April 2014 - Westchester County Association

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blueprint
accelerator
april 2014
inside:
blueprint accelerator network expands with six new companies | rising star joins wca board
wca welcomes montefiore medical center to westchester
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Six Companies
Accepted as New
Accelerator Picks
After a highly selective process, six dynamic companies
have been selected as the newest members of the
BLUEPRINT Accelerator Network: Lola Granola Bar,
an organic granola bar company; Mobile Health One, a
digital healthcare company; Nuvita, an online employee
wellness program; the accounting firm Sternbach
& Rose, CPA, PC; W@tercooler, a unique co-working
space; and the Yonkers Brewing Co., a craft brewery.
The Accelerator Network is a critical component of the
WCA’s BLUEPRINT for Westchester, an aggressive
economic development initiative to drive job creation
and economic growth in the county.
The six new businesses are all offered private office
space—rent-free for the first year—complimentary
professional services, and access to financing
and mentoring. Accelerator companies commit to
remaining in Westchester after their “graduation.”
“These emerging companies have demonstrated
they are poised for growth, ready to add jobs, and
ready to become strong additions to Westchester’s
Innovation Economy,” said Marissa Brett, WCA’s
executive director, economic development.
To find out more about the BLUEPRINT Accelerator
Network, visit blueprintforwestchester.com.
Recent companies accepted into the Accelerator Network include Lola Granola Bar, Mobile Health One, Nuvita, Sternbach & Rose,
W@atercooler, and the Yonkers Brewing Co.
WCA’s New Networking Group
“W
PlanGuru
Reports 50% Growth.
Thanks Accelerator.
PlanGuru CEO
A year after their acceptance into the Accelerator
Christian Wielage
Network, PlanGuru, a young, vibrant software company
that produces budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning software for
businesses and CPAs, has hired nearly 10 employees and is gearing up to launch
two additional financial software products.
CEO Christian Wielage said in the last 12 months, PlanGuru has grown its
customer base by 50 percent, created a new board of directors, and secured
additional funding—all with the help of the Accelerator Network. “Without this
program, we’d still be home-based. We’d have the same products, but not the
team and the infrastructure in place to take our business to the next level,”
said Wielage.
estchester’s growing
entrepreneurial sector
has the potential to change
our local economy, but they need our David Crane, CEO
of Mobile Health One
support,” says Marissa Brett. “Today’s
entrepreneurs must have the knowledge, skills, and networking
opportunities to succeed and scale their businesses. Accelerate
Westchester will help businesses start up and remain here as
they grow.”
The group’s first meetup is on Wednesday, April 2 at 5:30 pm
(see Coming Up column for details.) David Crane, CEO of Mobile
Health One, will give a short talk titled “On My Sixth Startup:
Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur.” WCA representatives will
be on hand to share information on the Accelerator program’s
resources to help companies grow. Registration for the event
is $15 and available at westchester.org.
Rising Star Joins WCA Board of Directors
W
hat’s the secret of Kevin
Richards’ success? “I’d say
it’s my ability to win new
clients and maintain trusted
relationships with them,” says the young
executive, an audit partner at Deloitte &
Touche LLPs Stamford office, and a new
member of the WCA Board of Directors.
“It’s also my unwillingness to maintain the
status quo—we ask ourselves every year
how we can do things differently, how we
can innovate in our practice. It’s how we go
from providing a service to becoming a trusted advisor,”
said Richards, named an outstanding and proven
leader through the Fairfield County Business Journal’s
’2013 40 Under 40’ award.
Richards sees Westchester County as a place where
more and more innovation is taking place, and that’s
why he was eager to join the WCA. “I see more young
people—myself included—choosing Westchester’s
cities as places to live. Our company likes the WCA’s
emphasis on Work.Live.Play and we want to become
engaged with that initiative. We see Westchester
flourishing in the years to come and we want to be a
part of that.”
Richards has worked at Deloitte since 2002,
where his leadership extends to external community
involvement, and internal talent development. He earned
an MBA from the Lubin School of Business
at Pace University. He lives in Ossining
with his wife and their three children.
With talented pros like Richards parti
cipating in the WCAs efforts to revitalize
Westchester’s economy, the county is well
on its way. “Kevin’s insights and experiences
serving public and private real estate
clients at the local, state, and national
levels will be invaluable as we work to
advance the interest of business here,”
said Bill Harrington, WCA Board Chairman.
The WCA also announced that Patricia Stone,
underwriter, JP Morgan Chase, has stepped up to
serve a three-year term on the WCA’s board of
directors. Plus, six new healthcare members have
joined the organization: Rajeev Sindhwani, MD, DOCS;
David Calabrese, senior vice president of new business
development and marketing, Emergency Medical
Associates; Gary Benerofe, managing partner, Mediaspa
LLC; Everett Patterson, director of sales, MVP Health
care; James O’Connor, president, TransCare Corp.; Peter
Mercurio, MD, CEO, Westchester Health Associates;
and Rita Mabli, president and CEO, United Hebrew.
Look for profiles on our new members in future
WCA newsletters!
On My Sixth Startup:
Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur
Hosted by WCA’s
Accelerate Westchester
Meetup. Startup.
Wednesday, April 2, 5:30 pm
1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains
Business Intel Series:
Healthcare Reform 2.0
Evolving Health Insurance
Delivery Model
Thursday, April 3, 8:00–9:30 am
Tappan Hill Mansion
81 Highland Avenue
(GPS: 200 Gunpowder Lane), Tarrytown
Event sponsors: Cohn Reznick, Mercer
A Groundbreaking
Two-Day Conference
Nationally-known speakers; vibrant,
informative panels and presentations
Wednesday, May 7 and
Thursday May 8
The DoubleTree Hotel Tarrytown
455 S. Broadway
healthtech2014.com
VNS Westchester
to Honor WCA
Healthcare
Consortium
for Community
Leadership
For more information
or to register for events:
Bill Harrington
Chairman
Westchester County Association
Lou Nemmon
President & CEO
VNS Westchester
Visiting Nurse Service Westchester (VNSW) will honor the WCA’s Healthcare Consortium at its 16th Annual
Spring Benefit Gala dinner and silent auction on May 15 in Scarsdale. VNSW selected the Consortium as this
year’s recipient of its Community Leadership Award to recognize the group’s leadership in all areas of healthcare
in Westchester. Bill Harrington, Chairman of the WCA, will accept the award on behalf of the Consortium, which
is comprised of all segments of Westchester’s $15+ billion healthcare industry.
“We’re thrilled that our hardworking Consortium members will receive this prestigious honor from VNS
Westchester, the largest independent, nonprofit Medicare-certified home healthcare agency in Westchester,
also serving the Bronx, Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties,” says Bill Mooney, WCA President.
Tickets for the event may be purchased at vns.org.
COMING UP
westchester.org
or call 914.948.6444
For more information on sponsorship
opportunities for upcoming events,
contact Laura Montopoli,
[email protected]
WCA Extends a Warm Welcome to Montefiore Medical Center
The Westchester County Association honored Montefiore
Medical Center for their commitment to revitalizing healthcare in
Westchester County at a private reception in March. Hosted by the
WCA’s healthcare consortium and BLUEPRINT for Westchester,
top healthcare executives and business leaders welcomed
Dr. Steven Safyer, president and CEO, and
other senior members of the Bronx-based
organization, and embraced their
expansion, which signals new jobs,
and more high-quality
healthcare in Westchester County.
Steven Safyer, Montefiore Medical Center
Amy Allen, WCA; Rachelle Sanders, Montefiore Medical Center; William Mooney, WCA;
Susan Green-Lorenzen, Cynthia Hayes, Montefiore Medical Center
Frances Bordoni, White Plains Hospital;
Andrew Racine, Dianna Jacob, Montefiore Medical Center
Peter Mercurio, Westchester Health Associates; Joel Seligman,
Northern Westchester Hospital; Guy Liebler, Simone Healthcare
Development Companies
Otis Ellis, KeyBank N.A., Mary Zagajeski, Dominican Sisters
Family Health Services; Walter Olshanski, KeyBank N.A.
Susan Fox, White Plains Hospital; Steven Safyer, Montefiore
Medical Center; Jon Schandler, White Plains Hospital;
Philip Ozuah, Montefiore Medical Center
David Crane, Mobile Health One; Rob Amler, Larissa Reece,
New York Medical College
Paul Savage, Charles Conte, Iona College;
Jeffrey Short, Montefiore Medical Center
The
Westchester
County
Association
1133 Westchester Avenue
Suite S-217
White Plains, NY 10604
www.westchester.org
Bill Mooney, WCA; Congresswoman Nita Lowey;
Janet Hasson, The Journal News Media Group
New York State Senator
Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Harry Barrett,
Fordham University
Robert Glazer, ENT
and Allergy Associates
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Westchester County Association
This newsletter was written and designed by Harrison Edwards, Inc., Bedford Hills, NY
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