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July 19, 04 Reader Services |
From left: John Bona of Bona Financial Group LLC, Angela DiLiberto of Integralis, Greg Werlinich of Werlinich Asset Management L.L.C., Lesley Cooper Richman of Lesley Novelties, David Richman of Rakow Commercial Realty Group, Jennifer Castiello of Prestige Quickprint and Robert Cioffi of Progressive Computing Services. A pleasure cruise, despite the weather The weather seemed hardly ideal for a sunset cruise: Overcast skies. Temperatures in the un-summerlike 60s. Wind brisk enough to repeatedly rock the gangplank leading from the pier to the Cayah Michele. Inside the two-level, 117-foot luxury yacht, however, it was smooth cruising for the networkers who headed to Playland Pier to board the Cayah Michelle for this year's fourth annual Cruise 'n Schmooze, held July 13 by The Business Council of Westchester. Unlike the night before, the cloudy skies did not turn stormy. But the winds prompted a change in route to some more interesting scenery. Instead of seeing the broad waters of Long Island Sound, with some land in the distance, cruisers sailed into Port Chester and Greenwich, Conn., getting close-up enough to wave to some of the few souls out on their apartment verandas. Here are some more scenes from Cruise 'n Schmooze: ELBOW ROOM: Overcast skies and hyped-up weather forecasts warning of thunderstorms appeared to have kept home some of the 125 businesspeople and others who made reservations for Cruise 'n Schmooze, leaving more elbow room for those on the cruise. The pace of reservations was as strong as ever, said Marsha Gordon, the business council's president and chief executive officer: 'This has grown to an event that sells out before it goes out." HAPPY FIRST TIME: Among those who were on their maiden Cruise 'n Schmooze voyage was Jim O'Toole, a former business council board chairman and a retired Con Edison director of public affairs for Westchester who still serves the utility as a consultant. "I don't know why I'd never done it before. I guess I finally decided this was going to be the year." HEDGING ON ECONOMY: Greg Werlinich, president of Werlinich Asset Management in Valhalla, said he was hedging on being optimistic about the economy, despite the prospect of a 4 percent quarterly growth in the gross domestic product. "It's not so much what's happening with business that will shape the market, but external events, such as an act of terrorism, the election or the Federal Reserve raising interest rates above 25 basis points (a quarter percent), said Werlinich, who has appeared several times as a guest analyst on Fox News Channel's "Your World With Neil Cavuto." "I'm still in the market, but in a conservative mode" - namely a few sectors he believes will succeed, such as health care, oil and gas. 'CAN'T STOP SELLING:' Tom Brady said he's using the slow summer weeks prospecting for new customers. Brady's TCB Direct Marketing Services Inc. of Bedford Hills specializes in printing, fulfillment and direct-mail production. Sales have been slow and steady, Brady said, despite one setback earlier this year, the loss of his mother. "Everybody realizes you can't stop selling. People are still investing in themselves and their businesses," Brady said. Belated condolences to Tom and his family. FUTURE DESIGNS: For Juan Carlos Casas, the Cruise 'n Schmooze marked the first of what he says will be several efforts to network with potential customers and others in Westchester. Casas recently moved his design consultancy Ribbit Inc. from Manhattan to Hartsdale. Ribbit specializes in corporate identity, brand design, graphic design and signage, including "wayfinding" signs within parking lots. "I found I did not need a big office to do what I do," Casas said. Clients include Alfred Sanzari Enterprises, which used Ribbit for its Sanzari Medical Arts Building in Hackensack, N.J.; La Playa Beach Resort in Naples, Fla., and Grove Isle resort in Miami. Casas began his business in Miami and still does business in Florida. SIGNS OF LIFE: Richard Rakow, president of Rakow Commercial Realty Group Inc. in White Plains, said the second-quarter vacancy reports showing a drop in vacant office space gibe with his experience representing tenants in recent months. "We are seeing people coming back to the market who are looking for more space. We've had people over the past couple of weeks who have come back for more space after they already signed leases recently," said Rakow, a business council board member. "What we try to do is find space for them in their building." That can sometimes require, he said, a round of calls to other tenants asking if they have any unneeded space they'd like to return. Rakow said his firm recently found such a tenant and hopes to match its space with a client looking to expand.
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Copyright 2004, Westfair Communications Inc. |