Local entrepreneurs graduate from the SBA’s Emerging Leaders program

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SYRACUSE — The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) honored the latest graduates of its Emerging Leaders program in a graduation ceremony held Nov. 2. The SBA recognized the 17 local entrepreneurs at an event held at the Gateway Center on the campus of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry […]

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SYRACUSE — The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) honored the latest graduates of its Emerging Leaders program in a graduation ceremony held Nov. 2.

The SBA recognized the 17 local entrepreneurs at an event held at the Gateway Center on the campus of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse.

The Gateway Center is located east of Syracuse University’s Sadler Hall and across Forestry Drive from the Carrier Dome.

The event’s speakers included Bernard J. Paprocki, director of the SBA Syracuse district office; John Liddy, entrepreneur in residence at the Tech Garden; Nicole Samolis, owner of SKY Armory and graduate of the 2011 Emerging Leaders program; and Chris Belna, owner of A La Cart Business Services and member of the 2016 Emerging Leaders program.

The seven-month, executive-entrepreneurship education series, which the SBA describes as “intense,” provides more than 40 hours of advanced-management training.

The Emerging Leaders program targets small companies that have the “potential for rapid expansion and job creation,” the SBA said.

Now in its sixth year, Syracuse is one of 51 participating Emerging Leaders locations nationwide.

Including the 2016 class, 95 Central New York entrepreneurs have now completed the program since it launched locally.

It’s a collaboration of the SBA Syracuse District Office with CenterState CEO; CNY Technology Development Organization Inc.; City of Syracuse Office of Neighborhood and Business Development; Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc.; Manufacturers Association of Central New York; Onondaga County Office of Economic Development; Onondaga Small Business Development Center; SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; Syracuse SCORE; Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University; Syracuse Technology Garden and the WISE Women’s Business Center, according to the SBA release.

The 17 members of Emerging Leaders Class of 2016 are:

Chris Belna, president, A La Carte Business Services Inc., Salina
Richard Bozogian, AJ Medical Products, East Syracuse
Cathy Comer, Cathy’s Corner Café, Syracuse
Jesse Daino, owner, Recess Coffee, Syracuse
Mario DeMarco, Mario and Salvo’s Pizzeria, DeWitt
Jason Horne, Outdoor Power Equipment, Parts, and Service, LLC, Clay
Heather Hudson, operations manager, Hudson’s Dairy, Inc., Fulton
Morgan Marzano, assistant operations manager, China Towne Furniture and Mattress, Solvay
Jonathan Massett, Valley Auto, Onondaga
Jennifer Meier, president, Landscaped Interiors, Cazenovia
David Rice, owner, Critical Link, LLC, DeWitt
Kathleen Rutishauser, co-owner, Daughter for Hire, LLC, Clinton
Randy Sabourin, owner, Metro Fitness Club, Syracuse
Andrew Schuster, principal, Ashley McGraw Architects, Syracuse
Michael Speach, Jr., owner, Speach Family Candy Shoppe, Inc., Syracuse
Gregory Steencken, owner, Immediate Care West, Camillus
Peter Wiles, Mid-Lakes Navigation Co., LTD., Skaneateles

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Robert Half survey: small-business workers are the happiest

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Small Business, Subscriber Only

Employees at companies in the U.S. and Canada are “generally happy” people and those working at small businesses are the happiest of all. That’s according to a “major” research study that Robert Half and London–based Happiness Works released Oct. 27 that addresses the question of what drives people to be happy — or unhappy — at

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Employees at companies in the U.S. and Canada are “generally happy” people and those working at small businesses are the happiest of all.

That’s according to a “major” research study that Robert Half and London–based Happiness Works released Oct. 27 that addresses the question of what drives people to be happy — or unhappy — at work.

Happiness Works is a firm that provides companies with tools to “identify, measure and manage” employee happiness, according to a Robert Half news release.

The survey of 12,000 workers examines who are the happiest, unhappiest, most stressed, and uninterested people at work.

Robert Half commissioned the survey in collaboration with Nic Marks, founder of Happiness Works and a “noted expert in the field of happiness,” according to Robert Half.

The report includes the opinions of more than 12,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada (10,000 in the U.S. and 2,000 in Canada). The survey, which was conducted online in July, included 30 questions.

On-the-job happiness
The research found most professionals are “generally happy.” On a happiness scale of 0 to 100, those surveyed scored a 71, according to the report.

The research used three key indicators to measure happiness, says Robert (Bob) Nealon, regional president for Robert Half who oversees the upstate New York and southeastern Massachusetts markets.

“The first one was having pride in the work that you do every day. The second was feeling appreciated by your organization, and then the third was being treated with fairness and respect in the workplace by your employer,” says Nealon.

He noted that 71 percent of those polled responded yes to all three of the questions asking about those indicators.

Nealon spoke with CNYBJ on Nov. 7 from his office in Westborough, Massachusetts.

The research also found that the top driver of overall workplace happiness is having pride in your organization.

Those who feel proud of their organization are three times more likely to be happy than those who are not, the report said.

The second and third top factors driving happiness are feeling appreciated and being treated with fairness and respect.

One-third of workers (33 percent) say they will likely leave their current employer in the next six months; workers who report that they are not a good match with their employers are the most apt to leave.

Nic Marks, CEO and founder of Happiness Works, noted in the news release that happiness isn’t about feeling cheerful every day or avoiding challenges.

“Work can be difficult and demanding, but if employees feel proud of what their organization does, respected as a person and appreciated for what they do, then they tend to be happy and do better work as a result. Happiness at work is a genuine win-win — great for employees and great for employers,” said Marks.

Company size and occupation
The report found small-business employees are happier. People working in firms with 10 or fewer employees have the “highest” happiness levels. Organizations with 10,000 or more employees indicated the “lowest” levels of happiness.

People working in the education and training sector, along with the marketing and design field, report the highest levels of on-the-job happiness and interest in their work. The report also found finance professionals were among those reporting the lowest levels on workplace happiness and interest.

Legal professionals reported the highest stress levels at work, while technology employees cited the lowest stress levels, according to the research.

Benefits, happiness factors
The report also outlined the benefits of having happy employees, and the six factors that influence employee happiness.

Having happy employees “creates a very good culture,” says Nealon.

“It’s very, very important for the long-term health of an organization to … create that for [its] employees,” he adds.

Having happy employees “drives retention” and encourages “meaningful contributions,” says Nealon.

The report cites six factors that influence happiness, including fitting in well at a given employee’s work place; having a sense of empowerment; feeling appreciated; handling “interesting and meaningful” work; feeling like you’re being treated fairly; and having “positive” workplace relationships.

Happiness by age, gender
The research found that millennials “want to make their mark.” For those age 34 and under, a sense of accomplishment is the “strongest determinant of happiness.”

Workers aged 35 to 54, categorized as “Generation X,” are the “least happy, most stressed out and least interested” in their work.

At the same time, employees aged 55 and up report the highest levels of happiness on the job.

The research also found that men feel more influential. In the U.S., men fare better than women in “nearly every aspect” of happiness studied.

The biggest difference was in the influence they have on business decisions, with 55 percent of men saying they are able to influence business decisions, compared to 47 percent of women.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

CenterState CEO affiliate changes name to Business Solutions of NY

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Benefit Specialists of New York, an affiliate of CenterState CEO, is now operating under the name Business Solutions of NY (BSNY). The organization announced the name change on Oct. 27. The organization changed its name in mid-October, coinciding with the open-enrollment period for benefits, says Frank Caliva, Jr., Sr. VP and COO of

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SYRACUSE — Benefit Specialists of New York, an affiliate of CenterState CEO, is now operating under the name Business Solutions of NY (BSNY).

The organization announced the name change on Oct. 27.

The organization changed its name in mid-October, coinciding with the open-enrollment period for benefits, says Frank Caliva, Jr., Sr. VP and COO of CenterState CEO. He spoke with CNYBJ on Nov. 8.

Caliva describes Business Solutions of NY as a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of CenterState CEO.

The name change
The organization over the last two years has been looking at the changes in the employee-benefits business resulting from the Affordable Care Act and technology, says Caliva.

People are turning to the Internet for help in making decisions about how they buy and manage their benefits.

“As we started to look at all that, we began to realize, we really were a lot more than just benefits to our clients. We were really helping them manage the people side of their business,” says Caliva.

The organization’s clients were asking for advice on matters pertaining to payroll and human resources, so BSNY started working with other companies who specialized in those areas, he says.

BSNY had also purchased a technology platform called Employee Navigator, an online system that allows companies of all sizes “to manage their work force online.”

“In its simplest form, you can use it just as an online portal for employees to choose their benefits on an annual basis,” says Caliva.

After considering the factors involved, CenterState CEO decided to pursue the name change. The organization started thinking about it in the spring.

When asked if the group considers the name change a rebranding, Caliva thinks it’s “more of a reframing.”

“It’s just kind of underscoring the fact that, absolutely, we’re still all about employee benefits but we’ve always been helping [clients] with other things as well,” he says.

Business Solutions of NY services about a “couple thousand” clients, most of which are not chamber members, he notes.

“There’s a lot who are, but a significant majority of our clients at BSNY don’t happen to be chamber members,” says Caliva.

BSNY serves about 10 client chambers of commerce in Central New York, according to Caliva. Its footprint extends west to near Rochester and east to Oneida County and into Cooperstown.

“Our strongest presence is in Onondaga County,” he notes.

It markets “exclusively” through chambers of commerce and business associations, according to its website.

Business Solutions of NY offers employee benefits, including health insurance, payroll, human-resources, and regulatory-compliance services.

BSNY works with DeWitt–based ChoicePay, Inc. as its payroll provider and Syracuse–based Pinnacle Employee Services, a professional employer organization, in offering services to its clients, according to Caliva.

Caliva refers to Business Solutions of NY as a “one-stop shop” for a small or medium-sized business.

Caliva declined to disclose any financial information about BSNY, noting its financial performance is reported on as part of the overall reports of CenterState CEO.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Citizens Bank executive named to Clarkson University Board of Trustees

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

POTSDAM — Lauretta M. Chrys, executive VP and head of strategic onboarding for the Consumer Banking Division at Citizens Bank, has been elected to the Clarkson University Board of Trustees. She will serve on the audit and finance and budget committees, the university said in a news release. Based in Albany, Chrys provides strategic leadership

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State advises health insurers on requirements to cover substance-abuse treatment

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Subscriber Only

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued guidance to health insurers outlining new insurance-coverage requirements for substance-abuse treatment. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the DFS guidance on Oct. 19. The action follows a new state law to combat the heroin and opioid “crisis” in New York, the DFS said in a news

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The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued guidance to health insurers outlining new insurance-coverage requirements for substance-abuse treatment.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the DFS guidance on Oct. 19.

The action follows a new state law to combat the heroin and opioid “crisis” in New York, the DFS said in a news release.

The new law requires health insurers to cover medication, including naloxone, for detoxification or maintenance treatment of substance-use disorders under large-group insurance policies.

The new requirement “mirrors” the coverage requirements for individual and small-group policies, DFS said.

It also requires health insurers to provide coverage without preauthorization for inpatient substance-abuse treatment in facilities that participate in their networks and are certified by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

“Health insurers have an obligation to cover costs for lifesaving substance-abuse treatment and our administration will have zero tolerance for those who seek to sidestep this responsibility,” Cuomo said in the DFS release. “This action is an important step toward breaking the cycle of addiction and … ending the epidemic of opioid abuse in New York once and for all.”

The new guidance alerts health insurers that they must provide inpatient and outpatient coverage for detoxification and maintenance-treatment medication, including naloxone.

It also instructs health insurers that they must eliminate prior-authorization requirements for a five-day emergency supply of prescribed medications for the treatment of substance-use disorder “when an emergency arises.”

The DFS guidance outlines insurer-utilization review requirements, and includes timeframes under which the health insurers must make the utilization-review determinations.

The department will review health insurers’ compliance with requirements for coverage during market-conduct exams and will “take action against any insurers found to have failed to meet all statutory and regulatory requirements for coverage of substance use disorder treatment.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Tips & New Initiatives for Health-Care Plans from the U.S. Department of Labor

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Subscriber Only

Mary Rosen, associate regional director of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for New England including upstate New York, recently gave a presentation on common issues with health-care plans. She also described six tips for common plan errors and three new initiatives the DOL is working on. Based upon common errors seen by the DOL,

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Based upon common errors seen by the DOL, the six tips for health-care plan fiduciaries to consider are:

1. Carefully select and monitor service providers

Document the process of selecting the service providers, including the data that was reviewed;
Confirm that the fees and expenses paid a plan are reasonable;
Monitor plan service providers.

2. Make required disclosures to participants and beneficiaries

Make sure the summary plan description (SPD) is complete and written in plain English;
Furnish the SPD to participants within 90 days of coverage; redistribute every five years;
Distribute the summary of material modifications (SMM) or an updated SPD if material changes are made.

3. If a request for disclosure is made, disclose as much as possible

Deliver disclosures by hand delivery, by U.S. mail, and by electronic delivery (if certain standards are met);
Posting in a common work area is usually not enough.

4. Understand your plan and your responsibility

Read and understand the plan document and the SPD;
Follow the terms of the plan;
Do not use personal discretion in interpreting the terms of the plan;
Make sure claim procedures are followed, including time limits for response for claims.

5. Make timely contributions and monitor use of plan assets

See safe-harbor regulation 2510.3-102;
Relief can be granted under DOL Technical Release 92-01;
Be aware of classification of the medical loss ratio rebate
See DOL Technical Release 2011-04;
Be watchful for prohibited transactions.

6. File reports with government and keep good records

Form 5500 series return must be filed unless an exemption exists;
If you hire a third-party administrator, make sure you understand what it is doing, as the duties to maintain records cannot be delegated.

Rosen in her presentation also described the following three federal Department of Labor health-care plan initiatives:

1. Health Benefit Security Project

A comprehensive national health-enforcement project combining the Employee Benefits Security Administration health-plan enforcement initiatives with the new protections under the Patient Protection Affordable Health Care Act of 2010.

2. Self-Funded Health Case Fees Initiative

This project seeks to uncover hidden fees in self-funded health plans. The project includes the review of fees commonly found in self-funded health plans including base medical service fee, recovery of overpayments, subrogation, corporate group and third-party revenue, medical-benefits drug rebate payments, stop-loss premiums and other fees and services.

3. Emergency Services Project

A project to determine if health-care plans are complying with the patient protection requirements of the Affordable Care Act regarding the coverage of emergency services. This project will identify large self-funded health plans that provide coverage for emergency services and determine if services will be covered and whether the plan is properly reimbursing for out-of-network emergency room visits.

Mary Anne Cody is a partner at Mackenzie Hughes LLP in Syracuse. Cody concentrates her law practice on financial-planning issues for businesses and individuals. Her areas of emphasis include estate planning, fiduciary compliance, and business tax and succession planning. Contact Cody at mcody@mackenziehughes.com. This Viewpoint article is drawn from the Mackenzie Hughes Blog, called “Plain Talk.”

CABVI starts Quest Program to boost upward mobility and retention of employees

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

UTICA — The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI), a not-for-profit agency that serves people who are blind or visually impaired, announced it has launched the new CABVI Quest Program. The CABVI Quest Program is an “opportunity for employees to achieve upward mobility within the company and to learn more about CABVI

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The CABVI Quest Program is an “opportunity for employees to achieve upward mobility within the company and to learn more about CABVI in ways they may have not yet discovered, or had a chance to do so,” the nonprofit said in a news release. Each month, Quest participants will meet to spend the day with their peers and listen to CABVI leaders or fellow employees discuss various aspects of day-to-day activities or tasks.

Participants were selected from all departments within the organization at its production and manufacturing facilities in Syracuse and Utica, and also at its contact center at Albany, Virginia.

The first meeting was held on Sept. 28 and reviewed the basics of CABVI such as the mission statement, core values, agency structure, and departmental dynamics, the release stated.

CABVI Quest participants will meet each month for the next 10 months and topics will include: business conduct and code of ethics, human resources 101, assistive technology, and rehabilitation services, and management and leadership. When Quest participants applied to the program, they also noted which departments at CABVI they would like to learn more about and shadow for the day.

“Upward mobility and retention of employees within our CABVI family is very important to us all. We want our employees to be able to learn and grow and hope the CABVI Quest program allows Questers to achieve just that,” Jill Koch, chief financial officer at CABVI, and a CABVI Quest mentor, said in a release.

Utica–based CABVI, which is an affiliate of National Industries for the Blind, says it serves people who are blind or visually impaired, from newborns to the elderly, generally free of charge. CABVI’s vision-rehabilitation programs provide for more than 1,500 people who are blind or visually impaired in an eight-county area of upstate New York (Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Fulton, Lewis, Montgomery, Jefferson, nd northern Otsego Counties).

CABVI reported $48.6 million in total operating revenue in 2015, up from $45.8 million in 2014, according to its 2015 annual report posted on its website. The nonprofit’s total employment was 252 at the end of last year.

Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com

The Rockwell Museum appoints Whisenhunt as executive director

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

CORNING — The Rockwell Museum in Corning has named Brian Lee Whisenhunt as its new executive director. He will start in the position in early January 2017, succeeding Kristin A. Swain who announced her retirement earlier this year, after serving for 14 years. Whisenhunt brings nearly 20 years of museum experience, according to a news

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CORNING — The Rockwell Museum in Corning has named Brian Lee Whisenhunt as its new executive director.

He will start in the position in early January 2017, succeeding Kristin A. Swain who announced her retirement earlier this year, after serving for 14 years.

Whisenhunt brings nearly 20 years of museum experience, according to a news release from The Rockwell.

Since July 2011, Whisenhunt has served as the executive director of the Museum of the Southwest in Midland, Texas. He was responsible for planning a $5.4 million capital campaign to renovate and restore the Turner Memorial Art Museum, which includes the historic Turner Mansion dating from the 1930s. Under his leadership, the museum attracted more than 100,000 visitors in 2015, the first time in more than a decade.

“Brian’s museum experience and eagerness around arts in education, community collaboration and high quality American art experiences make him a great fit for The Rockwell and our region. I’m certain he’ll be overwhelmingly welcomed by our vibrant arts community and the people that make it happen,” Deb Naylor, president of the museum’s board of trustees, said in the release.

Whisenhunt received his master’s degree in art history from the University of Oklahoma.

His other previous jobs include stints as executive director of the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana; adjunct professor of art at Indiana State University; director of education at the Wichita Art Museum in Kansas; and manager of public programs at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas.

Whisenhunt is joining The Rockwell after it, in the last three years, has broadened its mission statement to “encompass art about the American experience, transformed its permanent art galleries from top-to-bottom, [and] opened a new Family Exploration Studio for young visitors,” the release stated. The Rockwell also revamped it museum store, and launched new programs like Rockwell Roadhouse and the Urban Arts Crawl.

Most notably, The Rockwell, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, has become an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum said.

The Rockwell’s diverse collection includes a mix of contemporary American art with traditional bronze sculptures, landscape paintings, and other works that “embody the American experience.” The museum is housed in the restored 19th century Old City Hall building in Corning.

Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com

State Common Retirement Fund returns 3.5 percent in latest quarter

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

The New York State Common Retirement Fund generated an overall return of 3.51 percent for the three-month period ending Sept. 30, 2016, the second quarter of the state’s fiscal year 2016-2017. That’s according to a news release from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The fund ended the period with an estimated value of

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An overview of specialty drugs & their impact on your pharmacy-benefit plan

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Subscriber Only

Specialty drugs are high-cost prescription medications typically used to treat chronic conditions. Most often, they require specialty handling and administration by the dispensing pharmacy and prescribing physician. At a glanceComplex Large Molecules and Biologic Drugs Biology-based molecules that structurally mimic compounds found within the body. High Cost per Prescription Average cost of $3,000 per month.

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At a glance
Complex Large Molecules and Biologic Drugs

Biology-based molecules that structurally mimic compounds found within the body.
High Cost per Prescription
Average cost of $3,000 per month.

Special Handling and Distribution

Temperature control
Hazardous-materials considerations
Injection training
Risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) counseling
Data reporting

Multiple Dosage Forms

Self-administered injectables
Professionally-administered injectables / infusions
Oral medications

Trends
The specialty-drugs market has experienced robust growth within the last five years, predominantly driven by average wholesale price inflation, increases in utilization / intensity, and new drugs entering the market. These factors have contributed to what today is estimated to be a 20 percent price increase for 2016, 2017, and 2018. What’s most startling is that while specialty drugs account for less than 1 percent of drugs dispensed for most employer groups, the corresponding spending makes up 25 percent of total costs, on average.

It is expected that specialty drugs will account for 40 percent of total drug spending by 2018. Furthermore, 40 percent to 50 percent of drugs in late-stage FDA approval are specialty drugs, representing potentially 200 new drugs in the next couple years. Thus, there is not a lot of relief on the horizon for employers and their benefit plans.

The role of the pharmacy benefit manager
Prior Authorizations — A strong pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) partner first helps clients manage the costs associated with specialty medications through a prior-authorization process. A robust prior-authorization process is intended to be used as a tool to ensure the medication is appropriate for the diagnosis. Along with requiring documentation demonstrating medical necessity, case reviews should also be done to be sure other options, where appropriate, have been tried. In some cases during the prior-authorization process, reviewers will identify an opportunity where possibly an alternative medication should be considered. Your PBM should then work with the physician to discuss the option(s) to see if they are appropriate for the patient.

Clinical Review / Intervention — In some instances, medications will be prescribed for conditions or at dosages outside of what is currently FDA-approved. Unless substantiated by convincing and proven medical and/or clinical data, these medications are considered experimental in nature in the treatment of the particular diagnosis and will be denied. In these cases, your PBM should conduct an in-depth review of the medication and evidence available before deciding whether the medication will be approved or denied. If the medication is in fact denied, a written letter explaining the denial is sent to both the physician and plan member. This letter should also outline the process of appealing the decision should the physician decide to do so. This extension of the prior-authorization process ensures that the right medication and dosage is selected for each patient.

The role of the dispensing specialty pharmacy
Clinical management — Your partnering specialty pharmacy should provide clinical-management programs that are designed to increase compliance and adherence to therapy. The clinical staff should have extensive training regarding the monitoring of side effects and manufacturer policies for each specialty medication that is dispensed. The goal of these programs is to educate patients on the medications they are taking, prevent adverse effects, identify potential side-effects, and promote overall health and wellness.

Comprehensive programs — Comprehensive programs should start with a basic assessment of each patient. From there, additional educational materials are identified that may help support a patient’s adherence to their medication regimen. At the same time, a patient can be scheduled for a follow-up assessment by a registered pharmacist or registered nurse. These follow-up assessments often take place at the time of coordination for delivery of the patient’s next refill, and they can also occur at an appropriate frequency based on the needs of the patient and/or the plan.

Robust fulfillment & delivery — The ideal specialty pharmacy will provide a full benefit and co-pay assistance investigation with every script that is filled. Value-adds include: free ancillary supplies such as sharps containers, syringes, alcohol swabs, and bandages. Due to the complexities of some specialty drugs, your specialty pharmacy should ship packages for next-day delivery to your home, physician’s office, or place of work.

Erison Rodriguez is the regional sales and marketing director for ProAct, Inc. — a pharmacy-benefit management company headquartered in DeWitt. It is a division of KPH Healthcare Services, Inc., which also operates Kinney Drugs. Contact Rodriguez at ErisonRodriguez@ProActRx.com

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