Michael Reiff

Michael Reiff:

What It Means to be Alive

By: Joseph W. Norman

For more from Bigger Impact co-founder, Joseph Norman, visit www.normanized.com. 

Enjoy the read about...Michael Reiff...below! Thanks for your readership!

Michael Reiff is currently a student at SUNY Geneseo studying English and Secondary Education. He is a gifted writer and journalist with a keen eye for a high quality film. These passions have moved him to his current role as the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Lamron, SUNY Geneseo's well respected school newspaper, a position he states fosters his creativity.

Michael is known for his relaxed demeanor, optimism, and leadership abilities. With a strong desire for productivity and a wide variety of interests, Michael is consistently trying to make the most out of his life. Although his influence on the world is just beginning, Michael carries a distinct sense of professionalism, candor, and finesse. He lives by a simple rule, “Be honest, be forward, and be a little vulnerable,” and he speaks with knowledge beyond his years, of what it means to be alive.

Michael grew up in Fredonia, New York, under the loving care of his parents. His father, a former SUNY Fredonia Art History professor and his mother, a librarian, helped Michael develop a passion for education and the arts. In fact, he declares that the best gift he has ever received is the way his parents raised him. “Without that, I would not be who I am,” he states. “There was so much positive energy in my household.” When asked about his influences, they were near the top of the list.

Other influence has come for Michael from a variety of personas; his older brother Nick, stories of his grandfather, and more recently, one of his favorite professors, Dr. Carlos Filice.

Nick is six years older than Michael and was a role model when Michael was going through the “harder years of high school.” He states of the experience, “I’m red haired, like comic books, and don’t do sports. I might as well have had a bull’s eye on me.” Reflecting on some of his experiences he said, “There were a lot of situations where I said, ‘What would Nick do?’” Nick currently lives in Chicago selling real estate, freelance writing, and traveling the world. Michael and Nick speak regularly and frequently take trips together, most recently to Baltimore, Maryland.

Nick and Mike enjoying some food

The story of Michael’s grandfather is one of inspiration to all, but especially Michael, as he has recently been researching the man more thoroughly for a school project. Henry Reiff was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899. At age fourteen he was pulled out of school by his parents to help the family get by, although he had a strong desire for an education. He read Shakespeare on the train to and from work and was miraculously allowed to attend a boy’s school for fifteen and sixteen year olds at age nineteen. His boss at the time not only encouraged him, but helped fund the education. Michael reflects, “The Reiff’s have a lot to thank for that one man.”

After boy’s school, Henry attended prep school, and then attended Harvard University. Reiff would later help draft the United Nations Charter before teaching for the rest of his life at St. Lawrence University. Michael tries to model that passion and not let obstacles bring him down or get in the way of what he wants to accomplish.

The most recent influence has been Dr. Carlos Filice, Chair of the Philosophy Department at SUNY Geneseo. Michael finds much inspiration by analyzing peoples’ demeanors and Filice’s is no exception. He is incredibly relaxing to talk to and work with because of his love of life and humanity. In addition, the professor’s positive attitude and smile add a few more elements to an already accessible individual. Approachability is something Michael puts much value in and models in his work with The Lamron and Team VIP. “You have to be approachable,” Michael says. “People need to be able to talk to you about their problems.”

To Michael, another essential attribute of a good leader is forgiveness, as he states, “You cannot hold a grudge against anybody.” Respect and cordialness are also high on Michael’s list as he states, “If you talk to somebody like they want to be talked to, they will help you out.” He believes in giving compliments and if there is a problem, mentioning it, but maybe letting it slide because it might be a one time thing. Also, he stresses dealing with people one on one because people will respect you for that and follow you. The last important leadership concept is to know your stuff. “That is huge,” Michael says. “You owe it to yourself and the people you are leading to know your stuff; it is your responsibility to do that.”

Things that irk Michael reflect his personality and way of living. One of the foremost is negativity. He has a unique character trait of absorbing everything which makes him very susceptible to the energy people let off. “Often people do not realize they are being negative,” he states. In turn, he stresses the importance of personal analysis. He believes it is essential to analyze who you are, what you are doing, and why. “When doing so, you will realize when you are negative and the effect it has on people.”

Another area of concern for Michael is some peoples’ inability to change when they know they have to. “You have to be humble enough to change course sometimes,” he states. He is also troubled by people that have the opportunity and ability to help someone or make a difference and they do not. “It is a decision one makes when the opportunity presents itself,” Michael states. This further attests to Michael’s belief in personal analysis.

Film is a source of much joy for Michael. He finds the medium to be a form of literature that will one day be more respected for what it can offer. It provides a combination of visual and literary art that cannot be found in just reading a book. Michael wants to use his life to create awareness about the study of film, hence his desire to become a Film Studies professor at a college. “There are films that are as good as a Dostoyevsky book,” he states. “I have not found many of them, but I have found a few that have inspired me to believe that this is really art.” This passion, tied in with Michael’s love of travel, may lead him overseas after graduation to teach at a Chinese University, something his brother had the opportunity to do a few years ago.

Michael in Amsterdam

There is less work in viewing a movie, which Michael says is unfortunate, because there is a sense of accomplishment involved with working for the story. He states, “That is why reading is so much fun, because when you look at a book you just read, it is rewarding.” Some favorite films include Children of Men, The Door in the Floor – a little known Jeff Bridges movie, Spike Lee’s 25^th Hour, and The Lives of Others – a German movie about society just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Literature by Bill Bryson, Alan Moore, and the late Kurt Vonnegut are all musts for Michael.

Food is pertinent to Michael, not only because it keeps him going, but because it keeps him cultured. He enjoys cooking and has recently been trying to perfect steak tacos and falafels from scratch. Mexican, Indian, and Thai food are on the top of his list, but he will never pass up a good American burger. He recommends the burger at Geneseo Family Restaurant, a $2.35 beauty with all the fixings. “One of the best I have ever had,” he states.

Now, it is important to discuss the little things that make up Michael. He likes to get about eight hours of sleep a night, but he also likes to stay up late because, he states, “Usually better things happen.” He loves to read magazines, Esquire being a personal favorite publication. Sorbets are a fixture atop his favorite dessert list. Although he is not a sports guy, he enjoys running, pushups, and sit-ups. He has also recently acquired a taste for watching football, especially the Buffalo Bills, after his family’s recent move to the “All America City.”

Michael’s definition of success is to do what you want to do. He says, “Figure out what you like to do and figure out how it can work for you by building a career around it.” Furthermore, he states, “It does not have to do with money or property, but rather to be able to wake up and say, I am doing what I like.” For Michael, if he was able to wake up and say, “I am going to go talk about movies,” that would be success. He reflects, “It is important to find a way to fit your interests into your daily life.” This approach will no doubt lead to a fulfilling life.

Much of Michael’s life is driven by his love for meeting new people. “I like meeting people period,” he states. “I think everybody has something special going on, and I learn new things from people all the time.”

Michael’s youthful vigor, candid leadership style, and positive attitude have laid the foundation for success. He whole heartedly believes in the quote, “Nothing without effort,” and uses that motivation to constantly be productive. “Always have a ‘Plan B’ for when things do not work out,” he states. “There should never be wasted time, because there is always something to think about or do.” It seems that Michael, through his efforts and beliefs, has proven that he has a good grip on what it means to be alive.

P.S. Fresh content at www.normanized.com. Check it out! <<<--- i="i">

Michael Reiff

SUNY Geneseo ‘08

English / Secondary Education

The Lamron: Arts & Entertainment Editor

Team VIP

E-mail: mcr6@geneseo.edu

The Lamron Website

The Lamron: Arts & Entertainment Page:

A Classic Michael Reiff Piece: Lou Bega

For more information on Henry Reiff (Mike's Grandfather):

Oral History Interview with Dr. Henry Reiff:

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/reiffh.htm

Papers by Dr. Henry Reiff:

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/reiff.htm

Profiles Authored:

Frank Kowsky

Mark Laurrie

Richard Finkelstein

Michelle Twitchell

Letter from the Editor

Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 12

Dear Valued Reader,

We would first like to say, "Welcome to the new VIP Profiles." This is the new format for what is already an exciting and informative newsletter. We would like to sincerely apologize for any difficulties we have had previously with the delivery of the VIP Profiles; i.e. sending errors, not getting the e-mail, and any other complication you, our valued readers, have experienced.

From this point on, we have strengthened our conviction that many of those previous issues can be put to rest thanks to our new service. Thank you for your patience and enjoy the new VIP Profiles!

Warmly,

Joseph W. Norman
SUNY Geneseo '08
Notable and Newsworthy



P.S. For your visual pleasure, view this e-mail as HTML. The option should appear just above the title line of the newsletter.

Remember, if you missed a week or two of the VIP Profiles, all past newsletters can be viewed at our blog: Notable and Newsworthy



The Life and Times of JWN

This week was one dedicated to catching up on my various endeavors, academic and extracurricular, at SUNY Geneseo. After traveling the better part of March, it is crunch time in terms of my academics.

I made up a few assignments and worked diligently on preparing for the month ahead which will be filled with many papers, exams, and other end of the semester activities.

Ben and I are both extremely excited about our new VIP Profiles format which we have worked hard to get operational. Thanks to the help of our technical support, in specific, my brother Jack Norman, we have successfully moved our e-Newsletter in the right direction. We hope you enjoy the new, aesthetically pleasing format.

This week I recommend Dr. Spencer Johnson's, Who Moved My Cheese? I had the opportunity to whip through this quick read on my way to the R.I.S.E. VII Conference at the University of Dayton last week. (My conference experience can be read about in Issue 11: "R.I.S.E. VII: A Collection"). Dr. Johnson's message is hailed and used by many of the world's greatest organizations. Enjoy!

Richard Finkelstein

Dr. Richard Finkelstein:

Using Variety to Stay Fresh

By: Michael Reiff & Joseph W. Norman

Dr. Richard Finkelstein is an intriguing persona whose activities and interests take him beyond the classroom, particularly at SUNY Geneseo where he is the Chairperson of the English Department. Growing up in Queens, New York, he says he “was always one of those kids who read a lot, and kind of lost himself in novels.” This pleasure has taken him far both personally and professionally. In fact, it developed a universal skill that has served him well in his diverse set of interests. A distinct combination of skill and vigor for a variety of pursuits keeps Dr. Finkelstein fresh.

Outside of the classroom, Finkelstein enjoys an interest and aptitude for working the economics side of Not for Profit organizations. He has volunteered for and served on a range of boards, including a private school and the Campus Auxiliary Services food board, which operates in Geneseo and occasionally sends Finkelstein far a field to do work. In fact, in the near future, CAS has Finkelstein, president of the CAS board, touring the food service operations of both Hamilton College and SUNY Cortland.

Finkelstein’s office is spacious, roomy, and impeccably precise. This is emblematic of his drive to achieve, which is further developed by listening to him discuss his past, his present, and even his day to day workings. Finkelstein began his college education at Williams College in Williamtown, Massachusetts where he initially studied biology. In fact, he even graduated with a near double major, but did not take his senior seminar for biology. Another fun fact, after graduation he attended medical school for a year until he realized it was not for him; working briefly after medical school gave him time to contemplate his academic future.

A view of one side of Dr. Finkelstein's office

It is interesting to consider that Finkelstein arrived at his current passion for Shakespeare almost by chance. He originally went to Williams College to study medicine, with aspirations of becoming a doctor. It was in fulfilling his literature requirements that he chanced upon Victorian literature, a course which sparked his interest in a subject which would later become his area of expertise. Later, Finkelstein passed on his medical career to fashion his graduate and doctorate work in Chicago, at one point under the tutelage of renowned Shakespearean scholar Dr. David Bevington.

At the University of Chicago Finkelstein obtained his Masters and Ph.D. in Renaissance Drama. This fine American institution is known for its prowess in this field. When reflecting on his decision to go to Chicago, Finkelstein stated that he enjoyed living in a city. His other choice, the University of Virginia, another place well known for its strength in his desired field, seemed “too much like Williams College,” he said. Not that he had anything against his experience at Williams, in fact he thoroughly enjoyed it, but he simply wanted to get back into a city.

Today, Finkelstein is someone who balances his paid and volunteer work with grace and dedication. He attributes some of his success at Geneseo to his ability to listen to colleagues and keep problems and arguments in perspective. One of his primary roles as Chairperson of the English Department, in his mind, is to “Listen closely to what colleagues priorities are, what their needs are, and make the individual priorities department priorities.” He has done quite well with that focus during his tenure. In fact, one of the desires of the staff was to increase the opportunity to teach film courses. He was successful in moving his staff towards creating a film minor for the department, in response to his colleagues’ desires.

Another shot of the office

Beyond his professional work, his personal interests range widely as well. Finkelstein is an avid opera fan, professes a love for the early works of Pedro Almodovar, and enjoys a range of talents in the kitchen (including a pride-inducing aptitude for making soufflés). In fact, he states, “I can whip up a really great soufflé in a very quick period of time.” His strong skill set in old style French Cooking leaves him a little arcane, so quips his wife, but still very effective. Elaborate homemade sauces are another staple on the Finkelstein family menu.

Finkelstein cites his success in part to his strong relationship with his wife, and when he mentions his biggest influences, she comes out on top. He reflects on her influence in respect to such qualities as “temperament, value, and style.” The latter point, style, refers to her way of looking at things and thinking them through. The couple has been happily married since 1980.

Dr. Finkelstein, a father of two, is able to stay involved in their lives even with his numerous responsibilities, sometimes still driving his daughter, 16, and their current exchange student, to school in the morning. Finkelstein’s son, 20 years of age, is a sophomore in college and enjoys writing film reviews.

While at home, Finkelstein also has a great love for gardening; as spring arrives he contemplates returning to the garden for another season of using his well-honed green-thumb. In respect to his other interests, Finkelstein loves to travel. When he was seventeen he traveled with friends to Europe, and since then this passion is nearly as unwavering as his love of Renaissance drama. Now that his children are growing up, he has more of an opportunity to visit some extravagant places with his wife and children.

Finkelstein does not follow sports, but avidly exercises: this constant drive towards physical self improvement seems to extend into his other realms of life as well. Finkelstein’s work moves him beyond the classroom and into a web of varied and worthy tasks and activities. He advocates a life of being open to the options that are available to everyone, and this is something that not only he has lived by, but is what he hopes everyone, especially the college students he interacts with, will remember as they live their own lives.

Joseph, Dr. Finkelstein, and Michael (Team VIP)

Dr. Richard Finkelstein
SUNY Geneseo
Professor of English
Department Chair
Welles 220
E-mail: finkelst@geneseo.edu


Brief Bio: http://english.geneseo.edu/?pg=facpages/finkelstein.html

Letter from the Editor

The Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 11, April 1, 2007


Dear Readers,

This week we provide you with a little variety in respect to the “Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles.” We are featuring a high powered College President from one of the nation’s highly reputable public schools. Also, we add a bit of diversity with a collection of “snip its” from the R.I.S.E. VII Conference held at the University of Dayton this past week. Both should be insightful and fun to read.

This week I had the pleasure of being able to attend the R.I.S.E. VII Conference at the University of Dayton. RISE stands for Redefining Investment Strategy Education. This conference is modeled after the World Economic Forum which takes place every year in Davos, Switzerland. As an active member in SUNY Geneseo’s new Student Managed Investment Fund (I lead an investment team), I had the opportunity to attend this increasingly popular event featuring some of the world’s top business and finance minds.

In an effort to get the most out of the conference, I recorded many of the workshops and what I learned will be featured in my part of this week’s VIP Profiles. I had the opportunity to meet some incredible people and learn much more about the investment world from their years of experience. It was truly an exciting experience. I left for the conference on Wednesday of last week and returned on Saturday evening.

On Tuesday, before the trip, I was able to listen to another exciting scholar, David Bevington. He is world renown for his work and analysis of William Shakespeare’s poetry and plays. In fact, he wrote the Shakespeare text which I am using in my Shakespeare class this semester. It was quite the week.

We hope you enjoy the slight variation to this week’s e-newsletter. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. Keep up the good work folks and talk to you soon.

Warmly,

Joseph Norman

SUNY Geneseo ’08

Notable and Newsworthy

R.I.S.E. VII: A Collection

R.I.S.E. VII: A Collection

By: Joseph W. Norman

Before one can delve into what exactly happened at this year’s R.I.S.E. conference, it is important to discuss how the Forum operates. According to the R.I.S.E. website, their mission is as follows: “R.I.S.E. is the first forum of its kind to bring leading students, faculty and investment professionals together in an interactive learning environment to discuss a range of pertinent issues facing investment professionals.” The line-up included over 1700 participants, represented by 218 different colleges and Universities. People from all fifty states and every inhabited continent were present.

The Forum operates in a manner which is unlike most investment media and publications. Its rules of engagement prohibit speeches, power point presentations, and hand outs. Instead, it is characterized by a friendly interaction between some of the industry’s most influential figures speaking directly with the conferences participants. The Forum was moderated this year by Chairman of the Investment Strategy Committee at Deutsche Asset Management, Dr. Robert Froehlich.

“He is the mutual fund industry’s most mediagenic strategist, regularly appearing on a variety of financial television programs.” Also, “Dr. Bob,” as he is generally called, is a prolific writer; “his weekly market commentary has gained him acclaim with the brokerage community as one of the most important strategists of our day.” In addition, Dr. Bob has authored three books on investing including a #1 best seller. Investment Megatrends and Where the Money Is: How to Spot Key Trends to Make Investment Profits are both highly touted by some of the financial world’s most insightful pundits.

Books by Dr. Bob Froehlich:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-2843106-4143310?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Bob%20Froehlich

Dr. Bob’s role in the Forum as Moderator put him on stage managing the featured speaker’s commentary, questions from the distinguished student panelists, and the audience. His genial character and smooth management style facilitated a lively discussion on four key subjects on Thursday, March 30, 2007: Economy, Markets, Corporate Governance, and Public Policy.

By observation, one can tap into the leadership abilities of Dr. Bob. His friendly demeanor, depth of knowledge in his subject area, and strong listening skills have no doubt propelled him to success in his field. These three attributes were modeled consistently throughout his management of the conference.

Dr. Bob Quotes:

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/robert_froehlich/

In the first section on “Economy,” four key players were available to the over 1,700 participants; Dr. James Glassman, Senior Policy Strategist of J.P. Morgan Chase, Dr. Jan Hatzius, Chief U.S. Economist of Goldman Sachs, Dr. Myron Scholes, Chairman of Platinum Grove Asset Management and 1997 Nobel Laureate in Economics, and Dr. John Silvia, Chief Economist of Wachovia Corporation.

All four members had positive commentary on Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke. In fact, when asked at the end of their session what they would advise Bernanke to do, they had no requests. Dr. Silvia stated, “You’re doing a good job,” and Dr. Hatzius said, “Keep it up.” In addition, Dr. Hatzius issued his stance on future Fed action stating that he sees a rate cut in the near future due to the slowing economy and the credit troubles in the lending space.

Dr. Scholes is the creator of the critically acclaimed Black-Scholes Model for valuing options in the form of calls and puts. All binomial option models have evolved from this original concept.

The next section was a lively one on the “Markets.” It featured speakers such as: Robert C. Doll, Vice Chairman, Global Chief Investment Officer Equity, of BlackRock, one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms, Knight Kiplinger, Editor in Chief of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Louis Navellier, Chairman and CEO of Navellier & Associates, and Liz Ann Sonders, Chair of Investment Strategy Council at Charles Schwab & Co. Sonders can often be seen on CNBC giving market commentary while Kiplinger’s personal finance insights are essential reads for future financial success.

Key insight from this session included Sonders’ warning that market volatility is the norm and should not be feared but she said that there are still plenty of reasons to view recession as a risk here.

Liz Ann Sonders

Liz Ann Sonders Profile:

http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/market_insight/schwab_experts/bios/liz_ann_sonders.html?cmsid=P-437160&lvl1=market_insight&lvl2=schwab_experts&refid=P-447964

Liz Ann Sonders Company Bio:

http://www.newyorkbusiness-risingstars.com/profile.php?pageNum_profile_detail=35&year=4

Kiplinger moved away from market commentary and issued his bread and butter personal finance guidance. He said, “Investors should develop good habits early.” One should invest at least ten percent of earnings every year, amass savings equal to six months of income, and seek diversity in investments by owning stocks, stock mutual funds, real estate (most easily through REITs or Real Estate Investment Trusts), cash and bonds. In a quip on owning bonds being only for “widows and orphans,” he stated, “Yes, widows and orphans and people who want to sleep at night.”

Navellier stated that foreign investments are attractive due in part to the weak dollar, while Doll predicted robust earnings growth stimulated by companies with exposure outside the United States.

Kiplinger Personal Finance Website:

http://www.kiplinger.com/

BlackRock Website:

http://www2.blackrock.com/global/home/index.htm

Navellier’s website featuring his free unique stock rating system (under Tools/Research):

http://www.navellier.com/

After a delicious lunch and a speech by Gary Stern, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, four key business players moved to the stage to speak about “Corporate Governance.” Peter H. Coors, Chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Company, Patrick Dorsey, Director of Stock Analysis at Morningstar, Ralph Alvarez, President and Chief Operating Officer of McDonald’s Corporation, and Paul S. Atkins, Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, gave their respective perspectives on the topic.

While deliberating the importance of sound corporate governance, Peter Coors emphasized integrity as the integral piece for success. Paul Atkins said that over ninety percent of businesses do a good job with managing their corporation; unfortunately, the few percent that do not are the most publicized.

In a candid moment near the tail end of the discussion the four featured speakers spoke about what it takes to do their respective jobs.

Patrick Dorsey:

“As a manager my team has grown from three to ninety in five years. There really is a trust your gut aspect to management, in terms of hiring and firing. If something smells wrong, walk away. You don’t need to hire that person. Also, never hire for a short term position. Think long term and trust your gut. I have made my biggest mistakes in those two respects.”

Morningstar website:

http://www.morningstar.com/

Paul S. Atkins:

“Stick to your principles. My biggest mistake as a Commissioner was I moved to approve Audit Standard #2. It was way too prescriptive and detailed. Basically, I succumbed to peer-pressure. I would advise to stick to your principles because nine times out of ten, they will be right.”

Paul S. Atkins

United States Securities and Exchange Commission Website:

http://www.sec.gov/

Paul S. Atkins bio:

http://www.sec.gov/about/commissioner/atkins.htm

Peter H. Coors:

“One of our five corporate values is integrity and we define that as the Golden Rule with a little twist. We say do unto others as you would like them to do unto you, or treat others as you would like them to treat you, even if they are jerks.”

One of his mistakes was in terms of marketing when he moved to make a negative commercial against one of his competitors. He reflects, “It was designed to poke fun, but it was a negative way to try to build our business by detracting from one of our competitors. To this day, I regret that I made that decision. It really was in conflict with my values, and things like this will happen, and you will always go through that and you will get over it, but you will remember it. It sticks with you.”

Molson Coors Brewery Website:

http://www.molsoncoors.com/index.html

Ralph Alvarez:

“Higher up in an organization there are no black or white decisions. One of the biggest mistakes I know of is lack of action, because you are waiting to have all information in before you act. Sometimes it is better to act on eighty percent of the information and weigh out the risk-reward of the situation. The rest involves trusting your gut. In turn, part of leadership is being able live with those decisions.”

McDonalds Corporation Website:

www.mcdonalds.com

Ralph Alvarez

Ralph Alvarez Bio:

http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/about/bios/ralph_alvarez0.html

It is important to note the leadership qualities these folks have discussed because they have indubitably led them to success. Mistakes happened and tough decisions had to be made, but they all persevered and have found themselves in the position of some of the United States most respected business people.

The final section of Thursday’s forum was one on “Public Policy.” It featured the likes of three movers and shakers from across the globe: Dr. Daniel Chiquiar, Research Manager of Banco de Mexico, L’Ubomir Jahnatek, CSc and Minister of the Economy for the Slovak Republic, and Gintaras Steponavicius, Deputy Speaker of Parliament for the Republic of Lithuania. They each spoke about the importance of public policy when it comes to growing an economy.

This was only day one of a multi-day event which delved even more into student education of the investment world. Friday featured break out sessions where students could interact even more with top professionals in multiple industries. Topics for these sessions included but were not limited to: Equity Analysis, Merger and Acquisitions and the Private Equity Life Cycle, Future of the Investment Management Profession, Portfolio Management: Growth and Value, Real Estate Investing, Equity Portfolio Management, Risk Management, Discounted Cash Flow Modeling, and many more.

Insight from the breakout sessions and book recommendations from the conference participants will be featured in a future article. Stay tuned!

Letter from the Editor

The Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 10, March 25, 2007


Greetings Readers,

We hope all is well with you and yours as the spring begins and nice weather starts to bring out more smiles in the North East. This week we have a bit of a VIP Profile grab bag, featuring a highly reputable Attorney of Law in the Rochester area, a Methodist Minister, and a town board trustee. The latter is written by one of our new Team VIP Staff Writers, Michael Reiff.

Currently, I have been traveling again. Today I trekked back home to Kirkwood, New York to visit my oldest brother Jack, a Software Engineer for L3 Communications. He lives in Orlando, Florida, but for a few weeks he is in Kirkwood training employees and preparing for a series of presentations to some of the company’s clients. It is always a pleasure to have a Norman brothers’ reunion. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it to Greenwich, Connecticut this weekend with him to visit our other brother Chris, a Unit Clerk for the New York Presbytery Hospital. None the less, we do well with staying in touch with each other.

This past week provided an opportunity for Ben and me to meet SUNY Chancellor, John Ryan. He shared some incredible stories about his career in the United States Navy and his rise to the position of Vice Admiral. It was truly a captivating talk about leadership styles and how he has been blessed to be surrounded by strong leaders. He recommended Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book on Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency, Team of Rivals. Interestingly, our featured attorney in this week’s issue had the same recommendation.

Our featured people of the week are a grab bag of interesting folks. Our first is Bill Pegg, Pastor of the Rush United Methodist Church and a man of great character. Michael Reiff, a new staff writer for Team VIP provided us his first work, Michelle Twitchell, Town Board Trustee for the Town of Fredonia, New York. In addition, we have Sharon Stiller, Partner and Attorney of Law for the highly reputable Rochester Law Firm, Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor & Wilson, LLP. All of these interesting individuals bring their own unique skills and definitions of success to this week’s issue.

Michelle Twitchell:

http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/michelle-twitchell.html

Sharon Stiller:

http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/sharon-stiller.html

Bill Pegg:

http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/bill-pegg.html


Enjoy and have a good week!


Warmly,


Joseph Norman

SUNY Geneseo ’08

Notable and Newsworthy



Notable: For those of you joining us for the first time this week. This is a link to our "Notable and Newsworthy Objectives:"

http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/02/vip-profiles-issue-1-january-21-2007.html


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Michelle Twichell

Michelle Twichell:

Positivism and Change

By: Michael Reiff

The first thing a stranger would notice about Michelle Twichell is her positive attitude. Twichell, who is a town board trustee in the village of Fredonia, NY, says that her success comes from, in part, her ability to “visualize a positive outcome.” She also believes that giving 100 percent at all times is crucial to achieving her goals. Considering that only a few years ago Twichell had little influence in the Fredonia community, it seems that visualizing positive goals has worked well for her in her meteoric rise to political heights in Fredonia.

Twichell says that she began her public work because of a yearning to do work that benefits people, helping people in the community live better lives. Twichell understands that everyone has their own needs, but has long been one to make connections in order to achieve goals. “You can’t run things on your own, you can’t run your own show,” Twichell remarks, noting that as being one of the ways democracy works in our country. The ability to address a problem through understanding of the issues, and understanding that not every problem has a solution, has helped Twichell work in the community, solving problems with public servants and citizens alike.

Twichell got her start in the public realm in Fredonia when she began a campaign to curb negative student activity in the village. Upset by student drunken disregard for personal and public property, Twichell and a friend got together 150 signatures and took them to town hall, made their opinions known, and soon University and village officials alike worked to curb the rash of destructive behavior.

During that initial campaign and those that have followed, Twichell has consistently felt that “You can’t always make decisions with your heart; you have to use your head and do what’s right, what the law says.” Twichell has used that mantra in many instances when the requests of the community, who she usually works the closest with, sometimes simply can’t be met in view of what the local law says. In those situations, Twichell sticks closely with her personal belief that even when it’s difficult, you have to stay with what the law says.

Twichell also feels that enjoying what you do is crucial in succeeding in life, and believes that her Irish heritage plays a role in her cheerful demeanor she has in and out of her work. Her immediate family has a direct link to that heritage: her mother came to America when she was just a year old, having been born in Ireland herself. The family moved from New York to Dunkirk where Twichell grew up, and now resides in the neighboring village of Fredonia.

The Catholic faith, then a staple in the Irish community, has played a role in her life as well. While Twichell says she isn’t an every-Sunday practicing Catholic, she says her faith in a higher power is another part of what drives her to success day in and day out. Twichell feels that there is a pattern to the events in life, something which she believes ties in with her religious faith as well. Twichell remembers that some members of her Irish family were very superstitious in their beliefs in life, and Twichell shares that to some extent, particularly when she talks about meeting her second husband, Dr. Mark Twichell, who she knew she would marry as soon as she saw him ice skating.

Forming a tender but productive relationship with her spouse is another aspect of her life she attributes to her success. Both Dr. Twichell and Michelle Twichell have helped each other in their personal successes. Mrs. Twichell helped her husband make his successful dental practice what it is today, and Mrs. Twichell says that she wouldn’t have undertaken public service without the support of her husband throughout the election process and beyond.

Come summer time, Mrs. Twichell can be found in her rose garden, which she plans to expand this year. Twichell is also a fervent music fan, and especially enjoys the Beatles catalog; she hopes to see the new Beatles Musical in Vegas before it ends its run. For more contemporary musical acts, Twichell has recently bought and highly recommends the new Beck album, The Information.

Recently, Twichell and her husband purchased the adjacent house and are now renting it out to SUNY Fredonia students; her green thumb can be found all around the premises of that house as well. They have worked on renovating the house to return it piece by piece to its original form, lovingly recreating what made the home distinctive over one hundred years ago.

Michelle A. Twichell

Board of Trustees

Village of Fredonia, NY

Phone: 716-679-4282

Village Hall Number: 716-679-2302

Village of Fredonia

http://village.fredonia.ny.us/