(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 19, 2011) Rehabilitation Technologies of Syracuse announced that Jeremiah Hall, CP, CTPO, BOCPO, has received certification in prosthetics and orthotics from Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC). Hall is a third generation practitioner, following the career path of his father and grandfather.

To receive BOCPO designation, practitioners must meet eligibility requirements in education, patient care, and experience, complete an exam series successfully, and attest to upholding the ethics and standards of the organization.

Hall has worked in the prosthetics and orthotics field for nearly 20 years and is an ABC-Certified Prosthetist and a Certified Prosthetic-Orthotic Technician. He earned his associate’s degree in specialized technology at the Median School of Allied Health, Pittsburgh.

Hall resides in Pennellville with his wife, Erika.

RehabTech’s patient care facility is located at 1101 Erie Blvd., East, Ste. 209, Syracuse.

(Liverpool, NY – Sept. 7, 2011) Gregory Cohen of Chittenango has been appointed president of EBS-RMSCO, a full-service employee benefits administration and consulting services company headquartered in Liverpool.

The appointment was announced by David Klein, chief executive officer of The Lifetime Healthcare Companies, the parent company of EBS-RMSCO. The appointment was effective July 1. In addition to its headquarters location, EBS-RMSCO has other New York offices located in Albany, Amherst and Fairport. A fifth office is located in Ravenswood, W.Va.

In his new role, Cohen is responsible for overall leadership, management and organization of operations for the company’s 325 employees, who provide innovative employee benefit and risk management solutions to more than 4,000 clients throughout the United States.

“More than 22 years of management experience in employee benefits give Greg a strong background in health care and business management, making him well-positioned to guide EBS-RMSCO’s future growth,” Klein said.

Cohen has served as senior vice president and vice president of EBS-RMSCO and its predecessor company, EBS Benefit Solutions, since 2001. During that time, he was the innovator and driving force behind the formation of the company’s third-party administration of self-funded health plans line of business.

Prior to joining the company, he spent 14 years with Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Syracuse, and a subsidiary company.

A seven-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Cohen earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia at Valdosta. He serves on the boards of Community General Foundation and Loretto Foundation, both in Syracuse.

Herkimer County Community College employees recognized for 30 years of service were (from left): Katherine Schwabach, Valerie Prescott, Catherine Marrotta, Margaret Schumacher, Sharon Gleasman-Howell, Paul Dusseault and Michael Oriolo.

(Herkimer, NY – Aug. 25, 2011) Twenty-two Herkimer County Community College employees were recently recognized for their many years of service to the College. Dr. Ann Marie Murray, president and Donald Snyder, chairman of the Board of Trustees presented the service awards.

Recipients of the award in appreciation for 30 years of service were: (photo attached)

Paul Dusseault, Professor of Business

Sharon Gleasman-Howell, Associate Professor, Physical Education

Catherine Marrotta, Associate Professor, Business

Michael Oriolo, Dean of Academic Affairs

Valerie Prescott, Librarian

Margaret Schumacher, Office Assistant II

Katherine Schwabach, Counselor/Transfer Services

Recognized for 20 years of service were:

Joy Edmunds, Staff Accountant

Pamela Mazzorana, Director of Child Care Center

Cheryl Netti, Assistant Controller

Debra Sutton, Associate Professor, Travel & Tourism

Recognized for 10 years of service were:

Erin Bailey-Smith, Office Assistant II

Susan Capron, Assistant Professor, Biology

James Charzuk, Technical Assistant, Radio-TV Audio-Visual Services

Brian Crandall, Systems Programmer/Analyst

Amy Dommer, Instructor, Physical Education

Douglas Flanagan, Instructor, Radio-TV Broadcasting

Jennifer Herzog, Assistant Professor, Biology

Larry Knapp, Groundskeeper

Mary Mullin, Librarian

Holly Pearsall, Office Assistant I

Stacie Shepardson, Staff Accountant

“We recognize and thank our long-time employees for their continued dedication and service to Herkimer County Community College and the students we serve,” said Dr. Murray.

(Cicero, NY – Aug. 18, 2011) The Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Inc. has promoted Dianne Stancato of Constantia to the position of Chief Operations Officer.

Stancato has served with the Girl Scouts since 2006 and was most recently the Senior Director of Product/Retail Sales and Customer Service. She brings more than 20 years of experience to the position, including Sales Manager for Leah & Co. in Charlotte, NC, Lending Officer for Blue Chip Federal Credit Union in Harrisburg, PA, and Branch Manager at the American/Meridian Bank in Alburtis, PA.

Join the fun and friendship of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Contact the Girl Scouts’ Cicero Service Center at (315) 698-9400, visit www.gsnypenn.org.

Pictured from top Andrews, Franco and Bushinger.

(Little Falls, NY – Aug. 2011) Day, Scarafile & Read, Inc. announces the addition of three staff members to their team of insurance professionals. Joining the firm are Theresa Franco, Teresa Andrews and Brett Bushinger.

Theresa Franco, insurance consultant/customer service representative, joined Day, Scarafile & Read Inc. in September 2010. Franco will be handling clients’ personal lines insurance needs out of the Marcy office. She possesses the New York State Property and Casualty insurance license and has six years of insurance and financial services experience. Previously she was with Met Life Auto and Home Insurance in Utica as a sales consultant and was a loan officer and insurance representative for CitiFinancial in New Hartford. A graduate of Mohawk Central Schools, Franco also studied communications at Herkimer County Community College and business at Tarrant College in Fort Worth, Texas.

Teresa Andrews, insurance consultant/customer representative, joined Day, Scarafile & Read Inc. in May 2011. Andrews will be servicing clients in the Marcy office. Licensed in New York State for Property and Casualty insurance, she has more than a decade of insurance experience, having served clients in independent insurance agencies prior to joining Met Life’s Property and Casualty Sales Division in 2001.  A graduate of Fulton Montgomery Community College, Andrews holds an associate’s degree in Business and Purchasing.

Brett Bushinger joined Day, Scarafile & Read Inc. in June 2011 as a personal lines account executive.  Licensed in New York State for personal lines insurance, Brett has more than eight years of insurance experience. Prior to joining Day, Scarafile & Read Inc., he was a personal lines account executive at Bailey, Haskell and LaLonde Insurance Agency located in New Hartford.  He also was employed at New York Central Mutual in Edmeston, New York, as an underwriter. Brett graduated from Sauquoit Valley High School and received his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from Siena College in Loudonville, New York.

Day, Scarafile & Read, Inc. offices are located in Rome, Marcy, Utica, Ilion and Little Falls.

(Cazenovia, NY – Aug. 2011) Hunt Real Estate Corporation announces the addition of Thomas Tait to their team at the Cazenovia office. Tait, a lifelong resident of Cazenovia, serves as a REALTOR and will cover Madison and Onondaga Counties.

Since graduating from Nazareth College in 1990, Tait has served in an array of leadership capacities including Village of Cazenovia Trustee, Chief of the Cazenovia Fire Department, President of the Madison County Fire Chiefs Association, Member of the Town of Cazenovia Planning Board, President of the Cazenovia Rotary Club, President of the Cazenovia Civic Club and Vice President of the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation.

Tait has also served on the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, The Executive Committee of Cazenovia Area Planning project and founded the Village of Cazenovia Tree Commission. He received the Greater Syracuse 40 Under 40 Award, Madison County Firefighter of the Year Award, Cazenovia Preservation Association’s Community Appreciation Award, Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award and Nazareth College’s Outstanding Alumnus Award.

Professionally Tait has served in a sales capacity for the past 21 years, the majority as a Certified Arborist with the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. “My detailed knowledge of Madison County and the eastern suburbs of Onondaga County provide me with an excellent background for the real estate profession. In addition, my solid understanding of building construction coupled with my lengthy career in the fields of landscape development and arboriculture allow me to provide my clients with a skill set that is vitally important in today’s real estate market” Tait said.

“My interest in the real estate profession dates back to the mid 1990’s. I have always admired the idea of providing a caring, informative and diligent approach to clients who are buying or selling a home and for me now is the perfect time to joint Hunt Real Estate. In my personal and professional life I strive for quality in everything that I do. Those that know me know that loyalty is paramount. I am committed to serve those looking to buy or sell a home with a tireless work ethic, strong knowledge of the market and strict adherence to our Code of Ethics.”

Thomas Tait can be reached by phone, 315.657.0473 or e-mail, ttait@twcny.rr.com.

(Jefferson County, NY – Aug. 5, 2011) Vanessa McKinney has been hired by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County as the Regional Coordinator for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) North Country Energy $mart Communities Program.

This program offers local, convenient, community-based access to NYSERDA’s energy-efficiency and research and development (R&D) programs.

McKinney will work to educate homeowners, community leaders, business owners, and the general public on the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable resources.

Additionally, she will help organizations and businesses build opportunities and create jobs by providing access to job training and recruitment opportunities for local business partners, and provide assistance to energy-related businesses and entrepreneurs through initiatives that increase awareness of local and NYSERDA business assistance services available to early-stage, clean-energy businesses.

(July 5, 2011) Joel Root, former Commercial Manager for Sims Metal Management, has been named vice president of Upstate Shredding – Ben Weitsman, headquartered in Owego, NY.

“We’re excited to have Joel join our company,” said Adam Weitsman, president of Upstate Shredding – Ben Weitsman. “With his strong background in the scrap industry, and his expertise in growing scrap networks, he will be a strong addition to our team.”

Root will join Upstate Shredding July 8. As vice president of the company, he will make decisions impacting eleven corporate facilities, including two mega-shredders. He will replace current vice president Steve Green, who is being promoted to the position of president of the company.

He began his scrap metal career in 1987 as a buyer for Wooster Iron + Metal in Wooster, Ohio. He moved to New Jersey in 1992 to work as a buyer in Jersey City for Prolerized Schiabo Neu (PSN). He continued with that company through all mergers, eventually rising to the position of Commercial Manager for Sims Metal Management, working out of Claremont Terminal in Jersey City and Fairless Iron Yard in Morrisville, Pa.

While with Sims, one of the largest scrap companies in the world, Root concentrated on the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York markets. He was charged with opening and developing feeder yards to support networks of shredders and export docks, and implemented a purchasing program with multiple auto auctions.

Root is active in the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, an international trade organization for recycling industries. He is currently president of the New York chapter and is past president of the New Jersey chapter. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Donna. They have two children and one grandson.

(Syracuse, NY - June 27, 2011) Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney today announced the appointment of Henry “Ted” Fox as director of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. He replaces retired director, Charles “Chuck” Doyle.

“Replacing Chuck Doyle is no easy task,” said Mahoney.  “Ted Fox is a well respected and highly skilled curator and I know he is the right choice to lead our world class zoo.”

“We are very fortunate to have a seamless transition and, at the same time, retain local expertise. We wish the Chuck the best in his retirement and look forward to a successful future with Ted,” said William Lansley, commissioner of parks.

Fox has worked at the zoo since 1991, serving most recently as curator, a position he has held for the past five years. A graduate of Cornell University, he has a bachelor’s degree in animal science.

Fox sits on the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) passerine Taxon Advisory Group (TAG). In this role, he collaborates with zoo experts across the country to examine the conservation needs of the entire taxa, and to develop recommendations for population management and conservation based upon the needs of the species and the facilities that house them.

“Ted Fox is respected throughout the AZA community for his knowledge and expertise,” said Janet Agostini, president of Friends of the Zoo. “The board of directors and I look forward to continuing to build on our partnership and successes at the zoo with Ted at the helm.”

Among his many achievements, Fox was instrumental in the development of the zoo’s Humboldt penguin exhibit, which opened in 2005. Though industry experts forecasted that it would take five years for the penguin pairs to become established and produce chicks, the first chicks hatched just one year after the exhibit opened. To date, 29 chicks have hatched in Syracuse, an accomplishment for which the zoo is nationally recognized. Fox regularly consults with zoological institutions around the country in preparation for new exhibit openings and about penguin management, especially as it pertains to breeding.

He was also instrumental in raising the first Andean condor chick to be used for conservation education in Venezuela by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in conjunction with Bioandina Foundation and Inparques, the Venezuelan National Park Service, through a program that funds various components of a conservation program, the goal of which is the establishment of a viable population of Andean condors in Venezuela. To date, the bird has met thousands of people and spread the word about the importance of protecting the species, which is threatened in the wild.

Doyle, a 33-year zoo employee, was initially hired as a park laborer by Syracuse City Parks. He worked his way up the ranks as a keeper, senior keeper and curator before becoming director in 2005. He is internationally known for his work with Asian elephants and has been honored with the President’s and Founder’s awards by the Elephant Managers Association, an international non-profit organization of professional elephant handlers, administrators, veterinarians, researchers and elephant enthusiasts dedicated to the welfare of the world’s elephants through improved conservation, husbandry, research, education and communication.

(June 14, 2011) Continuing its rapid growth and expansion, Upstate Shredding-Ben Weitsman has announced the hiring of Jay Simonis as Chief Operations Officer for all company facilities.

“Jay brings more than 20 years of experience in management and facilities oversight to our company,” said Adam Weitsman, president of Upstate Shredding and Ben Weitsman. “His background in facility and environmental health and safety management will be invaluable as we continue to grow.”

Upstate Shredding-Ben Weitsman, headquartered in Owego, NY is well on its way to reaching a goal of $1 billion in annual debt-free sales.

The position of Chief Operations Officer is a new addition to the company’s management structure. Simonis, who will be based in Owego, will be responsible for all nine Upstate Shredding-Ben Weitsman facilities. As Chief Operations Officer, he will coordinate and oversee operations at all of the company’s facilities. He will also develop and enforce the company’s procedures and policies throughout the entire organization.

Simonis brings more than 30 years of experience to the company. Before joining Upstate Shredding-Ben Weitsman, he was Director of Operations for Manley’s Mighty Marts, Binghamton, NY and also served as Vice President of Huron Real Estate Associates, Endicott, NY., a multi-million dollar company, where he was responsible distribution, security, facility maintenance and Powerhouse Operations company-wide.

He also was Chief Operating Officer of Eco International, an electronics recycler in Vestal, NY where he was responsible for the establishment of the company’s environmental management system and oversaw the company’s certification under ISO standards and the EPA-backed Responsible Recycling standards.