MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2016

www.sibiztrends.com
UPDATE ON THE JOB
See this months movers and shakers.
SIBOR to host annual PAGE 10
symposium in Brooklyn
The Global Real Estate Summit REAL ESTATE NEWS
and Expo in New York will be Experiential retail attracts millennials.
held for the first time in its 10-
year history outside of Staten Is- PAGE 8
land.
The annual symposium pre-
sented by the Staten Island Board SCORE
of Realtors will be co-hosted by Optimize your landing page for success.
the Brooklyn Real Estate Board
PAGE 6
Sept. 15, at the Dyker Beach Golf
Course in Brooklyn.
Relocating the summit to a new
venue across the Verrazano-Nar-
rows Bridge is a logical next step
SIBOR to continue Pack to School program
in its growth as a prominent busi-
ness event, said Sandy Krueger,
CEO of SIBOR.
Talking about global real es-
tate requires that we expand hori-
zons beyond our boundaries,
Krueger explained. We see this
initiative evolving into a citywide
program.
A variety of notable businesses
and organizations will partici-
pate at the summit, such as: Dou-
glas Elliman Real Estate; Hal-
stead Property; New York Wheel;
Sotheby's International Realty;
Toll Brothers; New York City Eco-
nomic Development Corp.; NYC
Department of City Planning; Special to Business Trends
NYU School of Professional Stud- From left, Realtors Kevin Swetsky and Mike Gentilesco work with Assistant Principal Anthony Casella in
ies Schack Institute of Real Es- distributing SIBOR Pack To School supplies in 2015 to students at PS 25/South Richmond High School,
tate; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; Pleasant Plains. For the full story, please see page 10.
Empire State Bank; HSBC Bank
USA; Lennar Urban; Turnberry
Associates; Triangle Equities;
Keller Williams Realty; CBRE,
and others.
The daylong event also will in-
Developing culture on the waterfront
clude the Global Real Estate Sum- By TIM RONALDSON planning and improvement projects are tak- tural programs.
mits 2016 media partners: Staten Business Trends ing place on every corner. Last month, the Design Trust for Public
Island Media Group (Staten Is- Now, with the recent announcement of a Space and Staten Island Arts announced the
land Advance/SILive.com), Star Staten Islands North Shore is undergoing new vision program, the North Shore will
rapid changes. Development is thriving, and also be seeing an infusion of integrated cul- please see CULTURE page 14
please see BRIEFS, page 2

Charitable Giving column

Naming a charity as your beneficiary
of your retirement plan.
PAGE 11
 2 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016

Monthly Update
marie@SIBOR.com. digital service capabilities avail-
BRIEFS MassMutual announces
able through MassMutual.
For more than 165 years,
Continued from page 1 MassMutual and its affiliated fi-
new affiliation nancial professionals have had a
MassMutual New York South long and rich heritage of helping
TEMPORARY PERSONNEL / STAFFING FOR YOUR: Network, and Brooklyn Home Re- recently announced that it is now families and businesses reach
porter, and participation from affiliated with Massachusetts Mu- their financial goals by operating
Custodial / Superintendant Needs such media companies as NY1 tual Life Insurance Company for the long-term benefit of its
Vacation Coverage News and The Real Deal. (MassMutual). MassMutual New policyowners afforded by being a
Handy Man Repairs The presenting sponsor of York South is located in Staten Is- mutually-owned company, said
SIBORs 10th annual Global Real land, and Brooklyn. John Vaccaro, a senior vice presi-
Interior / Exterior Maintenance Estate Summit is InterContinen- The affiliation follows an an- dent with MassMutual. As part
Emergency Staffing tal Capital Group. nouncement by MassMutual and of the MassMutual family, Mass-
The Sept. 15 conference will MetLife on July 5 that the acquisi- Mutual New York South will help
Truck with driver available (local) take place 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the tion by MassMutual of MetLifes even more people secure their fu-
Dyker Beach Golf Course, 1020 Premier Client Group has been tures and protect the ones they
86th St., Brooklyn. The event in- completed. love through strong portfolio of
cludes a day filled with informa- MassMutual New York South financial products and services
TTemp
emp shows
shows u
up
p at
at yyour
our b
business
usiness aatt the
the ttime
ime rrequired
equired tion and networking opportuni- was previously affiliated with for local businesses and resi-
One
One person
person oorr several
several ties for real estate professionals MetLife, under the name MetLife dents.
and entrepreneurs seeking to Premier Client Group, New York Managing Partner Bob Begun
work with foreign buyers. South. heads MassMutual New York
One
One call
call to
to P
Project-One
roject-One does
does it
it ffor
or y
you!
ou! For ticket information and pur- Under its new affiliation, Mass- South and brings 18 years of fi-
chases, or to learn more about the Mutual New York South firm will nancial services experience to the
C
Call
a l l Jean
J e a n ((718)
718) 7
761-8390
61-8390 2016 Global Real Estate Summit, continue to deliver the exception- practice. He is joined by 100 asso-
log onto SIBORglobal.com, or al service and personalized guid- ciates, including 70 financial pro-
contact Annmarie Izzo at SIBOR ance that clients rely on today
at (718) 928-3223 or email Ann- with the addition of expanded please see BRIEFS, page 12
4 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
MONDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Richmond Co.:
LaFontana Restaurant, 2879 Amboy
WEEKLY MEETINGS
Rd. 7 p.m. Call 718-420-1966.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. For info, call the SBDC at
718-982-2560.
TUESDAY
Greater New Dorp Networking
Group: 8 a.m. Perkins, 1409 Hylan
Blvd. For information, call Steve
Lombardo at 718-702-8623.
Richmond Business Connections:
Z One, 1821 Richmond Ave. 8 a.m.
For information, call Ronald P.
Cutrone at (347) 258-8131 or visit
http://rbcofsi.com.
SI Business Friends: 7:30 - 8:45
a.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South
Ave. For information, call Dr. Richard
Bove at 718-938-5978 or visit
www.sibfnetwork.com.
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Direct120.com, Ultimate Think
Tank: Lorenzos, 1100 South Ave. For
info, visit www.direct120.com.
Kiwanis Club of South Shore:
LaFontana, 2879 Amboy Rd. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-370-2770.
SCORE Business Counseling: S.I.
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment nec-
essary. No charge. For info, call 718-
727-1221.
Business Guild I of the S.I. Cham-
ber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 a.m. Mem-
bers and invited guests only. Call
Michael Anicito at 646-606-2111.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) Net-
work Alliance Chapter: Z-One
Lounge, 1821 Richmond Ave. 7 to
8:30 a.m. For info, call Timothy
Houston at 718-981-8600.
Rotary Club Staten Island: LiGre-
Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C.
78 Martin Avenue | Staten Island, NY, 10314
(718) 761-3333
Short Sales, Mortgage Modification,
Foreclosure Defense
cis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 12:30 to
1:30 p.m. Members and guests wel-
come. For info, call 718-370-3140.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: Chamber of
Commerce, 130 Bay St. 9 a.m. No
charge. Call 718-982-2560.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. Call the SBDC at 982-2560.
WEDNESDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Richmond County Referral Source:
Comfort Inn. 7:00 to 8:15 a.m. For
info, email jcmexp@aol.com
Staten Island Business Council:
Andrews Diner, 4160 Hylan Blvd. 7
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call 347-855-4488 or
send an e-mail to info@sibizcoun-
cil.com.
Bucks Business Network: Hamp-
ton Inn, 1120 South Ave. 7:45 a.m.
For info, call 718-351-2557 or visit
www.sibucks.com.
Kiwanis Club of Brighton: Jodys
Club Forest, 372 Forest Ave. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-348-0505.
Kiwanis Club of North Central:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. Call Len Bosso at 718-442-
7804.
SCORE Business Counseling:
Chamber of Commerce, 130 Bay St.
9 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment neces-
sary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.
E.L.I.T.E. (Executive, Leadership,
Interactive, Team, Effort) Net-
working Group: 1110 South Ave. 8
a.m. New members welcome. For
info, call 347-273-1375.
please see EVENTS, page 9
6 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
in our opinion
Sports betting dead ... for now
Court ruling just means the fight for legal sports betting will be delayed
Y
et another court struck down
hard against our neighbors
fight for legal sports betting
last month. This time, it was the Unit-
ed States Court of Appeals for the
Third Circuit, which ruled against
New Jerseys wishes to operate legal
sports betting in casinos and race-
tracks.
The court upheld the federal Profes-
sional and Amateur Sports Protection
Act, which prohibits all but four states
from operating or licensing sports bet-
ting. The court ruled 10-2 in favor of
upholding the law, striking perhaps
the last legal blow to New Jerseys
fight for legal sports betting ...
... At least for now.
While New Jersey doesnt have
Optimize your landing page for success
By BRIDGET WESTON POLLACK
No matter your industry, a well-designed
landing page can make or break your sales
funnel. It might be your homepage or the
first step in your sales funnel. Wherever it
is, your landing page exists to convince
your customer to take the next step.
A great landing page quells concerns
about your product or service, makes your
value stand out beyond the competitions
and asks customers to take action.
Its not an informational page; its a
place to start engaging with customers one
on one.
Luckily, it doesnt take a lot of web de-
sign know-how to put together an effective
landing page on your website.
Remember the following when compos-
ing your own landing page
Include important keywords
Using top keywords on your landing
many, if any, more legal options to le-
galize sports betting in its state, it has
the changing landscape of public opin-
ion on its side.
People in this country are becoming
OK with sports betting; its easier for
them to swallow now than it was, say
more than 24 years ago, when PASPA
was enacted. Seton Hall University
conducted a recent poll that found that
63 percent of people believe betting on
sports should be legal, with 68 percent
saying its legality should be decided
on the state level.
The fact is that there is a lot of
money at stake here, too. Nevada ac-
cepted $4.2 billion in sports wagers
last year. Thats a lot of money, but its
nothing compared to the estimated
page helps ensure that customers find your
small business for what youre known for.
This doesnt mean your widget shop
should use widget every other word. You
dont want to turn off your customers by
offering them a webpage that looks like
spam.
Intersperse your landing pages lan-
guage with keywords your customers can
identify with. If youre not sure what
theyre searching for, check Google Ad-
words Keyword Tool to look for long-tail
keywords that match your industry, prod-
uct or service.
Choose a clear call-to-action
Whether your customers are coming
from search, social media or another
source, remember to guide them like you
would a visitor to your store or office. Give
customers a clear call-to-action: the thing
they should do next. Should they sign up
$150 billion in wagers placed each year
with illegal bookmakers, who are ei-
ther affiliated with organized crime
rings or are stationed overseas.
New Jersey also has some powerful
allies on its side. Legislators in our
state of New York, California and
Pennsylvania are also trying to legal-
ize sports betting in their states.
All this foreshadows the next move
a lobbying effort at the federal level to
have the law changed. With the change
in government scheduled for Janu-
ary no matter who wins the race
its the perfect time to reach a captive
audience.
For the sake of New Yorks state in-
come, lets hope that captive audience
agrees with our take on the topic.
for a free trial?
Buy a subscription? Order a starter
pack? Schedule a consultation? Make that
next step for your customer crystal clear.
But be sure your call-to-action is clear
and singular.
A set of options for customers may con-
fuse them, distract them or deter them
from making a purchase.
By making their next step simple and
even foolproof, you have a greater chance
of convincing your customer to follow
through.
Dont forget images
Whatever youre selling, nows the time
to make sure it shines. Use large, clear pho-
tos of your work, and place them strategi-
cally throughout your landing page. If
youre selling a service rather than a prod-
uct, use professional photos of your team
or action shots of your staff on the job. See-
66 Willow Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-775-3154
JOE EISELE
Publisher
TIM RONALDSON
Executive Editor
STEVE COPPOLA
Director
RICHARD GRADO
Director
ROBERT CUTRONA
Director
LAWRENCE RAMPULLA
Director
JANET WARREN DUGO
Publisher Emeritus
DAN McDONOUGH, JR.
Chairman
Business Trends is mailed each month to the
business and community leaders of Staten
Island. To be added to the mailing list, e-
mail joe@sibiztrends.com. To submit a
news release, email news@sibiztrends.com.
For advertising info, call 718-775-3154 or
email joe@sibiztrends.com.
ing a smile can go a long way to build cus-
tomer confidence in your company.
If youre feeling stuck, you may want to
explore landing-page services, such as Un-
bounce, Leadpages, OptimizePress or
PageWiz. These services arent free, but
they come with easy-to-use templates and
optimization tools to make sure your land-
ing page works for you.
Still not sure if youve developed a clear
landing page for your business? Show it to
a SCORE mentor for feedback and practi-
cal tips.
Bridget Weston Pollack is the vice president
of marketing and communications at the
SCORE Association. In this role, Bridget is re-
sponsible for all branding, marketing, PR and
communication efforts. She focuses on imple-
menting marketing plans and strategies for the
organization to facilitate the growth of
SCOREs mentoring and trainings services.
8 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
Weddings
Sweet 16s
Anniversaries
Experiential retail attracts millennials
statenarts
Birthday Parties By James Prendamano
Much much more! A June 19 article in Womens
.................................. Wear Daily announced that
Steve White Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. LLC
6 Genesee Avenue reported an 81 percent decline in
Staten Island, NY 10308 profits, going from $19.8 million
Phone: 718.317.5025 to $3.8 million, marking a drop in
Cell: 917.446.4029 Staten Arts Photography sales for its third consecutive
Email: statenarts@aol.com www.statenartsphotography.com quarter.
Across the board the numbers
are down significantly and the
culprit, they say, is a decline square foot cost of Manhattan
in tourist traffic and an oil patch
disruption in Texas.
The article goes on to state,
losing Brazilian and Russian
tourists has negatively impacted
the store in cities such as Flori-
da.
$ # % " !" Foot traffic is a key component
to retail success, which is why re-
tailers located near tourist attrac-
tions or in destination based re-
tail facilities do well unless
$ ! %" ! those tourists dry up or the retail
facility fails to adjust to the
!! "# % "$ # & # # " changing needs of the consumer.
When that happens, all bets are
off.
Staten Island has always been
the home to the Staten Island
Ferry, one of New York Citys
most visited icons carrying
70,000-plus passengers daily. Stat-
en Island also has spectacular wa-
SCORE is the most recognized and utilized provider of
FREE Confidential Mentoring and Educational services to Americas small businesses.
Let SCORE help YOU!
BUILD GROW THRIVE
Call: 718-727-1221
Email: info@scoresi.org
Web: www.statenisland.SCORE.org
Staten Island SCORE New Headquarters
1855 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
Walk-Ins Welcome
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:00 am to Noon
Other Times By Appointment Only
terfront views, acres of parkland,
incredible restaurants and a pop-
ulation that boasts one of the
highest median family incomes
in all of New York City. Yet for
years, Staten Island has been
overlooked by some retailers who
preferred to be located in Manhat-
tan or the other more populated
boroughs. With real estate ex-
perts predicting that the per
Stapleton waterfront that con-
real estate will soon become pro-
hibitive, retailers are seeking new
ways to attract customers espe-
cially Millennials.
How best to attract Millennials
is the No. 1 question among retail-
ers. However there are opposing
opinions about the best way to tap
into the $14 trillion Millennials
will spend by year 2020.
Some believe online shopping
is the future of retail, but the
WWD article points out that
while online retail sales are up,
they are generated by new cus-
tomers who are spending less. At
the same time, a report released
by OpinionLabshows that Millen-
nials prefer the brick and mortar
experience to online shopping be-
cause they want to feel the mate-
rial, try on their purchases and
compare prices. They also enjoy
the socialization of shopping at
centers where a pre-shopping
brunch or post-shopping dinner
adds to the experience.
This tech savvy generation
documents nearly every aspect of
their lives through photographs
that are instantly uploaded to so-
cial media sites. Facebook, Twit-
ter, Instagram, Pinterest and
Snap Chat provide a viewer with
a virtual tour of a day in the life
of a Millennial. From a colorful
salad served in an eclectic restau-
rant on Smith Street in Brooklyn,
to an antique pillbox hat pur-
chased at a second hand store on
Bay Street in Staten Island, Mil-
lennials are attracted to experien-
tial retail that can be shared with
Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com
friends and family.
Staten Island is embracing the
concept of experiential retail, es-
pecially along the Bay Street cor-
ridor. A quick Google search will
turn up thousands of photos of
Flagship Brewery on Minthorne
posted on various social media
sites by Millennials. Places such
as Coffeed located in Urby the
900 unit mixed use project on the
tains a working farm will cer-
tainly be a favorite of Millennials
who are the target market for the
residences.
Millennials are the most likely
group to become part of the 30
percent projected population
growth along the Bay Street corri-
dor once the mayors rezoning is
adopted.
They will also make up a large
percentage of tourists and resi-
dents visiting the New York
Wheel and Empire Outlets once
they are open on the waterfront.
With this in mind, it makes sense
for retailers who are struggling
with the decision whether to open
a new location or expand their on-
line presence, to make their
brand part of the Staten Island
experience.
For retailers skeptical about re-
lying on tourist traffic alone to
bring them success, they should
consider the following facts: there
are 15 million people living with-
in a 45 minute drive of Staten Is-
land; 8 million people living in
New York City spend $78 billion
retail dollars annually; and Stat-
en Islanders generate $1.2 billion
in retail demand.
With numbers like these, retail-
ers seeking to attract Millennials
should be comfortable locating
their brand on Staten Island.
James Prendamano is a managing
director for Casandra Properties,
Inc., Staten Islands premier real es-
tate firm, specializing in all facets of
transactional real estate.

Monthly Update
EVENTS
Continued from page 4
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
THURSDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Staten Island:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345
or kiwanisclubofstatenisland.com.
Rotary Club of South Shore: Man-
sion Grand, 141 Mansion Ave. 12:15
p.m. For info, call 718-987-2061 or
visit southshorerotary.org.
Rotary Club Mid-Island: New Dako-
SEPTEMBER 2016 BUSINESS TRENDS 9
ta Diner, 921 Richmond Ave. 7:30 to Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
9:00 a.m. Call 718-981-0700.
SCORE Business Counseling: SI
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9 Community Emergency Response
a.m. to noon. No appointment nec- Team (CERT): 7 p.m. For info. and
essary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221. locations, call John Tidona at 448-
Rotary Club of North Shore: LiGre- 7160 or portrichcert@yahoo.com.
cis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 7 p.m.
For info, call Christine DeHart at
718-448-4725.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
FRIDAY
Achievers Chapter: PKs Restau- Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
rant,1281 Arthur Kill Rd. 7 to 8:30 Small Bus. Counseling
a.m. For info, call Timothy Houston MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
at 718-981-8600. Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Business Guild II of the S.I. Cham-
ber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 to 8:45
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call Lou Rizzo at 718-
SATURDAY
SCORE Business Counseling: St.
490-0057.
George Library, 5 Central Ave. 10
Business Guild III of the SI Cham- a.m. to noon. Appointment neces-
ber of Commerce: Hilton Garden sary. No charge. Call 718-442-8560.
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 8 a.m. New
SCORE Business Counseling: Rich-
members welcome. Call Nick Testa
mondtown Library, 200 Clarke Ave.
at 646-823-4494.
10 to 11:30 a.m. Call 718-668-0413.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
10 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
on the job
ELYSA GOLDMAN
Staten Island Economic
she spearheads the companys
program for the creation of pri-
Development Corp. vate and public partnerships
The Staten Island Economic bringing development to urban
Develop- areas throughout New York City.
ment Corp. Goldman had previously been
recently wel- employed by the New York City
comed Elysa Economic Development Corpora-
Goldman of tion for the Giuliani and Dinkins
Triangle Eq- administrations.
uities as a Her specific expertise is in suc-
Cabinet cessfully navigating Triangle
member. through the citys land use ap-
Triangle proval processes as well as adding
Equities was value through the clean-up of en-
Goldman established vironmentally challenged proper-
in 1986 by ties.
Lester Petracca and is a highly re- She holds a masters of science
garded professional, full-service, degree in real estate development
real estate development firm. Tri- from New York University.
angles portfolio includes sub-
stantial work in mixed-use, office, JOHN J. VENTO
retail, residential and hotel assets HD Vest
throughout New York City and John J. Vento, CPA, MBA, CFP,
state. based in Staten Island, was recog-
Goldman joined Triangle Equi- nized by HD Vest at its recent Pre-
ties in 1996 to manage the devel- mier Advisors Forum as one of
opment process. With more than HD Vests most successful advi-
25 years of experience in acquisi- sors. This is the ninth year in a
tion, development and leasing, row that Vento was honored with
this designation.
Headquartered in the greater
Dallas, Texas, area, HD Vest is a
leading independent broker-deal-
er focused on empowering holis-
tic financial advice that encom-
passes wealth management solu-
tions.
The Premier Advisors Forum
is an annual event that honors
HD Vests top 75 performing advi-
sors from across the country and
brings together the firms senior
executives and leading financial
industry educational partners.
As part of the Premier Advi-
sors Forum, which took place at
Four Seasons Resort Whistler,
Canada, from July 18-21, Vento
joined with other leading HD
Vest-affiliated advisors in educa-
tional meetings and networking
events, along with an awards cer-
emony and dinner.
Roger Ochs, president and CEO
of HD Vest, said, Every year I
look forward to our Premier Ad-
visors Forum and the opportuni-
please see JOB, page 11
SIBOR to continue its annual
Pack To School program
More than 500 students at PS
373 in New Brighton will be start-
ing the new school year with an
essential assortment of brand
new classroom supplies, courtesy
of the Staten Island Board of Re-
altors.
Now in its 14th year, SIBORs
Pack To School program has
provided thousands of backpacks
stocked with marble notebooks, a
ruler, crayons (24-count), wash-
able markers, pocket folders, glue
sticks, pencils and a pencil box to
Island school children.
We take pride in our borough
and enjoy helping some of the
youngest members of our com-
munity begin their new school
year on a high note, said Claire
Bisignano Chesnoff, president of
SIBOR.
This year, SIBORs goal is to
provide hundreds of backpacks
filled with student essentials, said
Linda F. Smith, SIBOR director of
membership and coordinator of
SIBORs Pack To School program.
The supplies represent dona-
tions and merchandise from the
Island's real estate professionals
and arrive at SIBOR's offices to be
apportioned into backpacks.
Putting the supplies into the
backpacks becomes a large effort
with participation by Realtors,
family members, students seek-
ing community-service hours,
and other volunteers, Smith said.
In addition to the supplies,
each child is presented with a
Best Wishes for a Successful
School Year note. In early Sep-
tember, Realtor volunteers from
across the Island will spend the
morning personally distributing
supply-filled backpacks to the stu-
dents. Anyone who would like to
make a donation can contact
Smith at (718) 928-3230.
Items may be dropped off at all
participating Realtor offices and
at SIBOR headquarters, 1535
Richmond Ave., Suite No.3, in the
Bulls Head/Graniteville commu-
nity.
 SEPTEMBER 2016 BUSINESS TRENDS 11

CHARITABLE GIVING: MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Naming a charity a beneficiary

of your retirement plan
By ERIKA HELLSTROM
The world is complicated, and
planning ahead with your fi-
nances isnt always so straightfor-
ward! Planned giving to charita-
ble organizations can seem com-
plicated. It usually involves an at-
torney and legal documents.
There is an easy way to make a
planned gift now that doesnt re-
quire an attorney or too much
pain.
Most of us have an IRA, 401k or
403b plan through our current or
former employers. The qualified
employee benefit plans accumu-
late tax free during your lifetime.
At death, they are subject to tax.
Any taxable beneficiary who re-
ceives a distribution from your
they are not subject to income
tax.
It doesnt have to be the whole
plan! You can designate a percent-
age to the charity, so that you can
ensure proper care of your loved
ones. Even designating 10 percent
can be a helpful planned gift for
the nonprofit as they plan for
their future with sustainable
sources of funding. Of course, if
your relationship ends with the
nonprofit or your priorities
change, you can easily change the
beneficiary designation at any
time.
Contact your 401k or 403b plan
(ex. Fidelity Investments) and
they will have you fill out a sim-
ple form and have you write your
be properly recognized and they
can make a note in their files.
Not sure who to give to? Con-
sider helping children and adults
with autism on Staten Island!
Name Eden II Programs as a frac-
tional beneficiary on your plan.
The tax ID is 13-2872916 and ad-
dress is 15 Beach St., Staten Is-
land, NY 10304. Eden II is cele-
brating its 40th anniversary this
year, and looks forward to the
next 40.
Erika Hellstrom is the chief devel-
opment officer at Eden II Programs
and executive director of the Eden II
& Genesis Foundation. Established in
1976, Eden II Programs serves more
than 500 individuals throughout the

retirement plan (as a result of the
death of the owner) must pay in-
Stories
S tories ttransform
ransform even
even
fractional beneficiary details New York City area as well as Nassau
with the exact percentage. You and Suffolk counties. The mission of

come tax on the entire amount re-
ceived. However, by naming your
favorite charity as a beneficiary, it
becomes tax exempt for them, as
will also need the organizations
full name and tax ID, and present
location. You should also notify
the organization so that you can
tthe
he ssimplest
implest fruit.
fruit.
Eden II is to support people with
autism throughout their lives to
achieve their full potential through
service, science and passion.

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JOB Award-winning DiFazio Indus-
Through
T hrough tthe power
he p off storytelling.
ower o storytelling.
tries has ex- ANTHONY RODINELLI
Continued from page 10 perience in a Staten Island Economic
wide variety Development Corp.
of construc- The Staten Island Economic
ty to meet with our most success- tion projects Development Corp. has welcomed
ful advisors and personally con- with clients Anthony Rodinelli of Direct En-
gratulate them. Their ongoing that include ergy as a new Cigi member.
commitment to their clients and public utili- Direct Energy Business is part
to their profession truly sets them ties, private of a leading energy and energy-
apart. industries related services provider that is
Their excellence in client serv- DiFazio and govern- focused on helping customers
ice is an inspiration for other ad- ment agen- make their businesses better.
visors in our firm and, indeed, cies. With more than 30 years of Through energy choice and a
throughout the financial indus- experience in construction, the suite of innovative products and
try. multi-disciplined team of profes- services, customers can buy less
sionals and skilled craftsman, electricity and natural gas and
JOHN DIFAZIO combined with proven project better manage the impact of ener-
Staten Island Economic
Story
Story Architects:
Architects: D
Drafting
rafting n
narratives
arratives tthat
hat p
propel
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organizations
rganizations fforward.
orward.
management techniques, is what gy on their operations.
Development Corp. makes DiFazio a cut above the Visit the website directenergy-
The Staten Island Economic rest. business.com to learn more about Smart businesses
Smart businesses connect
connect with
with their
their best
best prospects
prospects through
through stories.
stories.
Development Corp. recently Safety, efficiency and reliabili- how they can help your business Learn how
Learn how you
you can
can do
do the
the same
same at:
at: woden.me
woden.me
named John DiFazio of DiFazio ty are what customers can expect navigate the energy opportuni-
Industries as its Member of the along with a project that is com- ties in your area.
12 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
Monthly Update
BRIEFS
Continued from page 2
fessionals, all of whom specialize
in helping area residents, fami-
lies and businesses prepare for
the future, as well as business and
estate planning, retirement in-
come planning and special needs
planning.
At MassMutual New York
South, we strive to provide our
customers with the tools neces-
sary to help maximize their re-
sources, make smart financial de-
cisions and meet their financial
goals, Begun said. Our affilia-
tion with MassMutual positions
us strongly to continue this mis-
sion and also expands our ability
to serve the New York community
and the surrounding area
through our shared passion for
community service.
In fact, MassMutual and the
MassMutual Foundation are com-
mitted to strengthening the eco-
nomic vitality of local communi-
ties by providing financial educa-
tion programs such as its signa-
ture FutureSmart initiative that
seeks to reach 2 million middle
and high school students across
the country by 2020.
In addition, MassMutuals
LifeBridge program, a free term-
life insurance program for eligi-
ble families designed to help pro-
tect children's educational aspira-
tions (MassMutual pays the pre-
miums) is offered nationally, and
Community Service Award
grants are awarded to eligible
nonprofit organizations in recog-
nition of the exemplary local vol-
unteer efforts of affiliated finan-
cial professionals.
Soroptimist to hold next
meeting Sept. 14
Soroptimist International of
Staten Island will host its next
meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at
6:30 p.m. at LiGrecis Staaten. The
cost for dinner is $35.
The guest speaker will be
Nancy Sayegh Rooney, a lung
nurse navigator, who will speak
about lung cancer screening for
women.
Regrets only to Carol Lundrig-
an at (917) 442-0358 or CarolLun-
drigan@aol.com.
South Shore Rotary
donates $100k
The South Shore Rotary Club
at a recent meeting announced
that more than $100,000 has been
gifted during the last year to local
organizations.
Members work hard as volun-
teers to create and implement
special events that raise funds,
said William Barillari, Esq., im-
mediate past president, during a
current ceremony presenting
funding to Staten Island groups.
As a result of our members com-
mitment to pooling their talent,
resources and time to develop
successful fundraising experi-
ences, we are proud to present
more than $100,000 to assist our
community.
The South Shore Rotary is
comprised of business and pro-
fessional men and women who
share the mission to provide serv-
ice to others, promote integrity,
and advance community and
world understanding, goodwill,
and peace with 1.2 million Rotary
members worldwide.
Genesis Golf Outing
to be held Sept. 26
The 17th Annual Genesis Golf
Outing, supporting Long Island
Programs and services for indi-
viduals with Autism, will be held
on Sept. 26 at the Fresh Meadow
Country Club.
The Eden II & Genesis Founda-
tion is sponsoring the event, and
board member Christina
Thivierge of Thivierge & Roth-
berg, P.C., will be honored during
the outing.
At the event, there will be an
Ultimate Golf Getaway Super
Raffle for a trip to the Scottsdale
Championship in Arizona. The
drawing will be held on Monday,
Sept. 26. Raffle tickets are $100
each, and winners do not need to
be present to win.
To purchase tickets, go to
www.eden2.org/GolfRaffle or con-
tact a development associate at
(516) 937-1397 ext. 531.
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14 BUSINESS TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2016
Culture on the North Shore waterfront
CULTURE
Continued from page 1
launch of a multi-year project,
Future Culture: Connecting
Staten Islands Waterfront, that
will bring five visionary urban-
ists together to work with local
artists, community members,
area developers and city agencies
to ensure the North Shore has in-
tegrated cultural programs.
The Design Trust for Public
Space and its fellows plan to ex-
amine how art and cultural activ-
ities can enrich public- and pri-
vately-controlled open space on
the North Shore.
We will test design and pro-
gramming recommendations
through public art pilots. Quar-
terly newsletters will apprise the
St. George, Tompkinsville and
Stapleton communities and poli-
cy makers with the findings and
elicit their input. These efforts
will result in a plan that will in-
form long-term strategies for
neighborhood revitalization, sus-
tainability and equitable econom-
ic development, ensuring the so-
cial, ethnic and economic diversi-
ty of the community for years to
come, officials said in a release.
The five Design Trust fellows
who will work on the project are:
Lisa Dahl, a participatory art
fellow and a Staten Island artist
who won the Community Artist
Award for the Historic Tappen
Park Community Partnerships
Illuminate Stapleton initiative,
and completed a public art com-
mission at the Staten Island Ferry
Terminal. She will organize a
multi-faceted community engage-
ment process to encompass a di-
verse and broad spectrum of per-
spectives on the Staten Island cul-
ture, including the activities of
the local maritime and creative
industries, the festivals and prac-
tices of the North Shores many
different ethnic groups, and the
projects of cultural institutions.
Ben Margolis, a policy fellow,
who has more than 20 years of ex-
perience working on economic
development projects in the pub-
lic, private and nonprofit sectors,
among them the New York City
Economic Development Corp.
and The Brookings Institution.
He will identify key opportunities
for the local cultural community
by analyzing the political context
and market conditions of the
North Shore. His findings will
guide the creation of a series of
policy recommendations.
Margie Ruddick, an urban de-
sign fellow and a Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Award winner,
who led the Queens Plazas ac-
claimed renovation. She will de-
velop design and site recommen-
dations for effectively facilitating
and integrating public art and
cultural activities into the built
environment. She will analyze
the physical context, ecology, nat-
ural systems and transportation
infrastructure of the North
Shore.
John Schettino, a graphic de-
sign fellow and the creator of the
The New York Penn Station Atlas,
a personal wayfinding tool for
Americas busiest transit hub. He
will build an identity for the nat-
urally occurring cultural dis-
trict along the North Shore, and
ideas for better wayfinding to im-
prove the pedestrian experience
and help mitigate the impact of
the millions of additional visitors
expected to visit Staten Island.
Gareth Smit, a photo urban-
ism fellow and a visual storyteller
whose photographs are regularly
featured in The New York Times.
He will bring an established body
of work on Staten Island. He will
document the rich cultural com-
munity and changing urban land-
scape of Staten Island's North
Shore through photography.
The project has the participa-
tion and support of the city Eco-
nomic Development Corp. and de-
velopers such as BFC Partners,
Ironstate, New York Wheel and
Triangle Equities, officials said.
Staten Islands waterfront in-
cluding St. George, Tomp-
kinsville and Stapleton neighbor-
hoods a Naturally Occurring
Cultural District is home to
hundreds of artists and arts or-
ganizations, officials said in a re-
lease. The area hosts multiple
private development projects and
related New York City govern-
ment initiatives, such as the Bay
Street Corridor Plan. This diverse
community faces challenges in
planning for cohesive, quality
public space during a rapid trans-
formation.
The project will initiate a com-
mon understanding and shared
purpose among the arts commu-
nity, private developers and busi-
ness owners, and public agencies
about the character of the public
realm on the waterfront. Artists
will be able to access and use new
spaces, including key public- and
privately-owned sites and store-
fronts, for the production and
presentation of their work. Devel-
opers will have the tools to help
them plan, operate and sustain
cultural activities to enliven and
connect their properties to the
areas neighborhoods, officials
said. City agencies will have a cul-
tural plan to complement the Bay
Street Corridor rezoning in 2017-
18, the citywide cultural plan and
other agency initiatives.
For more information, visit de-
signtrust.org/projects/future-cul-
ture.