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/

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