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Lindt chocolate store to reopen at Destiny USA on Friday
SYRACUSE — Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli will reopen its Syracuse Lindt Chocolate Shop in the newly constructed Outlet Wing at Destiny USA on Friday,
OCC adviser works with businesses hit by Sandy in NYC
SYRACUSE — After spending two weeks working with small businesses hit by Hurricane Sandy in the Far Rockaway section of Queens, Nancy Ansteth says some of her advice to local startups might have a bit more punch. Ansteth is a certified business adviser at the Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College. She routinely
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SYRACUSE — After spending two weeks working with small businesses hit by Hurricane Sandy in the Far Rockaway section of Queens, Nancy Ansteth says some of her advice to local startups might have a bit more punch.
Ansteth is a certified business adviser at the Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College. She routinely counsels budding entrepreneurs on the steps they need to take to get their businesses up and running and ensure they’re around for the long haul.
It’s often advice on mundane matters like business insurance — something some of the small companies Ansteth worked with in Queens didn’t have.
“A situation like this helps drive the point home,” she says. “It’s not just a business adviser telling you that you should do this.”
Ansteth spent her time in Far Rockaway helping small businesses file paperwork and complete applications for loans and other disaster assistance. For the most part, they were very small companies with a few employees at most.
None of them were prepared for a disaster like Sandy, she says. They simply didn’t think something of that magnitude could happen to them.
It had been decades since an event like Sandy hit New York City, Ansteth notes.
“You have this false sense of security that it’s not going to happen again,” she says. “That comes under the category of risk management we talk about.”
Many of the businesses Ansteth worked with were local, neighborhood places. Some of those without insurance had no hope of rebuilding.
But other owners, especially those born in the area, had a different take.
“It wouldn’t occur to them to leave,” Ansteth says. “As devastated as they were, they wouldn’t consider it. So many of the people we talked to seemed so optimistic.”
The business owners Ansteth talked to were often just starting to focus on rebuilding their companies. If they lived in the area, they generally first concentrated on repairing damaged homes or finding new ones, she says.
One taxi service she worked with lost a number of its cars in the flooding, Ansteth says. The company was working to get new vehicles rapidly and receive all the required city and county certifications needed to use them as cabs.
“They were scrambling and trying to remain competitive and keep their business afloat with half of what they had before,” she says.
One thing businesses in the area need is more money. There are not nearly enough grants or loans available to help all the companies that need assistance, Ansteth says.
In addition to valuable firsthand experience Ansteth plans to share with local entrepreneurs, she made connections with other Small Business Development Center workers from around the state.
She worked directly with a colleague from Jamestown, she says.
“We just hit it off wonderfully,” she adds. “Now that’s another connection I have within the [Small Business Development Center].”
The center at Onondaga Community College is part of a network of 25 regional centers in New York. They are supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the state Department of Education, and the national system of small business centers.
The centers provide one-on-one counseling and training for those looking to start or grow small businesses.
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com
O’Brien & Gere launches safety app
SYRACUSE — A new iPad app from Syracuse–based engineering firm O’Brien & Gere aims to spread safety information from the company around the world. O’Brien & Gere has been presenting safety information on topics ranging from safe driving to safe chainsaw use for its own employees and clients for years, says Jamie Newtown, senior managing
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SYRACUSE — A new iPad app from Syracuse–based engineering firm O’Brien & Gere aims to spread safety information from the company around the world.
O’Brien & Gere has been presenting safety information on topics ranging from safe driving to safe chainsaw use for its own employees and clients for years, says Jamie Newtown, senior managing scientist at the firm. Some of the material developed around specific projects while some was the result of internal efforts to spread safety messages to the firm’s workforce.
The company eventually found itself with a database of information that clients were often tapping into and using for their employees, Newtown says. Developing an app to spread the information further made sense and fit in with the firm’s desire to innovate, he adds.
“One of our priorities here is to put safety at the forefront of everything we do,” he says. “It seemed like a great fit to take some of our existing documentation and turn it into something useful.”
The free app an early foray into mobile technology for O’Brien & Gere, Newtown says. The hope is for more to follow.
The app also helps O’Brien & Gere stand out as a leader in the realm of workplace and home safety. The app has been downloaded more than 780 times in more than 50 countries since launching in November.
“It really is for the industry,” says Katie Hollenbeck, a graphic designer at O’Brien & Gere who helped develop the app.
Hollenbeck and others who worked on the project transformed a series of PowerPoint slides the firm built around its safety information into a graphic-heavy app for the iPad. The idea was to fashion a finished product that wouldn’t just contain blocks of text or bullet points, Hollenbeck says.
The firm initially included more than 50 of its “safety moments” in the app. They are organized by category and could include everything from how to recognize poison ivy at a dig site to slip and fall prevention in the workplace.
The company has another 50 safety moments to add to the app, Hollenbeck says. And developers are also working on a version for the iPhone.
An Android app is on the drawing board as well.
“Our plan is to continue to develop additional content and update the app as we move along,” Hollenbeck says.
Employee-owned O’Brien & Gere has more than 960 employees. The firm provides services in areas including energy, the environment, facilities, and water and has 25 offices across the U.S.
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com
SALES & MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
KARIE BALLWAY Cooley Group Passionate awareness and understanding of the branding and marketing requirements of her clients are two outstanding qualities that Karie Ballway of Cooley Group has that set her apart from all others. Her ability to fully understand the specific needs of each of her customers and create premier services that define
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KARIE BALLWAY
Cooley Group
Passionate awareness and understanding of the branding and marketing requirements of her clients are two outstanding qualities that Karie Ballway of Cooley Group has that set her apart from all others. Her ability to fully understand the specific needs of each of her customers and create premier services that define and enhance their brands and images has enabled her to become a tremendous asset to her clients, Cooley Group, and the industry. As a co-member of the Cooley Group Business Development Committee, Ballway was instrumental in the corporate-rebranding initiative that propelled the company to its current marketing and business plan.
She is also an accomplished speaker and has donated her time to charities such as The Salvation Army, Foundation for Upstate, and St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary.
CHRISTOPHER CARD
Teracai
Christopher Card had an immediate impact when he joined the Teracai sales team four years ago by bringing an innovative approach to business development to a unique market. Surpassing multiple company and personal milestones in 2012, he is clearly committed to the customer, the vendors Teracai represents, and the service it provides. In 2012, he brought in the single largest revenue deal in the history of Teracai, and earned his place on the President’s Club cruise in March. Card fills his leisure time as a volunteer ski coach and instructor, in addition to being focused on his four active children and wife, Shea.
JOYL CLANCE
BizEventz
Joyl Clance came to BizEventz in September 2011. Her responsibilities focused on sales growth, logistics, and relationship building. As a result, BizEventz has grown 26 percent over last year, exceeding budgetary expectations. Clance is a valued member of The Central New York Business Journal team and has quickly acclimated to the ever-changing demands of the event and media industry.
Outside of work, you can find her hiking around Central New York and Rochester with her boyfriend Brian and their dog Delilah.
MARIANNE FRASIER
News Channel 9/WSYR
Since the first moment Marianne Frasier joined the sales staff at WSYR-TV, her enthusiasm, commitment, and dedication have been infectious.
She is an exceptional team player who is always “up” for a challenge. Her work ethic and “can-do” attitude make her one of the top sales performers in the market. She has quickly become a welcome addition to the WSYR-TV sales team.
MICHAEL GATES
JASON MOCK
DEBBIE SELL
Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center
Revenue Management Team
The Revenue Management Team of Jason Mock, Debbie Sell, and Michael Gates has done an outstanding job over the past year working hand in hand with the hotel’s Sales & Marketing department to maximize room revenues, effectively managing overall room demand while remaining committed to loyal repeat group customers.
Jason Mock, as director of front office operations, has successfully maintained a balance between an unusually busy transient population and group room availability, allowing both to exceed expectations. His recognition of group rooms and the integration of that into the overall room-revenue pricing strategy has improved revenue hotel-wide.
Debbie Sell, as reservation supervisor, manages room inventory to maximize the hotel’s revenue potential. She is responsible for keeping group rooms current so that rooms are not held and can be used to promote additional sales opportunities.
Michael Gates, as reservations and social-media coordinator, implements the plans instituted by the department, keeps current all sales business booked, including rooms and convention space. He is also responsible for updating social-media outlets with vital information regarding hotel activities that drive group sales and improve the hotel’s visibility.
DORIAN LYNN HIDY
CXtec
Lynn Hidy has had every job in the CXtec sales organization except VP. She is a self-professed salesperson first, and is always up for working on account qualification, deal strategy, or talking to grumpy absent-minded professor types. Her accolades include multiple President’s Clubs and Chairman’s Club honors, making her personal goal as a salesperson multiple years, and having her region make goal when she was a regional sales director. A running joke is that in her spare time, with one hand tied behind her back, she also is the driving force behind CXtec’s sales training.
LINDA NATOLI
Crowne Plaza
Linda Natoli joined the Crowne Plaza in 2010. She has more than 30 years experience in hospitality and tourism. Her reputation and passion for building and maintaining client relationships has exceeded our expectations and helped her consistently surpass her goals. Natoli has been able to successfully grow multiple market segments for the property. She was awarded Sales Manager of the Year in 2011 for Richfield Hospitality and was a member of the Presidents Circle for 2011 & 2012.
C. BRIAN NESS
Visual Technologies
Brian Ness joined the Visual Technologies team in 2005 as a certified deposition video specialist. He is now the lead videographer for various events, including presentations, concerts, product demonstrations, cooking shows, and many different live productions. His superstar events include live-image magnification for Kelly Clarkson, Cheap Trick, The Allman Brothers, Keith Urban, The Fray, Justin Bieber, and Styx among others. In a one-on-one application, Ness’s calm, cool demeanor, and artistic talent have a comforting effect on clients, which encourages a more expressive and genuine interview.
For his outstanding customer service, technical ability and artistic integrity, Visual Technologies is proud to have Brian Ness as a representative of the company.
MARK OWENS
Galaxy Communications
Mark Owens has worked for Galaxy Communications as a sales/marketing executive since August 2011. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with a degree in graphic design. After graduation, Owens lived in Baltimore, Charlotte, and New York City before settling back home in Central New York.
Owens was promoted to KROCK sales manager and works in two markets: Syracuse and Utica/Rome. His new business development last year produced a company record-breaking $321,000 in revenue.
A valued member of our sales team, Owens balances both his drive to close business and his ability to develop long-term relationships. His sense of humor and team spirit makes him a favorite in the company and Galaxy Communication looks forward to seeing what is in store for 2013 and beyond.
MICHAEL J. REILLY
Dannible & McKee, LLP
Michael J. Reilly, a CPA and partner in charge of Dannible & McKee’s Tax Department, is best known for his tax expertise, but he wears many hats at the firm. He understands that marketing professional services begins with positioning yourself as an expert and building relationships.
Reilly recognizes the balance between work and community services. He presently serves as an advisory board member to CenterState CEO as well as to its subsidiary board of Benefits Specialists of New York. Reilly is also a board member, treasurer and chair of the Audit and Finance Committee for Onondaga Community College Foundation. He also serves on the board of directors as treasurer for the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency. In 2012, Reilly and his wife chaired the Crouse Health Foundation’s Tribute Evening. Dannible & McKee is proud to acknowledge Michael Reilly as its Sales & Marketing Excellence Award recipient in 2013.
SALES SUPPORT TEAM
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s CNY sales team would like to show its appreciation for the outstanding effort put forth by the Central New York Sales Support Team of Jan Atanesian, Dawn Clark, Terry Godfrey, John Gordon, Harmony Guinup-Stidham, Carolyn Klein, Dale Miller, Chris Pistello, Jill Taylor, Darlene Whitehead, and Jason Wolcott. Every successful sales team has an equally effective support team, and this team’s hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated.
ALAN SMITH
CXtec
Alan Smith joined CXtec five years ago and has proven himself a great asset to the company. He is dedicated and possesses a solid understanding of the Canadian market. Smith is a true team player, working with his peers, reinforcing their personal strengths, and increasing their technical knowledge to best serve customers’ needs. In his short time with CXtec, he has proven that it is possible to achieve every award: Starman, four out of five years, President’s Club, Million Dollar Club, and recently earning his new role as Team Leader. He is one of those people that everyone wants to be like but is difficult to match.
DAVID C. SPEARING, JR.
Scotsman Media Group
Customer-service focused, attentive to details, skillful listener, composed under pressure, a respected leader: these are just a few attributes that best describe Dave Spearing, and have been exhibited throughout his career with the Scotsman Media Group. While he has been a leader of the company’s distribution services for the past 13 years, a recent promotion has put him in charge of company quality control and waste management.
Spearing is a student of the U.S. Postal system and routinely identifies avenues to save Scotsman and its customers’ money. On a daily basis, he can be found on the phone working directly with commercial printing customers on a variety of issues ranging from insert dimensions, to labeling, to best practices within the U.S. Postal system.
Spearing is also a Boy Scout leader, recognizing the importance of demonstrating to his sons his belief in giving back to the community. The Scotsman Media Group is proud to be able acknowledge his dedication to customer service through this well-deserved sales and marketing recognition.
*Editor’s note: The companies for which these salespeople work authored these descriptions.
Belyea honored with Crystal Ball for helping to grow CXtec
SYRACUSE — Peter E. Belyea may be a life member of the Central New York Sales and Marketing Executives’ (CNYSME) board of directors, but he didn’t know he was up for the organization’s annual Crystal Ball Award until he had been selected as the winner for 2013. “I actually didn’t find out until it was
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SYRACUSE — Peter E. Belyea may be a life member of the Central New York Sales and Marketing Executives’ (CNYSME) board of directors, but he didn’t know he was up for the organization’s annual Crystal Ball Award until he had been selected as the winner for 2013.
“I actually didn’t find out until it was chosen and had been announced,” Belyea, who is the president of Salina–based CXtec and Teracai, said last October after getting the nod. “It’s probably been six or seven years since I sat on the actual Crystal Ball committee, so I’m familiar with the process. But I was totally taken aback.”
Belyea, a former president of CNYSME, has stepped back from active participation on the organization’s board in the last three to four years, he says. He took on more of a historian’s role to allow younger members to become involved in the group’s operation. CNYSME, founded in 1935, provides training and development, networking, and other opportunities and resources to sales and marketing professionals in Central New York.
In late September, the CNYSME’s Crystal Ball committee chose Belyea as the winner of its 2013 Crystal Ball Award. CNYSME hands out the honor annually to a local businessperson who has contributed to the sales and marketing profession and has worked in community development and support.
CNYSME will recognize Belyea and local sales and marketing professionals at its 37th Annual Crystal Ball and Sales & Marketing Excellence Award (SMEA) banquet on Tuesday, April 9 at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center.
SMEA recipients represent several local businesses (see write-ups inside). The event begins in the Regency Ballroom with a 5:30 p.m. cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony. For more information or to register for the event, call 876-1868 or email: info@cnysme.org. Or, visit www.cnysme.org/events/crystal-ball.
CXtec work honored
CNYSME noted Belyea’s work with CXtec’s equal2new business and its social-media marketing as reasons for his winning the Crystal Ball. CXtec built its equal2new brand around refurbished networking equipment.
“Creating the equal2new brand really allowed us to take what was used equipment and give it some teeth, give it some consistency,” Belyea says. “I think you see that now with some of the premium brands in the automotive industry. In the last 12 to 15 years these brands have really wanted to wrap their heads around the fact that you have to own the quality of your secondary market.”
Belyea named CXtec’s CABLExpress division as a marketing and branding triumph. When he started at CXtec in 1988, the company was known as Cable Express, but cable business was dwindling, he says. Then more than six years ago, company founder William Pomeroy asked Belyea to revitalize the cable business and turn it into a brand.
“It was really a big branding change-around, it was really a big product progression,” Belyea says. “One of the great things about this organization is we’re not afraid to go out and flex with the market.”
CABLExpress is also a good example of CXtec’s success in social media, according to Belyea. One of the company’s senior product managers, Josh Taylor, records YouTube videos for an instructional series called “Cable Talk” that has been popular, Belyea says. Belyea stresses CXtec’s social-media strategy is a blend of platforms, from YouTube to Twitter.
Another CXtec marketing success Belyea says he was a part of was the company’s spinoff of Teracai in 2009. Teracai focuses on selling Cisco products. It generated about $40 million in revenue in 2011, while CXtec produced $62 million in 2011. Figures for 2012 were unavailable.
“When the organization chose to spin off Teracai as a standalone company, that really represented an opportunity for us to understand what the market wanted, which was an upstate New York, East Coast business,” Belyea says. “CXtec is more of a national business. We had to go out and understand what the market wanted. It would have been easier to say we’re going to go out and be another Cisco reseller.”
CXtec and Teracai share a headquarters facility of about 70,000 square feet in Salina. However, CXtec uses the address 5404 S. Bay Road while Teracai uses the address 217 Lawrence Road E.
CXtec also has about 90,000 square feet of warehouse space on E. Brighton Ave. in Syracuse. It employs about 230 people total while Teracai employs 45.
Belyea took over as president of CXtec and Teracai in August 2011. He places an emphasis on sales and marketing that helps the companies stay centered on their customers, he says.
“I think connecting with your customers one-on-one and having a strong brand allows you to communicate effectively what you’re doing and where you’re going,” he says. “It’s a team effort. I’ve been blessed with an incredible team of people here.”
Belyea’s work at CXtec and his history with CNYSME played a big part in his winning the Crystal Ball, according to CNYSME president Katherine Rech, who works for Lockheed Martin in Salina.
“I know the Crystal Ball committee was very strongly for Pete because he’s done so much for the CNYSME organization,” she said last fall after Belyea was named the winner of the award. “He’s a former president. He’s worked on the Crystal Ball committee. And he’s done a lot for the community and for sales and marketing at CXtec.”
Contact The Business Journal at news@cnybj.com
Bonadio expects new partnership to help grow private equity business
Business for The Bonadio Group’s private equity practice naturally dipped during the financial meltdown several years ago. The group helps companies mulling mergers and acquisitions and those looking to sell, recapitalize, or raise debt and equity capital. Bonadio announced a new partnership in March that it says will help grow its private equity work. When
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Business for The Bonadio Group’s private equity practice naturally dipped during the financial meltdown several years ago.
The group helps companies mulling mergers and acquisitions and those looking to sell, recapitalize, or raise debt and equity capital. Bonadio announced a new partnership in March that it says will help grow its private equity work.
When the economy went south in 2008, all the deals the firm was working on at the time evaporated, says Jeff Lewis, a Bonadio partner and head of the firm’s private equity practice. Money for deals dried up as investors clutched their cash.
“We probably had half a dozen deals we were working on and every one just cratered,” he says.
The business began to recover in 2011 and looking forward, Lewis says demand is likely to surge. Bonadio’s clients have been asking for private equity services more and more, he notes.
“Over the next five to 10 years, there’s going to be unprecedented activity in the [mergers and acquisitions] space as the baby boomers begin to retire,” he says.
Rochester–based Bonadio has been offering private equity services for years and last year packaged them all under a single umbrella. About a dozen partners help Lewis with the work as needed.
Eventually, the firm is aiming to have a private equity specialist in each of its markets. Bonadio has additional offices in Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Geneva, Perry, New York City, and Utica.
The new partnership is with Decosimo Corporate Finance, LLC, the investment banking unit of Decosimo Certified Public Accountants, based in Chattanooga, Tenn. Decosimo will serve as Bonadio’s broker-dealer on transactions.
The partnership also involves Doeren Mayhew, an accounting firm with offices in Houston and Detroit.
All three firms will work together to develop and share best practices in investment banking and collaborate on transactions, according to Bonadio.
The relationship allows Bonadio clients access to networks around the country, Lewis says. Bonadio expects to work with Doeren and Decosimo to help local companies find potential buyers and investors.
The firm realized last year after it organized its private equity practice under a single banner that it needed to either start its own broker-dealer service from scratch for find a partner it could use, Lewis says. Starting the service alone would have created new regulatory burdens and been costly, he explains.
So Bonadio first began by speaking with traditional investment banking firms about partnerships. The firm eventually found Decosimo through Moore Stephens North America, an association of 50 accounting firms in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Decosimo matched up better philosophically for Bonadio than traditional investment banks, which often don’t get paid unless a client completes a transaction with them, Lewis says.
“We don’t have to close a transaction in order to eat next week,” he notes.
Lewis says he’s already had conversations in some of Bonadio’s markets with private equity professionals looking to join up.
“The market seems to be taking notice that we’re in this space,” he says. “We think that’s a good sign.”
Bonadio has 400 employees and projected revenue of $54.9 million for its 2013 fiscal year.
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com
Grossman St. Amour starts new equestrian-related practice group
SYRACUSE — Grossman St. Amour CPAs is launching a new practice group focusing on equine-related businesses. The equestrian accounting services practice group will provide accounting,
Dannible & McKee adds international capabilities
SYRACUSE — It’s no longer only multimillion-dollar conglomerates that have operations spanning the globe, Dannible & McKee Managing Partner Anthony Dannible says. “You’re dealing with a much more international flavor for almost every client because every client has expanded beyond the U.S. border,” he says. And that doesn’t mean just a lonely sales office in
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SYRACUSE — It’s no longer only multimillion-dollar conglomerates that have operations spanning the globe, Dannible & McKee Managing Partner Anthony Dannible says.
“You’re dealing with a much more international flavor for almost every client because every client has expanded beyond the U.S. border,” he says.
And that doesn’t mean just a lonely sales office in Toronto either. Dannible says his accounting firm’s clients have operations in Mexico, South America, and Europe. Many Central New York manufacturers maintain joint ventures with firms in China.
Businesses like Dannible & McKee have to add international capabilities as well as a result. The firm announced in March it joined the Geneva Group International (GGI), a worldwide organization of law, accounting, and consulting firms based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Now, Dannible says, if a client of his firm with a site in Germany needs some audit work done overseas, Dannible & McKee can refer the local company to a GGI member. And can do so with confidence, Dannible notes.
The group’s members are vetted before they join the organization so the firms know all of the companies involved have met the same standards.
GGI members have 592 offices in 100 countries. Members range in size from 500 employees to 50. Syracuse–based Dannible & McKee employs 85 people.
It would be difficult, Dannible says, and maybe impossible for Dannible & McKee to form partnerships with firms around the world on its own. And there’s no way the firm could vet other businesses as carefully as GGI does, he adds.
“You have confidence that member that you’re working with has achieved certain professional standards,” he says.
Clients have been clamoring for more international services for at least five years, Dannible adds. One firm Dannible & McKee works with regularly has an operation in Brazil and another maintains operations in Puerto Rico.
The firm has also been working with an Italian company with operations in the Central New York area.
The membership in GGI could lead to new business opportunities for the firm. Other group members have already contacted Dannible & McKee about doing some local work for clients, Dannible says.
The group also offers a number of education opportunities for members, he adds. GGI maintains practice groups around topics like estate planning, international tax law, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
The group hosts conferences around the world so members can keep up on the latest news and trends in their businesses, Dannible says.
“You’re kept on the cutting edge of new developments,” he says. “That was important to us.”
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com
Tully Rinckey starts new practice area in legal ethics
Tully Rinckey, PLLC is launching a new statewide practice in professional responsibility and legal ethics. The firm, based in Albany, has an office in Syracuse. Mark Ochs, former chief attorney for the Committee on Professional Standards of the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division Third Judicial Department, heads the new practice. As chief attorney,
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Tully Rinckey, PLLC is launching a new statewide practice in professional responsibility and legal ethics.
The firm, based in Albany, has an office in Syracuse. Mark Ochs, former chief attorney for the Committee on Professional Standards of the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division Third Judicial Department, heads the new practice.
As chief attorney, Ochs was responsible for investigating complaints against attorneys around the state and prosecuting them when necessary. His office also worked to educate lawyers on ethics and professional standards.
Ochs has 30 years of experience practicing attorney discipline in New York, according Tully Rinckey.
“Some of these issues, they’re serious. They can result in you being disbarred,” Tully Rinckey Managing Partner Greg Rinckey says. “I think it’s an area there’s a need for in the legal profession.”
Many lawyers with experience in the field work for the state as Ochs did. Most of them just retire at the end of their careers there and don’t move to private practice, Rinckey says.
The lawyers that do specialize in defending other attorneys generally haven’t been on the other side of the cases, he adds.
At Tully Rinckey, Ochs will represent attorneys in grievance committee and court disciplinary proceedings. He’ll also represent suspended and disbarred attorneys and law school graduates facing bar admission barriers.
He says he’ll perform much of the same outreach he did while chief attorney. He expects to work with firms and solo practitioners to help them stay ahead of the curve when it comes to professional rules and ethics.
Many areas of law practice have detailed requirements, Ochs notes. A solo attorney taking a case in a certain area of law for the first time might not know about all of them and could unintentionally run afoul of state regulations.
Ultimately a case like that might not result in disciplinary action, but could wind up in a lawyer’s permanent record. Any case involving potential discipline against an attorney is also likely to cost money and time, Ochs adds.
Most of the lawyers involved in disciplinary proceedings represented themselves before the committee, Ochs says.
“A lot of them early on think they can handle this themselves,” he says. “And a lot of times they can. But attorneys can be their own worst enemy.
“When you get into the stage where there’s a disciplinary proceeding, the attorney’s license, his livelihood is on the line.”
Lawyers involved in disciplinary cases would sometimes wind up having action taken against them simply because they refused to cooperate with the committee, Ochs says. That sort of outcome could be avoided with an outside attorney involved, he says.
There simply aren’t many law firms that handle those types of cases, Ochs adds. A handful of individual attorneys specialize in the field in the New York City area. Upstate, lawyers would often ask friends for referrals to other attorneys who could represent them in disciplinary hearings, he says.
Tully Rinckey has offices in Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va. The firm employs 96 people, including eight in Syracuse.
Tully Rinckey specializes in military law, civil litigation, family and matrimonial law, criminal defense, trust and estates, and real estate.
The firm was founded by a U.S. Army veteran, Mathew Tully. Rinckey was previously an attorney with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com
Ithaca’s GiveGab raises $1.5 million in funding
ITHACA — GiveGab, a social network for volunteers, announced that it has raised $1.5 million in its first round of outside financing. The volunteer-management software
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