Business Trends - November 2013

NOVEMBER 2013
BITS & BYTES

Business model revolution at Apple?
PAGE 6
FROM THE CHAMBER
You cant break our spirits.
PAGE 9
YEAR-END TAX CUT
Suggestions for businesses.
PAGE 2
www.sibiztrends.com
Business expo
Business Calendar
Check out our monthly listing and
attend an event on Staten Island.
PAGE 4
By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
The Small Business Develop-
ment Centers impact on Staten
Island is undeniable. Since 1993,
the SBDC has worked directly
with more than 6,300 businesses
and has created or saved more
than 4,300 jobs.
It has played a crucial role in
kick-starting, stabilizing and fuel-
ing new and established business-
es through its support services,
provided free of charge at its orig-
inal location at the College of
Staten Island.
Its success led to the opening of
a satellite location two years ago
in Brooklyn and a third location
at the Empire State Bank branch
on Railroad Avenue in May.
On Oct. 2, the SBDC celebrated
its 20th anniversary at a meeting
at the Grand Oaks Country Club
with its theme of the three Es
education, entrepreneurship and
economic development.
The plan has always been to
provide a very comfortable, readi-
ly accessible outreach to the resi-
dents in Staten Island, said Dean
Balsamini, the executive director
of the SBDC.
Over the last 20 years, the
SBDC has provided support serv-
ices and counseling to a variety of
businesses in Staten Island and
Brooklyn that has resulted in an
investment of more than $140 mil-
20 years
of service
for the
SBDC
please see SBDC, page 27
By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
One year ago, New York was blindsided by
Hurricane Sandy. The damage and devasta-
tion was unthinkable.
One year later, the recovery is still contin-
uing.
In the year following the storm, wills have
been tested, communities have rallied togeth-
er and lessons have been learned.
The federal, state and city governments
have provided assistance, financial and oth-
erwise, to residents and businesses alike,
with nonprofits and business organizations
supporting as well.
In conjunction with the Staten Island Not-
please see FUNDS, page 18
Steering committee to direct $25M
JANET DUGO/Business Trends
Mercedes Benz of Brooklyn partnered with Ivy Branding & Marketing to present a business expo at the Historic
Old Bermuda Inn. Representing Mercedes Benz were, from left, Lou Romano, Antoinette Gordon-Hessing, Carlo
Caruso, Marie Celestino and Mario Castelli.
2 BUSINESS TRENDS NOVEMBER 2013
Year-end tax cutting
suggestions for businesses
By JOHN J. VENTO
Its not too late to make moves
to reduce your 2013 taxes if you
are a business owner.
Use the new streamlined
home-office rules. Many self-em-
ployed taxpayers declined to
claim the home-office deduction
because it was so complicated to
compute.
For 2013, the deduction is
streamlined, allowing for a deduc-
tion of $5 per square foot, up to a
maximum of 300 square feet or
$1,500.
Create a retirement plan. Its
not too late to create a retirement
plan for yourself and your em-
ployees if you have them. The
plans can be simple to set up and
administer, such as a Simplified
Employee Pension (SEP) plan. A
401(k) plan could be established
even for a one-person business.
While some of these plans must
be established by the end of the
year, most can be funded up to the
extended due date of the tax re-
turn.
Purchase business equip-
ment. Up to $500,000 (scheduled to
be reduced significantly to $25,000
in 2014) in business equipment
purchases can be expensed this
year, rather than being expensed
over a number of years. Addition-
ally, there is also a 50 percent
bonus depreciation allowance
(that will not be available in 2014)
if your purchases exceed the
$500,000 limit.
2013 might be the last year to
maximize your equipment pur-
chase deductions to such an ex-
tent.
Deduct health insurance. If
you are self-employed, you are al-
lowed to claim 100 percent of the
amount paid for health insurance
for yourself, your spouse, and
your dependents as long as you
follow certain conditions.
Consider credit card purchas-
es. If you want to purchase equip-
ment or supplies for your busi-
ness before the end of the year,
but you are cash-strapped, consid-
er using your credit card.
Your deduction occurs this
year when the purchase is made,
not next year when the credit
card charges are paid.
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.
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Computer Networks
T echnology of Tomorrow
Visit our showroom
(by appointment only)
APB Security Systems, Inc.
2047 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10314
718-698-8244
SECURITY & SAVINGS
Upon leaving your home, thermostats are pre-programmed to
save heating and air conditioning costs. Lights will alternate at
night to simulate occupancy. All lights will go on if an alarm trig-
gers and a recorded message is blasted to a burglar. Upon re-
turning, selected lights will automatically light your home.
CONVENIENCE & SAVINGS
One button puts your home in vacation mode
(HVAC, Lighting, Power-Consumer Electronic De-
vices, 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 saving on elec-
tricity consumption.
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EDEN II: MARDI
GRAS DINNER
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 1100
South Ave.
For information, all 718-816-1422
x104
RICHMOND CNTY.
BANKERS ASSOC.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Location: Mikes Place, 4677 Hylan
Blvd.
For information, call 718-370-7037
NYS WOMEN, INC.
(RICHMOND CNTY.)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Bella Vita Caf, 1919 Hylan
Blvd.
SALVATION ARMY:
RECOGNITION DINNER
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Vanderbilt at South
Beach
POWERFUL YOU!
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Richmond Diner, 3954
Richmond Ave.
SIUH SERVICE
AUXILIARYS
150TH ANNIV.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Above Rooftop, 1100
South Ave.
NYS WOMEN, INC.
(STATEN ISLAND)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Business Calendar
please see EVENTS page 16
Visit us online:
www.sibiztrends.com
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 Jim Thomson at 718-442-
0900.
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
Richmond County Referral Source:
Comfort Inn. 7:00 to 8:15 a.m. For
info, email jcmexp@aol.com
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, 1120 South Ave. 7:45 a.m.
For info, call 718-351-2557 or visit
www.sibucks.com.
NOVEMBER 2013 BUSINESS TRENDS 5
718-781-8473
jcmexp@aol.com
FREE ESTIMATES
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WEEKLY MEETINGS
please see MEETINGS, page 24
in our opinion
21st century transit
I
ts been a long time coming, but it
looks like Staten Island is on the
verge of bringing its public trans-
portation system into the 21st century.
Not long ago, we received news that
the SI Economic Development Corp.
and the SI Chamber of Commerce had
joined forces to work toward an inte-
grated mass transit plan. Previously,
each organization had been toiling in-
dependently to establish a West Shore
Rail line and a North Shore Rail line,
respectively. The two groups rightly
determined that looking at the transit
system as a coordinated whole, and
combining their resources, would be
the most effective way to push for
progress.
We cant say for certain all the cir-
cumstances that came together to
bring about some recent good news
from the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority, but we do think that such a
united front helped. Recently, the
MTA approved a plan that will build a
Bus Rapid Transit system on the site
of the old North Shore Rail line. This
system will provide a dedicated corri-
dor, unattached to public streets and
roads, which will allow buses to swift-
ly move passengers from point to
point.This is welcome news, indeed.
But we are not all the way there yet.
The end game for Staten Island is to
have a West Shore mass transit system
as well, to connect with both the exist-
ing SI Railway that runs across the
South Shore and the new North Shore
BRT system. The ultimate goal is that
the integrated system will connect
passengers with New Jersey Transit
light rail via the Bayonne Bridge.
Only then will we have transportation
infrastructure palatable to major busi-
nesses and governmental agencies,
not to mention our residents and visi-
tors.
The SIEDC and Chamber are look-
ing for $5-$7 million to fund a study of
a West Shore Rail line. This is a cru-
cial step in moving the project along.
It was this study of the North Shore
rail site that led to the current plan.
The North Shore study was funded
through some shrewd horse-trading
by Borough President Jim Molinaro.
We urge our new borough president to
take a cue from that success and make
it a priority to facilitate the West
Shore Rail Alternative Analysis study.
66 Willow Avenue
347-682-4867
JANET WARREN DUGO
Publisher
TIM RONALDSON
Executive Editor
STEVE COPPOLA
Director
RICHARD GRADO
Director
ROBERT CUTRONA
Director
LAWRENCE RAMPULLA
Director
DAN McDONOUGH, JR.
Chairman
Business Trends is mailed each month to the
business and community leaders of Staten
Island. To be added to the mailing list, e-
mail janet@sibiztrends.com. To submit a
news release, email news@sibiztrends.com.
For advertising info, call 347-682-4867 or
email janet@sibiztrends.com.
By BILL DUBOVSKY
Situation
Apple made some pretty amazing an-
nouncements on Oct. 25. Along with new
products, it announced that operating sys-
tem and applications upgrades are now
free, as long as your hardware is up-to-date
enough to run them. This is a revolution-
ary new business model as computer soft-
ware vendors have always charged for ver-
sion upgrades and it was a significant prof-
it center for them. With Apples now-free
upgrades over the Internet, most users will
be on the same version of the latest and
greatest software. Not only should this
make users happy by making sure that
bugs have been fixed ASAP, and new, free,
functionality is introduced into older de-
vices, but it should also make it easier for
Apple to support products, make it easier
and less expensive for application develop-
ers to write and support apps for Apple de-
vices, and encourage more variety and
higher quality of apps for all iDevices. Bot-
tom line a home run for Apple.
What is it?
The operating system, or OS, is the soft-
ware that controls the complete look and
feel of the hardware. Some of us might re-
member names such as CP/M, MS-DOS,
and Windows of various names and ver-
sions that ran on PCs. In 1981 Apple began
development of its Lisa and Mac OS based
upon the look and feel of the Xerox Alto
computer and Smalltalk development
tools. While the graphical user interface or
icons that we are all familiar with are ubiq-
uitous, before this time one needed to type
in commands or use the arrow keys and hit
return to make the computer obey. Over
the years Apple added the menu bar to the
top of the screen and many other enhance-
ments to the current OS X (OS 10) named
Mavericks (10.9). The reason this software
is important is that it controls the function-
ality of your device, how easy it is to use,
what devices it can connect to and control,
how fast (compute and graphics), battery
life, and how it lets apps run.
In the past, software would come in a
box that told you which versions of the OS
it would run on, how much memory was
required, what boards or other devices
were necessary and sometimes even what
screen or printer was supported. Apples
OS X works the same over all its devices
such as: iMac, MacBook, and Mac Pro.
Once you learn it, youre good to go on a
laptop, desktop or professional power-
house.
Apple also announced that its iWork pro-
ductivity suite, which is similar to Mi-
crosofts Office suite, is now free on new
hardware and is upgradable. Included are
Pages (word processing), Numbers (spread-
sheet), and Keynote (Media and slides
shows). iLife includes creative applica-
tions such as iMovie (video editing), iPhoto
(photo editing, sharing), and Garageband
(music composing and arranging) which
are also included and upgradable for free.
Where to get it
Apples App store.
How hard is it to use?
It is automatic. When you turn your
Apple device on, a message may come up to
alert you to do the upgrade, but if it does-
nt, go to software update on the Apple
Business model revolution at Apple?
BITS & BYTES
please see BITS, page 7
icon or go to the App store. If you
choose to start the free upgrade,
the software will check your sys-
tem to see if it can be done on
your processor (my old Macbook
Pro from 2007 could only be up-
graded to 10.6.8, not the latest
Mavericks 10.9). To get the full
flexibility from the Apple family
of devices, you also need to down-
load the free updates of the OS for
your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
These are straight-forward and
take less than 10 minutes over
WiFi.
Pros
Apple apparently made 200
new features available to make
the OS even more flexible and
seamless with other iDevices.
iWorks now allows you to open an
iBook and copy parts out to your
document perfect for writing pa-
pers or reports. It will probably
take weeks to get a better feel for
more of the innovations on all the
apps.
Cons
Be sure to know your Apple ID
and password before you begin,
and review your iCloud account
information and passwords if you
want to set up iCloud sharing at
the same time. If you dont re-
member, you can skip that part of
the installation and do it at a later
time. Also, it took almost an hour
to download and install Maver-
icks to a fairly new Macbook Pro,
even with a wired FiOS Internet
connection.
For more information
View the 83 minute keynote
presentation at:
http://www.apple.com/apple-
events/october-2013/ or just go to
www.apple.com.
Bottom-line
This is a daring business move
and probably one that only Apple
will be able to pull off as they are
the only company that makes its
own hardware and software. An-
droid and other software plat-
forms are not the same across all
manufacturers devices. This fact
along with the overwhelming
number of reliable apps only
available through Apples iTunes
store gives it a formidable
durable competitive advantage
for the foreseeable future. Next
time we will review the new iPad
lineup.
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 via email at
billdubovsky@gmail.com.
Apple business revolution?
BITS
Continued from page 6
RUMC to address
prescription drug abuse
Richmond University Medical
Center is working with the NYC
Department of Health and Men-
tal Hygiene to address the preva-
lence of prescription drug abuse
on Staten Island. RUMC has
adopted the NYC Emergency De-
partment Discharge Opioid Pre-
scribing Guidelines for the man-
agement of patients with acute or
chronic non-cancer pain dis-
charged from the Emergency De-
partment. This set of nine guide-
lines, coupled with professional
clinical judgment in the appropri-
ate care of patients, can help re-
verse opioid dependence and
overdose. RUMC also partners
with the Drug Enforcement
Agency as a host site for the
DEAs Drug Take Back program,
where residents are encouraged
to dispose of their unwanted, ex-
pired and/or unused prescription
drugs, in order to reduce pill
abuse and potential theft of these
potentially dangerous medica-
tions.
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
............Municipal Bonds for Tax-Free Income.............
Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com
NEW CHAIR, OFFICERS
SCORE
SCORE of Staten Island had its
Annual Membership and Board
meeting, at which
Anthony DeFazio
was elected the
new chairman of
the chapter.
DeFazio re-
ceived his BBA in
public adminis-
tration, with a
minor in finance,
from the Baruch School of CCNY.
Upon graduation, he worked
five years for the New York City
Housing Authority before joining
the Internal Revenue Service.
At the IRS, he specialized in tax
collection and taxpayer service.
In collection, he rose to the posi-
tion of chief of the field branch of
Long Island, and in taxpayer serv-
ice he became division chief of
the Brooklyn district.
Upon retirement, he became
chief of enforcement and cus-
tomer service for the NYC Office
of Child Support Enforcement at
HRA.
DeFazio has been a member of
SCORE for six years. He also
serves as treasurer on the Board
of Directors of the Staten Island
Mental Health Society.
Other officers appointed at the
meeting were John J. Amodio as
first vice chairman, Richard
Stanley as second vice chairman,
Patricia Sturman as treasurer
and Rita Jackson as secretary.
PROMOTIONS
The Nicotra Group
Hoteliers and real estate devel-
opers Lois and Richard Nicotra
announced the promotion of five
dedicated employees and wel-
comed a new salesperson.
After more than a decade at
Lorenzos Restaurant Bar &
Cabaret, Murat Paljevic has been
promoted to assistant restaurant
manager.
His colleague of seven years,
Ozzi Avdalovic, has been promot-
ed to executive restaurant captain
and assumes sole responsibility
of running the dining room.
Nick Sayegh has been promot-
ed from a line cook to sous chef at
Lorenzos. Sayegh is a graduate of
the Culinary Institute of America
and previously worked at Carols
Caf on Staten Island as well as
Brooklyns River Caf.
Nicotras Ballroom and Above
Weddings welcomed Shainah
Bowens as salesperson. Bowens
has worked as an event, sales and
catering coordinator at Marriott
properties in New York and New
Jersey. Bowens will handle social
events.
After three years with the
Hilton Garden Inn, Carlann Scala
was promoted to night audit su-
pervisor.
The Nicotra Group Comptrol-
ler, Nick Nocerino, has assumed
an additional role as director of
Executive Suites division. He will
oversee all leasing and manage-
on the job
please see JOB, page 10
DeFazio
By TOM SCARANGELLO
Sorry I havent written in a
year. Been busy trying to stay
afloat and dry out. Seems last Oc-
tober, Mother Nature decided to
give us a big wave hello and she
doesnt know her own strength!
Thankfully we can relax because,
based on my unwavering political
beliefs, there is no such thing as
global warming, so Hurricane
Sandy will never happen again.
Who needs science!
So lets catch up. Heres some
stuff I figured out since I last
wrote to you;
You cant break Staten Is-
landers spirit even if you destroy
everything they own. Watching
neighbors take in neighbors and
help feed and clothe those in need
gave me new faith in my fellow
man and, more importantly, my
fellow Staten Islander.
Most people consider their
home to be their castle and the
one place they can always find
safe refuge. Its been over a year
since Sandy and many homes are
still vacant and boarded up. Its a
nightmare for those still dis-
placed, so please appreciate what
you have, even if its not your
dream house. According to the
Labor Department, forty percent
of businesses that are victims of
natural disasters never reopen.
Many businesses that were
drowned out have risked every-
thing to rebuild and reopen be-
cause they are entrepreneurs, so
they inherently have an incredi-
bly positive outlook even in the
darkest times. Make it a point to
reward their faith in our commu-
nity by doing business with them.
For example get your drugs from
Jerry and Lou at Midland Phar-
macy and your drinks from Joe
and John at Totos Restaurant.
Jimmy Oddo is our next Bor-
ough President and no one will
work harder for Staten Islanders.
While he cant stop natural disas-
ters (he is a Mets fan, after all) he
can be counted on to make us as
prepared as possible and to get us
the assistance we will need
should we run into problems
going forward. Feel fortunate he
is on our side.
The Staten Island Chamber of
Commerce continues to quietly
be the most helpful and critically
important business organization
in our community. Linda Baran
and her staff stepped up just after
the storm to help all those possi-
ble. They have since coordinated
getting help to any business who
asked and even helped those con-
tractors working on the New York
City Rapid Repairs project to get
an audience with city officials in
hopes of closing out the project in
the best interest of all involved.
Speaking of NYC, we will miss
Mayor Mike Bloomberg. You
dont have to agree with all his de-
cisions or policies to appreciate
his decisiveness and ability to get
things done. The Rapid Repairs
program is just one example.
Over 20,000 homes were made in-
habitable through heating, hot
water, and electrical repairs over
the course of just three months --
an incredible achievement of
commitment, organization, and
coordination in response to an
unprecedented natural disaster. I
worry about the next administra-
tion and I am especially suspect
of how Staten Island will be treat-
ed, not to mention the business
community.
The coastline needs to be re-
thunk. We need to seriously ex-
amine how close to the water we
should build and what is appro-
priate to build. While we all hope
a disaster like Sandy never reoc-
curs we all understand that it can,
even if its a hundred years from
now. Beachfront property is nice.
Beach-in property is not.
I learned plenty more since the
storm and my last column but
nothing more important than to
just be thankful for what I have.
Hope you are, too.
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.
Small Business Financing, Its a jungle out there!
1361 North Railroad Ave
www.esbna.com
Member FDIC
Jeanne Sarno
347.592.1938
JoAnn Libretti
347.592.1937
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FOUNDATION FINANCIAL
ADVI5OR5
RNALD I. CITRNL
A!tiscr Circc 1983
718-727-5100
Cant break our spirits
FROM THE CHAMBER
ment with regard to the Execu-
tive Suites at both 900 and 1110
South Ave.
The Executive Suites is fully
customizable Class A office space
with shared support staff and
varied amenities including meet-
ing spaces and copier services.
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Richmond University Medical Center
Richmond University Medical
Center has received the Get With
The GuidelinesStroke Gold Plus
Quality Achievement Award
from the American Heart Associ-
ation. The award recognizes
RUMCs commitment and success
in implementing a higher stan-
dard of care by ensuring that
stroke patients receive treatment
according to nationally accepted
guidelines.
This marks the fourth consecu-
tive year that RUMC has been rec-
ognized with a quality achieve-
ment award.
THERESA SARRICA
The Harbor Lights Theater Company
The Harbor Lights Theater
Company announced the election
of Theresa Sarri-
ca as board chair.
Sarrica, a resi-
dent of Staten Is-
land for a little
over a decade,
brings more than
two decades of ex-
perience in
fundraising and
marketing for the not-for-profit
sector to her new position. Prior
to her serving as director of com-
munications for the New York
City Department of Finance, she
served as director of inter-agency
communication for the Depart-
ment of Transportation, director
of development for the Queens
American Cancer Society, direc-
tor of development for the Do-
minican Sisters Family Health
Service and director of external
affairs for Samaritan Village.
OFFICERS
The Staten Island Zoological Society
The Staten Island Zoological
Society board of trustees re-elect-
ed three officers, including
William J. Frew, Jr. as president.
Frew, an attorney and Grymes
Hill resident, has served on the
board since 1977. Other officers
re-elected were Joseph Romagno-
lo of Pleasant Plains, vice presi-
dent, and Richard Prinzi, an An-
nadale resident, treasurer.
NAT'S MENS SHOP
Work Uniforms Casual Wear
Carhartt Timberland Dickie Red Wing
Embroidery & Screen Printing
718-442-1698 81 Port Richmond Avenue
Pat Silvestri, Proprietor Staten Island, NY 10302
On the Job
JOB
please see JOB, page 21
Sarrica
Do you have any New York Liquor License issues?
Then call
NEIL M. VISOKY
Attorney at Law
Retired Lieutenant, NYCPD
License Transfers and Applications
Summonses and Disciplinary Defense
Renewals/Alterations
The Corporate Park
1110 South Avenue, Suite 54 Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel 347-273-1356 Fax 347-273-1456 Email nmv66@aol.com
Successor of
Alexander Weiss, Esq.
Former Deputy Commissioner
New York State Liquor Authority
StartUP S.I.
StartUP S.I. organizers Lyle Foxman (left) and Charlie Balducci hosted a live stream of a recent NY Tech
Meetup at Balducci's NYC Arts Cypher location on Broad Street. StartUP S.I. aspires to create a local
community that highlights the importance of startups as innovators and job creators, giving them ac-
cess to the relationships, opportunities, and knowledge they need to succeed here on Staten Island.
SCORE is the most recognized
and utilized provider of FREE
Confidential Counseling
and Mentoring services to Americas
small businesses.
For the life of your business
Let SCORE help YOU!
Small Business of the Year
Special to Business Trends
The NYC Small Business Services "Small Business of the Year" Award was presented to Rabs Country
Lanes of Dongan Hills. Pictured, from left, are SBS Commissioner Robert W. Walsh, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, Frank J. Wilkinson of Rab's, Eileen Auld of Citi Community Development and Kevin Burke of
Con Edison.
around the island
Students from the College of Staten Island marketing program con-
ducted a semester-long research project for local heating, air condi-
tioning, and plumbing business Scaran to identify best marketing
practices going forward. Results were presented to company Vice
President Tom Scarangello via PowerPoint and video. Pictured, from
left, are participating students Rick Liu, Winnie Tam, Kristina Ivano-
va, and Andrew Ponce.
Veteran jeweler and Staten Island community leader Jerry Amerosi
has opened his third jewelry store Pandora in the Ocean County
Mall in Toms River, NJ, that employs 29 people. Amerosi currently
owns Gerald Peters Gold Mine and Pandora in the Staten Island Mall.
Pictured, from left, are some of the management team of the new
store: Peter Amerosi store manager; Mary Katherine Honan, sales
leader/visual specialist; Donna Stabile, district manager; and Sal
Bianco, assistant manager.
Representatives of Reality Check and ASSIST Tobacco Cessation Center teamed up at the Staten Island
Health and Wellness Expo at the Hilton Garden Inn to educate the local community on the marketing tac-
tics and effects of the tobacco industry. Pictured, from left, are Josephine Bosco, ASSIST Tobacco Ces-
sation Center Program Manager, and Ashley Zanatta, Reality Check Program Manager.
Five Staten Island Nonprofits Received a Technical Assistance Award from the Richmond County Sav-
ings Bank Foundation. Grantees will benefit from the services of the Neighborhood Technical Assistance
Clinic, which will assist the organizations with a variety of services such as organizing a strategic
fundraising plan, understanding the role of a board and executive director in fundraising, and creating a
membership drive. Pictured, from left, are: Beverly Neuhaus of Richmond Senior Services; Melanie Cohn
of Staten Island Arts; Wendy DeShong of New Direction Services; Rev. (Dr.) Valerie Oliver-Durrah of
Neighborhood Technical Assistance Clinic; Georgette & Denise Lakeman of Friends of Westerleigh Park;
and Janice Monger of Friends of Alice Austen House.
The Staten Island YMCA hosted its annual Golf Outing at Silver Lake Golf Course. All proceeds from the
event benefit the organizations Strong Kids Campaign, which ensures that no child or family is turned
away from the Ys services due to an inability to pay. Attending the event, from left, were: John Semer-
ad, executive director of the Staten Island South Shore YMCA; Anita Harvey, senior executive director
of the Staten Island YMCA; Victor Vientos of National Grid, the outings co-chair; and Jack Lund, presi-
dent and CEO of the Y of Greater New York.
Give the Gift of Theatre
Tickets make the perfect gift!
December 7 -- lsland Originals
December 14, 15, 16 -- St. George Christmas Show
December 30 -- Blues Clues LlvE!
February 15 -- valentine Oldies Show
Theatre Tickets are great Holiday
Bonuses for Your Employees!
www.St.GeorgeTheatre.com
For show reservations call: 718.442.2900
.com
Valentine Oldies
How would you like to have
UNLIMITED FREE SALESPEOPLE
working for you?
S I B C
Staten Island Business Council
WE MEAN BUSINESS!!!
SIBIZCOUNCIL.COM
347-855-4488
OPEN CLASSIFICATIONS FOR
HVAC, Chiropractor, Travel Agent,
Florist, Jeweler and more
Join us at Lorenzo's in the Hilton Garden Inn
every Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
Location: LiGrecis Staaten, 697
Forest Ave.
BOY SCOUTS
FALL LUNCHEON
Time: 11:45 a.m.
Forest Ave.
SIEDC EXEC. WOMENS
COUNCIL MTG.
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Forest Ave.
BUS. LEADERS
TOASTMASTERS
Time: 7:00 p.m.
For information, call Fran Okeson at
718-753-8006
NETWORKING PLUS
Time: 8:15 a.m.
Location: Golden Dove, 3281 Rich-
mond Ave.
Business Calendar
EVENTS
please see EVENTS page 22
for-Profit Association and a coali-
tion of 50 partners throughout
the Island, the Staten Island Jew-
ish Community Center has been
running a program called Con-
nect To Recovery, which has re-
sulted in a robust list of needs
for the community, according to
the JCCs executive director,
David Sorkin.
Working alongside Vin Lenza,
the executive director of the NFP
Association, Connect To Recov-
ery helped to develop a coalition
of representatives from some of
the strategic asset organizations
on Staten Island including uni-
versities, hospitals and social
service industries to prepare for
future disaster planning.
Lenza said theyve been trying
to create a collaborative effort
around how nonprofits respond
to crises.
We kept hearing from our
members that this was a real
problem. They were not prepared
for the kind of inter-organization
work that needed to be done,
Lenza said. They were not pre-
pared to quickly ramp up to work
with other agencies and elected
officials.
Now, Lenza and Sorkin will
help lead Staten Islands version
of The New York Rising Commu-
nity Reconstruction Program, a
state-run program that will pro-
vide $25 million for rebuilding
and revitalization assistance, in-
cluding future disaster planning.
Lenza and Sorkin are the co-
chairs of the steering committee,
which includes 27 of the Islands
most influential business and
community leaders.
I would say, for the most part,
were not missing one person in
our community who does not
have significant influence for the
steering committee, Sorkin said.
Over the summer, Gov. Cuomo
designated 102 New York Rising
Communities that were eligible to
receive more than $750 million to
empower communities hit hard
by the storms to create and imple-
ment locally-created and federal-
ly funded strategies for rebuild-
ing and strengthening their com-
munities against future extreme
weather, according to the gover-
nors office. In each community,
steering committees were created
to help plan and direct their local
money.
At the end of August, some
members of Staten Islands steer-
ing committee traveled to Albany,
where they heard from Cuomo
the importance of developing a
process that came from the
ground up and not from the top
down, with the steering commit-
tees at the epicenter of how each
community would look at itself
for future storm preparedness
and asset management.
This was very empowering to
us, Sorkin said. We felt very
good that we had the ability to
look at the storm, its effect on
Staten Island, and how we would
look at developing assets and in-
frastructure changes based on
what we needed on Staten Is-
land.
Lenza said the goal of the steer-
ing committee is to serve as the
preliminary experts for whats
happening in Staten Islands com-
munities identifying things that
happened during and following
the storm and what can be adjust-
ed, and working with the state
and their contracted firms.
The state has really invested
quite a bit of assets. The amount
of professional assets theyve pro-
vided to these communities is
quite impressive, he said. Its
really about getting as much
input from the community as pos-
sible.
Committee to
direct $25M in
recovery funds
FUNDS
please see FUNDS, page 30
WINNER OF THE STATEN ISLAND
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CRAFTSMANSHIP AWARD
THE FIREBIRD SWEEP, INC.
Great Kills Box# 218 55 Nelson Ave Staten Island, NY
Phone 718-356-1747 www.rebirdsweep.com
Professional Chimney & Fireplace Contractors
H.l.C. Lic# 818125
S T A T E N I S L A N D
C H A P T E R
Don't make an ash of yourself!
Thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Singer of Oakwood for the pleasure of
designing and building your Fireplace Room, and to the Chamber of
Commerce for recognizing the attention to detail we put into theirs and
every design.
The bright and functional wood burning makeover has an enlarged
opening with custom hanging screens, European castle stone, a custom
red oak mantel to match a glass double door, crown moldings around
the room, lighted built-ins with cut-glass knobs, adjustable shelving,
media hookups, wooden baseboard covers and even a floor refinishing.
With warm wishes from all of us at Firebird, we thank all our customers
who believed in us and now have the fireplace of their dreams.
For all those we've yet to meet, give us a call today, because quality
is forever.
Two new officers were elected:
Richard Salinardi and Robert
Moore. Salinardi, founder and ex-
ecutive director of Lifestyles for
the Disabled and an Eltingville
resident, was elected secretary of
the board, and Moore, a retired
utility executive who now serves
as Chairman of the Staten Island
Economic Development Corpora-
tion, was elected assistant treas-
urer.
The board accepted the retire-
ment of one of its longest serving
trustees, William Beveridge. Bev-
eridge, of New Brighton, served
on the board for 40 years, most re-
cently as secretary. In recogni-
tion of his long tenure, the board
elected Beveridge trustee emeri-
tus.
Newly elected to the board is
Bruce Liozzi, a resident of St.
George and a retired educator
from the New York City Depart-
ment of Education.
Reelected to the board are Sean
Kelleher of Grymes Hill and John
Pitera of West Brighton.
The Staten Island Zoological
Society is the governing body of
the Staten Island Zoo, which
opened to the public in 1936.
DR. JENNA POLINSKY
Elite Dental of Staten Island
Dr. Jenna Polinsky has joined
Elite Dental of Staten Island, the
practice of Dr. Steven Acker. She
received her undergraduate de-
gree at Brandeis University and
received her DDS from the Uni-
versity at Buffalo School of Den-
tal Medicine.
Dr. Polinsky was accepted into
the Manhattan Veterans Affairs
Hospital for her General Practice
Residency, after which she began
a two-year Implant Fellowship at
Brookdale Hospital and Medical
Center. As an implant fellow, she
focused on prosthodontics in con-
cert with placing and restoring
implants.
TIMOTHY BOYLAND
vengoechea+boyland
Timothy Boyland, of ven-
goechea+boyland ARCHITEC-
TURE/URBAN PLANNING, llp.,
a Staten Island-based architect,
has been elected President-Elect
of the New York State Chapter of
the American Institute of Archi-
tects. The election took place at
the AIA NYS Convention in Syra-
cuse, New York. Boyland will
serve as the 2015 president of AIA
New York State.
Boyland has more than 30
years experience in architectural
design, land use planning, com-
mercial, industrial and residen-
tial development, urban design,
historic preservation, communi-
ty revitalization, and zoning and
code consultation. He is a past
president of the Staten Island
Chapter.
On the Job
JOB
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
St. George - 2,700 sq. ft. commercial retail with 8 off-
street parking spaces. Across from new court house.
Banks Welcome!! Only Drive-Thru opportunity in St.
George. Call Robert for details.
30,000 SF Warehouse. (Industrial Loop) Approx. 15,000 SF
per floor with mezzanine level for storage. Total usable 45,
000 SF can be subdivided 4 rentals with 20 ceilings.
Currently equipped with 3 loading docks, 1 overhead door &
off-street parking. Ask for Robert for more details at Ext.17.
FO
R LEASE
IND
U
STRIAL
COMMERCIAL RETAIL & OFFICE SPACE
ST. GEORGE Stuyvesant Place 500-20,000 SF $21-26 RSF
MARINERS HARBOR Arlington Ave. 1000-2500 SF $10-12 RSF
ST. GEORGE Bay Street 1,000 SF $24 RSF
WEST BRIGHTON Richmond Terrace 1,000-15,000 SF $15 RSF
WEST BRIGHTON Prime Forest Avenue 1,000 SF $21 RSF
WEST BRIGHTON Forest Avenue 1,250 SF $24 RSF
ST. GEORGE St. Marks Place Redi-Suites Ranging from
$750 - $1,000 per month all inclusive
RETAIL
ST. GEORGE/St. Marks Pl.
(IDEAL FOR Bank with drive-thru) 2,700 SF $40 RSF
WEST BRIGHTON Forest Avenue 1,500 SF $30 RSF
WEST BRIGHTON Forest Avenue 300 SF $1,250 + utilities
MIDLAND BEACH Midland Avenue 1,500 SF $3,200 + utilities
+ 1,500 SF basement
WAREHOUSE
CHARLESTON Industrial Loop 5,000-8,000 SF $12.00 RSF
For Lease
+ utilities
PROJECT
HOSPITALITY: POOR
PEOPLES DINNER
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 1100
South Ave.
x163
24-7
NETWORKING SALES
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Z-One Restaurant, Rich-
mond Ave.
WORLD OF
WOMEN MTG.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Marina Grand, Mansion
Ave.
NEW DAY
TOASTMASTERS
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: SI Univ. Hosp., Seaview
Ave.
For information, call 347-265-1161]
Business
calendar
EVENTS
Send us your Staten Island business news
Want to send us news, story ideas, op-eds or information to publish? Drop us an email: news@sibiztrends.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.
THURSDAY
Kiwanis Club of Staten Island:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345
or 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. 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 Chris Williams at 718-
442-9047.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
Achievers Chapter: PKs Restau-
rant,1281 Arthur Kill Rd. 7 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 Ken Schneider at
718-720-4980.
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.
MUSSDEVELOPMENT LLC
BUILDING NEW YORK CITY SINCE 1906
CONTACT US
BILL BERGMAN
Vice President
(718) 263-3800
BBergman@muss.com
Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C.
78 Martin Avenue | Staten Island, NY, 10314
(718) 761-3333
Short Sales, Mortgage Modification,
Foreclosure Defense
Weekly Meetings
MEETINGS
347.354.2228
347.354.2228
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MONTHLY UPDATE
Every Thing Goes
celebrates 30th
Every Thing Goes, Inc. is cele-
brating its 30th anniversary on
Staten Island's north shore. ETG
has been dedicated to reducing
waste by offering used furniture,
clothing, books, records and
housewares to customers from all
walks of life. We wanted to cre-
ate an atmosphere where even
those with a very limited budget
can find some very cool stuff,
said Katie McCarthy of ETG
Book Cafe.
Putting Staten Island in the
vanguard of the green revolution
in 1983, the three ETG stores -
Every Thing Goes Clothing,
Every Thing Goes Furniture and
Antiques, and Every Thing Goes
BookCaf - are also cooperatively
owned and operated, which is re-
markable in itself. As a thank
you to Staten Islanders for their
support and enthusiasm during
the last 30 years, Every Thing
Goes will be celebrating with spe-
cial sales and free give-aways for
30 days, from Nov. 12 to Dec. 12.
CareConnect begins
enrolling in plans
On Oct. 1, North Shore-LIJ
CareConnect Insurance Compa-
ny Inc. began enrolling individu-
als, families, and small and large
businesses on Long Island,
Queens, Staten Island and Man-
hattan in a range of commercial
health insurance plans. The new
insurance plan can be accessed
online through the New York
State health exchange, NewYork-
StateOfHealth.com, or through
agents and brokers, or can be pur-
chased directly from the compa-
ny.
The first fully integrated
provider-owned Article 42 insur-
ance company in New York,
North Shore-LIJ CareConnect al-
lows individuals and employers
to tap into the states largest inte-
grated health-care system.
Zurich North America
welcomes home family
Zurich North America, in al-
liance with the Stephen Siller
Tunnel to Towers Foundation and
the St. Bernard Project, took part
in a celebration to welcome home
the Chen family, the first of many
Staten Island families whose
homes are being rebuilt by the al-
liance following severe damage
caused by Superstorm Sandy. As
part of Zurichs and its employ-
ees commitment to rebuilding
communities and helping to re-
store local economies following
natural disasters, approximately
200 Zurich employees donated
more than 1,700 hours to help re-
build the eight homes currently
in progress. The company also
announced a $165,000 grant from
its Z Zurich Foundation to the St.
Bernard Project, a contribution
that will fund St. Bernard Project
staff members who will mobilize
more than 8,000 volunteers to re-
build an additional 60 homes on
Staten Island over the course of a
year.
Red Cross awards $1M to
Staten Island Foundation
The American Red Cross has
awarded a $1 million grant to The
Staten Island Foundation to sup-
port long-term recovery services
for people affected by Superstorm
Sandy in the boroughs hardest-
hit areas.
The Staten Island Foundation,
a member of Philanthropy New
York, will use the grant to provide
financial support to community-
based organizations involved in
disaster recovery on Staten Is-
land including home repairs for
seniors, mental health services
and coordination of on-the-
ground volunteers.
SIMHS green center
LEED certified
The Staten Island Mental
Health Societys recently opened
green mental health center in
St. George has received LEED
Platinum Certification from the
U.S. Green Building Council the
highest level of environmental
performance accorded by the
Council.
The facility at 444 St. Marks
Place, which has been named the
Dr. Kenneth Popler Childrens
Mental Health Center, is the bor-
oughs first LEED-certified office
building and the Platinum desig-
nation has been verified by the
Green Building Certification In-
stitute.
LEED, an acronym for Leader-
ship in Energy and Environmen-
tal Design, is the nations pre-emi-
nent program for the design, con-
struction and operation of high-
performance green buildings. To
achieve certification, LEED
measures five key areas: sustain-
able site development, water sav-
ings, energy efficiency, materials
selection, and indoor environ-
mental quality.
By LYLE FOXMAN
New York City has been the
fastest growing tech hub in the
country. According to the Center
for an Urban Futures New Tech
City report, during the recession,
information technology jobs in
the city have increased by 28.7
percent, from 41,100 to 52,900, an
amazing surge during a time
when there were few other bright
spots in the citys economy. The
Bloomberg administration has
supported the citys tech sector at
every turn and launched initia-
tives that promote its growth.
With the planned tech campus on
Roosevelt Island and the prolifer-
ation of incubators and co-work-
ing spaces, every borough has
seen some level of growth in their
local tech scenes. That is, every
borough except Staten Island.
Staten Island is a small busi-
ness and paycheck-to-paycheck
community, where many of our
young people have to look else-
where for tech and entrepreneur-
ial opportunities. In fact, theres
so little focus on tech here that in
Tech and the City, which looks at
the rise of the citys startup com-
munity, the only reference to Stat-
en Island focuses on telephone in-
ventor Antonio Meuccis failed
startup in the 19th century. Why
are we relegated to a historical
footnote while the rest of New
York moves forward?
Much of the problem lies with
those of us who live and work
here we have failed ourselves by
not taking the initiative to prove
that tech can succeed on Staten Is-
land. The growth of the New
York City tech sector did not
come from government, universi-
ties, and larger tech companies
it came from local leaders who or-
ganized communities of techies,
educators, creatives, and entre-
preneurs with the vision and
drive to pursue new ventures.
They changed the culture and
made New York City a hotbed of
innovation. We must work to-
gether to create such a communi-
ty and foster such a culture to en-
able our homegrown talent to re-
main here.
We must also highlight Staten
Island as an attractive place for
tech companies to set up shop. As
one of the more affordable places
in the city and with major devel-
opment projects underway, such
as the New York Wheel, Empire
Outlets, and the new Stapleton
waterfront, Staten Island is be-
coming an increasingly viable lo-
cation for startups. Furthermore,
according to the NYC Jobs Blue-
print, the Partnership Fund for
New York City is prepared to in-
vest $20 million in the creation of
urban tech campuses in every
borough, including Staten Island,
which would provide a further
boost. This new attention on Stat-
en Island gives us a springboard
from which we can make the case
for and help cultivate a local start-
up tech scene. We must take this
opportunity.
Long gone are the days of
working for the same company
for 30 years, retiring, and getting
that special gold watch or pen.
Todays world is about entrepre-
neurship, innovation, and cre-
ative thinking. We Staten Is-
landers need to understand this,
embrace this change, and take
ownership of our future.
Lyle Foxman is the founder of Start-
up Staten Island, owner of netLAB-
nyc, and a member of the GoBizNYC
startup and small business coalition.
Follow him at lylefoxman.com.
Starting Up
Staten Island Tech
Send us your Staten Island business news
Want to send us news, story ideas, op-eds or information to publish?
Drop us an email: news@sibiztrends.com.
in Your opinion
Reach over 6,000 Staten ls|and bus|nesses for the|r
HO|lDAY PARTlES
AND OATERlNG
|n the December ed|t|on of
Dead||ne |s November 25. Act now!
Oontact Janet Dugo
347-682-4867 janet@s|b|ztrends.com
Calling all
Restaurant Owners and Caterers
Serving S.I.
32 Years
Commercial/Residential Renovations
Additions & Extensions
Kitchens/Bathrooms
Custom Carpentry/Artistic Wood-Working
Finished Basements
Repairs/Handyman Services
Fire/Flood Restorations
Call Bob or David
718-761-8390
Insured. Bonded.
References Available.
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HOME IMPROVEMENTS
lion in the areas economy, ac-
cording to the organization. Some
of its free services include help-
ing clients understand the impor-
tance of a business plan, discov-
ering sources of funding, prepar-
ing for e-commerce, identifying
avenues for exporting goods and
services, developing marketing
plans, assessing an inventions vi-
ability, and complying with li-
censing and regulations.
In addition to one-on-one coun-
seling, the SBDC a program of
the U.S. Small Business Adminis-
tration also offers a variety of
workshops and seminars on a
number of topics throughout the
year, including business plans
and cash flow.
When youre running a busi-
ness, you need both things that
are sexy and those that arent,
said Balsamini, who has been
with the SBDC since 2005.
The SBDC played a huge role in
Hurricane Sandy relief, establish-
ing one of the first Business Re-
covery Centers on the Island at
CSI, hosting the SBA in the com-
munity, counseling approximate-
ly 250 businesses, partnering with
key community organizations
and opening a satellite office near
the affected communities.
Our ability to focus on provid-
ing business owners assis-
tancewas very, very critical,
Balsamini said. People were con-
fused. People were really upset.
They didnt know where to go.
One thing we wanted to do was
make sure that everyone was
treated with respect.
Following the devastation of
Sandy, there were a lot of relief
resources available, but there was
also a lot of confusion, Balsamini
said, so the SBDC helped business
owners figure out where to go for
the support they needed. The
SBDC worked with governmental
entities such as the Federal SBA
to make sure business leaders
had information on the variety of
options available to them to help
rebuild their business.
From being instrumental in
assisting with the location of a
federal SBA office on the grounds
of the College of Staten Island for
business owners to interact per-
sonally with government admin-
istrators, to the opening of a third
SBDC location in New Dorp, clos-
er to the Sandy-affected commu-
nities, the SI Small Business De-
velopment Center has proven to
be a leader during one of our
communitys most difficult
times, said Michael Kress, vice
president for information tech-
nology and economic develop-
ment at the College of Staten Is-
land.
One year removed from Sandy
making landfall, Balsamini said
the recovery has not ended. He
said the SBDC has geared up to
provide assistance not just now
but also in the future. With three
centers set up in the region, they
will be better able to make site
visits to continue to provide relief
support, as well as continuing to
work with clients on financial
loans, business planning and the
critical area of developing an
emergency response plan.
Sandy is not going away. The
impact of Sandy will still re-
main, he said.
There is a perception that the
most recent downturn is the first
time New Yorkers have experi-
enced tough economic times, Bal-
samini said. But over the last 20
years, the SBDC has helped busi-
nesses deal with other tough
times such as the Asian crisis in
1998, the implosion of the stock
market in 2000, and the attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001.
Countless times, SBDC has
counseled businesses during dif-
ficult economic periods, helping
them to get back on their feet or
helping someone make their
dream a reality by opening up a
new business. Hurricane Sandy
is just the immediate and easily
identifiable example of this; yet
there were other hard times in
which the SBDC was there to lend
a helping hand, he said.
When 2008 came about, we
had many people who were estab-
lished businesses who came to
see us. They were looking at
what do I do next? How do I actu-
ally move forward, so to speak?
The downturn was so significant,
some people were just barely
holding on.
Balsamini is quick to point out
that the ongoing recovery wont
be the only focus of the SBDC
going forward. New keys will be
helping veterans many of
whom will be returning to the
city in the near future looking for
jobs, counseling and business op-
portunities new immigrants,
women and minority business
owners. He also says that market-
ing, which is changing every day,
will also be a key for future busi-
ness success.
Weve tried to be a stabilizing
force in our outreach to the com-
munity to help businesses. There
will always be a cyclical environ-
ment to the economy, which is
nothing new, but we try to adjust
our focus of where people are
going in that period, he said.
I believe in Staten Island. Stat-
en Islands assets are just begin-
ning to be recognized.
SBDC celebrates 20 years
SBDC
around the island
STEVE WHITE/Business Trends
The 5th Annual Night of Networking With A Little Rock N' Roll took
place at the Hilton Garden Inn, with a band featuring Kasim Sulton, a
Staten Island musician who plays with Todd Rundgren and Meatloaf.
Here, while the band confers in the background, the evening's spon-
sors drew some raffle winners. Pictured, from left: Rich Grado of
Creative Media, Rob Fitzsimmons of Gateway Arms Realty, Robin
Lefkowitz of Northfield Bank and Tom Scarangello of Scaran.
Licensed real-estate associate broker Fredrik Eklund, co-star of
Bravo TVs Million Dollar Listing New York, (left) spends time with
Traci Cangiano, president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors, and
Laird Klein, president-elect, prior to his presentation during the or-
ganization's 7th annual Global Real Estate Symposium at the Snug
Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, Livingston.
Carol DiMarco and Charles DiBartolo (6th & 7th from left) hosted an open house to showcase their new
"Entrepreneurs Club," designed as a way for small business owners to share ideas and help one another
grow their businesses.
Staff members of the New York Center for Interpersonal Developments Supervised Visitation Program
gathered with representatives of the Northfield Bank Foundation after the Foundation presented a check
to support the agencys Supervised Visitation Program. Pictured, front row from left, are: Denise Fisher
from NYCID, Diane Senerchia and Susan Lamberti from the Northfield Bank Foundation, and Jessica
Maria Bruno from NYCID; and back row: Alexandra Tereshonkova, Dominick Brancato, Erin Neubauer-
Keyes, and Sean Bridges, all of NYCID.
A recent merger between two venerable Staten Island real estate names Salmon Real Estate and Tur-
vey Dellomo has resulted in a combined business-history of more than 140 years. Its an arranged
marriage, and its a good one, said Jon Salmon, president of Salmon Real Estate. Turvey Dellomo has re-
located operations to the Salmon headquarters at 1855 Victory Blvd., but retains its own name and
phone number. Pictured, from left, are: Henry Salmon, president and CEO of Equity Valuation Associ-
ates; Patricia Turvey Dellomo; and Jon Salmon.
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The committee has been meet-
ing since September to identify
all the assets in the community.
All committee work has been and
will be open to the public. Last
month, they held public engage-
ment sessions to assess the needs
of the community.
The next step is to develop a
conceptual plan to see whats on
the table, followed by an analysis
of the project to show whats fea-
sible, whats not, what they cost
and how they interact with
whats already being proposed.
We need to get as many people
as possible into the room to talk
about the community, Lenza
said. To not have that knowledge
in the process would not produce
a plan thats most effective.
Above and beyond what the
expectation is of us, Vin and I feel
very strongly that this issue of
public engagement is very impor-
tant to the process, Sorkin said.
We have tried to engage a group
of professionals to try to create
some other avenues whether it
be social media, other forums,
print media were trying to
come up with other ways that the
community can be heard.
Sorkin is excited about the
process because, unlike other
studies, he said theres real
money at the end of the road.
Staten Island is looking at a mini-
mum of $25 million for a project
or projects, and Sorkin said his
sense is that, in the long run, it
could be worth hundreds of mil-
lions of dollars when they inter-
face with other projects through-
out the Island.
I read that theres more to
come. The dollars that are sort of
implementing this process are
over $500 million from disaster re-
covery funds. I think this is sort
of the beginning of the process,
he said. Theres more Communi-
ty Block Grant money yet to
come, plus theres other money
being spent from other layers of
the government that may embel-
lish or work in tandem with these
projects.
The steering committee is in
early stages of outreach, and
theyre looking at other modes of
information collection and dis-
semination in addition to the
community forums. Sorkin said
other steering committee mem-
bers have already reached out to
their constituents and members,
asking for feedback, input and
whether there are other studies
out there that would help in the
process.
The reach of the people on the
group is unbelievable. These rep-
resentatives are communicating
back to their constituencies in
whats going on, Sorkin said.
Just that layer itself is so robust
that it really stokes the process.
What Id like to see is a
process that allows the Staten Is-
land community to benefit from a
significant amount of resources,
not only the money, but the signif-
icant amount of professional ex-
perience we have, Lenza said.
Its been quite vocal throughout
this process that people want us
to look at communities through-
out the Island and not just at
properties in their backyard.
Committee to direct $25M
FUNDS
Get involved
Want to be a part of the process? Visit
http://stormrecovery.ny.gov/nyrcr/community/staten-island to get
more information, fill out feedback forms and read about the people
on the steering committee. You can also connect with the steering
committee on Facebook by visiting the website
https://www.facebook.com/NYStormRecovery.

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