Letter from the Editor

Notable and Newsworthy: VIP Profiles, Issue 12

Dear Valued Reader,

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

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

Warmly,

Joseph W. Norman
SUNY Geneseo '08
Notable and Newsworthy



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

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



The Life and Times of JWN

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

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

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

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

Richard Finkelstein

Dr. Richard Finkelstein:

Using Variety to Stay Fresh

By: Michael Reiff & Joseph W. Norman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another shot of the office

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Letter from the Editor

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


Dear Readers,

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

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

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

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

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

Warmly,

Joseph Norman

SUNY Geneseo ’08

Notable and Newsworthy

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

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

By: Joseph W. Norman

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

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

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

Books by Dr. Bob Froehlich:

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

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

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

Dr. Bob Quotes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liz Ann Sonders

Liz Ann Sonders Profile:

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

Liz Ann Sonders Company Bio:

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

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

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

Kiplinger Personal Finance Website:

http://www.kiplinger.com/

BlackRock Website:

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

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

http://www.navellier.com/

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

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

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

Patrick Dorsey:

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

Morningstar website:

http://www.morningstar.com/

Paul S. Atkins:

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

Paul S. Atkins

United States Securities and Exchange Commission Website:

http://www.sec.gov/

Paul S. Atkins bio:

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

Peter H. Coors:

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

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

Molson Coors Brewery Website:

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

Ralph Alvarez:

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

McDonalds Corporation Website:

www.mcdonalds.com

Ralph Alvarez

Ralph Alvarez Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

Letter from the Editor

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


Greetings Readers,

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

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

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

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

Michelle Twitchell:

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

Sharon Stiller:

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

Bill Pegg:

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


Enjoy and have a good week!


Warmly,


Joseph Norman

SUNY Geneseo ’08

Notable and Newsworthy



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

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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

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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