BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Limba - ECPv6.16.5//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Limba X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://limba.net X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Limba REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20090308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20091101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20100314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20101107T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20110313T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20111106T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20101008T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20101008T000000 DTSTAMP:20101008T040000Z CREATED:20101008T040000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20101008T040000Z UID:4441-1286496000-1286496000@limba.net SUMMARY:Justice Ralph Costello NY Supreme Court DESCRIPTION:As usual we learned something new at LIMBA. Our speaker\, NY Supreme Court Justice\, Ralph Costello was a departure from our usual roster of speakers. \nThe judge began by explaining the term of the court\, 14 years\, and that in this jurisdiction the position is an elected post. In other jusdications it can vary. In some cases the original term is appointed and to get a new term you must be elected. And in still others the first and subsequent terms are appointed. Methods can vary. For example the city of New York can and does have a different system than Suffolk. They appoint their judges. \nWhen running for elction the rules are different than other public officials. A judge candidate cannot directly solicit campaign funds. If he needs funds he has a committee that solicits funds\, and he is not privy to who those donors are. This is a little silly since these donor records are public documents. He pointed out that in Las Vegas donors can push a wheel barrow full of cash into a judicial candidates office\, and that would be OK. Well…..it is Vegas. \nJudges have received no pay increases in about 10 years\, and until very recently they were not permitted to work outside of the courtroom. Even now they would’nt be able to work in "demeaning" occupations. They can write books\, and that is something that they could always do even under the old rules \nThe Supreme Court is able to hear cases of all nature. Cases involved in environment\, construction\, medical liability and negligence are all heard in Supreme Court. However cases involving small sums (under $25\,000) are not heard. This is different than specialized courts. \nWhen asked to endorse the candidate for office political parties are not permitted to ask about his feelings on issues . This is a refreshing departure from the candidate questioning of a United States Supreme court nomination. In that case the candidate must dance around every question. \nDuring the Q&A there were many questions indicating that audience was keyed in and interested \nTodays meeting was sponsored by the New York Islanders Hockey club – Door prizes were given out and some lucky people went home with openning night seats in a luxury booth and oters went home with regular in season tickets. Thanks to Mike Meinardus and the Islanders. URL:https://limba.net/calendar/justice-ralph-costello-ny-supreme-court/ LOCATION:NY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20101015T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20101015T000000 DTSTAMP:20101015T040000Z CREATED:20101015T040000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20101015T040000Z UID:4426-1287100800-1287100800@limba.net SUMMARY:Randy Altshuler DESCRIPTION:Wow! What an energetic meeting! Our speaker this morning was Randy Altschuler\, Republican candidate for the 1st congressional district \nMr. Altschuler began by giving some information about himself. He’s a Princeton grad and he ran a successful businesses. One of them was an electronic devices recycling and salvaging company. This company recycled\, by fixing what was wrong and reselling the device or reducing it down to the base metals and then sold for the metal value. \nHe said the "American dream has disappeared." He stated that we have a general feeling that our children will not have the same opportunity to succeed as we did. Part of the reason is that we have created huge deficits. The idea that one generation creates the framework for the increased success of the next has been reversed. The debt we create is really a loan imposed on our children. \nAltschuler criticized the administration foreign policy citing the danger posed by Iran\, stating that the Obama administration is doing nothing to contain them (presently there is oil sitting in loaded tankers that cannot move because of the sanctions imposed by the world community including China and Russia but no one challenged him on that) \nDuring the Q&A he was asked if he would have voted for the GM bailout since it appears that all of that money will be returned to the taxpayers. He said he would not. Some of the people in the room chimed in and agreed with him. He knocked the stimulus plan for infrastructure. Others in the room agreed with him\, not because it was such a bad idea\, but because so little of it went to infrastructure. \nWhen the topic of immigration reform was brought up\, the question was couched in the reality that removing 11 million people was impractical. He agreed\, and then said the first thing we must do is secure the borders. and then make employers obey the immigration laws. But I did not hear a plan that would now assimilate those people that were presently in the country. \n On education he stated we mustn’t spend recklessly and unions must show flexibility. \nWhen asked how he would deal with Republicans and their demand for perfect discipline in the ranks\, he promised independence. \nRecently LIMBA counted a victory in getting a new rail intermodal yard started in Yaphank. Tim Bishop shepherded the permitting through the Surface Transportation Board. Altschuler was asked if we could expect him to support measures such as that\, and he said he would. \nThroughout the Q&A\, which was much longer than his prepared remarks\, the room was abuzz. There were many more questions addressed than what is cited here\, and the conversation was passionate. People are genuinely troubled and it showed. I was impressed with the number of informed questions and the general participation. When we officially closed the meeting nobody ran for the doors. The people in the room continued their questions with the speaker as well as with each other. \nA number of people commented to me on the quality of the discussion as they were leaving. It was a passionate exchange and people are frustrated\, but there was no angry remarks diected to the speaker or each other. URL:https://limba.net/calendar/randy-altshuler/ LOCATION:NY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20101022T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20101022T000000 DTSTAMP:20101022T040000Z CREATED:20101022T040000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20101022T040000Z UID:4425-1287705600-1287705600@limba.net SUMMARY:LIA President Kevin Law DESCRIPTION:Kevin Law\, the dynamic new leader of the Long Island Association (LIA)\, New York State’s largest business group opened by expressing surprise that LIMBA’s Ernie Fazio was not on stage at Hofstra’s gubernatorial debate as the MAGLEV party candidate\, given our feckless leader’s tireless\nadvocacy for this new rail technology. \nSix weeks into his new tenure as head of the LIA\, his previous appearance in front of LIMBA was as the Chief Executive of the Long Island Power Authority ( LIPA ).  \nEnergy and Infrastructure will still be focused on at the LIA as just two of the challenges facing Long Island.  Mr. Law brings a fresh perspective to the LIA\, seeking to partner with other business groups to unify Long Island’s message to Albany and Washington DC.   To that end he has been meeting with many groups\, the Partnership for NYC\, Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA)\,the Association for a Better Long Island (ABLI)\, and of course\, LIMBA today. \nOne of his primary goals for the LIA will be to unify the efforts of the organizations that make up Long Island’s mosaic of groups in society\, business and government.  Not many entities tie together and represent Long Island as a region as the LIA does.  His previous leadership role was at one of those that did\, LIPA.  He mentioned the Long Island Rail Road as another and pointed to the recent efforts to coordinate the region by the revival of the Long Island Regional Planning Council.  His service for two governors\, two county executives\, and at a major Long Island law firm give him a good perspective on what businesses struggle with on Long Island.  As an aside\, he commented on how much more interesting the recent gubernatorial debate might have been if his old boss Steve Levy had still been in the race. \nSegueing into Suffolk County’s efforts to grow the county\, he spoke about the recent successes in keeping Canon’s US headquarters in Melville\, and attracting Leviton to move its headquarters to Suffolk from parts west.  These two successes keep 3000 jobson Long Island.  He emphasized the need\nto capitalize on this good news and other stories like it to change the currently negative psychology and perception of Long Island.  Acknowledging some of the challenges facing Long Island his talk moved into the areas of taxes\, the multiplicity of governing bodies\, and the infrastructure of Long Island\, both physical and intellectual.  Sewers and the power grid were foremost on his mind for investment in the physical\, and the fine educational system on the island is deserving of continued investment to cultivate the high value businesses and jobs that LIA wants to develop and attract to Long Island. \nStill early in his tenure\, Kevin is continuing to take inventory of the wide array of groups on the island\, meeting with as many as possible\, the ones mentioned above and more\, such as Action Long Island\, and the Association for Commerce\, Industry\, and Technology ( ACIT).  This survey is taking place in order to inform the short and long term agenda of the LIA.  He wants that agenda to envelop the concerns of all these groups unifying their voices and efforts. \nAddressing another challenge\, taxes\, he came out in opposition of the expiration of the Bush tax cuts\, because of their impact on a high cost area such as Long Island. $250\,000 doesn’t go as far here as it does in Oklahoma\, or even upstate New York.  LIA also seeks to address the imbalance in Long Island as a net exporter of taxes to both DC and Albany and will not be timid about taking positions on issues.  One of these issues and a priority for the LIA is to move Long Island to be a leader in the “Green Economy”\, continuing the trend to develop renewable energy while he was at LIPA.  It will be tough for Long Island to do on its own without Federal help\, addressing that tax imbalance with research money and internationally by fighting currency manipulation to keep the playing field level.  This will help Long Island meet the issues it faces with energy\, infrastructure and education. \nAs usual\, the Q & A session was lively\, and at times feisty! \nMichelle Zere lit a fire by asking how Kevin was going to change the culture of the LIA to make it more in line with the needs of smaller business owners\, and eliminate the perception that it is only addressing the needs of the larger businesses on Long Island.  Mohinder Singh also echoed Michelle’s\ncomment with a request that the LIA expand its diversity efforts. \nKevin responded by assuring us that he was addressing the issue and will be driving the LIA to be more inclusive\, and acknowledged the importance of small business on Long Island\, citing the statistic of 90% of Long Island businesses having fewer than twenty employees. \nMarc Herbst of the Long Island Contractors Association ( LICA ) called on the LIA to not be a paper tiger\, and be a leader of all the business groups\, pledging the support of LICA towards that goal.  Following up\, he asked Kevin how the LIA was going to help advance the $500MM worth of sewer projects that are currently on the drawing boards. \nHis answer was to agree that this sewer work is critical to progress development on Long Island and a key to future growth.  Reviewing the history of the last round of sewer projects on Long Island\, he emphasized the need for federal funding to pickup a large portion of the cost of this infrastructure. \nLarry Weiss asked Kevin for his thoughts on how to address NIMBYism\, which Long Island is seemingly the capitol of. \nRecalling his tenure at the Town of Huntington during the early efforts to get the Matinecock Court housing development in East Northport off the ground\, he stated the best way to head off NIMBYism is education and outreach.  NIMBYism generally comes about because of a lack of education and uninformed opposition.  The proponents of a project must get out in front of this in order not to lose the spin war before it starts. \nA highlight of the session was a group of questions surrounding access to the gubernatorial debate broadcast and control of the news media  on Long Island.  That certainly got the audience’s attention  and dander up.  Once again it was another provocative\, entertaining and informative LIMBA meeting with an excellent speaker and a room full of Long Island’s movers and shakers.  Please join us for these Friday morning sessions that finish the work week off on a high note and never fail to be of value. \n  URL:https://limba.net/calendar/lia-president-kevin-law/ LOCATION:NY END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20101029T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20101029T000000 DTSTAMP:20101029T040000Z CREATED:20101029T040000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20101029T040000Z UID:4424-1288310400-1288310400@limba.net SUMMARY:Kirk Kordeleski Bethpage Fed Credit Union. DESCRIPTION:This morning we held our LIMBA gathering in the offices of Bethpage Federal Credit Union (BFCU) and were educated about credit unions in general and BFCU in particular.  Kirk opened his talk with a primer about credit unions’ structure and history.  Credit unions have been one of the few success stories to come out of the financial crisis.They are not banking institutions; they are financial cooperatives that offer banking services.  Their charters are such that they were restricted from engaging in the risky investment strategies that proved to be so damaging to many banks and other financial institutions  This has resulted in BFCU having a strong capital base to work with as we emerge from the recession. \nOne of the interesting things about a credit union is that it cannot raise capital by selling equity as the large banks have been doing recently to recapitalize themselves.  Their capital comes from deposits and the success of the instruments and products that they\ninvest those deposits in.  Their boards are all volunteer\, and have evolved from being oriented around a single company’s employees to serving defined communities.  The founder of Filene’s department stores is credited with fostering legislation and founding\norganizations that lead to the popularization of credit unions for corporate employees to obtain reasonably priced financial services. \nBFCU was founded by Grumman employees in the early 40’s\, and grew through adding company associations with some of the larger employers on Long Island\, including its next door neighbor Cablevision and Computer Associates in Islandia.  Membership was also restricted to employees of those companies.  Subsequently\, its charter was changed to include all of Nassau and Suffolk counties so that anybody that lives\, works\, worships\, or regularly conducts business in Nassau and Suffolk can become a member.  BFCU has invested heavily in their community strategy since changing their charter and it is beginning to show results.  Their sponsorship of the Jones Beach Air Show both honors their Grumman roots and serves their expanded Long Island community. \nUnder Mr. Kordeleski’s guidance over the last ten years\, BFCU has grown from $950MM in deposits to nearly $4B and 180\,000 members.  It is the #1 credit union in the country measured by deposits.  It has twenty four branches with three more under construction.  BFCU plans to open three to six each year to grow eventually to fifty or sixty branches. \nValue\, service and convenience returned to the shareholders are are its guiding principles.  Since BFCU is a co-op\, they don’t have the same profit pressures that retail banks do.  As a result\, community involvement is a foundational principal.  BFCU is expanding its focus to help underserved communities\, placing branches in disadvantaged neighborhoods and communicating with a multicultural marketing strategy.  Convenience is emphasized with surcharge free access to ATMs in 7/11 stores\, Walgreens\, Costco and King Kullen.  The King Kullens in Commack and Levittown also host BFCU branches. \nThey are expanding into business services also.  The initial focus is on real estate\, but lending products and SBA supported lending is forthcoming.  Another strategy is to price their product to be number one or two in the markets that they serve\, whether that is interest\nrates earned on deposits or charged on loans.  These approaches have resulted in consistently high JD Power rankings for satisfaction. \nOnce again it was another educational opportunity to be at LIMBA meeting with an excellent speaker and learn more about an underappreciated Long Island institution that can serve us all. \nPlease join us for these Friday morning sessions that finish the work week off on a high note and never fail to be of value. \nRecap by Craig Plunkett. URL:https://limba.net/calendar/kirk-kordeleski-bethpage-fed-credit-union/ LOCATION:NY END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR