Hudson Valley Newsmakers, 9.8.2014
Thompson pool receives aquatic access lift
A new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant aquatic access lift was installed at the Thompson town park pool. It was donated for community use by WECHSLER POOL SUPPLY COMPANY, a division of COMBINED ENERGY SERVICES (CES), a family-owned and operated propane and fuel oil company. Based in Monticello since 1968, CES serves the Hudson Valley and Catskills region.
In 2010, the ADA required all public pools to be equipped with access lifts. This lift allows the pool to be accessible to all swimmers at the town park pool. In addition to hundreds of town residents using the pool each season, the town of Thompson also hosts the YMCA camp every summer.
“We understand the importance of not only being a good corporate citizen but a compassionate neighbor to the communities we serve,” said Mike Taylor, CES president. “Providing this access lift will help those with physical challenges enjoy the fun that being in a pool offers and will have a positive impact on their lives, so we are very proud of this project.”
Wechsler Pool Supply has been servicing pool customers and providing liquid chlorine deliveries throughout the Catskills and lower Hudson Valley since 1934.
Westgate launches graduate internship program
WESTAGE COMPANIES in Fishkill, a regional health care real estate developer, has hired the first of its full-time graduate interns to assist its business development team.
Graduate intern ALEXIS M. FARFARO will conduct research of the real estate industry, reporting to Westage senior management. His responsibilities will include the support of all business development efforts, including client presentations.
Farfaro has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Marist College and most recently worked as a financial representative for the Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union.
“We are extremely grateful to Marist for assisting us and recommending quality candidates for this position.” said Westage Companies Founder and Principal Ted Petrillo.
With a well-established tradition of excellence in the Hudson Valley, Westage specializes in health care real estate development, as well as the on-going management and leasing of those properties. With an overall occupancy rate of 97 percent, Westage currently has prime, medical space available at the Vassar Brothers Medical Mall in Fishkill, as well as at the Westage Pavilion in Middletown. For more information, call 845-897-3800 or visit westage.com.
Medical centers receive national recognition
THE GREATER HUDSON VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM (GHVHS), composed of CATSKILL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER and ORANGE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, received recognition from the 31st annual Healthcare Advertising Awards and the Aster Awards. The competitions, judged by a national panel, award health care organizations that showcase exemplary quality, creativity and message effectiveness in the areas of marketing and public relations.
Orange Regional Medical Center (ORMC) was the recipient of five awards: two bronze and three merits. Bronze awards were given for a website homepage banner ad for the hospital”™s quality awards and for a Rowley Family Birthing Center outdoor billboard. In addition, the hospital”™s physician recruitment brochure, a special neonatal intensive care unit video and email blast about the unit”™s first birthday all received merit awards for outstanding quality.
Catskill Regional Medical Center was honored with a merit award for its emergency department radio advertisement, which showcased the highest standard of excellence.
ORMC was the recipient of several Aster Awards, including gold awards for its physician recruitment brochure, physician newsletter “Raising The Bar” and Prematurity Awareness Event. The center received a silver award for its Rowley Family Birthing Center billboard and a bronze award for its children”™s emergency department information folder.
Catskill Regional Medical Center was recognized with bronze awards for its employee newsletter “Hot Off The Stretcher” and its emergency department radio ad.
The GHVHS marketing and public relations department won the health care awards in partnership with marketing firm Focus Media.
Appointments at Stanley Marks
DURIJA HADZIBRAHIMI and JIM SZUMLASKI were recently hired as staff accountants at Stanley Marks & Company L.L.P., a certified public accounting and consulting firm in Newburgh.
Hadzibrahimi graduated from Mount St. Mary College and is now completing her MBA. She previously worked for a CPA firm in northern New Jersey.
Szumlaski has been promoted to manager at Stanley Marks. He has been with the firm for nine years and is responsible for many of the firm”™s manufacturing, distribution and contractor clients.
Developer names VP for business development
LISA WESTERFIELD has joined health care real estate developer WESTAGE COS. in Fishkill as associate vice president of business development.
Most recently, Westerfield worked throughout Greater Philadelphia as the director of business development for StructureTone Inc., one of the top 10 construction management firms in the U.S. headquartered in New York City. She has more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing with professional service firms. She began her career in the chemical industry where she managed a construction chemical group, launched the first “No VOC” water repellent for concrete, brick and masonry and introduced UniPearl, a patented, specialty colorant used in Ralph Lauren”™s Dutchess Satin Paint.
Westerfield has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Monmouth University, where she also earned her MBA in management. She is a LEED accredited professional and co-founding member and past chairperson of the U.S. Green Building Council”™s New Jersey Chapter.
Legislative chairman honored by Chaverim of Rockland
Rockland County Legislature Chairman Alden H. Wolfe was recently honored by Chaverim of Rockland at its annual member appreciation dinner. Chaverim, a volunteer, not-for-profit organization, is equipped to handle various nonmedical emergencies, including roadside assistance, neighborhood watch, disaster crisis management and provide assistance upon request to law enforcement agencies. In 2013, Chaverim volunteers responded to more than 17,000 calls for assistance.
“Chaverim”™s trained volunteers respond to many needs and keep a watchful eye on the community,” Wolfe said. “Their presence in the community and the knowledge that volunteers will respond swiftly to calls for assistance is immensely reassuring to our residents. It is truly an honor for me to be recognized for my service by this organization, whose members unselfishly put the needs of their neighbors first and foremost.”
Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.