StartFast Code boot camp graduates first class

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SYRACUSE — I’m flashing back 58 years ago. Reveille sounds at Fort Bragg long before the sun makes it over the horizon, and our drill sergeant enters the barracks to encourage us with a colorful, two-line ditty, ending in “… grab your socks.” The army calls it basic training; the recruits call it boot camp. The purpose is to prepare us mentally, physically, and emotionally by providing the basic tools necessary to perform our military jobs. In retrospect, it was an intense experience.

The newest Syracuse boot camp — StartFast Code (SFC), an affiliate of Attend, LLC, headquartered in Cazenovia — has recently graduated its first class. The recruits don’t wear fatigues, handle firearms, disarm IEDs, or salute, but the training environment is as intense as any military boot camp. They signed up to learn web programming in as little as six months in order to help fill the growing need for web programmers.

StartFast Code
(www.startfastcode.com)
“SFC is a coding boot camp that can take someone without any coding experience to a full-stack, web programmer in as little as six months,” says Nasir Ali, one of the two company principals. “The course combines a free online curriculum with 360 hours of classroom access to experienced instructors and proprietary, professional-development content. SFC graduates not only learn at their own pace, but they also learn both the technical and personal skills necessary to make a living as a professional developer. SFC doesn’t guarantee employment for its graduates, but we provide our students with the tools and networking opportunities they need to get hired. The program has three modules that are in high demand: front-end [web] development, data visualization, and back-end development. Each module costs $5,000; similar programs in large, metro areas can cost three to five times as much.”

The first class began on June 2 with 13 students ranging from 19 years of age to 50-plus. “In addition to providing education, SFC invites employers and recruiters to engage with the students; offers need-based, corporate scholarships for students; points students toward internships with local development firms; enables the students to earn income as contractors even while enrolled in the program; and assists graduates in landing full-time jobs,” continues Ali. “Everything is geared to the convenience of the students. We hold the classes every, weekday evening at Syracuse CoWorks [located at the CommonSpace Building, 201 E. Jefferson St., in downtown Syracuse]. This allows any … [enrollee] to hold a full-time job while either upgrading skills for a current job or for changing careers. SFC also offers a variety of payment plans, credit options, and the ability to perform freelance work to pay tuition while studying.”

Helping to attract students to boot camp is the industry’s compensation and long-term growth prospects. “Graduates of SFC are qualified as professional, junior-web developers,” notes Ali. “In the Syracuse area, the average starting salary [for junior coders] is $78,000 per year, and the Upstate salary midpoint, based on a report released by Robert Half and Associates, for all programmers is more than $93,000. Investing in our program will return annually four times the student’s original investment. At SFC, 80 percent of our students are already earning from coding even before they finish the course. I think there is no better investment than investing in yourself. If you enjoy computers, like to be creative, and have the aptitude to code, SFC can connect you with a life-changing opportunity, and this is the time to start. In the next four years, there will be 1 million more jobs than qualified programmers.”

Is there a shortage of programmers?
Ali cites the impending programmer shortage, which was popularized by a report released by Microsoft in 2012. The nationwide alarm bells were also rung by The Wall Street Journal and even the White House. The employment gap was based on statistics issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which projected 1.4 million open software engineering positions by 2020 and only 400,000 computer-science graduates. Despite the BLS noting that the total-employment and total-labor-force projections were two separate and fundamentally different measures, the idea of a 1-million programmer-job-gap persists.

Another problem with the gap projection is that it only counted those students receiving computer-science degrees from four-year colleges. Missing was the vast number of “non-traditional programmers” who were self-taught, never graduated college, or received a degree other than in computer science. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), 36 percent of all IT workers do not hold a college degree; 40 percent of programmers on Stack Overflow, one of the largest developer websites, are self-taught; and 14 percent of some teams at Google don’t have college degrees. If there were a skills shortage, salaries for programmers should be rising as demand outstrips supply. On the contrary, the EPI reports that median salaries have increased less than 0.5 percent per year. Also, the unemployment rate for computer-science grads stands at 7.8 percent, well above the national unemployment level. Any employment gap may be exacerbated by employers who insist on only hiring programmers from prestigious institutions, assuming the degree is a proxy for talent, and by those charged with hiring who have little understanding of what a programmer really does. Many companies that are less rigid in their hiring requirements and rely more on vetting the candidates to prove their skill are finding capable programmers.

Can coding boot camps graduate qualified programmers?
Whether there is a national programming gap today or a hiring mismatch is debatable, but what’s not debatable is the growing demand for more web developers. “There are 30 billion computing devices worldwide [for a population of 7.4 billion people],” opines Ali, “and the number is growing exponentially. The demand for web developers is being driven by increasingly interactive web sites, applications, and social networks. The growth of global web and mobile-consumer markets is forcing Fortune 500 companies and micro businesses alike to develop web platforms in order to market and deliver their products and services.”

Can boot-camp programs such as SFC train qualified web programmers? “The answer is yes,” Ali contends. “Just look at the progress of the first class. Zoe was paid to work on web-development projects for a number of clients while enrolled as a student. She also started a digital agency with a classmate and two more experienced developers. Dan found paid work with a startup. Kent found an internship with a local consulting company that does web development. Lauren has new opportunities at her current employer, and David is seeking more advanced positions with his employer as well,” he says, naming several boot camp students by their first names.

Ali’s experience at SFC is confirmed by Triplebyte, a San Francisco startup that works with tech companies such as airbnb, Facebook, Quora, reddit, and Apple, helping employers find skilled, software programmers. The company, which evaluates tech skills through online-coding tests and matches them against employer interests rather than relying on credentials, compared graduates from boot camps against candidates who had traditional, computer-science bachelor degrees. In an interview printed in Fortune magazine, Triplebyte found that candidates who went through coding boot camps had the skills needed for most, junior-level programming jobs. It turns out that the majority of companies is looking for programmers who can solve practical, web-development problems.

The principals
Ali co-founded SFC with Chuck Stormon. “We have worked together for several years on the StartFast Venture Accelerator here in Syracuse,” explains Ali, “and were wrestling with the … [dearth] of area web programmers. The shortage was slowing the progress of our startup companies. While on vacation in Hawaii, Chuck contacted me with the idea of launching our own coding school. This is why we started SFC.”

Stormon
Stormon taught himself how to code while in the 6th grade in order to develop computer games. In 1983, he received his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Syracuse University and; in 1986, he earned a master’s degree; and completed his course work for a doctorate degree in computer engineering at the Syracuse University Center for Advanced Technology in Computer Applications and Software Engineering. He left the program to co-found and lead his first company, Coherent Research, Inc., which produced a mobile, data-management system for utilities and telecoms. The company was acquired in 2000. Stormon then garnered international experience working for the subsidiary of a private, telecommunications software company followed by a position as the VP of strategy and business development for Tekelec, a telecommunications company that provided IT services to mobile carriers. Stormon joined PacketExchange in 2008 as a VP and chief marketing officer. He left PacketExchange in 2011 to devote full-time to being a serial entrepreneur and mentor, launching a number of companies —Attend, StartFast Venture Accelerator, and RushTera. Today, he also finds time to be an angel investor, a mentor for multiple accelerators, and an author. Stormon and his wife live in Cazenovia.

Ali
In 1988, Ali earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Princeton University. Three years later, he added an MBA from Yale in finance and operations management. He spent five years with Arthur D. Little as a senior consultant and the next nearly three years with MGA, Inc. working on advanced-technology programs before starting New Think, Inc., a mobile-commerce-services firm. In 2001, Ali co-founded Writerspoint, an offshore technical writing company. The following year, he joined Booz Allen Hamilton as an associate. The Syracuse Tech Garden wooed him to Syracuse in 2004, where, for nearly six years, he was the nonprofit business incubator’s president. In 2010, he co-founded Upstate Venture Connect and serves as the CEO. Ali is also a founder and executive director of the Seed Capital Fund of Central New York, a post he has held since 2007. In 2011, he joined with Stormon to launch StartFast Venture Accelerator and serves as the co-managing director. He is a board member of the Upstate Venture Association of NY and also advises a number of startups located in Upstate, Silicon Valley, and New York City. Ali and his family live in Fayetteville.

What’s next?
Ali and Stormon are not resting on their laurels. The second SFC class began Dec. 1. “With the successful completion of our first class, we want to draw 15 to 20 students to our second class,” asserts Ali. “SFC isn’t just for engineers: It’s also for artists, musicians, writers, accountants, lawyers, bankers, in short, everyone. It doesn’t matter what your gender, age, or ethnicity is; anyone should learn to code. SFC gives our students the skills, introduces them to the developer community, and connects them to employers. In just 24 weeks, our revolutionary boot camp can take total beginners and mentor them into employable, junior developers. But SFC does more: We improve people’s lives, empower individuals, and contribute to make the community healthier.”

Contact Poltenson at npoltenson@cnybj.com

How To Create A Fulfilling Retirement When Every Day Is Saturday

Business Mentors, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

It’s the dream retirement that many people anticipate for decades. Hang out around the pool all day. Play one round of golf after the other. Finally read that teetering stack of books on the nightstand. In retirement, every day is Saturday — only without the dread about what Monday morning back at the office might

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It’s the dream retirement that many people anticipate for decades.

Hang out around the pool all day. Play one round of golf after the other. Finally read that teetering stack of books on the nightstand.

In retirement, every day is Saturday — only without the dread about what Monday morning back at the office might bring.

But is endless recreation enough to satisfy still-vibrant retirees who have both the health and the mental capacity to continue to learn, explore, and contribute to the world?

Maybe not. As people near retirement, they have a great opportunity to map out a strategy to plan and create a fulfilling, rewarding rest of their lives. Studies show that retirees with a plan have the easiest time transitioning into and being the most satisfied in retirement.

For many people, planning for retirement focuses almost solely on the financial aspect. They worry about saving enough so they don’t run out of money.

But retirement also represents a lifestyle change, as people accustomed to heading to a job each day suddenly find themselves without any meaningful reason for getting out of bed. And all that free time, which seems enticing at first, can quickly become boring.

Here are a few factors to consider for those seeking a more fulfilling retirement:

To work or not to work. It’s not unusual for people to continue to work in retirement, at least part-time. In some cases, the extra income is needed or at least adds a little more security to the retiree’s financial outlook. But some people simply don’t feel fulfilled if they aren’t contributing something by working. Often, I hear people say they’ve been working since they were teenagers and the thought of stopping just makes them uncomfortable.
Volunteering wisely. Plenty of groups need volunteer help, such as charitable organizations, schools, libraries, animal shelters, museums, and more. But beware of letting them take advantage of your availability. You can have your calendar filled before you know what hit you. Pretty quickly, you may end up feeling like you put in a 40-hour work week. I recommend taking the time to identify the causes and issues important to you. Make sure the organization is aware of the skills you have to offer so you aren’t just licking envelopes. And don’t overcommit your schedule. You want to leave yourself some time just to kick back.
Be a lifelong learner. Retirement can be a great time to take a college class or learn how to play a musical instrument. It’s proven that those who are lifelong learners have a greater sense of optimism and a lower chance of dementia. So if you’ve always wanted to learn more about philosophy, wanted to take a cooking class, or to learn a foreign language, now is the time.

It’s certainly important to have a financial plan for retirement. But to truly have a happy and rewarding retirement, you’ll want to make plans for your ideal retirement lifestyle as well.

Ann Vanderslice (www.annvanderslice.com), president and CEO of Retirement Planning Strategies. Vanderslice holds the registered financial consultant designation from the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants and the chartered retirement planning counselor designation from the College for Financial Planning.

Mid-Year Report Forecasts Budget Gaps in Upcoming Years

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As the year draws to a close, it is time for those in state government to begin thinking about the state budget. Each year, New York State passes a budget for its fiscal year that begins April 1 and ends March 31. The budget process begins in mid-January when the governor submits his budget proposal to the legislature. The legislature then holds budget hearings, where agency heads answer questions regarding the governor’s proposed budget. It is the hope that the governor and the legislature can reach an agreement and pass an on-time balanced budget by the April 1 deadline.

There are several ways to examine the state budget and for that reason it is complicated to understand exactly where the state is getting its revenue, how much the state is spending, and where the money is going. The state has two major sources of revenue. The revenue it receives through taxes and fees it imposes on its citizens and the revenue it receives from the federal government. The revenue the state receives from its citizens goes into the state’s general fund, unless otherwise earmarked for another fund established to finance a specific activity. The general fund is the major operating fund of the state and by law it is required to be balanced every year.

In addition to the general fund, the state has broader measures of revenue and spending that include activity outside the general fund. First, there is a measure known as the “state operating funds.” Although the word “funds” is in its title, it isn’t a sole account but rather a measure of all state spending excluding long-term capital projects and money received from the federal government. At mid-fiscal year 2016, the state operating funds totaled about $96 billion. The state also has the “all government funds,” which is the most comprehensive view of the financial operations of the state because it includes both state and federal revenues. At mid-fiscal year 2016, all government funds totaled $156 billion.

Since 2014-15, the state has kept state operating funds spending at 2 percent. This is substantially lower than say what spending was in the years Eliot Spitzer was governor. All government funds spending, however, has been more than 2 percent, because the amount of money the state receives from the federal government varies depending on the circumstances. For example, the federal government provided New York State with substantial money to help the state recover from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. This drove all government funds spending over 2 percent.

Recently, the NYS Division of Budget released its mid-year financial updates. The mid-year update for the general fund balance shows no change from enacted budget estimates. However, budget analysts predict future general fund budget gaps, largely due to personal income tax (PIT) receipts coming in at lower levels than expected. The report indicates that PIT receipts this fiscal year will be about $775 million lower than expected. This drop in PIT receipts is expected to create a projected $689 million general fund budget gap for the state’s 2017-18 fiscal year if revenue and spending remain at current levels.

Because of these lower than expected amounts of revenue, it is apparent that, unless things change substantially, this year’s budget process will be challenging. That being said, I look forward to returning to Albany in January to begin working with my colleagues to craft a budget that provides necessary funding for state programs, but at the same time makes sure that we live within our means.

William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.

Dear President-Elect Trump: Let’s Get Back to Business

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As hard as the campaign might have been and the transition is proving to be, Donald Trump’s challenges are really just beginning. Governing after a toxic election in which the results awarded him an ambiguous national mandate — his opponent, after all, won more total votes — will require finesse, a clear-eyed view of his

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There is no question that, come January, President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress will be in firm control of the government. They will be able to call the shots on policy, and cooperation between the president and Congress should be far more assured than it has been for the last six years.

He will soon find, even under these circumstances, that the commitments and promises made during the campaign are going to be very hard to carry out. The new president’s number-one priority almost certainly is going to be rebuilding U.S. economic power. A great many of the people who voted for him did so because they expect him to produce more good jobs, better incomes, and better economic opportunity.

But he faces great difficulties on this front: gross inequalities of income and opportunity, persistent poverty, a decaying infrastructure, a challenging education system, a health-care system that even after reform remains expensive and often ineffective, and rapid technological and global changes that make it harder for people without a college education to find work. To say nothing of a slow-moving Congress and an entrenched bureaucracy. Most Americans are not getting ahead and they know it. President-elect Trump’s supporters may grant him a grace period in which to fix all this, but economic dissatisfaction will persist.

Other domestic issues he addressed in the campaign will prove no easier to pursue. Mr. Trump campaigned on replacing Obamacare, a position that he began to moderate within days of winning the election. He has not set out a comprehensive alternative — simply keeping the popular parts and jettisoning the rest, which he suggested he might do, is not an acceptable or workable option.

This leaves open the question of how to insure the 20 million people who gained coverage under Obamacare. President-elect Trump has suggested he’d support health savings accounts and allow insurers to sell policies across state lines. He would also like to convert Medicaid from an entitlement program into a block grant. These proposals are certain to arouse fierce opposition.

He has made clear that he wants to enact large tax cuts, especially on businesses, while at the same time spending billions on infrastructure improvements. The path to tax cuts is clear: members of Congress like to vote for tax decreases. However, most evaluations of President-elect Trump’s policy proposals suggest that deficits will explode under his program. He has talked about offsetting some of that revenue by eliminating or limiting loopholes and tax deductions, but this has been standard rhetoric in Washington for years and never been carried out with any effectiveness. We’ll see how much stomach Congress and the country have for sending deficits spiraling upward.

Others of the president-elect’s programs slashing regulations on financial institutions, on worker protections, and on environmental impacts — would create major changes in American policy at home. These, too, will arouse much political opposition.

While contemplating this, it’s also worth remembering the words of Harold Macmillan, who was once asked what he most feared as Britain’s prime minister. “Events, dear boy, events,” he replied. Surprises will come along that interrupt even the best-tended plans — and that can buttress or destroy a president’s standing in the blink of an eye. The U.S. Senate, in particular, is precariously balanced in President-elect Trump’s favor, and it won’t take much for Democrats to brake or stymie his initiatives.

As a candidate, Mr. Trump effectively captured the discontent and anger of many Americans. With his proposals, he has upended the political order with a new brand of politics and policies. My guess is that he is on a steep learning curve, having underestimated the difficulties and overestimated his capabilities to deal with them.

We should all extend President-elect Trump the benefit of the doubt, be vigilant, and see how his presidency unfolds before becoming judgmental.

Lee Hamilton is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at the IU School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years, representing a district in south central Indiana.

VNA Homecare

People on the Move, Subscriber Only

VNA Homecare has added the following individuals to its team of health-care professionals. Hired as home health aides for Home Aides of Central New York, Inc. are CARMEN BROOKS; SAMANTHA CANTY, WILLIAM KUBECK, ASTRIDE MISTIVA-SANTOS, HEATHER RAYMO, TESSA RAYMO, YERAIMI SANTOS, LISA SCHINDLER, KYLIE SPOONER, DEONNA WILLIAMS, DAWN WORNS-MCNITT, and SHERRY ZENDER, and as community health RN, ALEXIS DEVINE. The Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc.

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Fust Charles Chambers LLP

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Fust Charles Chambers LLP has hired the following individuals as audit associates. MANDY BOYCE has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Syracuse University. BRENDAN CARROWAY joins the firm with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Le Moyne College. ADDISON MULLER has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Hartwick College. ERIN SENIOR earned a bachelor’s degree in

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D’Arcangelo & Co., LLP

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D’Arcangelo & Co., LLP has hired DOMINICK PROVENZANO as a staff accountant in its Rome office. He is a graduate of SUNY Polytechnic Institute with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration. ZACHARY COOK has joined as a staff accountant in Syracuse. He is a graduate of SUNY Polytechnic Institute with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. NADEZHDA KIRPICHEV joined the firm

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CNYSME selects BlueRock Energy’s Van Horne as 2017 Crystal Ball Award winner

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SYRACUSE — The Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) has named Phil Van Horne, chairman and CEO of BlueRock Energy, Inc., as the 41st recipient of its Crystal Ball Award. The CEO will receive the award on April 27, 2017 at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center during the annual Crystal

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SYRACUSE — The Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) has named Phil Van Horne, chairman and CEO of BlueRock Energy, Inc., as the 41st recipient of its Crystal Ball Award.

The CEO will receive the award on April 27, 2017 at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center during the annual Crystal Ball and Sales & Marketing Excellence Awards.

BlueRock Energy is a Syracuse–based energy company that provides electricity, natural gas, and renewable-energy products to small and medium-sized businesses across New York.

Van Horne says he was “surprised” when he was notified that CNYSME had selected him for the award.

“It’s pretty humbling when other people from the outside look at what you’ve done and recognize you in a way like this,” he adds.

Van Horne, who spoke with CNYBJ on Nov. 21, says he doesn’t see it as a “personal award.”

“I really look at it as an award for the entire company and what we’ve managed to create here in 13 years,” he says.

Van Horne founded Blue Rock Energy in 2003. It’s currently headquartered at 432 North Franklin St. in Syracuse’s Franklin Square area.

CNYSME annually bestows the “prestigious” Crystal Ball Award on a local businessperson or group of business people for contributions to the sales and marketing profession and for their endeavors in the areas of community development and support, the organization said.

Marketing efforts
BlueRock Energy in July 2013 announced an agreement to become the “official” energy provider for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. In the deal, BlueRock also sponsors the team’s “Player of the Week.”

In another sports-marketing deal, the company provides electricity and natural gas at the Barclays Center for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA and the New York Islanders of the NHL. The agreements also include additional promotions with the Nets and Islanders as well.

BlueRock Energy also sponsors the Syracuse Crunch minor-league hockey team.

Van Horne is often seen and heard marketing his firm’s services in advertising on local TV and radio stations.

The company is also involved in charity work with local organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Food Bank of Central New York. In addition, Van Horne serves on the board of directors of the Syracuse Rescue Mission.

Criteria, recent past winners
The criteria for Crystal Ball recognition includes holding a position of CEO, president, or director of a Central New York business; a person who visibly impacts the progress and prosperity of Central New York; a leader who “demonstrates commitment to superior quality and professionalism;” a person who “fosters excellence” in their industry; local involvement in community and civic organizations; and demonstrates and practices an “appreciation” of the sales and marketing industry, according to the CNYSME news release.

“We are very excited Phil accepted this year’s Crystal Ball award,” Karie Ballway, president of CNYSME, said. “Phil has built his company to be an absolute pillar of the Syracuse business community and this will be an incredible example for aspiring sales and marketing professionals in the area.”

Van Horne will join a list of past Crystal Ball winners that includes the 2016 recipient, Allen Naples, senior VP and regional president of M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB); the 2015 winner, Robert Daino, president and CEO of WCNY, the area’s public broadcaster; and the 2014 winner, Howard Dolgon, owner, president, CEO, and team governor of the Syracuse Crunch.

Other past winners include Peter Belyea, president of CXtec and TERACAI in 2013; Debbie Sydow, former president of Onondaga Community College in 2012; John Stage, founder and CEO of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in 2011; Peter Coleman, the publican of Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub in 2010; and Edward (Ed) Levine, president and CEO of Galaxy Communications in Syracuse in 2009, according to the CNYSME website.

“I’m really honored to be part of that group … It is a pretty elite group of people in Central New York that have won this,” Van Horne says.

Plans to move
BlueRock Energy currently employs 77, including 56 at its North Franklin Street headquarters, says Van Horne.

The company plans to move to the Barclay Damon Tower toward the end of the first quarter in 2017, he adds.

“The company has grown and we’ve added people … We just have no more space in the facility that we’re [currently operating] in,” says Van Horne.

The firm also has operations in a small space at 308 Maltbie St. in Syracuse, which Blue Rock will maintain once it moves to Barclay Damon Tower, he adds.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Cayuga Community Fund awards more than $35,000 in grants to area nonprofits

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The Cayuga Community Fund, an affiliate fund of the Central New York Community Foundation, has awarded $35,603 to 12 nonprofit organizations that serve residents of Cayuga County, according to a Nov. 18 news release. The following organizations received money: ABC Cayuga, Inc. received $5,000 in support of a capital campaign for its new Play Space,

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The following organizations received money:

ABC Cayuga, Inc. received $5,000 in support of a capital campaign for its new Play Space, which will serve as a “welcoming” community space for young children and their families to play, learn, and grow together.
Auburn Chamber Orchestra was granted $500 for advertising and professional fees associated with putting on performances of “HMS Pinafore” in collaboration with Auburn Players Community Theatre and Auburn High School.
Auburn Public Theater received $3,000 to purchase two JamHub stations to help with the expansion of its Exchange Street Records program, which connects youth with progressive music-education opportunities.
Cayuga Counseling Services was allocated $1,770 to provide mental health, first-aid training and stress-reduction activities for participants in its bimonthly parent/grandparent support group.
Cayuga County Habitat for Humanity received $5,000 to rehabilitate a property on Adams Street in Auburn to provide a family in need with a “safe and comfortable” place to live.
Cayuga Museum of History and Art was provided $1,255 to fund its “Exploring the Prison through Film” four-part film series to foster ongoing conversations with the community.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County received $4,362 to purchase new laptops, a printer, and marketing banner stands to provide technology upgrades for nutrition education and health-related programs.
Food Bank of CNY was granted $5,000 to purchase nutritious food that will be distributed from its Cayuga County mobile food pantry.
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways received $1,000 to conduct two programs for girls in Cayuga County who are not served by a Girl Scout troop to offer a fun and interactive way to learn about the basics of girl scouting.
Maple Wood Cemetery Association was allocated $553 to repair the face of the vault on its property to serve as a storage area for its work materials.
Recuse Mission Alliance received $4,770 to create an iPad station for Auburn Rescue Mission’s Community Center, which will allow women and families who have experienced homelessness to search for jobs and access home-based work assignments.
Scipio Volunteer Fire Department was provided $3,393 to purchase four finger pulse oximeters and two suction units to strengthen its medical support to the community.

These grants were made possible with support from the Cayuga Community Fund, the Evelyn B. & Emery S. Osborn Fund, and the Cayuga Health Association Fund, according to the news release.

The Cayuga Community Fund, created in 2008, is a geographically specific fund created to serve as a source of permanent charitable dollars available to nonprofits serving residents of Cayuga County. Grants are awarded from the endowment fund annually to aid “vital” programs in education, health, social services, the arts, civic and environmental concerns, as well as the preservation of historic resources in Cayuga County. The Cayuga Community Fund has granted more than $260,000 to nonprofit groups since 2010.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Why Public Speakers Fail

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25 Do’s and Don’ts of presenting in front of groups I have lost count of the number of company events, community awards, association dinners, and meetings that I have attended where the individual presenting has made classic errors in his/her delivery of material and keynote presentations. It is always so uncomfortable when I look around

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25 Do’s and Don’ts of presenting in front of groups

I have lost count of the number of company events, community awards, association dinners, and meetings that I have attended where the individual presenting has made classic errors in his/her delivery of material and keynote presentations.

It is always so uncomfortable when I look around the room and see people twitching in their chairs, rolling their eyes, or focusing on their phones while someone is desperately attempting to speak in front of a crowd. The speaker may say it’s because the audience is rude, but the reality is that the speaker is unprepared. It is the speaker’s job to grab the audience’s attention and maintain it right up until the very last word.

When you are asked to speak in front of a group, be honored and review this list of do’s and don’ts to ensure you are successful and receive thunderous applause.

25 Do’s and Don’ts of presenting in front of groups:

1) Do not read to the audience from notes or a script. Make a few brief notes or outline, and master the main points.

2) Follow the 6 X 6 rule for PowerPoint presentations: Do not allow more than six words across and six lines down on one slide. Audiences do not come equipped with binoculars to read 1,000 words in an 11-point font on a slide deck.

3) Do not read your PowerPoint slides to the audience word-for-word.

4) Do use an appropriate number of slides. For example, do not use 60 slides for a 10-minute presentation.

5) Do not drink water, chew gum or candy, cough drops, or blow your nose while in front of the audience. Especially if you are wearing or using a microphone.

6) Use fitting facial expressions that align with your message. If you are talking about good news, act and look like it is good news.

7) Dress appropriately. Shirts and jackets are worn and tucked in correctly.

8) Do speak from the heart. Use real-life experiences and incidents to bridge information.

9) Know your audience. Deliver material that is congruent with the audience age, gender, etc.

10) Never, never, never start with or use jokes or movie clips that might in any way insult anyone in the audience. Err on the side of caution. If you offend even one person, you have offended too many.

11) Don’t overdo sounds, animation, or YouTube. Too much of a good thing is just that, too much.

12) Earn the right to give the presentation. This is the best way to ensure you will be successful.

13) Do be excited about the subject matter.

14) Be eager to share your information with the audience.

15) When possible, do not use a podium. Walk and engage with the audience.

16) Do have an effective opening and closing prepared. These segments are the most important part of any talk.

17) Use a question-and-answer session as an opportunity, not a death sentence.

18) Do prepare ahead of time for the three questions you hope you are not asked.

19) Do not stare at the person asking the question the entire time you are answering.

20) Do videotape yourself in front of a live audience and learn from that tape.

21) If you are as cool as a cucumber, you will probably be as interesting as one. Have fun with your talk and engage the audience.

22) Don’t count word whiskers while you are speaking (ahs and ums), it only makes them worse.

23) Movement is OK, but pacing, running, or standing in one place all the time are not.

24) Your presentation should fit the allotted time. No one likes a speaker who goes over time.

25) If you speak from the heart and rely on your knowledge and experiences, your talk will flow and you will be well-received by your audience.

Leslie English is an executive coach and president of Dale Carnegie Training of CNY, which offers professional training services including executive coaching, strategic planning, leadership development, and sales and presentation training. Contact English at (315) 457-1300 or visit: http://centralny.dalecarnegie.com

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