New Mackenzie Hughes group addresses business-growth needs

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SYRACUSE — Mackenzie Hughes LLP is using a new practice group to try to make it easier for clients to plan for and address legal issues — including those arising in a growing business. The group, called the Employment and Public Sector Law Group, brings together attorneys in the employment, environmental, grants, labor, land-use, municipal, […]

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SYRACUSE — Mackenzie Hughes LLP is using a new practice group to try to make it easier for clients to plan for and address legal issues — including those arising in a growing business.

The group, called the Employment and Public Sector Law Group, brings together attorneys in the employment, environmental, grants, labor, land-use, municipal, public-finance, and public-officers practice areas. Its goal is to deliver a range of services to clients more efficiently, the firm contends.

It could allow clients to avoid multiple meetings with different attorneys, according to Mark Harrington, a partner at Mackenzie Hughes who is a member of its executive committee and chair of its business department.

“The group works well together and can provide more comprehensive services instead of focusing on one single practice area,” Hughes says. “This way, it’s more efficient and more cost-effective for the clients.”

Clients to which the group will cater include small businesses, large businesses with thousands of employees, and municipalities. Harrington says those clients often encounter similar concerns as they work to streamline or expand. He cited common problems such as tax, labor, and land-use issues.

About six attorneys currently make up the group, although it may grow to include a few more, Harrington says. Mackenzie Hughes does not have a target number of group members. However, Harrington emphasizes that the group needs to stay small enough for its members to be able to meet frequently without encountering too many scheduling hurdles.

Mackenzie Hughes has other practice groups that are not as formal, Harrington says. But the firm decided that giving the Employment and Public Sector Law Group additional structure would help it deliver services to clients, he adds.

“This way they can develop a particular plan with our guidance and our expertise to handle the issues that are always coming out of left field,” Harrington says. “It varies from client to client, but they all have issues with a change in regulations, a change in law, or just a change in economic climate.”

The Employment and Public Sector Law Group isn’t just about efficiently addressing problems as they pop up, says Jeffrey Brown, a partner at Mackenzie Hughes who is the new group’s chair. He wants it to keep businesses and municipalities informed about potential issues and topics with which they may not be familiar.

“One of the main focuses of the practice group is to identify issues that may be of interest to our clients and get them out to our clients,” Brown says. “It’s not just about the current issue du jour, but what we can do to help them avoid issues in the future to make their businesses or municipalities as effective as possible.”

Mackenzie Hughes LLP is headquartered in suite 600 of the M&T Bank Building at 101 S. Salina St. in Syracuse. It leases 23,000 square feet there.

The law firm’s clients include M&T Bank, the Oneida Indian Nation, Turning Stone Resort and Casino, KeyBank, Alliance Bank, O’Brien & Gere, C&S Cos., GHD Inc., Cazenovia College, Fayetteville-Manlius School District, the village of Manlius, the village of Cleveland, and the town of Van Buren. It has 33 attorneys, including 25 partners and eight associates, and about 80 total employees. Harrington and Brown declined to discuss the firm’s revenue.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com

Cooley Group seeing boost following rebranding

Small Business, Subscriber Only

DeWITT — Cooley Group, Inc., a printing and promotional-products firm, didn’t stop at a new logo when it jumped into a rebranding effort in late 2010 — an effort that focused the firm on its ability to help clients build their own brands. Rochester–based Cooley Group, which operates a Syracuse–area office at 6700 Kirkville Road

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Rochester–based Cooley Group, which operates a Syracuse–area office at 6700 Kirkville Road in DeWitt, unveiled its new brand in November 2010. The firm redesigned its logo, adopted the tagline “brand new,” and renamed its sales representatives, calling them brand consultants.

Those changes are giving the company a new sense of momentum nearly two years later, according to Cooley Group Executive Vice President Jim Bonaventura, who is based in the firm’s office in DeWitt.

“It’s taken some time to get some traction, but we’re starting to reap the benefits of it,” he says. “What we’ve done is tried to give greater clarity to our customers as to what our areas of expertise are, as well as greater clarity to our co-owners, the brand consultants, so they feel that the customer knows exactly what we’re there to help them with.”

Cooley Group is an employee-owned company under an employee stock-ownership plan. The firm generated about $11 million in revenue in 2011, the first full year after it revealed its new branding. Its Syracuse–area office was responsible for $4.5 million of that revenue.

The companywide and local revenue totals represent annual growth of about 6 percent, Bonaventura says. He believes the firm’s rebranding helped it grow that year but does not have any revenue growth projections for 2012.

Branding changes at Cooley Group came after 18 months of company soul-searching. The company, which Clarence (Scoop) Cooley started in 1945 as Cooley Business Forms, had grown beyond its original focus on business-form distribution.

Changes in technology over the years, from desktop printers to computer programs, forced the company to branch out into different areas like promotional products, according to Bonaventura. It no longer relies on business forms, he says.

“A lot of that business was taken away by technology,” he says. “People print things on white 20-pound paper now instead of invoices. So we got involved in some different product lines, and, as a result, there was a little bit of a disconnect with our end users about exactly who we were and what we were doing.”

The disconnect wasn’t helped by a name change to Cooley Group, Inc. about a dozen years ago, Bonaventura says. However, the recent rebranding emphasized four company business groups — printing, promotional products, specialty printing, and branded apparel — and helped to redefine the firm, he adds.

Bonaventura wasn’t a part of the committee that handled the rebranding process. Another Cooley Group employee from the Syracuse–area office, Karie Ballway, took part in that effort.

“We really looked into, as an organization, what it is we do well for our clients,” says Ballway, who is a brand consultant. “We really want to come in, sit down, learn about a client, and determine if and when there’s a need. If it’s appropriate, then we will make recommendations about what mechanism we would recommend they use to brand their company, whether it’s a printed product, promotional product, or branded apparel.”

Emphasizing a consultative approach led Cooley Group to change the name of the sales-representative position to brand consultant, according to Ballway.

The company’s new tagline, “brand new,” serves a dual purpose, she says. It pointed out that the company had rebranded itself while also summarizing its new focus.

“Cooley was brand new at the initial launch, but we knew that we would follow through with our marketing and branding efforts to help you, as a client, brand new,” Ballway says.

The company’s local clients include DeWitt–based Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, PC, Skaneateles–based ChaseDesign, LLC, and KBM Management, Inc. of DeWitt.

Despite its own expertise in branding, Cooley Group hired an outside firm, Trainor Associates of New Hartford, to help with its own rebranding. The outside perspective was important in the process, according to Ballway.

Cooley Group employs a total of 35 people in offices in Rochester, DeWitt, Albany, New Hartford, Rock Tavern in the Hudson Valley, and in a recently opened office in Huntington on Long Island. Its office in DeWitt has eight full-time employees and two part-time workers.

The company leases 1,250 square feet of space at 6700 Kirkville Road from Oliva Properties, LLC of DeWitt.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com

Sandbox firm launches crowd-funding effort

Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — A business launched over the summer in the Syracuse Student Sandbox is running a crowd-funding campaign to raise startup funds. Two Syracuse University students, Dee Cater and Heather Rinder, founded Scrapsule and worked on the idea during this year’s sandbox program. Both have graduated, but are staying in Syracuse to keep working on

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SYRACUSE — A business launched over the summer in the Syracuse Student Sandbox is running a crowd-funding campaign to raise startup funds.

Two Syracuse University students, Dee Cater and Heather Rinder, founded Scrapsule and worked on the idea during this year’s sandbox program. Both have graduated, but are staying in Syracuse to keep working on the company.

Scrapsule is a Web-based tool that pulls photos, videos, and status updates from a user’s social-media feeds and organizes them into a virtual, online scrapbook. The idea is to fund the business with micro-transactions, Rinder says.

The site itself will be free, but users would pay small fees to add personal touches to their online scrapbooks, Rinder says. Personalization could include different font choices, backgrounds, templates, and photo- cropping options.

Cater and Rinder are running their funding campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/scrapsulecampaign. Indiegogo will allow the pair to access their funds regardless of whether they reach their $5,000 goal, Rinder says.

She and Cater plan to use the money for entrance fees to business competitions and to improve the site. At the moment, they’re funding the company with their own money.

They’ve contracted with developers at Bear Fountain Design of Geneseo to build a prototype of the Scrapsule site. It’s a basic first take, Rinder says.

“There really is a lot left to do,” she adds.

Cater is handling design work for the site, but says she and Rinder don’t have the technical expertise to build it. They’re hoping to add technical staff in the near future so they can add more features to the prototype.

Some of the money from the Indiegogo campaign may go toward hiring as well.

Cater, Scrapsule CEO, came up with the idea. She says she collects plenty of material to make scrapbooks, but never has time to organize it and put it all together.

She started looking for an online service that could help.

“There was nothing,” she says.

Cater brought the idea to Rinder, Scrapsule’s chief operating officer, who says she has been scrapbooking for years. She liked the concept of an online scrapbooking tool immediately.

Rinder says she spent a week last summer pulling photos together for a printable photo book after an internship. A product like Scrapsule would have been a big help, she adds.

The site pulls content from users’ social networks based on keyword searches and organizes the results by topic.

People have been asking when the service will be available, Cater says.

“I need it,” she says. “I know other people need it.”

Cater and Rinder are planning to launch the site by the end of the year.

Scrapsule was one of 34 teams to participate in the Sandbox program this year. The initiative began in 2009 with five teams.
Housed in the Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse, its goal is to help students from area colleges develop and accelerate their business ideas.

Scrapsule was also one of 15 Sandbox teams that presented their ideas at the program’s annual Demo Day on Aug. 15. Craftistas, a subscription service that delivers do-it-yourself fashion kits based on current trends, won the Demo Day pitch contest.

Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com

Inficon profit slips 16 percent in 2nd quarter, but company raises forecast

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

De WITT — Inficon Holding AG (SIX Swiss Exchange: IFCN) recently reported that its net income fell 16 percent to $9.1 million in the second quarter, from $10.9 million in the year-earlier period. Earnings per share for the latest earnings period totaled $4.08, down 17 percent from $4.91 in the second quarter of 2011. Net

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De WITT — Inficon Holding AG (SIX Swiss Exchange: IFCN) recently reported that its net income fell 16 percent to

$9.1 million in the second quarter, from $10.9 million in the year-earlier period.

Earnings per share for the latest earnings period totaled $4.08, down 17 percent from $4.91 in the second quarter of 2011. Net sales fell 7.7 percent to $75.5 million in the latest quarter from $81.8 million a year prior.

Inficon, based in Switzerland, produces high-tech instrumentation, sensors, and process-control software. The firm’s products are used in manufacturing devices like smartphones, flat-screen TVs, and even solar cells.

Inficon serves the environmental protection and emergency-response markets as well. Its systems can monitor and analyze air and water, for example, and detect contaminants and dangerous substances.

The company’s largest facility is in DeWitt, where it employs 220 people. Worldwide, the firm employs 850, including 320 in the United States.

Going forward, Inficon said in its earnings release that it “remains cautiously confident for the coming months.” The company said that assuming that economies in Europe and Asia stabilize, it forecasts slightly higher sales of $290 million to $310 million (compared to earlier guidance of $280 million to $310 million). Inficon also forecasts operating profit of $42 million to $54 million, compared to its earlier guidance of $38 million to $54 million.

Inficon said it expects to launch more new products into the market soon, after having presented several new products in the second quarter. The company said the products it launched in the quarter — which included a new mass spectrometer for gas analysis, a pressure sensor, a leak detector, and an easily transportable service leak detector — strengthen the company’s technology leadership in its traditional business areas, and are geared toward gaining new market share or entering new market segments.

Area Red Crosses merge, gain new leadership, forge new direction

Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — On Feb. 1, 2012, the North Central New York Region of the American Red Cross merged with the Southern Tier Region to become the American Red Cross, Central New York Region. This new region now serves 2.1 million people in 16 counties from St. Lawrence to Broome, from Cayuga to Otsego. A couple

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A couple of events helped lead to the merger. One was the Southern Tier Region being inundated by major flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee a year ago. Second, both chapter executives from the North Central and Southern Tier regions left the organization in the latter half of 2011. These events helped lead the Red Cross to review the chapters and merge the territories.

A new regional executive team was also formed as a result of the merger. The team is now led by Rosie Taravella, regional CEO. With a background in theater that eventually evolved into a fundraising career, Taravella previously was the vice president of corporate advancement at WCNY-TV, the public TV station in Syracuse. “Everything I’ve done has prepared me for this role,” says Taravella. She joined the Red Cross on April 2. “This position was the next logical choice in my career path,” says Taravella, who has always wanted to be a CEO and lead an organization.

By consolidating the North Central New York and Southern Tier regions into one area, the Red Cross Central New York chapter can be more efficient in its finances, staff placement, and service delivery, she says.

It is able to operate in a centralized way to determine if it can meet needs across great distances. An example Taravella uses is that if the Potsdam and Owego chapters need the same thing, the organization can now connect the dots and share resources. “We’re able to mobilize within our own boundaries,” says Taravella.

Leadership team

Paige Thomas holds the position of regional chief operating officer for the Red Cross Central New York Region. Thomas was previously part of a floating pool of interim directors at the Red Cross who traveled to different chapters to help them restructure. Previously located in Denver, she came to Central New York in November 2011. She really liked the area and decided to stick around. Even though her oversight responsibilities are similar, her relationships with the Red Cross team and members of the community are different, she says. “It’s an entirely different animal to invest in the long-term performance of a business unit and deal with the different personalities and issues on a day-to-day basis,” says Thomas.

Judy Fitzgerald, the newest member of the team, who started in June, is the regional chief development officer. Previously, Fitzgerald worked for CNY Central for 11 years, then at WCNY with Taravella. Fitzgerald says that her time at WCNY was the first time in her career she was able to mix her media background with a nonprofit mission. In her new role at the Red Cross, Fitzgerald is responsible for implementing fundraising goals for the new footprint.

Rounding out the new executive team is Matt Michael, the regional chief communications officer. Michael has an extensive media background that includes nearly 20 years at The Post-Standard, freelance writing, and most recently, as the public-relations manager at WCNY-TV.

Along with the new territory and leadership team, the CNY Red Cross also has a new program in the works. Tentatively called the Community Resiliency Program, the organization is in the process of rolling out this pilot program for a mid-size metro area, like the Syracuse region. The Central New York team has begun the conversation with other community agencies to create a structure for community response.

“It will be designed to equip the community with the tools and knowledge it needs to be better prepared for an emergency or natural disaster,” says Thomas. The program will unfold over this fiscal year, running from July 1 to June 30.

The program also will build upon the role the Red Cross has in the three levels of emergency response — from being prepared for expected and unexpected disasters (level 1) to knowing how to respond to a disaster (level 2), and then having the steps in place for recovery after a disaster (level 3). The Central New York region already demonstrates a strong record for emergency response. For example, during fiscal year 2011, the chapter trained more than 100,000 individuals in CPR, First Aid, and other health and safety courses. In addition, it gave preparedness presentations to more than 50,000 individuals. Also, the Central New York team responded to more than 558 separate disasters and assisted more than 732 families affected by disaster.

The national American Red Cross also recently introduced two new free smart-phone apps. In June, the Red Cross First Aid app debuted — raking in 600,000 downloads in the first month. The Hurricane App, launched on Aug. 1, was designed to provide real-time information for hurricane threats for people who live or vacation in hurricane-prone areas.

For the 2012 fiscal year, ending June 30, the Red Cross Central New York region generated just under $4.2 million in revenue from donations. The sources of its funds include the United Way, corporations, foundations, individuals, online, direct mail, and net special events. The organization expects similar results for the 2013 fiscal year. The national Red Cross’s revenue for the 2011 fiscal year, the latest for which data is available, was $3.45 billion. Its sources included contributions, grants, program services, and investment income.

Taravella says that the Central New York chapter is now completely staffed with 52 full-time employees. The organization also relies on 2,800 volunteers to fulfill its mission. In 1881, Clara Barton established the Syracuse chapter, making it the third Red Cross created. The building at 220 Herald Place has been the home of the Central New York chapter for 14 years. The organization occupies about 8,000 square feet of office space.

American Red Cross,

Central New York Region

220 Herald Place

Syracuse, NY 13202

Phone: (315) 234-2200

www.redcross.org

Key Staff

Rosie Taravella Regional CEO

Judy Fitzgerald, Regional Chief Development Officer

Matt Michael, Regional Chief Communications Officer

Paige Thomas, Regional Chief Operating Officer

Shelley Bierwiler, Community Chapter Executive, Southern Tier Chapter

Victor Fariello, Community Chapter Executive, Mohawk Valley Chapter

Jane Gendron, Community Chapter Executive, Northern New York Chapter

Barry Stein , Community Chapter Executive, Cortland County and Tompkins County Chapters

Board of Directors (Officers)

President

Dorothy Hall Sports Physical Therapy of New York, PC

Vice President

Rita Reicher KS&R, Inc.

Board Members

Dave Bullard OswegoCountyToday.com

Tony Dannible Dannible & McKee

Jed Delmonico Delmonico Insurance Agency

Sam Elbadawi Sugarman Law Firm, LLP

Jeffrey Fetter Scolaro, Shulman, Cohen, Fetter & Burstein, P.C.

Rae Fulkerson CNY Central

Dorothy Hall Sports Physical Therapy of New York, PC

Ashley D. Hayes Hancock Estrabrook, LLP

Dave Johnson King + King Architects LLP

Robert Just Blue Ocean Strategic Capital, LLC

Andrew March M&T Bank

Deana Michaels Pathfinder Bank

Patrick Powers D’Arcangelo & Co. LLP

Rita L. Reicher KS&R, Inc.

Lynn Steenberg Sports Physical Therapy of New York, PC

Joseph G. Vitale Savannah Bank

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Its disaster-response efforts provide food, shelter, and care for a disaster of any scope, from single-family house fires to global conflict. It provides 45 percent of the nation’s blood through its Biomed Services program. Its services to the Armed Forces opens the lines of communication between U.S. military members and their families, and also offers courses and materials to help promote coping skills before and after deployment. Its International Services provide global communication during war, help reunite families after disasters and conflicts, and assist with global health campaigns. It also educates people about international humanitarian law.

RECENT ORGANIZATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

On Feb. 1, 2012, the North Central New York Region of the American Red Cross merged with the Southern Tier Region to become the Central New York Region of the American Red Cross, comprised of 2.1 million people in 16 counties. “By consolidating into one region, the 16 chapter and branch offices are realizing staff efficiencies, cost savings, and improved service delivery. Streamlining our support services and back-office systems have given chapters more time to focus their energies on mission delivery and preparing communities for emergencies and disasters. Regional management is providing a new level of expertise that’s keeping Central New York’s American Red Cross efficient and competitive.”

PLANNING/FUNDRAISING OUTLOOK FOR 2012:

– State Fair Parking Lot, Aug. 23 to Sept. 3: Donated by Crucible Industries. Your parking-tickets dollars support the Central New York Region of the American Red Cross.

– American Red Cross Regional Golf Classic, Sept. 19 at the Otesaga’s Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown.

– Women Who Mean Business, Oct. 25: Acknowledging successful, engaged women in CNY at the SRC Arena, Syracuse.

– Real Heroes Breakfast, Dec. 5 at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center, Syracuse. Recognizing those who acted unselfishly on behalf of a neighbor, a co-worker, even a stranger to change another person’s destiny and, at the same time, their own.

Have You Done Your Homework About This Presidential Election?

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Have you read about this presidential election? This guy you plan to vote for, have you read any books about him? Read them completely through? Have you read any books written by people who don’t like him? Have you read any books about the other candidate? Don’t you think maybe you should? After all, this

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Don’t you think maybe you should? After all, this is the highest office in the land and all that. How can you say you are well-informed for this election if you have yet to read something substantial about both guys? Is your plan simply to depend on a few sound bites and attack ads? And a slip-up in one of the debates?

Have you even gone to the website of your guy? How about the other guy? Have you read each candidate’s positions on the issues?

If you haven’t done any of this, join the crowd. Most voters do a minimum of prep work before casting a ballot.

Well, if you always vote the same party, why bother? We know your vote for the next 10 elections. And if you vote in a state that is not a swing state, why bother? You know your state’s electoral votes are baked in the cake.

We could declare all the electoral votes from the non-swing states months in advance of the election. Then the debates could be directed solely toward voters in the swing states. And on election night we could simply follow the returns from those states.

Maybe you should still vote. Even if your vote doesn’t count. Show your spirit. Show your patriotism. To whom, though? Nobody is going to pay attention. Because your state’s electoral votes are already in the bag.

Wait a minute. There must be some reason to vote. Well, how about for the honor of it? Many people in this world are denied the vote. Go vote, to show the world you are proud to possess and practice this right.

But what if you stick your head up and somebody notices? Somebody like the infernal fundraisers. Those political buzzards. The ones who plug your mailbox with pleas. The ones who call you at night. Correction: The ones whose machines call you at night. They don’t care what state you vote in. They don’t care if you are in the State of New York, a state of confusion, a state of siege, or a state of disarray. As long as you are in a state of grace with your bank or credit card company and can make donations to their coffers.

This may be a good thing. They zero in on you and maybe you will give money. And your money will support the effort of your guy to win Ohio, Virginia, and Florida. Those are the swing states. You cannot vote with your votes in those states, but you can vote with your money.

Have you noticed how the candidates give lots of speeches in states they have no hope of carrying? Those speeches are for no other purpose than to raise money. Or maybe to create a headline. Romney’s chances of carrying New York are the same as Penn State’s chances of going to a bowl game next year. His chances of carrying away baskets of money from New York are excellent. He can do the same in Chicago.

We could always bring in proportional voting. In other words, the electoral votes of a state would be divvied up. The divvying would be according to the popular vote. Romney would maybe get one New York electoral vote, Obama the other 28.

A change like this would have its good and bad points. You could read about them. What are the chances you will? About the same as the chances you will read a lot of stuff about both candidates.

I wish you good reading.

From Tom…as in Morgan.

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home near Oneonta, in addition to his radio shows and new TV show. For more information about him, visit his website at www.tomasinmorgan.com

Survey: 31 percent of decision-makers have a comprehensive financial plan

Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

Fewer than one-third of household financial decision-makers have ever had a comprehensive financial plan, according to a recent survey from the Consumer Federation of America and the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. The 2012 Household Financial Planning Survey, released July 23, found that just 31 percent of financial decision- makers in the U.S.

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The 2012 Household Financial Planning Survey, released July 23, found that just 31 percent of financial decision- makers in the U.S. have ever prepared a comprehensive financial plan or had one prepared for them. That leaves 69 percent without a comprehensive plan that takes retirement planning, insurance needs, savings, and investments into account.

Those with higher incomes were more likely to have a financial plan. Among decision-makers with household incomes of $100,000 or more, 55 percent had a financial plan, the survey found. Just 35 percent of those with household incomes between $50,000 and $99,999 had a plan.

The portion with a plan fell further to 25 percent among financial decision-makers with household incomes between $25,000 and $49,999. It dipped to 10 percent in the income bracket for earners in households making under $25,000 annually.

A misconception exists that financial planning is only for the wealthy, Kevin Keller, CEO of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. said during a conference call to discuss the survey.

“This in my mind is both a problem and a challenge,” he said. “It is our job to educate consumers that there is something that they can affirmatively and proactively do, even in difficult economic times, and even if they’re not rich.”

Financial planning has its benefits, the survey found. Those with comprehensive plans are more likely to be confident about managing money, savings, and investments than non-planners — 52 percent of planners said they were confident, compared to 30 percent of non-planners.

Those with financial plans were also more likely to feel on pace to meet their financial goals. A full 50 percent of those with comprehensive financial plans did not feel behind on any specific goal, while only 32 percent of those without a plan felt that way.

“Those with a comprehensive plan, regardless of what their socio-economic statuses are, both feel better about the plan and do better as a result of having that plan,” Keller said.

Additionally, savings rates were higher for decision-makers with financial plans. Half of financial decision-makers with comprehensive financial plans reported saving at least 10 percent of their income. But only 27 percent of decision-makers without a plan met that savings rate.

“Developing a comprehensive plan requires one to think seriously about one’s finances,” said Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, during the conference call. “This planning requires one to assess not only their spending, savings, and use of credit, but also the complex relationships between their debts, savings, and investments. This comprehensive assessment can only improve one’s financial confidence and security.”

Changing planning/saving habits

Another portion of the survey compared consumer attitudes and habits in 1997 to today. For example, it found that 38 percent of consumers live paycheck to paycheck today, up from 31 percent in 1997.

This has affected saving for children’s college education, according to the survey. This year, 48 percent of families with college-bound children said they were saving for higher education, down from 56 percent in 1997.

But retirement investments did not follow suit with a large drop. This year, 49 percent of consumers said they had a retirement investment plan in place and were saving for retirement, only a slight dip from 51 percent in 1997.

Even so, more consumers expressed feeling like they’re falling behind in saving for retirement. Over half of consumers, 51 percent, said they felt behind in saving for retirement in 2012. Only 38 percent felt behind in 1997.

The importance and benefits of financial planning haven’t changed since 1997, Keller said.

“I’m struck with some interesting similarities when you compare the research of 1997 to today,” he said. “Those who plan do better and feel better than those who do not. That was true in the good economic times of 1997, and it is true today as our economy is recovering from a recession.”

The Washington, D.C.–based Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, which grants certified financial planner certification, and the Consumer Federation of America, which is a Washington, D.C.–based association of nonprofit consumer organizations, jointly sponsored the survey. Princeton Survey Research Associates International conducted it.

The survey was comprised of telephone interviews with 1,508 financial decision-makers nationwide conducted between May 7 and May 20. Its margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com

IIABNY cheers law loosening restrictions on insurance agents’ gift-giving

Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes

Insurance agencies no longer have to stick to branded items like coffee mugs when they give gifts to their clients and prospects because of a

Report: Employees waste money on poor benefits choices

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

Aflac study reveals that employers fall short on educating workers about benefits options, which takes a significant toll on employees’ finances. A new survey report found that 56 percent of employees estimate they waste up to $750 because of mistakes they made with insurance-benefits elections. Nearly one of four respondents (24 percent) say

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Aflac study reveals that employers fall short on educating workers about benefits options, which takes a significant toll on employees’ finances.

A new survey report found that 56 percent of employees estimate they waste up to $750 because of mistakes they made with insurance-benefits elections. Nearly one of four respondents (24 percent) say they chose the wrong level of insurance coverage or benefits options they didn’t need, and only 16 percent of employees feel confident they aren’t making mistakes during the enrollment process.

These new findings are part of the 2012 Open Enrollment Survey of the Aflac WorkForces Report, an online survey of 2,500 U.S. consumers conducted in July. The survey was conducted by Research Now and released by Aflac, which says it’s the largest provider of supplemental and guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States.

Common mistakes

The Open Enrollment Survey found that 61 percent of consumers are only sometimes or not at all aware of changes to their policies each year. The survey found that 89 percent say they simply elect the same benefits options every year. Almost half (47 percent) rarely or never exceed deductible costs. Only 16 percent contribute the right amount to flexible spending accounts.

“Workers cannot afford to be in the dark about benefits options,” Audrey Boone Tillman, executive vice president of corporate services at Aflac, said in a news release. “It’s critical that employees understand their benefits options during open enrollment to ensure that they don’t make mistakes that cost them money.”

Health-care costs cause worry

Nearly half of American workers (43 percent) identified rising out-of-pocket medical expenses and health-insurance costs as the most important issues to them right now. The survey found that 38 percent of respondents say they are very or extremely concerned about the possibility of an unanticipated medical expense.

Many Americans have made changes in their everyday lives to meet the high cost of unexpected out-of-pocket medical expenses. Forty percent have had to cut back on social activities, 28 percent say they have not been able to take a vacation and 22 percent have had to work more hours, according to the Aflac WorkForces Report.

Marketing benefits

While many U.S. employers surveyed feel they are adequately educating their workers about benefits options, employees disagree. The Open Enrollment Survey found that nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of employees feel they are only somewhat prepared or not ready for open enrollment. Meanwhile, almost half (49 percent) of employers believe they communicate very to extremely effectively with their workers about company benefits. More than half of employees (52 percent) say that their company has not communicated with them at all about the open-enrollment process, according to the recent survey.

“Workers want to understand their insurance options, but many don’t believe they have the information or the tools they need. Open enrollment is a crucial time for employers to help workers make smart choices about their physical and financial health,” Tillman said in the news release.

Half of employees said they would feel more informed about health-insurance choices if they sat down with an insurance consultant during enrollment, and 47 percent typically look to resources other than HR/benefits professionals for advice about their benefits, according to the Aflac WorkForces Report.

Tillman recommends that business owners and HR executives take a cue from successful marketing campaigns and consider how to communicate with employees about benefits in ways that will engage and empower them. Some of her best-practice recommendations for employers include:

– Choose the right products. Survey employees to determine what they need and want in order to offer the right mix of benefits options to meet their needs.

– Consider including more benefits options that don’t have a direct cost to the company by offering voluntary plans. The Aflac WorkForces Report showed that more than half of employees (60 percent) say they would be at least somewhat likely to apply for voluntary insurance plans if they were made available to them by their employer.

– Choose the right time to market benefits offerings to employees. Plan to reach employees when they’re most receptive to learning about their options and how they can get the most for their money. The most innovative employers use a mix of online benefits portals, agent/broker enrollment sessions, employee newsletters, lunch-and-learn sessions, customized benefits booklets, frequently asked questions and other educational materials to help employees understand what’s available and how each plan works.

The full study results are available at AflacWorkForcesReport.com.

A Tale of Two … Business Exits

Opinion, Subscriber Only

“Only 20 percent of all businesses put up for sale actually transfer to a new owner.” — U.S. Chamber of Commerce My apologies to Charles Dickens, but the play on his title exemplifies what can happen with and without proper planning; having the right team in place — or not; having open communication with

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“Only 20 percent of all businesses put up for sale actually transfer to a new owner.” — U.S. Chamber of Commerce

My apologies to Charles Dickens, but the play on his title exemplifies what can happen with and without proper planning; having the right team in place — or not; having open communication with all the exit-plan constituencies; and having an enterprise-wide, dynamic strategic plan — or not. And if you don’t have these items in place, do you have, or not have, the will to take these steps? The answers are in what follows as a “Tale of Two Exits.”

Exit number one is a small, solely owned business with revenue in the $3 million to $5 million range. The owner was beginning to think of what the next stage in his life would look like and approached a consultant who was advertising as an exit-planning advisor. The owner was seriously concerned that he would not be able to retire and still leave a legacy and jobs for his loyal employees. He had no management team, but employed highly capable folks. He had personal financial wherewithal, but it was not quite enough to provide him the retirement lifestyle he felt he had earned with his 30 years of risk taking and hard work. He knew he needed a plan.

Over a period of three years, the owner, using exit-planning experts and business consultants, opened himself and his business to all the help he was seeking. A management team was built, he quantified his value gap between what he wanted in retirement and what he had accumulated, and communication flourished.

An organization-wide strategic plan was implemented and monitored on a monthly basis. It was determined that no one on his team had the skills and abilities to be a business owner, so he was able to narrow his options on how he would exit his business successfully and focus on making the one true option work in the most positive manner.

This owner was able to sell to a local third-party individual, maintain a temporary employment contract, and transfer the business very smoothly and successfully. The now former owner is happy as a clam, the legacy continues, and jobs have been saved for the local community.

Exit two is a medium-sized family business with revenue of $50 million to $60 million, but with very narrow profit margins. The two controlling shareholders are in their 60s and have done no planning. They make all decisions in a private conference room with the door closed. Again, the CFO approached a business-consulting firm, with whom the company had previously done business, to gain some insight into what exit options were available.

When the consultant met with the two owners, their primary goal of doing an “exit plan” was to calm the nerves of employees and managers and to keep them loyal.

The owners had not achieved personal financial independence, and as the engagement progressed, it became evident that they would need to improve profitability and operational efficiencies for the three key folks in the next generation to be able to afford to buy them out.

It was determined through psychological and job-fit assessment tools that there was a leader in the next generation. He was a family member and had gone outside the company for five years to learn the industry and had a very successful experience.

There were, however, fatal flaws in the senior owners. They refused to communicate with the next generation and would not accept them as being “seasoned” enough to be potential buyers. They also continued existing non-profitable business practices and would not listen to those inside the business who could do it better.

Trusted advisers attempted to convince the owners that the business had no direction or vision and needed to go through the strategic-planning process so they would know what they were trying to build and how they were going to make it happen. Again, pride and inertia won the day.

This company has deteriorated from a $15 million market value to $8 million. The next-generation leaders are jumping ship and probably the only exit plan available now is a sale to an outsider who will pay for inventory and customer lists. Jobs will be lost and the legacy of the business forgotten.

All business owners have a choice. They can prepare for the inevitable exit — or not. One of the most informative books I’ve ever read on the subject is “Taking Over — Insider Tips from a Third-Generation CEO,” by Mitchell Kaneff. Read the book and make your choice.

Bruce G. Grieshaber is a senior consultant for Grenell Consulting Group, specializing solely on exit planning. Contact him at bruce@grenell.com

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