Partnerships in the Poconos

Transcription

Pocono Business Journal
Seven Bridge Road, RR# 5 Box 5198
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
www.pbjonline.com
POCONO
Regional Business News & Resources
– Full story on
Partners at work and in life
- Michael Baxter
Page 12
OBSERVE
1 National Postal Worker Day
4
17
20 22 A & M Hartman DJs
Independence Day
Disneyland opened in 1955
First man landed on the
moon in 1969
Parents Day
Cinch Creative Media
See PMCC Business Magazine ad
for the answer on page 10.
Photo Credit: Al Zagofsky
Emerald Restaurant/Molly Maguire’s Pub
Dad and lads keepin’ the green in the family
Century 21 Gold C Realty
Bringing the strengths of two generations together
Young and restless gives way to entrepreneurial spirit
QUESTION
Which Monroe County municipalities have the lowest property tax rates?
Photo Credit: Submitted by Century 21 Gold
“The economic projects are very key
to our area,” Baxter said. “They’re
creating jobs. The train will be here to
transport people who are living here to
jobs in New York and New Jersey. I want
to see the jobs come here. I want to see
our children graduate from high school
and stay here and have good jobs to
choose from. We need to bring the jobs
here; jobs drive everything.”
Photo Credit: Submitted by Elevations Health Club
QUOTE
Photo Credit: Perry Hebard
Partnerships in the Poconos
Elevations Health Club
Childhood friends follow a dream
Photo Credit: Submitted by M Enterprise Solutions, Inc.
• Affordable Housing Options for Employees ...p. 14
• First Growing Greener Community . ...........p. 14
• Remote Deposit Option for Business......... p. 9
• Pocono Eatery Changes Venues..............p. 15
• Wall Street West Progress.......................p. 11
• Focus List:
Office Furniture Suppliers......................p. 20
• Op-Ed:
Alternative Energy Policy.........................p. 4
• PBJ Columnists:
Business Coach’s Corner........................p. 17
HR Toolbox...............................................p. 4
Regional Healthcare Report..................p. 10
Perspectives on Monroe County Economy.....p. 7
Sustainable is Attainable.........................p. 5
Tax Facts..................................................p. 5
Partnerships
Photo Credit: Submitted by A&M Hartman DJs
THIS MONTH
July 2007, Vol. 3, Issue 7
M Enterprise Solutions
Long distance partnerships can work
see PARTNERSHIPS page 8
www.pbjonline.com
Professional Profile - Believing in the Poconos Keeps Commercial Realtor Moving Forward
page 12
2
Pocono Business Journal | July 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
www.pbjonline.com
POCONO
Twin Willow Publishing Company
Seven Bridge Road
RR#5 Box 5198
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-9209
570.421.0100 | fax 570.421.0404
www.pbjonline.com
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Marynell Strunk
REPORTERS
Lisa Alexander
Ken Clark
Robin Gaffney
Kathy Ruff
CONTRIBUTORS
Susan Beecher
Holly Corcoran
Richard J. Henley
Charles Leonard
Victoria Mavis
Richard Munson
Lesley Smith
ARTICLES
Dynamics of a Successful Partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 3
Partnering: A Strategic Twist for Business Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 6
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
• Believing in the Poconos Keeps Commercial Realtor Moving Forward. . . . . . . . . . p. 12 - 13
DEPARTMENTS
• Business Briefs – Who’s Who/What’s What. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 18-19
• Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 21
• Columnists
Business Coach’s Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 17
HR Toolbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4
Regional Healthcare Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 10
Perspectives on Monroe County Economy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 7
Sustainable is Attainable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5
Tax Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5
• Editorial – PA Chamber: Alternative Energy Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4
• Focus List – Office Furniture Suppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 20
• Register – Deeds and Mortgage Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22 - 23
Advertisers Index
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Perry Hebard
Al Zagofsky
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. . . . . . 6
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
DTR Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Danielle Eberhardt
Robin Gaffney
Lynn Schwarz
COPY EDITOR
Joan Groff
SALES
Phyllis M. Hilkert
The Chateau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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RR#5 Box 5198
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-9209
ESSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
East Stroudsburg University of PA. . . . . . . . . . 11
Journal Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Manpower. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Michael Baxter & Associates
Commercial Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
PRODUCTION/DESIGN
Jason Trump
Nassau Broadcasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CIRCULATION
Robin Gaffney
Pocono Medical Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
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3
NEWS
Dynamics of a Successful Partnership
By Kathy Ruff
Those in the business world understand what it takes
to run a successful and vibrant business. Those traits
include tenacity, risk-taking and creativity.
But when people partner to do business, what are the
dynamics that create a successful partnership?
For the partners of the family-owned Inn at Jim
Thorpe, defining roles and communicating represent
vital ingredients to prevent conflict.
“Defining the roles is important,” says David Drury,
innkeeper, who is a general partner together with his
father and brother. “There needs to be, for any kind of
partnership, a legal agreement as to how it’s actually
going to work, or who is going to do what. We had the
legal end of it there, but we didn’t get into the division
of labor.”
But, as time went by, the family whittled away at
conflict and defined their individual roles.
“I make all the calls for the day-to-day operations,
but I have them to fall back when I need to discuss
new moves, planning for the future when that comes
into play,” says Drury. “We all have equal say as far as
decision making. When we distribute money, that’s a
different case, but as far as decision making in a family
setup, I don’t believe it works if different partners have
different percentages, and then they force that issue.”
The traits exhibited by the Drury family reflect some
of those that contribute to the dynamics of a successful
partnership.
“One (trait) is respect for each other and the ability
to communicate and work out differences that will come
up,” says Albert L. Waldman, business consultant based
in Milford. “You have to practice conflict resolution, and
really having a format in which you regularly address
the issues, the problems that have come up since we did
it last time. If you don’t do that, you have resentments
that build up and then one day somebody blows. It becomes the kind of thing that ends partnerships.”
Waldman recommends establishing a mechanism to
deal with issues and conflicts such as weekly, monthly
or quarterly meetings.
Another way to prevent potential conflicts and
improve your chances for a successful partnership is to
know your partners.
“You have to be aware of who you are getting into
bed with, so to speak,” says Keith Yurgosky, manager
of Internet business for the University of Scranton’s
Small Business Development Center. “You may have an
issue where one partner runs up all kinds of debt on the
personal side, and they can actually file liens against any
assets that the partnership may garner together.”
Learning about your potential partner is part of the
pre-planning or due diligence process that also includes
outlining duties, responsibilities,
compensation and other information needed to keep the partners on
the same page.
“Some people overlook the
simple things, and it causes them
major problems down the road,”
says Yurgosky. “It comes down
to planning up front, whether it
be a business plan, a marketing
plan, putting together a partnership
agreement – all those things take
some thought up front.”
Those up-front thoughts and
investigation also should take into
account the personalities and temperaments of the partners.
“The dynamics of successful partnership are very similar to
the partnerships of a successful
personal relationship, any marriage or coupling or family,” says
Sylvia Lafair, president of Creative
Energy Options, White Haven.
“It’s, first of all, the capacity to
build trust. Without deep trust, the
company won’t grow where it has
to.”
Trust goes hand-in-hand with
an ongoing communication style
that regularly clarifies direction
and alignment of the business and
conveys issues and truths without
blame or attack.
“It’s critical that people learn
how to communicate through
conflict,” says Lafair. “Navigating
through the conflict is where the
success or potential demise of a
partnership comes in. Nobody gets
married thinking they are going to
get divorced, and nobody goes into
a partnership thinking it’s going
to fall apart. So, there is a critical
need to be able to learn how to
handle conflict, tension and disappointments.”
Great business partnerships
take some work up front, but in the
long-run, it’s worth it.
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4
EDITORIAL
Sound Alternative Energy Policy: Free Market, Not Mandates
PA Chamber of
Commerce
Lesley Smith
With the fluctuation in gasoline prices, energy costs
have been on the minds of most consumers. Understandably, this has led to a discussion about alternative energy
sources, including solar, wind, and fuels from plants and
other sources.
The PA Chamber supports the use of alternative energy
within the framework of a free market system. And, while
the conservation components of Gov. Ed Rendell’s energy
strategy are laudable, the governor just can’t seem to stray
from the notion that Pennsylvania can tax and mandate
itself into prosperity and positive change – something
that governments across the globe have not been able to
achieve. The governor suggests new energy mandates and
then subsidizing those mandates with yet another new tax
(one of seven proposed new and/or expanded taxes on
business, for those keeping track), instead of letting the free
market determine viable alternative energy markets.
New tax adds to uncertainty over costs of
existing mandates
Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed an $850 million dollar
alternative energy program that would be funded through
a new “electric” tax and would require the use of certain
alternative fuels. The tax, that would be imposed on industrial, commercial and residential users, comes at a time
when caps are beginning to be lifted on electricity rates,
when business faces a $1.7 billion price tag from an unnecessary state mercury rule and when the full cost impact of
the 2004 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act is yet
to be determined.
Learning from past mistakes
When government, not demand, selects the best
alternative energy source, problems can arise as they did
during the Carter administration. In the 1970s, the federal
government sunk a significant amount of funding into
synthetic fuels, which proved to be not a viable option and,
as a result, a monumental waste of money. Rendell’s new
energy mandates have a similar potential for trouble. With
all energy sources, there are positives and negatives. Ethanol, for example, while having a part to play in alternative
energy strategy, is expensive and could exacerbate ozone
problems. Pennsylvania also lacks the proper infrastructure
to import mass quantities, as ethanol cannot be shipped via
pipeline but must be shipped by rail. A plan that enables
Pennsylvania residents to make the best alternative energy
choices for their families is better than government mandates.
A better alternative for energy independence
Pennsylvania does need a comprehensive energy
policy – one that pursues all viable options, including
coal and nuclear ( two fuels that have played a critical
part in growing our economy and providing a comfortable
existence) – and a policy that steers clear of government
mandated energy requirements.
Government also must eliminate any unnecessary
hurdles to alternative fuels development. For example,
the PA Chamber recently heard from a company that was
attempting to convert used oil from fast food restaurants to
bio-diesel, but faced regulatory constraints due to the state’s
requirement that the oil be treated as residual waste. With
the additional costs and regulatory burdens of the product
being considered residual waste, it was cost prohibitive to
locate the company in Pennsylvania.. Innovative people
need to be allowed to develop solutions that make sense.
All parties need to recognize the significant investment business is making into the exploration of alternative
energy options. Ironically, the administration – through its
oil industry gross profits tax – is proposing a significant tax
increase on those very companies, taking money away from
the industry’s efforts to be part of the solution.
Lesley Smith is the director of communications for the
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the state’s
largest broad-based business association, with a membership representing more than 50 percent of the private
workforce. More information is available on the Chamber’s
Web site at www.pachamber.org.
PBJ READER’S RESOURCE
www.startupnation.com
Setting Up A Partnership ???
Deciding to set up a partnership or a business can
come with many questions. Am I making the right
choice? What are my legal responsibilities for the business-?
Startupnation.com is a web site designed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Visitors will receive advice
from a businessperson that has taken the risk you are
considering or has grappled with a situation your business is facing.
The web site has a great section on understanding
the rules of a partnership and offers the opportunity
to draw up your own partnership agreement. The site
also features links to other articles and advice on how
to start a business and grow a business. Be sure to click
on “topics” and proceed
to strategic partnerships,
where you can view
various articles on smart
partnering and strategic
growth.
Robin Gaffney
Have something
to say ???
Send Letters to the Editor
at [email protected].
Remember to include your
contact information.
Building Your Business by Partnering
HR Toolbox
Victoria Mavis
www.pbjonline.com/blog
A shrinking labor pool of skilled workers has
visionary employers building strategies to make their
existing workforce better; now and in the future.
One strategic tool growing in popularity is partnering.
The Internal Revenue Service defines a partnership
as “a relationship between two or more persons who join
to carry on a trade or business.”
But, today’s business partnerships do not adhere
necessarily to the formal relationship defined by the IRS.
Business owners are creating casual partnerships
with others to help them perform different aspects of
their operations. Those partners offer to help employers
free up the time of skilled workers by providing expertise in specialized areas, such as employment law and
benefits management.
As an employer, you must weigh the value of an
employee’s time to perform such functions or to spend
time on more sensitive duties or those that cannot be
outsourced.
For example, it’s not unusual for many small companies without a dedicated HR professional to add those
duties to an employee whose primary job focuses on accounting, purchasing or other administrative functions.
One of our clients decided to partner with us and
outsource its HR operations so their chief financial officer, who was performing those chores, could focus on
what it considered a better return for the investment of
her time.
This is one of many examples where partnering with others can improve internal productivity and
profitability. But companies are expanding those casual
partnerships.
Another popular partnership you may want to consider is a payroll company. Weekly or bi-weekly payroll
may not be a cumbersome job for a company with one
or two employees, but, for those with 10 or more, it can
take easily a half to a full day to process. Creative entrepreneurs consider the value and cost of that employee’s
time versus the cost to outsource the function. Outsourcing can deliver services not only more cost-effectively but can add a higher level of flexibility to your
internal operations.
Internal operations are sidetracked easily when
faced with processing infrequent tasks, such as processing a COBRA claim or family medical leave request. It
may be more efficient and a better use of resources to
partner with a good employment attorney who knows
what’s needed to streamline the process, instead of having the employee spend time researching what’s needed
to fully comply with the law.
While complying with the law and being resourceful represent two smart reasons to consider partnerships,
a more compelling motive revolves around a growing demand for skilled labor that experts say will only
intensify over the coming decade. Savvy employers
recognize how partnerships help them to better manage
a talent pool to meet an ever-changing business environment.
Many companies have found the benefits of partnering with HR, payroll and other specialty companies
which far outweighs the costs involved with such a
move.
Consider partnering with an organization having
those who specialize in key areas, so you can focus on
recruiting and training people for the jobs that only your
employees can do.
Victoria Mavis is the President/CEO of Core People
Resources, LLC, a Web-based human resources expert
system which is designed to help small employers reduce
the risk of financial exposure associated with employment issues. The company is located in Wind Gap.
Vickie has over 17 years experience and her expertise
is in providing businesses with practical and affordable
approaches to their ‘people’ problems through the use
of Internet technology. You can reach her at vmavis@
corepeopleresources.com
5
EDITORIAL
Education and Outreach for Resource Conservation
Sustainable is
Attainable
Susan Beecher
Pike County Conservation District has been working closely with other agencies and organizations to
provide an ambitious series of educational programs,
for local citizens and municipal officials, focused on
growth management and natural resource conservation. The Pike Conservation Partnership, an alliance
of government, non-government, non-profit and grass
roots organizations, originally met late in 2004 with
the intent of sharing calendar information to prevent
offering competing programs on the same dates. From
the initial meeting, Partnership members realized there
were many more opportunities to enhance conservation
efforts by working in unison. With shared goals for open
space and natural resource conservation, sustainable
communities and citizen involvement in community
planning, the Partnership has pooled resources throughout the last several years to present programs that reach
a broad range of participants from across Pike, Wayne,
Monroe and Lackawanna Counties and into neighboring
New York State. The Partnership also focused efforts
in several other areas including: identifying, prioritizing
and exploring funding options and actions to conserve
some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the
county; supporting the county commissioners in educat-
ing residents on the $10 million Scenic Rural Character
Preservation Bond Referendum, and helping to implement the bond after its approval by Pike County voters
in November 2005. The Partnership also provides an
important networking opportunity in development of
the county’s Open Space, Greenways and Recreation
Network Plan and the Agricultural Land Preservation
Program
Partnership members include: Pike County Conservation District, Pike County Office of Community Planning, Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Penn State Cooperative Extension, The Nature Conservancy, Alliance
to Keep Pike Green, Pinchot Institute of Conservation,
Upper Delaware Visioning Committee, PA Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, National Park
Service - Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
and Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River,
The Lackawaxen River Conservancy, PPL and Pocono
Environmental Education Center.
Pike Conservation Partnership efforts were recognized in 2005 with a Northeast PA Environmental
Partnership Award. The Partnership’s 2006 workshop
series was among the recipients of the Northeastern PA
Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center’s Community Awards for projects and programs that have made
an extraordinary impact upon the quality of life within
the communities they serve. Among the 2006 programs
were:
• Wastewater Alternatives that Support Conservation
Design
• Smart Growth - It’s Everyone’s Business
• Transferable Development Rights (TDR)
• Maximizing the Financial Benefits of Your Forest
Land - A Forest Landowners’ Forum
• Financial Benefits of Conservation
• Better Models for Development in Pennsylvania with
Ed McMahon
• Groundwater Protection
• The Benefits of the Official Map
• Finding the Funding & Grant Writing Basics
• Growing Greener: Conservation by Design
• Understanding Local Government in PA
• Before the Next Flood: What Your Community Can
Do
A number of programs are already in the works for
2007. To view an events calendar, Partnership links
and some great new educational resources visit www.
pikeconservation.org.
Opening the lines of communication and collaboration
has provided the Partnership’s participating organizations a better understanding of each others role in
protecting and conserving natural resources, helped
reduce duplication of services to residents while reaching a broader audience, and facilitated distribution of
often complex information in more understandable
formats. The result is more focused and effective communication of major conservation messages to the local
governments and residents of the northeast region and,
we hope, a more educated and involved citizenry, better
equipped to face the continuing challenges of conserving
natural resources in the face of rapid population growth
and land development.
Susan Beecher has served as Pike County Conservation
District Manager since 1989, working with professional
staff and a volunteer Board of Directors to carry out
state-delegated environmental regulatory programs,
community planning initiatives, watershed management
and conservation education and outreach activities.
Pike County Conservation District is committed to natural resources conservation through leadership, education, technical assistance, planning and enforcement to
ensure the long term protection and sustainable use of
Pike County’s natural resources and environmentally
sound development and land use practices.
Partnership versus Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Tax Facts
Holly R. Corcoran, CPA
Many new companies ask themselves: What
form of business should we use to begin operations?
Others, that have been in business often ask: Is this
form of entity still serving us? Both are very valid
questions.
If a business starts out with two or more people,
the simplest form of entity is a partnership. It files a
separate tax return (Form 1065), and the income or
loss flows through to the individual partners at the
prescribed percentages agreed upon by the partners.
Although this is the simplest form of business next
to a sole proprietorship, I encourage my businesses
to talk to their attorneys to formulate a partnership
agreement. This way they can make decisions while
they are getting along: about how to share the profit
and loss, what type of assets or talent the partners
bring to the business, how the entity will dissolve or
how they may or may not take on more partners in the
future, to name a few.
As the business attorney will counsel the owners
to protect their liability, a Limited Liability Company,
LLC or formation of a corporation may be suggested.
But for this article, I will concentrate on the LLC.
The nice thing about an LLC is that it can be virtually
transparent for tax, since it can file almost any tax
form. The default registration for an LLC with two or
more members is to file their tax return as a partnership (Form 1065). Therefore, for tax purposes, the
business is back in the same place it had been with
the plain ol’ partnership. However, they now have
choices in addition to the liability protection offered
by the LLC.
What are those choices, and why are they important? For a beginning company, filing taxes on Form
1065 may make sense. The income or, more likely,
the losses flow through to the partners. As long as
the partners have financial/tax “basis” in the partnership, they probably will be able to deduct those losses
against other forms of income on their federal income
tax return. When the partnership return generates
income, the individual partners pay taxes on their
respective shares, but they
probably also will be subject to self-employment or
Social Security/Medicare
tax. After a time, this may
become expensive.
With the LLC, the
members then can choose to
change the taxation of the
entity perhaps to a corporation or an S-corporation and
take a corresponding salary.
At that time, they should
reassess the goals and
objectives of the members
when it comes to the cost
of running a different entity
(i.e., Does it make sense to
set up payroll?) and the tax
consequences (i.e., How
will this income affect the individuals, and how can
the members and the entity save the most taxes?).
The one down side is that the LLC may be subject to
corporate stock tax in Pennsylvania no matter how it
files its income tax form.
However, many starting in businesses may want
to choose an LLC up front. Others may want to
change from a partnership to an LLC to gain the liability protection and the tax options.
Holly R. Corcoran, CPA is the president of Holly R.
Corcoran, CPA, Inc. providing quality, professional
accounting and tax services for businesses and individuals since 1991. www.hrcorcorancpa.com.
6
NEWS
Partnering: A Strategic Twist for Business Success
By Robin Gaffney
ment is it has to be mutually beneficial for both or all of
the parties,” says Munson. “You tend to have the strongest
ties to those individuals, companies or groups that are the
most beneficial because, quite honestly, we all tend to think
in terms of “what’s in it for me” to a certain extent. If you
think about a business partnership, the best partnerships
are going to be the ones that are mutually beneficial for all
involved.”
Other key elements that enter into the strategies for a
successful partnership include confidence and trust.
“Without trust among the partners, the partnership is not
going to work,” says Munson. “There has to be a confidence
level between the two individuals that you are not going to
stomp on my parade. I am going to keep your best interests in mind, and you are going to keep my best interests
in mind. What happens to a business partnership is when a
business violates that trust and they destroy the confidence,
the partnership is done.”
Be cautious, but exploring opportunities for business
partnerships may be a strategic twist that can propel your
business to the next level.
As competition pressures grow, many business owners explore different strategies to maintain or enhance their
market footprint.
For many, that strategy includes partnering. Those partnerships reflect everything from structural legal alliances to
financial assistance or networks of associates to promote or
distribute products or services.
So why do businesses enter into partnerships?
“The main reason is to get more
leverage, to get more positioning and to
deepen the creative input of what any
given individual is doing,” says Sylvia
Lafair, president of Creative Energy Options, White Haven. “With real estate,
it’s location, location, location. With
strategic partnering, it’s really about
publicity, creating awareness, networking.”
But the strategies for partnering
vary as widely as the types of partnerships into which people enter.
“Most of the strategies are financial or to gain some type of advantage,
whether it be a technology or invention, something that has to be a benefit
to partner with the person,” says Keith
Yurgosky, manager of Internet business
for the University of Scranton’s Small
Business Development Center. “When
you are a sole proprietor, you are limited
as to what you can borrow from a financial standpoint on a personal level. The
more people you are adding, the more
assets, the more collateral and ability to
borrow money you have.”
Many partnerships formed for
financial purposes involve limited
partnerships, a strategic twist that allows
an infusion of cash without giving up
control.
“That’s where people can say, ‘How
do I get what I need in order to make the
next jump?’” says Yurgosky. “A limited partner is the key where
I don’t have to give up control of the
business, yet I am able to bring somebody in here that can help me on the
financial side.”
A limited partnership usually
requires a solid business plan to attract
financial investors who weigh the investment with the anticipated return.
Nothing is more important than health. Which
Anticipating a return – in funds, time
or other resources – lies at the core of
is why providing BlueCare® membership to
many informal partnerships or alliances.
Today, many business owners join with
employees means so much to them. For 94
others to outsource certain aspects of
operations, including sales, marketing, accounting, human resources and
million people nationwide and 600,000
staffing, to cut costs, increase internal
productivity and improve profits.
people in northeastern and north central
“Sometimes you need help,” says
Yurgosky. “We want you to concentrate
Pennsylvania, Blue Cross® plans deliver
on what makes you money.”
Concentrating on what makes you
unmatched choice, quality, and service.
money and partnering with those in
similar businesses can create a ripple
All at an affordable price that may surprise you. Say ‘thanks’
effect of referrals and sales.
SM
“I believe the key here is that you
to your employees. 9OURHEALTHISEVERYTHING4OUS
want to think along the lines of parallel
complementary businesses that serve
the same target market,” says Richard
L. Munson, Jr., president and business
coach with ActionCOACH, Stroudsburg. “(The idea is) to build relationships with complementary businesses in
order to do business together but also to
build sales.”
For example, transmission repair,
auto body and car repair shops can
partner to service the different needs of
their customers that they individually
cannot meet. A roofer, siding installer,
deck builder and garage door company
may partner to provide services for
homeowners interested in improving the
#ALLUSTODAYATORVISITWWWBCNEPACOMTOLEARNMORE
outside of the homes.
“The single, key, unifying ele-
4OMOSTEMPLOYEES
ITSA@4HANK9OUCARD
7
NEWS
Economic Development Doesn’t Happen Without Partnerships
Perspectives on
Monroe County
Economy
Chuck Leonard
Partnerships drive economic development. One
doesn’t happen without the other. Successful economic
development is a process that involves many people and
organizations. It is not one program or one project. In
the complex world economy, competition is fierce, and, to
remain competitive, the formation of partnerships at every
level is indispensable to successful economic development.
In Monroe County, the Monroe 2020 Comprehensive
Plan was the nexus for many partnerships that identified
properties for business park development, increased job
opportunities and offset the growing tax burden from
residential development. As a result, the Monroe County
Commissioners made a financial commitment to Pocono
Mountains Economic Development Corporation, and we
now have parks where projects like Johnson & Johnson
Sales and Logistics can locate.
Utility partners, such as PPL, also are committed
to economic development in many ways. PPL provided
PMEDC with a zero interest loan to assist in the development of the Pocono Mountains Corporate Center East and
has supported marketing projects on an ongoing basis.
FirstEnergy also is known statewide as a partner in economic development.
To get to where we are today, partnerships with
municipal officials, state agencies and state and federal
legislators were of critical importance. Municipal leaders
make land use and zoning decisions. State regulatory
agencies review and approve permits that must be in
place before development begins. State legislators help
assure permits are received in a timely manner. Federal
legislators often come to the table with funding sources
for specific aspects of the project. PMEDC maintains
relationships with all of these groups, so, as challenges are
confronted, we can keep an open dialogue and solve the
problems.
Challenges in Monroe County most often are related
to infrastructure, or lack of it. What to do with wastewater
is often a big problem. As we confront these challenges,
partnerships with the Conservation District, the Department of Environmental Protection and other permitting
agencies help to overcome issues that can delay permits
that would stop important job-generating projects.
Fostering good relations between the business community and the regulatory agencies or municipalities is
sometimes a daunting task as regulations become stiffer
and more time- consuming. But, in order to retain and
grow existing business, it is a must.
A key to economic development is the relationship
with the governor’s office, the Governor’s Action Team
and the Department of Community and Economic Development. In today’s competitive environment, many states
are providing huge incentives to companies to create jobs
and encourage investment. Pennsylvania is no exception. The state offers a variety of programs that help to
“close the deal”. A good working partnership is needed to
deliver the jobs and projects for the commonwealth.
A recent example of a project that required the
participation and partnership of a host of entities is the
Johnson & Johnson Sales & Logistics facility, currently
under construction in Coolbaugh Township. This project
initially was brought to Pocono Mountains Economic
Development Corporation (PMEDC) via the Governor’s
Action Team and Penn’s Northeast. Along with Cool-
baugh Township, PMEDC and our development partner,
Arcadia Properties, already had done much of the work
to develop the site as a location for business, spending
a considerable amount of money on permitting and site
preparation. PMEDC and Arcadia Properties worked with
Coolbaugh Township, our state legislators, the Department
of Environmental Protection, Clayco, and several engineering teams to deliver on the infrastructure necessary to
make the project happen.
The recently enacted Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
District is another example. The county’s first TIF was
established to be used as part of the financing for the Pocono Township Sewage Project to provide service to our
largest private employer, Sanofi Pasteur. To make the TIF
possible, Monroe County, Pocono Township and Pocono
Mountain School District joined PMEDC in agreeing to
create the TIF district and to pledge the revenues to support the sewage project. While the TIF will generate only
a small portion of the funds necessary, it shows tremendous local support for industry and our ability to work
together.
In the end, working together to develop formal and
informal partnerships will determine our community’s
future economic success. No economic development
organization can accomplish its goals without help from
industry, elected officials, state agencies, local organizations, board members, utilities, education and workforce,
just to name a few. Economic development is a process.
The key to that process is collaboration and strong effective partnerships.
Chuck Leonard has been the Executive Director of Pocono
Mountains Economic Development Corporation since
1995 and has been in the economic development field for
26 years. He currently serves on the Team Pennsylvania
Foundation Board of Directors; the Penn’s Northeast
Board of Directors and is Immediate Past President of the
PA Economic Development Association.
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8
NEWS
PARTNERSHIPS... cont. from page 1
By Lisa Alexander, Ken Clark and Kathy Ruff
Over the past month, Pocono Business Journal reporters
have been interviewing businesses structured as partnerships. The profiles on these businesses will give the reader
a glimpse of the interesting and sometimes unlikely combinations that can take shape to form a successful business.
A & M Hartman DJs
Partners at work and in life
Type of Business: Disc Jockey, Entertainment and Event
Planning
Partners: Adora & Michael Hartman, husband and wife
Address: Based in Lehighton; serves all of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey.
Web Site: www.amhartmandjs.com
Years in Business: Over 10 years
The Match: What brought the partners together?
Corporate downsizing threatened Michael’s job about
ten years ago. Since they had two small children at the
time and Adora left her job to be a stay-at-home mom,
the couple decided to pursue a career as professional DJs,
something they loved and had done for fun for about five
years for friends and family. They educated themselves on
the profession taking classes and attending conventions to
support their endeavor.
What makes it unique?
Aside from being a husband and wife team, the couple
establishes a close relationship with the individuals and
groups for which they DJ an event. They provide organized, specialized services with a wide variety of music
options and cater to each client’s requirements to help
meet their unique ideas for their event. Their personal
experiences as a couple feed their entertainment offerings,
especially for wedding events.
The Moment: When did you know the partnership would
work?
“When we hit the fifth year of doing professional
DJing.”
The Magic: What makes the partnership work?
Although the couple both works at and in the business,
they don’t handle too many events together. But the couple
has defined partnership roles that splits the responsibilities
and capitalizes on their strengths. While Adora handles
advertising and business contacts, Michael organizes and
updates the music library.
“We both love what we do,” says Adora. “It’s like any
business. If you stay with it long enough and you figure
out what’s the best thing to do with the business, that’s
when it starts taking off and really making things work.”
Century 21 Gold C Realty
Bringing the strengths of two generations together
Type of business: Real Estate Company
Address: Main office 160 Grandview Ave. Honesdale, and
a branch office in Tyler Hill on Route 371.
Web Site: www.goldcrealty.com
Time in business: 17 years
Bob Carmody Sr. was in business with his two brothers,
John & Steve, at B & B Dodge on Route 6 in Honesdale
before starting the real estate company. The family had
been long time residents of the area; several generations of
Carmodys lived in Honesdale. Bob Sr. was also a Wayne
County Commissioner for 28 years, retiring next year. His
good reputation in these other vocations lead him to have
a strong following of contacts and customers in the area to
help him establish a business of his own. Bob Sr. started the
business in 1990. His son Bob Jr. started part time in 1994
and became a partner in 1995. Bob Jr. spent the next few
years studying and training for his broker license, which he
received in 2001 and then became the broker of record for
the partnership.
According to Bob Jr. what makes this partnership
unique is the bringing together of two different generations
of ideas and making them one. He calls it “old school meets
new”. Bob Jr. brought the partnership up into the digital
age with modern technology and helped the older agents
and his father adjust. While at the same time the company
maintained Sr.’s commitment that he brought with him
from his partnership in the family car business the customer
service, care and respect for all customers, clients and
employees.
work?
They both felt it would work almost from the beginning. They had the same goals and values. Bob Jr. worked
at Woodloch Pines after high school. Woodloch is a family
run resort with the same values and goals as the Carmody’s.
Both Bob Sr. & Jr. feel that taking care of the customers is
priority number one. They also take great pride in treating
all of their employees with respect, understanding, careful
training and loyalty.
In addition to their similar values and goals the Carmody’s feel that having each other to lean on is important.
“That goes back to implicit trust. People talk about
‘don’t go into business with your best friend because you’re
going to hate each other by the time it’s over,’ but we have
shared business goals, we have shared ethics, we have
shared visions as to where we want the business to go and
how we should operate it.”
Cinch Creative Media
Type of Business: Full-service bar and restaurant
Partners: Noel, president and father, with sons Mark, general manager, and Darren, chef.
Address: 24 Broadway, Jim Thorpe.
Web Site:
Years in Business: 14 years
The business is a family-owned and operated business
started by Noel Behan. Sons Mark and Darren joined later
to add their own special expertise. “They are professionals
in their own fields,” says Noel. “One son is a professional
chef (Darren) and my other son (Mark has a degree in business, so it made sense.”
It’s a family. We are very close and that’s what makes it
work.
work?
I knew it the day they were born.
We all have a very good work ethic. We are dedicated
to what we do. We know our customers’ needs and we
strive to make it better every day. In the restaurant business, you have to work every day. We’re open every day
except Christmas. Even that day we spend together.
“You have to let each individual run with their ideas,”
says Noel. “Everybody has different ideas. We all have
different departments. If somebody has a suggestion and
we all think it’s good, we run with it. If not, we evaluate it.
Everybody has a vote in what goes on.”
Young and restless gives way to entrepreneurial spirit
Type of business: Web page design and development
company.
Partners: Stefan Hoffman and Christina Dibble; both 2007
graduates of ESU.
Address: 560 Main Street, Stroudsburg.
Web Site: www.ineedcinch.com
Time in business: Two months.
Hoffman: “We were all in the same major -- Major Media Communications and Technology. We’re the same age
and we’d been studying together all four years of college,
so we’re familiar with each other and each other’s work.”
Last semester, we had to do internships. That gave me
the confidence and the knowledge to want to start my own
company. I’ve wanted to do that for the past couple of years
now, and interning definitely gave me the extra boost of
confidence to do it. Stefan was interested in the same thing
at the same time, so we met up and put the partnership
together.”
work?
“At the first meeting we had to talk about it. They were
kind of unhappy at the way things were run at their internship, and I noticed competition around here was lacking.
We had the skills and the know-how, so we knew it was
going to come together.
We have our own different personalities, so we divided
the company and we all do our individual tasks, so we’ve
got division of labor worked out.”
Elevations Health Club
Childhood friends follow a dream
Type of Business: Health and Fitness Club.
Partners: Barry Klein and Rob Bishop, friends since 7th
Grade.
Address: Route 611, Scotrun, and Route 209, Meadowlake
Plaza, Marshalls Creek.
Web Site: www.elevationshealthclub.com.
Time in business: Scotrun, 12 years; Marshalls Creek, 7
months.
Klein: “We actually decided when we were getting
ready to graduate college that one of our dreams was to
open a health club together. We agreed at that time that
Rob would continue his education and get a formal masters
degree in physiology -- he was a psychology major as an
undergraduate. His job was to become as knowledgeable
as possible in sports conditioning. My job was to go off
and get a real job and try to make a little money and learn a
little bit about business.”
What makes the partnership unique?
We implicitly trust each other. I completely trust and
yield certain decisions to Rob, that he will make the right
decisions that relate to the business, and he completely
trusts me on the financial side of the business. We are able to trust each other while staying out of each
other’s way.”
work?
“We realized early on that there are very few relationships in life where you have to consider another person’s
situation as compellingly as your own. Typically, you do
that with a spouse. If you’re going to change your job or
change your geography or make a career shift, you talk to
your spouse. We decided when we formed this partnership
that neither of us can make a decision without the other one
knowing about it. If I want to pick up and move, I can’t.
If Rob wants to leave this business and go get another job,
he can’t. We both have families. Rob is married with three
kids; I’m married with the first one on the way.”
Emerald Restaurant/Molly Maguire’s Pub
Dad and lads keepin’ the green in the family
M Enterprise Solutions
Long distance partnerships can work
Type of Business: Business Consultants
Partners: Marianne Chester, who lives in Stroudsburg, and
Tom Rhiel, who lives in Denver.
Address:113 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg or 8547 East Arapahoe, Suite J132, Greenwood Village, Denver, Colorado.
Web Site: www.menterprisesolutions.com
Time in business: 16 months.
Chester: “Tom is one of my very good friends, and we,
as couples (with spouses) would frequently go on vacations
together, and we’d say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m sick of the corporate
world; someday, we should start a business together’ -- and
it was a joke. Then Tom and his wife moved to Colorado
because of work.
Then they were downsized and chose to open their own
consulting business. I went through something similar. I’d
had it with the commute; I commuted for 12 years into New
Jersey and I just said, ‘If I’m going to do it (quit and form
her own company), this is the time, so I started on my own.
And Tom and I were talking and he said, ‘This is crazy; we
should pool our resources.’
What makes the partnership unique?
“From the beginning, we really have clicked. I think
it’s because we have similar corporate backgrounds. We
both were executives, so when it comes to the strategy
aspect, we think very similarly and can align quickly on
what we need to do from a direction perspective. But then,
our operational experience is so different that we actually
compliment each other.”
work?
“Tom started out (from Denver) helping me a little bit
at a time, then one day, he called me up and said, ‘To be
successful, we need to do this full-time-- together.’ The
minute he said that, (with) the whole dynamic of the way
everything worked and the possibility that we could really
be successful, we decided that pooling our resources could
be more effective.”
“Understanding each other’s similarities so that we
can move quickly and leveraging each other’s strength
and commonality, so that we can keep moving forward at
a pretty rapid pace. That’s hard to do, long distance, but
we’ve worked that out.”
9
NEWS
Photo Credit: Submitted by PNC Bank
Remote Deposit Option is Easy, Time Saving Feature for Business
Remote deposit scanners can scan checks and send an electronic image to the bank and sends the customer confirmation, saving businesses time
without compromising banking procedures.
By Robin Gaffney
Small business owners finally can understand
what it feels like to have more time in the day. PNC
Bank recently launched a new online deposit service
which allows small business owners to deposit their
checks electronically into their PNC accounts and
automatically update their accounts at the same time.
The system works by feeding paper checks into a
scanner which sends electronic images from any computer or laptop. The bank then converts the checks to
a paper substitute and deposits them into the business
owner’s checking account. The scanner captures both
sides of each check which are then converted to digital images which can be verified and edited on-screen.
“Deposit Now, the small business solution, is designed to be the most cost- effective way for business
owners to take advantage of remote deposit options,”
says Edward Puzio, Business Banking Sales Manager
for the Northeast Pennsylvania and Northern New
Jersey section of PNC Bank. Puzio explains Deposit
Now captures the images of the check and then transmits them to the bank. The customer then receives
confirmation of every transaction being made. New
technology makes it possible for the scanner to read
both the written and numeric numbers. Records of
all transactions are kept through QuickBooks, an accounting software, used by small businesses. “QuickBooks records all accounts received after the checks
are put in and the image is captured, virtually killing
two birds with one stone,” says Puzio. QuickBooks
also automatically matches payments to invoices and
keeps users’ books balanced. For businesses that do
not have access to QuickBooks, PNC is offering an
alternative which will be available mid-June.
Checks scanned up to 6:30 p.m. will be available
the next day, which has tremendous appeal to many
people. “In my experience, every business person
wishes to have more time in the day,” says Sharon
Fontana, Branch Manager at PNC Bank’s Mount
Pocono location, “This new system saves all the time
it takes to go the bank.” Fontana explains that the new
system has been received very well by customers, but
she hasn’t seen much of a significant change in bank
traffic as yet. “There are also many cash- based business owners out there that have to continue to visit
the branch, so we haven’t noticed much change,” says
Fontana.
Customers also can reap the benefits of how easily the system is to set up. “Load the software, plug in
the scanner and you are set to go,” says Puzio. There
is a specialist in the field available at all times. In a
survey done by PNC Bank, they found nearly 4 out of
10 small business owners visited their local branch at
least once a day. Puzio believes this system is helpful
by eliminating all those trips to the bank, allowing
owners to deposit checks any time they want, and also
relieve the burden of having to carry checks.
“Wow! This is easy,” is what Fontana hears most
customers say, “My customers see how it works, and
they show me the benefits.” For a business person on
the road all day, it is difficult for them to get to the
bank; this feature allows faster availability of funds
Although PNC Bank is not the only bank to offer
such a feature, the main purposes are to identify with
customer needs, successfully help successfully monitor customer cash flow, and make banking easy for
them. “This is just one tool that helps small business
owners meet business needs,” says Ed Kozmor, Vice
President of Senior External Communications for
PNC Bank, “It’s like a one- stop shop for small business owners.” Kozmor explains this is a great way to
get involved in the community, work with small business owners, develop a good relationship, do successful banking, and achieve goals.
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10
NEWS
Business Partnerships with Healthcare Have Positive Impact for Everyone
Regional Healthcare
Report
By Richard J. Henley,
FACHE, FHFMA
Partnerships prevail throughout the business
community, but in the health care industry those
partnerships probably mean more to the quality of
life for people in the community than in any other
industry.
Similar to many other health care facilities,
Pocono Medical Center enters into professional
business partnerships that contribute to its overall
mission to provide high-quality care to prevent
illness, promote wellness and restore health in a
compassionate, respectful and collaborative environment.
For PMC, those include partnerships with
Pocono Ambulatory Surgery Center and Advanced
Radiology Services, which provides accessibility to
the latest in imaging technology at both ends of the
Poconos. Its Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center works in conjunction with the Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital’s Cancer Network to provide
area patients with access to cutting-edge protocols
and clinical trials designed to fight cancer. Our Cardiothoracic Surgery program announced earlier this
year an affiliation with the University of Pennsylvania for continuing education for our staff, as well as
access for cardiac patients to clinical trials.
PMC collaborates with East Stroudsburg
University and Northampton Community College
to cultivate clinical internships, an annual ethics
conference and a number of other educational and
wellness campaigns.
But our partnerships start right in our own back
yard. We team up with the YMCA to bring youth
healthy lifestyle programs to Monroe County and
with the American Lung Association to offer a
children’s asthma camp at ESU’s Stony Acres. Our
community involvement helps to create awareness
of heart disease, support groups and prevention and
wellness practices. Our professional staff helps to
educate the community through health fairs and
“Ask the Doctor” presentations and newspaper
columns. We’ll soon launch an “Ask the Doctor”
medical show for TV.
For PMC, partnerships represent an ongoing opportunity to communicate with and assist the people
in the Poconos. PMC is presently working with
Pocono Healthy Communities Alliance to create
a federally qualified health care center in Monroe
County to increase access to care for the underand uninsured population. Pocono Medical Center
intends to continue with and strengthen its mission
with partnerships that benefit residents and visitors
to the Pocono Mountains.
Richard J. Henley, FACHE, FHFMA, is the president and CEO of Pocono Medical Center and
Pocono Health System. He has more than 25 years
of experience in health care, executive leadership,
strategic planning and operations and finance.
Henley also serves on the Board of Governors of
the American College of Healthcare Executives,
an international professional society of health care
executives who lead hospitals, health care systems
and other health care organizations.
11
NEWS
Firm Commitment and Progress Toward Wall Street West
By Ken Clark
construction costs since the total business complex
will be designed and priced to meet specific needs
of licensees.
“When we break ground (toward the end of
July), cut the ribbon and announce the first lease,
we’re on our way,” he said of Phase 1. “When
we get the first three- to- four million square-foot
lease, I’ll say it’s a done deal.”
Catherine Bolton, spokeswoman for Wall
Street West, said her organization soon will distribute money from the state to fund training for
the workforce that back- office operations will
require once locally established.
“This is absolutely huge,” Bolton said. “Wall
Street West has three initiatives. One was to build
this fiber, and we could not ask for a better partner
in that. Level 3 is known throughout the industry,
and they bring great strength to us. Now, we’re
about to announce some of the grants we are giving to make sure that we have a workforce trained
and developed so that when these new companies
come in, we’ll have people who understand technology and math, and to get the younger generation to know where possible jobs will be in the
future.”
Chuck Leonard, executive director of the
Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation, said the back-office operations will bring
thousands of new jobs to the area, but he cautioned that the combined agencies which pooled
their talents to make the project a success will be
racing a timeline to prepare for the expected influx
of financial organizations.
“The first thing we have to do is build the
telecom intersection, which is the key to attracting
the kinds of customers we want to bring,” he said.
“These will create higher end jobs -- the kinds
of jobs that will keep those people who are now
commuting to businesses in New Jersey and New
York at home.”
Wall Street West, a project aimed at inducing New York City banks and brokerages to build
back-office operations in northeastern Pennsylvania, took a quantum leap toward completion this
month with the naming of Level 3 Communications as sole contractor for 600 miles of fiber optic
cable needed to make the whole thing work.
The Colorado-based telecommunications firm
initially will install or fill in gaps in 110 miles of
cable from lower Manhattan across New Jersey to
East Stroudsburg to make possible instantaneous,
redundant data transmission from Wall Street to
locations throughout nine counties in northeastern
Pennsylvania. Ultimately, the 600 miles of cable
will be necessary to connect operations from East
Stroudsburg to business parks throughout Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, Berks, Lackawanna,
Lehigh, Luzerne and Northampton Counties. The
network, which will be completed in two to twoand- a- half years, is expected to cost $25 million.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has
Talk about business online
mandated that financial institutions in the New
with PBJ columnists.
York area set up back-office operations to take
over the nation’s commerce in the event of terrorist attack or natural disaster. The satellite offices
must be within 125 miles of New York City, on
a different watershed and electrical grid to meet
SEC specifications.
The initiative, dubbed WIRED, an acronym
for Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic
Development, is a $40 million project
funded by state, federal and private
sources. The state already has pledged
$15 million to provide education in information technology to the thousands
of workers which incoming firms are
expected to hire.
Gov. Ed Rendell, in New York to
recruit financial institutions for Wall
Street West, used a speaker phone to
announce the award of the fiber optic
contract to Level 3 Communications to
a press conference at Pocono Manor,
attended by more than 100 national,
state and local leaders.
Larry Simon, founder and former
ESU is a member of
CEO of LTS Builders, responded with
Pennsylvania’s
an announcement of his own. He said
State System of
Higher Education.
in the next few months he will name
four major licensees who will occupy
the first phase building in the multiphase Penn Regional Business Center
he is building for prospective backoffice operations on Highway 209 in
Middle Smithfield Township. Initial
Register now for one or more summer courses at
construction will consist of a 271,290
square foot facility, but Simon said,
when all five phases are complete in
approximately seven years, he will be
able to offer prospective Wall Street
West clients more than three million
square feet of office space in which
to operate with state-of-the-art equipment.
Simon declined to identify the
firms he already has lined up to ocPost Session

Small class size
cupy the new facility, but he said one
July 23 - August 10
of them is “one of the top three largest

Courses offered in most fields
For complete schedule and registration information,
international banking institutions in
visit www.esu.edu and click on Summer Sessions.
the world,” and that another “is lookFor more information, call 570-422-2854.

Low tuition
ing at approximately 225,000 square
feet.” He declined to project ultimate
PBJ BLOG
“Blogging for
Business”
This Summer, Stay Close. Go Far.
East Stroudsburg University
of Pennsylvania
Three-week Post Session starts July 23!
12
By Ken Clark
Believing in the Poconos Keeps
According to the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors, Michael Baxter & Associates
already has sold half of all the commercial real
estate marketed in Monroe County since 2002.
Now, though he has only 10 agents and an office
staff of five, Baxter may be poised to go after the
other half of what‘s to come, but,to do that,he has
Commercial
Real
decided that he has to move to where the action is.
In the next few months, Baxter, who has operated his exclusively commercial operation out
of a small office in Tannersville for the past nine
years, will move into a brand new 4,000-squarefoot building now being constructed on West Main
Street in Stroudsburg. There, he said, with the
advent of Wall Street West and a number of other
economic developments, such as the huge Johnson
Estate
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combination of experience and leadingedge expertise is unmatched anywhere
in the Poconos.
We provide to our customers a wider
array of services than any other regional
real estate agency. If you’re interested
in selling or buying commercial and
investment property, call us first!
&
& Johnson warehouse and distribution center in
Mount Pocono, he expects to catch a wave that will
turn the Pocono region from a rural bedroom community, sending commuters to jobs in New York
and New Jersey, into a vigorous urban center with a
stand-alone economy of its own. He is less sanguine about the ongoing promise of passenger rail
service which he sees as antithetical to that goal.
“The economic projects are very key to our
area,” Baxter said. “They’re creating
jobs. The train will be here to transport people who are living here to
nts
jobs in New York and New Jersey. I
want to see the jobs come here. I want
to see our children graduate from high
school and stay here and have good
jobs to choose from. We need to bring
the jobs here; jobs drive everything.”
Baxter, whose agency is the only one
in the four-county area to deal exclusively in commercial real estate, said
he regards Stroudsburg as the center
of an area just on the brink of growth.
“There are a lot of reasons for
moving down to Stroudsburg,” he
said. “The infrastructure down there
is a bit more favorable as far as telephone lines and computer lines and
central sewage are concerned. The
property that I purchased is a property
that had all their municipal approvals.
That was the reason I picked that spot.
The other reason is I really believe
in Stroudsburg and Main Street and
West Main. There’s some redevelopment going on, and I really want to
be a part of that. I think I’m probably
one of the first at reaching out and
redeveloping West Main. I think that’s
a good start for me.”
Baxter got his own start when,
right out of high school, he was drawn
to the business of sales. Several years
later, after honing his skills in that
arena, he got into real estate, first with
a little firm called Applegate Realty
in Mount Pocono, then with Coldwell
Banker and, finally, with a broker’s
license on the wall of his own agency.
Single family homes, however, held
no allure for him.
“I really never had an interest in
residential,” he said. “I thought the
commercial market was coming to
the Poconos back in the ‘80s, and I
could really foresee the real estate
business going into specialties, just
like the medical profession and a lot
of others. I had more interest in commercial because I like the diversity of
it. It certainly isn’t boring. Every day,
you’re working with different products.”
Inadvertently, perhaps, by going
commercial, Baxter escaped forces
that tend to keep the residential market in a state of flux. After years in a
booming seller’s market, residential
has slumped into a business in which
the buyer is king, with median home
prices in decline.
“That is to be expected,” said
Baxter, whose own business has felt
3.5+ acres with historic
2,354 square foot houses in
East Stroudsburg. Property
is in impeccable condition.
Ref #1358
7 acres in Stroudsburg with
exposure on Routes 33 and
209. Adjacent to proposed
new car dealership.
Ref #1362
Diner for sale in Effort.
Well-established, turn-key
operation at high traffic
location. Seats 110.
Ref #1346
11 unit investment in East
Stroudsburg. Fully leased with
strong rental history. Good
return on investment.
Ref #1352
Equestrian business! Horse
farm on over 12 acres in
Mountainhome. 22 stall
stable and show grounds.
Ref #1338
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
& PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
w w w .B a x C o m m e r C i a l . C o m
13
Photo Credit: Perry Hebard
Commercial Realtor Moving Forward
Back Row (left to right): Joseph Baxter, George Vlamis, Daniel Perich, Brian Coyne, Christopher Baj, Robert Pecoraro. Front Row (left to right): Nancy Hurley, Danielle Foster, Michael J. Baxter, Sandy
Spradlin, Christina Schauer, Jennifer Dennis. Missing: Robert Starrett, Associate Broker, Bill Jones, Dawn LaMura.
scarcely a quiver. “We went, I think, 14 years in a
row where the market was going up. The average real estate cycle is seven years, so we almost
doubled the cycle. It had to level off eventually.
I think in the long run, it’s probably a healthy
thing.”
“Commercial isn’t impacted as much as residential,” he said of his own business. “Residential
is more sensitive to interest rates, mortgage qualifying and things like that. A quarter of a point,
half a point, can make a difference between a
couple qualifying for a home. In commercial real
estate, it’s not interest-driven as much. Business
people tend to be able to absorb the interest rate
changes. Sometimes that results in the passing on
of that cost to the consumer, but it doesn’t stop
them from doing business. In fact, as rates have
gone up in the last few years, we’ve seen a surge
of retail development in our area, so we’re just as
busy as we’ve always been.”
‘Busy’ translates into money in any business,
but Baxter is emphatic that in his operational philosophy, service comes first.
“One of my pet peeves is: you can’t represent
the commission; you have to represent the client,” he said. “If you represent the client properly,
the commission and the money will follow. Then
the client tells people about you, and there will
be more clients and commissions and money to
follow. When I give people professional advice,
I give them advice as if they were a family member, or as if their property were a property that I
owned, personally.”
To keep his staff up and running at peak efficiency, Baxter treats them as he might his own
family. Before every monthly sales meeting, he
calls in a professional massage therapist to give a
15-minute chair massage to every agent and office
worker.
“It’s really just stress management,” he said.
“This is a very stressful business. I believe in the
whole wellness concept. Much bigger corporations
than mine are doing the same thing in the metropolitan areas, and I just thought it would be a nice
little perk for our company, and we’ve all enjoyed
it. You can’t be productive if you can’t have a little
fun.”
Unlike many real estate agencies, Baxter’s
charges agents no desk fees, and even buys their
business cards and pays for their advertising. In
return, he said, they take intensive mandatory
training one full day per week.
“We’ve adopted the Certified Commercial
Investment Member practices, which is the highest designation you can attain in commercial real
estate,” Baxter said. “It‘s very intense commer-
cial training. Eventually, our goal is to have an
all-CCIM office which would be, maybe, the only
office in the whole country that‘s like that.”
Along with expansion of his office at the
Stroudsburg location, Baxter’s website, www.
baxcommercial.com, also is growing. It’s new
incarnation, slated to go into action soon, will be
user-friendly, interactive, and provide clients with a
secure log-in so that they can monitor every aspect
of the advertising, number of showings and feedback on the projected sale of their properties.
“We try to stay ahead of the curve and on the
cutting edge of technology and make sure all of our
agents are up to speed on everything,” he said. “An
instructor once told me years ago that, if you stay
still and everybody else moves ahead, it’s the same
as you moving backward.”
“This is not a little town any more,” Baxter
said, reverting to his view of Stroudsburg as the
potential center of a national commercial real estate
market. “I’ve been here since I was a kid, and
I’ve seen it grow from almost nothing to what it is
today, but I still love the area. I think the quality
of life here is second to none º to be able to hop in
the car and be on Broadway or in Philadelphia in
two hours or less gives you the best of all possible
worlds. That’s why I really believe in the Poconos.”
If you would like Pocono Business Journal to profile your company, please
contact us at 421-0100 or [email protected].
14
NEWS
Photo Credit: Submitted by LTS Builders
Monroe County Gets First ‘Growing Greener’ Community
From left, Lawry Simon, Monica Simon, LTS Builders Chairman/CEO Larry Simon and President/CEO Robert Phillips from the
Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce officiate at the ribbon cutting for Cornerstone Conservancy while business and community
leaders look on.
By Ken Clark
More than a century ago, when farmers cut down
most of the trees in what now is Stroud Township to
open up tillable land, they faced the back-breaking labor of moving all the rocks turned up by the plow into
stone rows marking the edges of their fields. Little did
they know then that they actually were designing a
future community of luxurious homes full of amenities beyond their wildest imaginations.
Today, those same stone rows are being used by
LTS Builders to mark the boundaries between lots on
which those homes now are being built in a “Growing
Greener” community called the Cornerstone Conser-
vancy. Bill Hopkins, LTS Vice President of Development, Planning and Design, says Cornerstone will
be the first project in Monroe County to adhere to a
four-step design plan mandated in May when Pennsylvania voters approved the new eco-friendly legislation aimed, among other things, at eliminating urban
sprawl.
In the past, housing developers have laid out
a grid of roads and house lots first, jamming them
together in a bid to get as many homes as possible on
available acreage. Under that “cluster” system, any
open space was relegated to left-over, unbuildable,
land. Under the new four-step plan, open space must
be plated first, then interwoven with roads and lots,
leaving plenty of undeveloped land between them.
Under the new design ordinance, adopted by the
township, LTS will build only 79 homes on 92.3 acres
of land, leaving 45 per cent of the area very much the
way nature intended it to be.
Step two, under the four-step plan, calls for selection of house locations, positioned to take maximum
advantage of neighborhood squares, commons,
greenways or forest preserves. Step three involves
alignment of streets and trails, and step four draws the
lot lines as a last, not a first, act of design. The ancient
stone rows made that easy for Hopkins.
“Think of it as a cultural feature -- something historic -- that was put here for a reason,” he said. “They
were there for a reason initially, and they’re still there
for a reason because I’ve made them property lines.
It’s just one of the little things that we’ve tried to do.”
Other “little things” include crushed stone walking and biking paths following the stone rows,
preservation of large trees, restoration of a meadow,
gently winding roads designed so that headlights
from cars at night never shine into a neighbor’s house
and, most ecologically-friendly of all, permeable
“eco-pavers” at the foot of every swale or driveway,
guaranteeing that storm water runoff will soak right
back into the ground rather than be drained into area
streams through a massive pipe system.
Homes, one of which already has been
see GROWING
GREENER
page 17
Programs Offer Employees Affordable Home Ownership
By Robin Gaffney
Affordable housing in Monroe County continues to be
a growing problem. Human resource managers, directors,
and owners of Monroe County’s top 60 employers recently
met to share information about programs that employers
can offer to help their employees purchase affordable housing and live in the county in which they work. The event,
titled “Making the Housing/ Jobs Connection Work for
You,” featured representatives from the Pocono Mountains
Chamber of Commerce, Pocono Mountains Association
of Realtors®, Stroud Area Regional Police, Pennsylvania
Housing Finance Agency, and Freddie Mac.
“Homeownership is out of reach for so many of our
core community members, like school teachers, medical,
fire and police personnel, laborers, service industry workers
and so many others. We recognize how important affordable housing is to the life of a thriving community and
have brought together groups that can discuss the products
and services available to employers and their employees to
more easily afford housing,” explains CherylAnn Houseman, government affairs director of PMAR. Many working families in the region struggle to find homes they can
afford, which causes employers to look farther away to fill
the positions with qualified applicants. Employers simply
can’t pay employees enough to live where they work.
“Once we recognize a problem, we can find a solution,” says Bob Phillips, President and CEO of the Chamber. Phillips explains that, with the cost of insurance, taxes,
and utilities, the workforce is critical. “Awareness of this
issue is for real,” continues Phillips.
A healthy and balanced housing market would be one
that provides many choices, with a variety of homes to offer which would meet the needs of the community. “Today,
our local housing market is the equivalent of the steakand-caviar grocery. There are not a lot of choices for the
person living on a burger-and-fries budget. Growth in the
supply of homes has been lopsided, leaving the market out
of balance. There is not enough variety nor supply to meet
the needs of the local economy or the community,” explains
Richard Schlameuss, executive director of Pocono Healthy
Communities Alliance, spokesman for Liz Hersh, executive
helping working families overcome those barriers of unafdirector of The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, who was
fordable housing. Through WHB, the company can provide
unable to attend the event.
a valued benefit to your employees while reaping rewards
for your business. Freddie Mac is focused on options which
The question still remains, how do we achieve a successful and affordable housing market? Dona Stewart,
are selected based on the companies’ needs and budgets.
Business Development Manager for Pennsylvania Housing
“Being educated, knowing what the issues and obligations
Finance Agency, believes this can happen through emare, is the first step for employers to offer such programs
ployer-assisted housing. “PHFA is committed to helping
to their employees,” explains Dale Saunders, Manager of
you investigate, organize and create a program that benefits
Expanding Markets for Freddie Mac.
both the employer and employee,” explains Stewart. The
Help is on the way for our community. As we continue
goal of PHFA is to encourage employers to offer a monto grow economically, the need for affordable housing is
etary employee benefit to promote and enable homeowneralso rising. “This affects everyone. Together there is so
ship for their staff. Once the employer signs on with PHFA,
much we can do,” says Vickie Brockelman, President of
the employee then becomes eligible for an affordable home
Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors®, “In our busy
loan program, which helps the employee stretch his homelives, sometimes we forget where we came from.”
buying dollars even further.
Benefits such as lowerthan- market rates and fees,
down payment and closing
cost assistance, and a 30
year fixed rate term are just
some of the benefits the
home buyer will receive.
Stewart also believes
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15
NEWS
Well-Known Pocono Eatery Changing Venues
By Robin Gaffney
When Plan A ceases to work, restaurant owner
Bruce Brandli moved onto Plan B. Brandli and his
wife Marianne own the Big A Steakhouse formally
located on Route 209 between Marshalls Creek and
Bushkill, and are moving the legendary eatery to a
new location. The original building was built in the
early 1900’s, too close to the road. With the need for
the road to be widened 20-25 feet, the restaurant was
forced to shut down.
“The Big A is a Pocono tradition for
a steakhouse; it is also a landmark. We
hope to continue that tradition, enhance
it, and make it better,” says Brandli. He
will do so by re-opening the steakhouse
at a new location, the former Inn at Fox
Hill. “This facility is bigger, better, and
more modern,” continues Brandli. With
multiple entrances, plenty of parking,
and an outside seating area, Brandli
hopes to attract much of the community.
In addition to the regular dining
area, the new location is set to offer
separate rooms, both large and small,
for banquets, meetings, and events,
which the old location did not have.
With a bigger tavern and lounge area,
Brandli hopes to enhance entertainment, have it more often and more
varied. Blues, jazz and oldies nights
were popular at the original Big A, and
with a bigger location, Brandli hopes to
Contact
PBJ
for
Ad Rates.
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[email protected]
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host all kinds of events.
According to Brandli, most of the old staff is
returning, including the chef, Ron DellAquilla, the
servers and bartenders. The new restaurant will offer
the same menu, with some new Italian cuisine.
“People are waiting for the re-open, a lot of regular customers will be back,” explains Brandli. Brandli
will continue to offer his frequent dining club, which
has a membership of over a 1,000 families from the
previous location. The club offers deals and specials
to its members. “It’s going to be a casual restaurant,
open all the time, with availability for both casual
and formal events.”
Brandli expects the grand re-opening to take place
in early July.
16
NEWS
Seeking Nominations for the Award for Woman Entrepreneur
The University of Scranton Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) seeks nominations of local businesswomen for its 12th annual
Award for Woman Entrepreneur and Woman of
Merit awards. Each year these awards are given
to women entrepreneurs who have demonstrated
community involvement while successfully developing their small business. Applicants are judged
on the product or service they provide, sales
records, and challenges they have faced.
Qualifications for the award include 51% ownership of a legal business for the past three years.
Nominations can include any business located
in Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery,
Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, or Wyoming counties.
Women can nominate themselves or be nominated
by others. The judging panel consists of a group
of impartial community leaders from the counties
listed above.
The Small Business Development Center will
announce the winners at a luncheon on Tuesday,
October 9, 2007. The luncheon will take place
at the University of Scranton and feature a guest
speaker. Small businesses and service provid-
ers from various counties will attend. Award for
Woman Entrepreneur is sponsored by Community
Bank and Trust Co.
If you would like to see a remarkable, hardworking woman recognized, please contact Donna
Simpson at The University of Scranton Small
Business Development Center for a nomination packet at (570) 941-7588 / 1-800-829-7232,
or write to the SBDC at The Estate, 2nd Floor,
800 Linden Street, The University of Scranton,
Scranton, PA 18510 or visit our website at www.
womanawards.com. The deadline for all nomination packets is July 31, 2007.
Officials See Value in Northampton Community College’s Plans To Expand
Tannersville - At a news conference held recently, officials from Monroe County presented a
check for $300,000 to Northampton Community
College’s president, Dr. Arthur Scott, to support
expansion of the community college on a new site
in Pocono Township.
Commissioners Donna Asure, Robert Nothstein, and Suzanne McCool affirmed their support
for the construction of a new campus to serve the
citizens of Monroe County. Asure said she hoped
that the $300,000 would be the first part of a $2
million grant from the county. She noted that the
new campus “will advertise to potential employers
we have a trained and ready workforce right here
in Monroe County.”
Karl Stackhouse, chairman of NCC’s Board of
Trustees, said, “As trustees, we are delighted to be
a part of the lives of Monroe County residents and
look forward to continued growth in the future.
This is an important day for both the Counties of
Northampton and Monroe.”
Northampton Community College began offering classes in Monroe County in 1988. Over
the years more than 30,000 residents of the county
have taken credit or non-credit classes provided
by NCC, including hundreds of employees of area
businesses who have benefited from the technical
and management training available through the
College’s Center for Business & Industry.
The College’s current campus on Mill Road
in Tannersville has been enlarged three times to
accommodate booming enrollment, but the 13.7acre parcel of land on which it sits is now fully
developed, with no room for significant additions.
The facility is overcrowded, and the College has
had to rent auxiliary space at Fountain Court and
in Mount Pocono.
Last February Nothampton Community College purchased 71.048 acres of land located off
Route 715 in Pocono Township as the site for a
new campus. Pending availability of funds, the
College hopes to begin construction in the spring
of 2009, and to have the campus ready to serve
students and employers by the fall of 2010.
The total cost of the project, estimated at $72
million, is expected to be funded through a combination of federal, state, local, and private support.
Pocono Business Journal is
Looking for a Few Good Women
By Marynell Strunk
PBJ BLOG
“Blogging for
Business”
Talk about business
online with PBJ
columnists.
570-839-1202
www.DTRTechnology.com
Custom Computer Programming & Consulting
Together we can bring all your business visions to reality !
We’re not recruiting for anything life-changing, just
looking for some women who define women in business.
She might be an exemplary employee or have a business of
her own. She might be working part-time, telecommuting or
doesn’t know when to stop working.
The editorial staff is looking for women in business that
are willing to share their story about what they do, how they
do it, how they overcome some challenges faced by women
in the workforce and some predictions for women in the
future.
We will be contacting women for the September issue
of Pocono Business Journal. When contacting PoconoBusinessJournal, please provide us with the name of the woman,
company name, contact information and a brief description of
why this would be a great person to interview.
If you are one of these women or know a women that
epitomizes a women in business in 2007, please email [email protected] or call 570-421-0100. Please send us your
ideas as soon as possible.
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Ph: 570-839-3838/Fax: 570-839-3866
Visit us on the web at: www.poconopersonnel.com
17
NEWS
Strategic Partnerships Can Be a Key For Success
Business Coach’s
Corner
Richard Munson
In the tough environment we call the business
world, it takes many things to be successful. A key to
many businesses’ success formula is strategic partnering.
Strategic partnering can be a great way to build sales in
a very cost-effective manner.
In almost every business there is a network of ancillary products and services that complement a business.
Some are competitive businesses; some are not.
A great example in our community is the building
trades. As a subcontractor, there could be many key
strategic partnerships that could enhance a business. A
masonry contractor could have strategic partnerships
with a framing contractor, concrete contractor, plumber,
electrician, insulation contractor or drywall contractor.
Who are potential strategic partners for your business?
A great way to select potential partners is to ask
these questions:
What additional products/services do I need to satisfy my customers?
In many businesses you also have suppliers. They
probably are local suppliers. In our example of a mason,
he needs a source for bricks, block and mortar. This
supplier could be a key business partner. The success of
the mason is very important to the supplier. In this scenario, the supplier can help grow the mason’s business
by funneling leads and opportunities to the mason.
the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimensionº.” in his recent book; The Speed
of Trust.
What additional products/services do my customers
need that I do not provide?
The mason may realize that his masonry customers
also need an electrician to run the wiring as part of the
job. A powerful partnership can be set up between the
mason and electrician to provide business leads back
and forth.
Confidence
When referring business back and forth, both partners
must have confidence in the business ethics, work ethics
and work quality of each other. Otherwise, the mutually
beneficial referrals will not happen.
What is the marketing potential of my customer
base?
Many businesses can provide additional services to
their customer base as an added value. Periodic communication by the mason to his customer base about other
valuable, trusted businesses, such as the electrician, can
be seen as a big benefit by the customer base. Some
customers actually will call trusted suppliers to inquire
about other services for which they are looking.
After identifying potential strategic partners, the
next step is to select the ones that have the greatest
potential of a successful relationship. For a winning and
long-term partnering arrangement, there are factors that
should be present.
Mutually Beneficial Relationship
Successful strategic partnerships must benefit both partners. The mistake that many businesses make is to think
of a strategic partnership as a one way street. These
partnerships will not last long.
Trust
A successful partnership will have a very high degree of
trust. The trust must operate at several levels. Stephen
M.R. Covey says that trust is that one thing that “ºhas
Reputation
What is the reputation of the potential partner in the
marketplace? A strategic partnership with a business
that has a poor reputation could be disastrous to your
business. Take the time to do adequate research on
potential partners.
Common Goals and Outlook
Good potential business partners need to have a relatively common set of goals and outlook for their respective
companies. A partnership would be difficult between
a company that is growing aggressively and one that is
looking to sell or be acquired. The goals of the owners
are too different.
Successful strategic partnering is often a key marketing strategy to building your business. Done properly, it can be extremely productive and cost-effective at
the same time. However, successful strategic partnering
is seldom accidental. It takes the investment of deliberate and thoughtful planning.
Richard Munson, Business Coach, Action-International.
Richard works with businesses in NEPA to improve their
success and achieve their goals. Action-International
is the world’s #1 business coaching team. You can reach
him at [email protected].
GROWING GREENER... cont. from page 14
Monroe County Gets First
‘Growing Greener’ Community
constructed as a sales model and another under construction next
door, will even be landscaped with mulch recycled from waste construction materials that normally would wind up in a landfill dump.
LTS recently unveiled the project at an open house with a model
home called the Bartlett (all eight models will be named after pears
because, as Hopkins put it, “a pear ripens from the inside out, and
that’s the way Cornerstone is being designed”). Each of the models
will be available in three different levels, guaranteeing that no home
in the community will have an identical home anywhere near it.
Hopkins said the models, on which construction as yet has not even
been started, already are being sold at price ranges from $265,000 up
to $335,000, depending on how many “extras” a buyer might wish to
add. Lot prices range from $89,000 up.
Unlike the “smart growth” development to be constructed by LTS
on what now is the Mountain Manor golf course in Marshalls Creek,
Cornerstone Conservancy will not be designed as a “walking community” with shops in a village center, but Hopkins said LTS owns
another tract of land directly across Brushy Mountain Road on which
a small commercial center will be built sometime next year. It will
serve not only Cornerstone, but also residents of neighboring Blue
Mountain Lake. Hopkins says it will be a “win-win” situation, both
for LTS and for the township.
“If you look at the number of potential homes in Blue Mountain
Lake and the immediate surrounding area, it’s in a 1,200 to 1,500 unit
range,” he said. “So by putting in this little commercial center, it reduces the number of automobiles to go to the store for a quart of milk
or a newspaper or a cup of coffee. If I can take a bunch of cars off the
roads in those areas, I’m doing a good deal for the township, too.”
18
BUSINESS BRIEFS
WHO’s WHO
DURHAM
FISHER
FORTE
HARDER
please recycle
this paper
SANDBERG
SWETZ
Burdian- New Realtor Andrea Burdian has joined
the East Stroudsburg office of Weichert, Realtors®
- Acclaim. She specializes in residential sales serving clients in the Pocono Mountain area. She is a
member of the Pocono Mountain Association of
Realtors®.
Chesar - Caesars Pocono Resorts has announced
the promotion of Theresa Chesar to Sales Coordinator. In her new role, Chesar will be responsible
for building and maintaining strong customer relationships. She will also be selling and coordinating
group and wedding packages. Chesar has been with
Caesars Pocono Resorts since 2003, first as a reservations agent and most recently as a lead agent.
Durham- Jerry Durham has been named the
director of the Tobyhanna Commissary, Defense
Commissary Agency for Tobyhanna Army Depot.
As director, he supervises 20 people who work to
provide groceries to military personnel, retirees and
their families. Authorized patrons purchase items
at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the
costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of 30
percent on their purchases compared to commercial
prices.
Edwards- Jeannie A. Edwards has joined the sales
team of Weichert, Realtors® - Acclaim in Brodheadsville. With emphasis on first-time homebuyers, she specializes in residential sales serving
Monroe and Carbon Counties.
Fisher- Kristopher J. Fisher has joined the growing
sales team at the Tannersville office of Weichert,
Realtors® - Acclaim. He serves the residential,
commercial and relocation needs of clients in
Monroe, Carbon, and Northampton Counties. He
is a member of the Pocono Mountain Association
of Realtors®.
Follmer- Mark Follmer was recently recognized
for his years of service at Tobyhanna Army Depot
during the Length of Service Ceremony. Follmer,
a 30 year employee, is an electronics mechanic,
Avionics Division, C-3/Avionics Directorate.
THEILMANN
Forte- Mr. Andrew A. Forte has been appointed to
Director of Norwood Financial Corp and Wayne
Bank. Mr. Forte has served on the Monroe County
Associate Board for Norwood Financial Corp and
Wayne Bank since its inception. Mr. Forte also
serves as President of Forte, Inc., a family-owned
corporation, which operates the Stroudsmoor
Country Inn. Forte is currently pursuing his Doctorate Degree in Management at Pace University.
Fisher- Kristopher J. Fisher has joined the growing
sales team at the Tannersville office of Weichert,
Realtors® - Acclaim. He serves the residential,
commercial and relocation needs of clients in
Monroe, Carbon, and Northampton Counties. He
is a member of the Pocono Mountain Association
of Realtors®.
Frantz- Michael Frantz was recently recognized
for his years of service at Tobyhanna Army Depot
during the Length of Service Ceremony. Frantz,
a 30 year employee, is an electronics mechanic
leader, Command, Control and Computer (C-3)
Systems Division, C-3/Avionics Directorate.
Garcia- Weichert, Realtors® - Acclaim has added
new Realtor Susan S. Garcia to its sales team in
Brodheadsville. She specializes in residential sales
with emphasis on first-time homebuyers serving
Monroe County and surrounding areas. She is a
member of the Pocono Mountain Association of
Realtors®.
Harder- Victoria P. Harder has joined the Tannersville office of Weichert, Realtors® - Acclaim.
Specializing in residential sales with emphasis on
first-time homebuyers, she serves clients in Monroe
County. She is a member of the Pocono Mountains
Association of Realtors®.
Harlin- Margarita P. Harlin has joined the growing sale team of Weichert Realtors® - Acclaim
in Tannersville. She serves the residential needs
of clients in Monroe County as a member of the
Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors®.
HARLIN
KAKAREKA
Kakareka- Deborah A. Kakareka has been promoted to Branch Manager of the Mt. Pocono Branch
office for Citizens Savings Bank. Ms. Kakareka
has worked at Citizens for 22 years holding various
positions, including Assistant Branch Manager. Her
new responsibilities will include daily oversight of
the branch operation and cultivating new business
within the northern section of Monroe County area.
Kerr- Nancy L. Kerr has joined Weichert, Realtors® - Acclaim in Tannersville as a specialist in
residential sales. She serves clients in Monroe
County and surrounding areas as a member of the
Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors®, Inc.
Kroll- Robert Kroll was recently recognized for his
years of service at Tobyhanna Army Depot during
the Length of Service Ceremony. Kroll, an employee of 40 years, is an electronics mechanic leader,
Electronic Services Division, Systems Integration
and Support (SIS) Directorate.
Larrabee- Kathy Larrabee, Founder and Executive
Director of The First Impression Career Closet, has
earned an Associate Career Coaching Certification from The Career Coach Institute and has now
started her own business, First Impression Career
Coaching. Her clients will include women from all
walks of life who want to make a change in their
career, whether it is to start their own business, find
a new employer, reposition themselves within their
current industry, or switch careers altogether. The
Associate Career Coach Certification included a
26-module, 12-week Core Coaching Teleclass, 12
hours of work with a Practice Development Mentor
Coach and 12 hours of career coaching.
Lemmon- Weichert, Realtors® - Acclaim adds
Rebecca L. Lemmon as a residential specialist at its
Brodheadsville office. She serves clients in Monroe County as a member of the Pocono Mountain
Association of Realtors®.
Paust- Nicholas R. Paust has begun a career in real
estate as a member of the sales team at Weichert,
Realtors® - Acclaim in Tannersville. Specializing in residential and commercial sales, he serves
clients in Effort, Brodheadsville, Stroudsburg, East
Stroudsburg, Reeders, Tannersville, Saylorsburg,
Swiftwater and surrounding areas.
Samuels- New Realtor Karen A. Samuels has
joined the Brodheadsville office of Weichert,
Realtors® - Acclaim. A member of the Pocono
Mountain Association of Realtors®, she serves the
residential needs of clients in Monroe County and
surrounding areas.
19
BUSINESS BRIEFS
WHO’s WHO
Sandberg- Caesars Pocono Resorts has announced
the promotion of Kari Sandberg to Account Manager at Paradise Stream Resort. In her new role, Sandberg will support all accounting functions at Paradise Stream Resort. Along with the maintenance
and enforcement of internal controls, Sandberg will
be responsible for ensuring timely completion of
financial reports and the compliance to Starwood
policies in all areas of resort operations. She will
also perform the monthly and yearly forecast and
budgeting processes while acting as a liaison between the accounting and operational functions at
the resort. Sandberg has been with Caesars Pocono
Resorts since 2001, most recently as financial auditor at Paradise Stream Resort.
Simmons- Caesars Pocono Resorts has announced
the promotion of Paula Simmons to Reservations
Supervisor. In her new role, Simmons will be
evaluating reservation agents and providing coaching to strengthen their skills. She will also develop
training programs and provide departmental updates to all four Caesars Pocono Resorts. Simmons
has been with Caesars Pocono Resorts since 2006,
most recently as a reservations agent.
Skillman- Kathy Skillman has accepted the position as an agent with Wilkins & Associates Real
Estate Inc. As a real estate agent, she holds the
honor of Multi-Millions Sold, Top Producer and
Agent of the Year for the past six years. She also
serves as program director for Gouldsboro Area
Foundation, a non-profit organization directing the
renovation of the Gouldsboro train station.
Swetz- James A. Swetz, Esq., a shareholder with
Cramer, Swetz & McManus, P.C., of Stroudsburg,
PA., was named a 2007 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® and is listed in the June 2007 Philadelphia
Magazine as one of Pennsylvania’s top criminal defense lawyers. Only five percent of all Pennsylvania attorneys earn the Super Lawyer honor. Swetz
was chosen by his peers as being among the best
criminal defense lawyers in the Commonwealth.
Talerico- Anthony Talerico was recently recognized for his years of service at Tobyhanna Army
Depot during the Length of Service Ceremony.
Talerico, an employee of 30 years, is a sheet metal
mechanic, Industrial Services Division, SIS Directorate.
Thielmann- Leo Thielmann II has been named director for technical programs at Northampton Community College’s Center for Business and Industry.
The Center provides workforce training, leadership
development, and consulting services for businesses of all sizes in eastern Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. Thielmann’s responsibilities will include
directing the Center’s advanced industrial maintenance programs, HVAC, welding, electrical, and
other noncredit technical programs. He will also
oversee technical customized training for business
and industry and training in computer software,
hardware and networking, as well as expanding
services to businesses engaged in nanotechnology,
biotechnology and other emerging technologies.
Zecchino- Lori Zecchino has joined the Bushkill
office of Wilkins & Associates Real Estate Inc.
Zecchino is a graduate of Pocono Real Estate
Academy and has a degree in psychology from
East Stroudsburg University. Previously she
worked as a mental health case manager.
Ziembrowski- Barbara Ziembrowski has accepted
the position as an agent with Wilkins & Associates
Real Estate Inc. She graduated from Pocono Real
Estate Academy in April. A native of Poland, she
speaks fluent Polish and Greek.
Please send all press releases for
consideration to [email protected]
WHAT’s WHAT
The Stroudsburg Office of Coldwell Banker Phyllis Rubin Real Estate was named to the Coldwell
Banker Top 20 Offices Nationally for April 2007.
This achievement comes off the heels of having received the same honor in February 2007. In
April, Coldwell Banker Phyllis Rubin Real Estate’s
rank was 11 nationally. Coldwell Banker Phyllis
Rubin Real Estate was recognized among the 3,900
Coldwell Banker offices for April’s adjusted gross
commission in offices of 11 to 20 sales associates.
George Roberts Productions is the recipient of a
Videographer Award of Excellence for video and
editing of Pocono Landscape Challenge. Videographer Paul Ricciardi and Editor Matt Lewis received
the award for their work on the “Putting Green”
episode which demonstrated the construction of
a golf green in your own backyard. The Videographer Award of Excellence is given to the top
14 percent of all entries in the 2007 competition
and was judge among the best that was submitted.
Entries come from the United States as well as
several foreign countries. Pocono Landscape Challenge can be seen Tuesdays at 4:00PM, Thursdays
at 8:30PM and Sundays at 11:00AM on Blue Ridge
Cable TV 13. It can also be watched anytime on the
Internet at GeorgeTV.com
JT Designs, an e-media agency, is expanding their
creative staff and services offered. Over the past
seven years the East Stroudsburg firm has specialized in web site development and online brand
building. The recent growth will allow JT Designs
to offer a range of marketing, branding and dynamic web lead generation services. The company’s
expansion and expertise will focus on assisting
clients develop their Internet real estate property
into profitable revenue generating assets.
Keller Williams Realty announces that it will
begin airing its own television show. The Pocono
Home Show which is produced by George Roberts
Productions presents segments on various real estate related topics such as mortgages, remodeling,
design techniques and timely information on the local real estate market. Viewers will also be able to
see homes for sale. The Home Show can be seen on
TV 13 Mondays at 7:30 pm, Wednesday’s at 4:30
pm and Saturday’s at 11:30 am.
The Sherman Theater, located in downtown
Stroudsburg, has been awarded a 2007 Community
Award by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit
& Community Assistance Center (NCAC) in the
category of “Arts & Culture” for its “Community
Collaborative Program”. Runner-up in the “Arts &
Culture” category was the Eastburg Community
Alliance (ECA) for the ECA Community Tile Project. Making Stroudsburg and east Stroudsburg the
leaders in the seven county region. The Community Awards are given to highlight businesses and
organizations “providing innovative programs and
services that improve the quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
20
FOCUS LIST
OFFICE FURNITURE SUPPLIERS
Company Name
Address
Phone/Fax
Web site
# of
Employees
Years in
Business
Products/Services
Business Contact
Office Direct
Eagle Valley Mall
East Stroudsburg, Pa 18301
570-421-2433
570-421-2312
DND
11
37
New/Used Furniture
Delivery & Set-Up
Tracy Marsh
Office Max
1121 North 9th St.
Stroudsburg, Pa 18360\
570-421-5100
570-421-6699
www.officemax.com
DND
DND
Office Furniture
Joe Cigna
Sawmill Furniture
5160 Milford Rd.
East Stroudsburg, Pa 18302
570-223-9989
570-223-0275
www.sawmillfurniture.com
6
20
Full Line Office Furniture
Judson Krinsky
Stanton Office Equipment
942 Main St.
Honesdale, Pa 18431
570-253-2711
570-253-2960
www.stantonofficeequipment.com
4
56
Furniture, Copiers, Computers
Full Service of Equipment &
Furniture
David Stanton
Staples
102 Milford Landing Dr.
Milford, Pa 18337
570-491-2840
570-491-2850
www.staples.com
DND
DND
Office Furniture
Bob Justis
Staples
7005 Route 611
Stroudsburg, Pa 18301
570-420-0600
570-420-9109
www.staples.com
DND
DND
Office Furniture
Toni Luburich
Disclaimer: The companies listed above are located in the four counties that serve the Pocono region; Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne. If you know of a company that offers this
product or service and was not included on the list, please contact Pocono Business Journal to be included in future Focus Lists. DND= Did not disclose.
ESU Science and Technology Center
Holds Topping Ceremony
Photo Credit: Submitted by ESU
East Stroudsburg - A topping ceremony was held recently for ESU’s
new $40 million Science and Technology Center. The last steel beam
was guided into place on top of the structure by Rafael Bermudea
(shown in photo) and Mark Ressler who work for sub-contractor Powell
Steel out of Lancaster, Pa. The general contractor is Quandel Group Inc.
of Harrisburg, Pa.
The university’s first new academic building since 1979 will be
completed by this time next year. The Science and Technology Center
will also be the largest building on campus at 124,000 square feet. General contractors/steel erectors typically have a brief topping ceremony
when the “top” piece of steel is set. It usually includes mounting either a
tree or American flag to the highest point of the structure.
www.pbjonline.com
POCONO
We want to hear from you.
Tell Pocono Business Journal about your business.
Send press releases
and story ideas to
[email protected]
Success
Expansions
Seminars
Promotions
Growth
New Ideas
21
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
July 2
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Resumes & Cover
Letters, 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m., E-Resumes, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon.
Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570-6202850. More information available at www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, MS Excel 2003, Level I. 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $150
(includes materials). ASP.net 2.0, Level II. 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Cost: $672 (includes materials). To register call 570-941-7582.
July 3
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Interview Basics, 1:00
p.m.-2:00 p.m., Salary Negotiation, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Website Enrollment, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career
Resource Center or by calling 570-620-2850. More information
available at www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, MS Access 2003, Level III. 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost:
$180 (includes materials). Macromedia Dreamweaver Studio 8.
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $295 (includes materials and lunch). To
register call 570-941-7582.
July 5
BNI (Business Network International), Bartonsville, 7:00 a.m.-8:30
a.m. Howard Johnson, Rt. 611 & I-80 Exit 302B, Bartonsville.
Contact Karen Sherrill 570-895-4242.
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Interview Prep: Job
Applications, Dress to Impress, Why Should I Hire You? 9:00 a.m.11:00 a.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling
570-620-2850. More information available at www.pacareerlink.
state.pa.us.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, MS Access 2003, Level III. 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost:
$180 (includes materials). Macromedia Dreamweaver Studio 8.
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $295 (includes materials and lunch). To
register call 570-941-7582.
July 6
BNI (Business Network International), The Shawnee Inn, Shawnee-on-Delaware, 7:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m., breakfast fee: $10. Contact
Victor Brozusky, Access Office Supply, 570-421-0648.
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Employer Website Assistance, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource
Center or by calling 570-620-2850. More information available at
www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, Flash 8, Level I. 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $295 (includes
materials and lunch). To register call 570-941-7582.
July 7
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, Digital Photography. 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $225
(includes materials & lunch). To register call 570-941-7582.
July 9
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Career Exploration, 9:00
a.m.-2:30 p.m., Computer Basics, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Sign up by
visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570-620-2850. More
information available at www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
Cost: $672 (includes materials).To register call 570-941-7582.
July 10
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Website Enrollment,
3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center
or by calling 570-620-2850. More information available at www.
pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Women In Business,
Pangea Restaurant, Scotrun, 12:00 Noon. Topic: “How to Motivate
Through Incentives,” presented by Uli Klein of Gift & Incentive
Program. Sponsor: Dr. Kim Filipkowski of Chiropractic Health
Partners of the Poconos. Cost: $13 Chamber members in advance,
$16 non-members and walk-ins. Call 570-421-4433.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development. Macromedia Dreamweaver Studio 8. 9:00 a.m.-4:00
p.m. Cost: $295 (includes materials and lunch). To register call
570-941-7582.
July 11
LeTip of Stroudsburg, 7:01-8:31 a.m., A wonderful opportunity
to expand your business. Each chapter has individual business
categories so there are no conflicts of interest-ever! Your chapter
becomes your sales force without increasing staff. Contact Louise
Bach (570) 588-4113 or Carole Miller (570) 426-1676.
July
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Computerized O’Net
Career Assessments, 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570-620-2850. More information
July 12
“The First Step: Starting Your Business,” University of Scranton,
Small Business Development Center. Mt. Pocono Municpal Building, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon. Pre-payment of $10 is requested,
pre-registration required. For more information or to register call
1-800-829-7232.
9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Update Your CareerLink Resume Using
Microsoft Word, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career
July 13
BNI (Business Network International), The Shawnee Inn, Shawneeon-Delaware, 7:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m., breakfast fee: $10. Contact Victor
Brozusky, Access Office Supply, 570-421-0648.
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Resume Critique, 9:00
a.m.-12:00 Noon, Employer Website Assistance, 3:00 p.m.-4:00
p.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570620-2850. More information available at www.pacareerlink.state.
pa.us.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development, Flash 8, Level I. 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Cost: $295 (includes
materials and lunch). To register call 570-941-7582.
July 16
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Resumes & Cover Letters, 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m., E-Resumes, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon. Sign
up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570-620-2850.
More information available at www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Business Card Exchange, Delaware Water Gap Country Club, Delaware Water Gap.
5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Cost in advance: $10 chamber members, $20
non-members. Cost at the door: $ 15 chamber members, $25 nonmembers. Call 570-421-4433.
July 17
p.m.-2:00 p.m., Salary Negotiation, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Website Enrollment, 3:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M., Sign up by visiting Career
Sales Made Simple Workshop, ActionCOACH NEPA. 7:30 a.m.10:00 a.m., Budget Inn & Suites, East Stroudsburg, PA. A personal
selling workshop to enhance your skills at selling your products and/
or services. You will take away valuable tips and tools to increase
your success at winning new customers and increasing your sales.
Cost: $49.95, pre-registration required. To register contact: ActionCOACH at 570-517-7100 or email to [email protected]
July 18
LeTip of Stroudsburg, 7:01-8:31 a.m., A wonderful opportunity to
expand your business. Each chapter has individual business categories so there are no conflicts of interest-ever! Your chapter becomes
your sales force without increasing staff. Contact Louise Bach (570)
588-4113 or Carole Miller (570) 426-1676.
8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., Mock Interviews, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Sign
July 19
9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center
or by calling 570-620-2850. More information available at www.
pacareerlink.state.pa.us.
July 20
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Computer Basics, 9:00
a.m.-10:00 a.m., Employer Website Assistance, 3:00 p.m.-4:00
p.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling
state.pa.us.
Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Monthly Breakfast,
Best Western Pocono Inn, Stroudsburg, 7:30 a.m. Sponsor: Pocono
Community Bank. Special Program: Eqio-librium, Inc. Cost in advance: $10 chamber members, $14 non-members. Cost at the door:
$12 chamber members, $18 at the door. Call 570-421-4433.
July 23
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Find a Job You’ll Love!
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Computer Basics, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Sign
July 24
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Interview Prep: Job
Applications, Dress to Impress, Why Should I Hire You? 1:00
p.m.-3:00 p.m., Website Enrollment, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up
by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling 570-620-2850.
July 25
LeTip of Stroudsburg, 7:01-8:31 a.m., A wonderful opportunity
to expand your business. Each chapter has individual business
categories so there are no conflicts of interest-ever! Your chapter
becomes your sales force without increasing staff. Contact Louise
Bach (570) 588-4113 or Carole Miller (570) 426-1676.
8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., Career Exploration, 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
July 26
BNI (Business Network International), Bartonsville, 7:00 a.m.8:30 a.m. Howard Johnson, Rt. 611 & I-80 Exit 302B, Bartonsville. Contact Karen Sherrill 570-895-4242.
9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Update Your CareerLink Resume Using
Microsoft Word, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career
July 27
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Resume Critique, 9:00
a.m.-12:00 Noon, Employer Website Assistance, 3:00 p.m.-4:00
p.m. Sign up by visiting Career Resource Center or by calling
state.pa.us.
July 30
Monroe County Career Link, Tannersville. Resumes & Cover
Letters, 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m., E-Resumes, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon.
University of Scranton, Center for Professional Training & Development. ASP.net 2.0, Level II. 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Cost: $672
(includes materials). To register call 570-941-7582.
July 31
p.m.-2:00 p.m., Salary Negotiation, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Website Enrollment, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Sign up by visiting Career
If you would like to have your business event
listed in the PBJ Calendar of Events, please
submit information to [email protected].
22
PBJ REGISTER
NEW CORPORATIONS
The Corporation Bureau at The Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, Department of State has informed the
Pocono Business Journal that it is in the process of
revising the database access for this information.
Therefore New Incorporation listings will not be available until further notice.
FICTITIOUS NAMES
The Corporation Bureau at The Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, Department of State has informed the
Pocono Business Journal that it is in the process of
revising the database access for this information.
Therefore New Incorporation listings will not be available until further notice.
DEEDS
(May 2007 - Over $250,000)
Carbon County
Kidder Township North
Alfred Calfa to Judson Mellott, $370,000.
pero and Carmen Sosa, $328,800. LTS Development to
John Tietjen, $424,200. Toll PA III to Gary and Paula
Natale, $801,998. Russell and Heather Ratcliffe to
Wilfred and Debra John, $268,000. LTS Development
LLC to Ruben and Sandra Torres, $399,800. Toll PA
IV to Eric nunez, $298,963.
Mount Pocono Borough
Herbert and Sonja Grund to Ronald and Jenette Sarajian, $800,000.
Paradise Township
Joseph Fisher to Matas Pintsch, $315,000.
Pocono Township
James and Kathleen Mathews to Paul Houle,
$375,000. Joseph and Lynn Rempe to Matthew Pero,
$253,000. Joseph and Ethel Muldoon to SBN 11 LLC,
$1,150,000. Johnny and Iris Rivera to Stephen Adams,
$255,000.
Lehighton Borough
Schiavone Newton Realty Holdings LLC to PJB
Properties LLC, $475,000.
Polk Township
Ralph and Shirley Horlbeck to Imoine Kenton,
$408,000. Anthony and Jacqueline Santiago to Robert
Butler, $298,000. Robert and Tracy Serfass to Estelle
Simpson, $357,000. Leroy and Janet Skinner to
Brtenda Gierend, $276,000. Margaret Fehnel to Mark
and Jocelyn Spelker, $276,000. Bernard and Debra
Shay to Terry and Donna Gregory, $290,000. Michael
and Colleen Samsel to Lawrence and gail Novack,
$298,900. Charles and Barbara lehmann to Luke
Pickel, $327,000.
Mahoning Township
Sherrif of Carbon County to Keystone Nazareth Bank
& Trust, $350,000.
Price Township
Cleon and Leshay Grant to Edna McDonald, $297,000.
JVF Realty LLC to Harold Bacon Jr., $262,500.
Penn Forest Township
Vincent Iannone to Gerald Moyer, $265,000. SPA
LLC to LNL Partners LLC, $253,000. Judith Sayland
to Christopher Gaiski, $459,000. WM Specialty
Mortgage LLC to Romayne O’Neill, $290,000. Ronald
Krisenlall to Seepersaud Dhani, $410,000.
Ross Township
William and Lisa Boyer to Michael Picardi, $262,650.
Howard and Marsha Beers to Matthew and Susan
McDermott, $390,000. Paul Wieller to Genevieve Vanvarick, $276,900. Jose Castro to John Paul, $340,000.
Gary Rundle to Carl and Susan Gulick, $274,900.
Monroe County
Barrett Township
David and Cynthia Cook to Oak Lane CVS Inc.,
$770,000.
Smithfield Township
Scott Haddon to Kenbar Investment Group, $900,000.
NVR Inc/Ryan Homes to SH Properties LLC,
$410,000. Roy and Maria Siskind to Jose and Blanca
Lopez, $295,000. John Orchulli to Lester Tucker,
$260,000. Raymond and Sandra Freeman to Thomas
Stephens, $262,500. Ella Carpenter and Denise Marrs
to E Braxton Jenkins Jr., $279,000. Robert Gerri to
Antonio SanJuan, $278,100.
Kidder Township South
Thomas P Carney Inc to Jeffrey Chrysler, $289,545.
Alan Breece to Judith Blore, $275,000. Michael Giuliani to Robert Mathers, $413,000.
Chestnuthill Township
Jose and Georgia Roldan to Cecile Gouveia, $263,000.
Wayne and Lisa Haller to Joseph and Sheena Krock,
$565,000. David Michaels to Richard and Pamela
Rose, $306,000. Kunwar and Maria Harricharran to
Christopher Schnaars and Jennifer Hidalgo, $285,000.
Brian and Diane Everett to Paul and Kim Frantz,
$300,000. James Mullery to Cataldo and Joanne
Cacuzza, $260,000. Richard and Kim Gray to William
and Joan Gercie, $250,000. L+P Homes Inc to Roman
Czyzycki, $280,000. Kirit and Kirtida Kothari to
Hanna Zielinska, $428,000. Frank and Ann Guzzi to
Maryann Dowd, $349,000. Barbara Williams to Leila
Nassi, $365,650.
Coolbaugh Township
Paul Leonard to DJW Property Holdings LLC,
$262,000. MGA Homes LLC to Brian O’Neill,
$260,000. Gino and Catherine Masci to Christopher
and Kathleen Marr, $585,000. Michael and Rosemarie Berardi to Virginia Batisto, $315,000. Colleen
Sweeney to James and Patricia Robinson, $360,000.
Christopher and Jong-Jong Cobb to Anne Sanford,
$315,000.
East Stroudsburg Borough
Ransberry LLC to John Sockman, $267,500. LTS Development to Guy Smith, $346,800. Vicente and Isabel
Andujar to Valentine Grecea, $340,000.
Eldred Township
Samuel and Carol Osborn to Jennifer Yatko-Smale,
$305,000.
Hamilton Township
JP Morgan Chase Bank to Brian and Hillary Potcher,
$358,500. Chester and Mary Ann Gorski to Scott and
Margie McMahon, $620,000. Gregory and Loretta
Taormina to Kathleen Brown, $359,000. James and
Yovita Wooden to Todd and Jennifer Holmes,
$267,000.
Jackson Township
Arthur and Kathryn Braunstein to Piotr and Gabriela
Wozniak, $293,550. Genan Holder to Mario Estrada,
$340,000. Land Holding Inc to Ricky and Kelley
Smith, $450,900. Four Seasons at Camelback to Geraldine Zima, $293,540. Poncio and Cecila Balbuena to
Napoleon and Rosa Minaya, $405,000.
Middle Smithfield Township
Toll PA III to Anthony and Franca Nostro, $1,127,492.
LTS Development LLC to Valentine and Skeeter
Nembhard, $420,800. Sandy and Stephenie Mazzella
to Victoria Hannon, $290,000. Ceceila Griffin to
Mikhail and Oksana Petrov, $335,000. James and
Jacqueline O’Connoll to Claudia Bayona, $250,290.
Brenda Gierend to Rohit and Panna Shah, $410,000.
Terrie Venturini to Michael Cramer, $258,000. Toll PA
IV to David and Hidalisa Sapit, $287,525. Jonathan
and Gena Gray to Bruce Jacob, $345,000. Toll PA IV
to Andy and Sheila Kung, $496,136. Toll PA IX to
Jeffery and Kecia White, $539,890. Ronald and Joy
Fish to John Sesta, $285,000. Toll PA IX to Louis and
Leslie Frye, $507,340. LTS Development LLC to Pros-
Stroud Township
Edward and Barbara Bomboy to Omar and Wendy
Alba, $278,100. Benjamin Rosa to Marcos and Lisette
Camagro, $310,000. Todd and Dolores Everett to
Robert and Tricia Papile, $345,000. Robert and Linda
Miller to Michael Thomas, $270,000. NVR Inc/Ryan
Homes to Gurmeet Sethi, $328,945. Sharon PhilipsKay to Ayse and Beyhan Gocuklu, $258,000. Raymond and Nora Caswell to Robert Kelly, $320,000.
Michael Schindler to Abraham and Bibi Hernandez,
$315,000. Richard and Joann Owens to Mark Anthony
Thomas, $475,000. BML at Mountainview LP to
Frankie and Gail Walker, $445,305. Moira Wolf to
William and Dolores Moore, $270,000.
Tobyhanna Township
Harrel and Sheralyn Silverstein to Edward and Barbara
Kavetski, $256,000. Joseph and Lori Metzgar to James
and Elizabeth McTighe, $470,000. Anthony and Carolyn Nebbia to Robert and Gina Chiolan, $284,000.
Davis and Kathleen Belanger to Michael and Jacqueline Roberts, $360,000. Benjamin and Karen Alfonsi
to James McCoy, $275,000. Ricky and Kelley Smith
to Michael McCafferty, $293,500. George Tyrrel to
Patrick Thornton, $395,000. Teicher Organization at
Pinecrest Lake to Paul Ciuzio, $320,000. Alan Gross
to Kristen and Pamela Hull, $308,000.
Tunkhannock Township
Falcon Crest Homes Inc to Laverne Garner, $281,600.
Mark and Amy Frietag to Bart Shoemaker, $256,000.
John Virella to Alecia and Richard Grady, $395,000.
Pike County
Blooming Grove Township
Edward and Mary McMurrer to Yuri and Tamara
Zakharchenko, $435,000. Diane Wertman to Brian
Poretsky, $310,000. Sheila Ferguson to Ernestina
Perez, $327,000. Carl and Alberta Good to Michael
and Janis Plunkett, $355,000.
Delaware Township
Deborah and Paul Fischer to Thomas Bosch, $480,000.
Jason and Jennifer Babernitch to Eric and Camille
Frederickson, $285,000. George and Linda Zimmer
to Vincent and Joan Zupo, $275,000. John and ellen
Ehrhardt to Michael and Suzanne Oswald, $280,000.
Dingman Township
Daniel Cleveland to Aaron Gutschmidt, $285,000.
Julius and Haydee Uribe to Clarence Cosby, $330,000.
Neil and Emily Davis to Timothy and Ann McMahon,
$412,000. Lowell Tillman to Steven and Sharon Ritz,
$315,000. Milford West Development LLC to William and Hope Mannino, $479,500. James and Susan
Leighty to Christopher and Joseth Carrigan, $515,000.
Greene Township
Bryan and Barbara Siegfried to David Ingegneri,
$305,000. Richard and Eileen Sorokas to Adilia
Vilares, $380,000. Robert and Nettie Puccio to Jose
and Jennifer Cornejo, $280,000. Stanley and Jacqueline Yanulevich to Daniel and Michelle Donnelly,
$260,000.
Lackawaxen Township
Frank and Arlene Vastano to Kathleen Tighe,
$432,500. Edward and Eugenia Johnston to Robert
and Patricia Vanwinkle, $325,000. Harry Jaffe to
Afroz Qadeer, $420,000. Raymond and Lesley Pepe
to Kennethe Mcfee, $278,000. Peter and Jean Bond
to Raymond and Michelle Felmly, $262,000. Caroline
Defilice to Charyn Koppelson Cleary, $287,911. Grace
Anderson to Mark and Kathleen Yeo, $590,000.
Lehman Township
Peter Borsuk to Sola and Edith Adeku, $269,900.
Kalian at Poconos LLC to Louisville and Ramona
Dhaiti, $280,000. Dennis and Cheri Petraitis to Robert
and Ann Marie Trump, $315,000. Tamiment 902
LP to Eagle Village Property Owners Association,
$1,239,342.
Matamoras Borough
Cummins Creek Contractors Inc to Donna and Vincent
Moncelsi, $250,500. James and Beverly Cox to Peter
Larkin, $495,000.
Milford Borough
Alexandros Theodoropoulus to Theresa Casella,
$310,000.
Milford Township
Robert and Valma Gotch to Andrew and Robbie
Dachisen, $385,000. Vincent and Donna Moncelsi to
Richard and Donna Potere, $440,000. Mercy Community Hospital of PJ NY Inc. to Mercy Health
System-Northeast, $315,000. US Bank NA to Michael
Anacreonte, $260,000. John Fraser to Joseph Natale,
$335,000. Rita Behson to John and Tria Mason,
$250,000.
Palmyra Township
Stephen Szymanek to Gary Simpson, $550,000. Dolores Stillings to Carol Mainardi, $260,000. George and
Janet Cabel to Marine Investments LLC, $350,000.
Christopher Park to Ronald and Gail Purpora,
$1,600,000. Edward and Kathryn Chesney to Jacland
LLC, $515,000. larisa Jackson to Joseph and Alice
Fedorchak, $310,000. Frank and Denise Marcos to
Kristen Hackett, $380,000.
Shohola Township
Richard Brezner to Michael Capasso, $320,000.
Romano Construction Company to Peter and Linda
Romano, $466,000.
Wayne County
Berlin Township
Ralph and Gail Bianco to Michael and Jean Bancroft,
$625,000. Torah Vaavodah Center Inc to Kymac,
$2,225,000.
Clinton Township
Bianca Holdings to William and Dorothy Reif,
$365,000.
Damascus Township
Steven and Janice Klinkiewicz to Tatyana and Alexander Cherkasets, $355,000. Charles and Wendy Frickel
to Elliott Horowitz, $435,000. Richard Goodenough to
Woodland Management Partners, $290,000.
Dyberry Township
Eugene and Solveig Spuhler to Julian and Eileen
Wolpert, $328,000.
Lake Township
Ronald and Kathleen Kase to Matthew and Erica Blit,
$397,000. Eric and Susan Kristiansen to Andrew and
Adeline Mastrocinque, $260,000.
Lebanon Township
Joseph and Nancy Harcum to Mark Pappas Children
Annuity Trust, $400,000.
Paupack Township
Vivian and Joseph Kaczka to Miles and Julie Everson,
$335,000. Joseph and Janet Tinnirello to Michael and
Cherl Paradiso, $408,000. June Wilson to John and
Donna Tranchida, $290,000.
Salem Township
Edward and Gretchen Lindsay to Gregory Harlin,
$547,000. Marlyn and Margaret Schafer to Patrick and
Denise Shelly, $625,000.
Scott Township
Arline Quintana to Ibere Calvo, $325,000.
Texas Township
Steven Miller to George and Elizabeth Guida,
$285,000.
MORTGAGES
(May 2007 – Over $250,000)
Carbon County
East Penn Township
Carbon County Economic Development Corp, East
Penn Bank, $2,000,000. Wayne Whitsitt, Saxon Mortgage Inc, $481,500.
Jim Thorpe Borough
Anthony Roberti, Nesquehoning Savings Bank,
$260,000. Inn at Jim Thorpe Associates, Mauch Chunk
Trust Company, $2,650,000.
Kidder Township North
Louis Pugh, Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank,
$350,000. Judson mellott, MERS, $333,000.
Kidder Township South
Tino Lispi, MERS, $288,000. Jeffrey Swartz, ESSA
Bank, $324,000. Paul Knittel, American Heritage
Federal Credit Union, $394,400. Dennis Geraghty, 44
Capital Corp, $266,000. James Smith, Mauch Chunnk
Trust Company, $800,000. Robert Mathers, Bank of
America, $330,400.
Lehighton Borough
PJB Properties, LLC, Communitybanks, $560,000.
PJB Properties, LLC, Communitybanks, $440,000.
Lower Towamensing Township
Thomas Ring, MERS, $350,000. Joseph Bibinger, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, $330,000.
Joseph Bibinger, BNY Mortgage, $330,000.
Mahoning Township
Rolf Hohenstein, MERS, $265,500. David Citro,
Mauch Chunk Trust Co, $310,000. Sean Monk,
MERS, $280,800. Robert Bauder, MERS, $255,000.
Northland Development Corp, First National Bank
of Palmerton, $310,000. Brian Kroboth, MERS,
$342,000. Matthew Ehrig, Keystone Nazareth Bank &
Trust, $265,200.
Parryville Borough
Steven J Inc, National Penn Bank, $250,000.
Penn Forest Township
Colleen Davidson, World Savings Bank, $300,000.
Charles Trovato, MERS, $250,000. Robert Renode
III, MERS, $337,100. Christopher Gaiski, MERS,
$259,000. Frank Pranzo, Keystone Nazareth Bank
& Trust, $276,000. Rosalinda Trinidad, MERS,
$290,000. Seepersaud Dhani, JPMorgan Chase Bank,
$328,000.
Towamensing Township
George Farmer, Countrywide Home Loans, $266,500.
Susana Bullrich, Countrywide Home Loans, $312,000.
Weissport Borough
Roman Serafin, Mauch Chunk Trust Co, $266,000.
Monroe County
Barrett Township
Patricia and Darrell Cooper, Washington Mutual Bank,
$361,500.
Chestnuthill Township
Joseph and Sheena Krock, First Star Savings Bank,
$325,000. Joseph and Sheena Krock, First Star
Savings Bank, $260,000. Duane and Sharon Fields,
MERS/Quicken Loans, $277,675. Richard and Pamela
Rose, national City Bank, $306,000. Christopher
Schnaars and Jennifer Hildago, MERS, $285,000.
Deborah and Anthony Woltal, Bankunited FSB,
$373,500. John and Dawn Galarza, MERS, $279,000.
Northland Development Corp, ESSA Bank, $500,000.
Hanna Zielinska, MERS, $243,400. Carole Grant, First
National Bank of Palmerton, $350,000. Victor and
Natalia Lichtchouk, MERS, $270,000. Carmen and
Daniela Pascale, MERS, $319,000. Thomas and Toyin
Ajibola, Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust, $262,000.
West End Fair Association, First National Bank of
Palmerton, $300,000. West End Fair Association,
First National Bank of Palmerton, $300,000. Posh
Properties No. 19 Brodheadsville Family Limited and
JT Posh Inc., Standard Insurance Co, $675,000. Derek
and Feerida Nesbitt, MERS, $351,675. Leila Nassi,
MERS, $292,520. Gurdev Singh to Carmen and Daniela Pascale, $319,000. Robert and Dawn Roskamp to
Radomir Rycerz, $282,000.
Coolbaugh Township
Mary and James Robinson, Washington Mutual bank,
$444,000. Christopher and Kathleen Marr, JP Morgan
Chase Bank, $285,000. Pocono Mountain Industries,
PNC Bank National Association, $4,332,988. Dennis and Gricel Bloom, Merchants National Bank of
Bangor, $350,000. Virginia Battisto, Wayne Bank,
$283,500. Patricia and James Robinson, MERS,
$288,000. Pocono Mountains Industries, Commonwealth Financing Authority, $6,886,427. Eammon and
Geraldine Brennan, MERS, $268,000.
East Stroudsburg Borough
Todd and Thomas Miller, Merchants National Bank
of Bangor, $430,000. Guy Smith, GMAC Mortgage
Corp, $312,120. Valentine Grecea, MERS, $306,000.
Robert and Heather Gress, MERS, $259,000. Barth
J. Rubin, ESSA Bank, $725,000. Barth J. Rubin,
ESSA Bank, $725,000. Marguerite Creel to Jason Wu,
$265,000.
Hamilton Township
Scott McMahon, MERS, $375,000. Stewart Houser,
MERS, $450,000. Heidi Nyland and William Jones,
MERS, $313,000. Richard and Gayle Gorskey,
MERS, $265,000. Dennis and Susan Carroll, Skylands
Community Bank, $500,000. Brian and Hillary,
ESSA Bank, $280,000. William and Carole Grant,
First National Bank of Palmerton, $950,000. William
and Carole Grant, First National Bank of Palmer-
23
PBJ REGISTER
ton, $600,000. Scott and Margie Mc mahon, First
Penn Bank, $341,000. Christine and Robert Hentze,
MERS, $317,000. John and Karen Friemann, Pocono
Community Bank, $250,000. Gregory and Loretta
Taormina, Wachovia Bank NA, $291,261. Kathleen
Agate-Brown, Penn Security Bank & Trust, $371,000.
Kathleen Agate-Brown, Penn Security Bank & Trust,
$371,000. Hamilton FC Associates and Hamilton FC
General, Wachovia Bank NA, $27,766,000. Hamilton
FC Associates and Hamilton FC General, JP Ertle
Development, $3,500,000. Hamilton FC Associates
and Hamilton FC General, JP Ertle Development,
$425,000. Craig Lahey, Wells Fargo Bank, $312,500.
Theodore and Heather Feidler, MERS, $307,000.
Rocco and Angela Beard, MERS, $288,000. JP Ertle
development Corp to Hamilton FC Associates LP,
$12,425,000. Terriann and Jose Torres to Prudential
Relocation, $329,000. Prudential relocation Inc to
Craig Lahey, $329,000.
Jackson Township
Marvin and Carolyn Hawkins, MERS, $280,000.
Satanu and Anjulekha Maitra, MERS, $283,500. Piotr
Wozniak and Gabriela Widoniak, Wells Fargo Bank,
$278,872. Robert and Cathy Morris, MERS, $315,000.
Mary and Paul Biggs, MERS, $269,000. Marian
Moran, Wachovia Bank, $250,000. Rickey and Kelley
Smith, PNC Mortgage, $360,720. Judith DeLorenzo to
Ralph and Beth Kolb, $265,000.
Middle Smithfield Township
Anthony Nostro and Franca Galio-Nostro, PNC
Mortgage, $880,000. Valentie Nembhard, GMAC
Mortgage, $399,760. Raymond and Maria Macarinta,
JP Morgan Chase Bank, $267,000. Mikhail and
Oksana Petrov, MERS, $301,500. Rohit, Panna and
Nilam Shah, Wayne Bank, $328,000. Bruce Jacob,
MERS, $345,000. Andy and Sheila Kung, MERS,
$395,000. Jeffrey and Kecia White, MERS, $417,000.
Louis and Leslie Frye, MERS, $405,872. Prospero
and Carmen Sosa, HSBC Mortgage, $312,360. John
Tietjen, MERS, $402,900. Phillip and Misty Powell,
MERS, $320,400. Ski Shawnee Inc, M&T Trust Co,
$1,992,548. Kathleen Agate-Brown, Penn Securty
Bank, $371,000. HRP Corp, Textron Financial Corp,
$20,773,170. Allen and Minnie Brewer, MERS,
$296,200. Rafael and Sarah Galvan, MERS, $500,000.
Ruben and Sandra Torres, MERS, $279,860. Easther
Chang, MERS, $416,250. HDD Land, Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust, $873,500. Toll PA IX to Rafael and
Sarah Galvan, $541,997.
Mount Pocono Borough
Barth E. Rubin, ESSA Bank, $725,000. Linda Woerner, Indymac Bank, $251,750.
Paradise Township
Albino and Lilibeth Torres, MERS, $270,000. Craig
and Patricia Roseman, Wachovia Mortgage, $276,500.
Pocono Township
Ramon Matamoros and Viviana Prado, MERS,
$268,200. Louis Rinaldi, Countrywide Home Loans,
$268,000. Robert and Tricia Papille, First National
Bank of Palmerton, $870,000. Anthony Newborn,
MERS, $251,750. John Polaha, MERS, $314,400.
Hugo and Liza Huerta, MERS, $290,000. Piotr and
malgorzata Mierzejewski, MERS, $285,000. David
and Ann Marie DeAngelis, National City Bank,
$371,555. SBNI LLC, Community Bank & Trust,
$575,000. SBNI LLC, Community Bank & Trust,
$402,500. Sara Foglia, Wachovia Bank NA, $250,000.
Ezra Matthias and Catherine Edmund, MERS,
$311,250. Jacek Goluszka, MERS, $265,500. Allan
and Cynthia Schmid, MERS, $300,000. Chad and
Teresa Schwartz to Jacek Goluszka, $295,000.
Polk Township
David and Alexyss Schatzman, MERS, $364,000.
Samuel Allen, Wells Fargo Bank, $300,240. Samuel
Allen, Housing and Urban Development, $300,240.
Iomine Kenton, MERS, $367,200. Estelle Simpson,
MERS, $321,000. Terry and Donna Gregory, MERS,
$270,000. Robert and Josephine Anderson, BNY
Mortgage, $300,000. Robert and Josephine Anderson,
Housing and Urban Development, $300,000.
Barbara Vidal, MERS, $279,000. Arnold and Norma
George, MERS, $280,200. Frank and Pamela Ragowicz, Nationstar Mortgage, $460,000. Steve Ramjass,
MERS, $313,025.
Ross Township
George Beidler, Wachovia Bank, $304,205. Craig and
Karen Hart, Wells Fargo Bank, $266,500. Paul and
Betty Mansour, MERS, $336,000. Matthew and Susan
McDermott, Wells Fargo Bank, $351,000. John Paul
and Michelle Prentill, Wells Fargo Bank, $272,000.
Gilbert Orama to Charles and Denise Albanese,
$275,000.
Smithfield Township
Kenbar Investment Group & Barth Rubin, First
National Community Bank, $1,400,000. SH Properties, Woori America Bank, $307,500. Jose and Blanca
Lopez, MERS, $295,000. Susan Mirkovic, MERS,
$300,000. WOC/MOC LLC, North Fork Bank,
$375,000. George and Kim Green, MERS, $256,000.
Rafael and Ada Ginot, MERS, $284,000. Sant Sikand,
MERS, $300,000. Daniel and Brandi Mitchell,
ESSA Bank, $250,000. Pocono Stroudsburg Airport,
Lester Abeloff, $500,000. Antonio Sanjuan, MERS,
$250,250.
Stroud Township
Scott and Margie McMahon, MERS, $420,000. Omar
and Wendy Alba, Wells Fargo Bank, $264,100. Errol
and Sumranie Denobrega, Prosperity Mortgage,
$286,392. Yogeshwar and Carol Ann Budhai, Prosperity Mortgage, $304,792. Scott and Catherine Taylor,
MERS, $250,000. Carlos and Maria Iglesias, MERS,
$252,000. Albert and Gwendolyn Holder, MERS,
$291,000. Crossroads Mall Limited Partnership, JP
Morgan Chase Bank, $31,000,000. Gurmeet Sethi,
MERS, $263,150. Robert Kelly, Charles Schwab
Bank, $256,000. Kevin and Bernadette Brown, MERS,
$333,000. Robert Glass, M&T Bank, $300,240. Robert
Glass, Housing and Urban Development, $300,240.
Phyllis Matthews-Kelly, MERS, $324,900. Gregg
Junge, MERS, $556,000. John and Doris Ropars,
Household Finance Consumer Discount Co, $356,750.
Abraham and Bibi Hernandez, Wells Fargo Bank,
$283,000. Daniel and Edward Henning and Henning
Leasing, Citibank, $3,000,000. Daniel and Edward
Henning and Henning Leasing, Citibank, $500,000.
Richard and Joan Mason, MERS, $252,000. Chester
Carter, MERS, $375,000. Angel Osmanzai, MERS,
$265,000. Mark Thomas, MERS, $295,000. Gail and
Frankie Walker, ABN Amro Mortgage, $417,000.
Edgar and Maritza Morales, MERS, $256,000.
Stroudsburg Borough
George, Emmanuel, Sheyla and Chris Angelopoulos,
MERS, $254,000. Kenneth Lang, Pocono Community Bank, $265,000. Barth Eli Rubin, ESSA Bank,
$725,000. Barth Eli Rubin, ESSA Bank, $725,000.
Pauline Fitzpatrick, Greenpoint Mortgage, $525,000.
John and Kathleen Prentice to Pauline Fitzpatrick,
$700,000.
Tobyhanna Township
R&D Realty Trust and Roderick Reader and J. Edward
and James Downes, Citizens Bank of Massachusetts,
$756,000. Pfiefer Real Estate Development, Berkshire
Bank, $700,000. Michael and Jacqueline Roberts,
MERS, $360,000. Ricardo and Theresa Salcedo, Preferred Capital Bidco Inc., $1,00,000. Peter and Dorothy Christiano, Wachovia Bank, $290,000. Patrick
and Beth Thornton, MERS, $316,000. Brian Willis,
National City Mortgage, $272,000. Robert and Frances
Shoemaker to Joseph Rom, $250,000. Bejamin Jones
to Gary and Donna Hoffman, $333,000. nancy Clark to
Richard Stover, $275,000.
Tunkhannock Township
Laverne Garner, National City Bank, $267,520. Falcon
Crest Homes and Salvatore and Joseph Modica, Commerce Bank NA, $2,000,000. Alexis and Raymond
Smith, MERS, $256,000. Alecia and Richard Grady,
Wachovia Bank, $371,250. Gilberto and Cheryl St
Rose, MERS, $285,300. Angelo and Barbara O’Neill
to Ana Maria Suarez, $276,000.
Price Township
Pike County
Blooming Grove Township
Coming Next Month ... August 2007
Krystal Mirror Construction LLC, Liberty Savings
Bank, $258,000. Peter and Judy Tatton, MERS,
$340,900. Matthew and Christine Karp, First Horizon
Home Loan, $384,000. Richard Caridi, Honesdale
National Bank, $260,000. Richard Caridi, Honesdale National Bank, $260,000. Charles and Barbara
Denniston, Wachovia Bank, $250,000. Glenn and
Mary Ann Strys, Liberty Savings Bank, $309,000.
Ernestina Perez, MERS, $294,300. Keith and Nicole
Boo, MERS, $250,000. Paul and Melanie Chiappone,
National City Mortgage, $258,665. James and Mary
Pierce, Citizens Savings Bank, $400,000. Michael
and Paula Beliveau, MERS, $260,000. Michael and
Janis Plunkett, MERS, $284,000. Glenn and Mary Ann
Strys, Liberty Savings Bank, $320,250. Howard and
Carol Becker, GMAC Mortgage, $295,360.
Delaware Township
Kenneth and June Osterman, National City Mortgage,
$252,000. Michael and Suzanne Oswald, $275,674.
Joseph Jala, United Northern Mortgage Bankers Ltd,
$375,000. Joseph Jala, Housing and Urban Development, $375,000.
Dingman Township
Igor and Asya Lukyanovskiy, MERS, $311,392.
Heather Banghart and John and Dawn Wright, World
Savings Bank, $280,000. Walter Goodmond, MERS,
$348,000. Susan Brietner, Housing and Urban Development, $487,500. Susan Brietner, Home Consultant
Inc, $487,500. Milford West Development, Wayne
Bank, $277,500. Clarence Cosby, MERS, $259,800.
Timothy and Ann McMahon, National City Mortgage,
$329,600. Robert and Arrena Mandoske, MERS,
$253,600. Christopher and Joseth Carrigan, First
Horizon Home Loan Corp, $412,000. Thomas Hussey,
MERS, $332,763. Mark and Susan Muzer, MERS,
$351,000.
Greene Township
Thomas Regan, Option One Mortgage, $323,000.
David Ingegneri, MERS, $311,557. Adilia Vilares,
MERS, $304,000. Daniel Donnelly, First Horizon
Home Loan Corp, $283,500.
Lackawaxen Township
Kathleen Tighe, ESSA Bank & Trust, $255,000.
Joseph Dougherty III, MERS, $277,000. Ronald and
Judith Conklin, Citizens Savings Bank, $350,000.
Kenneth McFee, MERS, $274,410. Charyn Koppelson, MERS, $285,653. Mark and Kathleen Yeo, ABN
Amro Mortgage, $417,000.
Lehman Township
Luis and Ana Guzman, MERS, $268,375. Christopher
Howard, National City Mortgage, $251,750. Patty
Steed, MERS, $254,800. Nelson Duran, MERS,
$271,700.
Matamoras Borough
Peter and Florentina Larkin, James and Beverly Cox,
$396,000.
Milford Township
Andrew and Robbie Dachisen, MERS, $308,000.
Richard and Donna Potere, MERS, $352,000. Kubahki
Garnon, MERS, $347,256. Joseph Natale, MERS,
$318,250.
Palmyra Township
Charles and Trudy Miller, MERS, $250,000.
Marine Investments LLC, Honesdale National
Bank, $350,000. Thomas and Robin Sigley, MERS,
$321,600. Dale Williams, Wayne Bank, $334,500.
Deer Haven LLC, First National Community Bank,
$500,000. Haven Development Company LLC, First
National Community Bank, $500,000. Pauline and
Luigi Dalterio, JP Morgan Chase Bank, $431,250.
Kristen Hackett, MERS, $304,000.
Shohola Township
Eileen and James Eak, MERS, $279,000. Christopher
and Debra Hayes, MERS, $328,700. Peter and Linda
Romano, MERS, $320,000.
Wayne County
Berlin Township
Michael and Jean Bancroft, ESSA Bank, $417,000.
Stanley and Nora Petroski, Honesdale National Bank,
$250,000. Kymac, Dime Bank, $2,400,000. RRSC
Inc, Dime Bank, $2,400,000. Kymac, Dime Bank,
$1,500,000. RRSC Inc, Dime Bank, $1,500,000. Kymac, Dime Bank, $250,000. RRSC Inc, Dime Bank,
$250,000.
Canaan Township
Ethan and Sari Fogel, Sovereign Bank, $300,000.
Clinton Township
Richard and Karol Kline, MERS, $300,000.
Damascus Township
Terry and Karin Bennett, Pennstar Bank, $250,000. Elliott Horowitz, MERS, $348,000. David Boyce, Wayne
Bank, $740,000.
Dreher Township
William and Judith Helbig, MERS, $256,800. Ronald
and Mary Kay Logan, Dime Bank, $875,000.
Dyberry Township
Thomas and Joanne Rake, MERS, $488,000. James
Conway, MERS, $301,500. Julian and Eileen Wolpert,
MERS, $262,400. Michael and Beth Boguski, Bank of
Lancaster County, $259,000.
Lake Township
Matthew and Erica Blit, ABN Amro Mortgage,
$357,300.
Lebanon Township
Lehigh Township
Darrel and Denise Fantini, Delaware National Bank,
$370,000.
Manchester Township
Kelly and Scott Carney, MERS, $266,000. Howard
and Naomi Strachman, Bank of America, $250,000.
Paupack Township
James and Elisa Popovich, MERS, $568,000. Miles
and Julie Everson, Wells Fargo Bank, $268,000.
Thomas and Diana Rogers, MERS, $323,000. Eric and
Jamie Lind, Bank of America, $359,650.
Preston Township
Camp Weequahic Inc, Wayne Bank, $275,000. Camp
Weequahic Inc, Wayne Bank, $455,083.
Prompton Borough
Kip and Andrea Odell, Dime Bank, $400,000.
Salem Township
Manley Willie, Indymac Bank, $374,300. Anthony
Ciriano, Dime Bank, $325,000. Vincent and Sheila
Mecca, First National Community Bank, $750,000.
Gregory and Margaret Harlin, MERS, $417,000.
Patrick and Denise Shelly, Honesdale National Bank,
$706,877. Richard and Jennifer Hoch, LA Mortgage
Services, $262,500. Craig and Nicole Kohuth, MERS,
$250,000. Shigueo Sano, PNC Mortgage, $270,000.
Shigueo Sano, Housing and Urban Development,
$270,000.
Scott Township
Ibere Calvo, MERS, $292,500.
Sterling Township
Christopher and Lisa Dobitsch, Community Bank,
$250,000. Tanya and Robert Carrelle, Wayne Bank,
$253,406. Wayne economic Development Corp,
Wayne Bank, $2,000,000.
Texas Township
George and Elizabeth Guida, MERS, $256,500.
MERS = Mortgage Electronic Registration
Systems
Disclaimer: Deeds and mortgages recorded as
accurately as possible adhering to the cover dates
in the County Recorders office.
Westfall Township
Joyce Rocko, Dime Bank, $425,000.
POCONO
www.pbjonline.com
Annual Pocono Economic Forecast
www.pbjonline.com
•The delicate balance between development and waster quality.
•Flood control efforts.
•Watersheds: What are they? Where are they? What do they do?
•Protecting Groundwater
•Stream restoration projects
•Professional Profile – An example of compliance and cooperation with regional watershed.
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