Westchester County Newsmakers, 1.6.2014

VOLUNTEER CENTER HONORED AS 2013 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT

THE “TOP-RATED” AWARD BY GREATNONPROFITS, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations has honored The Volunteer Center of United Way in Tarrytown with a prestigious award for 2013.The Volunteer Center_dee

“We are excited to be named a Top-Rated 2013 Nonprofit,” said Alisa H. Kesten, executive director of The Volunteer Center. “The Volunteer Center is proud of our accomplishments this year, including 9/11: Serve and Remember days of service, MLK Day of Service held in 2013 and coming up again in January 2014, the Volunteer Spirit Awards as well of our Leadership Westchester training program. The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that The Volunteer Center received ”“ reviews written by volunteers, agencies and program participants. People posted their personal experience with us. For example, one person wrote, ”˜The Volunteer Center has been a great resource for me in getting involved with nonprofits in the community.”™”

While the Top-Rated Awards run through the end of October, The Volunteer Center was part of the inaugural group to qualify for the year and was also a recipient of the award in 2012.

“Savvy donors want to see the impact of their donations more than ever,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “People with direct experience with The Volunteer Center have voted that the organization is making a real difference.”

Being on the top-rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence that this is a credible organization. The reviews show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit. This award is a form of recognition by the community.

NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES

MARK OKAMOTO, a top producer in commercial and residential real estate, will assume the title of director of sales for the five New York City boroughs where STATEWIDE ABSTRACT is active. He will be supervising and closing the title relationships that are an essential part of both residential and commercial real estate and will deal with the mortgage companies, attorneys and other real estate professionals in these transactions.Okamoto_dee

As a professional member of the PGA, Okamoto owned Larry”™s Golf shop. “Through my association with so many business people interested in playing golf, I met a great number of people in this area. This helped me immeasurably in my real estate business,” Okamoto said. “In fact there were over 3,000 people whom I taught or played with. Now my designation is amateur in the PGA; it is no longer my profession. Interestingly enough, I first met Ken Meccia (president of Statewide Abstract) on the golf course.”

Okamoto”™s family, wife, Ayumi, and daughter, 2-year-old daughter, Mihoko live in White Plains.

When Meccia, reached out to hire him, he had observed his behavior first in business networking then at title closings. He said, “I like to think of him as the ”˜master.”™ He has helped my staff open up doors all over through the people he knew as a top producer in a top real estate firm like our title firm. This is a relationship business with outstanding people in the industry,” added Meccia. His company, Statewide Abstract, has been in business for 30 years.