Sharon Stiller

Sharon Stiller:

Making a Difference

By: Joseph W. Norman

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

Enjoy the read about...Sharon Stiller...below! Thanks for your readership!

Sharon Stiller is a woman of tenacity and determination. As a partner and attorney of law for Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor & Wilson, she has desired to be in law since she was eight years old. Her intense passion for the field has led her to great success, working with a few different firms in the Rochester area. Born and raised in Irondequoit, New York, she loves the seasons and has no desire to leave Western New York. Currently, with the view she has from the twenty-fourth floor office in the Chase Building in downtown Rochester, one need not wonder why she wants to stay.

View of the Chase Building

Sharon is a motivated woman who has truly made her mark in the field of law. As aforementioned, she desired to be in the profession since she was eight years old. “I don’t know how I decided that,” she said, but she has not looked back since. Growing up watching Perry Mason on television, she was intrigued by the occupation. She jokes now about the differences between television law and real law, “On television everything gets done in an hour and clients always listen to their attorneys.” This is not the case in real life. Earlier in her career she was asked to speak about these ideas in a speech on “L.A. Law versus Real Law.”

Her childhood was spent inquiring to a distant relative in law, about the line of work. The two later became partners at a law firm together. Seeking her education in the field she studied at the University of Albany and expressed that one of her wow moments was graduating from the Law School there. She describes the experience as, “completing her dream.” This was only the beginning for this incredibly determined woman.

In the beginning she desired to get into criminal law, so she solicited a promise from each candidate running for the position of District Attorney for Monroe County. When the challenger won, he came through and gave her a position as his assistant. This was the beginning of many firsts for Sharon, as she was the first female assistant to the District Attorney in Monroe County, selected in January of 1976. She worked in the position for eight years until it was time to move on.

Sharon with Hillary Clinton

From there she shifted over to her longest tenure at Goldstein, Goldman, Kessler & Underberg in 1983, gaining experience in litigation. Working there for nearly twenty two years, she left in 2005 to join Jaeckle, Fleischmann & Mugel. It was only in January of this year, 2007, that she joined her probable final place of work, Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor & Wilson. It is this final position she describes her feeling as “extremely content.”

Reflecting on her role, she said that she thinks everybody ends up where they are supposed to be. In fact, she had the opportunity to join the firm early in her career, but passed it up. The world brought her back to where she feels she belongs though, at Boylan, Brown. “I think you kind of have your path and you go this way and that way, then you ultimately wind up being where you should be,” she stated.

The view from Boylan Brown

Throughout Sharon’s rise through the world of law, she raised a daughter as a single mother. Now nineteen, her daughter learned to be “flexible and accommodating,” Sharon said. It was difficult on both Sharon and her daughter because her schedule was always changing. “I did not know if I was going to make it to her games,” she reflected. This describes the “emergency nature” of the business and one that is not conducive to raising a child. Sharon pulled it off though, and now her daughter is pursuing her own hopes and dreams in college.

Besides practicing law, Sharon is unbelievably active within the community. She is active in the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Little Theatre, Mercy Outreach, Red Wings Baseball, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame, to name a few. Countless others span her list, and she takes leadership roles in many of them, including serving on the Boards for the National Women’s Hall of Fame, Red Wings Baseball, and the Little Theatre. She even carried the Olympic torch before when it came through Rochester.

Sharon with the olympic flame aloft

Other activities have included producing a theatrical performance of the Susan B. Anthony trial at the location of the actual historic trial in Canandaigua, New York. Her experience here taught her one of the lessons that has stuck with her the better part of her life. “Nothing is as critical as it seems,” she says.

With this performance it went down to the wire, but everything worked out. She needed a playwright; found Gary Lehmann, a wonderful writer who lived nearly next door. Then she needed a crew, which was covered through another connection, and finally, she had nearly everything produced, but she still did not have approval to use the house in Canandaigua. Ten days before the performance that came through and the show went great. She has tried to incorporate this attitude into her daily pursuits.

Sharon's office

Now, it is important to find out the little things that make Sharon who she is. Currently, she is taking up painting in her spare time. Sharon is the kind of person that has to allow herself to take on extra activities such as this one because her time is so limited. She also took up the sport of running, as a way to combat her lifelong bout with asthma. In fact, she has run and completed four marathons. The first she completed is another one of her wow moments. Sharon enjoys Krackle or Nestle Crunch bars and Peanut M & Ms; however, she does not eat them very much. She also says cheese would be her favorite food, but she does not allow herself to eat that either. Her discipline is unparalleled.

A table in Sharon's office

Besides these little things, Sharon also enjoys soccer and loves to read. Recently, she completed Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, Team of Rivals. In response to the message, she waxed eloquently about Abraham Lincoln’s leadership style and writing ability. She would enjoy meeting and talking to Lincoln about what he went through. Working to improve her vocabulary is a key part of her reading experiences and she finds great pleasure in it.

View from Sharon office

Sharon does not have many pet peeves, but a few things annoy her. The biggest of these is people who do not listen and pointless negativity. Also, individuals with pompous attitudes distress her. As aforementioned though, she tries not to let these types of little things affect her mood. Her energy and positivism breathe life into everyone she interacts with.

Boylan Brown conference room

Her definition of success is to be contented with her life. She thinks the standards that everybody uses are different, and she would never try to meet someone else’s standards. She states, “If I do what I require of myself, to me that is being successful.” In her own life, she has been fortunate to have a mentor, Marjorie, who has helped guide her through her professional and personal development. She puts much value into building relationships and seeking out mentors, as this has been essential in her successful pursuits.

As a motivated woman with many desires, it is fitting that a person Sharon would like to meet is Susan B. Anthony. It seems that the two share a similar passion for their trades and for making a difference in their respective communities. Sharon has motivated many with her many leadership roles and she has helped many with her skill in the practice of law. It is her ethical obligation to represent her client zealously within the bounds of the law and she does it with the highest form of professionalism and work ethic. She will no doubt continue to make a difference with her pursuits.

From left to right: Team Vip Member Mike Ansaldi, Joe, Sharon, Ben

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

Sharon Stiller

Partner

Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor & Wilson, LLC

2400 Chase Square

Rochester, New York 14604

585 232 5300 Ext. 226

Cell: 585 314 2498

Email: sstiller@boylanbrown.com

Company website:

http://www.boylanbrown.com

Sharon’s page:

http://www.boylanbrown.com/attorney_detail.php?ID=53

Article’s about Sharon:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4180/is_20050311/ai_n12946531

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4180/is_20070315/ai_n18718426

Article’s by Sharon:

http://mcba.org/news/press.asp?ItemID=172&pcid=83&cid=86&archive=yes

http://www.bizstrat.com/Article330.aspx

Letter from the Editor

Greetings Readers,

Happy day after St. Patricks Day!

This week we feature an e-newsletter that focuses primarily on the public education arena. We have a principal of a large Rochester area school district and the “Youngest Superintendent of Schools in New York State.” In addition, we have kept up on the entrepreneur front by featuring a local business owner with a special relation to one of us.

My Spring break was filled with much travel. Unfortunately, it was not the usual type of Spring break traveling. Rather it was a few trips back and forth between my hometown, Kirkwood, NY, (near Binghamton), to Geneseo for a meeting with the Town of Mount Morris Main Street Merchants, and our Business Ownership Training Course. They were both productive and enjoyable, but they took a toll on me.

While at home, I had the opportunity to do some substitute teaching on Monday, Thursday, and Friday in the Windsor Central School District, my alma mater. I was the utility player at one elementary school for a day while teachers had Special Education meetings, taught seventh grade Social Studies on Thursday, and served as a remedial reading teacher on my final day in action. When I have the chance, I enjoy getting into the classroom and facilitating some learning. It is quite rewarding, as you will read in the pieces on our two featured educators this week.

Also, as not the average college student, while at home I attended the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce mixer to meet some new folks. I would recommend taking opportunities such as this to make yourself more visible in the community (if that is your thing) and to network with your peers. Good relationships are essential to leading a fulfilling life.

This week we provide you with three interesting individuals. We bring you educators from our respective school districts; Beth Patton, Principal at Rush Henrietta High School, and Jason Andrews, Superintendent of the Windsor Central School District. Both are very devoted to their students, staff, and learning environments. As a bonus, the 3rd profile this week is Joe DeGeorge, Ben’s father. He is co-owner of St. Pauly Textiles, a unique used clothes company which provides developing countries with millions of pounds of clothing every year.

Beth Patton:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/beth-patton.html

Jason Andrews:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/jason-andrews.html

Joe DeGeorge:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/joseph-r-degeorge.html

We hope you all enjoy this week’s efforts. Keep reading, giving us your feedback, and spreading the word!

Warm Regards,


Joseph Norman
SUNY Geneseo ‘08
Notable and Newsworthy

Jason A. Andrews

Jason A. Andrews:

Work Ethic with a Slice of Humor

By: Joseph W. Norman

Thomas Jefferson once stated, “I find that the harder I work the more luck I seem to have.” This is a personal favorite quote of Jason A. Andrews and it gives an idea of the life he has lived to this point. His character and work ethic can best be represented by his current position as the youngest Superintendent of Schools in New York State. Amazingly, he attained this position in the Windsor Central School District by thirty years of age. This is a sign of the caliber of character Jason brings to his professional and personal life, both of which are very important to him.

Growing up on a farm in Harpursville, NY, he learned the importance of hard work. This has served him well throughout his professional life. As the youngest of six siblings, he also learned a great deal of humility and developed a distinct sense of humor. He finds this last quality critical to success in life. “It’s about enjoying what you do,” he says. In his own life, he has consistently modeled that principle.

Jason’s history in the field of education begins with his election to the Harpursville School Board at the tail end of his senior year in high school. Eventually, he became vice president of the board and then president, a tenure that lasted from 1993-2001. He resigned before taking a job as Principal in the Harpursville Middle School, a school that he helped turn around and the one that gave him his first administrative opportunity.

In terms of Jason’s education, he attended the State University of New York at Cortland because of its proximity to home. He would commute from school to the school board meetings his entire college career. The whole time he went to Cortland, he managed a Friendly’s restaurant and was a sales rep for Huff Ice Cream. He gained much experience for the work he does now, primarily in respect to customer service and sales. These experiences helped pave the way for him because they taught him how to work well with people.

After graduating Jason applied to a couple of school districts, but was initially content with the living he was making working his various other jobs. One particular school’s interview has stuck with him since the day it happened. First, he literally had his Huff Ice Cream shirt and tie on with a suit coat over it, but this was not the most memorable part of this experience. Rather, it was something he learned about dealing with people by the actions of the principal, who later became a superintendent, that was conducting the interview.

Much of what the interviewers talked about was how fortunate Jason was to be interviewed because of the large pool of 178 applicants. The big issue was because he grew up on a dairy farm and if this might prevent him from being able to relate to the kids in this city school district. It was an unnecessary stigma about his background that limited the interviewers from seeing his potential. In fact, the principal that interviewed him was disengaged the whole time, often looking out the window. Jason was asked to come back for a final interview offered to only two other candidates, but he declined. This was a big risk because he was only twenty one years old, but he “knew that he would not be successful there.” He said, “I go back to that story often.” To him it is not only about interviewing, but it is about dealing with parents, staff, and people in general. “It is the whole idea of being present,” he declared. In his own dealings, he really focuses on giving his whole self to who he is interacting with.

One section of Jason's Office in Windsor, NY

Eventually, Jason landed a job as a part time Social Studies teacher in the Windsor Central School District but only after he was persuaded to apply for the position. He kept working all of his other jobs, however, and his days were generally long and arduous, but enjoyable. During the day he would teach and then make his Huff sales run to the Wilkes-Barre - Hazelton area in Pennsylvania. After this he would fax his sales slips into the Sidney office at a Kinko’s on his way to manage the night shift at Friendly’s in Vestal, New York. This reflects his work ethic which has brought him much success so far in his life.

After a brief tenure as Principal of Harpursville Middle School, he took a position as the Principal of Windsor’s Middle School. This was a school that needed some change and fortunately, was ready for it. It was “extremely challenging, but very rewarding,” Andrews said. He had to discipline faculty in an effort to bring up student test scores. The results were evident as the Middle School’s student body moved from the bottom three in the region to the top two in test scores. His success at this level helped land him his current position in the school district. Although he was apprehensive about applying for the Superintendent spot, he was again inspired by some of his associates and he was rewarded with a slice of Thomas Jefferson's “luck.” His hard work had indeed paid off.

As Superintendent, Jason handles a $29 million budget and manages 213 Instructional and 183 Non-Instructional Staff. He administers district policies and procedures, collaborates with the Board of Education and Staff to develop Strategic Planning, and maintains relations and communication with the school community. The job he has done since landing the position in January of 2006 has been tremendous in respect to the adversity he has had to deal with. In his first summer, much of the area he resides in was flooded terribly. As a result, his schools suffered millions of dollars in damage. He has successfully negotiated with FEMA and SEMO to get funding for many of these losses. Furthermore, he has been able to get other building plans designed and approved quickly to boost the efficiency and aesthetics of the four school buildings in the district.

While taking care of many of these behind the scenes things, he can often be found visiting the various schools he operates. In fact, he makes an effort to visit them all at least once a week. With the geographic size of the district, this is quite a task. Often times he can be found as a “mystery reader” in the Elementary Schools or just checking in with administration and instructional staff. His sense of humor and personality instills trust and has created a more enjoyable place to work.

This positive influence reflects his leadership style. He is constantly thinking positive and one of his favorite tools to use is “self-deprecating humor.” He claims, “First of all, it is funny, but it is also good to build report with people. It loosens people up and makes them more trusting.” All of this lies in Jason’s fundamental belief that you should not take yourself too seriously. Reflecting on his style and this belief he stated, “People who take themselves too seriously will still be laughed at, but it is not with them, it is after they leave.” He quipped, “I’d rather not take myself seriously and come up with the joke, ‘Thank you very much.’”

Jason's desk, certificates, and awards

Besides his sense of humor, Jason also considers his strengths to be his work ethic, his honesty, and his ability to articulate his vision. Honesty and integrity are qualities that were instilled in him by his grandfather through the life lessons he taught Jason. Andrews remarked, his grandfather would always say, “His name is the most valuable asset he has.” Therefore, he would always steer clear of doing things that may tarnish it. Jason’s honesty is sometimes “a little too blunt,” he claims, but it is important for him to deliberate whether people are helping achieve the vision or are in the way. He says that he puts it in a way that is very clear for them so they know where he stands.

Jason claims that one of his weaknesses is his impatience. “I am more of a too little, too late guy than a too much, too fast one,” he claims. In this industry it is a challenge because of the inherent bureaucracy and people’s resistance to change. He is working on being more tolerant of these two key impediments though. Meanwhile, a pet peeve of Jason's is the attitude the public often takes towards jobs in the public sector. He says, "It can be annoying when people come in with the attitude that I work for them, rather than stating how I can help them." Other things that bother Jason are laziness and negativity. Unfortunately, these are both things that can be found in about any workplace.

In terms of Jason’s personal life, family is extremely important to him. His grandparents influence was significant and his friendship with his parents has also been a constant. He has a lovely wife and one young son who he spends as much time with as possible. In fact, one of the most difficult things for him is the guilt he carries knowing that he may not see his son at all some days. “I am gone before he wakes up, and he is asleep before I get home,” he reflected. In the office at six in the morning and home sometimes after eight at night “wears on him” emotionally. He has managed well though and is thankful for all the things he has been blessed with. On this thought, when at home, he says, “I try to only be at home.” It reflects on the principle of being present which he puts much value in.

Now, it is important to discuss the little things that make Jason who he is. His favorite movie is "Shawshank Redemption," he loves watching the Yankees, and he enjoys playing basketball, although he is not “athletically gifted by any stretch.” When asked about his favorite food, he joked, “Apparently, I am not very choosy,” while he rubbed his belly. He compared himself to Garfield then and claimed to be a big fan of lasagna. In terms of his favorite candy bar he laughed, “Again, not choosy,” but he does enjoy a nice Baby Ruth. Eight hours of sleep are essential for him to function properly and he is trying to exercise more because of how sedentary his job can be. He has two dogs and one cat which are technically not his, “but I somehow end up taking care of them,” he quipped.

He is also involved in countless organizations across the state and nation including; the American Association of School Administrators, New York State Council of School Superintendents, Broome – Tioga Association for Chief School Officers, the Windsor Lion’s Club, 4-H club, and countless others. School leadership activities have interested him throughout his career as well, including recent roles on the Executive Board for the National Association of Student Councils and a previous tenure on the Executive Board of the New York State Council on Leadership and Student Activities. Both were rewarding experiences he claimed.

He reads a great deal but not too many books. “They overwhelm him,” he says. In his role, technical journals and current events are the essentials so his reading primarily revolves around these things. He is not a big leisure reader so instead he delves mostly in things that deal with his professional life. Currently, he is enjoying Michael Gurian’s, Wonder of Boys; a book about the learning style of boys and how the current educational system does not always provide them with what they need.

Overall, Jason Andrews is in love with what he does. “If you’re not laughing and having a good time, then don’t be there,” he claims. This positive attitude and fun loving style has made Jason easy to work with and follow. His work ethic is one of an old farm boy with good values instilled by a loving, hard working family. This self proclaimed, “Handsome or svelte” man, is not only hilarious and fun to be around and work with, but a model of Thomas Jefferson’s quote in action. It seems that no matter what Jason decides to do with his future, he will find success because he will enjoy it and work hard at it. Right now, that is successfully managing the Windsor Central School District and making it a better place for students to grow and learn.

Joseph and Jason

Jason A. Andrews
Windsor Central School District
Superintendent of Schools
215 Main Street
Windsor, NY 13865
Phone: 607-655-8216
E-mail: jandrews@windsor-csd.org

Windsor CSD Website:
http://www.windsor-csd.org/

Windsor CSD Information:
http://www.windsor-csd.org/aboutus.shtml

Windsor CSD Missions and Beliefs:
http://www.windsor-csd.org/vmbg.shtml

Letter from the Editor

The Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 8, March 11, 2007

Greetings Readers,

First, a reminder that today we need to set our clocks forward an hour for daylight savings time. We hope all is well with you and yours and we hope you enjoy this week’s issue of the “Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles.” Featured this week are two exciting gentlemen; one is a veteran banker with over thirty seven years experience in the field and the other is an equally interesting professor, scientist, and entrepreneur. 

As aforementioned, we had an invigorating week because of the success of our first Team VIP meeting. On my front, the rest of my week included a nice snow day (only the third in the last fourteen years at SUNY Geneseo), a Shakespeare test, and a variety of meetings. Spring break is indeed here and it brings new life to the student body. Also, it gives overactive people like me time to catch up on their work. I am looking forward to some time in my hometown of Kirkwood, NY, to relax, read, and conduct some more VIP interviews.

My recommended reading for the week is going to shamelessly be the two essays we are featuring in this newsletter. The two men both of motivating stories of success and some timeless insight on the world we live in. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as we enjoyed sitting down and getting to know them.

Now that the suspense has been built, this week we feature Klaas W. de Waard, Branch Manager of the Community Bank in Mount Morris. He is a compassionate man, Holland native and successful branch manager who immigrated to America in his early twenties. The next is Harold C. Smith, Chief Science Officer of OyaGen Inc. and Molecular Biology professor at the University of Rochester. His insight on the topic of discovery is useful for people of all disciplines. Enjoy!

Klaas W. de Waard:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/klaas-w-de-waard.html

 

Harold C. Smith:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/harold-c-smith.html

We urge you to continue to share our newsletter with people whom you feel would benefit from our motivational stories. Have them contact us if they would like to receive our weekly stories. Also, remember that the people featured in our newsletter have opened themselves up to you, our readers. Feel free to contact them if you feel a relationship can be of mutual benefit or if you would just like to say you enjoyed reading about them in our newsletter. We are sure they would appreciate your response.

Enjoy your week and stay tuned!

Joseph Norman
Notable and Newsworthy
VIProfile@gmail.com

Klaas W. de Waard

Klaas W. de Waard:

Active, Honest, and Easygoing

By: Joseph W. Norman

Klaas de Waard, Branch Manager of the Community Bank in Mount Morris, has been in banking for thirty-eight years. What seems most compelling about this man is his history though. Born and raised in Holland, he had exposure to America on a student exchange through the American Field Service program. After the program, he decided this was where he wanted to live. At the age of twenty-four, he immigrated to America and this was only the beginning of a successful professional and personal life. He has been married thirty-eight years and resides in Avon, New York. At the age of sixty-two, he lives a very active life, spends much time with his wife and family, and constantly makes his presence known in the communities he lives or works in. To describe Klaas in a few words it would be genuine, honest, and at ease.

As a child in Holland, his father ran a family farm. Had his siblings or he taken over, it would have been the thirteenth generation of his family managing the farm. Although he did not take over the farm, he still loves farming and “if I really retire, I’ll probably help some local farmers out,” he said. At his bank now, he does many farm calls so he has continuous exposure to his roots.

After high school, Klaas traveled to America for the exchange program. He reflected, “My year as an exchange student was wonderful.” At that time, they did not travel by plane, but by boat. Therefore, he spent “ten days in a boat, with seven hundred exchange students, all seventeen or eighteen years old from Europe.” He said, “That was fun.” After returning to Europe, he studied Civil Engineering in Holland for a year, was drafted for two years, studied another two years, and then decided to immigrate to America. “My studying wasn’t the greatest in the world but my social life was great,” he quipped.

In America, he met his lovely wife who he has been married to for thirty-eight years. In fact, he got engaged to his wife on the Eiffel Tower, came over on a visitors VISA, two months later got married, and in another two months had his green card. Then, three years later he became a citizen. Some question whether he married his wife out of love, or just to stay in the country. “I think I proved that point,” he replied.

Reflecting on marriage he gave a few words of advice; “It’s not easy to stay married, because you don’t really know each-other when you get married.” He went on to describe the union wittily, “It’s like jumping into a pan with cold water.” Also, “It’s an adventure,” he said. “If you both go into it with an attitude that you want to make it work, it will work.” His wife and he had children when they were young, so one of the most difficult times in his marriage was when they finally left the house. “My wife and I looked at each other and said, ‘What do we do now?’” They spend much of their spare time together, going out to eat, seeing plays and performances, walking, and watching movies.

In respect to Klaas’s professional life, he started at Marine Midland / HSBC in 1969 shortly after he immigrated to America. With a background in civil engineering, banking just sort of happened by accident. There was a job open as an assistant manager at a branch for Marine Midland, so he said, “Okay, let’s try it.” From that point on he has worked in the industry.

Klaas's Office in Mount Morris

At HSBC, his role was primarily in branches and branch management. “I didn’t really like branch administration because you don’t really deal with customers much, you deal with bank people,” he said. “That gets real old, real quick.” This statement speaks of Klaas’s easy going persona. His motivation and work ethic are unquestionable, but even through his vigorous efforts he has a way of keeping people at ease.

He has an incredible focus on the customer, which is what serves him well as a branch manager. “Our real goal is to help our customers reach their financial goals.” He does this by getting to know them, being open to conversation, and building relationships with them. More often than not, one can find him out in the lobby chatting with customers and his staff making sure everybody is doing well. He insists that there are many ways banks can help people. “At this bank they told me when I started, ‘Don’t worry about your goals this year just get to know your customers.’” He enjoys his current role in Mount Morris and plans to be there for another five and a half years. “That will be enough banking for me,” he responded.

Some of his fondest memories include his year as an exchange student, college in Holland, and getting married. On the other hand, he reflects on the most challenging moments as being laid off in 1991 by Marine Midland. He had another job with them as a branch manager in a few weeks, but “that was stressful.” Another case was when he was forced to retire in 2002 from the company. “Losing a job is very stressful; you are never ready for that,” he reflected. “You should be prepared for it, always have a resume ready.” That is handy advice for the ever changing world we live in.

The little things that make Klaas who he is primarily involve his wife. When asked about what he does in his spare time his first response was, “the Honey-Do list.” In addition to the many activities they do together, Klaas enjoys staying active within the community. He teaches a few classes through the Junior Achievement Program put on by the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce. He is also active in the Avon Lion’s Club and he serves on a few non-profit boards including the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts. It his important for him to stay visible within the community in his line of work, so he takes joy in all of these activities.

Besides being involved in the community, Klaas loves to read. Growing up where he did in Holland he read constantly because there were many long, cold winter nights. In fact, he describes himself as a “garbage reader,” reading anything he can get his hands on. He finishes three to four books a week. Some of his current favorite authors are James Michener and John Grisham.

Other than reading he enjoys Sudoko puzzles, sleeping, white water rafting, and flying. In fact, he gets eight hours of rest a night and he wanted to be a pilot when he grew up. He has one cat and the first movie Klaas ever saw was The Lady and the Tramp in the early 1950s in Holland. He does not eat candy. His favorite food is pasta, because his wife, although not Italian, loves to cook it. However, when they go out, she prefers chicken while he is more apt to eat veal. He claims, “We know most every restaurant in the Rochester area.”

Some of Klaas’s pet peeves include dishonesty and micro-management. He said that he will hold a grudge against somebody if they lie to him. In respect to the latter, “If you pay me to do a certain job, let me do my job.” Both of these traits reflect how he runs his office. He treats his customers and staff with respect and compassion. They always have the freedom to do their job and his honest opinion when a situation arises. “You make mistakes,” he says. It is important to be forward about it, reflect on it, and move on.

Three people Klaas would like to meet are Bill Gates, whom he admires a great deal because of his down to earth persona and entrepreneurial spirit and John F. Kennedy, whom he actually met at the end of his exchange program at the White House. This was merely six months before Kennedy’s tragic death. Another, and the most unique, is the Greek philosopher, Demosthenes. As a youngster in Holland, Klaas read the philosopher’s works and developed a tremendous respect for him.

In retirement, Klaas plans to travel much with his wife. She currently works at the University of Rochester in Heart Research. They have two children; a son, 37, that works for British Petroleum, in Johannesburg, South Africa and a daughter who is a speech pathologist in the Rochester area. Spending more time with them will be a must after they finish working. Also, he would like to do some volunteer work on some farms and possibly work as a volunteer business management consultant. There is an organization in Rochester that does the latter which interests him; SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business.

Klaas defines success in a few ways. First, he stated, “If I sleep well, I feel good about myself. That is the big one.” Next, he reflected on his influence as a branch manager, “I started a loan for somebody who started a Mary Kay business and she sent me a thank you note. I had never had a thank you note before, that made me feel really good.” He continued, “If people come back to you and say it was really nice what you did, that makes me feel good. I think that is part of your success.”

In parting, Klaas has a few words of advice that he has learned throughout his career as a banker. First, “All change starts locally,” he says. “You can do something about ‘right here.’” In addition, he reflected on how people deal with their finances. If people look for banking he said they should check the competition too. One needs to “do more research on whatever he or she is doing.” It is important, he says, to “plan your finances and not just shoot from the hip.”

In terms of education he recommends to get more of it. “It is important to find out what you want to do and go after it,” he states. Finally, he urges you to “feel good about yourself.” There are many things to do in life. “Don’t let anybody tell you what to do, you do it,” he states.

These timeless words of advice come from a man who has modeled them in his own life. When asked about a personal mantra, he simply stated, “I just want to help the customers.” One can always expect a smile and a friendly atmosphere when he or she steps foot into Klaas’s Community Bank in Mount Morris.

Jess Francis (Team VIP Member), Klaas, Joseph

Klaas W. de Waard

Community Bank, N.A.

46 Main Street

Mount Morris, NY 14510-1194

Office: 585-658-2245

E-mail: klaas.dewaard@communitybankna.com

Personal: kdewaard@frontiernet.net

Letter from the Editor

The Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 7, March 4, 2007


Dear Valued Readers,

Welcome to Issue 7 of our weekly e-newsletter. This week we bring you two exciting people from the corporate world. Meanwhile, both of us have had eventful weeks for far different reasons. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the reading!

I write to you this week from my home in Kirkwood, NY. On Friday morning, I had my four wisdom teeth extracted leaving me looking like Eddie Murphy in his film, The Nutty Professor. If you are unfamiliar with the movie, “pumpkin face” will do just fine. Pictures may be available upon request. My writings this week will be short and sweet because I am currently under the influence of many-a-medication. I am generally not a medication kind of guy, but I have been finding the Ibuprofen, steroids, and Penicillin quite useful. Unfortunately, my face does not seem to be effected yet. The procedure went very well though, so I hope to be back in action in a couple of days. Until then, your thoughts would be appreciated.

Before Friday, it was an exhilerating week because of the aforementioned first class of the Business Ownership Training Course. It should be a rewarding experience. Also, on Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting in Rochester with a select few of my fellow finance club members to meet our Student Managed Investment Fund Advisory board. (Welcome to the e-newsletter folks). The conversations were stimulating and the insights were appreciated. For those of you unfamiliar with this type of fund, it is an investment fund of real money which is managed by student groups. As a team leader, I manage a group of students which works together to make investment decisions. This is the fund’s first year at SUNY Geneseo and we have seen a great response from donors, students, and faculty. More information can be found here: http://www.geneseo.edu/~finance/.

This week features two amazing store managers from two prestigious companies in our beloved Geneseo, one publicly owned and one privately owned. Both John Smith, Store Manager of Wal-Mart, and Rita Gibney, Store Manager of Wegmans, bring phenomenal people skills, sound leadership abilities, and compassion for their employees. Each company has been very successful in its own respect because of people like these two folks. Many people may be loyal to one store or the other, but it is important to keep in mind that these two remarkable managers are successful, motivated, and great at what they do. Each ensures that their employees and customers leave happy on a daily basis!

John Smith:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/john-smith.html


Rita Gibney:
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/2007/03/rita-gibney.html


Notable and Newsworthy Blog
http://notableandnewsworthy.blogspot.com/


Notable and Newsworthy Objectives

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


Thank you for your support. Please keep reading and spreading the word.

Joe

Rita Gibney

Rita Gibney:
A Family Affair

By: Joseph W. Norman


For more from Bigger Impact co-founder, Joseph Norman, visit www.normanized.com. 
Enjoy the read about...Rita Gibney...below! Thanks for your readership!

Rita Gibney may come across as shy at first, interviews may make her a little nervous, but when it comes to managing her Wegmans store in Geneseo, New York, she is right at home. As a motivated woman with a passion for retail and a gift for working with people, she has had the opportunity to spread her wings as part of the Wegmans Corporation. Over her twenty-one year career with the company she has worked in fourteen different stores and has learned a tremendous amount about herself in the process. She has been to Vermont, California, New Jersey, Maryland, and many other places for leadership training. Reflecting on the company she states, “They send you on field trips and they give you time to learn.” What seems to be most impressive about Rita’s career with Wegmans is the influence it has had on her family; they all work there. After her husband got out of his family business in Perry, New York, he began working for Wegmans. In addition, their three children currently work for the company. No wonder Rita feels right at home.

It did not all start at Wegmans for Rita though. She had a good childhood living out in the country, more specifically Alden, New York. At first, she thought she wanted to be a correctional officer. This led her to earning an Associates Degree in Correctional Administration. In this capacity, she enjoyed working with the people, but she was “very money driven.” In turn, she ended up in retail working for Montgomery Ward. With a passion for hard work, she moved up the ranks at Montgomery Ward and moved with them from Utica, New York down to New York City. In fact, when she was only eighteen her office was in the Empire State Building. After spending some time in management at Montgomery Ward, she began part time work with a company Tak Enterprises. It was here that she got her first exposure to the Wegmans culture. Selling product to Wegmans and a number other retailers, she expresses her first impression of the former; she was “so impressed with Wegmans at the time. I know it is cliché, but everyone seemed so happy.”

Inside Geneseo's Wegmans

After receiving a degree in Business Management from Utica College and meeting her husband, she moved to Perry, New York where her husband’s family had a business. At this time she began working part time for Wegmans, while co-owning Gibney Monument Works in Perry. Deciding to pursue her Wegmans career full time, she moved up the ranks quickly, but not quick enough. It was at this point that her drive put her on the fast track. She said to her manager one day, “I need you to understand where I want to go with this,” he responded, “Okay, let’s put you on an accelerated program.” From this point on she has had the opportunity to spread her wings with Wegmans. When one is motivated, things have a tendency to fall into place. Her husband helped take care of their children and she put her career into overdrive.

Now, she has been managing the Geneseo store for eight years and has created a unique environment. She oversees twenty-one managers and over three hundred employees. When answering the question about her job duties, she quipped, “putting out fires all the time.” She is responsible for each manager, and each manager is accountable for a specific unit. “I shouldn’t have to help them run their business. I am here to bring the big perspective together.” According to her employees, she does that with ease. During a corporate leadership workshop, Rita was told to send out an e-mail to her employees asking them what her best qualities were. The most frequent response was her compassion for her employees and customers.

In fact, Lydia Curtis, who has worked for Wegmans in Geneseo for over thirteen years says of Rita, “She has consideration for her employees. When I hurt my back they went out of their way to get me this chair.” In addition, Lydia reflected on when her son came down from Louisiana to surprise her, “I go ‘Johnnie!!’. Rita came over and asked if I would like to go home. My son said ‘that’s a family oriented manager.’” This positive attitude and genuine consideration for her staff has created an enjoyable store to work for and shop at.

Ben, Lydia Curtis, Joe

The family oriented ideals come both from the Wegmans tradition of keeping stores locally run, and Rita’s own personal principles. In regards to the former, Rita is autonomous with what she does at the Geneseo store. She explains, “Anything you see change here is because I want it to change.” This type of freedom makes each of the currently seventy-two Wegmans stores unique. In fact, one of her personal mantras, for better or for worse she quips, has become, “If you don’t ask, they can’t say ‘no.’” Aside from her own personal ambitions, Bob Wegman, founder of the stores, had a big influence on Rita. They developed a strong relationship over the years because he would visit the Geneseo store six to seven times a year. Since his death a few years ago, she reflected that nothing about the company has changed because everything is so localized. Bob’s family oriented influence is the kind that lasts through the ages.

Easter Setup

Now, back to Rita’s other passion, her family. Every second she is not at the store, she spends with her husband and children. She reflects that her two passions are her work and her family. The latter, unfortunately, stresses her out a little bit more because one of her pet peeves is procrastination. “I don’t get stressed at work. I get stressed at home. I have a hard time separating these things.” She says, “I don’t like procrastinators.” Children, of course, are often not the best listeners and have an uncanny ability for procrastination. Those same children are the source of some of her fondest memories though. When her children were born, she states, “To look up at my husband face and see the pride. It was huge.”

Besides her family and her work, many little things make Rita who she is. She has one dog, a Boxer / German shepherd mix, and her favorite candy bar is Hershey’s with Almonds. She loves comedies, including many classics by Will Farrell, and the recent film “Man of the Year” with Robin Williams. Action films, such as the Bourne Identity, are a must as well because one of her primary needs is speed. She has jet skis, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, and she just bought her dream car, a Pontiac Solstice Convertible. In fact, she has a model of the latter on her desk. All of these hobbies give her a chance to be out in the open air, which she loves.

Check-out lines

When she is not fulfilling her more up-tempo desires, she enjoys relaxing in front of the television and reading business books. Some of her favorites are various titles by Ken Blanchard, Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life, by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, and the F.I.S.H Story. Most of these books can be found on the book shelf in her office. Inspired by some of these books, another personal mantra of hers is, “Good people working towards a common goal can accomplish anything.” She has truly modeled this in her store.

Sub shop inside Wegmans

A few people Rita would like to meet are Joseph Segel, founder of QVC, not because she shops from the channel, but rather because she wonders, “How in the heck they can sell 10,000 skillet knives?” Another person of interest is Donald Trump, because of his tenacity and business smarts. Her final pick is the historical local woman, Susan B. Anthony. Rita served on the board of the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester, New York, and she finds the woman’s story awe-inspiring. One of the most difficult things Rita has found in business is overcoming being a woman. This has influenced her awe of Susan B. Anthony because “It is amazing to [her] that she was able to do what she did in that time period.”

When it comes to running her store in Geneseo, New York, Rita Gibney has the motivation, passion, and skills to do it well. Her love of people is best reflected by a principle she wishes everyone thought about a little bit more; “It would be nice if everyone treated others the way they want to be treated.” She said, “If the whole world looked at it that way we would not have some of the things we have going on in the world.” This mentality has given her a happy marriage, three loving children, and a fun, well run work place. She reflects, “I enjoy my job and family immensely,” and “I would do the same thing for the people of this store as I would my family.” It seems that for Rita Gibney, home and work have both become a family affair.

A motley crew: Joe, Rita, Ben

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

Rita Gibney

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

Store Manager, Geneseo

4276 Lakeville Road

Geneseo, NY 14454

E-mail: rita.gibney@wegmans.com