OC Business Watch December 2017

THE ORANGE COUNTY CHAMBER

DECEM BER 2017

A COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

REACH OVER 36,000 O.C. PRIME BUSINESSES

Buy Orange.

Build Orange.

Give Orange.

Sell Orange.

OCCC Teams Up With Puerto Rico Relief Efforts

BY BARBARA MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

The 2017 hurricane season has been a full on assault from Mother Nature. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria were not only powerful, but relentless and left a path of destruction that devastated Florida, Texas and the Caribbean Islands.

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, and has been the strongest storm to hit the island since the 1928 San Felipe hurricane. It thrashed the U.S. territory with winds over 100 mph and more than 30 inches of rain.

All of Puerto Rico lost power and was under flash flood warnings. The full extent of the damage, and the loss of life, might not be known for some time. It could take months to restore infrastructure. As we

SNOW BALL 2018 “The First & Best Networking Event of the Year” Don’t Miss It! Page 18

Risk - This Dog’s Bite Is Worse Than It’s Bark!

3

New Board Members

4

Thanks To Our 2017 Corporate Partners

5

Employment Law Changes To Expect in 2018

6

What is the Brain, Part 2

8

Social Anxiety?

8

Why Stacking Renewable Technologies is Crucial Resolution Success in 2018

11 3

GROW /EXPAND Making it in OC Notable People Awards & Recognition New Chamber Members Holiday Happenings

Continued on page 9

NETWORK IT

BUSINESS INSIDER

ORANGE PULSE Sparrow’s Nest Page 5

MAKING IT IN O.C. We love the diversity of our members and businesses – Check Them Out! Page 12

12 12 14 16 16

TREND/ INNOVATE The Year of AR: Augmented Reality

17

INORANGE On the Radio Join These Committees!

Dec. Events Listing Dec. Committee Meetings

18 19 19 19

Business Watch is now on

Facebook & Twitter

PERMIT NO. 335

12550 Newburgh, NY

PAID U.S. Postage PRSRT STD

Aileen Sullivan

Marketing Director, Orange & Rockland Utilities

Deanna Tracey

President & Owner, CDT Travel

Dr. Kristine Young OFF ICE RS Linda Muller, Chairman of the Board

President, SUNY Orange

Marcel Martino, Chair-Elect

CHAMBER COUNSEL Glen L. Heller, Drake Loeb, PLLC, Attorneys at Law

Eric Maldonado, First Vice Chairman

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS

Partner,Verizon Wireless Zone

Dr. Arthur C. Anthonisen

Sharon B. Warantz, Secretary

Thomas C. DeBenedictus

President & CEO, Cornerstone Family Healthcare President, Inspire

President, Jellybean Promotions

Michael Gilfeather, Treasurer

President, Orange Bank & Trust Company

Ralph Martucci, Immediate Past Chairman M&R Energy Resources Corp.

Jean Sexton, At Large Member

Branch Manager, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union

Renee Bulla, At Large Member

Vice President, Client Services Momentum Advertising and Design

Lynn Allen Cione, President

Orange County Chamber of Commerce

BOAR D OF D IREC TORS Peter Berman

CEO, The Ruby Group

F. Edward Devitt Katharine Fitzgerald Thomas F. Gibney Patricia Gilchrest Stewart P. Glenn Robert Heiferman Louis Heimbach Donna Johnson-Klonsky Woody Levitan Anthony Martine

SOLVE YOUR IT PROBLEMS

Carole S. McDermott Marsh H. Merrill Charlie Milich Ralph L. Mills Dr. Kunwar Nagpal

Erik Collier

Managing Member, Collier Construction, LLC

Peter Polhamus

Tonia Crown

Dreena Pross

Partner, RBT CPAs, LLP

Robert W. Scherreik

Bob DeFelice

A. Alan Seidman

General Manager, Fox Radio

James P. Smith, Jr.

Gianna Franco

Regional Account Executive, Spectrum

Ed Harrison

General Manager, Stewart International Airport

Thomas Sullivan William F. Vacca Jill M. Varricchio

Stephanie Johnson

Director of Marketing, Woodbury Common

Mark Kalish

Senior Financial Advisor, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

Melissa McCoy

Chief Advancement Officer, Abilities First, Inc.

Chris Pennings

Vice President, Knapp Consultants

Vanessa Primus

Certified Advisor, NYS Small Business Development Corp.

Lorianna Nizolek

Vice President, TD Bank

Phil Royle

Head of Community & Project Relations LEGOLAND New York

Tim Scannell

CFO, Mobile Life Support

Thomas Sperzel

President & COO, Empire State Bank

2

www.hudsonvalley-it.com 280 Rte. 211 East, Suite 7 Middletown, NY 10940 Phone: 845.202.4032

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

BUSINESS INSIDER Risk – This Dog’s Bite Is Worse Than It’s Bark!

BY SCOTT M. LASK - CWSTM

CHAMBER STAFF

THE SCOTT LASK WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP LLC

Risk is a fact of life and is involved in many aspects of our lives. According to the Webster dictionary risk is: DEFINITION OF RISK

1. Possibility of loss or injury : peril 2. Someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard

3. The chance of loss or the perils to

the subject matter of an insurance contract; also : the degree of probability of such loss : a person or thing that is a specified hazard to an insurer : an insurance hazard from a specified cause or source war risk

4. The chance that an investment (such as a stock or commodity) will lose value

For our purposes, we will confine this conversation to definition #4. - “The chance that an investment (such as a stock or commodity) will lose value.”

Is there any investor who enjoys losing money? Obviously NO! But the question I am asking you is: “What are you doing to manage your investment risk?”

Better yet; “Do you know how much risk you are taking?”

Lynn Allen Cione, President lynnc@orangeny.com

Risk becomes increasingly more important as we near retirement because once you begin the Distribution Phase you want and NEED your money to last.

In our practice, one of the first things we review for prospective clients is how much risk their money is exposed to. In more cases than not we find two things:

1. The client does not know how much risk they are taking

2. The client is not being “paid”

properly for the risk they are taking.

So, what is meant by the term risk?

Simulation models are used by the investment/banking/ insurance industry to determine the probability of different outcomes. In simple English based on historical data a potential RISK/ REWARD model is developed. The model is not a guaranteed return, more of an assumption of what may happen.

You cannot predict the future but we can use the probabilities as a guide. As an example, the RISK/REWARD for a Balanced Portfolio Model1 currently is: Expected Return: 6.1% Expected Risk: 10.1%

Cheryl Cohen Director of Membership Investment cherylc@orangeny.com

This guide suggests you might achieve an annual average rate of return of 6.1% but in a down year you might lose 10.1% of your money.

Positive compounding is the goal of every investor and history has clearly shown investment returns do not move in just one direction. Some years your account value goes up and some years it goes down. Positive compounding vs.

Negative compounding. Simple math works like this: Your $500,000 account grows by 6.1% in a year, it adds $30,500 and totals $530,500. If the following year your decline 10.1% you lose $53,580.50 resulting in an account value of $476,919.50. Negative compounding after two years has resulted in a loss of $23,080.50.

This means your original investment is negative 4.62%. Take a look at the table below illustrating the effects of early negative returns to your nest egg.2 As we mentioned above, during the Distribution Phase you need your money to last. It becomes critical to manage your investment risk as best you can.

THE BOT TOM LINE

Risk and the Sequence of Returns can leave you with money or NO MONEY! This is why is it CRITICAL to have a comprehensive analysis of the downside risk your investments are exposed to!!

Please make sure to have this conversation with your financial advisor and feel free to call us for a second opinion.

ORANGE

1

Source: Russell Investment Core Model Balanced Portfolio as of 7/18/2017

2

Source: MFS (Massachusetts Financial Services Company)

Barbara Martinez, Director of Communications barbaram@orangeny.com Casey Meier Director of Finance caseym@orangeny.com Phillip Newhard Membership Services Coordinator phillipn@orangeny.com Erin Pascual, Director of Marketing & Events erinp@orangeny.com Arlean Veve Office Manager arleanv@orangeny.com

Publication of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce © Copyright 2017

The Orange County Chamber Business Watch is not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints.

All advertising, including photographs are the property of Niki Jones Agency, Inc and not that of the advertiser. The advertiser has purchased rights of reproduction in the Orange County Chamber Business Watch and does not have the right to reproduce ads in any other place or publication without written permission from the publisher. The Orange County Chamber Business Watch reserves the rights to exercise its discretion in the selection of advertisement.

Publisher Niki Jones Agency, Inc. 845.856.1266 • info@nikijones.com 39 Front Street • Port Jervis, New York 12771 Editor Barbara Martinez 845.457.9700 barbaram@orangeny.com 30 Scott’s Corners Drive Montgomery, NY 12549 Advertising Sales 845.754.2356 businesswatch@nikijones.com 39 Front Street Port Jervis, New York 12771 Agency of Record Media Vision Advertising

FOR 75+ YEARS! T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

3

Welcome New Board Members

Welcoming our newest commercial lenders At Walden Savings Bank, our All-Access Business Banking team will be with you every step of the way.

Mary Samuels

David Garlinghouse

Vice President, Commercial Lending Officer 845.457.7700 x499 Cell: 845.346.5621

Vice President, Commercial Lending Officer 845.457.7700 x539 Cell: 845.500.7189

Brian Ratynski Senior Vice President & Senior Lending Officer 845.457.7700 x360 Cell: 845.527.4014

Greg L. Roe Vice President, Commercial Lending Officer 845.457.7700 x362 Cell: 845.522.0561

• Aileen Sullivan - Manager, Regional & Community Affairs, Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc.

• Stephanie Johnson – Regional Vice President of Marketing, Woodbury Common Premium Outlets - SIMON

• Phil Royle – Head of Community & Project Relations, LEGOLAND New York

• Tim Scannell – Chief Financial Officer, Mobile Life Support Services, Inc.

• Thomas Sperzel – President & Chief Operating Officer, Empire State Bank

• Deanna Tracey – President, CDT Travel

Michael J. Weimer Commercial Lender 845.457.7700 x364 Cell: 845.220.8387

William F. Vacca Vice President, Business Development 845.457.7700 x367 Cell: 845.661.2524

Call today to find out what All-Access Business Banking means to your business.

Y E A RS

18 7 2 - 2 017

Y E A RS

18 7 2 - 2 017

Your Bank.

Our Community.

845.457.7700 · WaldenSavings.Bank

4

NMLS#: 490957

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

THANKS TO OUR 2017 CORPORATE PARTNERS

ORANGE PULSE

D I A M O N D PA R T N E R Crystal Run Healthcare P L AT I N U M PA R T N E R S Cornerstone Family Healthcare Drake Loeb PLLC, Attorneys at Law LEGOLAND New York Walden Savings Bank

Pictured here, employees of Health Quest share in an evening of Team Building. They made over 175 caramel apples for recipients and their families to receive the week of Halloween.

Sparrow’s Nest Mission Statement Sparrow’s Nest of the Hudson Valley provides two meals, once a week, to the families of caregivers and children diagnosed with any type of cancer. Caregivers are defined as legal guardians of children, under the age of 18, living in the home. Caregivers and/or children diagnosed with any cancer that requires chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery qualify.

Creating memories that will last a lifetime. Please join us as we kick off our holiday season with friends and family in support of a local charity that provides meals for families facing a cancer diagnosis in the Hudson Valley.

G O L D PA R T N E R S Access: Supports for Living Community Products, LLC Empire State Bank Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union M&T Bank Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. Orange County IDA Orange Bank and Trust Company Orange Regional Medical Center Stewart Airport/The PANYNJ TD Bank Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loans PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Media Vision Advertising Niki Jones Agency, Inc. P R E M I U M M E D I A PA R T N E R S Times Herald-Record/recordonline.com Daily Voice M E D I A PA R T N E R S Bold Gold Media Group Fox Radio Group Daily Voice Hudson Valley Press Hudson Valley Weather Media Partners Mid Hudson News Network ND Pro Media WDLC/WYNY/Wall Radio WTBQ Radio

Link to purchase tickets online: http:// sparrowsnestcharity. org/event/skate-withsanta-2017/

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

5

Employment Law Changes to Expect in 2018 BY : JENNIFER ECHEVERRIA – ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY WITH JACOBOWITZ AND GUBITS, LLP

In New York State we have three changes to prepare for in 2018 that both employees and employers should be aware of: 1) minimum wage increases starting December 31, 2017; 2) paid family leave going into effect on January 1, 2018; and 3) an anti-bullying in the workplace law currently being considered for passage in 2018.

M I N I M U M WAG E I N C R E A S E S

Currently, the NYS minimum wage is as follows:

•

NYC, Large Employers (11 or more employees): $11/hour

•

NYC, Small Employers (10 or less employees): $10.50/hour

•

Long Island and Westchester: $10/hour

•

The rest of NYS: $9.70/hour

Starting on December 31, 2017, the minimum wage will increase as follows:

•

NYC, Large Employers (11 or more employees): $13/hour

•

NYC, Small Employers (10 or less employees): $12/hour

•

Long Island and Westchester: $11/hour

•

The rest of NYS: $10.40/hour

There is a different wage schedule for fast food workers. Currently, the minimum wage for fast food workers is as follows:

•

In NYC: $12/hour

•

The rest of NYS: $10.75/hour

Starting December 31, 2017, the minimum wage for fast food workers will increase as follows:

•

In NYC: $13.50/hour

•

The rest of NYS: $11.75/hour

The exemptions from overtime pay for executive and administrative workers will also be changing in NYS. Currently, the regulations require that these workers earn the following weekly salaries in order to be exempt from overtime pay:

6

•

NYC Large Employers: $825/week

•

NYC Small Employers: $787.50/week

•

Long Island and Westchester: $750/week

•

The rest of NYS: $727.50/week

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

Starting on December 31, 2017, these exempt workers will need to be paid the following salaries in order to continue to be exempt from overtime pay:

•

NYC Large Employers: $975/week

•

NYC Small Employers: $900/week

•

Long Island and Westchester: $825/week

•

The rest of NYS: $780/week

Tipped and hospitality employees should note that there are different wage rates for these professions and there will be changes starting December 31, 2017, to those schedules as well.

PA I D FA M I LY L E AV E

On January 1, 2018, the NYS Paid Family Leave Act (“the Act”) takes effect. This Act requires private employers to obtain a Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) insurance policy and offer its employees PFL benefits. The Act makes PFL voluntary for public employers.

PFL provides wage replacement to employees who take time off to bond with a child, care for a close relative with a serious health condition, or help relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service. Employees’ own disabilities will continue to be covered by general NYS disability insurance policies and the federal Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”).

PFL is fully funded by employee payroll deductions. Deductions are 0.126% of the employee’s weekly wage, capped at the NYS Average Weekly Wage (“AWW”)

which in 2017 was $1,305.92. That means that the maximum that can be deducted from an employee’s wages to fund PFL premiums is $1.65 per week. Note that the AWW is recalculated by the NYS Department of Labor on March 1st of every year.

Public employers that can elect whether or not to offer PFL must bargain with their employees’ collective bargaining unit before electing to offer PFL and deducting from employees’ wages. If the employees are not unionized, the public employer must obtain approval of the PFL plan from 50% or more of the employees and provide 90 days notice to employees before deducting from their wages. In either case, the public employer must obtain approval of its PFL plan from the Worker’s Compensation Board Chair before offering the benefit and deducting premiums from employees’ wages.

To be eligible for PFL, an employee must work 20 or more hours a week for 26 weeks or, if the employee works less than 20 hours a week, then the employee must work 175 days to be eligible. Temporary or seasonal employees that do not anticipate working long enough to qualify for PFL can sign a PFL waiver to avoid deductions from their wages. However, if the employee’s schedule changes and he/she ends up working enough to qualify for PFL, then the waiver will automatically be deemed revoked and the employee will start getting the premiums deducted from his/her wages, including all deductions that should have been paid from the date of hire.

In 2018, PFL benefits will allow an employee to take 8 weeks off while earning 50% of his/her AWW, capped at 50% of the state’s AWW. Employers may permit, but cannot require, employees to use their sick or vacation time concurrently with their PFL time. An employee is eligible to take the maximum benefit every 52 weeks, which 52 week clock is reset on the first day that PFL is taken.

B I L L T O P R E V E N T B U L LY I N G I N TH E WORKPL ACE

Every year since 2006, NYS legislators have introduced different versions of the anti-bullying in the workplace bill, commonly known as the “Healthy Workplace” Bill (the “Bill”), but it has yet to pass in both houses. The current versions of this Bill being considered in the 2017-2018 legislative session are S4053 and A7808 and, given the current heightened awareness of bullying, the Bill may gain traction in 2018.

Currently, if employees are not members of a protected class then they are unlikely to be covered under federal and state discrimination and harassment laws for mistreatment in the workplace. This Bill seeks to address such a situation. The Bill creates employer liability for intentionally allowing its employees to be subjected to an abusive work environment that causes physical or psychological harm to an employee. “Abusive conduct” includes acts or omissions that a reasonable person would find abusive, including sabotaging or undermining an employee’s work performance or using derogatory remarks, insults or epithets towards that employee or in his/her presence.

GETTING TO THE TOP IS ONE THING. STAYING THERE IS ANOTHER.

Under the Bill, employees can also be individually liable for their abusive conduct or for creating an abusive work environment, and a judge has the discretion to award attorneys’ fees and emotional distress and punitive damages to victims in certain circumstances.

Employers should watch this Bill and update their employee handbooks if the Bill is passed to ensure that they have policies in place to prevent and address these issues. Employees should also be careful to behave civilly at work, not only because they could be liable under this Bill but because it is the right thing to do.

If you are an employee or employer with questions about how these changes will affect you in 2018, you should contact an attorney.

WE WILL HELP YOU DO BOTH.

Searching for digital & offset printing?

Mailing services? Banners & Posters?

Looking to add success to your promotions & marketing efforts?

Look no further!

Accel Printing & Graphics offers all the services you will ever need!

Accel

accelprinting.com

To discuss your next printing project or for more information contact: Jeff Mayer • jeff@accelprinting.com Main Office: Mount Kisco, NY Mid-Hudson Valley Office: Hopewell Junction, NY

Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors

800-839-5767 • www.GLCpas.com

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

7

What is the Brain? Part 2

BY DANIEL V. SCHIAVO, MS, CTSR, COMMUNITY LIASON & THERAPEUTIC RECREATION CONSULTANT, BEACON PLACE

In the last article, we discussed the functions of the various lobes of the brain. As you may remember, all of those lobes play a vital component related to who we are today. Those who didn’t read the article can contact us for a reprint or email of it. These lobes are essentially what make us human. The human brain is made up of three parts which will be discussed at greater length in this article.

The technical name for the lobes of the brain that we described in the last article is primarily known as the NeoCortex, which is the very structure that separates us from most other animals. It is the part of our brain that houses complex thoughts, emotions, and mental images that are essential to who we are. The more interior sections of the brain are the Mammalian & Reptilian Sections of the brain. In the Mammalian Section of the brain; the Thalamus and Hypothalamus control hormones and emotions. Additionally, the Hippocampus is involved in memory storage and behaviors. I usually associate the Mammalian Section of the brain with a cute puppy, as that is the emotional center of the brain, and a cute puppy

touches people on a deeper, emotional level. To me, this concept says a lot about the ways in which our society works.

It is the reason we watch movies over and over again…Even though we know on an intellectual level what is going to happen in the movies, we want to relive the emotions. Additionally, politicians know this concept on some level also.

We are not always captivated by the most knowledgeable politicians on policy, but we do tend to be captivated by those who are able to convey a story or feeling that hits us on a deep emotional level.

Our innermost part of the brain is the Reptilian Section, which is responsible for basic and primitive aspects of life.

This name makes sense because reptiles are basic and primitive animals, and it is the way I remember this section of the brain. The Amygdala is housed in this area of the brain, which is known as a component of the Limbic System. It is the part of the brain that is constantly searching for threats, and is the “fight or flight” mechanism in the brain. In other words, when we perceive danger this basic instinct is what causes us to either fight for our lives or run away.

Evolutionarily speaking, this instinct was designed to keep us safe. However, we are much less often in imminent danger than we were during the “cave person” days.

Therefore, this instinct is often a source of unnecessary anxiety and/or anger.

When we perceive anxiety and threat that is exaggerated or not really there, an overactive amygdala is often why. Once again, this idea has real world implications.

The Reptilian Section also includes the brainstem which is composed of the Midbrain, which is responsible for alertness & arousal and elementary forms of hearing and seeing; the Pons, which is responsible for facial movement & sensation-as well

as eye coordination. Then there is the allimportant Medulla, which is responsible for basic living functions, such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, swallowing, vomiting, & sneezing. As you may see, the brain is an extremely complex organ with multiple layers and lobes.

It is quite common to misunderstand all this technical information. We are hoping to fill the void and de-mystify this fascinating and complex organ. For any questions, comments, or additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us anytime at (845) 827-6680 or visit our website at www.beaconplace.net/ at your convenience.

1. “My sister’s best friend’s nephew.” Out of all the businesses I’ve become acquainted with who have a third-party handling their social, I’d say roughly 60% of them have hired a close friends millennial nephew who knows how to post on Facebook. If you’re a smallbusiness owner who falls into this category, cheer up; this answer only ranked number 1 because of its popularity. Hiring a third party for social, no matter whom you hired, speaks to your awareness of marketing trends and the future of business; you’re a competitor. The reality is it just isn’t enough; you’re not paying little Jeff, so Jeff won’t pay attention.

2. “Me.” If you’re a small business owner whose situation allows you to cater to all aspects of social: you are a unicorn. For the rest of you attempting the impossible task of juggling social amongst everything else: hire someone to handle it. Do not let it sit on the back burner.

3. “We don’t need social media.” The way companies stay in business and thrive through a changing market is their willingness to adapt. Remember your hesitation on spending money on a website? I’m sure you can recall the voices of non-believers and maybe even your own. Believing you don’t need social media is the same costly mistake; today’s consumer has already made up their mind. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb 4. “We don’t have social media.” See previous response.

5. “I used to.” Nothing is more tragic than a well curated, aesthetically pleasing representation of a small business that doesn’t get enough attention. I meet entrepreneurs time and time again who take pride in posting and have an eye for great content that receive little to no exposure. Sometimes I meet these business owners long after their creative spark has burned out, convinced the system has failed them. In reality, the system didn’t fail them; they just failed to handle the back end. If these frustrations are similar to yours, please know you are doing what most business owners don’t.

Pay to play is the name of the game unless you have a social media division within your company.

Hudson Valley, meet your new social media team.

8

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

OCCC Teams Up With Puerto Rico Relief Efforts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

watched these catastrophic storms wreak havoc we questioned what we can do to help. In Orange County we quickly mobilized and teamed up all across the county to send some relief the best way we knew how, and that was by providing Orange County residents a secure location where donations could be dropped off.

Orange County Chamber of Commerce President Lynn Allen Cione was happy to designate the Chamber of Commerce a drop off location for donated items and had staff quickly get the word out to all Chamber members. As soon as the message was sent out to our membership, the response was immediate. The day after the message was shared on the Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook www.facebook. com/OrangeCountyChamberofCommerceNY/ and Instagram, a local couple from Montgomery dropped off not only food, but water and toiletries.

Board member and Manager of Verizon Wireless Zone of Orange County, Eric Maldonado, dropped off over 20 cases of water. The donations continued pouring in with chamber member Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loans drop off water, toiletries and a check for $657.00. Chamber member GKG, Certified Public Accountants & Business Consultants dropped off toiletries, batteries, flashlights including much needed baby items, such as diapers and baby food.

The Josephine-Louise Public Library’s patrons and friends of Walden dropped off boxes and boxes of toiletries, batteries and canned goods and dog food. Moorehead Honda dropped off food and water. Chamber member Access Physical Therapy & Wellness’ locations teamed up to collect non-perishable food items.

Another Chamber member, Inspire held a “Dress down Day” and with staff donation was able to raise $502.00 for Puerto Rico Relief. Support for the Puerto Rico relief came from all over the county and news of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce’s support of this important relief aid reached outside of the county. The Goddard School from Suffern, NY sent a representative of their school to our office with a van full of baby supplies which included diapers, wipes and baby food. The chamber’s very large vestibule was over flowing with supplies for Puerto Rico, so much so that it needed to be emptied two times.

Garage Doors & Openers Still Family Owned and Operated for over 60 Years (3 Generations!)

COMMERCIAL

RESIDENTIAL

Residential Sales & Service

SALES

INSTALLATION

SERVICE

Commercial Doors Dock Seals, Levelers

A ProVantage Authorized Dealer

With a full range of professional, quality openers to meet every need! www.CleggBrothers.com | 845-561-8465 223 Walsh Avenue New Windsor, NY 12553

Orange County Chamber of Commerce

2018 Membership Directory

The first wave of donations was picked up by the County of Orange for their “Relief for Puerto Rico” mission but no sooner was the vestibule emptied it was filled once again from generous donations. The second wave of donations was transported to Transformation Church in the Town of Wallkill where they would then deliver to the waiting shipping crates being sent out of JFK Airport every Tuesday. Director of Communications Barbara Martinez with the assistance of friends and members of the Transformation Church congregation Rosie OteroWalsh, Larry Love Walsh, Norka Marrero and Sam Marrero, completely filled up 4 SUVs on a Sunday morning and transported all the remaining donations to the church for final transport to Puerto Rico.

It was an emotional Sunday morning for everyone assisting with the loading, sorting and transporting of the donated supplies. Everyone on hand that morning were personally affected by this storm having family members in Puerto Rico and not knowing whether they had survived the storm or if they were receiving aid. Being able to gather and transport the donations, helped somewhat alleviate the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. They could never adequately express how thankful they are to the President and chamber staff for assisting in the relief for Puerto Rico.

SIGNS IMPROVE IMAGE BUILD BRAND CREATE PROFIT

“It felt personal, like they knew this was something my family needed and they helped me help them and as a result I was able to help so many others” said Director of Communications and Puerto Rico native Barbara Martinez. The Orange County Chamber of Commerce wants to thank every single resident, company and organization who not only collected donations but also took the time to drop it off at the Chamber.

“The support of our members and the community is greatly appreciated and never forgotten,” said President Lynn Allen Cione.

T H TEHOERO AR NA GNEGCEOCUO NU TN Y TCYHCAH MABM EB R EBRUBSU IN SEI N SE SSW S AT WC AT HC H | D| ED CE EC MEBMEB RE2R0 17 2 0 17

9

MAKE THE MOST

OF EVERY SECOND. WE ALWAYS DO.

DISASTER RECOVERY & PROPERTY RESTORATION SERVICES Commercial • Residential

877.881.3030 Fire Damage Restoration Soot & Smoke Removal Storm Damage Restoration Water Damage Restoration Water Extraction Structural Dehumidification Structural Cleaning & Decontamination Reconstruction & General Contracting Mold Remediation Air Duct Cleaning Contents Restoration Electronics Restoration Document & Media Recovery Machinery & Equipment Decontamination, Rebuild and Repair Environmental Services Semiconductor Decontamination Consulting Services

HUDSON VALLEY

280 Route 211 East Middletown, NY 10940 845.360.2569 | www.belfor.com

when a change in lifestyle includes buying a home, you’ll need smart mortgage advice that gets you to the closing faster.

Call our knowledgeable mortgage advisors to request a FREE consultation.

800.222.9801

together, we’re here for you

Live in a world where anyone can take a little off the top of their energy bill.

O&R can save businesses thousands every year.

See how much we can save you by upgrading your energy technology. oru.com/save

personalized service from application to closing

first time homebuyers jumbo mortgages | construction & rehab loans

salisburybank.com Member FDIC

© Salisbury Bank and Trust Company

75751 OC Chamber Newsletter Ad.indd 1

10

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

NMLS#562127

Equal Housing Lender

11/16/17 9:25 AM

Why Stacking Renewable Technologies is Crucial for A Clean Energy Path Forward The renewable energy industry is completely reshaping the way corporations and homeowners meet their energy needs. Instead of relying on traditional fossil fuels and their distribution methods, an increasing amount of electricity is being generated on-site using solar panels and other renewable energy technologies.

Any consumer that deploys solar is offsetting their needs for power. The complication lies in the fact that there are times when solar may not be able to produce enough to meet the consumer’s needs, for example on cloudy days or during a storm like what had happened during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Superstorm Sandy slammed into New York and our neighboring states, destroying homes, businesses, our shoreline and stability. It left approximately 2.7 million customers without power.

On the other hand, there are times when the amount of solar energy being generated is more than the consumer needs. Traditionally, this has been handled by many utilities through bidirectional net metering. However, as solar electricity becomes increasingly prevalent, the current utility grid can struggle to handle the inconsistent flow of power from solar electricity.

By 2026, it is estimated that energy storage for solar systems will be an $8 billion market [1]. New technologies like Distributed Generation (“DG”) and software allow buildings to work in conjunction with the utilities to help manage on-site power storage. The utility grid needs to be integrated with these

technologies to develop a new approach to accepting and utilizing an increasing amount of distributed energy generation and storage seamlessly and efficiently.

Distributed Generation (“DG”) technologies include generators and renewable energy systems such as wind and solar, fuel cells, and battery storage systems. These technologies used in con-junction with a natural gas generator and a dependable backup power solution “stack” numerous onsite technologies so that power options are available no matter what is happening with the grid.

S TA C K A B L E R E N E W A B L E TECHNOLOGIE S

Pfister Energy, one of very few renewable energy companies in the U.S. offering a comprehensive line of products, services and solutions within the solar, renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, has been helping clients for over 25 years to reTHINK ENERGY™ by providing a holistic range of energy efficiency and energy management solutions that we’ve termed as stackable technologies that go beyond just solar. Rather than just adding solar panels to a roof, Pfister Energy layers technologies such as daylighting, rainwater collection and battery storage and other energy efficient systems to generate power on-site. The benefits of stacking technologies are huge.

M OV I N G TOWA R D S M A R TE R E N E R GY S O L U T I O N S

There’s a paradigm shift happening in the energy industry, much like the massive shift from landlines to cell phones in the telecom industry. We are moving away from a world powered remotely by coal, nuclear and hydro plants, and moving toward energy efficient buildings and homes powered on-site using stacked technologies. As the renewable energy industry grows, utility grids must learn how to adapt to the paradigm shift away from traditional energy production and towards the technologies of the future.

For more information, visit www.pfisterenergy.com 1. Gundry Pluck, Kate. “Energy Storage for Solar Systems Will be an $8 Billion Market in 2026.” Lux Research, 28, Jan. 2016, http://www.luxresearchinc.com/news-andevents/press-releases/read/energy-storage-solar-systemswill-be-8-billion-market-2026

Make US your one-stop resource for : • • • • •

Business Banking Business Loans Tax Services Bank at Work Merchant Services

• • • • •

Mortgage Lending Remote Deposit Payroll Services Personal Banking Insurance Services

Focus on your customers! Let US do the rest.

NMLS #619306

MEMBER F D I C

1208 Route 300 • Newburgh • (845) 567-3171 • ulstersavings.com Investment, Tax, Payroll and Insurance products and services available through Ulster Insurance Services, Inc. and Ulster Financial Group, Inc., subsidiaries of Ulster Savings Bank, are NOT FDIC INSURED.

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

11

NOTABLE PEOPLE RYAN SILVA TO TAKE HELM AT NEW YORK STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Albany, N.Y. – Ryan Silva has joined the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) as executive director designate following a national search to fill the position.

Silva assumes the role as Brian McMahon, who held the position as executive director for 17 years, plans to retire in September. Upon McMahon’s retirement, Silva will become executive director. He previously served as director of state government relations at the University at Albany and as vice president of regional economic development at Empire State Development, where he worked on several key initiatives, including the Regional Economic Development Councils. He also worked for the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce as director of economic development and government affairs and as membership director prior to his service with New York State. McMahon said, “Ryan is exactly the right person at exactly the right time to lead NYSEDC into the future.” Silva is a 2003 graduate of the College of Saint Rose, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communications.

He and his wife Sandra have three and live in Brunswick in Rensselaer County.

CLARISSA KOWALCZYK NAMED MANAGER OF RONDOUT SAVINGS BANK’S WEST HURLEY BRANCH Roundout Savings Bank has recently appointed Kingston resident Clarissa Kowalczyk, to the position of Branch Manager of their West Hurley location. She will be responsible for the branch’s daily operations and management, which will include team building and motivation, managing branch growth, and actively contributing to the community. James F. Davenport, President and CEO of Rondout Savings Bank, was pleased to say “Clarissa brings a sharp focus on getting to know her clients and offer appropriate solutions. Her financial advice will be highly valued by all our West Hurley, Woodstock, Saugerties, Olive, and Shandaken clients and prospects.” Clarissa has six years of local banking experience having previously worked for Bank of America branches in the area. She came to Rondout in June of 2017 because she was looking for a bank with local roots where she could help contribute to the community she lives in. Originally from Monroe, NY, Clarissa graduated from Pace University with a degree in business and marketing. She is an active board member of Nu Zeta Phi, a sorority recognized for their outstanding philanthropic efforts. Her participation in local annual breast cancer awareness walks and a number of community service events in Ulster County further enhances the exemplary customer service she provides and one that Rondout Savings Bank’s reputation was built on. Ms. Kowalczyk looks forward to a great future with Rondout Savings Bank as she helps guide customers with their financial goals in a more personal atmosphere.

Making it in OC RIBBON CUT TINGS

ACCE S S PHYSICAL THE R APY & WE LLNE S S CE NTE R

AG RISCULP TURE : FARM EQUIPM E NT LOVING LY RETHOUG HT

53 Route 17k Newburgh • (845) 561-2024 • w w w.accessptw.com

17 County Route 1A Warwick • (914) 213-1598 w w w.agrisculpture.com

FIRST STEPS EARLY LEARNING DAY CARE ACADEMY LLC 125 Dolson Avenue, Suite 3 Middletown • (845) 344-1154 w w w.firststepsearlylearningacademy.com

INNATE CHIROPR AC TIC 52 Route 17k Suite 207 Newburgh • (845) 565-5410 w w w.goinnate.com

RONDOUT SAVINGS BANK APPOINTS BILL GERLACH AS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS BANKING OFFICER Bill Gerlach joined the Rondout Savings bank team in June 2017 and is based in the Uptown Kingston branch on Schwenk Drive where he serves as the Assistant Vice President, Business Banking Officer. Bill has 14 years’ experience in banking in leadership roles, previously with First Niagara and more recently with Kinderhook Bank as a leader in commercial lending. He looks forward to getting to know new clients and to be able

CONTINUED

12

RHE MA FAM ILY CE NTE R

SPARROW ’S NE S T CHARIT Y

302 Old Forge Hill Road New Windsor • (845) 527-5299 www.facebook.com/Rhemafc45

946 Route 376, Suite 7 Wappingers Falls • (845) 204-9421 www.sparrowsnestcharity.org

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

Resolution Success in 2018 and Beyond As we ring in the New Year, we begin to reflect on the year prior – goals we accomplished, what we didn’t make time for, and what we hope to achieve in the year ahead. For many, January 1st often marks a new beginning – one that allows us to set goals with refreshed optimism and embark on a hopeful new adventure.

When we reflect on our goals, health and wellness are often top of mind. Practicing good, healthy habits are things that show

NOTABLE PEOPLE

in every aspect of our lives – from our relationships to our mental and physical wellbeing. So, how do we ensure that our body and mind are functioning at their optimal level? We make a commitment to ourselves through positive resolutions.

With all of the lifestyle changes we face, it’s important to ensure that our resolutions last. “One substantial driver to a successful outcome is to find someone find a partner for your health care – a Primary Care Provider (PCP)”, said Rajana Meka, MD, Family Practice Physician at Crystal Run Healthcare.

Entrusting a Primary Care Provider as the so-called “quarterback” of your care will guarantee that your family, personal, and dietary history is discussed and that potential risk factors are identified.

“This not only allows one to be aware of health issues to which one is, but enables learning about preventive screenings & vaccinations that are crucial to overall health,” said Dr. Meka.

Colonoscopies, well-woman visits, and mammograms are just a few of the most significant and impactful screenings available today. It is recommended that colonoscopies be conducted for both men and women beginning at the age of 50, well-woman visits begin between the ages of 13-15, occurring every 1-3 years, and mammograms scheduled annually beginning at the age of 40. However, if there is a family history of cancer or other high risk factors, these screenings should be done earlier, or more frequently, which your physician can help to determine.

Vaccination is important for children and adults alike. The influenza vaccine is highly recommended for individuals of all ages above 6 months. The pneumonia vaccine is first given to individuals aged 65+, and a second one is administered one year apart from the first. This vaccine prevents against the most common types of bacterial pneumonias well as the more deadly types. The HPV vaccine helps prevent certain types of cervical cancer and is recommended for all young men and women, before the age of 26.

Along with the significance of screenings and vaccinations, there are other standard means of prevention upon which we can focus. Eating well, exercising, and adopting on a holistic approach to wellness are what is referred to as self-care. As with any commitment made, learning to do things in small steps is best. For example, instead of going out and attempting to run a marathon, take a brisk walk. Rather than completely limiting your food intake, leave room to indulge every so often. And quit smoking! Not only will

to work with former clients. Bill says he is “eager to help Rondout Savings Bank grow and prosper by helping my clients grow and prosper. Working with Rondout gives me the opportunity to get involved with the community through a bank that has strong community values. Bill, a business graduate of Marist College, lives in Claverack, in Columbia County, with his wife Mary. He serves as a board member for the Columbia County IDA, the Salvation Army, and Home for the Aged.

STEPHEN R. OREFICE NAMED RESIDENTIAL LOAN OFFICER FOR RONDOUT SAVINGS BANK

RAJANA MEKA, MD this decrease risk factors for a variety of debilitating diseases down the road, but it will lead to overall improved health.

While it may be difficult to get started with resolution(s) – whether it’s finding a better way to manage stress, quitting smoking, or taking on a new exercise routine, use techniques in concert with your PCP, look for ways to make life as uncomplicated as possible, and find ways to be at peace in the New Year.

One last, but important part of self-care is taking advantage of preventive care and wellness opportunities that your insurance plan may offer. Several health plans cover annual wellness exams in full without out-of-pocket expenses. In general, it is essential to understand your health care coverage and ensure you’re taking advantage of opportunities to help make you healthy, and stay healthy.

With the New Year quickly approaching, now is an ideal time to make an appointment for your annual exam and to include your PCP in your health goals for 2018. In partnership with your PCP, you can set small, attainable goals that can be sustained throughout the year ones that will lead to long-term success and better health.

For more information on Crystal Run Healthcare or to begin your journey to better health with a Primary Care Physician near you, visit CrystalRunHealthcare.com or call 845.703.6999.

Resident native of Wappingers Falls, Stephen Orefice joined Rondout Savings Bank in June 2017 as Residential Loan Originator in the Hyde Park branch on Albany Post Road. Prior to coming on board, Stephen was the business development manager for Residential Home Funding Corp. in Lagrangeville. Community involvement is very important to Stephen. Not only is he is a member of the Ulster and Duchess County Regional Chambers, the LagrangeSunrise Rotary, and an affiliate member of the Duchess County Association of Realtors, Stephen is also a member of the Hudson Valley Young Professionals and a member chair of the Exchange Club of Southern Duchess County. He volunteers as a Book Buddy with the United Way, at the Children’s Home in Poughkeepsie playing baseball with the kids, and participates with Angels of Light, a Hudson Valley 501c3 that provides holiday giving for children and families with life threatening illness. When asked what he looks forward to most in his new role with Rondout Savings Bank, Stephen replied he was eager to join an organization with “the same values and roles in the community” as he has. Stephen was raised in Wappingers Falls, graduated from Roy C. Ketchum High School, attended Dutchess Community College, then graduated from LIU Post where he received a Bachelor’s of Science with a concentration in Marketing.

RONDOUT SAVINGS BANK APPOINTS ALICIA PUNKOSDY AS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS BANKING OFFICER Rondout Savings Bank enhances its Hyde Park branch management team with the addition of Alicia Punkosdy as Assistant Vice President, Business Banking Officer. In her new appointment, Ms. Punkosdy will focus on commercial lending. Alicia brings 26 years of banking experience with her to Rondout Savings Bank, having worked for Wells Fargo and Sterling National Bank to name a few. “We are thrilled that Alicia, a Hyde Park resident, has joined our Hyde Park branch commercial banking team”, says James F. Davenport, President and CEO of Rondout Savings Bank. “She will primarily cover all of Dutchess County, offering lending and cash management services, and advice, to existing clients and prospects.” Alicia resides in Hyde Park, where she was born and raised. She graduated from Roosevelt High School and went on to graduate from the State University of New York at New Paltz. When asked what brought her to Rondout, Alicia said “Rondout is a community bank with strong community ties; It brings me back to my Dutchess County Roots.” In her new role as Assistant Vice President, Business Banking Officer, Alicia is looking forward to expanding commercial relationships and getting to know Dutchess County business owners. Alicia is involved with several small not-for-profit organizations in the community, is a member of the Dutchess

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

CONTINUED

13

NOTABLE PEOPLE County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Hyde Park Chamber, Rhinebeck Chamber, and formerly a board member of Vassar Warner Home.

AWARDS

& RECOGNITION

A J R O S S C R E AT I V E M E D I A A N N O U N C E S N E W H I R E S , P R O M O T I O N S

KEVIN BENNETT JOINS RIVERSIDE DIVISION OF SALISBURY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY AS VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL LOAN OFFICER

SUGAR LOAF, NY - Allan Ross, president and founder of AJ Ross Creative Media, is pleased to announce personnel changes at the full-service

Lakeville, CT – Riverside Bank, a Division of Salisbury Bank and Trust Company is proud to announce that Kevin Bennett has recently joined the Bank as Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer. “We are very excited to have Kevin join our team,” said John Davies, Regional President and Chief Lending Officer. “Kevin’s past experience and knowledge of the local market are valuable assets as we continue to expand our presence in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties in New York.” Kevin is a graduate of Pace University with a degree in Business Administration. He has worked in banking since his graduation in 2007, becoming a Branch Manager at Key Bank.

He then moved to Rhinebeck Bank in 2011 starting as a Branch Manager and became a Commercial Lender shortly after. Kevin currently resides in Wappingers Falls, NY.

experienced web designer and programmer, Ross has a strong working knowledge of a variety of programming platforms, including HTML, PHP,

NEPHROLOGIST JOINS HORIZON FAMILY MEDICAL GROUP

marketing firm. These new hires and promotions will further enhance the client experience and expand the firm’s available services.

Matt Ross, who began working at the firm while still in high school, has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Digital Services. An CSS, Javascript / jQuery, CMS, and E-Commerce environments. Ross is also an accomplished musician who has played and recorded with a variety of talented artists in the tri-state area and has three published albums to his credit. He is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz where he studied computer science.

Matt Dorcas has joined the firm as Executive Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Dorcas will lead the agency’s business recruitment and retention efforts in order to enhance and expand the client base. Dorcas, an award-winning marketing professional, has worked in the field for more than two decades. He won a grand prize in creative commercial production from the Cable Advertising Awards and two silver Tellys for his work with the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges. He also produced an award-winning short film with the renowned Maya Angelou.

Most recently, Dorcas received the 2016 Edward A. Diana Alumni Leadership Award from SUNY Orange.

Garrett Kogel Graphic designer and recent Marist College graduate was promoted to a full-time designer position at AJ Ross Creative Media.

Kogel has worked his way up through the ranks at the agency having started as an intern and then working as a freelancer. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in May and minored in photography.

Goshen – Dr. Ibrahim Raza Pasha, a Nephrologist, has joined Horizon Family Medical Group. Dr. Pasha served as a Hospitalist Physician at Saint Joseph Hospital, Marshfield, WI. A Hospitalist is a Physician whose primary professional focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. Previously, Dr. Pasha was also a Hospitalist at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris, NY. He received his Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery degree from Allama Iqbal Medical College in Pakistan. In addition, Dr. Pasha was a resident in Internal Medicine at Columbia University Hospital Center in New York, with affiliation at Harlem Hospital Center in New York. He is Board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Pasha was a Nephrology Fellow at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. He was also a clinical instructor in Medicine at Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Pasha’s scholarly activities include poster presentations to international medical societies; quality improvement projects; and research projects. He was a volunteer Physician with the World Health Organization and at a nursing home in the Bronx. Dr. Pasha is seeing patients in Horizon’s Newburgh Nephrology office at 200 Lake Street, Newburgh, NY 12550. Phone: 845-565-8022.

BARRY SUTTON MHV Business Loan Officer Barry has over 11 years of experience in commercial lending for all types of businesses in the Hudson Valley.

MIDDLETOWN MEDICAL TEAM GROWS WITH NEW NEPHROLOGIST MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – Middletown Medical, the Hudson Valley’s premier provider of healthcare services, has announced the addition of Dr. Isha Gupta, a board-certified nephrologist and hospitalist. Before joining Middletown Medical, Dr. Gupta served as a hospitalist/nephrologist with a private group in central New York and received Nephrology Fellowship Training from Mount Sinai St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.She has served as a junior resident in the intensive care unit at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences in Faridabad, India and Fortis Escorts Hospital

CONTINUED

14

Schedule an appointment with Barry today by Calling: 845.336.4444, ext. 5005, or 845.750.7340 or

by Emailing: bsutton@mhvfcu.com.

Locations in Newburgh and Middletown

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

845.336.4444 • MHVFCU.com

H O R I Z O N FA M I LY M E D I C A L’ S D R . M Y R E L L E C A S T R O N A M E D A ‘ T O P D O C T O R ’ GOSHEN, NY – August 30 - Dr. Myrelle Castro, an Allergist and Immunologist with Horizon Family Medical Group, has been selected as a “Top Doctor” in the Hudson Valley by the magazine of the same name. Dr. Castro started with Horizon in 2010 as an Internist and Allergist. She focused on her Allergy & Immunology practice in 2014. Dr. Castro graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. She took her residency and fellowship training at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Dr. Castro is one of five Horizon physicians selected for Top Doctor Honors by Castle Connelly Medical Ltd and the magazine. The other Horizon award-winners are Dr. Jonathan Castro, Dr. Rachel Colvin, Dr. Susan Jensen and Dr. Anne Mullin. The providers will be featured in the November issue of Hudson Valley. Horizon Family Medical Group is a National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient Centered Medical Home Level 3 – the highest designation available – to ensure our patients receive the highest quality of care and coordination of their healthcare. Horizon also received the 2016 HIMSS Ambulatory Davies Award of Excellence for outstanding achievement using health Information Technology (IT) to substantially improve patient outcomes. Dr. Castro sees patients at her office at 92 Old Route 9W – Suite 200, New Windsor, NY 12553. Phone: 845-476-3016.

A N T H O N Y & N A N C Y K A N E A N D T O M & J A N E T S U L L I VA N H O N O R E D B Y C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D AT I O N AW A R D S B E S T O W E D D U R I N G N O V E M B E R 15 A N N U A L R E C E P T I O N MONTGOMERY, NY – Anthony & Nancy Kane and Tom & Janet Sullivan, outstanding business and civic leaders, were honored by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan during their Annual Reception from 5:30-8:30 pm, Wednesday, November 15, at Anthony’s Pier 9, in New Windsor.

More than 400 community and key business leaders are expected to attend, where honorees will be presented with the 2017 David T. Cocks Award for Commitment to Community, an annual recognition bestowed upon those who make significant contributions to enrich the lives of others in Orange and Sullivan counties. This event is graciously sponsored by Crystal Run Health, Presenting Philanthropy Sponsor, The Kaplan Family Private Foundations, Platinum Sponsor, and Bonura Hospitality Group, BNY Melon Wealth Management, Orange & Rockland, Orange Bank & Trust Company, Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, and Orange Regional Medical Center, Diamond Sponsors.

Anthony and Nancy Kane are retired professionals and exemplary civic volunteers. Rooted in strong spiritual belief, they have dedicated a significant portion of their lives to serving others – including their children, their grandchildren, their community, and their country. Anthony Kane is a retired judge on the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, (Third Department) and he hung up his robe in 2009 after seven years’ service in that capacity. Prior to retirement, he worked 15 years (1970-85) as a private practice lawyer in Sullivan County, and 8 years as the Forestburgh Town Attorney (1976-84). He also was elected and served as a judge for Sullivan County Family Court. His political success continued when he was elected Sullivan County Judge and Surrogate in 1992 and to the Supreme Court of the State of New York in 1995. He served as the resident Supreme Court Justice in Sullivan County from January of 1996 until his appointment to the Appellate Division from which he retired. Their compassion for others is unrivaled, perhaps rooted in their involvement with the Monticello United Methodist Church, where Nancy served on the Board of Trustees. She is sympathetic to -- and a strong advocate for -- those struggling with mental health issues or terminal illness. Nancy has been a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Golf Tournament. Together the Kane’s have been praised and honored for their dedication to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties. Their work together includes serving as Founders and Co-Chairs of the Forestburgh 5K Walk and Run for Hospice, now in its 11th year, raising more than $230,000. Judge Kane has served as a 17-year member of their Board of Directors.

Tom and Janet Sullivan both believe in giving back to the community on many levels. They have lived in Monroe for the past 42 years where they’ve raised their family. Tom is a funeral director, and past President/Owner of Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Homes in Monroe and Highland Mills, and William F. Hogan Funeral Home in Highland Falls. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties and continues to serve on their Board of Directors. Janet and Tom were the recipients of the Cornell Award in 2008 presented by Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties.

Janet served on the Hospice Auxiliary Board, volunteering as co-chair of the Hospice Gala; served on the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Snow Ball Committee and on the Orange Regional Medical Center Gala Committee. She is a former member of the Southwinds Board of Directors.

Tom served as a Trustee of the Monroe Senior Center and is a past recipient of the Goodwill Ambassador Award sponsored by the Pallottine Sisters in Harriman. He received the Bob Bonney Volunteer of the Year Award in 2000 in Monroe. Throughout their many endeavors, both Tom and Janet have made commitment to their community a top priority in their busy lives.

Happy Holidays from the OCCC

NOTABLE PEOPLE in New Delhi. She completed rotations in multiple departments (medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, pulmonary medicine, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, radiology, psychiatry, and rural health care) as a medical intern at Sassoon General Hospitals in Pune, India. “Our board-certified nephrologists are dedicated to improving the quality of life of those afflicted with kidney disease,” said Melissa Wolff, the medical group’s Marketing Director and Physician Recruiter.

“Dr. Gupta brings with her the credentials, experience, and compassion that makes our healthcare team even stronger.” Dr. Gupta, who is bilingual in English and Hindi, earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from B.J. Medical College in Pune, India. She has research experience from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she assisted on two projects; the live/real time three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation of prosthetic valve dysfunction and of pericardial effusion. She has co-authored 12 medical publications and is a member of the American Medical Association and American Society of Nephrology.

HORIZON FAMILY MEDICAL PHYSICIAN PROVIDES HOME VISITS TO MOST HORIZON PATIENTS Goshen – Dr. Craig Amnott, who has been providing home visits to his Horizon Family Medical Group patients since 2012, recently extended the service to most Horizon patients. “It’s a service that’s needed in Orange County,” Dr. Amnott, a New Windsor resident, explained. “There are many patients who are physically unable to make it to their physician’s office. Yet they don’t stop needing physician-related healthcare services. “How are they to get their care without physician home visits? They wait or postpone until it becomes urgent or emergent, and then they end up in the Emergency Room. The ER is a great place to address medical emergencies, but ongoing, chronic medical care and coordination is not their forte. That is the realm of the welltrained primary care physician,” Dr. Amnott said. Dr. Amnott joined Horizon in 2012, after he retired as a physician with the U.S. Army.

He will become a full partner with the Group at the end of 2017. There are two provisos to the home visits. First, the patient must be physically incapable of getting to their Horizon Family Medical Group physician’s office. This could be temporary due to a short-term medical condition/disability, recent surgery, or could be due to a longterm, chronic condition. Second, you must be a Horizon Family Medical Group patient.

Regarding feedback from patients, Dr. Amnott said, “I often hear, ‘I can’t believe that there is a doctor who still does home visits’ Once the patients and their families get over that initial shock, the feedback is almost uniformly positive and thankful that someone still does ‘old-fashioned’ home visits.” Dr. Amnott himself enjoys the visits.

“It’s nice to get out of the office periodically and interact with patients in their personal home environment.” He added, “We want to keep Horizon at the tip of the healthcare spear. What other group in the area conducts regular home visits?” Dr. Amnott sees patients in two offices: 144 Main St., Highland Falls, NY 10928 (phone: 845-4464655) and 1200 Route 208 – Suite 13, Monroe, NY 10950 (phone: 845-783-6266.)

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

15

WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS AFLAC (HARTMAN CONSULTING) (845) 325-7789 - Monroe ashley-madden@us.aflac.com BELLESA ACADEMY SALON (347) 773-1865 - Middletown www.bellesaacademysalon.com BOSTON CHILDREN’S HEALTH PHYSICIAN (845) 703-7000 - Middletown www.bchphysicians.org CRONIN & COMPANY REAL ESTATE (845) 744-6275 – Pine Bush www.croninreale.com DEFINING MOMENTS LLC (845) 343-2499 - Middletown www.definingmomentsllc.com HANNAFORD (845) 562-5169 – New Winsor www.hannaford.com

LE AMBIANCE MULTI-SERVICE BUSINESS CENTRE, INC. (845) 328-0311 - Newburgh www.leambiancemsbc.com STORM KING GOLF CLUB AND TAVERN (845) 458-5655 - Cornwall www.stormkingtavern.com THE PANDORICA RESTAURANT (845) 831-6287 - Beacon www.thepandoricaresturant.com USG PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTERS (845) 477-3886 – Greenwood Lake www.irishamericanyoungleaders.com VALLEY NATIONAL BANK HOME MORTGAGE (845) 262-5520 - Fishkill www.valleynationalbank.com

Holiday Happenings From Our Non-Profit Members

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS – You are inviting to a night of Holiday HaHas Comedy Night. Tickets are available for our upcoming Holiday Comedy Night, December 9th. Come enjoy a night of laughter, food and fun as you help to build life-changing mentoring relationships in Orange County. Temple Hill Tavern 171 Temple Hill Road New Windsor 6:30pm-10:30pm Tickets available at http://bit.ly/BBBSOC_HolidayComedyNight_2017 HONOR - TREE LIGHTING & TOY DRIVE! December 1, 2017 4pm-6pm Join Honor and Middletown Chief of Police Ewanciw as they pull the switch and light that tree. 38 Seward Avenue Middletown. There will be music, stories, a pony and of course SANTA ... but we are excited about the Storm Troopers - That’s right we said “Storm Trooper” from Star Wars. Don’t Miss this!

MEALS ON WHEELS – Support Meals on Wheels of Greater Newburgh, Inc. by making an order with Omaha Steaks. 10% of every purchase will benefit Meals on Wheels. The Steaks for Good campaign will be in effect until 01/01/2020 with Omaha Steaks offering huge discounts. www.steaksforgood. com/MealsonWheelsNewburgh QUINNZ PINZ – Holiday Mixer 5:30pm-7:30pm Please join them for Holiday Mixer. They will have Complimentary Glass of Champagne, Delicious light appetizers, Upscale Bowling Lanes, New Escape Room and Cutting Edge Arcade. 13-19 Railroad Avenue Middletown. They are also helping the Chamber’s Young Professionals collect non-perishable food items for the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

SAFE HOMES – 13th Annual Build a Gingerbread House “Gingerbread Project” to benefit Safe Homes. Join them and the generous folks at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Washingtonville. Decorate your own gingerbread house and take it home for the holidays. Saturday, December 9 10:00am and 12:30pm. Reservations recommended (845) 496-3961 WOODBURY COMMON TREE LIGHTING! Join Woodbury Common Premium Outlets for its second annual tree lighting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. There will be holiday festivities and performances, hot chocolate and cookies to keep the cold at bay, and a holiday treat as Santa arrives in a fire truck. The radio station K104 will be in attendance to emcee the event. Toys for Tots drive will also commence Dec. 1. The Tree Lighting will take place in the Hudson Valley District outside of Market Hall.

WTBQ – Toys for Military Tots: The 2nd Annual Toys for Military Tots toy drive began October 30th and will end on Friday, December 8th. Please donate unwrapped new toys for ages baby to 12 years old, wrapping paper & ribbons needed as well. Email Taylor@wtbq.com for more information.

ZYLOFONE – Caroling: Let them bring good tidings and cheer to your center this year. Zylofone ALL STARS 2017 Holiday Caroling will come to your center and perform holiday favorites. Call for a visit from Zylofone ALL STARS (845) 476-8257 or visit www.zylofone.org for more information.

16

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

TREND / INNOVATE

THE YEAR OF AR: Augmented Reality Every year it seems tech is changing faster and faster. This is especially the case with mobile technologies. This past Apple conference showed one of these exciting new technologies, augmented reality. Apple awed attendees and millions of online viewers with how their new phones and tablets would allow you to play a virtual game on top of your home furniture. The fantasy reality game showed characters interacting with each other as they leaped from objects in a room tying reality with virtual. Really neat, but is there a business use case?

to market already. Among the first of these technologies is an application that will allow you to use your phone to scan a room’s dimensions by clicking the corners as you move about it. Then take pictures of the contents allowing you to manipulate the furniture in the room as well as to make a virtual blueprint. The app simply name Augment already has drawn interest to Ikea how will be using it to sell furniture online, allowing customers to see how the furniture will look in their house before they actually purchase.

Actually yes. There are many business use cases for augmented reality coming

This is just the beginning, already many business-oriented AR apps are coming to the market. Among these are apps for plumbers and electricians to see where pipes and wires reside in walls, an app for moving companies to scan a home and then assess the most efficient way to load a home’s contents, and estimation apps that can scan yards for landscapers and walls for painters to give exact pricing on performing work. These are among many great ideas that will allow businesses to be more profitable as well as creating new business models.

Start This Summer Pain Free

OUR LOCATIONS: Goshen

Chester

Monroe

30 Hatfield Lane, Ste 203 (845) 615-2222

101 Brookside Avenue (845) 469-2224

505 Route 208, Ste 30 (845) 782-3200

accessptw.com

Beyond helping existing businesses is a market of many new business ideas.

Some new startups coming to market are developers of virtual glasses and vehicle cameras that will allow users to use AR to push information to them in real time. Users will get key data points for businesses, shopping deals, and safety hazards as they walk or drive through town. AR billboards are also in development to push AR holograms to users who don’t even have a connected device allowing full adoption of the virtual reality. These devices will open many opportunities for new businesses including virtual tourism and entertainment as well as helping existing businesses market and sell their products and services more efficiently.

allows developers to build these layered environments, so they can launch new apps with these virtual worlds. This process usually starts with developing 3D models and then importing them into animation via this development kit. A combination of 3D graphics development, programming, and animation is required for these projects; however the end result is some very useful tools or entertainment.

You are probably using AR now and don’t even know it. Snapchat’s use of layering virtual items over reality and Pokemon Go allowing users to interact with virtual items in the real world are the most popular Augmented Reality uses at present. Every time you use a snapchat filter, you are embracing this new tech and each day it grows more powerful. Originally you were just able to change your facial expressions, now you can change the whole environment you are in and even drop emojis and characters all over your environment and interact with them. The next 5 years looks very promising for this new tech and will soon be a part of your business if it has not already.

BY JASON FISCH Jason is the founder and president of Fisch Solutions, an IT firm located in Fishkill, NY as well as Middletown, NY via Laptop Shack. The company has been in business since 2006 and serves around 500 clients with its 20-person staff. Fisch provides clients a one stop shop with every tech service they would need from IT system integration, web development, app creation, and hardware sales with both onsite and remote service.

All provided with a high level of quality, Fisch is proud of its 50-plus online 5-star ratings, being a BBB A+ business, and receiving numerous awards including Goldman Sach’s 10K Small Business, Dutchess Chamber Headliner Award, and Think!

Dutchess Innovation Award.

845.590.1630 | www.FischSolutions.com | info@FischSolutions.com

Currently there are several ways to develop this technology, most notably via Apples ARKit that was just released at its recent conference. The free kit T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

17

HE A LTH INSU R A N CE N OTE F RO M O R A N GE BENEF ITS PA RTNERS, LLC Now is the time to start thinking about changing your health insurance plan. If you are considering changing programs or interested in learning more about our programs, please contact us. We can sign you up for Small Group or Individual Medical, Dental and Vision. We also offer Voluntary products such as Group Life, Long Term Care, Long Term Disability and Short Term Disability.

ON THE RADIO BE OUR GUEST As a member of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, one of the many benefits of being a member includes being our guest on one of our radio shows. The Orange County Chamber of Commerce is proud to have media partners such as FOX Radio, WALL Radio and WTBQ Radio. This is the perfect opportunity to promote your business/organization and discuss topics that are important to our community.

Radio spots for 2018 are currently available but they go fast so make sure to contact Director of Communications Barbara Martinez at barbaram@orangeny.com.

Individual Open Enrollment with an effective date of January 1, 2018, is the opportunity for Individuals to enroll or change their current health plan.

This is the only open enrollment for Individuals and all paperwork must be submitted prior to December 15, 2017. For more information and/or applications contact Christine Florio at 725-7390 or cflorio@orangebenefits.com before December 1, 2017.

FOX RADIO – Let’s Talk Orange County Chamber Business (Recorded the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 3pm) – Airs Sunday at 5:30am & 7am wgny.radio.net

Note that these programs under Open Enrollment will be for a January 1, 2018 effective date.

It’s time to get Brilliant!

Area’s Best Prices for Direct Mail & Email Marketing

WTBQ RADIO – Orange County Chamber Business Wise (LIVE Fridays @ 12pm) www.wtbq.com

WALL RADIO – Orange County Chamber Chat (Recorded Wednesdays @ 11am) – Airs every Saturday at 8am www.wallradio.com

Planning How We Help Grow Your Business • Strategic Integrated Print, Social,

We Integrate Print, Email, Social and Website solutions that deliver 100% Measurable Results DIRECT MAIL

• Email & Web Campaigns • Mailing Lists • Creative Design • Website Tracking Page • Result Reporting WEB & SOCIAL

CREATIVE

EMAIL

TARGETING

71 TEN BROECK AVENUE KINGSTON, NY

www.ColorPageOnline.com STRATEGY

845-331-7581

MEASURABLE RESULTS

Plans For Every Budget 18

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

Extra! Extra!

UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS DECEMBER EVENTS

6

G OV E R N M E NT CO M M IT TE E M E E TI N G 8:00 am – 9:00am, Chamber Business Center M IX , M I N G LE & N E T WO R K AT Q U I N N Z PI N Z , M I D D LE TOW N 5:30-7:30PM Member: $5 or 2+ Non Perishable Food Items, (Donated to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley) Non Member: $10

8

YO U N G P RO F E S S I O N A L S CO M M IT TE E M E E TI N G 8:00 am – 9:00 am, Chamber Business Center

14 22 28

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP B R E A K FA S T, W E S T H I LL S G O LF C LU B , M I D D LE TOW N 7:30-9AM Topic: State of the County Sponsored by: Walden Savings Bank and Access: Supports for the Living Member: $25 Non Member: $35

Read All About It!

Business Watch is now an insert in your local Times Herald-Record newspaper, the O.C. Chamber of Commerce’s proud Premium Media Partner.

DECEMBER COMMITTEE MEETINGS

1 6 8 22 28

CO N S U LTA NT S CO M M IT TE E 7:45 am (Larkin Room) G OV E R N M E NT A F FA I R S CO M M IT TE E 8:00 am (Larkin Room) YO U N G P RO F E S S I O N A L S 8:00 am (Gallery Room) A M BA S SA D O R S 8:00 am (Montgomery Room) P R /M A R K E TI N G CO M M IT TE E 8:00 am (Montgomery Room)

REACHING FOR THE STARS WHILE STAYING TRUE TO OUR ROOTS

A M BA S SA D O R CO M M IT TE E M E E TI N G 8:00 am – 9:00 am, Chamber Business Center Montgomery Room

Firmly planted in the Hudson Valley for more than 140 years, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is branching out to provide comprehensive, exceptional services that improve the lives of our community.

M A R K E TI N G CO M M IT TE E 8:00 am – 9:00 am, Chamber Business Center Montgomery Room

JOIN THESE COMMITTEES! AMBASSADORS 4TH Friday of every month - 8am-9am - Orange County Chamber Office – Montgomery Room The Ambassador committee is committed to on-boarding new members, with a one-on-one matching to an Ambassador. The Ambassadors can provide a guided gateway to other members. The Ambassadors support the entire membership by navigating Chamber events and synergies with community happenings.

The Ambassador Committee meets the fourth Friday of the month; meetings are held at the Chamber Offices and off-premises at member businesses, check the monthly calendar for exact location. If you are interested in being an Ambassador, please email Lynn at lynnc@orangeny.com G OV E R N M E NT A F FA I R S 1st Wednesday of every month - 8am-9am - Orange County Chamber Office – Larkin Room This committee meets every first Wednesday of the month to discuss initiative and concerns on a local and state level. Make sure to watch out for the monthly Advocacy Newsletter “YOUR VOICE.” This newsletter will go out via email the third Monday of each month with our legislative initiatives, government issues you need to be aware of, and various advocacy efforts and survey we need you to support. If you are interested in attending, please email Lynn at lynnc@orangeny.com YO U N G P R O F E S S I O N A L S 2nd Friday of every month - 8am-9am - Orange County Chamber Office – Larkin Room Are YOU a Young Professional? Or do you have a Young Professional within your company? Join the committee as they plan events throughout the year such as professional development workshops, mixers, and meetings off-premise to learn about businesses and topics in Orange County. If you are interested in attending, please email Erin at erinp@orangeny.com

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, a member of the Montefiore Health System, is committed to excellence and meeting the healthcare needs of the Hudson Valley. With comprehensive services such as Joint Replacement, The Littman Cancer Center, a Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and a newly verified Level III Trauma Center, we are here to help you face your health challenges head on when you need us most.

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, with you for life.

▪ Orthopedics & Joint Replacement ▪ Back & Spine ▪ Bariatric Surgery ▪ Cancer Services ▪ Cardiovascular Institute ▪ Urology Services ▪ Physical & Occupational Therapy ▪ Level III Trauma Center ▪ General Surgery

▪ Ear, Nose & Throat ▪ Balance Center ▪ Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation ▪ Pain Management ▪ Sleep Medicine ▪ Wound Care www.STLUKESCORNwALLHOSPITAL.ORg

With more to come …

SLCH_Tree_Concept_OCBW_2col3mod.indd 1

T H E O R A N G E C O U N T Y C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S W AT C H | D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

11/13/2017 2:56:29 PM

19

NEED US ON A HOLIDAY? URGENT CARE IS OPEN THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S!

WE ARE YOUR URGENT CARE OF CHOICE

IN ORANGE & SULLIVAN COUNTIES.

At Crystal Run Urgent Care, we are here for you when you need us the most. With life’s unexpected twists and turns - like high fevers, common sprains, sore throats, and other non-life threatening concerns, we understand that accidents and illnesses can occur without warning. That’s why we’re open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in five convenient locations, offering walk-in and extendedhour care with physicians on-site and access to in-house labs and diagnostic imaging. Best of all, we’re directly connected to Crystal Run Healthcare offering a seamless transition to primary care and access to over 40 specialties for follow-up care.

MIDDLETOWN | ROCK HILL | MONROE | NEWBURGH | WEST NYACK

Perel Schneid, DO Urgent Care

CrystalRunHealthcare.com/UrgentCare #WeAreCrystalRun Medicaid Managed Care & most commercial insurance plans accepted. Se habla Español.

CRH_Urgent Care-Oct-Nov_1033x55_OC BusinessWatch.indd 1

9/21/17 9:55 AM

There’s a Reason Business Borrows Here

Business Loans & Lines of Credit

HVFCU223_Business_Ad_10.34x5.5_4C_Aug16_BusinessWatch.indd 1

|

Commercial Mortgages

|

SBA Loans

|

Credit Cards

7/14/16 3:45 PM