Heart Association honors Wallkill bank
Recognizing that Americans spend an average of 47 hours per week at work, The American Heart Association has created the Fit-Friendly Program, which provides tools to help businesses create a healthier work environment. Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan is the recipient of the Heart Association”™s Gold Achievement Award for working to create a Fit-Friendly worksite.
Bank President and CEO Michael Horodyski, and Debbie Pollard, the bank”™s wellness program coordinator, have worked together to establish initiatives to help employees pursue a healthier lifestyle. The bank has also brought in a certified nutritionist to work with employees on making healthier eating choices and held a weight-loss challenge where employees met weekly to weigh in and discuss their diet and fitness goals. They have also participated in community walk benefits, which combine their desire to help employees get fit with the bank”™s continued commitment to community involvement.
White Plains Hospital receives 2015 Women”™s Choice Award
White Plains Hospital”™s Breast Cancer Program has earned the 2015 Women”™s Choice Award as one of America”™s best breast centers, acknowledging its dedication to providing exceptional patient care and treatment. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer (excluding skin cancer) among American women, according to the American Cancer Society, and one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
By carrying the evidence-based designation of the Women”™s Choice Award seal, White Plains Hospital”™s Breast Cancer Program has signified its commitment to a global mission to elevate the patient experience for women and all patients. White Plains Hospital is one of only approximately 300 centers in the U.S. ”” and only 14 in New York state ”” to be recognized as one of America”™s Best Breast Centers.
The recognition was achieved by meeting specific criteria, including meeting the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) standards from the American College of Surgeons; carrying the seal of the American College of Radiologists as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence; and scoring above-average on the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services patient satisfaction measures.
Two MKMG physicians are ‘Forty Under 40’ awardees
Two physicians from the Mount Kisco Medical Group Karoline S. Nowillo and Jill L. Brodsky, were recipients of the 2015 Forty Under 40 Awards from the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce”™s celebration honoring 40 of the county”™s workers who have an outstanding record of performance in their chosen professions.
Nowillo, a plastic surgeon, is committed to restoring form and function to those who have been effected either from birth or as a result of trauma or cancer. She is also passionate about reconstructive surgery following either partial or total breast removal.
After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with undergraduate degrees in biology and Spanish literature, She earned her medical doctorate and completed her plastic surgery residency at the Long Island Plastic Surgical Group and a specialty Fellowship in reconstructive microsurgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Brodsky received her MD from Albany Medical College and completed her pediatric endocrinology residency at Yale Children”™s Hospital, New Haven, Conn. She completed her pediatric endocrinology fellowship at The Children”™s Hospital of Philadelphia and is board-certified in pediatric endocrinology.
Renovated library reopens
The reopening of the Monroe Free Public Library was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 18 after a year of renovation by Vertical Ltd., a general construction firm in Monroe.
The construction included a 2,300-square-foot expansion of the building at 44 Millpond Parkway. Verticon co-owners Alan and Irving Zuckerman are part of the family that constructed the original facility whose doors opened for the first time Nov. 22, 1960. The new library will now have a total square footage of 7,700, allowing for more books, expanded office space and a separate space for children”™s services. Additionally, all the building”™s windows have been replaced, opening up views of the pond and giving the space a new look and feel.
New member at Marshall Dennehey
Harold L. Moroknek has joined the Westchester County office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin as a shareholder in the casualty department. Previously, he was a name partner with Hodges Walsh Messemer & Moroknek LLP (now Hodges Walsh & Messemer) in White Plains.
Experienced in a wide array of complex casualty liability matters, Moroknek primarily focuses his practice in the area of transportation litigation, representing trucking, bus, paratransit and similar entities in complex and general coverage litigation. He manages the full spectrum of transportation claims arising from such matters, including personal injury, wrongful death, property damage and product liability claims.
He is also experienced in the area of fraud, with an emphasis on medical provider fraud. In this realm, he has assisted carriers in high-value, high-profile cases involving the recovery of monies paid to fraudulent medical providers.
Rockland leaders honored during Black History Month
Rockland County Legislator Aron B. Wieder honored two community leaders in the chambers of the Rockland County Legislature during Black History Month in February.
The honorees were Cassandra Edwards, executive director of Advocating for Change, for her work in organizing an annual book drive for public school students in East Ramapo.
Ramona Jones was honored for the work she has done as president of the East Ramapo Parent Teacher Association Council, coordinating all the PTA units within East Ramapo and the activities the units organize for the benefit of students, their families and their schools.
“It is so important that we continue to recognize leaders in the community whose positive contributions help so many and improve the quality of life in Rockland County,” Wieder said in a statement.
Legislature participates in Women”™s History Month
In recognition of National Women”™s History Month, Rockland County Legislator Aney Paul paid tribute to four local women of diverse backgrounds who dedicate themselves to community and volunteer services that enrich the lives and well-being of others. Paul presented the women with Distinguished Service Awards during a ceremony held at the Rockland County Legislature.
“These women make a difference in the lives of others through leadership and compassion,” Paul said in a statement. “They are all involved in programs that reach out to and serve our communities. Through their actions, our communities are made stronger, our citizens become enlightened to a wealth of opportunities that will allow them to achieve and progress in society. These women come from multicultural backgrounds and recognize the needs of our diverse communities. I am proud of all they do.”
The honorees were Kathy McMahon, coordinator of religion programs at St. Anthony”™s Church for more than 50 years; Evelyn Bautista-Miller, facilitator at EPIC (Every Person Influences Children) workshops in Spanish for Latino families in need of support and guidance; Smriti Sridhara, a long-standing member and past president of the India Cultural Society of Rockland, which promotes the cultural heritage of India and performs charitable acts within the community; and Sonia Tracey-McCallum, a founder, past president and active member of The Jamaican Civic and Cultural Association of Rockland.
WCC students on Cisco dream team
During the National Basketball Association”™s All-Star Week activities in February, a group of Westchester Community College students showcased their skills behind the scenes in the field of computer networking.
Thirty students from across the tristate area assisted professional network engineers in deploying Cisco access points and switches and provided on-site support at the NBA venues, hotels and fan events in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Five of the student workers were from Westchester Community College”™s Cisco Networking Academy program: Neil Dandridge of the Bronx, Debbie Huyler of Fishkill, Lawrence Smith of Pelham, Oumar Mane of the Bronx and Eric Barton of White Plains.
The student “dream team” worked eight-hour shifts assisting the engineers in wiring the venues and attaching and registering Cisco IP phones to the NBA network. The team also helped set up the various network printers required by every organization, from the car service to the various media outlets, used throughout the week.
As the week progressed, the students moved into a support role, helping to troubleshoot issues with the network. Westchester Community College students got to team with professional engineers in addition to students from other institutions, including SUNY Adirondack and SUNY Suffolk, along with two lead instructors ”“ Karen Woodard, from SUNY Adirondack, and Steve Leone from Westchester Community College.
Two agents join Houlihan Lawrence”™s Scarsdale office
Houlihan Lawrence, the Rye Brook-based real estate firm serving New York City”™s northern suburbs, recently announced that Sloane A. Worth and Lisa So Chun Son have joined the firm”™s Scarsdale office as associate real estate broker and licensed real estate salesperson, respectfully. The office, at 32 Popham Road, serves the communities of Scarsdale, Edgemont, Eastchester, Hartsdale, Mamaroneck and New Rochelle.
“We are excited to welcome these two talented agents into our growing folds,” said Lewis Arlt, branch manager, in a statement. “Both bring a notable background and unique set of skills that will benefit our core team, and the expanding Houlihan Lawrence family as a whole.”
Prior to joining Houlihan Lawrence, Worth served as partner and commercial litigation attorney for nearly two decades at the Law Offices of William Hart LLP.
Son began her career in real estate in 2009 after founding Equitable Property Tax Reductions Inc., a tax preparation service.
Phelps department receives accreditation
The Department of Hyperbaric Medicine at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow has received accreditation from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, a nonprofit organization serving more than 2,400 members from more than 50 countries. The UHMS clinical hyperbaric medicine facility accreditation program recognizes hyperbaric facilities that meet a high standard of patient care and facility safety.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment during which patients breathe pure oxygen while sitting inside a pressurized chamber. Alone and in combination with standard treatment protocols, the therapy increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood and expedites the growth of new blood vessels. This enables delivery of more oxygen to tissues and organs of the body, which promotes healing of wounds and damaged tissue.
The hyperbaric chamber at Phelps is the largest in the Northeast and one of the largest in the country, Phelps reported.
Wilson Elser attorney honored by Fordham alumni
James S. Brown, of counsel in Wilson Elser”™s New York City office, was recently honored at the annual Fordham Law Alumni Association luncheon held at Cipriani in New York City.
Brown, a 1972 graduate of Fordham Law School, received the Medal of Achievement Award, the highest honor given by Fordham Law to its alumni.
A veteran trial attorney, Brown has focused on the defense of medical malpractice claims for more than 30 years. He served as chairman of Wilson Elser”™s senior trial group, a group of attorneys that reviews the firm”™s high-exposure cases and oversees trial-skills training programs for the firm”™s associates.
Throughout his career, Brown has represented many of the major New York metropolitan hospitals and their affiliated physicians and staff members at trial. He led a group of attorneys in the representation of one of the major university-affiliated teaching hospitals in New York City.
Training leader joins White Plains company
Renee Fogarty has joined Strategic Training Solutions of White Plains, a Hospitality Resource Group company, as director of learning and development. In this role, Fogarty will lead the company”™s development and facilitation of training programs, including human resource management consulting and organizational development and new customized training programs.
Prior to joining HRG, she led the global talent management function for Stryker Orthopaedics and previously worked for Nestle, Kraft and PepsiCo.
Hospital president updates the community
Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell, Sleepy Hollow Mayor Ken Wray and Sleepy Hollow Village Administrator Anthony Giaccio attended the first Phelps Community Breakfast, held recently at Doubletree Tarrytown, to hear a presentation by Phelps Memorial Hospital Center President and CEO Daniel Blum, who outlined Phelps”™ new relationship with North Shore-LIJ Health System and described the construction that has begun on a new MRI facility and lobby and entrance to the hospital.
Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.
