Meet the Candidates
Friday, October 3rd, 7:00 PM
Community Room, Penfield Community Center

This event is free and open to the public.

This event will provide a forum for area candidates running for elected office positions to introduce themselves and share with you what they believe are the most important issues facing their constituents and their plans for addressing these concerns. As a part of the evening's agenda you will have an opportunity to ask a question or share a comment with the candidates via a moderator.

The following candidates have agreed to participate:

If you wish to submit questions in advance you can email sdelucia@rochester.rr.com.

It's not too late to submit your questions.

Please RSVP ASAP. You can call Laurie O’Connell at 202-7564 or email Laurie at loconnell@rochester.rr.com

Feel free to ask your friends and neighbors to attend. We hope to see you on the 3rd.

Pamela Decker - Pamela Decker Agency

As an Insurance Representative in Webster, I know many local families. My knowledge and understanding of the people in this community help me provide customers with an outstanding level of service. I grew up here in Webster and attended W.S. Schroeder Jr. High and RL Thomas High School, continued on into College At Alfred State, in the Southern-tier of New York. I have two children and watching them grow up in the same community as I did. I look forward to helping families and protect the things that are important - your family, home, car and more. I can also help you prepare a strategy to achieve your financial goals.

I’m proud to work with a company who’s been serving satisfied customers for over 70 years. Quality service, strength and satisfaction - that’s something I’m glad to be a part of.

Pamela Decker Agency Mission Statement
"I believe I am selling peace of mind, not something you can place on a mantel or on a coffee table.... But a significant amount of security that is essentially part of everyone's life. I will be the first person in the line of defense against a major or minor tragedy. I will be the best at providing you quality products and services such that both customers and Allstate Insurance will be pleased by the experience in dealing with me. Consider my agency as part of a life team. My door is open to educate customers about our industry, and I encourage questions... Such that you are provided with complete security and Customer Satisfaction."

Michael Quinn - Pyramid Brokerage Company

After graduating college, Michael spent two years in West Africa while serving in the Peace Corps in construction and installing water wells. Upon returning, he did his graduate studies focused in Historic Preservation, where he subsequently worked as an historic building consultant and operated his own building inspection company for fifteen years in Massachusetts. After selling his business, he obtained his real estate license.

Michael has resided with his family in Penfield, NY for two years now, and recently was appointed a member of the Comprehensive Master Plan Committee. As a full time licensed commercial real estate agent with Pyramid Brokerage Company, he also maintains state licenses as a home inspector and a real estate instructor.  Michael is also a active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Pyramid Brokerage has been in the Greater Rochester market since 1985 and is the largest Commercial Real Estate Company in Upstate New York with proven success in each of their ten commercial real estate markets across upstate New York. Pyramid has a local, regional, national and a global reach to bring prospective business together with their alliance partner, Cushman & Wakefield. Pyramid maintains significant capabilities, knowledge and reach that enable them to provide premier service.

Mary Anne Shew Awarded Webster Chamber of Commerce October Business of the Month

PBA Member Mary Anne Shew, president of Business Vitality, received the recognition of the Webster Chamber of Commerce's October 2008 Business of the Month. Mary also recently presented "The Results-Driven Web Site" to the Rochester Small Business Council and was featured in the Democrat and Chronicle under Seminar Time. Read her article below.

Curtis Regruit Receives A.F. McKenzie Achievement Award

PBA Director and Edward Jones Financial Advisor Curtis Regruit of Penfield recently received the A.F. McKenzie Achievement Award for his outstanding sales and service efforts over the past year. The award is named for Al McKenzie, who developed the firm's training program during his nearly 60 years of service with Edward Jones.

"When you work for a firm that is known for its outstanding service," Regruit said, "it's quite an honor to be singled out for your service record."

Regruit was one of only 1,516 financial advisors out of more than 10,000 to receive the A.F. McKenzie Achievement Award. James D. Weddle, Edward Jones' managing partner, added, "Regruit is an outstanding member of the Edward Jones team who personifies the ideal financial advisor, someone who is 100% dedicated to serving the financial needs of his clients. I am very pleased to present this well-deserved award."

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm's 10,000-plus financial advisors work directly with more than 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today. Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis. The Edward Jones interactive Web site is located at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting Web site is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

PBA Seeks Board Candidates

It’s never to early to think about running for a position on the PBA Board of Directors. As a member of the Board, you will have an opportunity to work with dedicated and talented colleagues in carrying out the mission of the PBA. Elections will be held at our annual meeting in November.

If you are interested in running, or if you would like more information about being a member of the Board, please contact PBA Vice President, Peter Weishaar. He may be reached by telephone at 546-2500, or by email at pweishaar@mccmlaw.com.

New Dates and Times for PBA Board Meetings

PBA Board Meetings have been changed from 12:30 - 2:00 pm on the third Thursday of each month to 7:30 - 9:00 am on the third Wednesday of each month.

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 participation. Here are the details of the program:

The PBA runs one full page, full color ad in the Our Towns section (Northeast Area) of the D&C on the first Wednesday of the month. In addition, the same page appears in the Neighbors section on Friday of that same week. This advertising page is an opportunity for members to place their full color ad on the page for only $185 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 $185.

Each individual ad size is 5.25” x 4.75” and will only appear with other PBA members.

Our next opportunity for advertisers is November 5 for Our Towns and November 7 for Neighbors.

Please email diane@threshcreative.com by October 20 and let her know if you would be interested in participating.

2008 Eyes on the Future
Friday, 10/10/2008, 8:00 - 11:00 am
St. John Fisher College
Make the Greater Rochester Region your business

For more information and to register, visit:
www.eyesonthefuture.biz

Hattie Harris Good Spirits Club International Seeking Holiday Carolers

• 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

Road Construction Browncroft/Creek/Blossom Update

Construction work is on schedule for the NYSDOT Browncroft-Blossom-Creek intersection improvement project. Lane closures will be in place until late October when paving is expected to be finished. As a reminder, Blossom Road is closed northbound. Many drivers are cutting through parking lots at the intersection. Please note this is illegal and a safety hazard for workers. Contractors have requested additional Monroe County Sheriff's coverage to enforce this law. Please be patient and considerate when you drive in this area of Penfield.

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

Four Tips from "The Results-Driven Web Site"
by PBA Member Mary Ann Shew, Business Vitality

• Your web site is not about you; it is about your customers. Successful selling still requires engaging people. A search engine will never buy - only people will - so design our site with them in mind.

• Make the purpose of your site clear. Should it inform, entertain, teach, or sell? Don;t risk driving people away by overcomplicating your site or misrepresenting your brand; real results will come from integrating your web sie with your existing marketing strategy.

• Search engine optimization is an Internet marketing strategy which uses common key search words so that you rlisting is rated more highly within Google and other search engines. This tool should support a content-focused, intuitive site, since Google attempts to give exposure to sites which are the most useful to customers.

• Register a domain name that is short, pronounceable and relevant; sign up with a Web hosting service that provides space, an email address for correspondence and traffic statistics; and create your web page consisting of HTML, navigation and text based components.

How Will Election Affect Your Investments?
by PBA Director Curt Regruit, Edward Jones

Now that both political parties have held their respective conventions, the campaign season shifts into high gear. As a citizen, you’ll want to hear how the candidates plan to address issues of importance to you. But as an investor, you might be particularly interested in how the election results can affect your investments. Based on what happens on November 4, should you make any changes to your portfolio?

To answer that question, you may find it useful to review the history of the financial markets under different political scenarios, according to Ned Davis Research.

Since 1901, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has shown an average annualized return of about 12 percent under Democratic presidents, compared to about 8 percent under Republicans. When Democrats have controlled Congress; the Dow’s average annualized return has been about 11 percent, compared to about 8 percent when the Republicans were in control.

Since 1925, long-term government bonds have returned more than 7 percent under Republican presidents, compared to about 3.4 percent under Democrats. When Republicans have controlled Congress, the bond market also fared better than when Democrats were in charge, though the difference isn’t as pronounced as in the comparison between presidents of different parties.

But while it’s interesting to study the past, it’s not necessarily instructive about the future. It’s true that by changing our tax laws, government spending and industry regulations, any given president and Congress can have an impact on economic growth, jobs, inerest rates and inflation — and all these factors, in turn, can affect the financial markets. Still, it’s impossible to predict just how these forces will influence the investment world. Political candidates often make promises that never turn into reality, and even if they do, they can have unintended consequences.

Even more importantly, however, is the fact that the free-market forces of our capitalistic system are likely more powerful than political forces in determining the ultimate performance of investments. As a country, we have experienced many political changes and upheavals, but, over time, our economy has always proven resilient enough to provide opportunities for those people with the faith to invest for the future.

Here’s the bottom line: No matter who wins the presidency in November, and no matter which party controls Congress, you don’t need to change your investment style or revamp your portfolio. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should be oblivious to new policies and their potential impact on your investments. In fact, it’s a good idea to review your portfolio at least once a year with your financial advisor, who
can recommend any changes that might be beneficial.

So, when it’s time to cast your ballot, support the candidate who best advocates
your concerns on a range of issues. But when it comes to your portfolio, make
sure to “vote” for investment strategies, such as buying quality stocks and bonds,
holding them for the long term and building an investment mix based on your goals and risk tolerance.

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

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Please welcome our newest PBA members: