opening of Augello’s trial in September. But, he added, each man had the same motive for murdering April Kauffman.

Each man, Levy said, wanted to “protect his empire.”

For Augello, Levy said, it was a pill mill operation that was generating several thousand dollars a month in income for him and the promise of the $50,000 payout for the hit. For Doctor Kauffman, the prosecutor said, it was a personal estate worth an estimated $4.6 million that he did not want to share with his wife who was pressuring him for a divorce.

It was not a happy marriage.

That, too, was part of the trial testimony.

The prosecutor said April Kauffman had become disenchanted with the man she had married ten years earlier. Among other things she learned that he had lied about his own military service, claiming to have served in Vietnam with a Green Beret unit and to have been decorated for his heroism.

None of it was true. He had never been in the military.

April Kauffman was both embarrassed and ashamed given her involvement in veterans’ rights programs. Her husband was a fraud and

she worried that it could undermine the good she was trying to accomplish.

She wanted a divorce, but he balked. It wasn’t that the doctor wanted to make the marriage work, prosecutors said, but rather a desire not to give his wife half of all he owned in a divorce settlement.

April Kauffman “began stepping out,” the prosecutor told the jury, a vague confirmation of stories and rumors about extra-marital affairs that added a soap opera twist to the murder investigation. She also began to run up staggering bills on her husband’s credit card, hoping to drive him to the conclusion that it might be cheaper to divorce her.

Instead, the doctor decided it would be even cheaper to have her killed.

Phony prescriptions for oxycodone was part of the price he was willing to pay.

I

T WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE to determine the specific impact drugs from the Kauffman-Augello pill mill ring had on the opioid crisis in Atlantic County, in New Jersey or in the United States. Who became an addict as a result? Who moved on to heroin? Who ended up in a hospital? Or in a morgue?

The only thing that can be said with certainty is that April Kauffman was a victim of the pill mill operation her husband and Freddy Augello set in motion. n

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DEI LYNAM

_______________________________________________________________________________

Joel Embiid: Finding Another Level

W

HEN THE SIXERS selected Joel Embiid number three overall in 2014, they thought, when healthy, he would develop into a special player. Four and a half years later, with just over 100 career NBA games under his belt, the seven-footer is an early-season candidate for MVP. It’s been said that stating one’s goals out loud is a powerful step towards making them come true. Embiid did just that before the start of his third NBA season.

“My goal going into the offseason was to get better,” Embiid stated in September at the team’s media day. “I want to win the MVP. I feel like at the end of the day it might be an individual award, but when I play better, the team also does. I feel like if I’m an MVP candidate or if I win the MVP, that means we are on another level.”

Embiid went a step further saying he wanted to win the Defensive Player of the Year award as well. His goals are lofty. Only two previous players have ever won both awards in the same NBA season; Michael Jordan and

‘‘

I JUST WANT [THE FANS] TO FOLLOW MY JOURNEY AND KNOW WHAT I’M DOING.”

Hakeem Olajuwon. Moreover, like those two Hall of Famers, Embiid has not only the statistics but also the innate qualities that allow for someone to win such prestigious awards. His former agent, Arn Tellem, saw early on his client was one for the ages.

“I always thought from the time I met him he could be a star,” Tellem, now Chairman of the Detroit Pistons, said when the Sixers played the Pistons in early November. “First, on the talent side, he had enormous talent. We have represented Kobe, [Tracy] McGrady, Derrick Rose, [Russell] Westbrook, Anthony Davis, but when he stepped in the gym right out of college and started working out I never saw anyone with his ability—anyone—and then when you factor in his size you said, ‘Wow, this guy could be incredible.’

“And then as I got to know him well, I saw he had the drive to be a star; he wanted it.

Only a few at that age have it. Kobe clearly had it. Kobe had it like no one I had ever seen, but Joel had it also. Kobe came into the league with a game plan and a package whereas Joel was finding himself. Joel knew where he wanted to go, and very few players have that.”

T

HAT FIERCE COMPETITIVENESS manifests itself on a daily basis. In a game against the Orlando Magic earlier this season Embiid made his first three threepoint attempts and scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points. The Sixers center envisioned a possible record night only to be substituted for at the 6:49 mark. Embiid was none too pleased.

“I am used to it; those are the rotations, but I am pissed,” Embiid admitted postgame.

“I was hot. I made three threes to start the game, and I felt like I was going to beat Klay’s record tonight. Then I got cold. It’s fine. It’s basketball. At the end of the day, I am the one controlling if I make shots or not. I have to make sure I play harder. I know we have those minutes and when we are supposed to come out of the game, but I thought it wasn’t a good idea.”

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Golden State’s Klay Thompson set a record in late October with 14 made three-pointers in a game. Embiid saw an opportunity to add his name to that conversation had he been allowed to stay in the game. Instead, he went to the bench, cooled off and proceeded to make only 2 of 14 field goal attempts over the final three quarters. Still, at game’s end, Embiid had notched his first career triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and ten assists.

“He is our crown jewel. He is the centerpiece of everything we do, defensively and offensively,” Coach Brett Brown said. “It is throwback stuff. It is atypical NBA; he is very different from anyone in our league. He needs the ball.”

E

MBIID APPEARS DIFFERENT than anyone in the league when it comes to his use of social media too. He is

clever. He is perceptive. He is funny, and he is engaging. However, best of all, he is himself.

Embiid’s creativity on social media is his authentic work.

“That’s why social media is there,” Embiid said. “I love communicating with fans. Sometimes they give good ideas and sometimes they’re also bad, but I like interacting with fans.”

“I just want them to follow my journey and know what I’m doing. I want them to know what I like to do, and what I don’t like to do.”

And what you see on social media is the work of Joel.

“Joel’s style is incredibly unique,” Jessica Holtz, Embiid’s marketing agent shared.

“He reacts creatively and real-time to what is going on with “NBA Twitter” and Twitter at large. There have been some articles trying to guess who actually runs Joel Embiid’s Twitter and there is no ghostwriter or paid expert be-

hind the scenes—it is ALL HIM.” Embiid appreciates his relationship with Philly fans in particular, both on and off the court. This past summer it was a regular occurrence to see Embiid walking through the city, and stopping at a playground to participate in a few possessions of a neighborhood pick-up game. He has a personality comparable in size to his imposing physique.

“His love to interact with people has not changed,” Tellem shared. “He understands who he is. He loves being with people and interacting with people, and that is what makes him so unique. Many people, as their stardom grows, they withdraw, but he likes to engage.

“I enjoy it, [Embiid’s social media] because some of his messages are so good, and so on point. He has good people around him to help him, but he has excellent instincts on how to engage with people.” n

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HARRY DONAHUE

_______________________________________________________________________________

No risk it, no biscuit.

Photo www.owlsports.com

I

T WAS JANUARY 1983. Temple football, three seasons removed from a Garden State Bowl upset of Cal, had just completed a three-year streak of mediocre results under Wayne Hardin.

University President Peter Liacouras wanted a change. When it came to change, Peter’s moves were hardly mainstream.

The year before he fired popular basketball coach Don Casey replacing him with Cheyney State coach John Chaney. All Chaney did was go on to five Elite 8’s in the NCAA tourney and a spot in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

The football hire would be no different. Liacouras replaced his Hall of Famer, Hardin, with a totally unproven Bruce Arians, a 30-year-old who had just completed his 2nd year as the running backs coach at Alabama under another legend, Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant.

“Coach Bryant told him [Liacouras] that I could move the ball and that I was a winner,” Arians said. “That’s pretty much all it took.”

The new young coach and the veteran college administrator shared a vision for Temple football. No risk it, no biscuit.

“It was let’s go to the top,” Arians recalled.

“Miami did it with Howard Schnellenberger.

We tried to pattern everything they did. We played Florida, Florida State, Alabama and BYU when they were number one. For us to become the best we had to play the best.”

When it came to recruiting, Bryant gave the newly minted head coach some sound advice.

“He said ‘You can drive two hours and see more players than I can drive ten hours and see.’” Arians said. “Between Washington, New York and Philly it was just finding the right guys. We actually recruited Pittsburgh like it was out of state.”

It didn’t take long to land some good ones.

Especially an under the radar running back from suburban Washington, DC, named Paul Palmer.

“I asked my high school coach, ‘Where is Temple?’” Palmer said. “I had never been to

Bruce Arians (left) with former Temple football great Paul Palmer.

“Coach [Bear] Bryant told him [Liacouras] that I could move the ball and that I was a winner. That’s pretty much all it took.”

Philadelphia. It was my only visit. My first year in training camp I was fumbling the ball all over the place. Coach said, ‘Son, if you can hold onto the ball, you could become the best running back who ever played here.’”

He was right. Palmer would go on to have himself a Hall of Fame career, finishing as Temple’s all-time leading rusher, runner-up for the 1986 Heisman Trophy, and a first-round

pick of the Chiefs. In his Senior year of ‘86, he rushed for 1,866 yards including 349 against East Carolina.

“Best pound for pound football player I ever coached,” Arians said. “That ECU game was incredible. They knew he was getting the ball and couldn’t stop him.”

It was amazing what Arians, Palmer and other players like Todd Bowles, Kevin Ross,

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and All American offensive lineman John Reinstra could accomplish. Temple in those days was as far from state of the art football facilities as you could get. Meetings with players were held on stairways in the bowels of McGonigle Hall.

By 1988 and two straight losing seasons, the job was starting to take a toll on Arians. Both physically and mentally. The biscuit was getting stale.

Liacouras went hunting again. Jerry Berndt, who had enjoyed Ivy League success at Penn, was brought on to replace Arians.

B

UT IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG for the NFL to come calling for Arians. Six different teams over the next 26 years. Along the way a pair of Super Bowl titles as an assistant with the Steelers.

When Colts head coach Chuck Pagano came down with Leukemia in 2012, Arians was named interim head coach. Indy finished 11-5, 9-3 under Arians. He was voted NFL Coach of the Year. The only time an interim coach has won the honor.

In 2013, 30 years after his first head coaching job at Temple, he got another one. The Arizona Cardinals. In five years, Arizona went to the playoffs twice including 2015 when the Cardinals lost to Carolina in the NFC Championship game.

Two years later, however, he realized there were too many things, non-football related, that he had missed.

“It was good to walk away from the game,” Arians said. “Jake [his son] turned 40 and it hit me harder than anything. I just said, ‘Where did it all go?’”

This season Arians is working NFL games for CBS-TV. He’s written a book, The Quarterback Whisperer.

Still, the question begs. Could coaching be part of his unknown future?

“It would only be Cleveland,” he said. “I loved it there. The Browns and their fans deserve a winner.”

Actually had Kansas City not traded up and taken Patrick Mahomes before Arizona had the chance two years ago, he may still be coaching.

“Mahomes was my guy,” Arians admits.

“He is Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck smart.”

After two scares with cancer (prostate and kidney) and at 67 years old, Arians and wife Chris have sold their home in the Phoenix area and moved to a Georgia golf community.

And whether it’s football, golf or broadcasting his mantra stays the same: “No risk it, no biscuit.”

Somewhere, Peter Liacouras has a big smile on his face. n 23

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GET FIT

For more guidance follow Alexandra, NASM Certified

Personal Trainer on Instagram at @TipsfromAFitChick _______________________________________________________________________________

BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK

Float Therapy

T

UCKED AWAY in a small shopping center in South Jersey are the world’s largest floating pools, owned and founded by Tom Bazis. Have you ever heard of float or floatation therapy? It’s the new guy in town.

If you are like me, an athlete of any sort or even just an active individual, making recovery a part of your daily lifestyle can be crucial to preventing injury, relieving soreness and, overall, feeling rejuvenated. So say hello to float therapy.

The idea is simple. You enter a sensory deprivation tank or isolation tank, which is an enclosed light and soundproof pool. The tank is filled with 1,800+ pounds of Epsom salt in skin temperature water. Then you weightlessly float, anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes.

Float SNJ, a local sensory deprivation floatation center is proving popular, attracting professional athletes from the Flyers and the Philadelphia Eagles. It is known to improve performance…just ask the 2017 Super Bowl champions. The players seek mind and body rejuvenation right here in Marlton, NJ. However, you don’t need to be on a professional athlete to benefit from this therapy approach. Floating can make a difference for

anyone from a business professional who works in a high-stress environment to your average Joe, who desperately seeks relief from pain or has issues with sleeping. According to TIME magazine, float therapy also helps anxiety and PTSD. The facility in Marlton has four different pools to float in; The Grotto, The Water World, The Galaxy and the Zen Temple. I got a chance to try out The Water World and once you step inside, you are immediately taken from the chilly suburbs to a tropical resort. I tried my best to breath and disconnect. I re-emerged an hour later feeling refreshed. It was a new experience to have a load taken off your frame and muscles, similar to putting your feet up after a long day of work.

If I didn’t convince you yet, check out this testimonial from my friend and devoted floater, John Bertino: “I started floating in 2016 to essentially force myself to get better with mindful meditation. For years prior, I struggled to achieve any significant progress with the practice. But after just a few float sessions, the results were un-

deniable. I was (and am) now exponentially better at calming my mind and getting it to a place of relaxed, singular focus; all of which I feel has yielded substantial benefits for me personally and professionally. I attribute the breakthrough entirely to floating.

“When I relocated from California to New Jersey, I assumed float spas would be few and far between and that I’d be going into downtown Philadelphia to find anything even remotely comparable. I was shocked to find Tom’s facility in Marlton, NJ and I’d say it’s the most impressive and meticulously cared for location I’ve been to yet.”

Float is located in the Allison Shopping Center at 27 N. Maple Ave, Route 607, Marlton, NJ 08051. For pricing or to schedule a float session, please visit www.FloatSNJ.com.

They also offer other services such as yoga, infrared sauna and cold plunge shower. n

The author tries float therap .

Floating can make a difference for anyone from a business professional who works in a high-stress environment to your average Joe, who desperately seeks relief from pain or has issues with sleeping.

Bazis has also designed and installed the floating pools for their new Doylestown, PA location opening soon, called Relax Float Spa. Keep an eye out!

Phone: 609-712-1618 • Email: Assistance@FloatSNJ.com • Facebook: FloatSNJ • Twitter: FloatSNJ • Instagram: @FloatSNJ 24

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EXCLUSIVE Q&A

INTERVIEW BY T. JORDAN WOMPIERSKI

PHILADELPHIA MAYOR

Jim Kenney

P

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has been at the helm of the City of Brotherly Love since 2016, but his roots here run much deeper. His great-great-grandfather—who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg—hailed from Philadelphia, as have many generations of his family ever since.

Kenney grew up in the 2nd Street area of South Philly, and he has fond memories of his childhood there. A lot has changed for Kenney since those days, but some things—like his passion for Philly sports and his pride in the city—are as strong as ever.

We caught up with Mayor Kenney recently for an exclusive Q&A. 26

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‘‘

When the Eagles won, our whole city joined together in celebration.”

What were some of your favorite childhood experiences growing up in Philadelphia?

I remember riding my banana bike up and down the construction site at Veterans Stadium and eating bologna sandwiches with yellow mustard and potato chips on white bread (my own concoction). I used to love playing sports at Burke playground and going to Wildwood for a week every summer. I’ll never forget the smell of burnt wood on my dad’s fireman uniform because it meant he made it home safely.

Were you a big sports fan as a kid? What teams did you follow?

I’ve always been a huge Philly sports fan. I followed all Philly sports teams.

What is the best thing the city of Philadelphia?

Our people—their grit, determination, and resilience. And our history— we’re the birthplace of America and democracy.

What makes Philadelphia a great place to live?

Everything. Our residents, our food, culture, public spaces, how we celebrate the holiday season, and our close proximity to the shore.

Where are some of your favorite spots in the city to visit?

The Reading Terminal Market.

What are a few of your favorite places to eat in Philly?

Race Street Cafe, Pastificio’s Hoagies, Panorama, and Chickie’s & Pete’s.

Photos Samantha Madera, City of Philadelphia

What are some of your best Philadelphia sports memories?

My father worked at the Spectrum for a while, so he would take me to work with him during Flyers games when there were open seats.

Sometimes I was allowed to take home slightly cracked sticks and use them for street hockey.

Now that you’re a (busy) adult, how closely do you follow the Philadelphia teams and attend games?

I still follow our teams closely and go to more games now than I did when I was a kid.

What’s better about Philadelphia now than the Philadelphia you grew up in?

Diversity and race relations.

What sort of impact did the Eagles’ Super Bowl win have on the city?

It’s hard to put into words just how incredible it felt in the days and weeks after the Eagles’ Super Bowl win. People would start singing the Eagles fight song on the street and passing strangers would join in. The fans waited decades for that win, and when the Eagles won, our whole city joined together in celebration.

Which Philly team will be the next to win a championship?

The Sixers. I trust the process.

What are you most excited about for the future of the city?

Unleashing the unlimited potential of our kids through a stronger, improved school system. n 27

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SIXERS INNOVATION LAB

GIVING BACK DO UNTO TO OTHERS—A SLAM DUNK

Most basketball teams would be content having won three World Championships and numerous trips to the finals round, but apparently not the Philadelphia 76ers. By thinking outside of the box (or court if, you will), Sixers ownership and management decided to commit their time and resources not only to create a top-notch basketball team, but also to “give back” to the community by sponsoring up and coming businesses in a state-of-the-art Innovation Lab. The 8,000 square foot Sixers Innovation Lab, located on the Camden Waterfront, serves as a giant petri dish for entrepreneurs in search of mentoring and funding sources to help grow their businesses.

The Innovation Lab fiercely wants its candidates to succeed and offers a myriad of opportunities where business folks can incubate and grow to their fullest potential by offering them housing and food, office space, marketing strategy, and access to the guidance and experience of the Managing Director and Board of Governors of the Philadelphia 76ers—all for free for the lucky candidates selected for the program.

MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN It all begins with a single idea—a lone seed that grows into a mighty forest. That’s a good thing, but unfortunately, not every idea can be accepted at the Lab. Candidates must submit a detailed application and interview. Once the application is reviewed

by Innovation Lab staff, a vigorous vetting process occurs. Selected companies are then notified, and a flexible and customized program based on the young company’s needs is established.

BY MOLLY GOLUBCOW

Since housing and office space are generously provided by the Lab, the start-ups don’t need to worry about mundane issues, so they can concentrate solely on developing their business and learning from experts at the Lab including local advisors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, StubHub, Rothman Institute, and more.

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‘‘

It’s amazing to see that a sports franchise can be a part of something bigger than just sports.”

– Christian Crosby, Sixers Innovation Lab Entrepreneur

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AND THE WINNER IS… If you assume that the Sixers Lab primarily focuses on helping businesses that center around sports, you may be out of bounds! The driving force behind the Lab is to cultivate folks in their business pursuits—sports related or not. If we look at some of the recent “graduates” from the Lab, diverse and creative come to mind. The selected businesses range from U GIT GUD, a training platform for professional and amateur E-sports players to Doc & Phoebe’s no-bowl feeding system for cats. Yes, you read that correctly—cats.

Another company shepherded to success by the Sixers Innovation Lab is Live Life Nice— a cause-driven digital media company and clothing line with a simple mission: to inspire people to “Be Nice, Do Nice.” By posting compelling video content, Live Life Nice provides a positive forum that its creator, Christian Crosby, hopes will become infectious on a global scale—and he ought to know since he is the embodiment of enthusiasm and positive energy.

Crosby started with the 76ers as a member of the dunking while trampoline bouncing act in 2006 called the Hare Raisers (AKA Flight Squad). He quickly “fell in love with the organization” and worked his way up to captain of the team. Although he enjoyed entertaining, he wanted to further his career and currently works as the Live Events Manager for the 76ers.

‘‘

I truly believe that I was meant to empower, motivate, and inspire people to be nice and do nice.”

So, let’s chat with Crosby and learn more about his unique company, Live Life Nice, as well as how he has become the consummate poster-child for the Sixers Innovation Lab. JERSEYMAN: What was your experience as an entrepreneur with the Sixers Innovation Lab? CHRISTIAN CROSBY: Before the Sixers Innovation Lab, I had been working tirelessly on developing Live Life Nice. I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and I had balanced working on my own company and working for the 76ers for a few years. When the 76ers announced their partnership with the Innovation Lab, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to really grow and develop my business by learning from the best, while also continuing my relationship with the 76ers organization. I am forever grateful for everything the Innovation Lab has taught me both personally and professionally. It’s amazing to see that a sports franchise can be a part of something bigger than just sports.

JM: What was the “Aha” moment or event that inspired you to start Live Life Nice?

CC: For me, it wasn’t just one “Aha” moment—I grew up watching my parents give selflessly to our family, their community, and just about everyone around them. Their dedication to doing good for others inspired me to continue that mindset of simply being nice and doing nice. In today’s society, there is so much focus on the negativity of the world and I never understood why the negative always received the most attention and sometimes even the most praise—I wanted to change that. I just felt as if there needed to be more focus and attention paid to those who live their lives by being nice and doing nice things for those around me.

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JM: Can we assume that you practice what you preach in other areas of your life?

CC: Of course! I wouldn’t be able to promote Live Life Nice if I didn’t practice what I preach. Posting videos of people doing nice things on social media and giving back to different communities isn’t something I do just because it’s a part of my business—it’s a part of what I believe and who I am as a person. I truly believe that I was meant to empower, motivate, and inspire people to be nice and do nice—and that starts with me living my life through those exact values. As I mentioned before, my parents completely embodied that mentality and ever since I was a kid, I’ve only become more and more inspired to do the same.

JM: You and your message are present on several social media venues, what have your followers taught you?

CC: My personal page has close to 50K followers and Live Life Nice is quickly approaching 10K. Some of my videos have reached millions of views and impressions. The most important thing that I’ve learned about having a solid social media presence is consistency and having a solid understanding of who is following you. When it comes to Live Life Nice, it’s important to see what our followers like and dislike so that we can adjust our social media accordingly so that they continue to engage and encourage others to do the same. I’ve also learned that it’s okay to have people who do not agree or like you or what you do! Not everyone is going to like what you’re doing and that is completely okay—use that as motivation.

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‘‘

I think if we all truly understood one another, it would solve a lot of problems we have in our world.”

JM: What’s next for Christian Crosby?

CC: Professionally, we are looking to partner with a national retailer on the apparel end of Live Life Nice. We are also looking to partner with a major media conglomerate on the content side. Ultimately, it is our goal to try and inspire a million acts of nice—and honestly, I feel like this falls into both the personal and professional category.

On a more personal level, I just want to continue to be a sponge and LEARN. Learn more about business, history, myself, and really just continue to try and spread as much “Nice” as I possibly can. And on the entertainment side, I’d love to produce and star in upcoming digital and television shows.

JM: If you had a “nice-powered” magic wand for a day, what would you do with it?

CC: I love this question! First off, I believe that everyone deserves to have food on their table, clothes on their back, and the opportunity to receive an education. So, if I had a “nice-powered” magic wand, I would immediately make sure that everyone has those things in their life.

I also would make everyone walk a mile in each other’s shoes—from race to religion to gender—I think if we all truly understood one another, it would solve a lot of problems we have in our world. n

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Photo Allen Kee/ESPN Images

SPORTS GUYS

Kevin Negandhi on the set of SportsCenter.

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DREAM JOB

BY MARK ECKEL

KEVIN NEGANDHI KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WITH HIS LIFE WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER.

HE JUST HAD TO CONVINCE EVERYONE ELSE.

Negandhi, a West Philadelphia native and proud Temple grad, is the co-host of ESPN’s 6 p.m.

SportsCenter. It’s a job he’s dreamed about since he was playing basketball by himself in his basement while also doing the play-by-play.

“My whole thing was when I had this concept as a 14-year-old kid, this ridiculous dream that I wanted to get into broadcasting and work at ESPN,’’ Negandhi says.

Dreams can come true and Negandhi is proof. He had some other ideas, but it always came back to working in sports, and specifically that place in Bristol, CT. “I thought maybe I wanted to be an architect,’’ he said. “I was really good at drawing and putting stuff together and art and all of that stuff. But I was really into sports. I remember I took this building construction class in ninth grade. I hated the class after the first week, and said ‘I’m not doing this rest of my life.’

“Then, college basketball started later that same year. I remember watching this game, the exact moment. I’m watching the game and a kid is at the foul line and the play-by-play guy and the color analyst are profiling the kid and saying how he wants to do what they are doing. At that moment it hit me. ‘I can get paid to do this? I can follow sports and go on the road to different games?’ That night I watched SportsCenter and I said then I wanted to be the first Indian-American on the air.’’

Easier said than done. Not only did young Kevin have to break the barrier of becoming the first Indian-American to work on a national broadcast, but there was also the small matter of convincing his India-native parents that this what he wanted to do.

“This was 1989 and there was no one of my skin tone on the air doing sports,’’ he said. “I mention that because I also had to sell my parents on this idea. They were immigrants who came to America and wanted the best for me. Now, how do you sell your parents on this?’’

It wasn’t as tough as he thought it would be.

“My father was a big sports fan and mom understood my passion,’’ Negandhi said. “Sports was always the way I communicated with my Dad. He was very old school, very rigid, ‘You’re going to do this.’ You had to get the best grades. I had to do his homework, which was much harder than any homework I got from school.

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Photo Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images

Kevin Negandhi with Eagles Brandon Graham and Malcolm Jenkins on the set of SportsCenter.

“When I was 7, 8, 9 years old I’d get the Sunday Inquirer and grab two sections: the comics and the sports. I read the comics. Then I would get the sports section and retain stats and facts.

So, when my Dad was [watching the Eagles game] and yelling at the TV at Ron Jaworski, I could tell him ‘No, Dad, Jaws has done this or that.’ That was the only way my Dad would pay attention to me.’’

Negandhi laughs at how years later Jaworski became a colleague and friend of his at ESPN. While he would talk sports with his father, his mother figured out what he wanted to do just by watching and listening to him.

“Growing up in our area you always wanted to be Merrill Reese [the voice of the Eagles] or Harry Kalas [the voice of the Phillies],’’ Negandhi said. “My mom tells the stories of how I had a mini hoop in my basement and I had my own basketball league, my imaginary basketball league. She would come down the steps and say ‘Who are you talking to? Why are you talking when you’re playing?’ I would tell her it doesn’t actually happen unless you give playby-play of it. You have to talk the play out.’’

Even after all of that, Negandhi says: “I still had to sell then that this is what I want to do for a living.’’

AFTER HE GRADUATED from Phoenixville High School he went to Syracuse University, but transferred back home to Temple, a move

he says became so crucial to his career.

“I always say that was the greatest decision of my life for my work career,’’ Negandhi said. “It gave me a chance to be in the Philly market.

Gave me a chance to write at 19 years old, to be in the booth with Harry Kalas as an intern. Then working at WPHL 17, that opened the door to intern with Vai Sikahema and Big Al [Meltzer] and Ron Burke at channel 10. And that opened the door to get to channel 6 and work with Gary [Papa]. He was my guy. He was the guy I looked up to and wanted to be. My dream of ESPN was always there, but working in the Philly market was just a part of my DNA.’’ Mentors like Papa and Sixers announcer Marc Zumoff, as well as getting to work up close with Kalas and Reese, was the best education Negandhi could have wanted. All that intern work paid off.

“I’d be in the office at Channel 6, and they would send me to the Phillies game to get a sound bite,’’ he said. “To be in that market at 21, 22 years old, that was huge for me.’’

Negandhi’s first full-time gig came in Kirksville, MO at KTVO in 1998. The closest big city was St. Louis and that just happened to be the time when Mark McGuire was breaking the home run record and Kurt Warner was taking

‘‘

BEING THE FIRST INDIANAMERICAN ON A NATIONAL NETWORK IN AMERICAN TELEVISION HISTORY, IT STILL BLOWS ME AWAY.” the Rams to a Super Bowl title.

“I applied for about 100 jobs and I got one,’’ he said.

Negandhi parlayed his work in Missouri to a job in Sarasota, FL at WWSB as an anchor/reporter and later the sports director, a job he held until 2006 when he made the move to Bristol.

“Sarasota was cool,’’ he said “You’re not Tampa, but you’re covering Tampa sports.

And IMG [sports agents] was there, and they have so many first-round draft picks and that’s where they train. [Peyton] Manning, [Drew] Brees, all those guys, that’s where they trained. And then there was spring training.

There were five teams in our area and that included the Reds who were in Sarasota when Ken Griffey Jr. got traded there. And when ARod [Alex Rodriguez] signed with the Rangers

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they were in Port Charlotte. That was in our market as well. I had so much great experience before I ever got to ESPN.’’ NEGANDHI ARRIVED IN BRISTOL in 2006, working various jobs from ESPN News to some Outside the Lines shows, some Baseball Tonight, some College Football Live and the occasional SportsCenter.

“I wear a lot of different hats,’’ he said. “But I love it.’’

In May of 2018, he was promoted to the prime post of co-hosting, with Sage Steele, the 6 p.m. SportsCenter.

“So Being the first Indian-American on a national network in American television history, it still blows me away,’’ he said. “It’s like holy crap, I thought of this when I was 14 and now it’s actually happened. Getting in was a challenge, it’s tough for anyone. I had a couple of mentors pull me aside, wanted to change my last name, change my look. I actually thought about it.

“The best advice I got was just get in, just break through. Because once you get in you can take it from there.’’

Negandhi, with an understanding wife, Monica, and three children, sons Brandon and Noah and daughter McKenna, worked his way up at ESPN.

ALWAYS A PHILLY FAN Keven Negandhi is a professional in every sense of the word. He’s also human.

So, when the West Philadelphia native, Temple grad and now the 6 p.m. co-host of ESPN’s SportsCenter met his childhood idols, well. . .

“My biggest idols growing up were Mike Schmidt, of course, everyone did that butt wiggle in their backyard,’’ Negandhi said. “And Bo Jackson, I think I had 14 Bo Jackson posters at one time.’’

Negandhi had the chance to interview Jackson on more than one occasion and his big thrill came when he did a segment on a football field with Jackson, former Eagles player and now Arizona State University Head Coach Herm Edwards and former Eagles player Hugh Douglas.

“That was a lot of fun,’’ he said.

Then there was the time he met Schmidt.

“I’ll never forget, I’m doing the morning SportsCenter and we’re on at 9 a.m.,’’ he said. “It’s 8:40.

I’m walking down the hall, and no one is there yet. I’m walking out, and I look over and sitting by himself is Mike Schmidt. The 14-year-old in me is, ‘That’s Mike Schmidt!’ The mid-30 sports anchor is, ‘Why isn’t Mike Schmidt on our show?’ I went up and introduced myself and asked what he was doing here. He had just finished Mike and Mike. I asked if he would come on with us and he was like sure. It was great.’’

Then there was the 2016 NBA Draft when the Sixers had the first overall pick and were going to select Ben Simmons. Negandhi convinced his bosses to send him to Philly to cover the draft and to get an interview with the Sixers’ last No. 1 overall pick, Allen Iverson.

“They told me I had three minutes,’’ Negandhi said. “Allen saw me, and they told me he was only doing the interview because it was with me. You know Allen wears everything on his sleeve. It was a great interview. We went nine-plus minutes and he was near tears at the end.

“I was so happy because the country saw the kid we knew, the genuine A.I., not just the ‘practice’ A.I.’’

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“I told my wife, and she understood because she worked on TV herself, that we’re not going to be off on holidays. That’s when everyone else takes off. So, when everyone is off, I’m on [the air]. I got my breaks by working all the holidays.’’

Negandhi is at the top of his game, doing the job he wanted since he was a kid. He doesn’t forget his Philadelphia roots, however, and is still a huge fan, even though it can be tough on the national stage.

“It’s changed a little, and Stuart Scott was a perfect example with North Carolina that’s it’s OK to embrace what you like on the air,’’ Negandhi said. “Now, it goes against a lot of things we were taught, but I’ll never forget that when the Phillies made their run in ’08 and ’09, no one knew more about the Phillies than I did.

“And In 2009, the Eagles are in the NFC Championship Game in Arizona and I’m on the air doing SportsCenter while the game is on and Merrill Hoge and Trent Dilfer are in the studio with me. The [Eagles] defense collapsed and Kurt [Warner] had that drive to win the game.

We’re on the air right after the game. The experience I had through the years of watching the Eagles and that this was going to be the final run and the way it ended. No one was more critical of the Eagles than me that day. Because I knew all the blemishes.

“When the Eagles had their Super Bowl run last year everyone had fun with me, but if any team ever deserved it, it was them. The thing is, if the team stinks I’m going to tell you the team stinks. If the team is good, I’m going to tell you why they’re good.’’ n

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Photographed at Chima Steakhouse in Philadelphia

by Jeremy Messler Photography LLC. Art Direction Steve Iannarelli.

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O

ur 4th annual Unmasking the Legacy celebration took place on November 8th at the exquisite Ballroom at the Ben. We recognized six special members of the community for their professional and philanthropic achievements and celebrated with almost 500 of our friends, family and colleagues.

We had a contest amongst our honorees and we, along with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, were able to give a portion of the night’s proceeds back to all six of our honoree charities.

We are proud to recognize John Murabito and The Johnny M. Foundation, along with Angela Parsons and The Center for Grieving Children, as this year’s top two finishers.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success. We look forward to continuing the tradition for years to come.

OUR 2018 MAN & WOMAN OF THE YEAR HONOREES Left to right: Mac Nagaswami (TeenSHARP), Angela Parsons (The Center for Grieving Children), Violeta Yas (Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia), John Murabito (The Johnny M. Foundation), Amy Rudley (Claddagh Fund), David Silver (Operation Yellow Ribbon).

PRESENTED BY:

HHHHH To nominate someone for our Man & Woman of the Year Honoree recognition please email Ashley at adunek@jerseymanmagazine.com 41

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4TH ANNUAL

JerseyMan/PhillyMan Publisher Ken Dunek presents check to John Murabito for the Johnny M. Foundation

Best Mask Winner Bill Evans, CEO of Liberty Fox Technologies with JerseyMan/PhillyMan Assistant Publisher Ashley Dunek.

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Photos courtesy of: Briana Sposato Waverly Lane Center City Photo HughE Dillon

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4TH ANNUAL

Photos courtesy of: Briana Sposato Waverly Lane Center City Photo HughE Dillon

Ashley Dunek presents a check to Angela Parsons for The Center for Grieving Children.

Amy Libby was the Safian & Rudolph Jewelers “Philly Special” diamond giveaway winner (left).

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THE GREATEST SHOW ON WHEELS

BY MICHAEL BRADLEY

W

hen Mike Gempp was a kid, he and his brother would spend hours studying the floor plan of the Baltimore Auto Show that was published in the newspaper, figuring out how they would “attack” the event. Their goal was maximum exposure to the cars and as little wasted time and energy as possible.

Gempp has been a car nut for as long as he can remember. He used to save his money to buy car posters to cover the walls of his room. So, in college, when he met a guy whose father owned an auto show production company, he decided to use his computer degree from the University of Delaware for something he truly loved.

“They needed a network system, and I set it up for them,”

Gempp says.

For four years, Gempp traveled the country, helping stage auto shows for his new employer. From 1995-99, the company expanded its clientele from nine to 14 shows, and Gempp loved it. In ’99, he became director of the Philadelphia Auto Show, one of the nation’s oldest and largest.

From January 27 – February 4, more than 250,000 people will pack the Pennsylvania Convention Center to experience an event that has swelled in size and grown in terms of its scope and presentation. It now covers 200,000 square feet and provides potential car buyers and motoring enthusiasts the opportunity to see what’s new—and in the case of the classic car display, old—in the automotive industry.

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The Philadelphia Auto Show now occupies 750,00 sq. ft. in the Convention Center.

Clutch, the Auto Show’s mascot, brings awareness to the Black Tie Tailgate.

Black Tie Tailgate, which is a preview event that benefits Children’s Hospital.

After meeting internally to discuss the successes and areas that could improve, the staff looks outside, to the Wharton School. A professor of statistics presents information from attendees about what they liked and didn’t prefer. The goal is to get data about the return on investment on the show. No matter how much it appeals to the enthusiasts and allows for multiple generations of the same family to gather for some car fun, the main goal is to generate

interest in new models that triggers sales.

“The bottom line is that 48 percent of all people who come will buy a vehicle in the next 12 months,” Mazzucola says. “The show influences $3 billion in sales.

“People are going to be entertained, but many are looking to make a decision on their next purchase. This helps them do it in an efficient manner. It will either confirm they have made the right choice, or they will see something else that they didn’t realize they would like.”

Photo Steve I.

“Thirty percent of the attendees come every year,” Gempp says. “They are passionate about it. They love cars, and we always hear generational stories from families. It’s part of the fabric of Philadelphia.

“But the majority of the people come for what the show is intended to do: make shopping for their next vehicle easier.”

The show is staged each year by the Auto Dealers of Greater Philadelphia, which was formed in 1904 and includes 190 dealerships throughout the five-county region. (About 180 participate in the show.) Although the Dealers group contains an army of sales, service and executive people, a staff of nine—along with some outside vendors and consultants—runs the Auto Show, and work begins on the event almost immediately after the previous show ends its run.

“It’s a nine-day party that takes 10 months of planning,” says Kevin Mazzucola, the Auto Show’s executive director.

What the staff is planning is actually two significant events. The first is the Auto Show, which seven years ago expanded significantly and now occupies 750,000 square feet (up from 500,000) in the Convention Center’s Grand Hall and exhibition rooms A-F. The other is the

One of the Bugattis featured last year.

“Thirty percent of the attendees come every year. They are passionate about it.”

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A

fter looking at the numbers and the hits and misses from the previous show, it’s time to start looking ahead, and that means speaking with dealers and manufacturers about what’s coming up next in the auto world. Gempp uses a computer-aided design system to assemble an early layout of the show, based on the amount of space certain companies want. He also must take into account each auto company’s location.

It may seem odd, but Chevy wants to be near Ford because they are competitors. That way, potential buyers can compare models without having to travel far to do so. High-end lines want to be next to high-end lines. That’s why you’ll likely see Acura, Lexus and Infiniti in the same neighborhood. Not only must Gempp decide which manufacturer to put where, he must also create a flow that enables visitors to experience the vehicles without creating traffic jams between exhibits. And that doesn’t just go for the models that people might buy.

Last year, the Auto Show featured a pair of Bugattis for the first time. They excited patrons, but they required a particularly specific layout that featured aisles and fencing all around the cars, so that people could experience

Nearly half of Auto Shows attendees will purchase a vehicle within the next 12 months.

them without wading through overwhelming crowds—or causing any potential damage to the cars.

“Once the floor plan is drawn, everybody knows what the space is going to look like,” Gempp says. “Then, we can get the general contractors in to start working.”

They are responsible for working with the auto companies and dealerships’ people, who create the specific displays for each vehicle

line. Just as Gempp began with a company that helped stage shows, so must he, Mazzucola and the rest of the Show staff accommodate the individuals who will help GM bring its various brands to life and Honda develop an area that will compel visitors to learn more about its models.

As they work on the look, the Convention Center unions and staff make sure everything works from electrical, technical and construc-

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tion points of view. There are also some rules and regulations in place that must be followed, and it’s unwise to rely on outside people to make sure everybody does things correctly. If the lights go out, or the display screens don’t function, there will be some unhappy people.

That’s why the Auto Show folks must have so many meetings, build a wide variety of relationships and make sure there are plans in place for every eventuality.

O

Photo Steve I.

ne area that requires tremendous creativity and follow-through is the promotional side, which Eric Caldarale runs. He has been with the Auto Show since 2009 and begins to create awareness for the next show—gradually—beginning in the summer. It doesn’t make sense to bombard area residents in August with information about something that doesn’t start until late January, but the Auto Show’s mascot, that driving, goggled teddy bear “Clutch”—who was created in 2010—pops up on billboards pretty early, in an attempt to remind folks about the Black Tie Tailgate and build some awareness of what is to come.

As the weather turns cooler, the promotional efforts increase, and Caldarale widens the distribution to include radio and TV spots, bus signage, print advertisements and social media campaigns. Clutch starts appearing in more locations, and Caldarale begins to deploy the Show’s $500,000 media placement budget in earnest. He also has a $100,000 production allowance that he uses to create collateral materials, TV and radio spots and other materials to promote the Show. He works with Bozeken,

full story from people.”

The promotional support is the attempt to publicize the show itself, along with its charitable component, which Mazzucola reports donates $1.5 million a year to Children’s Hospital and to area kids through the “Drive Away the Cold” program, which last year provided 51,000 winter coats and continues to grow in scope. In 2008-09, the first season of the program, it provided 18,000 coats.

“When you have 180 auto dealers pulling together, you can really help the community,” Mazzucola says.

This year, as hundreds of thousands of car shoppers and enthusiasts crowd the Convention Center, the Auto Show will continue its tradition of providing a perfect platform for people to compare, discover and even drive cars. Mazzucola reports that the Show provides a $50 million economic impact for the region, a nice benefit in addition to the primary goal of introducing new models to the public.

The planning and hard work that take place for months result in something that grows in scope and impact each year.

“It’s a unique opportunity for the manufacturers, dealers and consumers to come together,” Mazzucola says.

And to get behind the wheel. n

The show features a classic car display.

a Phoenixville-based company that produces content for a variety of platforms.

And he has shifted the focus from newspaper and print ads to more video and audio, digital billboards and certainly social media.

“In 2018, we did a big social media push,” Caldarale says. “We had people talking about their experiences at the show. This year, we want to use that even more, to get more of a 50

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PROMOTION

Organizing Your Financial Life

by Albert A. Fox, CFP®, CIMA®, Financial Advisor FOX, PENBERTHY & DEHN AT MORGAN STANLEY

A

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

fter being approached in October 2018 to write an article about the markets, I reflected on the best way to contextualize the rapid changes that were occurring. In the midst of a stock market plunge, it made sense to talk about resurgent volatility, but that alone would not do justice to the complexity of comprehensive financial planning.

One month of turbulence does not necessarily foreshadow a market crash or economic recession, but it should not be ignored either. Many dramatic market downturns came as a complete surprise to investors: the crash of 1929, Black Monday in 1987, the “Dot Com” bubble of the 1990s, and the housing bubble of the 2000s. Recent markets serve as a reminder that pullbacks can take shape when we least expect them.

With that in mind, I have compiled a short to-do list to help organize your financial life in preparation for the unexpected.

Create a Financial Plan Whether you are nearing retirement or are already in retirement, it is not too late to assess your situation. First, review your current assets and liabilities. Second, consider your inflows and outflows, both discretionary and mandatory. Retirement income may include a pension or company savings plan, Social Security, and portfolio income. Then estimate your expenses – everyday costs, taxes, mortgages, car purchases or leases, and less frequent expenditures such as vacations or weddings. Once you have a good idea of your cash flows, stochastic modeling software can run thousands of scenarios to test your financial situation. Everything from rising inflation to multiple market crashes should be factored in.

Although you can create your own plan with reputable financial programs, complexities are typically better modeled by a financial advisor who is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.

Determine Your Needs The goal of a financial plan should be the identification of your financial needs. By running numerous scenarios, you can get a good idea of how much you are able to spend and what asset level can realistically be maintained. Your financial planning results, coupled with your feelings about volatility, will help you construct a risk profile that determines how conservative or aggressive your portfolio needs to be.

Understand What You Own In rare instances, clients come to us with a blank slate, but if you already have investments (i.e. your 401(k) or IRA), do you know what you own?

Whether you invest in individual stocks and bonds, mutual funds, or

exchange traded funds (ETF), there is some level of risk involved. They key to constructing a robust portfolio understands what types of risk you are exposed to, and what impact they can have. Interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, and concentration risk are just a few. It is easy to ignore risk during a bull market, but when pullbacks occur, those risks can become painfully clear. The joy of participating when stock prices are going up can become disastrous for investors, particularly retirees, when their portfolio goes out with the tide and they don’t have the time horizon to build it back up.

Separate Thinking From Feeling A suitable portfolio seeks to balance your risk tolerance with your objectives, and combined with your financial plan, should withstand unpredictable market conditions. Sounds simple, right? I can’t tell you how many investors start off on the right track, only to deviate when market returns seem too good to pass up or too bad to participate in. Feelings can easily derail an otherwise sound financial plan. There are times when a good advisor is as much a referee for your feelings as they are a financial quarterback for your plan.

Maintain and Adjust Over time, your life will change. Maybe you are welcoming a new grandchild, your home needs unexpected repairs, or financial markets take a sudden turn. Financial plans have to adapt with life’s blessings and challenges, so it is important to review and adjust both your portfolio and comprehensive financial plan on a regular basis. Quarterly or semiannual rebalancing of your allocation, as well as annual inspection of your cash flows, are essential to achieving your objectives. If you have a financial advisor, make sure they are routinely keeping your stock-tobond ratio in check and reassessing your plan’s viability.

To fully explore your portfolio and custom financial plan, I highly recommend consulting with a professional financial advisor. Reputable advisors will provide a free analysis of your portfolio and objectives, even if you ultimately decide not to open an account. If you already retain an advisor, be sure to ask them if they are routinely rebalancing your accounts and running updated iterations of your financial plan.

Prepare Instead of Panic Market volatility does not have to be synonymous with personal uncertainty. Even though the market veers up or down when we least expect it, a carefully constructed investment strategy can provide long-term stability while allowing for tactical adjustments during unexpected events.

Recent moves in the stock and bond markets are a great reminder to prepare your financial plan, understand the risks of your investment strategy, and remove emotion from your decision-making process. It is easy to brag about your portfolio when markets are good, but the real measure of success is not panicking when markets are bad.

This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this material may not be suitable for all investors. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor.

The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

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PROFILE

J

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JJ JJ JIM JACKSON GROWING UP IN UTICA, NY, Jim Jackson loved sports and called himself a “wannabe athlete,” someone who had his moment of clarity when he was playing football as a high school sophomore.

It was a moment that steered him toward what has become an accomplished career as a broadcaster.

A football player got sick, and Jackson was promoted to participate in a varsity practice on the fateful afternoon. “They stuck me at middle linebacker, and I wasn’t big enough to be a middle linebacker,” Jackson, 55, a popular broadcaster with the Flyers and Phillies, said.

Award-winning broadcaster has mastered two different sports

BY SAM CARCHIDI

The team ran a fullback-dive drill. Jackson’s duty was to fill the hole and tackle a bruising fullback who weighed more than most of the players’ fathers.

Jackson can recall the fullback running toward him, and, well, not much else.

“Next thing I remember, I’m looking up at the sky and all the guys are around me,” Jackson said.

The fullback had run over him.

“Back then, they said you got your bell rung. It was no big deal,” he said. “I went into the locker room later and I was feeling lousy and I said to myself, ‘I don’t think I’m going to make it to the NFL.’ I knew then I had to find another way, whether through writing or broadcasting. That solidified the fact that I’ve got to find another way to be involved in sports.”

Jackson’s late father, John, a veterinarian, cultivated his interest in sports by taking him to minor-league hockey games, Mets baseball games, Giants football games, and Syracuse men’s basketball games.

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Photo courtesy Jim Jackson

“I mean, the two sports could not be more opposite, but I don’t have a preference. I love hockey for the action, the physicality. I love baseball for its pace.”

“My mom always wanted me to take over his spot at the animal hospital, but I always had the sports passion,” said Jackson, the Flyers’ long-time TV voice. “I disappointed her, I’m sure.”

But not the fans who listen to the excitement in his distinctive voice as he does Flyers and Phillies games. Jackson was recently named the winner of the prestigious Bill Campbell Award by the Philadelphia Sports Writers’ Association. He will be presented the award, given for broadcasting excellence, at the PSWA’s 115th annual banquet Jan. 21 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill. Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola is one of the many other winners, and tickets are available at www. phillysportswriters.com.

“J.J. is the complete package for what you want from a play-by-play guy,” said Steve

Jim Jackson (left) and one of his Flyers broadcast partners, Keith Jones.

Coates, who now does color commentary on Flyers radio broadcasts but has worked with Jackson on TV and radio. “He has a complete understanding of the game, and his emotion is directly proportional to the theme of the game.”

Coates said Jackson was “overly prepared” in his research and “genuinely loves his job.

And he’s excellent in working well with whoever his partner is.”

Keith Jones, a former Flyer who is currently

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Photo Philadelphia Phillies

one of Jackson’s broadcast partners, agreed.

He called Jackson a “very enjoyable guy to work with. And he’s flexible to adjust to whatever the game presents. He never misses the big moments.”

JJ JACKSON WENT TO SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY and studied broadcast journalism before graduating in 1985.

“I was lucky enough to be there with lots of people who have gone on to bigger and better things in the business,” he said, mentioning broadcasters like Sean McDonough (Red Sox, CBS Sports, ABC, ESPN), Greg Papa (almost all San Francisco-area pro teams at some point), Mike Tirico (ESPN, NBC Sports), Todd Kalas (Astros), Dan Hoard (Bengals), and Craig Minervini (Marlins, Florida Panthers). At different times, Hoard and Minervini were his college roommates.

“It was great because it was only an hour from where I grew up in Utica,” Jackson said of his college days. “I had it easy. I grew up in Utica, went to Syracuse, went back to Utica and worked six years, and came to Philadelphia. I haven’t been all over the map like a lot of people.”

He has broadcast Flyers games for 25 years—

With fellow Phillies announcer Larry Andersen at a question-and-answer session with fans.

the last 23 on TV, the first two on radio—and has done the Phillies for the last 12 seasons.

Only the legendary Gene Hart (28 years) has been a Flyers play-by-play broadcaster longer than Jackson.

He gets this question asked frequently: Which is your favorite sport to broadcast?

“I always tell people I have a son who is a big strapping kid. He’s kind of quiet. And I have this tiny petite daughter who is very out-

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In baseball, because there’s lots of time between pitches, Jackson has to have lots of background information ready.

“You do need to have lots of stories. I would say I use maybe 10 percent of my preparation in a hockey game. In fact, Gene Hart used to say that all the time,” he said. “He had that big black book of his (filled with stats). This was before the Internet, of course. I’d say, ‘Gene, you can’t use all that stuff.’ And he’d say, ‘No, I probably only use about 10 percent of it.’ I said, ‘Doesn’t it seem like a waste of time?’ And he said, ‘I never know which 10 percent I’m going to use.’ And he was so right on that. But in baseball, I’d say I use 50 to 60 percent of my research before a game.”

JJ JACKSON, A SIX-TIME MID-ATLANTIC EMMY winner who lives in Gloucester Township, NJ, with his wife, Bernadette, did Flyers radio broadcasts for two years while Hart was doing the TV broadcasts. They traveled together and “I tried to sponge whatever I could from him because obviously he was one of the greats,” Jackson said.

When he became the Flyers’ radio voice a quarter-century ago, Jackson worked with Coates, and he was with Gary Dornhoefer

Photo courtesy Jim Jackson

going, and I love them equally,” he said, answering the question with an anecdote about his son, Johnny (named after his Jim’s father), 18, a junior hockey left winger for Tier III Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the Eastern Hockey League, and his daughter, Deanna, 21, who is interning at a Philadelphia film-editing company. “I mean, the two sports could not be more opposite, but I don’t have a preference. I love hockey for the action, the physicality. I love baseball for its pace. It’s a completely different pace, and the season is kind of a marathon and there are a lot of stories, and you get to cover the stories. I have no preference.”

Growing up in Utica, Jackson said, he was a “true four-for-four guy. I loved basketball, I loved football, I loved hockey, and I loved baseball. If I ended up doing play by play for football or basketball, I would have been just as happy. But as it turned out, an AHL team came to Utica and a minor-league baseball team was in Utica. I did those two sports and I ended up in those two sports.”

He began doing Flyers games in the 1993-94 season as their radio play-by-play voice, and he did some Trenton Thunder minor-league baseball games during the NHL lockout in 2004-05.

“That’s kind of what helped me get the Phillies job,” Jackson said. “It would have been hard for me to submit a tape from 12 years earlier.”

Jackson flanked by Flyers broadcasters Steve Coate and Keith Jones.

when he first did TV broadcasts. Jones and Bill Clement now rotate as his TV sidekicks.

“I’ve been completely blessed with great partners, starting with Dorny,” Jackson said.

“Coatesy helped get me involved my first two years, and Dorny got me through my deer-inthe-headlights moments early on in TV. I had done no TV whatsoever when I took that. And of late, of course, it’s been Keith Jones, Bill Clement, Chris Therien for a while, and now Taryn [Hatcher].”

Coates brought humor and energy, Jackson said, and Clement has “taught me a ton. I call him the Professor. Jonesy is just as sharp and as quick as anybody I’ve ever worked with, and Dorny, well, I used to say if I was ever in a war and wanted to be in a trench with somebody, he’d be the guy. You knew EXACTLY what you were going to get every day and you knew he had your back.”

Jackson said calling the Flyers’ 2-1 win over Pittsburgh in a 2000 playoff game—a fiveovertime thriller that was the longest game in modern NHL history—and Jimmy Rollins breaking Mike Schmidt’s franchise hit record, are his favorite broadcast memories.

There are many other moments high on the list, he said, and he will never forget being in the Phillies’ 2008 World Series parade. “The amount of people and the amount of love being shown, I was completely in awe,” he said.

How close are the Flyers to having their first parade since 1975?

Jackson believes the Flyers have a “real good foundation” and that they are “stockpiling talent” with their strong prospect pool. “Unfortunately, in hockey you can’t just go out and get one player [like in the NBA] and make your team better. It’s more of a team sport,” he said.

Jackson, mindful that the Flyers fired general manager Ron Hextall in late November because of a slow start and his failure to make a major trade, said it’s “really important for this franchise to win a playoff series this season and go on a run. The young nucleus is there, and the veteran core is still in its prime. That’s only going to last a couple more years, so the urgency is there.” n

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LegacyClub A social club

where business happens

We are proud to introduce you to our private business network n Do you want to expand your network in Philadelphia and South Jersey?

n Do you want to create powerful connections with other business professionals in the area?

n Do you want to attend exclusive networking events once a month at local venues?

LEGACY CLUB SPOTLIGHT “I’ve been fortunate to have been a member of the Legacy Club for over four years. In 2015, I was thrilled to be amongst other peers and recognized as a Man & Woman of the Year Honoree, for our many years of philanthropy. In 2017 I was honored to be asked to join the Chairman’s Club - which has catapulted Prelude Solutions into an elite membership. Today, the Legacy Club is my main source of networking and peer connecting. I’m so excited to be a part of this growing network.”

– Cate Heaman, Principal/CEO of Prelude Solutions & Supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association of Delaware Valley

“The Legacy Club has been an amazing experience for me. Networking with like minded professionals has enabled me not only to expand my business but has offered me the opportunity to refer my clients to other professionals who offer expertise and experience in their varied fields. I have been fortunate to create some truly wonderful relationships with extraordinary people. I am thrilled to be part of this unique networking group.”

– Connie Curci of RE/MAX

To learn more about the Legacy Club contact Ken at: ken@jerseymanmagazine.com or call 856.912.4007

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Stephen Abbonizio, Synergetic Sound & Lighting Kathy Albanese, Independence Blue Cross Joe Allen, Sonitrol Matt Auterson, AnnieMac Home Mortgage Keith Baldwin, Spike’s Trophies & Awards Greg Basile, TRU connect Steven Beagelman, SMB Franchise Advisors, LLC Paul Becker, DDP Roofing Services, Inc. John Bertino, The Agency Guy, Inc. Brian Bielawski, ARC Document Solutions* Marcin Bielecki, Capital One Bank Kimberly Biglin, PCH Technologies Matt Blatz, PCS* Ken Bode, Integrity Staffing Solutions Andrea Boscaglia, TD Bank Michael Bowman, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Cordell Boyd, Keller Williams Real Estate Carrie J. Boyle, Boyle & Valenti, P.C. Al Branca, Rx Cut Anthony Briddell, Briddell Capital Group Michael Brookshire, Wells Fargo John Brophy, NJ Advance Media Scott Brown, Scott Brown Insurance Agency Kimberly Bryson, Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ Alexander Buzbee, Conner Strong & Buckelew Nickie Caccese, F.C. Kerbeck & Sons Daniel Caldwell, Stout & Caldwell Taylor Campitelli, The National Kidney Foundation Ethan Capri, Capri Bookkeeping Lisa Carney, Farmers Insurance Alissa Carpenter, Everything’s Not OK and That’s OK, LLC Vince Ceroli, Ductz of South Jersey* Ren Cicalese, Alloy Silverstein Group Vincent Cieslik, Capehart Scatchard, P.A.

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Being Relentless

BY KURT SMITH

The HEADstrong Foundation is the brainchild of Nick Colleluori, who lost his life to cancer at the age of 21.

Like Nick, the Foundation is relentless in helping patients and families affected by the disease.

Nick Colleluori

Nick’s House in Swarthmore, PA hosts patients coming to Philadelphia for treatment.

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Helping The Foundation Stay HEADstrong The HEADstrong Foundation has been an enormous success since the passing of its founder Nick Colleluori in 2006. They have raised over $14.4 million and have assisted over 15,500 families affected by cancer. In addition to two Nick’s House locations that can simultaneously host eight families, they served Thanksgiving meals to five floors of patients in 2018, have hosted dozens of fundraising events and have delivered hundreds of their “Comfort Kits”.

But as Cheryl Colleluori will tell you, it’s not without challenges. Nick’s House requests are frequently coming in, as more families travel from hundreds of miles away for specialized treatment that is only available here. She notes that there are 280 families a month in need of housing just in Philadelphia.

ICK COLLELUORI SKETCHED out the HEADstrong Foundation logo on his way to an operating room, in the midst of his battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

His mother, Cheryl, remembers it well.

“He asked me for a piece of paper and pencil. I didn’t have a paper and pencil, but I gave him a napkin and he just started doodling. I wasn’t even paying attention. My husband and I were sitting there talking, trying to remain calm, giving him that assurance that this was going to be okay.

“They’re wheeling him in, and he turns the napkin around and said, ‘Here’s the logo.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘The logo for the Foundation. I’m starting it.’

“I thought to myself, man, this kid is relentless!”

When the 19-year-old three-sport athlete was diagnosed with the disease that ultimately would take his life, he wouldn’t spend a minute letting anyone feel sorry for him.

“He made it really easy for us,” says Cheryl, who is now president of the Foundation. “He

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Families at Nick’s House are charged nothing for their stays, which can often be 50 days or more.

This is in addition to their financial grants for families struggling with costs, dinners and events, and the multiple other services HEADstrong provides to families.

“We want to have the greatest impact we can in Nick’s name,” Cheryl says. “We want to help as many people as we can, and make sure we have the right people in place that bleed like we bleed, that breathe like we breathe. We have a lot of people that we’ve helped that have lost their loved one and they now have an opportunity to set up a fund in that loved one’s name and pay it forward for the next family. And that’s been a nice opportunity of growth for us.”

Nick’s House and the HEADstrong Foundation subsists entirely through volunteers, partnerships and donations. If you’d like to contribute or volunteer, you can find out how at ww .headstrong.org. standing and support. As his mother says, at a time when he could have been selfish, he chose to help others instead.

Today the HEADstrong Foundation he founded is doing just that, in a huge way.

They connect patients with survivors to speak with and mentor them through the ordeal. They host events and provide entertainment for patients throughout the year, including an annual Thanksgiving feast at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

And patients coming to Philadelphia for treatment can stay in Nick’s House, in either of two locations in the Philly suburbs.

HE IDEA FOR NICK’S HOUSE was born out of the Colleluoris visiting NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, for a clinical trial.

“We were in an 8 by10 room, and there were seven of us,” Cheryl remembers. “We were on sleeping bags. We were so grateful, but it was not conducive for a long-term living arrangement. We met a family living out of their car, which is not unusual. We thought, let’s do something.

“Our first Nick’s House was born seven years ago, and we refinanced our house to purchase this house. It took my husband six, seven months to renovate. The second home, in Swarthmore, opened in February after one year of renovation.

“We’re not just children, we’re all ages. Pediatric, geriatric. We are all [different] cancers.

And the common theme is that they’re travel-

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The Colleluori family.

made the whole journey just very bearable, if you can imagine that. He was so upbeat, and you would never, ever see a frown on his face.

I felt very privileged that I was his mom.”

Nick spent his 14-month fight…which was 11 months longer than doctors initially anticipated…noticing every resource that was lacking for cancer patients and their families.

Challenges like financial help, a place to stay during treatments, and the need for under-

YOU HEAR THE WORD CANCER AND YOU’RE JUST IN SUCH A TAILSPIN. YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. ing a distance of 50 miles or more, and they’re coming here for an extended period of time.

Nick’s House becomes their home. They can read a book, be part of the neighborhood, go for a walk…they’re in a safe and secure environment.

“I just love it. I’m so proud of it. The greatest gift for me is seeing complete strangers become one family.”

That the Colleluori family has been there is their greatest asset in helping other families.

“When people come to Philadelphia for treatment, they’re leaving behind everything they know. We become their family and their support system. We are very family-rooted, hands-on, in-the-trenches with the families.

We are that family. We were that family. We understand everything that they’re going through.

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The Comfort Kit One of Nick’s innovative ideas for helping cancer patients was borne out of the experience of being on call for hospital visits.

It’s called the “Comfort Kit,” and the HEADstrong Foundation regularly delivers them to cancer patients.

“A lot of times when someone’s admitted to the hospital,” Cheryl says, “you need to report right now because there’s a room available. Or, you’re in the emergency room and you’re admitted on the spot. You don’t have anything with you from home.”

The Comfort Kit includes a set of items that people without experience in this realm probably wouldn’t think of, as she explains: A journal and a pen - “2:00 in the morning you wake up and ‘Oh my gosh, is this normal? I have a question for the doctor. Am I going to remember?’ There’s your journal, jot the question, write it down.”

A blanket - “It provides warmth and comfort and it personalizes the room.”

Tissues with aloe - “Tissues in the hospital are so paper thin.”

A toothbrush and toothpaste - “A soft bristle toothbrush, because toothbrushes in hospitals fall apart when you use them.”

“I get this a lot: When will I know, when should we make the decision, if things aren’t going well? And my response is, you’re going to know. I also say, don’t go there until you have to.

“A lot of times the minute you hear the diagnosis, ‘Oh my God, my child’s going to die.’

Well, guess what, we have seen hundreds of children that are still here with us, that have made it, that have survived. My message to other parents is keep positive no matter how bad it gets, and don’t go there.

“That little bit of information was shared with me because I went down that path too. You hear the word cancer and you’re just in such a tailspin. You don’t even know what to do next.

“One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received was from a mother of a terminally-ill child. She held my hand and looked into my eyes and says, ‘You are my role model.’ Those are the only five words that I ever need to hear, to know that she can see me standing, still. I’m still standing.”

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HERYL COLLELUORI is never afraid to be human. She has no problem choking up and occasionally pausing to gather her-

self, even while speaking with a writer she’s never met over the phone. But in mere seconds she is back in the game, speaking of the goals of the Foundation. “Be relentless” is its motto.

JerseyMan Magazine has profiled dozens of successful entrepreneurs. They almost always speak of the importance of getting back up again, that there is no substitute for perseverance.

If you want an example of someone who relentlessly gets back up, it’s Cheryl Colleluori. She is still going strong every day, meeting with patients, consoling them, supporting them every way she can. Like her son, she’s as great a teammate as you could ask for.

There are, of course, moments. The blow life dealt her was enough for her to faint dead away in her first visit to a hospital to distribute “Comfort Kits” to cancer patients.

“I stepped out of the elevator and passed out,” she remembers. “Because all of a sudden what hits you are the smells, the sounds.

You know when you’re walking into the room. I was thinking, I don’t know if I can do this.”

But she did. Because her son’s relentlessness still gives comfort and hope to thousands. Cancer may have taken his life, but even now, he won’t let it beat him.

A gift card - “I don’t have any money and I need to get out of the parking lot. Or, I could really go for coffee, let me run down to the cafeteria. Oh, darn it, I don’t have any money. Well, don’t worry about it, because there’s your gift card.”

Information about HEADstrong’s Peer Support - “You just never know when somebody’s losing it on the floor and they want to talk to somebody.”

Comfort Kits are hugely appreciated by patients, Cheryl notes. “It’s just a great way to enter somebody’s room and say, ‘Hi, how are ya? I’m Cheryl Colleluori with the HEADstrong Foundation. I’m thinking of you today and I hope this makes you smile. I hope that you know that there’s somebody here figh ing for you that you don’t even know.’ A lot of times people are like, ‘I was hoping you were going to come, I heard about this!’

“I get a great reward out of bringing a smile to someone’s face and my team. We go down with about 15 volunteers, and every one of those volunteers are survivors that I met as I handed out their Comfort Kit.”

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The Mental Game The HEADstrong Foundation’s Peer Support program connects survivors and family members to share their deepest and most private concerns. Generally, they will find a survivor of the same age group and background to speak with a patient or family member.

“My sons are very involved,” Cheryl says. “They talk to siblings, my husband talks to dads, I talk to moms and dads, and the peer support is not over when someone passes. If the person’s gone a couple of years, it doesn’t mean the relationship with the HEADstrong Foundation is over. We’re still very highly involved with families.”

HEADstrong is relentless in helping people stay as upbeat as possible. But Cheryl absolutely understands that it’s almost impossible for patients not to get down sometimes. “There’s a lot of sadness.

We cry right with people.

“We try to talk about other things. We try to get people’s minds off of the fact that their health is declining. If somebody wants to talk about it, I will, we understand. Nick was tired, we know. But if we get somebody’s mind off of it, they forget. A lot of it is a mental game.

“In two weeks, we’re going to the Sixers game, and we’re taking 26 people with cancer with us. We do the programs in the hospital, we have people in wheelchairs and oxygen, and IV poles. They’re getting blood and getting chemo and we bring them into the room and have a magic show, or we play bingo. Or we have jazz night and they’re singing and clapping. If it’s for an hour, we’ve just improved their mental state.

“We’ll do art therapy. One guy, I’ll never forget, he was so weak. We took him back to his room and the next thing we know, he’s back. The nurse has got him back at the door and I said, ‘Are you okay?’

He’s like, ‘I have to finish this for my daughte .’

“He finished the painting, and I took him back and he said, ‘Can you place it right there for me? I’m going to take a picture, I’m going to send it to her.’ He said, ‘You’ve given me the motivation I needed to get the heck out of here and get home to my daughter.’ We still keep in touch with him today.

“It’s just those little things to help people get through the darkest days.”

FTER NICK’S PASSING, the family was so heartbroken that they sought a medium to possibly bring them some comfort. Cheryl says that to their surprise, the medium knew things that no one could have known, including details about Nick and his girlfriend of eight years, Jordan, exchanging wedding vows the night before he passed.

“The medium said to me, ‘Your son is telling me that you are his mouthpiece.’ When I got the phone call two days later to speak, my husband said you can do this for our baby. That was the start, and the rest is history.

“He is guiding us. There’s no doubt in my mind that he is still providing the direction and my inspiration.”

When the doctors could do no more for Nick and sent him home, he took the car keys from his devastated father and let his mother drive. On the way home, he spoke with her about his final wishes, including for Cheryl to take HEADstrong as far as it could go.

“He said, ‘Mom, look into my eyes and tell me that you can do this for me.’ His exact words to me were, ‘I want other people to benefit from my life.’

“How do you say no to that?” n

A

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Greater Philadelphia

Veteran Shark Tank

BY JAN L. APPLE

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It is that experience and an unwavering passion that led Archawski to establish the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network in 2011, the largest of its kind in the region. And shortly thereafter, in 2012, to create the Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank, modeled after the popular television show.

On December 3, 2018, the 6th Annual Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank was held at the historic Union League on Broad Street. The keynote speaker at the sold-out event was war hero and retired United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Justin Constantine. While in Iraq, Constantine suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Navy Corpsman and Marines saved his life. Today, he runs his own business as an inspirational speaker and veteran employment expert.

The evening marked the kickoff to the region’s Army/Navy week.

This was the ideal time to hold the event, explained Archawski, as many veterans and military supporters are already flocking to the city for a patriotic week.

The Shark Tank is led by an eight-person committee, chaired by Joe Crandall, a veteran Navy Seal. Archawski serves on the committee along with veteran entrepreneurs and former contestants. The event is about much more than just winning a competition. The committee’s overriding mission is for veterans to succeed.

The 2018 event’s presenting sponsor, Comcast-NBCUniversal, awarded a cash prize of $25,000 to US Coast Guard veteran James Rolin, who also serves in the Montana Army National Guard. He is co-founder with wife, US Coast Guard veteran Kathy Rolin, of Cowboy Cricket Farms.

The Bozeman, Montana based business employs sustainable farming using crickets (insects) to manufacture certain food products. (Find them on the web at cowboycrickets.com.)

Photos Gary Altoonian

or as far back as he can recall, Alex Archawski has been driven to serve his country. The Navy veteran, 45, also understands—firsthand—the pain, frustration and challenges of searching for gainful employment.

L to R - David Gaulin (Comcast), Justin Constantine (USMC Veteran - Keynote Speaker), James Rolin (winner, 6th Annual Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank - co-founder of Cowboy Cricket Farms), Alex Archawski (founder of Veteran Shark Tank).

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The Shark Tank is about opening doors for veterans

Jerry Flanagan (left) Founder/CEO of JDog Junk Removal and a Veteran Shark Tank judge, asking a question. Next to him, judge Mark Rockefeller (StreetShares).

This was the largest award since the competition began in 2012. At that time, the prize was $5,000. In 2017, $10,000 was awarded to United States Marine Corps veteran Oliver Noteware, co-founder and CEO of StreetSmartsVR, a virtual reality-based training platform for law enforcement. The keynote speaker that evening was celebrity chef Robert Irvine.

“We are here to help veterans with their growth and their network,” said Archawski. “We help them with their business services for life.”

The audience, he elaborated, is comprised of investors, financial experts, suppliers, patriots and veterans. The diverse combination has proven to be a win-win, resulting in many success stories including the very first Shark Tank winner, Navy veteran Mike Maher. He is co-founder and CEO of Houwzer, renowned for reinventing the real estate brokerage model.

And the 2016 winner, veteran Chris Molaro, is founder and CEO of NeuroFlow, which promotes behavioral health utilizing a continuum of care:

psychology, primary care and pain management. For Molaro, who served in the Army for five years, including a tour in Iraq as a platoon leader, the impetus to launch NeuroFlow was personal.

The driving force behind creating the Shark Tank evolved from Archawski’s realization that there had to be a better process for veterans seeking employment. “9/11 changed my life,” said Archawski, who was let go from his job about a month before his Naval Reserve unit was called for active duty to the Middle East. Returning home following that deployment was a much more difficult transition than it had been after his first tour of duty—as a rescue swimmer stationed for three years in Japan.

“I saw the challenges everybody faced,” said Archawski, who knew that improving the job search process just wasn’t enough. Veterans needed assistance building careers, becoming better leaders and—for some— launching businesses.

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ESIDES SHINING A SPOTLIGHT on the entrepreneurial talents of veterans, Shark Tank aims to showcase the positive aspects of establishing a business in Philadelphia. “It is about making the Philadelphia community one of the best destinations,” said Archawski, who feels a special connection to the city. Although he has lived in the region most of his life, he was born in France.

His family came to Philadelphia when he was five. It was the city of

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ESIDES COMCAST-NBCUNIVERSAL, corporate sponsors throughout the region and across the country support the event. Other 2018 sponsors included: Excelon, Greencastle Consulting, PWC, TD Bank, JDog Junk Removal & Hauling, American Water and many more.

The committee receives many applications from across the country.

All applicants are thoroughly vetted, typically with a three-hour phone screening conducted by committee members. “There is a set format and a screening scale. It’s a difficult decision,” said Archawski, adding that each applicant must present a sound business plan.

The veterans vying for spots as contestants represent a diverse and impressive array of men and women. “We have incredible technology veterans from Wharton Business School and then someone who created an eczema cream,” stated Archawski, giving the example of a past contestant who couldn’t find any product on the market to treat her 2-yearold’s severe eczema. Initially, she was hesitant to apply but was encour-

aged to do so as she had a sound business plan and an effective product.

“The key is it’s white collar and blue collar,” said Archawski, drawing a comparison to the military’s officers and enlisted. Each of the five contestants has five minutes to pitch their business idea. And the judges take five minutes to ask questions.

“The event is also inspiring our community to do more with veterans, to say, ‘Hey we should hire more veterans.’ We want to bring in business leaders, veterans and non-veterans.

“We are growing our Shark Tank every year on a national platform,” he

Photos Gary Altoonian

Philadelphia that gave his dad the opportunity to start a business that ultimately prospered. It’s a fact that Archawski has never forgotten. His father and grandfather also served their country. His dad in the French Navy; his grandfather a WWI Army veteran. “Serving is in my bones, it’s in my genes,” said Archawski.

Speaking of patriotism, Archawski is quick to point out the rich military history right here in Philadelphia—our nation’s first capital and site of the Continental Congress. In fact, the Continental Army was established here in 1775 to coordinate military efforts against Great Britain (with General George Washington in command). Archawski cites the historic Navy Yard and the 1775 birthplace of the United States Marine Corps at the Tun Tavern on the waterfront.

The Shark Tank is about opening doors for veterans, says Archawski, who also works as a professional sales trainer and sales coach for the Philadelphia-based company, Sales Evolution. It’s about providing veterans with the contacts, inspiration and networking opportunities they deserve to succeed in business or any entrepreneurial endeavor. “When people want to help, we say, ‘Why don’t you buy from a veteran’s business?’”

Many veterans pitched their business ideas to the judges.

continued. The first year, the event was held in a small auditorium. Today, they have a full-scale sit-down dinner with hundreds in attendance.

And it’s not just the cash prize winners who have benefited. Jerry Flanagan is an excellent example, noted Archawski. “Jerry is one of our top Philly veterans. He has one of the most successful businesses in Philadelphia.” Flanagan, 51, of King of Prussia, was a contestant in 2014 and served as a judge at last month’s event. A non-combat Army veteran, he is founder and CEO of JDog Junk Removal & Hauling. His wife, Tracy Flanagan, is senior vice president. The two launched the business from their kitchen table in 2011. “We needed to find a business that was recessionproof,” said Flanagan.

When he stood before the judges to pitch his business—admittedly, a daunting task—he had five franchises; today there are 200 in 31 states.

“The confidence you gain as you present to other people is awesome,” said Flanagan. “Talking about the business idea is very gratifying.”

JDog Junk Removal & Hauling provides eco-friendly services in homes and businesses: junk removal, cleanouts, donations, recycling, repurposing. “We aim to hire all veterans, if possible,” said Flanagan. The franchises are only available for purchase by military veterans and veteran families. And 10 percent of JDog Junk Removal’s net income is donated to the JDog Foundation. The non-profit provides leadership, support, awareness and funding to organizations that rebuild or repair homes and lives of veterans.

Another success story of a past contestant is that of Navy nuclear engineer veteran Stephanie Siraco, who launched a personal fitness company in 2012, SKFitLife. She has been featured in numerous publications and hosted and appeared on television shows including NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Season 9 and NBC’s Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge Season 1, to name a few.

Shark Tank organizers aspire to grow their network and reach more and more people in pursuit of their mission.

“We are continuously battling the news and media stereotypes that all veterans are broken,” said Archawski. “We need to counterbalance that and share through this type of medium how veterans are succeeding in our own backyard.” n To learn more or to support the Greater Philadelphia Veteran Shark Tank, visit www.veteransharktank.com or www.gpvn.org.

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THE CIGAR GUY _________________________________________________________________________________________

BY SAM KRAFT

Sponsored by The

Smoking Dog

Alma Fuerte by Plasencia Cigars

T

HE ALMA FUERTE, by Plasencia Cigars, was mentioned in the previous issue of the Cigar Guy column. Given that the cigar has not had its own review, it makes sense to take this month to talk about Plasencia’s flagship cigar.

The Plasencia factories and farms have been providing the industry with tobacco for decades. Popular cigar labels such as Rocky Patel, Gurkha as well as Romeo y Julieta, all partner with Plasencia for some of their cigars. Most of Plasencia’s lifetime has existed behind the scenes, unknown to the average cigar enthusiast.

It wasn’t until recently that Plasencia has been successfully releasing blends under their own name, with one of the most talked about being the Alma Fuerte. Released in 2016, the Alma Fuerte has ranked #9 in Cigar Aficionado’s top 100 cigars of 2017.

Plasencia has access to some of the most premium tobacco supplies in the world. Because the Alma Fuerte is Plasencia’s brand, the cigar takes advantage of the company’s prime tobacco selection. On their website, Plasencia writes that the Alma Fuerte is “a unique blend of our best-aged tobaccos, grown in our highest quality soil.” The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro that contains tobacco grown in Jalapa, Condega, Esteli and the volcanic island of Ometepe. Being a small secluded island, Ometepe tobacco is both limited and expensive to produce. General Cigar Co. uses it in their Bolivar and Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas brands. It is described as being sweet and strong.

Salomon Box Pressed - Nicaragua

The Alma Fuerte is a beautiful cigar. The one reviewed today is rolled in a boxed pressed Salomon shape. It is dark and toothy.

The dry draw of the Alma Fuerte tastes like raisins and toast. It has a tapered end for an easy light. This shape is interesting because it goes from the thinnest part of the cigar to the thickest part within a few puffs. This gives the smoker a unique experience as soon as they light up.

During the first third, the Alma Fuerte is both sweet and bitter. It has a slight vanilla and cocoa taste. There are also some mineral notes that are reminiscent of red pepper. The spiciness of black pepper is also present. The flavors are toasty and delicious. When retro haled, this cigar tingles with spice.

Smoking towards the center, peach notes become present as well as dark chocolate and leather notes. The second third releases more of the cigar’s rich oils. It is sweet and strong. The flavors then remain consistent until the final third. Here its leatheriness and meatiness increase.

The Alma Fuerte begins sweet and spicy and becomes subtly more bitter towards the end. Given that the cigar burned for over two hours, this development is to be expected. The Alma Fuerte is not a cheap cigar. It is usually found to be over twenty dollars. If there is a cigar that is worth that price point, the Alma Fuerte is that cigar. Hopefully, every enthusiast gets an opportunity to enjoy Plasencia’s most prized cigar. n

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@PCS_AnthonyM

TECH TIME

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY ANTHONY MONGELUZO

My 2019 Technology New Year’s Resolutions Hello readers, and hello 2019. Here we go again, for the seventh year, sharing advice for my favorite magazine. True confession: One of the most gratifying aspects of this column to me is the support and feedback that I get from you. The IT world is constantly evolving, and I consider it my job to report what’s occurring out there so that you can stay ahead of the proverbial curve.

1. I’m considering returning to school.

No, not brick and mortar college type, rather the zillion (Okay, many) online courses that you can attend for free. We refer to them as MOOC, massive open online course. The audience can be limitless. It’s like taking a college course for free. Here’s a link, https://bit.ly/2qEg52b to some of the best platforms to find a MOOC that fits you. Consider a MOOC as a shortcut to learning more.

2. I will try to get real.

Social media is the social language that most of us use, and it comes with great advantages.

But 2019 is a good year to remind yourself that face-to-face time still matters, especially when the person across the table is important to you. The human connection remains powerful and be sure to remind yourself—as I will—to make it a part of your daily life.

3. I will use my online backup and ensure that it’s activated and up-to-date.

your computer. And test the systems. Antivirus software companies that are reliable include McAfee, Norton and Webroot. Solid anti-spyware includes Malwarebytes and Spybot.

5. I promise to take a pause when angry and online.

That pause is the greatest prevention that you have from sending an unkind email or an unwarranted criticism. Not to mention preventing a lawsuit. I have a PR friend who delays all his emails by 10 minutes. You can implement this in settings. (You can disable this for

a single email by simply clicking “Important” at the top of the email, and it goes out immediately.) He swears by it.

6. The new reality is virtual reality.

This growing technology will become as commonplace as email. Expect higher resolution (into the 2,000 x 2,000 pixels per eye microdisplay range) with improved eye tracking. Also, I suspect a trend of lower VR costs.

I

’M AN OPTIMIST, and that’s why I believe 2019 will be another exciting year, especially if you’ve got the tech bug.

We keep seeing new technology that makes the headlines daily. I promise to do my due diligence and keep you updated on not just what’s new, but what’s important. n

If you want to learn about a specific topic, just reach out. Feel free to keep the conversation going on Twitter @PCS_AnthonyM or reach out offline to me at Anthony@helpmepcs.com.

For some perplexing reason, some people always think a computer crash will only happen to someone else.

It’s hard to believe that I’m still repeating this warning. Half of the people I talk to don’t back up their personal computers. For some perplexing reason, some people always think a computer crash will only happen to someone else.

Services such as SugarSync, Carbonite and Livedrive are very inexpensive. Don’t delay.

4. I will protect myself (and, yes, I say this one every year too!)

The bad actors and black hats are trying to harm you digitally. We call them hackers and virus programmers, and the Internet is their new frontier. Be sure to have a current, updated anti-virus and anti-spyware program on 76

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THE WINE MAN _______________________________________________________________________________

BY ROBERT KENNEDY

A Great Winter Surprise – Ice Wine

N

OW THAT WINTER IS HERE, and the New Year has begun, it may be fun to focus our attention on a littleknown dessert wine that may be of interest when dining out, or entertaining guests at home, throughout this season.

Ice wine is believed to have made its true mark in Franconia, Germany in 1794, although there is a belief that frozen grapes were used to make wine in Italy during the Roman Empire, somewhere 23 A.D. to 79 A.D. That said, it wasn’t until around the 1829 vintage that we have data which shows a winter harvest yielded some wonderful ice wine close to Bingen, Germany. (The German use of the term ice wine is eiswein and has been used in both Germany and Austria since the late 18th century.)

The harshness of winters in these German regions created a perfect environment for grapes

tently grew high-quality grapes. It took until the late twentieth century that Canada understood the growing process during the winter months, with some science and luck. Once these grapes hang past the growing season, and into the first frost, there is a very limited window of time in which the frozen fruit needs to be picked. The air temperatures need to be at or below -8°C (17°F) so that crystallization can form around each cluster, thus locking in the juice.

T

HE TIMING OF THE HARVEST is critical with a small opportunity to get it right, particularly with variations and wild swings in winter temperatures. Unlike normal harvesting, these frozen grapes need to be picked in the very early hours of the morning, or during the evening, before there’s a chance for them to thaw. The grapes have an

the fermentation stage is longer, and labor is greater. All of these will drive up costs.

There are other methodologies that can be deployed to cut costs, such as commercial freezing or refrigerating after harvesting, known as cryoextraction. Grapes frozen following the harvest, however, cannot be labeled ice wine. Canadian rules, like all other countries producing true ice wine, will not permit these wines to be classified as ice wine. Rather, they are called “iced wines,” which is albeit somewhat confusing when making a purchase. So, care must be given to be certain. If it’s a true ice wine you’re after, then a methodical review of the label prior to purchase is recommended.

Another clearly identifiable difference is in the price point. A good 375ml bottle of ice wine (half of a full bottle of table wine) will be priced on average between $35 to $50 and above.

It took until the late twentieth century that Canada understood the growing process during the winter months, with some science and luck.

to freeze past normal harvest periods. As such, it was discovered, most likely by accident, that these grapes yielded a very sweet must, with a high amount of brix (sugars in the wine) and high acidity levels.

More recently, the Canadians have produced some of the best and greatest amounts of ice wines in the world. The country was somewhat late in producing such wines until Canada refined the methodology with which it consis-

appearance of a shriveled, rock hard black raisin when ready. And, the length of time for the fruit to reach the perfect amount of Brix (35 being optimum), at the acidity levels needed, will generally drive the costs higher than normal table wines. Moreover, the longer on the vine, the less volume of liquid that remains frozen due to evaporation, but the more intense the acids and sugars. Because of this, production is much smaller than commercially grown grapes,

The grape varietals typically seen in making ice wine is Riesling from Germany, and Vidal from the Ontario, Canada appellation. There are certainly others such as Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, but the most prevalent are the Rieslings and Vidal grapes. The alcohol content is somewhat lower than regular table wine, somewhere between 6 percent and 8 percent, but can be as high as 13 percent, depending on which country of origin the grapes are grown. The white ice wines have a tendency to be a straw, pale yellow and the reds a lighter gold in color.

So, while sitting by the fire on a cold January or February evening following a great dining experience, treat yourself and your guests to a fine dessert ice wine. Couple it with a nice piece of cheesecake or pound cake. Add a little ice cream too, or serve it along with a cheese plate. Like many of us who are not too familiar with ice wine, it will make for a great winter surprise, and might just be a very enjoyable alternative to your otherwise typical repertoire of choices. n

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