Kristin Browne, DVM - TheraVet Acres Rehabilitation and Fitness

TheraVet Acres, a referral based rehabilitative care practice, offers Veterinary Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation for your pets. With the latest educational and technological advancements in canine, equine and feline rehabilitation we strive to help your pet with a speedy recovery from injury and/or surgery.

We provide non-pharmacological pain management for arthritis with the goal of increasing your pets’ mobility and flexibility, and improving their endurance and agility. By providing our unique and compassionate services, we aim to maximize your pet’s performance and improve the quality and longevity of his/her life.

TheraVet Acres is located on 30 acres in the rural portion of Penfield. This setting allows us to provide you and your pet with the love and attention you both deserve.  Our vision when creating TheraVet Acres was to provide a place where people and their pets could come to find compassionate care and a sense of belonging in a home-away from home environment. When you arrive at TheraVet Acres, you will most likely be greeted by our family of dogs and will be treated with kindness and understanding. That sense is enhanced by the quality of care that we provide to our patients; we treat your pet as if it is one of our own.

Feel free to contact us at 585-872-3791 if you have questions about our services or would like a tour of the facility. You can also visit us on the web at www.thera-vet.com.

Family First Federal Credit Union
is a Financial Safe Haven

With everyone's concerns about the current economic state, I wanted to take a moment to update you on Family First Federal Credit Union's financial safety and soundness.
 
• Our assets are federally insured by the (NCUA) National Credit Union Administration, the strongest federal insurance agency in the country.

• Not one penny of insured savings has ever been lost by a member of a federally insured credit union.

• Credit Unions, including Family First Federal Credit Union, focus on members not profits. We remain a safe haven in this economic storm.

• Credit Unions lend responsibly.  At Family First Federal Credit Union we have a more conservative approach to lending and have not engaged in the sub prime lending practices you have been hearing about in the media.

• As member-owned cooperatives, Credit Union balance sheets are not affected by the volatility of the stock market..

• Family First Federal Credit Union has $106M in assets, with Capital/Equity at $12.3M. This equates to a Capital/Equity ratio of 11.64%, well above the 7%, which our regulator defines as "well capitalized." Family First Federal Credit Union has sound business practices, more than adequate insurance on your accounts, and is ready to serve your financial needs.

• While other lenders are tightening restrictions and cutting back on lending - we are continuing to offer loans and are increasing our marketing efforts to get the word out to our members that we are here to help!
 
If you have any concerns, please feel free to call us at 585-586-8225 and speak with one of our Member Representatives about your insured accounts.

And on a final note, Credit Unions are here to stay, in fact, in 2009 Family First Federal Credit Union will celebrate our 40th anniversary. We look forward to celebrating with you, our valued members! Thank you for your business.

Christine Peters, President/CEO
Family First Federal Credit Union

Mud About You Offers Special PBA Member Discount

Plan your company holiday party at Mud About You! For PBA members, we’ll waive the party hosting fee for groups of ten or more—which basically means you just pay for the pottery, mosaic or glass item your employees create.  You can set a limit on how much each employee has to work with or give them a credit amount per piece and let them chip in the difference on their artwork.

We’ve hosted quite a few business team building meetings and this is a great way to let everyone mingle offsite and in a creative way.  We can handle groups up to 60 people comfortably.

Mud About You can also arrange the food for your evening. We have the following food partners:  JP’s Authentic Sandwiches (great party platters), JC’s BBQ (everything from appetizers to full BBQ dinners), Hyjea (a healthy alternative with party platters or individual meals), Elegant Expressions (fabulous desserts) and Hong Wah (Chinese fare).

For more information, contact Chuck at Mud About You, 585-248-3790 or visit www.mudaboutyou.com. Mud About You, 1802a Penfield Road, Penfield, NY 14526.

Space Available

PBA Member, Nick Meli has building and storage space available.

1. Building Space - 1200 s.f. of industrial space is available in Henrietta. The facility has a 14 ft. overhead door and includes a small office area. The space lends itself to being very flexible.

2. Self storage units, boats and camper parking space is available in Penfield on Empire Blvd.

For more information , call Nick at 585-482-7000.

Thanking the Volunteers of Penfield in Bloom

The Penfield Business Association, the Town of Penfield and Joanne Nulton started a program 15 years ago of Volunteer Workers, “PENFIELD IN BLOOM”. The object of this program is to have gardens at all Welcome to Penfield signs and in prime locations. This would beautify our town. The program has been a success and yes, we are still looking for Volunteers. There are 34 entrances into the town. If you would or your group would like to Volunteer to tend a garden call Joanne Nulton @ 377-0418.

The Penfield Business Association, the Town of Penfield and Joanne Nulton would like to honor and thank all the Volunteers that have worked so hard through the years to make this project successful and the Town beautiful. A special thanks to the Penfield Business Association that sponsor the program, the Town of Penfield that support the project and Joanne Nulton who suggested the program and has kept it going. Thank you to Mary McCarthy who took over for 4 years.

The locations of the garden and the tenders are the KAY JOSLYN garden @ Penfield Rd./ Brighton Line. RICHARD FREITAS garden @ Blossom Rd/Ellison Park, City Line, PENFIELD HILLS GARDEN CLUB @ Baird Rd/Perinton Line, The JOHNSON FAMILY garden @ Five Mile Line Rd./Webster line, LAURA VINCENT BOYD Garden, Panorama Trail @ East Rochester Line, M & T BANK garden at Penfield Rd & Panorama Trail, Home Depot supplied, SUN & SHADE GARDEN CLUB @ Browncroft/Blossom Rd., LEVI ADAMS & KRISTA MC CABE garden @ Don Scott Gas Station Nine Mile Point Rd. Atlantic Ave., NATURE CRAFT GARDEN CLUB/NANCY HILT & LAURA TARCINALE @ Whalen Rd./Five Mile Line Rd., BONNIE HOLTZSCHUCH @ the Pump House at Nine Mile Point Rd./Perinton Line, WENDY FREIDA-DAN & MICHELE SLOMINSKI, Country Way Suppliers, garden @ Plank Rd & Salt Rd.

PENFIELD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE TOWN OF PENFIELD AND JOANNE NULTON, THANK ALL WHO HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH OF THEM SELF TO THE TOWN TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.

Joanne Nulton

Dr. Marc Feldman Receives Penfield Pride Award

The PBA Penfield Pride Award honors outstanding renovations to a business property in Penfield. This years Penfield Pride Award goes to Dr. Marc Feldman, D.D.S. for improvements made to his business New Renaissance General Dentistry located at 2254 Penfield Road. In addition to the Penfield Pride Award, Dr. Feldman also received the  Historic Preservation Board (Jeff Crane Memorial) award earlier this year.  Dr. Feldman will receive his award at the upcoming November 6th meeting starting at 6:00 pm at Legacy at Willow Pond.

Don't Forget to Renew Your PBA Membership for 2009!

Membership renewal forms and dues were due today! If you have already mailed in your renewal, thank you again for supporting the PBA. If you have not had an opportunity to respond yet, we hope that you will take a few minutes now to send in your renewal. You can also renew your membership in person at the November 6th meeting. Thank you for your participation.

Candidates Seeking PBA Board Positions

The PBA will be holding board elections on November 6th during the general membership meeting. Please plan to attend and cast your vote for the new members of the PBA Board of Directors.

Diane Thresh, Chris Herlong, Lynne Crawford, Ann Young and Dennis Shew are current board members continuing their two year term into 2009 and are not up for re-election.

The following candidates have expressed interest in running for a PBA board position:

Cathy Donnelly
Associate, AFLAC NY

As a Penfield resident for 14 years and a Rochester resident for more than 30 years, I continue to see many positive changes in our community.

I have been an Associate with Aflac NY for 1 ½ years working within the supplemental insurance industry focusing on supplemental health care and dental programs, strong disability protection, and life insurance.  My diverse marketing, administrative and financial background in health care has given me the opportunity to appreciate the needs of small and large businesses.  My education includes a degree in nutrition from Cornell University and an MBA degree from the Simon School at University of Rochester.

I have two grown children, a daughter Jill in New York City successfully pursuing a career in comedy and a son Michael in Washington, DC working as a research economist for the Federal Reserve Board.  Both attended Cobbles Elementary School, Bay Trail Middle School and Penfield High School and took advantage of all the strong programs they offered.

Through AFLAC NY, I have been able to help business owners achieve savings in their benefit programs while providing their employees affordable benefit options.  I am strongly committed to what I do, listen carefully, and provide excellent service to owners and employees.

I look forward to helping businesses in the Penfield community be successful if I am elected to the Board of the Penfield Business Association and believe my experiences and abilities would be an asset to the Penfield community.

Jeffrey M. Insero
Banking Officer, M&T Bank
Jeff Insero has been a relationship manager for small to medium sized businesses with M&T Bank for the past four years. While Jeff’s clients are located all over Rochester, his main territory is the Penfield marketplace.

Prior to working in the banking industry, Jeff spent five years as a public relations practitioner in New York City and Boston.  Clients included, IBM, Phillips Electronic, Pitney Bowes and Red Hat Software.
 
Jeff earned his Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University (94 – 98) and went on to obtain his Masters in Business Administration from Boston University (02 – 04).
 
Jeff has recently completed his term as the President of the Associate Board at Gilda’s Club, where he started a “junior board” to allow 20 – 30 year olds to gain non-profit board experience. During his 4 years on the board, Jeff saw
participation grow from 2 people to 20+.

Jeff is a native of Rochester and lives with his wife Anne and their dog Riley in Fairport, NY.

Chuck Jones
Owner, Mud About You
Chuck received a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Texas. His career began as a writer and creative director for an advertising agency in Austin before going into radio broadcasting full-time and free-lance copywriter on the side. Chuck has spent time on-air in Austin, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego and Rochester.

Chuck opened Mud About You–pottery painting, glass fusing and mosaic art studio– April of 2007.  The business is located at 1802 Penfield Road in the Four Corners district.

He is a parishioner and committee member of the Incarnation Episcopal Church in Penfield. Chuck is also a former co-chair of the community fundraising committee of Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong. In 2008 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Penfield Business Association and has decided to continue as a board member.

Chuck’s wife Rachel is a 3rd grade teacher in the Gananda Central School District. They have two children attending Harris Hill Elementary in Penfield.

Curt Regruit
Edward Jones Investments - Penfield Four Corners
Licensed Stock Broker, Licensed Insurance Agent
Curt Regruit is a 20-year resident of Penfield, NY and a lifelong resident of the Rochester, NY area. He has been married for 21 years and has 2 sons who are avid sports enthusiasts.

Since opening the Penfield Four Corners office of Edward Jones Investments in 2002 he has been active in numerous community events and organizations, including the Penfield Business Association, President of the Penfield Rangers Soccer Club, Penfield Rotary, Secretary of New York State West Youth Soccer Association, and Cub Scouts.

As an integral member of the planning committees for the 2007 Penfield Four Corners Holiday Celebration and the 2008 Penfield Four Corners Holiday Celebration, Curt was a key contributor to the success of the events. In 2008 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Penfield Business Association and has decided to continue as a board member.

Curt is a graduate of Clarkson University with a B.S. in  Mechanical Engineering. He has earned a U.S. Soccer National “D” coaching license and is a coach for the U.S. Olympic Soccer Development Program.

Leslie Zornow
Senior Vice President, Retail Banking, Fairport Savings Bank
Leslie Zornow is a native Rochesterian with more than 20 years experience in marketing, human resources and sales management across a number of industries.  After graduating from Nazareth College of Rochester, Leslie worked in several of Rochester’s premiere advertising agencies before being named Deputy Director of Communication for Monroe County.  She went on to spend nearly 12 years in the banking industry, including her current position as Senior Vice President of Retail Banking for Fairport Savings Bank.  Leslie is now responsible for marketing and human resources, in addition to overseeing the bank’s three branch offices including their Penfield location.

A former Forty Under 40 honoree, Leslie has extensive community service experience including leadership positions with the Advertising Council of Rochester, March of Dimes, Safe Journey, Leadership Geneva and the United Way.  Away from work, Leslie enjoys spending time with her husband Mark and two young daughters, as well reading, travelling and going to movies.

Dr. Jonathan Zwerka
Owner, Chiropractic Solutions
Dr. Jonathan Zwerka was born and raised in Rochester, N.Y. and is the proud Owner of Chiropractic Solutions at the four corners of Penfield, 2130 Five Mile Line Road.

Dr. Jon earned his Bachelor of Arts in Health and Human services from the University at Buffalo.  After returning to Rochester he began his work caring for developmentally disabled adults at the ARC of Monroe. While employed there it opened his eyes to the status of the health care system in this country. He was inspired to help people become healthier by addressing the cause of the problem not just covering up the symptoms with drugs. He then decided to pursue a Doctor of Chiropractic degree at New York Chiropractic College. His belief is that health care should be focused not on the treatment of disease , but rather on the prevention of disease by embracing a wellness lifestyle and educating the public how to live healthier lives.

*PLEASE NOTE: Only current PBA Members may vote for Board Members. Make sure you are current on your dues prior to the event. New member applications and renewal forms will be available at the door.

Free to Members, Guests, and Residents
Please RSVP by emailing Lynne Crawford

Member Feedback Requested for 2009

On November 11th, the newly formed Board of Directors is scheduled to meet to discuss the budget and calendar for 2009. Now is the time to submit your comments, criticisms, and suggestions on how to improve the PBA.

First, we would like your feedback on general membership. Do you feel that membership in the PBA offers a clear benefit to you and your business? What are the benefits that you would like us to maintain? What are the benefits that do not exist that you would like us to offer? What programs and events would you like the PBA to facilitate and/or participate? To what types of programs and events would you be willing to contribute your time and effort? Which types of marketing campaigns are working for you? Which campaigns (directory, web, newspaper, direct mail, etc...) would you like to see continued for 2009? In general, what could we do to improve the PBA?

Secondly, we would like your feedback on the PBA website and monthly e-Newsletter. Do you visit the website on a regular basis and what information do you find helpful? What content and/or features are missing from the website? How could we change the website to better serve you and promote your business? Do you read each monthly e-Newsletter? Do you want us to continue the e-Newsletter for 2009?

Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts so that we may improve the PBA to better serve you. Please email your feedback to Diane Thresh or Christopher Herlong. Thank you!

2008 PBA Holiday Party - Save the Date!

The PBA Annual Holiday Part will be held on the evening of Thursay, December 4th at 6:00 PM at the Clark House at Shadow Pines. It will be a celebration that you won't want to miss!

PBA By Laws Updated

The PBA By Laws were recently revised and approved by the Board of Directors on October 22, 2008. Click here to view a PDF version of the current By Laws.

In summary, the definition of Membership was redefined to include two categories: General Membership and Premium Membership; text on number of member particpants and votes was ammeneded; the total number of Board of Directors was reduced from 12 members to 10 members; and the number of Directors that constitute a quorum was reduced.

As indicated in the By Laws, upon approval by the Board of Directors, changes in the By Laws must be presented to the general membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of a vote upon the changes. The vote of a simple majority of all members at large against the proposed changes shall constitute a veto by the general membership of the amendment of the By Laws.

New Dates and Times for PBA Board Meetings

PBA Board Meetings have been changed once again and will now be held between 8:00 am and 9:30 am on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

Reduced Democrat & Chronicle Advertising Rates Available For PBA Members!

The holiday shopping season is around the corner so this may be the perfect time to take advantage of the reduced rate advertising program the PBA has arranged with the D&C.

I have some spaces available and would like to invite you to think about participating.

Here are the details:

Each ad is full color, 5.25”(w) by 4.75”(h).

Circulation is the D&C Our Towns (norheast) edition PLUS Neighbors (northeast) edition. 80,000 households/businesses reached! The total cost is $185 to be in both papers. That is a huge value compared to standard D&C rates!

Our upcoming page will run on November 5 (Wednesday, Our Towns) and November 7 (Friday, Neighbors).

Hopefully you have seen our previous ads. We purchase the full page so that PBA members can get prominent space at very reasonable prices.

Please email diane@threshcreative.com and let her know if you would be interested in participating.

October's Meet the Candidates Event Huge Success

The Penfield Business Association’s recent Meet the Candidates Event gave Penfield residents an insight on how their current and future leaders view the issues on everything from term limits, to the recent economic bailout, to controlling runaway taxes on small businesses and more.  Taxes were the prevailing topic for most of the evening.

Held Friday, October 3rd at the Penfield Community Center, in attendance were Town Board Candidates Lynne Crawford and Andy Moore, Monroe County Clerk candidate Tom Hasman, NYS Assembly candidates David Bonacchi and David Koon, NYS Senate candidates Jim Alesi and David Nachbar and Congressional Candidates Dan Maffei and Dale Sweetland.

The successful two hour event featured questions from the PBA and residents of Penfield—either emailed to the PBA in advance or while in attendance that evening and following the panel discussion, the candidates stayed and networked with everyone.

Change Your Clocks This Weekend... and Your Batteries!

Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour this Sunday, November 2nd.

The Penfield Fire Marshal also wants to remind residents to make another change that could save lives - changing the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

The fire districts that represent Penfield have joined forces with Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs for the 21st year of the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® campaign. The program urges all Americans to adopt a simple, lifesaving habit: changing smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries when changing clocks back to standard time each fall, this year on November 2.

For more information about fire safety, call the Penfield Fire Marshal at 340-8643 or the Keep Safe Keep Going® hotline 314-727-5700, x104. You may also contact KeepSafeKeepGoing@blickandstaff.com, call the International Association of Fire Chiefs at 703-273-0911, or email corporaterelations@iafc.org.

Reminder: Polling Location Changes in Penfield

The Board of Elections has changed the polling locations for some Penfield voters due to district consolidations. Notices of polling assignment were mailed to homes in August 2008. Please be sure to verify your own polling location prior to Election Day on November 4th.

If you do not have your notice from the Monroe County Board of Elections, you may verify your polling information online at www.monroecounty.gov/elections. Scroll to bottom right of that page for section labeled "Voter Information." Follow that link to a section where you can submit a query to identify your polling location. If you do not have Internet access you may call the Board of Elections at 753-1550.

The following locations in Penfield are NOT polling sites this year:

Penfield High School
Bay Trail Middle School
Bob Hastings Buick GMC
Braman Post
Concord Square Club House
Penbrooke Community Building
Penfield Wesleyan Church
Penfield Volunteer Ambulance

There are additional polling location changes. Please take a moment to verify your own polling location to avoid confusion on November 4th.

Penfield Town Board Passes 2009 Budget, Flat Tax

PENFIELD, N.Y., OCTOBER 16, 2008 – Penfield Town Supervisor George C. Wiedemer
and the Penfield Town Board adopted a budget for 2009 at the October 15 legislative meeting. The adopted budget will keep the Town tax rate flat at $2.94 per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same rate as 2007 and 2008.

During the Town Board’s review period, the Town of Penfield received a letter from the New York State Comptroller stating the Town’s contribution to the state and local retirement system would be $75,000 less than expected. The Town Board then passed that savings to taxpayers in the proposed 2009 budget. This change, on top of an already lean budget, reduced expenses enough to keep the tax rate stable at $2.94 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

“The Town Board is committed to continuing Penfield’s tradition of fiscal responsibility. Lower than expected retirement costs allowed us to deliver a budget with a flat tax rate, reduced spending and no cuts to services,” said Supervisor George C. Wiedemer. The 2009 budget totals $15.2 million, which represents a decrease in overall spending. This was achieved despite a national rate of inflation that was 5.5 % on a year-over-year basis, and skyrocketing costs for diesel (up 86%), gasoline, asphalt and oil (up 43%), and road salt (up 20%).

The adopted budget’s base tax rate of $2.94 per $1,000 of assessed property value places Penfield’s property tax rate among the lowest in Monroe County. Penfield remains one of only seven towns in Monroe County with a tax rate below $3.00 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Wiedemer’s budget dramatically reduces the number of employees eligible to take home Town vehicles, including the supervisor. The Supervisor also cut the number of cell phones used by town employees and trimmed more than $1 million in department requests by delaying the purchase of non-essential equipment and by reorganizing departments. Wiedemer also achieved budgetary savings by reducing energy consumption. He expects to achieve more savings in the future. Toward that end, Wiedemer has begun an energy audit of Town facilities with NYS Energy Research and Development Authority. He will establish a committee to review the audit and explore other ways to save energy. Councilman Andy Moore will lead that effort.

Councilman Moore stated, “The Town Board is committed to keeping Penfield’s tax rate low. By reducing spending and streamlining town government, we were able to pass a budget without raising the tax rate. I have every confidence that a thorough and careful review of our energy usage will result in additional savings to the taxpayer.”

Penfield is consistently recognized as one of the most fiscally responsible towns in the State, earning a high municipal credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service. The strong credit rating allows Penfield to secure low-interest financing for capital projects, and assists with cash flow throughout the year. The Moody’s rating reflects Penfield’s history of stable financial operations and strong management practices.

Penfield Players presents "Seven Keys to Baldpate" by George M. Cohan
November 7 - 22, 2008 - 8:00 PM
Penfield Community Center

This is a fun mystery-comedy-thriller about a mystery writer who secludes himself in a snow-bound inn in order to write a novel but instead finds himself at the center of a mystery involving a hermit, an intrepid female reporter, a dangerous blackmailer, and a powerful railroad tycoon.

Call the Penfield Recreation office at 340-8655 for tickets. Performances will be held November 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, & 22 at 8 pm. All performances will be held at the Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Rd. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased at the Penfield Recreation office in person, or by phone with Visa, MasterCard or Discover (no refunds or axchanges please). Tickets will also be available at all Wegmans "That's T.H.E. Ticket!" locations. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Show seating is first come, first served

For more information, contact:
Penfield Recreation at 340-8655 or visit www.penfieldplayers.org

Hattie Harris Good Spirits Club International Wants Your Voice

The club is organizing holiday caroling and is looking for the following participants:
• Community singers and officials interested in holiday caroling
• Community organizations and businesses interested in participating
• Community locations interested in having community carolers come by
• Community businesses and organizations interested in providing refreshments to caroling groups

For more information, contact:
Chris Noun - (585) 383-9088; cpn@hattieharris.org
Mike Cooper (Penfield Recreation): cooper@penfield.org
Sam Delucia (PBA): sdelucia@rochester.rr.com

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

Transition to Retirement: What “First Wave” Boomers Should Know
by PBA Director Curt Regruit, Edward Jones

NIf you’re a “senior” member of the baby boom generation — generally defined as those born between 1946 and 1964 — you’ve seen a lot in your life: the Cold War, the first moon landing, the birth of the Internet and much more. But in just a few years, you may face something you probably never thought you’d see: your retirement. To make a smooth transition to this stage of your life, you’ll need to become familiar with a few key finanial topics.

Consider the following:

• Retirement plan income — For the past few decades, you may have been building financial resources for retirement through an employer sponsored plan—such as a 401(k) or a traditional pension — and possibly an IRA. Now, however, it’s time to determine just how much retirement income these vehicles will produce. A traditional
pension will provide you regular payments based on your years of service and salary, but you have much more flexibility and latitude when it comes to taking withdrawals froma 401(k) or IRA. How much you withdraw directly affects how long your money will last, so you may want to consult with a professional financial advisor to determine the appropriate withdrawal rates for these accounts, based on your projected retirement lifestyle, life expectancy, risk tolerance and other factors.

• Health insurance — Well before you retire, consult with your employer’s benefits office to learn if you can receive some type of health insurance as a retiree. Many large employers extend health care coverage to retired workers, but as health care costs have risen, some companies have cut back or eliminated this benefit. Generally speaking, you won’t be eligible for Medicare until you are 65. If you retire before that age and your former employer doesn’t cover you, you’ll need to find some health insurance to fill the gap.

• Social Security — You can begin collecting Social Security benefits at age 62, but you’ll get larger monthly checks if you wait until you reach “normal” retirement age, which, if you are in the first wave of baby boomers, will be about age 66. When should you start taking payments? It depends on a variety of factors, including your
health, family history of longevity and other sources of income.

• Further employment — If you decide to do some type of work after retirement, whether for financial or personal reasons, you’ll need to factor this income into your overall retirement income strategies. For instance, if you’re earning a reasonable amount from a post-retirement job, you may want to delay taking money from your
401(k) or traditional IRA (though you’ll have to start taking distributions when you reach age 701⁄2). Also, according to the Social Security Administration, if you start collecting Social Security when you’re younger than your full retirement age, you will
lose $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn above a certain annual amount ($13,560 in 2008). Once you reach full retirement age, you can keep all your benefits, no matter how much you earn. So, there you have them — just a few of the financial issues you’ll need to explore as you lead the baby boom cohort into retirement. By taking your time and exploring all your options, you can make the transition pleasant — and
rewarding.

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

Slow Times Can Be the Best Times
by PBA Member Mary Ann Shew, Business Vitality

With layoffs, lower profits, falling stock prices and other economic statistics screaming from today’s headlines, it’s hard for the small business owner not to fear for the future of his or her company too. However, as this article will show, such periods offer advantages that can pay off now despite the state of the economy and set the stage for excellent business growth when things turn around again.

Reaction #1: Your competitors probably believe everything they read or hear in the media. They react without thinking things through.

Advantage #1: You have a solid grasp on your customers, your business, and your industry. You don’t change the strategies and plans you carefully put in place earlier just because “everyone” talks about how bad things are. You do your own research to find out what impact, if any, changes in the economy truly have on your business. Then, you adjust your plans or you stay on course. You get busy with productive work instead of focusing on the negative.

Reaction #2: Your competitors decide to slash expenses by cutting back on marketing and putting off business improvements like training and seminars. They talk constantly to everyone they know about how worried they are. Their customers overhear their employees talking about the cutbacks. The customers assume the company is in trouble and take their business elsewhere.

Advantage #2: You planned your business development activities for the year months ago. You keep your marketing and advertising in place because now there are fewer competitors’ ads and promotions, so yours stand out more. The training you and your employees take give you some great new ideas. You actually have the time to think about them. Your employees are excited and positive about your company, which impresses your customers, who overhear the employee conversations. You and your employees develop and launch some of those new ideas as innovations, beating your competitors, who stayed home from their classes and never learned anything new.

Reaction #3: Your competitors lay off employees because they’re not getting the business they expected.

Advantage #3: You are having a slow period too. But you know these happen, and you prepare for them. You have funds set aside to carry you and key employees during slow periods. You have a prioritized list of important but not urgent tasks and projects that the pace of everyday business doesn’t usually leave much time for. You and your employees clean up and organize the office. You meet with your key business advisors (banker, attorney, accountant, marketing/PR firm, IT firm, HR consultant, business coach) and take care of some problems that need attention. You throw a picnic for employees and their families to show your appreciation for their hard work and loyalty. Or you give all employees an extra day of paid vacation. When the next wave of new business comes in, you have happy employees working in a productive environment. Everyone is focused on the most important tasks and projects, which were designed to bring in more revenue at reduced cost. You prosper.

We want to hear from you!
Email us your articles for inclusion in The eBusiness Wire.

Please welcome our newest PBA members: