ARCC 2022 Succession Summit presented by the Women's Business Council

ARCC Succession Summit presented by the Women's Business Council
 
Succession and Continuity Planning are key business activities that frequently take a backseat to growing revenues, trimming costs, or running day-to-day business operations.  Whether you are a community leader, business owner, executive, or a next generation rock star, join us as we and our panel invest an afternoon to discuss why succession is a critical business activity in which you should engage. Together, we can create a culture of regular succession planning and development to ensure our community’s upward economic trajectory continues.

This year, with a panel of domain experts and those who have worked on the succession of their own businesses, we’ll explore three scenarios:
 

• My business has survived its startup and now I need to grow it to the next phase.  What do I need to put into place to ensure continuity, employee/client retention, and resilience?
   
• I have a family-owned business.  How do I transition successfully from generation one to generation two and beyond?  What about the non-participants in the family business?
   
• My plan is to grow my business and sell it to a key employee or to a third party.  What do I need to consider now in order to be successful?  How should I value my business?

Featured Panelists:


Amie Gonzales, President, Hunt Companies, Inc.  - Amie currently serves as the President and Project Manager of Hunt Companies, a General Contractor specializing in light commercial construction. As President of this multi-million-dollar organization, Amie creates and communicates the company's mission, vision and goals with the Company's Board of Director's, management team, and employees. She promotes HCI's work and business ethics to build and maintain strong relationships with current customers, business partners, and potential clients. Previously, Amie spent eight years in the U.S. Navy as a First Class Petty Officer before separating in May 2010 and currently serves as the Communications Chair for the ARCC's Veterans Business Network. .Amie holds an MBA (project management) from Strayer University, BS (business) from Excelsior College, and an AAS (photographic technology) from Herkimer County Community College. She holds a Certificate in Women in Leadership from Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business and a Certificate in Business Strategy from Cornell’s SC Johnson Graduate School of Management. Amie is also a 2019 graduate of the Association of General Contractors, Future Construction Leaders of New York State program. Her community service spans her Navy career and continues in her personal and professional capacities today.



Wendy Waldron -  Professional EOS Implementer®, creator of WaldronWorks - Wendy is an accomplished executive, energy aligner, and storyteller. She has long been interested in why we all do what we do, and how we can do it better! 

Her company, WaldronWorks, is founded on the belief that our human potential is limitless. Elevating local businesses is a passion! Her commitment to individual value and effort extends to volunteer work, sitting on the boards of local human services nonprofits and leading record-breaking fundraising campaigns. Wendy also enjoys traveling light, vertical gardening, performing on stage, and the fact that Wonder Woman shares her initials. She lives in the Adirondack mountains with her family, in their home near the highway.


Sherry Finkel Murphy, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®- The Atrium Financial Group / Northwestern Mutual - Prior to joining Northwestern Mutual, Sherry enjoyed a successful career in technology sales leadership and coaching. She created her ‘second act’ to share her financial expertise and to define, for her, what a satisfying nonretirement can be. Her own experience with marriage, divorce, re partnering, and care of aging parents greatly informs her work. Combining career, business, and financial coaching, Sherry provides her clients with a highly collaborative strategy to achieve their unique goals. Sherry is an alumnus of the University of Rochester (B.A) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M.S.). She is a founder and former Chair of the Women’s Business Council of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Professional Development Committee of the University of Rochester Women’s Initiative, member of the 100 Women Who Care Alliance of Northeastern New York, and board member emeritus of Wellspring, ending relationship violence in our community. In addition, Sherry is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Eastern New York.



Brian J. Stidd, CPA, CVA - Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli, LLP - Brian has over 15 years’ experience in both public accounting and the private sector.  He is primarily involved in tax, accounting, management advisory and business services.  Brian earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Siena in 2005.  He became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in 2007 and a Certified Valuation Analyst in 2015.  Brian is skilled in general accounting and tax with specialized knowledge in manufacturing, mining, hospitality and construction industries.  Active in community service throughout his career, he now holds the office of Treasurer for the South Glens Falls Little League and serves on the Board of Directors for Community, Work & Independence, Inc., (CWI) in Glens Falls.  Originally from West Babylon, New York, Brian currently resides in South Glens Falls, New York.



Hilary Stec - Assistant Vice President, HR Business Partner & Manager of HRIS at Marshall & Sterling - The early part of Hilary’s career was in accounting and operations in the property management field.  Upon earning her MBA from the College of Saint Rose in August 2001, she transitioned into Human Resources.  She has worked for non-profit, profit, publicly traded, and private businesses in her career.  The industries span property management, human services, manufacturing, entertainment and now insurance & financial services where she is currently employed by Marshall & Sterling, having become a member of their HR team as a result of Jaeger & Flynn Associates being acquired by Marshall & Sterling, in 2021.  Hilary’s HR experience has been with small and large employers, multi-state and international, ranging from 10 to 1400 employees.  Hilary became a credentialed HR professional earning her SPHR in 2006, is a 2015 graduate of the Capital Region Leadership Program and earned her SHRM-SCP, also in 2015.   


Rose Miller - Senior Professional in Human Resources- Previously, Rose was the President of Pinnacle Human Resources, which she founded in 2009 to bring HR best practices and models to any size company. In October of 2021, Rose sold Pinnacle HR to GTM Payroll Services. Rose also launched what has become a very successful leave of absence division that serves clients throughout the country. Rose graduated from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass with a B.S. in Organizational Behavior and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. She writes an HR column called Work Matters for the Albany Times Union that appears in the Business section on the first Friday each month. 



Stefanie DiLallo Bitter, Esq. - Partner at the law firm of Bartlett Pontiff Stewart & Rhodes, PC. - Having started her law career at the firm in 2000, Stefanie sits on the management committee.  The law firm is a general practice with 20 attorneys. Her areas of law include real estate, real property, zoning and planning, municipal law, corporate law and estate planning and administration.  In addition to practicing law, Stefanie is also an adjunct professor at her alum Hartwick College.    She serves as a director on both the executive committee and board of directors on the Glens Falls YMCA.  She is the immediate past chair of the ARCC Women’s business council.  She lives in Clifton Park with her husband Josh, daughters Madylin (15) and Jacklyn (13), and dog Oliver (3). 

 
Vanessa A. Hutton - Associate - McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum, LLP - Vanessa A. Hutton is an associate with McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP. Her practice is focused primarily on estate planning and administration. Ms. Hutton is also experienced with general and non-profit business formation and counsel, corporate governance, and real estate transactions. Before joining the firm, Ms. Hutton had a solo practice serving the Southern Adirondacks where she primarily handled real estate transactions, small business and non-profit formations, general business matters, and corporate governance. Previously, she practiced in New York City as a consulting attorney for global financial institutions, specializing in regulatory compliance and corporate governance. Ms. Hutton regularly practices in both our Glens Falls and Chestertown offices. Ms. Hutton is a graduate of Marist College, with a B.A. in Communications, cum laude, and earned her Juris Doctor from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.


Pamela L. Cleveland, CPA, MAFF, Senior Audit Manager, CMJ, LLP – Pam has been employed by and in November 2022 will be 20 years with the firm.  She has provided services in the accounting and finance field since graduating Adirondack Community College, now SUNY Adirondack, in 1987.  She obtained her BS in Accounting and Finance from Empire State College in 1995.  Pam obtained her CPA license in 2006, and her MAFF, Master of Financial Forensics, in 2010.  She also holds a QuickBooks ProAdvisor Certification. Pam is responsible for the accounting, assurance and advisory services department, including financial statement accounting and reporting services for corporations, LLC’s, and partnerships.  She provides clients with consulting services on forensic accounting, internal controls, and computer systems.  Additionally, she serves on the board of the Open Door Mission, and is currently serving as their Treasurer.

 

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We’ll discuss:
 
Community succession and philanthropy:  How deep is our community bench? How can the torchbearers pass their knowledge, resources, and passion to a new group of leaders, securing vibrant business and local economic growth?
 
The commitment to mentor and the selection of proteges:  Whether developing or hiring, how can a leader build their successor(s) and commit to continuity and quality within their organization? Where is the bank of human capital for future work in our area?
 
Securing the family business: What planning can multi-generational family businesses do to support continuity and sustain business health over multiple generations?
 
The plan:  What planning strategies are employed to create continuity and succession plans in different types of businesses?