Aflac
How do you respond when your employees want more benefits at a time when you are looking for ways to cut back?

Business owners today know that they have to be very creative in offering benefits to be seen as a valuable employer in a competitive hiring environment. If Aflac insurance policies sold on a voluntary basis aren’t part of your benefits package, you may be denying your potential and current employees a valuable addition to your benefits program.

Aflac has a program of voluntary benefits that have no direct cost to your company, yet allows you to enhance your benefit package, contain your health care costs and provide payroll tax savings.  Our plan does not compete with your current benefits package, only complements it.  Aflac’s plans are very different than anything you have considered in the past and are very affordable for your employees.

Implementation of our program is simple and requires little or no effort on your part.  Employees decide which programs are most appropriate for their lifestyle and pay for them at a group rate through payroll deduction usually on a pre-tax basis.  Their questions, policy changes, and claims are handled directly through the Aflac representative thereby minimizing the burden on your administrative staff.

So if you want to: 

• Expand your benefits program to full-time and part-time employees without adding costs to your facility,
• Recruit and retain key employees through pre-tax eligible and portable programs,
• Reduce the pressure to provide more company-paid benefits,
• Improve employee morale by providing them with affordable benefit choices,
• Decrease absenteeism due to illness or injury through various wellness programs,
• Achieve FICA savings and possible reduction in workers’ compensation costs,

Let Aflac help provide cost containment solutions that also win the admiration and loyalty of your employees. 

Please call Cathy L. Donnelly today at 585-381-1623 to arrange for a short introductory meeting to find out how Aflac can significantly benefit your facility.


Penfield Curves
Denise McGarvey managed another local Curves for five years before purchasing the Penfield branch of Curves in October of 2007. The facility is located at 1694 Penfield Road in the Speedy Plaza.

Curves is a facility specially designed for women featuring a complete 30 minute workout and weight management program that is fast, fun and safe.

“We’ve made some great changes to our facility, added new programs to help motivate menbers, as well as extending our hours to meet more of our members needs.”

Starting on May 5th, women can be part of the Curves/Avon Fitness Study, the world's largest fitness study conducted to date. This 30 day study is designed to research the benefits of a regular exercise program. During the study women will be utilizing the Penfield facility. This study is available to the community and Denise is happy to get people started. Call her at 585-385-3510 if you are interested.

Sisters in Business Come Together

The National Association of Women Business Owners sponsored a networking event in April that also included a seminar called "Unleash the Power to Do More with Your Business." Ann Young, PBA Director, and Sharon Allen of First Niagara presented participants with banking options to help their small business progress.

The event: It was part of the Greater Rochester chapter's NAWBO's education series, where business owners have the opportunity to learn about different resources available to small businesses, and can network with other business owners facing similar issues. A conversation with the invited bank reps branched off into separate conversations between women seeking help or advice from fellow members.

The crowd: A dozen members of NAWBO, plus invited guests. Currently the organization has 100 business owners as members, and non-members also are encouraged to attend events.

Ann Young, branch manager of First Niagara in Penfield, wants small business owners to be aware of advantages to borrowing from a bank that "takes time to get to know your business."

*Article by Jeremiah Curtin of the Democrat and Chronicle

New Starbucks Location Comes to Penfield

Starbucks Coffee Company announces the opening of its second coffeehouse in Penfield, New York located at 2164 Penfield Road, at the intersection of 250 & 441 in the Parkside Commons Plaza.

PBA members are invited to attend the grand opening festivities on May 7 from 4-8 pm. A ribbon cutting, coffee tasting, ceremonial first pour, live music from local performers and face painting for the children will be included in the event.

“Starbucks is so excited to deepen its commitment to Penfield and pleased to offer our customers more opportunities to experience hand-crafted coffee beverages and legendary customer service in a warm and inviting environment that offers a true connection to the community,” said Mark Patrick, Store Manager.

The new coffeehouse will welcome customers from 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.  

Starbucks recognizes the relationship between their success and the strength and vitality of the communities in which they do business. To that end, Starbucks is committed to active involvement with the people in Penfield. The store has created 18 new jobs in the Penfield community.

Celebrating the Birth of Twins

Christopher Herlong, Owner of Gooey Cat, celebrated with his wife, Temple, and daughter, Phoenix, the birth of identical twin boys, Griffin and Raven, on April 2nd.

Starbucks Grand Opening - Friends and Family Event benefiting AIDS Rochester
Wednesday, 05/7/2008, 4:00 - 8:00 pm
The partners at the Parkside Commons Starbucks invite you to attend the Friends and Family event benefiting AIDS Rochester. A ribbon cutting, coffee tasting, ceremonial first pour, live music from local performers and face painting for the children will be included in the event.

For more information, contact:
Parkside Commons Starbucks, 2164 Penfield Road, Penfield NY 14555 Phone: (585) 388-7720.

Hunt Real Estate Scavenger Hunt and Family Fun Day
Sunday, 05/18/2008, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Food, fun, and games. Webster Park, Parkview Lodge.

For more information, contact:
Tracey Dedee  Phone: (585) 217-7420.

Penfield Symphony Orchestra
Monday, 05/19/2008
"Music for the Harp," works by Weinberger, Gliere and Franck. Grace Wong, harp.

For more information, contact:
Browncroft Community Church, 2530 Browncroft Blvd., Penfield, NY 14625. Phone: (585) 872-0774. www.penfieldsymphony.org.

Check out our Community Calendar!
Please visit the PBA website to view a complete list of PBA-sponsored and PBA member-sponsored events.

PBA Board of Directors Appoints New Director

Curt Regruit, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Company, 1790 Penfield Rd office, has joined the PBA board of directors. Curt is replacing Mary McCarthy who recently decided to retire.

Curt has been a PBA member for the past four years. He and his wife Susan and their two children, Ryan and Jason, have lived in Penfield for 20 years. Curt is very active in the local community as a soccer coach for the Penfield Rangers Club and as a founding member and current chairman of the Four Corners Holiday Celebration.

The Board of Directors all agree that Curt will be a great addition to the board and will be of help to the business community. When you see Curt, please welcome him to the PBA Board of Directors.

Seeking Participants for PBA's Annual Penfield in Bloom

Soon we will be initiating our annual Penfield in Bloom program. Penfield in Bloom is a community project that the PBA works in conjunction with the Town of Penfield to maintain roughly 15 small gardens at major intersections within the Town. Members and volunteers are encouraged to revitalize and maintain these gardens. Each garden includes a sign noting the PBA and the volunteer organization or group of people chartered to maintain the garden.

The PBA Board of Directors is currently seeking volunteers as well as a PBA member(s) to chair and manage the program. If you are interested in participating in the Penfield in Bloom program, please email us or contact Sam Delucia at 734-4889 as soon as possible.

Reduced Democrat & Chronicle Advertising Rates Available For PBA Members!

The PBA has developed a valuable reduced rate-advertising program for members and we want your feedback. Here are the details of the program:

The PBA will run one full page, full color ad in the Our Towns section (Northeast Area) of the D&C on the last Wednesday of the month. In addition, the same page will appear in the Neighbors section on Friday of that same week. This advertising page will be an opportunity for members to place their full color ad on the page for only $150 per week! This means your ad will appear twice that week, reaching over 80,000 potential residents and businesses throughout the Northeast area, in full color, for just $150.

The same full color ad running one time in the D&C would cost roughly $301.50 for a non-contract advertiser. Those with a contract would have to run the ad for four consecutive weeks at a cost of $199 per ad. $796.00 total.

Each individual ad size is 3.375” x 4.25” and will only appear with other PBA members.

Please email diane@threshcreative.com and let her know if you would be interested in this program. We’ll only proceed if we find that members would like to participate so your opinion is very valuable. We think this is a great opportunity for our members. What do you think?

BayTrail Middle School 6th Grade Bash

The BayTrail Middle School 6th Grade Class is celebrating the end of the school year on Friday, June 6th from 7 pm - 9 pm. They are currently seeking donated items to be raffled off to the students during the event.

For more information, contact:
Amy Steklof or Sherry Hogan.

13th Annual "Kicks for Kids" Benefit Soccer Tournament

The 13th Annual "Kicks for Kids" Benefit Soccer Tournament, proudly hosted by the Penfield Rangers Soccer Club, is scheduled for Saturday, July 19th, 2008 at Penfield Town Hall Fields. This year they wll raise money for TOPSoccer (the Total Outreach Program for Soccer) and Rochester's Flower City Soccer Club. Please consider their Sponsorship Program of either a donation or raffle item.

For more information, contact:
Randy Spaan, Phone: (585) 509-2100.

Penfield Volunteer Fire Company Requesting Donations

The Penfield Volunteer Fire Company is beginning its annual appeal for donations. Please consider supporting them in their 2008 fund drive. Donations are tax-deductable.

For more information, visit:
www.penfieldfire.org.

Check out our Community Calendar!
Please visit the PBA website to view a complete list of Penfield events.

Financial Strategies for Small-business Owners
by PBA Director Curt Regruit, Edward Jones

If you’re a small-business owner, you put your heart — and most of your time — into your business. Unfortunately, hard work doesn’t always translate into financial security — so you’ll need to take some additional steps.

Here are some to consider:
Protect your business against the loss of a key employee. If you have an employee with valuable management or sales skills, and this person were to die, your business could suffer. That’s why you may want to write a “key person” life insurance plan on this employee. In its simplest form, key person coverage pays cash to your company, which is usually the policy beneficiary, when the designated employee dies or becomes disabled. Key person insurance also can be structured to fund deferred compensation arrangements or buyout agreements between partners.

Avoid “raiding” business coffers to pay for personal expenses. Try to keep six to 12 months’ worth of living expenses in a liquid account. Once you have established this “emergency fund,” you’ll be less likely to tap into your business’s income or assets to pay for unexpected personal expenses, such as a costly car repair or a large medical bill.

Create a retirement plan for yourself. As a business owner, you’re responsible for establishing your own retirement account. Fortunately, you have some attractive choices, including the following:

• SEP IRA —You can contribute up to 25 percent of your compensation — as much as $46,000 for 2008 — to a SEP-IRA. Your contributions are tax deductible, and your earnings have the potential to grow tax deferred until withdrawn. This plan offers you significant flexibility in making contributions for yourself and your employees. Plus, as an employer, you can generally deduct as business expenses any contributions you make on behalf of your plan participants.

• SIMPLE IRA —You can put up to $10,500 — or $13,000 if you’re 50 or older — into a SIMPLE IRA in 2008. As is the case with the SEP IRA, your earnings have the potential to grow tax deferred. You can match your employees’ contributions dollar for dollar, up to 3 percent of compensation, but no more than $10,500 (or $13,000 for employees 50 and over). Alternately, you could contribute 2 percent of each
eligible employee’s compensation each year, up to a maximum of $4,600 in 2008, regardless of whether the employee contributes. Contributions to your employees are tax-deductible.

• “Owner-only” 401(k) plan — If you have no employees other than your spouse, you can establish an “owneronly” 401(k) plan. Between salary deferral and profit sharing, you can contribute up to $46,000 in pretax dollars in 2008 to your owner-only 401(k), or $51,000 if you’re 50 or older. Like a SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA, a 401(k) provides the potential to accumulate tax-deferred earnings. But if you open a Roth 401(k), your earnings have the potential to grow tax free, provided you’ve had your account at least five years and you don’t start taking withdrawals until you’re at least 591⁄2. (However, you make Roth IRA contributions with after-tax dollars.)

Your tax or financial advisor can help you choose an appropriate retirement plan. But don’t wait too long to choose one, or to make the other moves necessary to help you make progress toward your financial goals.

*Edward Jones does not offer tax or legal advice. Consult with a competent tax or legal advisor about your specific situation.

Are You a Good Boss or Bad Boss?
by Martha Beck, "O, The Oprah Magazine"

Few things incite a frothing, wild-eyed rage like asking people to talk about bad bosses. People aren't just annoyed by poor leadership -- they sputter and snarl as they describe their superiors, lusting for the chance to hit that bad boss with a perfect, withering insult. Or perhaps a truck.

It's a little scary, then, to realize that we're all likely to occupy a leadership role, from motherhood to mogulhood, at some point in our lives. When we blow it, our imperfections will be magnified by our authority.

Leadership is simply too complex to do perfectly. I believe that the key to being a better boss lies in accepting that fact.

Ineffective leaders expect their role to be easy and think -- no matter what -- that they're doing the job just right. Although good leaders often begin with similar expectations, convinced they're natural-born chieftains, they soon run smack-dab into a little thing called Monday morning.

The best leaders let go of the fantasy and become fully present and responsive to the complexities of each new situation. They're the ones -- the few, the proud, the downright worshipped -- who earn their followers' respect.

To become one of them, you need to turn bad-boss behaviors on their head to find your way toward good-boss techniques.

Bad-boss self-concept: As a leader, I'll be a higher-up.
Good-boss self-concept: As a leader, I'll have to go lower down.

The bad-boss tales I've heard include many stories of managers demanding the undoable, responding to objections by simply reiterating that it had to be done.

"If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them," said the philosopher Lao-tzu (who is my favorite management consultant, despite having been dead for centuries).

That doesn't mean you become a slave to your followers' whims. Great bosses acknowledge their own ignorance and ask questions of everyone to gain a better grasp of two important things: What's going on? What needs to be done?

Bad-boss target setting: Now that I'm the boss, I give orders to others.
Good-boss target setting: Now that I'm the boss, I bring order to what others do.

Many people thrill to giving orders or critiques but have unclear, uninformed or ambivalent ideas about what they're actually trying to accomplish -- that is, they know what they want this second, but the big picture is as fuzzy as a winter mink.

Leading well means forming a crystal clear image of what must happen and communicating that precisely. After giving an assignment, ask that person to describe the task in their own words. If they can't, or if the account they give doesn't match what you were trying to convey, you need to try a new tack. The first step could be as easy as clarifying your directives -- or you might have to rethink your organizational chart and who reports to whom.

Bad-boss position on feedback: Now everyone must tell me when I'm right.
Good-boss position on feedback: Now everyone must tell me when I'm wrong.

Most humans go through the world trying to elicit validation. Al Preble, a leadership consultant for Cambridge Leadership Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says this isn't the way to go. The most powerful way for leaders to communicate, he believes, is to use just three simple steps.

When a problem arises:
1. Clearly tell your subordinate what you really think.
2. Describe the facts that led you to this opinion.
3. Ask to be disconfirmed; in other words, honestly request that people tell you where you're wrong.

Bad-boss protection strategy: As a boss, I'll be protected from taking blame.
Good-boss protection strategy: As a boss, I'll protect others by taking blame.

The successful bosses I interviewed emphasized that a good leader helps her followers feel safe from the dangers that come from both inside and outside the organization.

An incompetent supervisor, on the other hand, feels that the best way to secure her position is to appear faultless, and works mightily to make clear who fouled up or even to lay blame on a scapegoat. But that behavior turns people into twitchy, record-keeping, blame-tallying masses of ectoplasm.

Bad-boss problem solving: Being the boss means I can avoid problems.
Good-boss problem solving: Being the boss means I must seek out problems.

You can tell if you're making mistakes as a leader because things go wrong -- not just one catastrophic computer snafu but repeated errors. Bad bosses turn away from these realities. They don't discuss problems; they just hunker down and hope the issue will go away. It won't. Untreated, a minor concern becomes a major issue becomes a catastrophe.

This is the core of good leadership, whether you're managing a corporation, your immediate family, or just your own life.

Lao-tzu puts it this way: "When [the Master] runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn't cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no problem for her."

Embracing the fact that you'll encounter many obstacles -- and that this is all right -- allows you to understand, listen, give clear instructions, invite negative feedback, and protect those you lead. You'll be comfortable with leadership, even when it's uncomfortable. And that will make you an easy act to follow.

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