News items

Chamber Foundation accepting applications for Leadership Dutchess Class of 2010

WAPPINGERS FALLS (June 15) - The Chamber Foundation, Inc. is now accepting applications for the Leadership Dutchess Class of 2009. Enrollment in the 9 month leadership course is by employer nomination.  The class, which meets monthly and is comprised of regional professionals, covers topics such as leadership styles, stress management, managing diverse personalities in the workplace, project management, county government and community service.  Applications, due by July 31, are available on the website www.gsdcc.org.  For further information, employers should contact The Chamber Foundation, Inc. at 845.296.0001.

Preparing the workforce of tomorrow, helping existing workers gain new skills and providing a key ingredient for an informed and engaged community are some of the reasons the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce is so committed to its Chamber Foundation and all of the leadership programming offered.  

For 20 years, Leadership Dutchess has been training emerging and existing leaders in the Hudson Valley.  Every year, approximately 25 candidates representing the private, public and non-profit sectors are selected for eight months of instruction on key regional issues and leadership development.   More than four hundred Leadership Dutchess Alumni continue to impact the region in positive ways.   Leadership Dutchess will also continue to work with Rebuilding Together—a critical community action program that has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on all class participants and community members since its inception four years ago.

Four local high school seniors receive Nussbickel Scholarships

APPINGERS FALLS (June 15) – The awards were given at the Nussbickel Memorial Scholarship dinner during the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce membership meeting.

More details on our Education Page.

Small Business Development Center advisors recognized as statewide leaders  

STONE RIDGE (June 12) -  The Mid-Hudson Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC), hosted by SUNY Ulster, today announced that Al Randzin of Wallkill has been named “Business Advisor of the Year” out of more than 200 counselors statewide and that two other local certified business counselors have received top honors.

An Advanced Certified Business Advisor, Randzin was honored at the annual statewide SBDC Staff Training conference last month in Kerhonkson with the prestigious award for a second time in his 16 year tenure. He also won this award in 2004.

Sam Kandel of West Hurley received First Runner Up honors. Previously, he was Second Runner Up in 2007, New York State Star Performer in 2006 and Business Advisor of the Year in 2005. 

Myriam Bouchard of New Paltz again made the list of top advisors in New York State this year. She was the State Star Performer in 2008, First Runner Up in 2007, Third Runner Up in 2006 and First Runner Up in 2003.

In other achievements by the regional counseling team, Don Dods of Huguenot, Senior Certified Business Advisor, received his credentials as Advanced Certified Business Advisor.

 “Local entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a business in the region will know they are receiving one-on-one professional business counseling and technical expertise from the very best advisors in the state to help them succeed,” said Arnaldo Sehwerert, Director, Mid-Hudson Region Small Business Development Center. 

The Mid-Hudson Region SBDC provides no-cost professional business counseling to new and existing businesses in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Delaware, and parts of Schoharie and Greene counties and to the Catskill Watershed region. It is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and hosted by SUNY Ulster.

McLoughlin

Dutchess chamber promotes McLoughlin

POUGHKEEPSIE (June 5)  - The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced today the promotion of Louise McLoughlin to Director of Workforce Development.

In this position, McLoughlin will supervise the Yes! Program; Responsible Parent Initiative program, and the Work Now program, as well as provide employment mentoring services to Workforce mentees and oversee a staff of four. In addition, she is the Chamber staff liaison for the Work Local Now program. Before her appointment to Director of Workforce Development, Louise served as an employment mentor at the Chamber.

Before coming to the Chamber McLoughlin was employed as a Volunteer Supervisor at Mental Health America. She was also the owner of Fit Ms and District Manager for Figures and Fitness health club in Poughkeepsie.

McLoughlin received her BA in Sociology from Ithaca College.

She resides in Poughkeepsie with her husband John and children Brennan and Jackie.

DCRCC  Foundation announces  4th annual Athena Award  

POUGHKEEPSIE   (June 3) - The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2009 Dutchess County Athena Award, which honors women and men who have demonstrated excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; provided valuable service by contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community; and who actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.

The honorees and Award Recipient will be honored at a brunch at The Grandview on December 2. The recipient will receive a special Athena Sculpture and be invited to attend the 2009 Athena International Conference. Prior to the December 2nd event there will be a private reception for all of the honorees.

In addition to the criteria above, the nominee must live, work, or volunteer in Dutchess County. To nominate someone, the nominator should download an official nomination form from www.dcrcoc.org and answer all questions as fully as possible. Up to two additional pages of supporting documentation, such as a resume or Curriculum Vitae may be included. Submitted information should support the award criteria of achievement, leadership and service. Once nominated, the nominee will be notified and also asked to complete the nomination form. This will ensure that the Selection Committee receives complete information. The deadline to submit all nomination forms is June 30.

This is the fourth year that the Chamber Foundation has hosted the award presentation ceremony. Last year’s recipient, Arlene Chiarmonte attended the Athena International Conference in Chicago in March.

Sponsors include Rhinebeck Savings Bank, Hudson Valley Fresh, and Majestic Insurance.  

Additional information can be found at www.dcrcoc.org or the Athena International Foundation site at www.athenainternational.org. 

A healthier idea for real estate and the work environment

POUGHKEEPSIE (June 3) - Most people know that poor air circulation and insufficient light-levels in the office can lead to chronic fatigue.  But the trademark headache was only one concern for physician partners Kenneth K. Hansraj,M.D., spinal surgeon based in Dutchess County, and Marcia D. Griffin-Hansraj, D.O., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, also based in Dutchess County. These two doctors believe that it is imperative that their clinic fully represent their beliefs in human wellness and healing.

To accommodate their clinic’s growth, they were looking to lease new space and started a search for the ideal—fresh, clean air and a bounty of natural  light. This would not only provide speedier recovery for patients but also maintain health and lift the spirits, and thus the productivity of employees.

After one-and one-half years of intensive research into ideal work conditions, the two physicians discovered that what he wanted was simply not available in New York’s Hudson Valley. Says Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, “What I found offered in the office real estate market was a lot of the same thing—average spaces with minimal natural light and standard air quality. Some spaces boasted a few green features, but I wanted an environment that provided for comfort, efficiency, and sustainability and would promote a healthier workplace.”

The two physicians then decided on a more daring solution. Forming the development company LandWorks LLC, and aligning with Sweeny Sterling Finlayson &Co Architects Inc., a Canadian-based architecture firm renowned for state-of-the-art environments, the doctor duo is leading the development and build-out for a new 37,000 s.f. office building in Fishkill, New York, to be known as LandWorks Professional Center. 

More importantly for the physician partners, employees from corporations that worked with Sweeny &Co rave about the results: the comfort of the spaces, the beauty of the natural light, and the engagement with views and the outside environment. All of this provides an environment that promotes occupancy  comfort and communicates to employees that their employer really cares. 

“Cost is seen as a barrier to better environments, “says Dermot Sweeny, principal and co-founder of Sweeny &Co. “We altered the economic model for commercial real estate to create a win-win situation for both landlords and tenants.  This better approach to workspaces is working, and landlords and tenants are seeing tremendous benefits. Through design we reduce both capital and operating costs, provide more comfortable environments, and greatly increase long term value to landlord, tenant and the environment. This economic feasibility is critically important in today’s market.”

Sweeny’s team collaborated with Dutchess County’s Michael Gillespie & Associates to provide an “off the grid” green solution for onsite water, a modern septic solution, rainwater storage, and storm-water management.

The LandWorks Professional Center will be the first LEED® Silver certified commercial building in New York’s Hudson Valley.

LandWorks LLC is currently working with the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation to develop awareness of this project. They are confident that LandWorks’ large, easy-to-configure floor plates, coupled with the building’s capacity to support future health and the environment, will interest potential users of commercial space who are seeking a genuinely better work environment.

RDAC pioneers new program “Key Elements of Practical Financial Literacy”

MONTGOMERY (May 25) -  Orange County Rural Development Advisory Corp. (RDAC) is pleased to announce that it has pioneered a new program – “Key Elements of Practical Financial Literacy” (KEPFL) -  taken from its Practical Mortgage Navigation program.  The KEPFL program, implemented on March 3, 2009, is an innovative model based on the program “Pay It Forward”.   RDAC created this program for use in training staff and volunteers from various organizations and groups -- persons currently providing one-to-one service in Orange County – to offer the basic tools of financial literacy education so that they might “pay it forward” to their coworkers, customers and clients.

RDAC initiated the program with eight key partners and is proud to announce that it continues to expand partners of “Pay It Forward”.  RDAC has completed place-based training with Independent Living and the Office of the Aging.

For more information or to schedule placed-base trainings call RDAC at (845) 457-4622 ext. 10.

Orange County Rural Development Advisory Corporation (RDAC) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit housing and community development company that has been a partner in Orange County visions and ventures for development and services for more than a  quarter of a century.  Please visit  www.ocrdac.org .