12
2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers: Vacations and Summer Fridays Canstruction NY International Award Winners Staying Well with a Busy Job by SDA members, page 6 page 5 by Lauren Grogan and Andrea Tortorella, pages 4-5 by Peter Sonzogni, page 7 Second Quarter 2016 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT g MEMBER NEWS g KEEPING UP WITH HEALTH INSURANCE g I AM SDA! g CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1234 5678 9012 3456 1234 5678 9012 3456 1234 5678 9012 3456 Virtual Payments for Corporate Clients Could be Just Right for Your Firm

SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan

2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies

SkyLines

SDA Answers: Vacations and Summer Fridays

Canstruction NY International Award Winners

Staying Well with a Busy Job

by SDA members, page 6

page 5

by Lauren Grogan and Andrea Tortorella, pages 4-5

by Peter Sonzogni, page 7

Second Quarter 2016

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT g MEMBER NEWS g KEEPING UP WITH HEALTH INSURANCE g I AM SDA! g CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1234 5678 9012 3456

1234 5678 9012 3456

1234 5678 9012 3456

Virtual Payments for Corporate ClientsCould be Just Right for Your Firm

Page 2: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

Greetings fellow SDA Members!

What a year 2016 has been so far! I’m

absolutely amazed at the level of member engagement, caliber of educational programs and

commitment I have seen in both our Board

and members. Where do I start? We kicked off January by focusing on Wellness & Nutrition, starting off the year right, and reminding our members that by being well, you do well. February brought on our Public Speaking program, presented by Silman’s very own Washington DC’s marketing manager, Lauren Kim, who highlighted key points on how to be a confident public speaker. March’s roundtable on Bullying in the Workplace, which was, by far, our most well attended discussion, educated our members on identifying workplace bullying and what you can do both as an employee and an employer. But don’t let me tell you all about it. All you have to do is read through this issue’s pages; we’ve certainly been busy!

The message I would like to convey today is one of empowerment. Lately, I have been following various groups on LinkedIn, one of which is about Leadership. One particular article, written by Sanyin Slang, Executive Director of Coach K. Leadership, entitled “Give Your People the Freedom to Fly,” made an impression on me for various reasons. It not only reminded me of the leader who empowered me 20 some years ago, but also allowed me to recognize that Society for Design Administration personifies each and every key element of what leadership entails; increasing empowerment, engendering empathy, boosting involvement. And, most of all, creating a higher purpose. How so, you wonder?

Empowerment: In many industries, including A/E/C, being an administrator, or rather non-technical staff, is not necessarily the most valued position. The SDA defies that point of view and empowers its members to be confident in their abilities and prove their value within their firm.

Engender Empathy: When management understands and empathizes with their

SDA NY 2016 Board of Directors

PresidentEllie Tsakonas, CDFA | Langan 360 West 31st Street, 8th Fl. New York, NY 10001212-479-5402, [email protected]

Vice President Mike Jones | Silman 32 Old Slip, 10th Fl. New York, NY 10005646-738-3585, [email protected]

Treasurer Mary Ann Goduco | CetraRuddy Architecture DPC584 Broadway, Suite 401New York, New York 10012(212) 941-9801, [email protected]

Recording Secretary Diana Salazar | Langan 360 West 31st Street, 8th Fl. New York, NY 10001212-479-5585, [email protected]

Corresponding Secretary Stacey Ottley | Tukuru Technologies6 Maiden Lane, 10th Fl. New York, NY 10038212-962-5790, [email protected]

Past President / Director Peggy McGrath | Perkins Eastman 115 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10003212-353-7329, [email protected]

Past President / Director Maria Iacovone | AKF Group One Liberty Plaza165 Broadway, 22nd Fl. New York, NY 10006646-720-9805, [email protected]

Advisors Arnhild Buckhurst | Lower East Side Tenement Museum 91 Orchard Street New York, NY 10002212-431-0233, [email protected] Jennifer M. Greene | The Durst OrganizationOne Bryant ParkNew York, NY 10036646-285-7913, [email protected]

Michael Simon | CetraRuddy 584 Broadway New York, NY 10012212-941-9440, [email protected]

Skylines second quarter 2016

EditorLyndon F. Lorenz | Perkins Eastman115 Fifth Ave.New York, New York 10003212-353-74260 [email protected]

PrintingLarry Seamon | NRI Reprographics [email protected]

Get involved!

• If you would like to volunteer your office to host a Program or a Best Business Practices Roundtable, please contact Ellie Tsakonas [email protected] or Diana Salazar [email protected]

• If you would like to support new ideas for a program, please contact Mike Jones [email protected]

• If you are interested in participating in a committee, please contact Ellie Tsakonas [email protected]

2

From the SDA NY President

Ellie TsakonasPresident, SDA New York Chapter

employees, it brings forth innovation, while allowing the employee to understand their purpose within the firm and have a sense of security. The SDA, through its programs and peer interaction, educates managers and staff alike on how to be a better manager and better understand the needs and wants of their employees. Kelvin Bagget, Chief Clinical Officer of Tenet Healthcare says: “You have to recognize the individual in institutional change, respond to their needs and emotions, and ensure you give them the resources they need to succeed.” (Slang) SDA’s mission embraces that very idea. Involvement: “Innovation doesn’t happen in silos – it happens in teams.” (Slang) Honestly, I couldn’t have said it better myself. The SDA New York Chapter is in the process of revamping its program roster and re-invigorating its membership. This would not be possible without our members getting involved, teaming up and creating an innovating platform of personal and professional growth, industry knowledge and peer networking.

Purpose: Kohler’s chief executive, David Kohler says “…people want to be part of organizations that have the genuine integrity and intent – good people really working hard to do the right thing…Having a sense of purpose breeds trust, energy and commitment.” (Slang) The SDA is that organization. Our intent is to bring forth the confidence our members need to succeed in both their personal and professional lives. Our board and committee members consist of good people, working really hard in achieving just that. We are energized, committed and, most importantly, confident that we will break through the barrier of technical versus not, blur the hierarchy lines and set the stage for you to shine.

So are you ready to be empowered? Get involved? Find your purpose? Grab a cup of coffee, lean back in your chair, and start reading Skylines. I promise you, it won’t disappoint.

Page 3: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Diana Salazar to Marketing Coordinator at Langan, an internationally renowned engineering consulting firm.

Since joining the firm in 2011, Diana has provided administrative assistance and international operations support. Now in her new role, she is responsible for providing all aspects of marketing support to the firm’s NYC office.

Currently, Diana serves as Recording Secretary for SDA NY Chapter Board of Directors, and is Co-Chair of the Programs Committee.

Join us in congratulating Diana on her promotion!

3

Member & Chapter NewsCongratulations to this year’s EdSymposium First Time Attendee Scholarship Winners, Shannel Reed and Shi-Ann Shakes.

The top award went to Shannel Reed (Arup), whose application exemplified the mission of SDA, to grow by learning, and to share that knowledge to fellow members and colleagues. Shannel writes “Furthering my efforts to bring back EDSymposium16, I will host a lunch & learn for my co-administrators at Arup, where I can share the narrative of my personal experience at the symposium.” Her idea on hosting an “EdSymposium16 Unwrapped” program for the entire NY Chapter membership is one that we will look forward to attending. Once again, on behalf of the Board, congratulations! We look forward to Shannel’s write-up on her experiences at EdSymposium.

We would be remiss if we didn’t notice Shi-Anne’s application and her passion about excelling in her role in marketing and social media, as well as learning more about leadership. For the first time, the New York Chapter Board decided to give a second scholarship prize. We felt that giving Shi-Anne the opportunity to register for the Symposium and the Leadership Workshop would

Shannel (Nel) Reed is a Lighting Design Administrative Assistance at Arup. She is an active member and former President of the New York Chapter of the International Association for Administrative Professionals. She has been of member of SDA since 2015.

Shi-Anne Shakes is the Marketing Coordinator at Silman, an architectural engineering firm with offices in NY, Washington, DC, and Boston. She joined the firm in September, 2015 and began her membership with the SDA in November of the same year.

allow her to take a step forward for achieving her goals as a marketer and a leader. We would like to thank Silman management for agreeing to cover a significant portion of Shi-Anne’s trip expenses; a true testament to Silman’s commitment to their employees’ growth.

EdSymposium 16 was held in Cincinnati, OH, May 12-14th and offered almost 20 hours of

continuing education on human resources, finance, office administration, marketing and project management topics. Sessions included a full day leadership workshop, leveraging firm administrators in the project management process, lessons learned in A/E succession planning, top ten ways to avoid employment law issues, standout marketing, and more.

SDA New York is now on Social Media! Follow us to stay informed on upcoming programs and social events, as well as keep up to date on current trends on leadership, management and A/E/C industry news!

LinkedIn – Check out the latest news, insights, and opportunities from SDA - New York Chapter (Society for Design Administration); https://www.linkedin.com/company/society-for-design-administration---new-york-chapter

Twitter – Follow us @SDA_NY and join us in the challenge of tweeting chapter updates and A/E/C industry trends in 140 characters or less! (gulp!)

Facebook – Like our page https://www.facebook.com/SDANYC/ and connect with SDA Chapters and members across the nation!

Page 4: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

4

Keeping Up with Health Insurance Trends

Staying Well with a Busy Jobby Lauren Grogan & Andrea Tortorella of Silman

Corporations know that for its success, its employees need to be at their best. But how? Work employees to the bone and risk absences, time off, or sick leave? Instead, it’s smarter for them to create a culture of wellness and have available to them a joyful environment, with healthful practices.

Workplace wellness is so important because you should never lose yourself to anything – or anyone. With work access being 24/7 these days, health

access needs to be the same 24/7 awareness.

Running out of time is the one thing we as workers are so fearful of, yet that fear and worry saps our time. It slows down our pace and what could have taken 10 minutes now takes 30. We are weighed down with the worry of all the endless tasks left for us to do.

Having corporate wellness programs available to employees at the office makes it easier to maintain those healthy habits - keeping their

energy and productivity up while decreasing worry, stress and poor habits. Obviously, taking full advantage of your workplace’s wellness program is an excellent way to ensure great health. There

continued on page 5

Public domain image courtesy of the Prelinger Archive at www.archive.org/details/prelinger

by Ross Arnel of Arnel Associates, LLC

There are trends in the insurance market today that you need to know about in order to help you understand today’s market. Since I have limited space for this article, let’s touch on a couple…

Insurance Carrier Trends• Narrow Networks • Reduction in Benefits• Prescription Plan Changes• Outsourcing of Customer Service• Free Standing Diagnostic Centers instead of

hospitals• Huge Increases

Employer Trends• Reducing Benefits• Increasing Costs to employees• Dropping Health Insurance Plans All together• Moving Medicaid Eligible Employees off plans • Ancillary Coverage• Joining Larger Groups to help mitigate

liability and costs

Insurance Carrier Trends

Narrow Networks – A way for an insurer to decrease costs associated with care is to reduce their roster of physicians. Those who are accepting the lowest reimbursements for services. This is bad news for many as they

will not have access to the best hospitals or physicians.

Reduction in Benefits – Yes, because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many more services are covered and you cannot be denied for pre-existing conditions, but health carriers are increasing the

upfront out of pocket costs, leaving employees to pay more when they seek care.

Prescription Plan Changes – Many carriers are moving towards a four tier formulary, step therapy, mail order and generic drug push. This means that even if your physician prescribes a medication to you, there may be difficulty in filling that prescription without your insurance carrier getting in between you and your physician. Also, for the most expensive drugs, carriers are implementing plans in which the employee pays a percentage of the

cost instead of a copay. As a way to reduce costs, carriers are making your employees receive their medications via mail order.

Outsourcing of customer service – Many carriers are outsourcing their customer service outside of the United States. This is leading to numerous issues, not only security, but also a decrease in satisfaction of the insured who now have to speak to less trained people.

Free Standing Diagnostic Centers – It is less expensive for the carrier to use a free standing diagnostic center rather than of using one in a hospital. The carrier also makes it less expensive for the insured to seek care at one of these centers to incentivize them.

Huge Increases – The ACA has not helped reduce costs for the insurer and e have seen 15% to 30% increases in premium.

Employer Trends

Reduction in Benefits - The easiest way to reduce an increase to an employer is reduce the benefits for the employee, which makes it more expensive for that employee when seeking care.

Increase Premium to Employee – Another tool that employers are using is called a Defined Contribution. Basically, instead of an employer paying a percentage, they are now giving employees an allowance toward their health insurance plan. This contribution stays the same, while the employee pays more year after year.

continued on page 9

Health carriers are increasing the out-of-pocket costs, leaving employees to pay more when they seek care

Page 5: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

5

Canstruction NYInternational Award Winners

are also other ways that you practice to stay well with a busy job.

How can you stay well with a busy job?

Attitude and mindfulness are everything. Having a positive attitude each day is the key to great health. The simplest way to maintain a happy way of being is to always smile. It’s that simple! Bringing mindfulness into all that you do helps to increase your awareness of what is working and what is not. With awareness, you can make changes where needed.

Take deep breaths throughout the day. Before you check your emails, answer a call or text, go to a meeting or hop on a conference call - take a mindful moment and breathe in three deep, slow breaths.

Make wellness a priority even when you’re swamped with work. Have a routine and ritual that works even when there are time constraints. Maybe you don’t have time for a one hour workout, but you could swing 15 minutes on a stressful day. You’ll be surprised how taking out those 15 minutes can give you a refreshed attitude and view point – thus enhanced productivity.

Take every opportunity to get up and move. Whether it’s a walk to the bathroom, a stroll to fill up your water bottle, or avoiding writing an email to your neighbor and getting up to go speak to them instead. Get up every chance that you can to move your body and step away from your desk throughout the day.

Slow down to nourish yourself with food. Never

skip meals. Instead, be sure to eat balanced, full meals and always be aware while you are eating. Will the food in front of you nourish your mind, body and soul? Eat somewhere besides your desk, away from your computer/work. Chew your food slowly and enjoy each bite. When you are more mindful of the food you’re eating and your habits around food, binge or mindless eating sprees may fall to the wayside.

Check in with yourself each day at work. Are you creating your habits or are your habits creating you? There are so many ways to bring wellness into the workplace. Let’s be the change we need to be and create a new way of doing business!

Lauren Grogan, HHC, RYT and Andrea Tortorella are both with Silman

continued from page 4

We’re excited to announce the winners of the 2015 Canstruction NY International Award Winners, and even more impressed with the tremendous support demonstrated by the generosity of participants and member firms.

The jury was comprised of Madeleine Beckman, Journalist and Poet; Joy Habian, VP of Marketing, The Durst Organization; Chef Dean Kropp; Suzanne Mecs, Hon. AIA NYS, Managing Director, AIANY; and Mimi S. Raygorodetsky, Associate, LANGAN.

Canstruction, started in 1992, showcases sculptures made from cans of food, which are then exhibited and then distributed to local hunger organizations. Since its inception, the charity has helped raise nearly 40 million pounds of food in over 150 cities throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.canstruction.org

Clockwise from top left:

Structural Ingenuity - Winner - Thornton Tomasetti for Wall Street Charging Bull

Honorable Mention - Winner - Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP for Ask the Magic Eight Ball!

Best Meal - 1st Runner Up- Rand Engineering & Architecture, DPC for Pipe Down Hunger

Founder’s Award - 1st Runner Up - GACE Consulting Engineers, DPC for The Butterfly Effect: How Far Can

Kindness Go?

Page 6: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

SDA Answers:Vacations and Summer Fridays

6

Questions and responses from SDANY ListServ discussions, featuring answers from your fellow SDA members. Questions and responses have been edited for clarity and anonymity.

Do member firms plan a summer outing for employees? What does everyone do? How about other times of year? “ ”We have a summer outing every year, but what we do varies. In the past we’ve done:

- Family BBQ at Kingsland Point Park (with games and face-painting and inflatables for the kids)

- Food and drink at a rooftop bar

- Roof box at minor league baseball game

This year I tried to get us to go to Six Flags, but I was outvoted! We’re going to a Cyclones Game instead.

We also do an annual Holiday Party at a restaurant.

At our firm we have a food and wine boat cruise on a summer evening late June.

In winter we go skiing in Vermont over a weekend, around late February, early March.

We actually do a couple of things…we have a picnic in Central Park every June and a bowling night in October; they’re sponsored by the firm.

We also do a couple of informal things that are open to the whole office…like

camping (coming up) and a ski trip in the winter.

We also do a picnic in Central Park during the summer, typically on the HOTTEST day of the year!

Our firm funds a number of events throughout the year:

June: JP Morgan Corporate Challenge race in Central Park

July: Cruise around Manhattan (titled the “Booze Cruise” by the younger staff)

August: Rooftop drinks night

September: Bowling

We are also doing “Third Thursday” Happy Hours with our new merged company to get to know each other. Cash bar.

For our younger talent, our firm’s Women’s Leadership Initiative puts together an “Architecture Scavenger Hunt.” This event creates teams that search for industry-related clues throughout the city, providing for a fun outdoor afternoon. Some clues are also about our own projects, so our new hires learn a bit about our company in the process. Teams achieve each goal on their list and tweet a picture, as the rest of us cheer them on in real time from the office. Modest prizes are offered, and of course everyone gets a writeup with their image in our company newsletter.

I am curious to know

if you all have a Summer Friday policy in place and the

details of such, including how you manage it?

“ ”

Starting with Memorial Day, everyone

works nine hours, Mon thru Thursday and

four hours on Friday, ending Labor Day.

We have alternate Fridays off during sum-

mer. Half the office is out at a time. We work

an extra hour a day for eight days leading up

to summer Friday, and then take Friday off.

Our firm permits half-day and full-day

Fridays off, with prior approval of individual

department managers. Employees work

extra hours during the week to make up the

difference. I love the policy but don’t take

advantage of it; with so many people out of

the office, those quiet Fridays are the only

time I can get things done!

Page 7: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

Virtual Payments for Corporate ClientsCould be Just Right for Your Firmby Peter Sonzogni of Frosch Travel

Virtual payment solutions proved to be a hot topic at last year’s convention of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). According to a recent survey by Business Travel News, travel managers rate single-use virtual cards as the best solution for travel payment.

These virtual credit cards include a unique 16-digit card number and three-digit security code for use; the cards are linked to the client’s central payment system and can be used to pay airline, car rental, and hotel reservations. Since virtual cards are generated at the point of sale, travelers are encouraged to book through preferred channels and vendors; some clients have even cited an uptick in preferred vendor bookings after introducing such a payment system.

Data security is of utmost importance to companies, regardless of their field of service. With the introduction of new single-use virtual credit cards, travelers and their employers can rest assured they are not susceptible to fraud, loss, or theft. Virtual cards can be customized with credit limits and validity dates and, more importantly, to only be used through approved channels, like with your travel management company, to ensure payments are secure and funds are not misused. Additionally, the cards eliminate the risk of card numbers, kept on file with hotels, from being used for fraudulent purposes.

Perhaps most importantly, the cards make post-

7

trip reconciliation more efficient. Travel expenses can be collected and settled more easily, as a number of manual process can be automated. Expenses can be automatically matched with the traveler, using the unique credit card information and many virtual card solutions offer direct integration with back-office systems.

GBTA’s Virtual Account Payment Solutions Report surveyed almost 200 US travel buyers and suppliers on their payment solutions for travel and meeting expenses. The study found that corporate card programs still dominate the playing field; however, business travel accounts and single-use virtual cards are gaining popularity. Those surveyed cited control,

compliance, and security as the most important aspects of a payment solution; data reconciliation and analysis also ranked high on the list of evaluation factors. When considering these factors, it’s clear that single-use virtual cards provide a viable solution for payment.

FROSCH is a privately-owned travel management company co-headquartered in New York and Houston, with offices in 35+ locations globally. Providing high-touch leisure and corporate travel to individuals and companies, FROSCH has been ranked as one of the top ten travel management companies in the U.S. For more information, please get in touch with Frosch at www.frosch.com

Leaders in Building Code Consultingand Municipal Filing since 1988

offices:New York, NY | Jersey City, NJ | Hicksville, NY

Philadelphia, PA | Stamford, CTmilrose.com

B R O N Z E S P O N S O R

1234 5678 9012 3456

1234 5678 9012 3456

1234 5678 9012 3456

G O L D S P O N S O R

Technical Excellence Practical Experience

Client Responsiveness

www.langan.com

VIA 57 West, New York, NY

Page 8: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

Events and Programs All Over Town!

8

From left to right: Shi-Anne Shakes (Silman), Mike Jones (Silman), Stacey Ottley (Tukuru Technologies), Pat Leyden (WSP) Jennifer Greene (Durst), Tom McVeigh (Time Moving), Elena Gutierrez (Langan), Aneta Dezepina (Superstructures), Mary Ann Goduco (CetraRuddy)

1ST ANNUAL WINTER SOCIAL Socializing among peers and colleagues is important; it reinforces not only business relationships, but also strengthens friendships. This year, SDA NY started a new tradition. Our Winter Social is yet another addition to the Member Only social event roster. This year, we brought in winter (and lots of rain!), at Van Diemen’s Bar & Restaurant. Although the rain was torrential, it didn’t stop our SDA NY Members from getting together in an intimate setting and enjoying some time together over a pint of beer.

PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM Lauren Kim, Marketing Manager for Silman in Washington, DC, gave an excellent presentation on Public Speaking, focusing on public speaking tips, how to present in front of a crowd, how to get people to tune into your message and the proper body language. The program was recorded and is now available in the Member-Only section of our SDA New York’s website, https://www.sdanyc.org.

BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE In this roundtable meeting, attended by about 20 SDA Members and non-Members, we aimed to recognize what defines bullying, what can be done about it, and the legal ramifications. The discussion was spearheaded by BBB’s Vice President of Human Resources, Omar Vega. Articles and resources about bullying are posted in the Member-Only section of our website, www.sdanyc.org. Roundtable Discussion, hosted by Beyer Blinder Belle

Clockwise from top left: The panel discussion enjoyed a full house; Mike Jones speaking; the four-member panel of Jennifer Greene, Pat Leyden, Shannel Reed, and Tony Spano

Lauren Kim, from the Washington DC office of Silman, delivers her program on Public Speaking

SDA PANEL DISCUSSION: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE For over 50 years, the SDA has promoted education and better business practices in management and professional standards of design firms’ operations personnel. Its membership stretches across the United States and Canada. SDA New York’s Panel discussion featured professionals from the A/E/C industry who are long standing, recent, and new SDA New York chapter members. Panelists included Irene Enulf, Senior Associate, Director, Information Systems Management, Beyer Blinder Belle; Jennifer Greene, Marketing Manager, Durst Organization; Patricia Leyden, Vice President, WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff; Shannel Reed, Administrative Assistant, Arup; Shi-Anne Shakes, Marketing Coordinator, Silman; and Tony Spano, Administrative Assistant/Receptionist, Silman. It was moderated by Tom Hernandez, President of DBC Technologies, Inc.

Page 9: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

9

Drop Health Plan – Employers who no longer can afford healthcare for their employees are dropping their plans altogether. It may not make sense if you are a large employer with over 50 employees to do so, but a lot of smaller companies no longer want to sponsor a health plan due to the costs and administrative burdens.

Moving Medicaid Eligibles – Since Medicaid participants are considered a valid waiver for the health insurance carriers, a good way to save money is to make sure any employee who is Medicaid eligible enrolls in Medicaid and waives coverage on their group health plan.

Ancillary Coverage – The need for ancillary coverage has never been greater. These ancillary benefits are a stop gap measure to help employees pay for upfront

out of pocket costs. A good example would be a hospital confinement plan that reimburses employees for a hospital stay either lump sum or per day.

Joining a Larger Group – Today many employers are joining PEO organization in an effort to reduce many of their costs such as Human Resources, Payroll, Workers Compensation and Health and Welfare Benefits. Many employers need to be aware that some of these PEOs end up costing them even more money than they had bargained for, especially if they combine all their costs together and are not being transparent. That is why working with a trained broker who specializes in PEO’s is so crucial. We know what to look for and understand the PEO model much more than the layman employer who just see the costs they provide on a sheet, but in reality are not seeing the hidden charges that they will be paying. Having a broker on your side not only will save you more money, but since brokers work with PEOs, they at times can even bring a better deal to the table than going direct.

The need for ancillary coverage has never been greater.

Ross Arnel, LUTCF is President of Arnel Associates LLC. He has over 30 years of experience twith a passion for saving his

clients money on premiums while, at the same time, making sure they have the best plans in place that fit their needs. He has been a member of the SDA since 1992, frequently informing members of market trends and issues arising out of the insurance industry.

Health Insurance Trendscontinued from page 4

Last year, SDA National issued a challenge for not only the New York chapter, but to all members across the country with the “I Am SDA!” campaign, in which SDA National staff assembled video clips to create a multi-personality promotion. Now, the New York Chapter is considering options in developing a similar piece for use in the New York market.

I am SDA!

Members are encouraged to have fun and take part in the “I Am SDA” challenge by recording a video message (even using your cell phone) of up to 60 seconds. It can start with what the SDA means to you and tell how SDA has benefited you, ending with your statement, “I Am SDA!” If you prefer, your video can have the four simple words, “I am SDA [name of chapter]!” Participants could also include their own name, and the name of their firm.

Submissions could be a video from an individual, or a team effort with a group of your fellow admins to create “We Are SDA!” Even your “bloopers” are welcome; just be sure your entry is eMailed to SDA headquarters: [email protected]. Some files may be too large, so please be ready to submit your effort via a third-party file transfer service such as DropBox or Newforma as well.

Submission details are also needed for each entry, with the following information included:

Chapter name

Contact name

eMail address

Phone number

Name(s) of person(s) in video

Length of membership in SDA

) This box must be checked to acknowledge that the contributor understands that the video submission may be used in its whole or edited form, and that the submission could be featured in videos that may appear on web-based video sharing or social networking websites

SDA National has a demonstration of the idea live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j

This screenshot from the SDA YouTube channel shows the online video promotion created by SDA National of members celebrating what the SDA means for them (link below). Can the New York chapter follow suit?

Page 10: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

10

Associate Member DirectoryOur Associate Members provide services and solutions across a variety of needs. Please feel free to

contact them whenever you and your firm requires specialized professional services.

AArnel Associates

Insurance and Employee Benefit SolutionsRoss [email protected]

BBalady Promotions

Promotional Business Products-Balady Promotions is a Nationally Certified Woman Owned Business and is a member of the Women President’s Educational Organization

Joanne [email protected]

C Corporate Essentials

Office Coffee & Water ServiceIvan [email protected]

D DBC Technologies, Inc.

Information Technology Providers for Professional Service Firms

Tomas Hernandez, [email protected]

F Frosch Travel

Travel Management company, ranked top 10 in the U.S., provides high-touch leisure and corporate travel to individuals and companies

Peter [email protected] www.frosch.com

HHorton Lees Brogden Lighting Design, Inc.

Women owned, internationally recognized architectural lighting design firm, specializing in creating experiential lighting environment

Joanna [email protected]

www.hlblighting.com

LLeslie Digital Imaging

Digital document solution provider and a leader in the supply, sale and service of office technology

Glen [email protected]

MMarquis Agency

Insurance brokerage and risk management services

Nicole [email protected]

Menaker & Herrmann, LLP

Full service law firm, headquartered in NYC, specializing, among many, in Construction, Real Estate and Employee Benefits Law

Robert Herrmann, Esq., [email protected]://www.marquisagency.com/

N NRI

On-Site Services •Color Graphics •Reprographics •3D Printing • Dox on Demand

Larry [email protected]

RRisk Strategies Company

Formerly known as Singer Nelson Charlmers, we specialize in providing insurance and employee benefits for architects & engineers

Joshua [email protected]

SSuperior Office Systems – SOS

Serving copier and printing needsGail [email protected]

TThird Wave Information Technologies, LLC

IT Service Management and SupportGabriel [email protected]

Time Moving and Storage

Commercial relocation companyThomas [email protected]

Tukuru Technologies LLC

A New York City based consulting firm specializing in providing technology consulting services for the AEC community

Stacey-Ann [email protected], www.tukurutechnologies.com

Page 11: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

11

EDSymposium16!The Society’s annual conference took place in Cincinnati this past May 12-14, and the three days were filled, as always, with networking, education, and fun. A host of seminars and sessions were available for members of all chapters, and an added benefit was the ability to learn and grow with our colleagues from cities across America.

Settled in 1788, our host city of Cincinnati is also known as “The Queen City” and boasts a population of over two million. According to Wikipedia, “Because it is the first major American city founded after the American Revolution...Cincinnati is sometimes thought of as the first purely ‘American’ city.”

The induction of the National Board this year included Pat Leyden (fourth from left) as National Vice President; congratulations to all our newest leaders!

As always, fellowship with members and chapters includes camraderie over dinner or lunch at any of the local eateries. Above left, Carol Spradlin of WSP; Stacy Rowland from the Seattle chapter; New York Chapter Adviser Jen Greene; National Vice President Pat Leyden; New York Chapter President Ellie Tsakonas.

The New York chapter was well-represented. From left: Amy Nanni; Jen Greene; Mike Jones; Shi-Anne Shakes; Ellie Tsakonas; Pat Leyden.

Amy Nanni (left) being recognized for her contributions.

Page 12: SkyLines - c.ymcdn.com · 2016 gold sponsors Silman, NRI and Langan 2016 bronze sponsors Arnel Associates, Milrose Consulting, and Tukuru Technologies SkyLines SDA Answers

JUNE 2016

Tuesday June 7th, 6:00pmBoard of Directors’ monthly meeting | Langan, 360 West 31st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010

Thursday June 16th, 12:30pm to 1:30pmpmRoundtable Discussion on Technostress | Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, 120 Broadway, New York, NY, 10271

Thursday June 23rd, 8:30am to 10:30amManaging Your Risk Through Contract Language and Insurance Coverage | Langan, 360 West 31st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010

COMING UP

Stay tuned for future programs and roundtables on:

Webinar on People Management Strategies: How to effectively manage your inbox

Workshop on Obtaining your WELL Certification

Firm Loyalty

Designing and Building Your Professional Brand with a chance to get your professional headshot!

AIANY Architectural Tour (Lower Manhattan)

Whitney Museum Tour and Social

2nd Annual Summer Rooftop Bash

Quarterly Calendar

712

G O L D S P O N S O R S

R

: