What’s new on the business scene for Jan. 7
GOOD BUSINESS
Bank helps students raise funds — Last school year, Rhinebeck Bank learned that a large number of Poughkeepsie High School Graduates were unable to afford their senior yearbooks. The Poughkeepsie High School yearbook committee orders 150 books for a graduating class of over 200, and only a portion of those books are purchased by students. The bank took up donations from employees who wanted to help out, and was able to raise enough money to donate 75 yearbooks to lucky students.
This school year, the bank is taking it a step further by teaching the students on the committee how to sell advertisements. Brandi Rider, assistant vice president business banking officer and Michelle Barone-Lepore, senior vice president marketing have been meeting with the yearbook committee for sales training sessions. The students have been learning the basics of communication, advertising and sales. Rider and Barone-Lepore have even been going with the students as they sell ads to local business owners. The goal this year is to raise over $12,000 to lower the cost of the yearbooks so that each high school senior can afford one.
“We need to teach our students valuable skills in order for our community to develop,” said Michael J. Quinn, bank president & CEO. “It starts with our education system and improving that first. This initiative may be a small step forward, but we have to start somewhere; our community depends on it,” he said.
Businesses interested in advertising in the Poughkeepsie High School Yearbook, may contact Tiffany Ward at TWard@PoughkeepsieSchools.org or at 845-705-6141.
Rhinebeck Bank has been part of the community since 1860. For more information visit www.RhinebeckBank.com.
APPOINTMENT
Poughkeepsie attorney joins firm — Adrienne Chen-Odierna of Poughkeepsie has joined the law firm of Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner, & Martuscello, LLP as an associate. The firm has offices in Kingston and Marlboro.
Chen-Odierna is a 2000 graduate of Pace University School of Law and a 1997 graduate of Vassar College. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2001 and to the Connecticut Bar in 2000, and she is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court Southern District of New York and Eastern District of New York. She is a member of the Dutchess County Bar Association, New York State Bar Association and New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Chen-Odierna’s areas of practice include personal injury, commercial litigation, landlord-tenant law, contract law and foreclosures. She will be practicing out of the Kingston office and can be reached at 845-331-4100. Visit www.rwhm.com.
Send listings to biznews@poughkeepsiejournal.com. Fax to 845-437-4921 or mail to P.O. Box 1231, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.