Economic Blueprint' For Staten Island: WBCLDC Expanding Footprint

From the Chamber
You should all be proud of what the

Chamber does for your business.
PAGE 2
MARCH 2012
BITS & BYTES
The best customer relationship managers.
PAGE 27
COACHS CORNER
Hows your IN-fit?
PAGE 26
HEALTH-CARE TRENDS
Work in a workout!
PAGE 30
www.sibiztrends.com
STEVE WHITE/Business Trends
Recipients of the Chamber of Commerce Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Awards gathered for a photo. They
are, from left, John Nikolai of Jealan Fireplaces, Michael Farley of Hudson Elevator Group, Elizabeth Egbert of
the Staten Island Museum, Vittorio Asoli of Trattoria Romana, Mary Lee Montalvo and Marlene Markoe-Boyd of
MLM Public Relations, Chris Williams (rear) of Williams Eye Works, Dominick Brancato (rear, partially hidden) of
NY Center for Interpersonal Development, Dr. Tomas Morales of the College of Staten Island, and Brian Farley of
Hudson Elevator Group.
Louis R. Miller award winners
P u b l i s h e d b y E l a u wi t Me d i a
P r e - s o r t e d
S t a n d a r d
U S P o s t a g e
P A I D
W i l k e s - B a r r e , P A
P e r m i t 9 0
By KENNETH ADAMS
Special to Business Trends
Just over a year ago, New York
was struggling under the weight
of the national recession. We saw
businesses folding and employ-
ment numbers falling because we
lacked the foundation to attract
new investment and build up
New York businesses. Under Gov.
Cuomos leadership, New York
started to change all that, employ-
ing a more business-friendly ap-
proach to improve the economic
climate and unleash our potential
for job growth.
During the governors first
year, we began to exercise the
greater fiscal discipline these
challenging times demand by
closing a $10 billion deficit with
no new taxes, no gimmicks and
no delays. We stopped skyrocket-
ing taxes by passing the first-ever
property tax cap and eliminating
the MTA payroll tax for most
small businesses. We passed af-
fordable energy and higher edu-
cation legislation to lower energy
costs and transform our public in-
stitutions into incubators for
workforce development. And in
the final month of the year, we
cut taxes for people earning
$40,000 to $300,000, so the middle
class now pays its lowest rate in
58 years.
I am especially proud of the
success of Gov. Cuomos signa-
ture economic development ini-
tiative Regional Councils in re-
NYS economic
development
commissioner
weighs in
please see BLUEPRINT, page 22
Economic
blueprint
for Staten
Island
By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
Despite its name, the West Brighton Com-
munity Local Development Corporation has
an Island-wide focus. Thats why, recently at
least, the organization has been referring to
itself by its initials instead of its full name.
It has been a big but gradual change for
the WBCLDC, one that was symbolically
capped when long-time executive director
Susan Meeker retired almost exactly one
year ago. Angela DAiuto followed in Meek-
ers stead, and shes hoping to emphasize
that the organization is focused on more
than just one section of Staten Island.
An important vision of mine is to make
sure our community promotes business and
community partnership, said DAiuto, who
was born in West Brighton and raised on
Staten Island. Each program that we have
does have elements of that, and Id like to
have that as the consistent thread through-
out each of our programs.
When the organization was founded in
1981, it had a small geographic focus, hence
the localized name. In the early 1990s, it
began spreading out, providing technical as-
sistance to small businesses throughout the
Island. A decade later, the WBCLDC was des-
ignated an SBA Womens Business Center,
which paved the way for even more growth.
Today, the organization oversees its
Womens Business Center, its Business Out-
reach Center and the Forest Avenue Busi-
ness Improvement District, and it wants to
do more. And through it all, DAiuto said the
WBCLDC is exploring a name change be-
WBCLDC expanding footprint
please see WBCLDC, page 16
West Brighton is in its name, but the organization is helping businesses Island-wide
OPINION
2 BUSINESS TRENDS MARCH 2012
To order, please call or visit:
39 Victory Boulevard
347-466-5699
1854 Hylan Boulevard
718-667-3636
EdibleArrangements.com
*Offer valid at participating locations. Offer expires 3/31/12. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer code must be used when placing order.
Containers may vary. EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS, the Fruit Basket Logo Design and Berry Chocolate Bouquet are registered trademarks of Edible
Arrangements, LLC. 2012 Edible Arrangements, LLC. All rights reserved. Franchises available; call 1-888-727-4258 or visit eafranchise.com.
SAVE
$
4
on any order
Code: sibt1138
Drop us a line
Email: news@sibiztrends.com
Mail: Business Trends, 66 Willow Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
By TOM SCARANGELLO
Last year, I attended a 60 years
in business celebration at Office
Equipment Company on Forest
Avenue and Dwarf Street. It was
a nice event as owner Dan Wheel-
er and his dedicated staff played
host to his longtime clients and
friends. And anyone who is a
client of Dans knows that he
soon makes you a friend.
When I was leaving the party,
my wife and I drove out of the
parking lot and onto Dwarf Street
where we saw what we thought
was a large puddle. Turned out it
was a small ocean, almost three
feet deep! Luckily, my wife told
me to go around it, as she is con-
vinced the Loch Ness Monster
lives in a puddle on Staten Island,
or we would have literally been
submerged.
So I asked Dans longtime
staffer Pat Santillo why it was
like that and she just rolled her
eyes and informed me that they
had called 311, the community
board and every other agency
they could, and that the Depart-
ment of Transportation inspect-
ed it and confirmed that it needed
to be repaired, but like dating my
first girlfriend, months had gone
by and no action was taking
place.
Office Equipments trucks had
experienced flat tires and bent
rims, costing thousands of dol-
lars. Dan said the plus side was a
few drivers had learned to swim.
Dan complained to anyone who
would listen, and that finally paid
off when he spoke to an organiza-
tion that has been around since
1895, the Staten Island Chamber
of Commerce. President Linda
Baran finished her drink, left
Dan at the bar and swung into ac-
tion. She convinced the NYC DOT
that it truly had become a safety
hazard and not just an expensive
inconvenience to Dans business
and they finally got the repair
done.
As small business owners in
New York City, we understand
that we are subject to regulations,
license requirements and per-
mits. But when we run into a
problem, we are often at the
mercy of the city and its agencies
to help us correct it. And we are
often at the bottom of the to-do-
list by virtue of our location and
its importance to NYC govern-
ment officials. Our local repre-
sentatives understand this and go
to bat for us each and every day,
but they can only do so much.
That is why we need to use every
resource available to us.
Of course, some resources are
more effective than others. And,
as Dan can attest, the Chamber of
Commerce is a great and all too
often overlooked resource. Linda
has countless stories of business-
es she has helped. Most are mem-
bers, but unlike other organiza-
Be proud of us
FROM THE CHAMBER
please see CHAMBER, page 18
Become a
DOME SAVINGS
CLUB VENDOR
and reach thousands
of potential customers!
For more information, call
(718) 605-2500
www.domegroup.com
Dome Property Management - managers of
over 100 condo and homeowners association
communities - is now accepting vendors and
merchants to participate in the Dome Savings
Club, an "offer board" of discounted services
and products for the communities it serves.
Join national companies like Time Warner
Cable, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and local
businesses like Jealan Fireplaces and The Pool
Therapist. To learn more, visit the Offer Board
at www.DomeGroup.com/dscOffers.
MONDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Richmond Co.:
LaFontana Restaurant, 2879 Amboy
Rd. 7 p.m. For info, call 718-420-
1966.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. For info, call the SBDC at
718-982-2560.
TUESDAY
Direct120.com, Ultimate Think
Tank: Lorenzos, 1100 South Ave. For
info, visit www.direct120.com.
Kiwanis Club of South Shore:
LaFontana, 2879 Amboy Rd. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-370-2770.
SCORE Business Counseling: S.I.
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment nec-
essary. No charge. For info, call 718-
727-1221.
Business Guild I of the S.I. Cham-
ber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 a.m. Mem-
bers and invited guests only. For
info, call Christina Fiorenza at 347-
581-5022.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) Net-
work Alliance Chapter: Z-One
Lounge, 1821 Richmond Ave. 7 to
8:30 a.m. For info, call Timothy
Houston at 718-981-8600.
Rotary Club Staten Island: LiGre-
cis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 12:30 to
1:30 p.m. Members and guests wel-
come. For info, call 718-370-3140.
Business Counseling: Chamber of
Commerce, 130 Bay St. 9 a.m. No
718-982-2560.
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
718-982-2560.
WEDNESDAY
Staten Island Business Council:
Lorenzos at Hilton Garden Inn, 1100
South Ave. 7 a.m. Members and
invited guests only. For info, call 347-
855-4488 or send an e-mail to
info@sibizcouncil.com.
Bucks Business Network: Hamp-
ton Inn, 1415 Richmond Ave. 7:30
a.m. For info, call 877-SIBUCKS or
visit www.sibucks.com.
Kiwanis Club of Brighton: Jodys
Club Forest, 372 Forest Ave. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-348-0505.
Kiwanis Club of North Central:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call Len Bosso at
347-592-1937.
Rotary Club of Gateway: The Lake
Club, 1150 Clove Rd. 7:15 p.m. For
info, call 718-447-1509.
SCORE Business Counseling:
Chamber of Commerce, 130 Bay St.
9 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment neces-
sary. No charge. For info, call 718-
727-1221.
E.L.I.T.E. (Executive, Leadership,
Interactive, Team, Effort) Net-
working Group: 1110 South Ave. 8
a.m. New members welcome. For
info, call 347-273-1375.
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
WEEKLY MEETINGS
please see MEETINGS, page 25
in our opinion
66 Willow Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
347-682-4867
JANET WARREN DUGO
Publisher
ALAN BAUER
General Manager & Editor
STEVE MILLER
Executive Vice President
ED LYNES
Vice President of Sales
TIM RONALDSON
Director of Digital Media
TOM ENGLE
Art Director
STEVE COPPOLA
Director
RICHARD GRADO
Director
ROBERT CUTRONA
Director
LAWRENCE RAMPULLA
Director
DAN McDONOUGH, JR.
Chief Executive
RUSSELL CANN
Chairman of the Board
MICHAEL LaCOUNT, Ph.D.
Vice Chairman
BARRY RUBENS
Chief Financial Officer
Business Trends is mailed each month to the
business and community leaders of Staten
Island. If you would like to receive the paper,
but are not currently on our mailing list, you
can request to be added to the mailing list by
e-mailing your name, title, company,
address, phone, fax and email address to
janet@sibiztrends.com.
To submit a news release, please email
news@sibiztrends.com. For advertising
information, call 347-682-4867 or email
janet@sibiztrends.com.
SPEAK UP
Business Trends welcomes letters from
readers. We look for letters that are 300
words or fewer. Be sure to include your name
and phone number with your letter. We do
not print anonymous letters. Send letters to
news@sibiztrends.com, or 66 Willow Ave.,
Staten Island, NY 10305. Business Trends
reserves the right to reprint your letter in
any medium including electronically.
Keep air fee bills grounded
Congress should let the free enterprise system work
O
n the surface, two bills recent-
ly introduced in Congress
make sense. They would re-
strict the number of fees airlines
could charge. After all, who hasnt
been on a plane where everyone is
wrestling to get overhead storage
space for their 73 carry-on bags they
brought to avoid baggage fees?
Problem is, this is America, and
America has achieved economic great-
ness because it allows, for the most
part, businesses to compete without
many rules. Once government gets
into regulating things that dont relate
to, for example, safety, the whole sys-
tem gets messed up.
Naturally, the airlines arent in favor
of these bills. Some of them already
waive baggage fees for one or two
pieces.
Others correctly point out that,
charging fees, while keeping fares
lower, gives consumers a choice. In-
deed, if you travel without checked
bags, you probably would opt for the
airlines that offer lower fares, but
charge for checked baggage. Its less
money out of their pockets for the
same service they would receive on
any airline.
Congressional supporters of the
bills point out that consumers dont
like the fees. Well, of course, they
dont. No one likes fees.
If Congress would check, were sure
it would find that people dont like
high airline ticket prices, either. Or, in
keeping with the air travel theme,
parking rates that rise as you get clos-
er or more convenient parking spots at
an airport. Or high-priced food in air-
port restaurants.
Sure, some air travellers can feel
like they are being nickeled and dimed
to death. But its their choice to fly the
airlines that charge these fees.
There are any number of ways to
avoid the fees, they just choose not to
do so.
This is a business model, pricing
choice. Its what keeps businesses
competitive. Congress should stay
away.
in your opinion
By ROBERT CUTRONA
In February, the President signed off on
a Health and Human Services law that
mandates Catholic hospitals, schools and
charities provide and pay for insurance
coverage that includes contraceptives and
abortion-inducing drugs. With this blatant
violation of the First Amendment, the
President ruled that Catholics set aside
2,000 years of religious beliefs.
The disagreement here is not about the
rights of women, nor is the disagreement
about expanding health care for all, or pro-
choice, or contraceptives, or abortion.
Many Catholics accept and practice the
aforementioned. The real disagreement is
about an arrogant encroachment on reli-
gious freedoms and the growing intrusive-
ness of government in all areas of our
lives. The First Amendment is crystal clear
in that it prohibits impeding the free exer-
cise of religion. This law forces Catholic
institutions to spend money to support
services and products that violate Catholic
doctrine and contradicts beliefs that
Catholics teach their students in the class-
room.
Adding insult to injury, Obamas min-
ions initially said that they compromised
by giving Catholic institutions a years
grace period to implement the legislation.
How bighearted and accommodating, a
years grace period to contravene deeply
embedded beliefs! Subsequently, after real-
izing that they made a bad political deci-
sion and utterly botched the issue, Obama
and his advisors came up with another so-
called compromise that shifted the cost
of contraceptives, etc., to the insurance
companies. Laughable, since the drug com-
panies will continue to charge for contra-
ceptives, and the insurance companies will
get compensated through higher premi-
ums from the Catholic institutions. Ulti-
mately, the church is still paying. Sounds
more like three-card monte than a compro-
mise.
This law could have been developed and
introduced with womens rights and ex-
panded health care intact, while at the
same time respecting and protecting the
tenets of the Catholic religion with opt-out
provisions, exemptions, waivers, co-pays
and the like. Options could have been built
in for those individuals who do not want to
be involved with insurance products that
violate their beliefs and for those non-
Catholics who want all the available insur-
ance coverages. Also, with some due dili-
gence, the legislation could have been de-
signed within the framework of existing
labor laws and practices. However, in their
zeal to fast-track another progressive ideol-
ogy and pander to their core constituents,
the administration set another divisive
course led by a President who has urged re-
spect for other religions, yet in this in-
stance displayed a disconnect to a major
part of the American community.
Obama recently apologized to Afghans
for the burning of Korans at a military
base, even though the books were being
clandestinely used by prisoners to commu-
nicate with one other. He also passionately
supported the First Amendment rights of
free speech in sympathy with the Occupy
Wall Street people and repeatedly cited the
First Amendment to lobby for a mosque
near Ground Zero. I guess he uses the Con-
stitution as he sees fit and based on the
number of votes at stake. Under Obama,
the government has become dictatorial in
its quest for authority. He feels that he
knows what is best for all Americans and
he attempts to force his values on people
who do not necessarily agree with them.
To quote one Washington insider, he
wants to tell us who we are, what to do and
when to do it, using his office to force obe-
dience to his will.
Obediently doing the Presidents bid-
ding, the mainstream media (NY Times,
Our father, who art in Washington
please see WASHINGTON, page 18
ROSS SPITALNICK
Senior Vice President
(718) 263-3800 x371
ross@muss.com
NICHOLAS J. FORELLI
Assistant Vice President
(718) 263-3800 x307
nforelli@muss.com
MUSSDEVELOPMENT LLC
BUILDING NEW YORK CITY SINCE 1906
That's what we're all about
718-720-1600
1190 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10305-1920
www.heroldinc.com
Bernard Herold & Co., Inc. - A Name You Can Trust
.....401K Plans....IRAs....TaxDeferred Savings.....
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
West Brighton Community
Local Development Corporation
West Brighton Community
Local Development Corp. added
three new mem-
bers to its Board
of Directors:
Carol DiMarco,
Christine Savino
Fiorenza and
Keith Chris-
tensen.
DiMarco is the
owner of Blue
Line Label. She
was a 2011
awardee of the
Womens Busi-
ness Advance-
ment award of the
Business Out-
reach Center of
Staten Island and
the Neighborhood
Mayors Small
Business of the
Year Award for
Staten Island as a
M/WBE, a busi-
ness mentor, and
volunteer with
the Business Out-
reach Center of Staten Island. Di-
Marco started Career Coaches
Student Mentoring Program,
which assists high school stu-
dents at McKee High School on
Staten Island with the job search
process.
Fiorenza is an advertising ac-
count executive at Staten Island
Parent magazine. She currently
serves as president of the Staten
Island Chamber of Commerces
Business Guild I. She is co-chair
of the WBCLDC 21st Century
Business Woman Committee for
the Launch and co-chair of Team
Determination.
She also serves on the Moore
Catholic High School Parents and
Football Association. She holds a
B.S. in economics and is a mem-
ber of Powerful You Networking
Group, the Netpreneurs, and Stat-
en Island Business People.
Christensen is a regional busi-
ness banker for New York Com-
munity Bank. He began his bank-
ing career in 1995 when he joined
Richmond County Savings Bank.
He holds a Bachelors degree from
Adelphi University and is pursu-
ing his Masters degree at the Col-
lege of Staten Island.
He is a chapter-charter mem-
ber and a life member of the Phi
Alpha Theta National Honor So-
ciety.
He has held numerous leader-
ship positions in philanthropic,
fraternal, civic and business
groups, including past President
of the Richmond County
Bankers Association, past Treas-
urer of the Community Bankers
Association of New York Group
IV, V, VI, past director of the
Alzheimers Foundation of Stat-
en Island and past Director of the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foun-
dation. He is a life member of the
National Eagle Scout Associa-
tion.
JONATHAN DAGOSTINO
Jonathan DAgostino & Associates
Jonathan DAgostino, a person-
al-injury lawyer with offices in
New York and New Jersey, has
reached a milestone in the
Country Music industry.
A prolific songwriter for more
than two decades, the founder of
Staten Island-based Jonathan
DAgostino & Associates recently
collaborated with New Jersey-
based musician Chris Corley to
write I Try To Let Go.
The song was chosen from ap-
proximately 2,500 submissions
from across the nation as a top-10
finalist in the prestigious 2012
on the job
please see JOB, page 9
Christensen
DiMarco
Fiorenza
CMT (Country Music Television)
Listeners Choice Awards compe-
tition. The contest is co-spon-
sored by CMT and the Nashville
Songwriters Association Interna-
tional, the worlds largest not-for-
profit songwriters trade associa-
tion.
LORETTA CAULDWELL
Forest Avenue
Business Improvement District
Loretta Cauldwell, executive
director of the Forest Avenue
Business Improvement District,
has been selected to participate in
the NYC Dept. of Small Business
Services Neighborhood Leader-
ship Program.
The program is an award-win-
ning leadership training curricu-
lum that provides individuals
working to strengthen New York
Citys commercial corridors with
the tools, experiences and net-
works they need to develop new
ways to lead change in their or-
ganizations and communities.
Over the course of five months,
participants work with experts in
the field and other participants to
develop their personal leadership
skills and hone their commercial
revitalization expertise.
ANSELMO GENOVESE
Staten Island Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects
Anselmo Genovese has been in-
stalled as the new president of
the Staten Island Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects.
He succeeds Marcus Marino in
the role.
Genovese has been an active
member of the AIA since 1997. He
served as treasurer from 2005-2007
and vice president from 2008-2011.
He has more than 30 years experi-
ence in the building industry and
maintains his architectural prac-
tice in Rosebank.
He is an active member of the
Columbus Citizens Foundation,
which is a non-profit organiza-
tion in New York City committed
to improving the lives of students
and their families by providing
more than $2 million in scholar-
ship funding in the past year.
Genovese resides in Dongan
Hills Colony with his wife Mar-
garite and two sons, Salvatore
and Christopher.
Additional officers installed
were: Jeff Geary, vice president;
James F. Oliva of Rampulla Ar-
chitects, secretary; and George
Turner, treasurer.
GINA HIGGINS
Frank Crystal & Company
Frank Crystal & Company, one
of the nations largest independ-
ent insurance brokerage firms,
announced the appointment of
Staten Island resident Gina Hig-
gins, formerly executive vice
president overseeing the National
Middle Market Division and
Client Advocate Practice at Willis
Corporation, to senior managing
director in the companys Com-
mercial Insurance Services
group. In her new role, Higgins
will be responsible for leading the
National Middle Market Division.
Higgins brings more than 20
years experience in the insurance
industry. In her most recent role
at Willis Corporation, Higgins
gained industry-wide recognition
for her creation of innovative
professional liability insurance
products.
Before joining Willis Corpora-
tion, Higgins was a managing di-
rector and national practice
leader for employment practices
liability with FINPRO, Marshs fi-
nancial and professional risk
practice. In this position, Higgins
contributed to the growth and
MARCH 2012 BUSINESS TRENDS 9
Sovereign Bank Building
95l2 1hrd Avenue
rookyn, NY ll209
College of Staten Island - SBDC
2800 Vctory vd.
dg. 2A, Rm. 300
Stuten lsund, NY l03l4
NOW IN TWO LOCATIONS
Dean Balsamini Sr., Director
718.982.2560
Fast Service Fleet Accounts Flat Rate
Serving Staten Island
For Over 30 Years
Call Phil
Your Personal Service Advisor
Foreign & Domestic
Automatic & Standard
Cars, Trucks & Vans
Free Towing
718-667-5800
2018 Hylan Blvd Staten Island, NY 10306 www.gibraltartransmissions.com
State-Of-The-Art Computer Diagnostics
DOUBLE
TRANSMISSION
WARRANTY
With This Ad
GIBRALTAR
TRANSMISSIONS
On the Job
JOB
Continued from page 8
please see JOB, page 15
www.richmondrolloff.net
Junk Removal and House Clean-Outs
Dumpster Service
Serving Staten Island Exclusively
Eco-Friendly - 90% Recycling Rate
Credit Cards Accepted
718-356-2200
JANET DUGO/Business Trends
The physicians at Corporate Park Radiation Oncology & CT Imaging hosted an open house to celebrate
their new location at 1000 South Ave. and the installation of state-of-the-art radiation therapy equip-
ment. Pictured, from left, are hotelier and building owner Richard Nicotra, Dr. Roberto Lipsztein, Borough
President James Molinaro and Dr. Joseph Motta.
Opening celebration
Home Show Sponsors
1st Annual
NARI-HIC
HOME REMODELING SHOW
Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18
Staten Island Mall (Center Court)
MEET
THE
PROS
S T A T E N I S L A N D
C
H A P T E
R
DOORS ACTING UP?
WE CAN HELP!
(718) 447-7338
Doors Repaired Door Closers Repaired/Replaced
Locks Installed Home or Business
Licensed, bonded, fully insured
Frank-Key Services
97 Quintard Street Staten Island, NY 10305
Ask about our
high security
lock options
F
R
E
E
$
1
0

G
A
S

C
A
R
D
w
it
h

s
e
r
v
ic
e

&

t
h
e
m
e
n
t
io
n

o
f

t
h
is

a
d
Cleaning and maintenence of chim-
neys and gas vents is a life or death
issue. If you haven't cleaned yours,
remember that, "an ounce of safety is
worth a pound of cure." Call us and
schedule now.
Firebird is a well known and re-
spected name on Staten Island. We
have a long standing, visible, pres-
ence in the community and our repu-
tation is easily obtainable by asking
your friends and neighbors. We are
mason restoration certified and hold
numerous trade certifications.
Firebird`s construction expertise has
been called into service on the
"HGTV" and "Man Cave" TV shows.
We also contributed to The Staten Is-
land Advance Home section for serv-
ice safety on 01/18/2012.
We are expert builders of Fireplaces
and Chimneys, both wood and gas,
mason or metal, with more than 30
years of hands on experience in our
trade. We have Design Services
available to help you with the simplest
to the most complicated planning.
There is no design we can not exe-
cute and our skills are second to
none.
Try visiting our website: www.Fire-
birdsweep.com and browse the
many images of our work, both new
installations and dramatic makeovers,
then enjoy the start of a warm journey.
Our Service, Repair and Mainte-
nance Department handles every-
thing from Mason repairs and
Waterproofng to Stainless Steel
Chimney Relining.
THE FIREBIRD SWEEP, INC.
Great Kills Box# 218 55 Nelson Ave Staten lsland, NY
Phone 718-356-1747 www.rebirdsweep.com
Professional Chimney & Fireplace Contractors
"Don't make an ash of yourself!"
Call us because you need real expert artisans and tradesmen, not salesmen.
H.l.C. Lic# 818125
C H A P T E R
The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors installed a new slate of officers during a meeting at the
Vanderbilt at South Beach. Pictured, from left, are architect Glen Cutrona, secretary; attorney Anna-
Marie Gentile, vice chair; Ralph Branca of Victory State Bank, treasurer; Solomon Chemo of Richmond
Group Wealth Advisors, chair; and attorney Bruce Behrins, general counsel.
Chamber installs new officers
Fully
Licensed
and Insured
Lic # 1744
B.P.I.
Certified
Contractor
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
ResidentiaI CommerciaI IndustriaI
- Replace & Repair boilers
- Furnaces
- Water Heaters
- Sewers & Drains Unclogged
- Code Violations Removed
- Sprinkler System inspections
- Frozen Pipes Thawed
- Sump Pumps
- Toilets and Faucets
- National Grid Authorized Installers
- A.O. Smith & State Authorized Installers
AII phases of pIumbing
No Job Too Big or Small. We do it all!
718-556-0600
125 Lake Ave. Staten IsIand, NY 10303
kcmpIum66@aoI.com
SIEDC: GREEN
& CLEAN EXPO
THURSDAY, MARCH 8
Time: 8:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
Location: The Vanderbilt at South
Beach, Fr. Capodanno Blvd.
For information, call 718-477-1400
POWERFUL
YOU! WOMENS
NETWORKING GROUP
THURSDAY, MARCH 8
Time: 7:00 10:00 p.m.
Location: Richmond Diner, 3954
Richmond Ave.
$31, includes dinner
STATEN ISLAND
MENTAL HEALTH
SOCIETY 2012
ANNIVERSARY BALL
SATURDAY, MARCH 10
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Bat-
tery Park, NYC
STATEN ISLAND
NETWORK PLUS
TUESDAY, MARCH 13
Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Location: Caf DelMondo, 2530 Vic-
tory Blvd.
GREEN MARKETING
FOR YOUR BUSINESS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14
Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Location: W. Brighton LDC, 705 For-
est Ave., 2nd Fl.
NYS WOMEN INC.
(RICHMOND CNTY.)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Caf Bella Vita, 1919
Hylan Blvd.
RICHMOND CNTY.
BANKERS ASSOC.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14
Location: Mikes Place, 4677 Hylan
Blvd.
For information, call Lou DellaBovie
at 718-370-7037
NETWORKING PLUS
THURSDAY, MARCH 15
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Location: Golden Dove, 3281 Rich-
mond Ave.
Fidelity Payment Services is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, NA, Walnut Creek, CA - Member FDIC and US Bank Minneapolis, MN.
ADVANCED PAYMENT PROCESSING.
SIMPLIFIED.
718-983-9272
doviddovid.com
Advice - Not 1ust Price!
Business Calendar
please see EVENTS, page 31
servicing of a $90 million global
book of business and led the
group to achieving #1 fastest
growing FINPRO products status.
Prior to this, she served as senior
vice president of the financial
group at Johnson & Higgins, de-
veloping and managing the Er-
rors & Omissions Practice.
Higgins is an expert on employ-
ment practice liability, having au-
thored numerous articles and
white papers, offered speeches,
and led conferences on the topic.
Higgins is a member of the
New York State Bar Association,
sat on the board of directors of
New York Lawyers for the Public
Interest, and was the recipient of
the Helen Garvin Outstanding
Achiever Award by the National
Association of Insurance Women
in 2000.
NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS
New York Assembly
Assemblywoman Nicole
Malliotakis has been named to
The Hispanic Coalition of New
Yorks 40 Under 40 Rising Latino
Stars. Each year, HCNY compiles
a list to identify the next genera-
tion of political leaders in New
York, and recognize the honorees
at the Somos el Futuro Legisla-
tive Conference in Albany.
Assemblywoman Malliotakis
mother is a Cuban exile of the
Castro dictatorship. Her father
hails from Greece.
During her first legislative ses-
sion, Assemblywoman Mallio-
takis fought hard for a number of
legislative goals, including re-
pealing the MTA Payroll Tax,
fighting excessive tolls and pro-
tecting Title XX funding for sen-
ior centers. Assemblywoman
Malliotakis was also named a Top
Ranking Pro-Jobs Supporter by
The Business Council of New
York State and a member of The
Capitol newspapers 2011 list of 40
Rising Stars Under 40.
803 Castleton Ave.
C H A P T E R
A Complete Home Improvement Service
A family-owned and operated Staten Island
business for over 40 years.
Licensed professionals.
Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority.
Full service, from design to completion.
Kitchens, Baths, Alterations, Renovations, Carpentry,
Windows & Doors, Masonry and Siding.
718-448-0655
www.bernabehomeimprovement.com
5.--+s. -. e---..-: --.
On the Job
JOB
Northfield
Banking
for a Cause
Northfield Bank announced
the 2012 organizations for their
Banking for a Cause program.
This program, which began in
2011, enhances the Banks com-
munity outreach program by pro-
moting and collecting contribu-
tions for multiple charitable or-
ganizations for one month.
Northfields Banking for a
Cause will be collecting for the
following Staten Island organiza-
tions this year: American Cancer
Societys Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer, Community
Health Action, Eden II, Juvenile
Diabetes, March of Dimes, Proj-
ect Home Front and Staten Island
Heart Society.
The program runs three times
a year in March, June and Octo-
ber at all Northfield branch of-
fices. For more information, visit
www.eNorthfield.com.
cause of its references to an old
way.
I continue to hear from past
clients and current clients that
sometimes still think were West
Brighton focused, because of the
name, she said.
That sentiment, obviously,
couldnt be further from the
truth. Over the last nine years, a
lot has happened at the WBCLDC,
and throughout the Staten Island
community in general, that has
forced it to evolve. DAiuto said
the organization has matured
with the changing economic cli-
mate and has been able to grow
because it was responsive to the
communitys needs.
As the organization has grown,
so, too, have its programs. On
June 20, the WBCLDC will hold
its signature event, the 21st Cen-
tury Business Woman Confer-
ence, which, in its eighth itera-
tion, will expand for the first time
to an all-day event.
Its a wonderful program. Its
something that I think can really
grow and evolve, DAiuto said.
The WBCLDC is part of the
Business Outreach Center Net-
work, allowing it to receive fund-
ing from the Small Business Ad-
ministration that it uses to host
the Conference, as well as provide
one-on-one business counseling
and host business seminars for
clients. The organization also
runs a Staten Island Green Initia-
tive, assisting businesses
throughout the borough to obtain
information and apply for incen-
tives to go green and be more effi-
cient.
DAiuto said that, like her
clients, the organization hasnt
been immune to the changes in
the economy. State funding to
non-profit organizations has dis-
appeared over the last couple of
years, forcing these groups to get
more creative in raising funds
and stretching the dollar. As such,
the WBCLDC relies on a strong
stable of volunteers and its active
board of directors.
As we work with small busi-
ness owners, everyone is looking
how they can cut waste, she said.
This organization has a very
good foundation and is respected
in the community.
DAiutos experience with non-
profits has only helped her expe-
rience at the WBCLDC so far. She
previously worked for four differ-
ent such organizations in Man-
hattan and Staten Island, gaining
her first experience with commu-
nity and economic development
issues as the program director at
the Northfield Local Develop-
ment Corporation.
There, she interacted with the
WBCLDC, and first got excited
about making an impact locally.
So when her current job opened
up, she jumped at the opportunity.
It was a perfect fit for me, she
said.
With a year under her belt,
DAiuto is ready to help the WB-
CLDC grow even more. It is cur-
rently conducting the second
phase of a state-run brownfield
opportunity area program, pro-
moting its Green Initiative, run-
ning its ongoing seminars and
planning for the ever-expanding
Business Woman Conference, all
while the executive director has
been connecting with business
owners about the possibility of
forming more Business Improve-
ment Districts, where necessary.
And despite the continuing
challenges that the recovering
economy provides, DAiuto is
confident the WBCLDC will
thrive.
If you stay true to making an
impact, making sure that you are
listening to what businesses need
and what the community needs,
you can definitely weather the
storm and change with the
times, she said.
Four Story, 16,000+ square foot development opportunity. Excellent
site for condominium, community facility or investment property.
Building to be built into hillside with proposed views of the harbor and
underground parking garage. Minutes to S.I. Ferry Terminal, shopping
and transportation. Asking $799,000.
Westerleigh -- 4,500 square foot Commercial building with ample
parking on Jewett Avenue for sale or lease. Building is currently a turn
key, 206 person restaurant with bar and kitchen. Sale includes an all-
brick, fully-detached two family home that is contiguous with the
commercial property. Please call for additional information.
Contact our Commercial Division for
more information about:
Sales & Leasing Investment Property
Multi-dwellings Industrial/Manufacturing
Retail Space Raw Land
Warehouses 1031 Exchanges
Office Buildings
Your gateway to better business and better living on Staten Island
285 St. Mark's Place Staten Island, NY 10301
718-273-3800
www.gatewayarmsrealty.com
Our Knowledge, Experience, Teamwork + Integrity =
Results for You
Now Available
Now leasing 1,800 square feet of prime retail space and brand new 1,000-
5,000 square foot office spaces in professional elevator office building.
Located on Hyatt Street with excellent exposure to all municipal buildings,
new court house and St. George Theatre. Call for more info.
10,000 sq. ft. warehouse with office space and ample parking on over
1 acre of M3-1 zoned corner property. Exposure on both Arthur Kill
Road and Industrial Loop. 25' ceilings, overhead bays, possible devel-
opment site. Call Chris for additional information and survey.
LO
W
ER W
ARD
H
ILL
ST. G
EO
RG
E
SALE O
R LEASE
WBCLDC is expanding its Island footprint
WBCLDC
718.351.0590
1361 North Railroad Ave
www.esbna.com
Member FDIC
Jeanne Sarno
347.592.1938
EMPIRE STATE BANK
HAS THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND
MULTI-FAMILY LENDING
RATES ARE AT AN ALL TIME LOW NOW WITH OPTIONAL
CLOSING COST CREDIT OF UP TO 1.0% OF LOAN AMOUNT
*
Commercial Real Estate
Mixed Use Properties
Multi-Family
Fixed and Adjustable Rate Programs
Up to 25-year Amortization
Personal Loan Officer
Local and Fast Decision Making
Owner-Occupied Properties
Investment Properties*
SBA Lending Specialist*
*Optional Closing Cost Credit not available for SBA loans and Investment Properties.
Optional Closing Cost Credit offer can be withdrawn at any time.
Our local staff of seasoned
professionals understands just
how important it is to give you
the loan thats right for you. So
whether you are looking to
purchase or refinance a property,
Empire has the solution to get it
done Fast and Easy.

s
t
a
tena
r
t
s
Staten Arts Photography
www.statenartsphotography.com
Steve White
6 Genesee Avenue
Phone: 718.317.5025
Cell: 917.446.4029
Email: statenarts@aol.com
Weddings
Sweet 16s
Anniversaries
Birthday Parties
Much much more!
..................................
Drop us a line
tions, the Chamber even goes to
bat for non-members because the
mission is to improve the eco-
nomic climate on Staten Island,
not just help those who pay dues.
So the moral of the story is, if
you are a Chamber member, you
should be proud of how your or-
ganization is helping Staten Is-
land. You should also use the re-
source; Call the Chamber!
Linda and her staff are ready and
willing to help, and that is what
separates the Chamber of Com-
merce from every other business
organization. Its their mission
and they live it every single day.
If you are not a member, dont
worry, your free ride will contin-
ue because the Chamber extends
their assistance to non-members,
too. Whether lobbying to make it
easier to do business or tackling a
specific issue they make this a
better place for businesses, con-
sumers and residents. But if you
just cant live with the guilt any-
more and want to join and sup-
port the one organization that
gives you unconditional love and
support, please call Sallyann Bar-
tels at (718) 727-1900 today. Tell her
Tom Scarangello sent you, and
you will receive half off double
your dues!
Tom Scarangello, a principal with
Scaran Heating, Air Conditioning and
Plumbing, is chair of the Small Busi-
ness Committee of the Staten Island
Chamber of Commerce.
Be proud of us
CHAMBER
Washington Post and MSNBC)
downplayed the suppression of
religious freedoms but main-
tained a prolonged attack that the
Catholics position was an assault
on womens rights. Of course, the
media and Obamas supporters
totally ignored the fact that con-
traceptives are plentiful and read-
ily available at no cost from com-
munity health centers and
through Medicaid. Any unbiased
person can see that Americans
have easy access to subsidized
birth control and that this was a
golden opportunity for the De-
mocrats to cater to female voters
by claiming bogus health-care is-
sues.
Continuing the factitious anti-
womens rights rhetoric, the
same media people were outraged
and in an absolute frenzy over the
Komen Foundations decision to
cut funds to Planned Parenthood,
another pet agency of Mr. Obama.
Obamas administration and
their media pilot fish crow that
they are the tolerant crowd pro-
moting open-mindedness and un-
derstanding; that is, until some-
one disagrees with them. Dis-
agree and youre branded a racist
and ignorant. No dissent is toler-
ated since they are smarter and
know whats best for us. To reiter-
ate, the real problem that we face
is growing government mandates
interfering with our basic rights
and freedoms. Its that simple!
Salvation is possible however, if
the 78 million Catholics in the
U.S. exercise their voting power
and send Obama back to Chicago
where he can exercise his arro-
gance and stilted socialist-leaning
ideologies. We can never allow
the Constitution and our individ-
ual freedoms to be compromised,
manipulated and trumped by the
President. Not now, not ever!
Robert Cutrona, president of
Project One Services, is a director of
Business Trends.
Our father, in DC
WASHINGTON
Here's a revenue-boosting
opportunity that may be fly-
ing under the radar of your
business or professional net-
working circle. Decades-old
Dome Property Management,
one of the largest and most
respected companies of its
kind in the New York metro-
politan area, is offering an
unprecedented opportunity
for a limited number of ven-
dors and merchants to share
in their success.
The newly introduced Dome
Savings Club gives businesses
the opportunity to expand
their customer bases for free.
Theres absolutely no catch:
You simply agree to provide
an attractive discount to club
participants on the Dome Sav-
ings Clubs Offer Board.
That's it. Nothing more. A
nominal one-time set-up fee,
which includes a place on the
clubs online Offer Board, is
the only cost. This is a win-
ning situation for everyone
involved, said Michael Motel-
son, president of Dome Prop-
erty Management.
ALL PARTIES BENEFIT
Here's why:
(1) The businesses in the
Dome Savings Club may
incorporate marketing incen-
tives that work best for them,
such as dollars-off or percent-
age-savings discounts, free
gifts or services, or other
strategies that have success-
fully worked for them in the
past. They will enjoy a huge
audience comprised of well
over 10,000 potential cus-
tomers at over 100 Dome-man-
aged communities, and are
included in the clubs online
marketing efforts.
(2) Homeowners and commu-
nities under Domes manage-
ment benefit from the dollars
they save on top-quality prod-
ucts and services.
(3) Dome Property Manage-
ment, notably Staten Islands
premier property manage-
ment company, benefits from
directly interacting with the
business community and pro-
viding a greatly appreciated
advantage to the many condo
communities it services.
Founded in 1987, Dome
Property Management man-
ages over 100 condominium
and homeowners association
communities, mostly on Stat-
en Island, and is the biggest
such operation in the bor-
ough. Dome provides compre-
hensive property manage-
ment services to many types
of properties and complexes,
from under 10 to more than
500 units, and includes many
building types and individual-
ly owned homes. For now, the
Dome Savings Club is being
marketed solely to its Staten
Island condo communities.
DISTINGUISHED
MEMBERS
Time Warner Cable was the
first to participate in the club,
with an offer to supply partic-
ipating condo residents a sav-
ings of more than $60 per
month with bulk-rate pricing.
Additional members include
national companies, such as
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage,
and reputable local mer-
chants, such as Jealan Fire-
places. Even Dome itself has
joined in by offering preferred
pricing and enhanced servic-
es to the residents of partici-
pating communities.
Now that the word is out, it
is likely representatives of the
automotive, banking, medical,
financial and restaurant
industries will soon come on
board. Dome should also
expect to hear from numerous
home-services businesses,
such as landscaping, contract-
ing, plumbing, electrical,
woodworking, painting, multi-
service and product suppliers,
and others.
Given the assortment of
communities and properties
we manage, and the many
goods and services they and
their residents consume, busi-
nesses offering a wide array of
products and services can
benefit from participating,
said Enid Motelson, senior
vice president of Dome Prop-
erty Management.
SOLID REPUTATION
IS A MUST
If you are interested in partic-
ipating in the Dome Savings
Club as a merchant or vendor,
be aware that not every busi-
ness will qualify. Only busi-
nesses with a stellar reputa-
tion for product, customer-
service and integrity will be
considered, Michael Motel-
son said. By simply providing
a discount to Domes cus-
tomers in these tough eco-
nomic times, quality mer-
chants, service providers and
vendors can strengthen the
loyalty of their existing cus-
tomers and attract and build
relationships with new
prospects.
For additional information,
Dome Property
Management may be reached
at 718-605-2500,
e-mail at DomeProp@
DomeGroup.com, and
visited online
at www.DomeGroup.com. The
Dome Savings Clubs Offer
Board can be found at
www.DomeGroup.com/dscOff
ers. The company is head-
quartered at
109 Winant Place,
Staten Island, NY 10309.
Current Participants:
Dome Savings Club connects businesses
to thousands of potential customers for free
Advertisement
The Tides at Charleston, the first active-adult community of its kind in metropolitan New York, is one of over 100 condominium and home-
owners association communities benefitting from the extensive services provided by Dome Property Management.
Dome Property Management provides com-
prehensive property management services
to many types of properties and complexes,
from under 10 to more than 500 units, and
includes many building types and individual-
ly owned homes.
The Womens Business Committee of the W. Brighton Local Development Corp. kicked off planning for its
upcoming 21st Century Business Woman conference with a special Wear Red event at Bistro on
Hylan Boulevard. Funds were raised for the WBCLDC and the Staten Island Heart Society. On hand were,
from left, Gina Russo, Julie Laudicina, Tracie Diggs, Christine Fiorenza, Stephanie Seeloch, Camille Mil-
lard, Keith Christensen, Angela DAiuto, Roy Rucci, MaryAnn Piazza, Maureen Fairlie and Carol DiMarco.
21st Century Business Woman
We teach your home and business how to act -- whether you're there or not --
by installing a Control4, one-touch automation system.
These are just some of the money-saving, convenient, safety-related actions that will happen
automatically:
LIFE MADE EASY
With APB S.E.L.E.C.T. Automation
S ecurity & Cameras & Remote Monitoring
E nergy Monitoring & Management
L ighting Controls
E ntertainment (Home Theaters)
Computer Networks
T echnology of Tomorrow
Visit our showroom
(by appointment only)
APB Security Systems, Inc.
2047 Victory Boulevard
718-698-8244
SECURITY & SAVINGS
Upon leaving your home, thermostats are pre-pro-
grammed to save heating and air conditioning costs.
Lights will alternate at night to simulate occupancy. All
lights will go on if an alarm triggers and a recorded mes-
sage is blasted to a burglar. Upon returning, selected
lights will automatically light your home.
CONVENIENCE & SAVINGS
One button puts your home in vacation mode
(HVAC, Lighting, Power-Consumer Electronic
Devices, etc. are programmed to save
money). One button activates all holiday
lighting, and you may heat your pool from
your phone.
ENTERTAINMENT
One remote controls all audio
and video throughout your
home from a few televisions
to a complete home theater
room.
ENERGY MONITORING &
MANAGEMENT
We let you monitor every circuit
in your home or business to help
isolate the waste and begin sav-
ing on electricity consumption.
NYS Dept of State Lic #12000034292
Control4 Authorized Dealer
Member NARI-HIC of
Staten Island and CEDIA
Borough Hall was the setting for a Black History Month celebration presented by Con Edison and the
March of Dimes. Pictured in front of an historical exhibit are, from left, Dionne Durant of the March of
Dimes, Mark Irving of Con Edison, Borough President James Molinaro, and David Rose and John DeSibia
of the March of Dimes.
Con Edison, March of Dimes celebrate black history
defining the way New York in-
vests in job creation. Regional
Councils transformed the states
economic development efforts
from a top-down approach into a
community-based, performance
driven model, which empowers
individual areas to design and in-
vest in regional solutions to eco-
nomic growth. For the first time,
we are putting the power of the
state government behind the in-
novation and entrepreneurship of
our people, aligning resources
with local planning and priorities
to rebuild our economy. The
Councils awarded a total of $785
million, with New York City re-
ceiving more than $60 million to
fund 50 local projects determined
to have the greatest potential for
creating jobs. Staten Island is
home to half a dozen priority
projects that now stand to receive
more than $2 million in state re-
sources from the Regional Coun-
cil initiative.
From an investment in con-
struction jobs to support housing
repairs for the elderly by Rich-
mond Senior Services, to the
building of eco-friendly develop-
ments like bike and pedestrian
trails and a wetland boardwalk at
the Freshkills Park, these proj-
ects will help drive a new econo-
my that grows from the ground
up by capitalizing on local
strengths to fulfill local needs.
To keep the momentum going,
Gov. Cuomo has proposed a $200
million second round of competi-
tive awards for 2012, and we ex-
pect state agencies to once again
pool together up to $1 billion in
resources to support Regional
Councils. As the process contin-
ues to evolve, the Councils will
now focus on the implementation
of an operational agenda, adjust-
ments to track success and capi-
talize on new opportunities, and
results to take the plans from con-
ception to construction.
Apart from the exciting work of
Regional Councils, Staten Island
is also home to one of the most
significant and emerging eco-
nomic development projects in
New York City the redevelop-
ment of the Arthur Kill Correc-
tional Facility. As part of last
years budget, Gov. Cuomo creat-
ed the Economic Transformation
Program to support communities
affected by the closure of correc-
tional and juvenile justice facili-
ties. Recently, we began the first
stages of the competitive pro-
gram, which will ultimately pro-
vide tax credits and $50 million in
capital funding to attract private
businesses to invest in the most
productive redevelopment and
job creation projects in the affect-
ed areas.
To build on his successful first
year, Gov. Cuomo has announced
a blueprint for economic growth
that will leverage state assets to
create jobs while maintaining fis-
cal discipline. Included in his
plan is a proposal to engage a pri-
vate development company to in-
vest $4 billion to build the largest
convention center in the country
and create tens of thousands of
jobs without significant state
funding or taxpayer subsidy.
The governor also announced
proposals for a $2 billion private
investment to redevelop the Jav-
its Center and a $15 billion NY
Works Fund and Task Force to ac-
celerate long delayed infrastruc-
ture improvements. These are
striking examples of public-pri-
vate partnerships Gov. Cuomo is
forging to create jobs without bur-
dening taxpayers with a mount-
ing bill.
As the governor would say, now
is not the time to ease up or step
back. Thanks to his efforts, we fi-
nally have the forward-thinking
plan of action that will help move
Staten Island and the rest of New
York in the right direction - back
to work in the short-term and for
the long-term.
Kenneth Adams is the president
and CEO of Empire State Develop-
ment, and commissioner of the NYS
Department of Economic Develop-
ment.
Agent Funding & Abstract, LLC dba Mortgage Tech Home Finance Registered Mortgage Broker - NYS Banking Department
All Mortgage loans arranged with third-party providers. CORRESPONDENT MORTGAGE BANKER LICENSED BY NEW
JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND INSURANCE
3e|t cmp|oyeo Borrower |rogroms
|urohose or |et|nonoe
Lo|| tor oeto||s
71B2265300
4459 ^mboy |ooo, 3u|te 1, 3toten |s|ono, NY 10312
www.Mortgoge1eoh.net
cmo||. |ntoJMortgoge1eoh.n et
Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C.
78 Martin Avenue | Staten Island, NY, 10314
(718) 761-3333
Business Law, Wills & Estates
An economic blueprint
for Staten Island
BLUEPRINT
WITH TERM LIFE INSURANCE
LOW COST 30 YEAR LEVEL RATES
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY!
LOW MONTHLY PREMIUMS
CARINCI INSURANCE AGENCY INC
JOHN P. CARINCI SERVING STATEN ISLAND FOR 35 YEARS
718-966-8988
PLEASE MAIL INFORMATION TO:
AGE 30
AGE 35
AGE 40
AGE 50
AGE 55
MALE
$250,000
$20.83
$23.01
$30.67
$76.61
$143.76
FEMALE
$250,000
$17.11
$19.73
$25.20
$57.74
$100.23
CARINCI INSURANCE
62 MEMPHIS AVE, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10312
john.carinci@verizon.net
Policy form #3314RNY, Term Smart 30 Reliastar Life of NY, 1000 Woodbury Rd., Woodbury, NY 11797
1855 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, NY
Room for 2 private offices + 2 staff.
2 blocks from expressway. Walk to most major banks.
Includes Receptionist, Phone system, Cleaning, Maintenance,
Alarm, Internet, RE Taxes (base year)
Shared use of waiting room & 2 conference rooms.
2 assigned off street parking spots.
Current tenants include Appraiser as well as Real Estate, Insurance,
Financial & Travel Agencies.
Contact Jon Salmon at Salmon Real Estate
(718) 273-1200 or Jon@SalmonRealEstatecom
for more information.
Professional Office Suite for Rent
If you are looking for professional office space, our location cannot be beat!
Situated along the busy financial corridor of Victory Boulevard near Manor
Road, this high trafficked location not only provides inclusive office space at
an attractive and affordable price, but the synergies that can be gained by as-
sociating and locating in a busy professional building.
When you take into consideration all that is included, locating your business
here becomes the obvious choice.
During Staten Islands first foray into presenting professional boxing at Nicotras Ballroom at the Hilton,
hometown boxer Nick Little Nicky DeMarco (left) bested opponent Cesar Gonzalez.
Dropping the gloves
THURSDAY
Kiwanis Club of Staten Island:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345
or go to
kiwanisclubofstatenisland.com.
Rotary Club of South Shore: Mari-
na Grand, 141 Mansion Ave. 12:15 p.m.
For info, call 718-987-2061 or visit
southshorerotary.org.
Rotary Club Mid-Island: New Dako-
ta Diner, 921 Richmond Ave. 7:30 to
9:00 a.m. For info, call 718-981-
0700.
SCORE Business Counseling: SI
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment nec-
essary. No charge. For info, call 718-
727-1221.
Rotary Club of North Shore: LiGre-
cis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 7 p.m.
For info, call Herb Smith at 718-442-
9047.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
Achievers Chapter: Perkins Restau-
rant, 4370 Amboy Rd. 7:30 to 8:30
a.m. For info, call Timothy Houston
at 718-981-8600.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
Achievers Chapter: Perkins, 4370
Amboy Road. 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. For
info, call Timothy Houston at 718-
981-8600.
Business Guild II of the S.I. Cham-
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 to 8:45
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call Bob Williams at
718-356-1952.
Business Guild III of the SI Cham-
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:30 a.m. New
members welcome. Call Melody
Minkoff at 718-370-0040.
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT): 7 p.m. For info. and
locations, call John Tidona at 718-
448-7160 or e-mail
portrichcert@yahoo.com.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SCORE Business Counseling: St.
George Library, 5 Central Ave. 10
a.m. to noon. Appointment neces-
sary. No charge. For info, call 718-
442-8560.
SCORE Business Counseling: Rich-
mondtown Library, 200 Clarke Ave.
10 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment neces-
sary. For info, call 718-668-0413.
Ross Spitalnick
P: 718-263-3800 x371
ross@muss.com
Nicholas Forelli
P: 718-263-3800 x307
nforelli@muss.com
MUSSDEVELOPMENT LLC
Retail Tenants First Floor Office Tenants
Additional Office Space Available
DEMOGRAPHICS:
Radius 1 Mile 3 Mile 5 Mile
Population: 42,470 159,866 300,574
Households: 15,244 57,141 106,423
Median Age: 40.40 39.70 39.10
Avg. HH Income: $95,448 $94,110 $92,094
ELTINGVILLE SHOPPING CENTER
4310-4370, 4434, 4456, AMBOY ROAD, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10312
One Block from Eltingville Train Station & Bus Stop on Richmond Avenue
NO. TENANT RSF
4434-1A Medical Office 4,101
4434-1B United Federation of Teachers 2,646
4434-1C Dry Cleaners 1,973
4434-1D Laundromat 2,053
4456-1A United Federation of Teachers 2,186
4456-1B Allstate Insurance Company 1,811
4456-1C Available 3,700
NO. TENANT RSF
4310 Sovereign Bank 3,615
4318 Available 6,245
4324 Subway 838
4326 China Chalet 4,000
4328 Nail Salon 821
4330 Hair Salon 955
4332 Carvel 1,158
4334 Wines & Liquor 1,691
4338 Florist 1,418
4342 Japanese Restaurant 1,428
4344 Jewelers 957
NO. TENANT RSF
4346 Cards & Gifts 1,882
4350 Pizzeria 3,355
4354 Travel Agent 1,055
4360 Furniture & Bedding 2,679
4362 Tanning Salon 1,814
4366 Alfonsos Pastry 1,910
4368 Rite Aid 10,162
4370 Perkins Restaurant 4,891
lhclcgrahq - V| dcc
682 IoresI ^ve
718.273.213U
FineArtFotos.com WeddingsByFlint.com
IKILSSI^L
HL^OSH1S
1140 Victory Blvd.
Tel: 718.370.3464
Fax: 718.370.3462
www.paulofinancialadvisors.com
Money Management
Retirement
Financial Consulting
Estate Planning
Weekly business meetings
MEETINGS
Proposals sought
for redevelopment
of Arthur Kill Correctional
Assemblyman Lou Tobacco is
encouraging Staten Island busi-
nesses and organizations to sub-
mit their proposals to Empire
State Development to redevelop
the Arthur Kill Correctional Fa-
cility. ESDs request-for-informa-
tion submission period regarding
the redevelopment of Arthur Kill
will run through April 18.
This is a terrific opportunity
for Staten Island businesses and
organizations to submit their vi-
sion for transforming the Arthur
Kill facility into a community
asset and economic development
opportunity, said Tobacco.
The Arthur Kill Correctional
Facility is one of seven recently
closed correctional facilities in-
cluded within New Yorks Eco-
nomic Transformation Program
which makes available grants for
capital purposes and tax credits
in order to create new jobs on the
site. For more information on the
Economic Transformation Pro-
gram, visit www.esd.ny.gov/Busi-
nessPrograms/EconomicTransfor-
mation.html.
Drop us a line
By BILLY SPARKLE
How do you like what Im
wearing?
Thats a lovely suit, What a
sharp tie, Your hair looks
great, Such a beautiful dress
Where did you buy it?
We hear such statements from
time to time. We perform rituals
each morning before leaving our
homes such as shaving, applying
make-up, styling our hair, and
making sure that our suits and
ties match. Many of us wouldnt
dare leave our homes without
first tending to how we look and
what we are wearing. Theres
even a best-selling book titled
Dress For Success. What do all
these things have in common?
Theyre centered around our
OUT-fits.
I dont think theres a person
reading this article that Id have
to sell on the virtue of dressing
for success. Yet, how many of us
who wouldnt dare neglect our
OUT-fits, leave our homes every
morning without giving a single
thought to what were wearing on
our insides?
Our inner emotional and men-
tal states play a significant role in
our effectiveness in business.
These are what I call our IN-fits -
our beliefs, our thoughts, our feel-
ings and philosophies. These IN-
fits control our behaviors. How
we think and feel on the inside
must be congruent with what
were doing and saying on the
outside. Otherwise, were unwit-
tingly placing a major burden on
our ability to produce results.
For instance do you hold a be-
lief that business is hard and
customers are scarce? Do you
honestly think that its a strug-
gle to make money and every
day youve got to fight to get your
piece of the pie? Well, if these
are the IN-fits youre carrying
into your business day, youre
making it unnecessarily difficult
to perform the simple tasks being
asked of you. And whatever level
of effectiveness youve been oper-
ating on is far below your actual
capabilities.
Why not try on, Hiring me is
the best possible choice that a
qualified prospect can make, or
everybody wants to do business
with me whether they know it
or not. How much more useful
are these beliefs than business is
scarce and no one wants to talk
to me?
Attempting to succeed in busi-
ness while wearing inferior be-
liefs would be like presenting at a
Rotary Club in a t-shirt and boxer
shorts. Who would do that?
So heres this months Call to
Action: Get a makeover. You can
do this by yourself or work with a
trained professional. Take a look
at all of your inner beliefs about
yourself, your business, your
clients, the economy, and how
well you perform in your particu-
lar profession. Throw away all
the beliefs that are inconsistent
with what you are trying to ac-
complish.
Then write down some brand
new beliefs that would look stun-
ning if you were wearing them on
your insides. Try on these new
IN-fits each morning by standing
in front of a mirror and saying
them repeatedly. Do this for five
or 10 minutes a day.
Simply stand there and say,
Hiring me is the best possible
choice that a qualified prospect
can make. And really believe
that!! It doesnt serve you to be-
lieve otherwise.
Remember: what youre wear-
ing on the IN-side is just as impor-
tant as what youre wearing on
the OUT-side. So work on your
IN-fits. Its a simple investment
that will pay you huge dividends.
Coach Billy works with highly com-
mitted men & women to produce un-
precedented results in their busi-
nesses and their lives. Learn more at
www.billysparkle.com or contact
Billy directly via e-mail at
billy@billysparkle.com.
BLINDS
OF ALL KINDS
Repairs Sales Installations
Decor-Rite
151 Industrial Loop
718-
967-5559
917-
952-7489
18 years
Sam
e
Location
Hows your IN-fit?
COACHS CORNER
Doreen M. Inserra, CPA, PC
Certified Government Financial Manager
Certified Public Accountant
Individual & Business Tax Consultant
A Professional Corporation
E-File / E-Pay Available
Member
QuickBooks Professional Advisor Program
SI Chamber of Commerce
By Appointment
718-979-5163
By BILL DUBOVSKY
Situation
Many organizations and pro-
fessions have their own special-
ized software for managing their
customers, clients, donors, mem-
bers, patients, consumers/audi-
ence.
Other businesses can get off
the shelf industry-specific soft-
ware.
What can the smaller organiza-
tion or business use to fit the way
they do business that can be easi-
ly modified and maintained?
What is it?
CRM or customer relationship
management is what used to be
recorded on 3 x 5 file cards, Ad-
dressograph plates, or on
punched cards, to manage your
relationships with the people who
pay your salary.
This information may contain
basic info so you can send expira-
tion info, sale info and birthday
greetings, or more detailed and
customized information that
would help you better target your
customers interests.
It could also keep track of more
sophisticated info such as what
they buy, how often, how much
they buy, their preferences, etc.
(think Amazon.com as the plat-
inum standard for CRM).
How it works
Depending on what you need to
track and your level of expertise,
you could use a simple Excel
spread sheet or basic contact
manager such as Bento for Mac,
or some really flexible systems
such as Sage ACT or Filemaker
Pro.
What you need
A mobile/computing device
with appropriate app and trained
staff that know how to take best
advantage of the features. For
cloud-based applications, youll
need access to the Internet, a sup-
ported browser and app support.
How to get it
First, check with your profes-
sional / industry association so
you dont reinvent the wheel. You
can also buy off-the-shelf pack-
ages and develop your own tem-
plates with Sage ACT, Bento, File-
maker Pro or others, or have cus-
tom work done by a software
provider.
How hard is it to use?
Most specialized CRM software
packages require specialized
training and/or in-house expert-
ise to modify, troubleshoot and de-
velop new applications. Simpler
apps like Bento for Mac are pretty
intuitive, with Sage ACT, Sage
SalesLogix, Sage CRM or File-
maker Pro somewhere in the mid-
dle.
Findings
I have used ACT since the early
1990s and have seen it go through
many iterations and still rely on
my 2006 version as the most ver-
satile system that I have used. I
have tried Bento for Mac and
while its really easy to use and
inexpensive ($49 for Mac, $4.99 for
iPhone/iPad app), I found it limit-
ing in what it can do as compared
to ACT. I also am researching
Filemaker Pro for the Mac and
will report back in future articles.
Pros
Bento was easy to use and easy
to download free templates for
small businesses. I liked the fact
that it allowed you to use your
Mac contacts database and could
even give you an Excel-like view
of your data so you could sort and
edit quickly.
I would recommend Bento to
small businesses for its ease-of-
use, but not for marketing and
sales campaigns. My vintage ver-
sion of ACT on my Windows PC
works like a tank. I have never
had a crash, never lost data, and it
is so versatile that it works with
all data base formats. It does re-
quire some minor technical ad-
justments to get it to where you
want it to be. You can also get help
from most software providers.
Cons
While Bento did print a wide
variety of Avery labels, it didnt
allow for some basic functions
such as multiple variable mail-
merge with Word. This was a deal
killer for me. Unfortunately Sage
ACT does not have a Mac version
but has a cloud version for iPad
and iPhone, which I will review
in the future.
Bottom-line
Start by checking with your
professional or trade association
to see what others are using and
how well they like it. Some so-
phisticated users feel that by in-
stalling the same system every-
one else is using, you achieve no
competitive advantage a matter
of point of view.
If you are a smaller business
just starting out in this area,
check out the generic packages
such as Bento, File Maker Pro or
Sage ACT by downloading the 30
day free trial.
Check the Web sites
www.filemaker.com/products and
www.sagecrm.com/northamerica
for more info, demonstrations
and free trials of the apps de-
scribed in this article.
Bill Dubovsky - Comtel Information
Services, has a proven track record
of business success spanning over
30 years in helping hundreds of or-
ganizations improve their profitabili-
ty. He is the principal technology
specialist with Comtel Information
Services, a New York based telecom-
munications consulting firm, and an
adjunct lecturer in business at the
College of Staten Island, C.U.N.Y.
Contact him at
billdubovsky@gmail.com.
MUSSDEVELOPMENT LLC
Ross Spitalnick
P: 718-263-3800 x371
ross@muss.com
Nicholas Forelli
P: 718-263-3800 x307
nforelli@muss.com
Retail Tenants
NO. TENANT RSF
768 Village Maria Pizzeria 1,050
770 Chinese Restaurant 1,120
772 Dry Cleaners 1,150
778 Grocery Market 8,118
778A CVS 24,332
MANOR ROAD SHOPPING CENTER
754-778 MANOR ROAD, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10314
Excellent Visibility from the SI Expressway
DEMOGRAPHICS:
Radius 1 Mile 3 Mile 5 Mile
Population: 32,964 302,319 497,982
Households: 11,635 107,001 183,295
Median Age: 40.30 37.30 37.60
Avg. HH Income: $94,759 $82,949 $80,002
NO. TENANT RSF
754 JP Morgan Chase 3,600
754A Available 1,700
756 Available 2,600
760 Liquor Store 1,025
762 Carvel 900
764 Dunkin Donuts 1,150
Which relationship managers are best?
BITS & BYTES
Telecom Tech Tip of the Month
Looking for a job? A interesting search engine that gets listings from
thousands of Websites, newspapers, professional organizations and job
boards is www.indeed.com. Check it out!
around the island
JULIET LEWIS/Special to Business Trends
Con Edisons Staten Island employees wore red in recognition of the
American Heart Associations Go Red movement, part of the Nation-
al Go Red Day, at the companys Livingston facility. Employees were
made aware of the importance of heart disease in women and also
raised money by selling Red Dress pins to help fund research and ed-
ucation.
Staten Island Chuck made a rare pre-Groundhog Day appearance at a Rotary Club of Staten Island meet-
ing at the Staaten. Chuck was showing his appreciation to the Club members for the clubs sponsorship
of the Staten Island Zoos Camel Days this past summer. The members expressed their fondness for
Chuck by presenting Chuck with his own Rotary Club of Staten Island Banner. Pictured, from left are Zoo
General Curator Peter Laline (holding Chuck), Zoo Executive Director Ken Mitchell and Rotary Club of
Staten Island President Michael Behar.
At the Staten Island Economic Development Corp.s recent full mem-
bership meeting, photographer Flint Gennari received a plaque of
recognition from the organizations 40 Under 40 Leadership Group
for his outstanding contributions to the groups first annual toy
drive. It was the largest single collection of toys on Staten Island in
the 64-year history of the U.S. Marine Corp.s Toys For Tots Pro-
gram. Pictured are Gennari, left, and Shane Sorrento of Apex Credit
Solutions.
Africa Refuges after-school youth center was technologically up-
graded thanks to a $2,500 grant from Consolidated Edison. The
grant paid for equipment that included computers and e-readers to
help children enhance their reading, math and science skills. Pic-
tured (back row) from left are: Board Chair Eugene Prisco and Execu-
tive Director Rev. Judy Brown of African Refuge; Katia Gordon of
Con Edison; and Efi Mavambu of African Refuge.
The Chamber of Commerce invited Staten Islands elected officials to come speak with its members at
the organizations annual Legislative Breakfast, held this year at the Historic Old Bermuda Inn. On
hand were, (seated) from left: Angela Daniels, representing Council Member Debi Rose; Robert Cutrona of
Project One Services, attorney AnnaMarie Gentile, Borough President James Molinaro, Assembly Mem-
ber Nicole Malliotakis, Laura Sword, representing Assembly Member Matthew Titone; and (standing)
from left: Council Member James Oddo; Anthony Carro of Point Vantage; William Smith, representing
Congressman Michael Grimm; Council Member Vincent Ignizio; Assembly Member Michael Cusick; and
Chamber Chairperson Solomon Chemo of Richmond Group Wealth Advisors.
The 6th Annual Eger Harbor House Helping Hearts luncheon at the Vanderbilt at South Beach honored
4 Staten Islanders for their community service. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Bonamo, Lillian Lagazzo,
NYS State Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis and Frank Lettera.
Advertising programs in STATEN ISLAND BUSINESS TRENDS are a fraction
of the cost of the alternative of direct mail campaigns. And we can give
you verified statements from the US Postal Service to prove that we
reach your market.
Each month, STATEN ISLAND BUSINESS TRENDS is mailed to all of the
boroughs business and community leaders using a mailing list that
weve developed from a number of leading Staten Island business and
community institutions as well as top-rated list vendors. By advertising
with us, you get to communicate your message to that entire audience.
To download our current media kit, visit
www.sibiztrends.com. Or call us today to
discuss your marketing and advertising needs.
Janet Warren Dugo, Publisher
janet@sibiztrends.com
347-682-4867
Editor-In-Chief- Dan McDonough, Jr.
(dan@sibiztrends.com)
Publisher- Janet Warren Dugo
(janet@sibiztrends.com)
66 Willow Ave. | Staten Island, NY 10305
Phone 347-682-4867 | Fax 866-745-9380
www.sibiztrends.com
WEVE
GOT YOUR FUTURE CUSTOMER
Fact is, weve probably got a few hundred or thousand of your future customers.
And we could be telling them all about you every month!
D
I
V
O
R
C
E
?
Considering Divorce?
Our firm has over 32 years experience representing
business owners and healthcare professionals with
substantial income and assets.
To arrange a confidential consultation, please call
(718) 979-5200
WILLIAM J. LEININGER, PC
Attorneys at Law
34 Dumont Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10305
www.nydivorce.com
Drop us a line
Email: news@sibiztrends.com Mail: Business Trends, 66 Willow Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
By DR. THEODORE STRANGE
Im a bit of a health nut! Aside
from being a physician, Im a run-
ner. Ive run 18 marathons, and
you may have seen me running
on the South Shore of Staten Is-
land with my running mates. I
know first hand or foot the
benefit exercise has on my overall
well-being, especially in my pro-
fession.
Ive exercised five days a week
for more than 20 years, and as a
parent and physician it can be dif-
ficult to get in that hour. But for
me, exercising regularly is a
must. It keeps me focused and
productive. I make it work!
Studies show people who exer-
cise regularly are obviously - in
better shape, lead more active and
productive lives, sleep better and
are more focused. It essentially
helps you organize your life.
Physically, exercise releases
Beta Endorphins and Serotonin,
helping you to have a better mind
set. Studies even show people
who suffer with depression live
happier lives with regular daily
exercise.
With obesity, stroke, diabetes,
high-blood pressure, and heart
disease being a major epidemic in
the United States, its so impor-
tant to keep a normal exercise
regimen. Youll reduce your
health risk factors if not for
your job, for your family.
Amazingly, exercise can help
you get through the day better
than the 2 oclock cup of coffee.
People who exercise are generally
more productive at work, which
in turn leads to better job per-
formance, and better advance-
ment.
If exercise isnt your cup of
tea, try walking and making sure
youre eating the proper foods! We
all make excuses about why we
cant fit in a healthy meal at work
instead of ordering out. Prepar-
ing your lunch the night before is
a great way to calorie count and
change your lunch menu to
healthy. This way you will proba-
bly eat less processed foods and
save money in the process.
Employers: make exercise part
of your business plan!
Invest in your employees!
Many businesses offer reimburse-
ment for employees gym fees.
This gives incentive to begin an
exercise regimen and an opportu-
nity to a person who may not
have a gym membership in their
budget. The return on this invest-
ment is a no-brainer: employees
will use less sick days; theyll be
more focused, productive and
have an overall positive mindset.
It could just change the culture of
your business.
Employee wellness challenges
are a great way to get your staff
active. At Staten Island Universi-
ty Hospital the employees took it
upon themselves to promote well-
ness amongst the staff by form-
ing our Wellness Committee. The
committee institutes simple chal-
lenges for prizes which promote
wellness and healthy competi-
tion. The North Shore LIJ
Health System just launched its
Walk to Paris Challenge, where
employees track the amount of
steps they take in a three-month
period for a chance to win a trip
to Paris; no matter what, every-
one wins!
If you want to boost your bot-
tom line, work-in a workout and
stay in tip-top shape!
Theodore Strange is Staten Island
University Hospital associate chair-
man of medicine and vice president
of medical operations/South Site. He
may be reached at (718) 356-6500.
Work in a workout!
HEALTH-CARE TRENDS
Congress passes full-year
extension of payroll tax cut
By JOHN J. VENTO
Though they could not agree
on how to pay for it, Congress did
agree on passing an extension of
the 2 percent cut in payroll taxes
for some 160 million Americans.
The tax cut had been extended for
just two months, through Feb. 29,
in a law passed in December 2011.
Now workers and self-employed
individuals will pay social securi-
ty tax at a 4.2 percent rate, rather
than 6.2 percent, through Decem-
ber 31.
The tax cut does not apply to
employers share of social securi-
ty taxes; their rate on employee
wages remains at 6.2 percent for
all of 2012.
Because Republicans and De-
mocrats were unable to agree on
how to pay for the extended tax
cut, the law included no spending
cuts to offset the estimated $93 bil-
lion cost of this provision.
The law, the Middle Class Tax
Relief and Job Creation Act of
2012, also included a provision
setting long-term federal unem-
ployment benefits at a maximum
of 73 weeks in states with the
worst unemployment and 63
weeks for other states.
Another provision in the law
will prevent a scheduled 27 per-
cent reduction in Medicare pay-
ments to doctors.
The unemployment benefits
and doctor payments will be paid
for by government sales of broad-
band spectrum, requiring federal
workers hired after this year to
contribute more to their pensions
and cuts in certain health pro-
grams.
The new law also repeals cer-
tain shifts in the timing of corpo-
rate estimated tax payments that
had been included in prior-year
tax legislation.
John J. Vento is a certified public
accountant in private practice and
president of Comprehensive Wealth
Management, Ltd. He may be
reached at (718) 980-9000 or via
email at john@ventocpa.com.
Cernfy our 8us|ness 1oday!
Io|n the MW8L Leadersh|p Assoc|anon
- 1oo|s to market your bus|ness eecnve|y to Se|| to Gov't.
- Iree adverns|ng |n the Cn||ne D|rectory of Cernhed 8us|nesses.
- Inv|tanons to exc|us|ve events w|th C|ty buyers and pr|me contractors.
Learn About the NLW Corporate A|||ance rogram
for Women and M|nor|ty 8us|nesses.
Ca||: 718-816-477S or InfoQWest8r|ghtonLDC.com
The West Brighton Community Local Development Corporation, WBCLDC, has
been named a member of the New York City Council supported 2012 M/WBE
Leadership Association. Located at 705 Forest Ave, 2nd Floor, WBCLDC, has the
tools, knowledge, and experience to get you started. For more information on
getting certified, Call us today at 718-816-4775, info@WestBrightonLDC.com or
visit www.nyc.gov/getcertified.
This program was made possible by the New York City Council
For more information on SBS M/WBE programs, please visit
www.nyc.gov/getcertified
righton Community Local Development Corporation
est
March 29 -- 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ins|der's V|ew to Se|||ng to Government - MW8L Cernhcanon
At W8CLDC Cmce 70S Iorest Ave, 2nd I|oor kear, SI, N 10310
L|m|ted Space Ava||ab|e
Upcom|ng Workshops
Bttgt//eIuw.It/stuyvesmtBumt
Located a short distance from Albany, NY, Stuyvesant Outdoor Adventures offers custom tailored
packages and accommodations for serious and casual hunters alike. All of our packages include a
full hunting excursion, licensed guide, field dressing, as well as all meals and accommodations at
our newly remodeled lodge - Stuyvesant Manor; the former estate of Hollywood Icon Sidney Poitier -
which is also licensed as a bed and breakfast.
Whether you're looking for a short getaway, a corporate retreat, a camping weekend or even a seminar
with guest speakers and instructors, Stuyvesant Outdoor Adventures is a perfect spot.
Foz InIoznatIon, to nake a zesezvatIon oz to zeach
ouz tzIp-pIannIng concIezge, caII
(888} 690-0041
FALL AND 8PRINO
Turkey, WhitetaiI Deer
(archery, rifIe, muzzIeIoader),
Pheaaant (fieId and tower),
Coyote, Rabbit and WaterfowI
FBOm WHITBTAIL DBBB AND WILD T0BHBY TO
PHBASANTS, WATBBFOWL AND mOBB.
BOC CAPITAL
WORKSHOP: HOW TO
APPLY FOR FINANCING
THURSDAY, MARCH 15
Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
est Ave., 2nd Fl.
STATEN ISLAND
ZOOLOGICAL
SOCIETY BALL
THURSDAY, MARCH 15
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Excelsior Grand, 2380
Hylan Boulevard
STATEN ISLAND
NOT-FOR-PROFIT
CONFERENCE
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
Location: Wagner College, One
Campus Rd.
NYS WOMEN INC.
(STATEN ISLAND)
TUESDAY, MARCH 20
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: LiGrecis Staaten, 697
Forest Ave.
BUSINESS LEADERS
TOASTMASTERS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: 43 Ramona Ave.
For information, call Arlene Trunzo
at 718-317-0949
INTERNET
NETWORKING CLUB
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
Time: 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Location: BOC of SI/WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl.
SI CHAMBER 117TH
ANNUAL GALA:
ARABIAN NIGHTS
SATURDAY, MARCH 24
Time: 7:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m.
Location: The Historic Old Bermuda
Inn
24-7
NETWORKING SALES
MONDAY, MARCH 26
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Z-One Restaurant, Rich-
mond Ave.
WORLD OF WOMEN
MONTHLY MEETING
MONDAY, MARCH 26
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Grand, Mansion
Ave.
SI BOARD
OF REALTORS AGENT
DAY & TRADE SHOW
TUESDAY, MARCH 27
Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 1100
South Ave.
CRAFTS FAIR 101
TUESDAY, MARCH 27
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
est Ave., 2nd Fl.
AMERICAN ASSOC. OF
UNIVERSITY WOMEN:
NYC ARCHITECTURAL
TREASURES
TUESDAY, MARCH 27
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Wagner College, 631
Howard Ave. Union Bldg, Rm. 201
COAHSI WORKSHOP:
TECH DOCTORS
HOURS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28
Time: 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Location: COAHSI, 1000 Richmond
Terr., Bldg. G
NEW DAY
TOASTMASTERS
THURSDAY, MARCH 29
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: SI Univ. Hosp., Seaview
Ave.
Marchs business calendar
EVENTS
Drop us a line
Can you give us a 30,000 foot snapshot of the telecommunications industry today?
Sure. Its becoming increasingly complicated with competing technologies and lower pricing driving the
industry. Finding the right mix of reliable telecommunication and Internet service providers to give your
organization a competitive edge while reducing overall costs is a challenge to navigate. Each carrier wants
to sell you whats on his truck, potentially depriving you of better and perhaps less expensive solutions
provided by others.
So what are savvy professionals doing about it, and why should they come to you?
Our clients understand that it makes sense to consult an expert to best optimize their decision-making.
Few organizations today can afford to pay staff to just focus on new technologies and pricing, so smart
managers come to us for our network of telecom specialists. We can mix and match programs and services
from multiple carriers for the benefit of network backup and economies of scale so there is no need to
sacrifice quality for price.
What are organizations looking for in their telecommunication and Internet services
these days?
Besides saving money, organizations want reliable and flexible service and stable carriers. They realize that
just one missed call can send a potential customer to competition forever. By managing telecom costs,
they can realize higher margins or reduce pricing to gain market share. Any economies gained during
tough economic times like these will help organizations survive the short-term, and when the economy
turns around, our clients will be well-positioned to rapidly pull ahead of any remaining competitors.
Its like having your very
own telecommunications
consultant on call,
without having him
on the payroll.
What do you tell your clients before they make a purchase decision?
We assist our clients to identify which factors are most important for their success and
position products and services, from many carriers and resellers, which can best meet
their goals. As a specialist, I want my clients to be excited about the savings, service,
and hassle-free process to improve their business. If there is ever a service issue, we will
be there for them with dual-level personalized service, 24/7, to make things right.
Who are your clients and how have they done?
Since 1994, we have saved our clients in healthcare, financial/professional services,
education, non-profits and others between 10% to 60% off their telecommunications
expense line by eliminating waste and fraud, assisting them in choosing the best
technology for their needs, and identifying the right mix of services and service providers.
In a dynamically changing field of players, most clients appreciate their long-term
consultative relationship with us and we maintain a Better Business Bureau rating of A+.
Call us and discover how we can help you create and manage a more competitive telecommunications and Internet environment today.
Call or email bill@comtelinfo.com for our latest executive summary on telecommunication trends or for a complimentary consultation.
We sat down with Comtel Information Services Telecommunications Specialist Bill Dubovsky in New York
City, to discuss a new twist on how to determine telecommunication strategies. Bill shines some light on
todays telecom scene and what managers need to know to be successful.
Saving organizations money they didnt even know they were losing since 1994. Visit Comtelinfo.com or call 1.800.213.4884.

Economic Blueprint' For Staten Island: WBCLDC Expanding Footprint

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Economic Blueprint' For Staten Island: WBCLDC Expanding Footprint

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Economic Blueprint' For Staten Island: WBCLDC Expanding Footprint

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

From the Chamber

You should all be proud of what the

You might also like