This Month's Issue: President's Address Next IBO Monthly Meeting IBO Member Profile Sheila Lynott February Meeting Highlights Health Insurance

Legal Ease IBO Mentoring Program IBO Calendar of Events Noticeboard Newsletter & IBO Information

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

Pat Sheridan
President, IBO-NY

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IBO CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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IBO MEMBER PROFILE

SHEILA LYNOTT, Century Business Solutions

Title: Account Manager
Phone: 212-779-7171
E-mail: slynott@century-business.com
IBO Member Since: 1999
Irish Roots / Heritage: Native of Crossmolina, Co. Mayo

Member Snapshot:

1. What do you do and how might other IBO members help you (in 150 words or less!)?

   I represent Sharp in leasing, sales and servicing of all office equipment including copiers, faxes, printers, networks and scanners. Every office in NYC has one or more so I would like an introduction to the person in your organization who handles this!!

2. Has membership affected your business (if so, how)?

   It takes a while to build up business relationships but I can finally say I landed my first IBO client! Now, what's wrong with the rest of ye??

3. How did you get started in your current career?

   Pure fluke! A friend of a friend introduced me to my ex-boss!!

4. What is your greatest professional triumph?

   Landing a 200k deal that I was told there was no way I would!

5. Who do you admire most in the business world?

   Barbara Corcoran - she came from very humble Irish background in NJ to build her real estate company to be a giant force to be reckoned with in NYC.

6. Where do you see your career or business 10 years down the road?

   I see myself running my own little empire on both sides of the Atlantic.

7. Any advice for someone just starting out in your industry?

   Never give in! oh UP I meant! Roll with the punches; Never lose the laughter and fun. When you stop enjoying it, it's time to move on, life is just too short.

8. Favorite book?

   "He's just not that into you!" Girls, you know what I'm taking about - if you don't - go out and find this book - it's hilarious.

9. Favorite restaurant?

   Tao and Tribecca Grill.

10. Favorite hobby?

    Skiing and horse riding.

11. Favorite IBO event? Why the Gala ball, of course!

12. Favorite thing about being an IBO member?

    I love the fact of belonging to a network that has such variety. If I needed advice or info on just about anything I could find someone in the IBO to get it. I am also blessed with the great people I have met in this organization that I now call my friends (awwwh, wiping away a little tear from right eye!!!)

     

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    IBO FEBRUARY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
    
    Guest Speaker

    Leo A. Doran - President
    TeleGuard® - A Compliant Rx Solutions Company

    A descendant of the Clan O'Deorain of Wexford, Leo Doran has been in the marketing and communications field for over 30 years. A pre-med graduate of Seton Hall University with an MBA, Leo held various senior management positions with United Parcel Service, Nabisco and Hill & Knowlton where he found his niche in lobbying and public relations.

    Leo found the perfect job for an Irishman - he was paid to drink with and entertain US Congressmen and state legislators. Numbered among his clients (who paid the bar bill) were Dow Chemical, Philip Morris, GTE, US Brewers Association, Distilled Spirits Council, AT&T and NJ Travel and Tourism.

    The entrepreneurial spirit and the Muse's struck in the 80's when Leo published Garden State Reports, the first New Jersey magazine on politics and public policy. As with most start-up publications, it won many awards for excellence before advertising dried up in a recession and the publication was abandoned.Since that time, Leo has continued with his own PR consulting firm and concentrated on NJ based clients and corporations such as Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Verizon Wireless, K. Hovnanian Builders.

    Today Leo works with another of our Irish brethren, John Moroney, with the start-up of Juvent, a medical device company, and an established company of John's, Compliant Rx Solutions, which they are repositioning for the future with the introduction of TeleGuard®.

    Special February Presentation:

    Owen Burns of Highway Image, Inc. (732-212-1000)

    His company replaces the white EZPass white box with your favorite image such as the PGA, NASCAR, Non-profits, etc. Owen showed us how persistence and imagination has led to a international business. Great information that you could use to grow your business.

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    HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS HURTING PROFITABILITY?
    
    

    Health insurance provides a key benefit to keep and attract good employees. However, with costs rising an average of about 15% a year, how do you manage to provide this benefit?

    The answer is to look at your current insurance carrier, and to look at your plan design. The insurance carriers have developed innovative plan designs that allow you to get a program that makes sense for your business. These plans vary by:

    • Doctor/hospital network
    • Deductibles
    • Co-insurance
    • Maximum out of pocket (MOOP) expense
    • With or without a prescription card
    • With or without a hospital copay rider
    • Copayment options
    • Laboratory/Radiology/Therapy
    • Alternative medicine

    More employers are now sharing the costs with employees, so employees are also more interested in plan designs that are known as “consumer driven health plans”.

    In addition, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) now have competition from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) which do not have the “use it or lose” issue. The HSAs provide for pre-tax contributions that grow tax-deferred, and save the employer the 7.65 FICA expense. It is like a medical IRA that can be used for a variety of medical expenses.

    Jim Faulkner
    VP- Operations
    Coastal Financial Group
    1-800-952-4584

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    LEGAL EASE
    

    A monthly legal column by Carolyn A. Byrne, Esq.

    As some of you already know, I have decided to leave big firm practice and join a longtime friend, Anthony Daniele, in his practice of matrimonial and family law here in Manhattan. I am thrilled about this new opportunity, as well as the prospect of writing an IBO column next month on such an interesting and controversial area of law. Stay tuned!

    Until next time,

    Carolyn A. Byrne

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    IBO MENTOR PROGRAM

    If you have a career that you would like to develop further, run an enterprise that you would like guidance on, or simply would like a wise and unbiased head to turn to - the IBO Mentoring Program could be the answer. We have access to experienced individuals both within and outside the IBO who have offered to act as Mentors to our members.

    The Program is free to IBO members and is totally confidential.

    If you would like to learn more, email Simon Pereira Shorey at simonps@ibo-ny.com or call Simon on (212) 208 2526.

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    NOTICEBOARD

    • IBO Website Members Forum
      Just a reminder that once you have logged into the Members Forum (left hand side of the IBO Home Page at (www.ibo-ny.com) if you click on to ‘Members Forum’ you will have access to pages for:
      • Job Opportunities
      • Members seeking positions
      • For Sale/For Rent
      • Misc. Event Announcements
      • IBO Suggestion Box

      You can post your own items and read those posted by other members. This is a new area so initially there will be only a few items there. However, the more you use it, the more useful it will become! So please post about any non-IBO events that you wish to publicize, post job opportunities that you hear about, and indeed anything else pertinent. This is YOUR area. Please use it and read it every time you come to the website.
      

    • Success Stories
      One hears of many success stories of how membership of the IBO has led to new business, a new job, etc. We are seeking to collect these so that they can be used as ‘sales points’ to attract and retain members. If you have one (or many) of these stories to tell, please email us now at success@ibo-ny.com and let us know.
      

    • Membership Renewal
      If you have not already done so, please take the opportunity to contact Clare Bennett, our IBO Administrator, to renew your 2005 Membership. Your financial support of the organization is vital to its existence and growth. Clare is streamlining the database, printing new badges for 2005 members, and will be updating the on-line directory shortly, removing inactive members. Clare can be contacted at 212.750.8118 or email at clareb@ibo-ny.com and she is available to answer any questions, concerns, comments or suggestions you may have. She welcomes your calls and shares all feedback she receives with the Executive Committee.
      

     

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    About The IBO: The Irish Business Organization of New York, Inc. is an non-profit, non-denominational organization, which seeks to promote, foster, and advance the business interests of Irish and Irish American business people in the tri-state area.

    The IBO News is the official newsletter of the Irish Business Organization of New York, Inc. It is published 10 times per year. This newsletter is distributed to members of the IBO, guests from recent IBO meetings, and other individuals from the NY-NJ-CT business community.
    

    
    Newsletter Staff
    Editor: Simon Pereira Shorey, GeneAfrica, Inc. (212) 208 2526
    
    Technical Support: Jim McGuire, Eric Elias: Teledotcom Inc., 212 675 6565

    
    

    Contact Information:
    
    The Irish Business Organization of New York Inc.
    
    FDR Station, PO Box 6425
    New York, NY 10150-1901
    
    Tel: 212 750 8118
    Fax: 212 747 1820
    
    email: info@ibo-ny.com
    www.ibo-ny.com

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