(Latham, N.Y.) Sunmark Federal Credit Union has announced that Alissa Sykes has been promoted to Vice President of Lending from Assistant Vice President of Lending. 

In this position, Sykes’ responsibilities include oversight of all aspects of lending for Sunmark which includes mortgage, home equity, consumer and business lending, loan servicing, and collections.

Sykes has been with Sunmark for almost ten years and previously served as Director of Mortgage Lending.

In 2012, Sunmark Federal Credit Union was one of six credit unions from across the U.S. to be recognized for Excellence in Lending in the Mortgage category (more than $250 million in assets) by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in large part due to the efforts of the mortgage team under Sykes’ leadership. 

Sykes founded the Albany-based Credit Union Real Estate Network (CUREN).  She serves on the advisory board to PHH Mortgage and Arch Mortgage Insurance and has been a member of the Rensselaer County Housing Resources (RCHR) board for more than ten years, serving in various leadership positions.

Sykes is an active member of ACUMA (American Credit Union Mortgage Association) and is a sought-after speaker at regional and national conferences on topics that range from helping credit union mortgage professionals achieve success in building purchase business to fostering realtor relationships.

Sykes has a degree from Hudson Valley Community College.  She and her husband live in Averill Park with their two sons. 

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About Sunmark Federal Credit Union:

Since 1937, Sunmark Federal Credit Union ($430 million in assets; 48,000+ members) has been helping members in the greater Capital Region community improve their financial position by offering a full range of mortgages, insurance products, retirement accounts and of course, savings and checking.

Sunmark is committed to the financial health and well-being of each member by offering tools that educate and inform and products and services that make it easier to reach financial goals such as planning a budget, saving for a home, repairing  credit or getting out of debt.

For more information, call 518-382-0605 or visit www.sunmarkfcu.org.

 

(Latham, N.Y.) Sunmark Federal Credit Union has announced that Carole Wands has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Technology from Director of Sales and Marketing.

In this position, Wands is responsible for planning, development and implementation of Sunmark’s marketing strategies, marketing communications, the sales incentive program and technology, and will play an integral role in aligning those areas with Sunmark’s strategic direction. 

Previously, Wands had worked at the Capital Region’s leading financial institutions, including KeyBank, First Niagara and SEFCU.

Wands is a volunteer in the community and served on the Board of Directors of The  Chamber of Schenectady County for three years.  She earned her Bachelor of Science, Management from Russell Sage in Troy, N.Y.

Wands and her husband, Darryl, live in Waterford.

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About Sunmark Federal Credit Union:

Since 1937, Sunmark Federal Credit Union ($430 million in assets; 48,000+ members) has been helping members in the greater Capital Region community improve their financial position by offering a full range of mortgages, insurance products, retirement accounts and of course, savings and checking.

Sunmark is committed to the financial health and well-being of each member by offering tools that educate and inform and products and services that make it easier to reach financial goals such as planning a budget, saving for a home, repairing  credit or getting out of debt.

For more information, call 518-382-0605 or visit www.sunmarkfcu.org.

Festivities to Include Grand Opening Party

TROY>> Slidin’ Dirty, a new restaurant in Downtown Troy will celebrate its Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting at 9 First Street this Friday, January 30th at 4:30pm as part of the Troy Night Out festivities.

Slidin’ Dirty, originally a food truck, gained quick popularity when it began operation in 2012. Owners Tim and Brooke Taney started looking for a permanent home almost immediately as their gourmet slider concept attracted national attention.

“We quickly outgrew our truck” Tim said “and we knew that Troy was the right place for us to open our first brick and mortar. We had a wonderful experience working with the team at Sequence Development in designing a restaurant that is unique and really fits our aesthetic.”

The ribbon cutting for Slidin’ Dirty will take place at 4:30 p.m. and include Mayor Lou Rosamillia and County Executive Kathleen Jimino, as well as the restaurant owners and property owner, including Sequence Development President Jeffrey Buell.

Slidin’ Dirty is part of a $2.5 million revitalization of properties on First Street in Downtown Troy by Sequence Development. The total project includes 9 apartments, three retail spaces, and three commercial office spaces.

“We have been so excited to see this block of Downtown Troy really come to life with Slidn’ Dirty’s opening” Sequence owner Jeffrey Buell said. “We are thrilled to have partnered with Tim and Brooke, and look forward to years of success.”

As part of the celebration, Slidin’ Dirty will be holding a Grand Opening Party from 6pm to 9pm with merchandise give always, free food and drink samples and live music. The public is invited to attend.

LATHAM>> Sunmark Federal Credit Union has announced that Antoinette (Toni) LeBron has been promoted to Vice President of Member Relations from Director of Member Solution Center (MSC).

LeBron’s new responsibilities include oversight of all ten Sunmark branches and the Member Solution Center.

LeBron has been an employee of Sunmark Federal Credit Union for the past eight years. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Fleet Bank of New York and as an Executive Account Manager for the New York State Credit Union League.

LeBron received her degree from Herkimer Community College. She is originally from Glens Falls and currently resides in Watervliet.

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About Sunmark Federal Credit Union:

Since 1937, Sunmark Federal Credit Union ($430 million in assets; 48,000+ members) has been helping members in the greater Capital Region community improve their financial position by offering a full range of mortgages, insurance products, retirement accounts and of course, savings and checking.

Sunmark is committed to the financial health and well-being of each member by offering tools that educate and inform and products and services that make it easier to reach financial goals such as planning a budget, saving for a home, repairing  credit or getting out of debt.

For more information, call 518-382-0605 or visit www.sunmarkfcu.org.org.

Saratoga Springs>> Sustainable Saratoga has been awarded $5,000 by the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust in support of its Bring Your Own Bag (BYOBag) project. The Charitable Trust supports causes affecting the lives and culture of the Saratoga Springs community.

The grant money will be used to buy and print attractive, lightweight, reusable canvas shopping bags. The bag will include recognition for the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust.  Plans for distribution of the bags are in development.

“We are grateful to the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust for recognizing and supporting our project,” said BYOBag spokesperson Margie Shepard. “Plastic breaks down into tiny pieces that can last for a thousand years. The toxins work their way into our food chain and threaten human health. Taking this step toward the elimination of single-use plastic bags would make a significant dent in the amount of plastic released daily into our environment.”

For the past two years, BYOBag has worked to educate the Saratoga Springs community about the harmful impact of plastic on the environment and human health. The project encourages the use of reusable cloth shopping bags and elimination of single-use, thin plastic film shopping bags.

Hundreds of U.S. towns and cities have enacted restrictions to decrease the use of disposable plastic bags, and BYOBag wants to add Saratoga Springs to the growing list. Billions of disposable bags are used and thrown out annually in the U.S. It is estimated that Saratoga Springs residents use 10 million plastic bags each year. By substituting reusable bags for disposable plastic bags, people can make a profound impact on our local environment.

About Bring Your Own Bag Saratoga

Bring Your Own Bag Saratoga is an initiative to change retailer and consumer dependence on single-use, thin film plastic shopping bags in Saratoga Springs. BYOBag is a project of Sustainable Saratoga, a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources in Saratoga through education, advocacy and action. To learn more about BYOBag Saratoga or to help support the cause, please visit sustainablesaratoga.org and click on the BYOBag logo.

About Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust

The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust was established to benefit nonprofit scientific, medical, educational, cultural, religious, and charitable organizations by funding projects and programs in memory of the Trust's founder, Alfred Z. Solomon. Mr. Solomon, a leader in the fashion industry, a horse racing enthusiast, and a philanthropist in Gansevoort, NY, and New York City, died Sept. 4, 2004, at the age of 104, and founded this Trust in his Last Will and Testament.

RIDERSHIP CONTINUES ITS CLIMB TO RECORD HEIGHTS

Authority on Pace to Set New Mark For Second Consecutive Year

ALBANY>> The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) ridership continues to increase despite decreasing gas prices the Board of Directors announced at their monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon. System ridership for the final month of 2014 totaled 1.43 million boardings, which is 4% higher than the previous December.

“CDTA continues to see increases in ridership even as we are seeing lower prices at the pump.” said David M. Stackrow CDTA Board Chairman. “Our customers see the value and convenience we provide and are opting to stay on board.”

December 2014 ridership pushed CDTA’s fiscal year-to-date total to nearly 13 million boardings. With just three months left in the current fiscal year, CDTA expects ridership to surpass last year’s record of 16.5 million boardings. This will be the fifth consecutive year where ridership has exceeded the prior year.

Stackrow said, “These numbers come as no accident. We have focused on making the system easier to use and to provide better connections. We attribute our run of success to hard work, an effective route network and providing outstanding service to our community.”

The latest round of service changes took effect on Sunday, January 25 and included a series of frequency upgrades on some of our largest routes in response to the demand for more service. The service enhancements increase capacity and make service more convenient for customers across CDTA’s four county service area. 

Stackrow added, “We have a full agenda for 2015 and have only scratched the surface of the innovative solutions we can provide the region. The things we do matter. There is excitement around CDTA and people want to be part of what is happening.”

In Other News:

·         The rollout of real time information, introduced in late 2014 continues to be very popular. Since it went live at the end of October we have had nearly 1.5 million real time hits, which is a usage rate of more than 16,000 per day. Real time information is available on our free mobile application, through our website and via our customer service center.

·         CDTA responsibly disposes of equipment, vehicles and parts that have surpassed their useful life in the best way possible, through recycling, donation and sale through eBay auction. A total of $60,884 was returned to the operating budget as proceeds from the disposal of surplus materials in 2014.

The CDTA Board of Directors meets on the last Wednesday of every month at the Rensselaer Rail Station. Board meetings are open to the public and streamed live at www.cdta.org

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ABOUT CDTA: The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was created in 1970 by the New York State Legislature as a public benefit corporation to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, providing local, express, commuter and bus rapid transit services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations. Today, nearly 650 people work to deliver a transit system that transports nearly 60,000 customers each weekday.

Market Enhancements to Save Consumers over $400 Million Annually

Rensselaer>> Completion of the New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) new $38 million primary power control center came as the company celebrated its 15th year of operations. The new control center serves as a firm foundation for the NYISO’s continuing efforts to enhance reliability, maximize the efficiency of wholesale markets and plan the power system of the future.

“From the first days of the electric grid in the late 19th century to the state-of-the-art, 21st century smart grid technology we employ today, New York continues to pioneer the electric system of the future,” said NYISO President and CEO Stephen G. Whitley. “As we continuously strive to improve, the new control center stands as a testament to the NYISO’s commitment to provide sound stewardship of New York’s power grid and wholesale electricity markets for many years to come.”

The new control center was immediately pressed into service in January 2014 when extremely cold weather produced challenges to electric system conditions across large parts of the nation. Following several days of frigid temperatures, New York state set a new winter record peak demand for electricity of 25,738 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday, January 7. The previous record winter peak demand of 25,541 MW was set on December 20, 2004.

The NYISO successfully addressed the challenges and maintained system reliability thanks to the capabilities of the new control center, excellent regional cooperation and coordination, operator expertise and effective market signals that provided incentives for the strong performance of New York’s generation owners, electric utilities and demand response partners.

Opening the control center was just one of the NYISO’s several key accomplishments and highlights in 2014.

Potential Project of the Year Draws Record Number of Visitors

Among the many accolades the new control center has received, it was named one of two finalists in the Smart Grid category of POWERGRID International magazine’s Projects of the Year awards. Winners will be announced February 2, 2015, during the Electric Light & Power and POWERGRID International Awards Dinner.

With the attention generated by the new control center, tours of the state-of-the-art facility have brought more individuals to the NYISO in 2014 than the previous three years combined. A total of 1,548 people toured the facility last year. In September, the NYISO hosted nearly 200 visitors in one week. From 2011 to 2013, 984 visitors came to the NYISO.

In addition to the completion of the control center, there were a number of other significant accomplishments in 2014.

Generation Investments Enhance Reliability

Market developments in 2014 demonstrated that the new capacity zone in southeastern New York is playing a significant role in bolstering system reliability through needed investment in power generation. Those investments are expected to provide $400 million in capacity cost reductions, starting in 2015.

In November, the NYISO announced that more than 1,900 MW of power resources that were not included in the data used to prepare the 2014 Reliability Needs Assessment (RNA) will be added in southeastern New York and elsewhere. Based on these additions, the NYISO withdrew its request to market participants, stakeholders and regulators seeking market-based and regulated solutions to the needs identified in the RNA.

The additional resources include the 495-MW Danskammer Generating Station in Newburgh, New York, and the restoration to full capability of the 557-MW Bowline Generating Facility in Haverstraw, New York. The owners of both units have stated that the decision to invest in refurbishment and return the plants to service was in response to market signals resulting from the creation of the new capacity zone in the lower Hudson Valley.

Several other projects also announced plans to return to service, including the 185-MW Astoria 20 Power Plant in Queens and the 435-MW Dunkirk Generating Station in western New York. In addition, the 348-MW Selkirk Cogeneration Project withdrew its retirement notice and will remain in service.

In addition to reliability benefits, the additional power resources are expected to reduce costs associated with bringing power to regions with limited electric power capacity. At a joint technical conference conducted by the New York Public Service Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November, NYISO testimony estimated that capacity costs in New York state will decline by approximately $400 million in 2015 over costs that had been projected without the new investment in additional power resources.

Strengthening Efficient Markets

As part of its continuing work with neighboring regions to optimize resources and improve energy transaction scheduling, the NYISO and the PJM Interconnection streamlined the flow of electricity across their mutual borders to reduce energy production costs. After extensive planning and testing the two grid operators activated a new Coordinated Transaction Scheduling (CTS) system in November. CTS improves the scheduling of wholesale electricity sales between the New York and PJM control areas where they border in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This enables market participants to access the least-cost source of power within the two regions and helps lower the combined energy production cost of the two systems.

By coordinating energy flow schedules, CTS will provide benefits to consumers in New York and the 13 states served by PJM. Estimates, including one from the market monitor for the NYISO, found that CTS potentially could reduce production costs between $9 million and $26 million annually.

The NYISO also improved its commitment and dispatch capabilities with the addition of Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) optimization for its day-ahead and real-time energy markets and expanded the virtual trading capability within the day-ahead market. The MIP capability will allow the NYISO to pursue important future energy market improvements such as efficiently committing and dispatching energy storage resources. Separately, the expanded virtual trading capability has been in use since the summer and has improved day-ahead market liquidity.

Looking Deeper into the Grid

To inform energy industry stakeholders, regulators and policymakers, the NYISO issued a report assessing the state of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) technologies and their prospects for growth in the coming years.

Prepared by international energy advisory and testing organization DNV GL (formerly DNV KEMA), the report, A Review of Distributed Energy Resources, evaluates the outlook for several key DER technologies. The study also highlights market drivers and regulatory and environmental policies governing such systems and shows how other utility regions manage such resources.

The study underscores the NYISO’s commitment to work with state government leaders and the electric utility industry to improve the resiliency of the electric system as well as to help customers to be more engaged in energy markets by efficiently integrating DER with the centralized power grid. 

“Distributed Energy Resources represent a new frontier for the NYISO,” said NYISO President and CEO Stephen Whitley. “We are now looking deeper into the system, at the so-called behind-the-meter arena, to understand the role distributed energy resources can play in further improving the efficiency of wholesale markets. We see distributed resources at the nexus of the bulk power and local distribution systems as well as the nexus of retail and wholesale markets.”

Chequed.com expands into Canadian market as Mindfield integrates its tools for candidate assessment, interviewing and reference checking 

Saratoga Springs, New York and Vancouver, BC Canada – Chequed.com, the leading provider of cloud-based Predictive Talent Selection™ technology, and Mindfield, Canada’s only dedicated recruitment solutions company for hourly workforces, today announced a partnership that will enable Mindfield to enhance its candidate recruitment and hiring services for corporate clients by integrating Chequed.com’s breakthrough technology into its own innovative platform.

Delivered by Mindfield and powered by Chequed.com, the new capabilities will allow Mindfield to further augment its system of candidate assessment, interviewing and online reference checking to support the needs of its clients, which include many of Canada’s top retail brands, as well as firms in the grocery, restaurant, warehouse, automotive and hotel industries. For Chequed.com, the partnership represents an important geographic expansion into Canada, as well as its first large-scale partnership with a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firm. 

The collaboration brings together two HR technology companies that share a commitment to utilizing predictive data to help corporate partners recruit, screen and hire the best candidates. Each firm’s mantra – Mindfield’s “Connecting Like-minds” and Chequed.com’s “No Bad Hires” – reflects a goal of matching a candidate’s job skills and culture fit with a prospective employer, helping companies to build the right workforce to drive critical business outcomes.

“We are thrilled to launch this exciting partnership with Mindfield, which represents a perfect storm of two companies with a 21^st century approach to HR technology coming together to transform candidate recruitment and hiring,” said Greg Moran, President and CEO of Chequed.com. “The true beneficiaries are the corporate clients of Mindfield, who will save time and money while attracting and retaining high-quality, high-performing employees that will serve to grow their bottom line.”

Cameron Laker, CEO of Mindfield, said, “We are excited to launch our partnership with Chequed.com. This partnership enhances our ability to help our customers create powerful hourly workforces through a supercharged data-driven hiring strategy.”

Mindfield’s data-driven strategy combines people, process and technology. This approach focuses on tying business outcomes such as performance, tenure, and engagement to the selection, hiring, and measurement of high-quality candidates. Chequed.com’s proprietary technology integrates innovative software with behavioral science to enable data-driven sourcing and analysis of candidates throughout all phases of the hiring process, from employee assessment and online reference checking to candidate interviewing and talent recruitment.

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About Chequed.com, Inc.

Chequed.com has one goal: No Bad Hires. Ever. From pre-employment testing and scorable interview guides to online reference-checking and passive talent sourcing, Chequed.com’s cloud-based Predictive Talent Selection™ platform is used by some of the world’s leading brands including SUBWAY® Restaurants, The Walt Disney Company, Hallmark, Aspen Dental and many others. Visit Chequed.com for more information, Start a Free Trial or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

About Mindfield

Mindfield is a recruitment solutions company that creates powerful hourly workforces through a combination of people, process and technology. Co-founded in 2005, by CEO Cameron Laker and Jade Bourelle, Mindfield was ranked 8th on PROFIT Magazine’s Hot 50 List of Canada’s Emerging Growth Companies in 2009. For more information, please visit mindfieldgroup.com and follow @mindfieldgroup online. 

Susan Zimet has been hired as the new Executive Director of Hunger Action Network of NYS.

Ms. Zimet has been serving as the Town Supervisor in The Town of New Paltz for the last 3 years and served as Town Supervisor in 1996- 1999.  In between, Zimet was an  Ulster County Legislator. Susan has been a proven leader on issues that impact the lives of many. 

Hunger Action Network, started in 1982, is a statewide membership organization of emergency food providers, advocates, faith groups and low-income New Yorkers whose goal is to end hunger and its root causes, including poverty, in New York.

"HANNYS is excited to bring on Susan Zimet as our new Executive Director.  While replacing long-term Executive Director Mark Dunlea, our first staff person, was a challenging process, we’re confident that Ms. Zimet is the right candidate to bring HANNYS to the next level.  Her governmental experience, combined with her legislative successes and commitment to low-income residents’ concerns promises to ensure HANNYS continuing leadership position in advocating for low-income New Yorkers.  Ms. Zimet brings an unparalleled energy level to the position and we’re sure she’ll need all of it as she works with our Board of Directors and membership to advance our goals and objectives.  Welcome aboard Susan!!!," said Dennis Hanratty, Executive Director of Mt.Vernon United Tenants and HANNYS Board Chairperson.

" When 1% has over 50% of the global wealth and over 51% of our public schools children live in poverty, we have a serious problem. We can not sit on the sidelines and allow any child or senior to face another day of having no food on the table. From Pope Francis to Governor Andrew Cuomo, the issue of poverty is in the forefront of the conversation.  I am really looking forward to working with anyone who has the moral goal of eradicating hunger and understanding that food is a universal human right, The shoes of Mark Dunlea will be very hard to fill, but I am honored to be given the opportunity to be an advocate on a State and Federal level for an issue this important." said  Susan Zimet

Hunger Action Network is working on raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, more funding for emergency food and child nutrition programs, job creation for low-income New Yorkers, and universal single payer health care.

Zimet is founder of VoteForWomen2020, a non-profit organization to commemorate the year 2020 when the women’s right to vote will be 100 years old. Zimet began her career in public service as an activist leading a successful effort to stop a WalMart from being built in New Paltz. Zimet was also a leader in the recent effort to convince Governor Cuomo to prevent fracking for natural gas in New York State.

As a town official she has been outspoken on the need for property tax reform in New York.

Former HANNYS Executive Director Mark Dunlea said "it is great that someone with Susan's government experience and passion for children and social justice will be leading the organization. Susan hopefully will be able to take advantages of the changes occurring at the state Capitol to help increase our state's commitment to ensuring that no one suffers the pang of hunger." Dunlea is leaving Hunger Action after 29 years to focus on climate change.

In a  New York State Department of Labor update, numbers revealed preliminary that local area unemployment in December decreased from December 2013 in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area. It is now at 4.6 percent.

Saratoga and Albany counties both made the list of the state's top ten lowest unemployment rates at 4.3 and 4.4 percent.

Statewide, the private sector job count increased by 114,200 from December 2013 to December 2014. In December 2014, the number of private sector jobs in the state was 7,638,200, an all-time high.

In addition, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 5.9 percent in November 2014 to 5.8 percenr in December 2014, its lowest level since September 2008.

David Doyle to Oversee Institutional Communications with Governmental Stakeholders and Policy Initiatives, Furthering SUNY Poly’s Academic and Economic Development Growth as Vice President of Governmental Communications and Public Policy

Albany, NY – In support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s commitment to the continued growth of New York State’s 21^st century high-tech economy, SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) today announced that David D. Doyle will join the SUNY Poly executive team as Vice President of Governmental Communications and Public Policy. Doyle was previously Assistant Vice Chancellor for Communications at SUNY Administration, managing communications and media relations for the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the country and serving as the spokesman for Chancellor Nancy Zimpher.

“As a valuable member of the SUNY team, David worked tirelessly and masterfully with our SUNY program staff and campus experts across a range of disciplines to convey all the incredible things SUNY is doing to benefit all New Yorkers,” said SUNY Chairman H. Carl McCall. “His expertise proved especially valuable to SUNY and the trustees as we managed the potentially devastating crisis at Downstate, a difficult situation that he handled with distinction. While his steady guidance, experience, and rapport with the media and stakeholders will be missed, I am thrilled he will remain within SUNY and continue his exceptional work for Dr. Alain Kaloyeros at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.”

“I am grateful for David’s SUNY service, particularly for raising SUNY’s national profile by implementing a successful long-term communications strategy and for his key role in messaging and launching several of our most important initiatives including START UP NY, Open SUNY, and SUNY Smart Track,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. “As our newest institution, SUNY Poly continues to grow and serve an integral role in Governor Cuomo’s economic development and education strategies. I am pleased that in his new role David will be a conduit for increased collaboration between SUNY system and SUNY Poly, both here in Albany and across the state.”

“As SUNY Poly’s role in New York’s innovation economy continues to grow and evolve in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s strategic vision, David’s knowledge of SUNY and New York State government, coupled with his communications expertise will be invaluable as we continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to spur high-tech job growth, advance our one-of-a-kind academic programs, and raise the profile of this institution,” said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Poly.  “We are delighted to welcome David to SUNY Poly, where as Vice President he will play a pivotal role in telling this New York success story to the world and furthering our partnerships with government and industry.”

As Vice President for Governmental Communications and Public Policy, Doyle will oversee and maintain SUNY Poly’s growing communications with local, state, national and international government agencies. He will pursue new and innovative ways to advance the institution’s strategic growth and reputational prominence through collaboration with SUNY Poly’s legislative, regulatory and strategic communications teams. Doyle will use his well-established knowledge of SUNY operational strategy to coordinate positions and key messages on policy issues consistent with the core missions and goals of SUNY Poly.  He will also support executive leadership to strengthen partnerships with government agencies and assist in the implementation of major policy initiatives. Doyle’s service as a senior communications staff member with Governor Andrew Cuomo, first in the Attorney General’s office and then in the Executive Chamber, as well as holding a cabinet-level position at SUNY Administration, make him uniquely qualified for the position. Prior to entering public service, Doyle was an assistant producer at CBS News and 60 Minutes in New York and a news producer at WRGB in Albany. He is a graduate of SUNY Oswego.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to have worked in public service and public higher education in support of extraordinary New York leaders beginning with Governor Andrew Cuomo, followed by SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman H. Carl McCall, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, and now SUNY Polytechnic Institute President and CEO Dr. Alain Kaloyeros,” said Doyle.  “Serving the governor and his team and as Assistant Vice Chancellor for SUNY was extremely rewarding, particularly supporting the implementation of game-changing initiatives including START UP NY and NYSUNY 2020. I am excited to remain in the SUNY system and to work with the faculty, students, and staff at a campus globally recognized for being on the cutting edge of developing next-generation technology and academic programs, and one that is leading the way in implementing the governor’s innovation-driven education and economic development model.”

(Latham, N.Y.) Sunmark Federal Credit Union has announced that Bryan Delehanty has been promoted to Senior Vice President from Vice President/CFO and will be working closely with Interim CEO Frank DeGraw to oversee all operations. 

 In this position, Delehanty’s responsibilities include oversight of accounting, deposit operations, lending, commercial lending and administration departments as well as budgeting and asset liability management functions. Delehanty has been with Sunmark for 12 years and is a current member of the executive leadership team.

Delehanty earned her Bachelor of Arts, Accounting at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. He resides with his wife and children in Glenville.

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About Sunmark Federal Credit Union:

Since 1937, Sunmark Federal Credit Union ($430 million in assets; 48,000+ members) has been helping members in the greater Capital Region community improve their financial position by offering a full range of mortgages, insurance products, retirement accounts and of course, savings and checking.

Sunmark is committed to the financial health and well-being of each member by offering tools that educate and inform and products and services that make it easier to reach financial goals such as planning a budget, saving for a home, repairing  credit or getting out of debt.

For more information, call 518-382-0605 or visit www.sunmarkfcu.org.

ALBANY >> A homegrown, fourth-generation real estate agency is getting a new name and with it will come positive changes, the company head predicts.

On Feb. 17, Albany-based real estate agency Prudential Manor Homes and Prudential Blake Commercial will become Berkshire Hathaway Home Services and Berkshire Hathaway Blake Realtors.

Berkshire Hathaway, headed by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffet, purchased the Prudential Real Estate division, resulting in this name change.

Berkshire Hathaway is involved in a number of different companies from Geico to Dairy Queen to Helzberg Diamonds, and now its adding real estate to the portfolio.

What does this mean for the local company?

“We expect more business as a result,” said President and CEO Jay Christiana.

The local company is expecting this change to begin a ground-breaking chapter in its 93rd year of operation.

“It’s a big change for us and we’re really excited about it,” said Christiana, who reported that morale throughout the company has been high since the October announcement. “There’s been a great energy.”

Prudential Manor Homes currently has nine offices, from Lake George to Kinderhook. The main office is located in Albany, right near the airport.

With Berkshire Hathaway now on board, that number may soon increase, Christiana predicted.

“We’re really anticipating growth because of it,” he said.

While this partnership will bring increased national advertising, referrals and name recognition, for existing clients “it’s business as usual,” Christiana said. All who have listings with Prudential Manor Homes will automatically be transferred to the new company, with no changes in contract terms. The company hopes to assure customers their service will still be handled by a local agent that is knowledgeable in the regional real estate market.

Signs will promptly be changed by Feb. 17 and enhanced services and marketing programs, which will roll out next month as well.

What sparked the change was Prudential’s decision around two years ago to get out of the real estate business.

Originally a company called Brookfield Real Estate and Relocation acquired Prudential Real Estate two years ago. About a year later, Buffet came into the picture, seeking to break into real estate, and Berkshire Hathaway then acquired the Prudential Real Estate brand.

Agencies like Prudential Manor Homes had the choice to explore opportunities with other real estate franchises.

After looking at all the options, Christiana and his team decided that Berkshire Hathaway was “without a doubt the best option for us,” he said. The contract was signed six months ago, and soon the transition will be finalized.

Many other former Prudential companies are doing the same. Currently, there are four others in the state, the closest in Castleton-on-Hudson.

As of Jan. 14, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services has 1,075 offices in 47 states. The company is looking to expand internationally as well.

For the newly established Berkshire Hathaway Blake agency, “There’s a lot to be accomplished with the transition and we’re checking things off the list every day,” Christiana said.

With the title change, Christiana chose to incorporate the name Blake, the original name of the family’s real estate company.

Blake Realty was founded in 1922 by Samuel Blake, Christiana’s great grandfather, on State Street in Schenectady. In 1954 the company was incorporated as Blake Realty Inc. A decade later the first branch was opened in Amsterdam, and in 1970 divisions were developed to serve various segments of business, including residential, commercial, relocation, investment and development.

The most dramatic change in that history took place 23 years ago, when Blake Realty Inc. became part of the then-fastest growing real estate company in the world, Prudential Real Estate Affiliates.

Now under the Berkshire Hathaway umbrella, Christiana said, “it’s grown and shrunk over the years with the market and everything else.”

“We’re certainly in growth mode right now and we see an opportunity in the marketplace,” he added.

For more information, visit bhhsblakerevolution.squarespace.com.

Lauren Halligan may be reached at 290-1443.