About the Bloggers

  Dennis Kessler
  Suzanne Clarridge
  Yvonne DiVita
  Lauren Dixon
  Jane Glazer
  Cindy Hirschberg
  Stella Slaight
  Kitty Van Bortel
  Victoria Reynolds
  Marita Greenidge
  Judy Seil

 

Dennis Kessler, Edward J. and Agnes V. Ackley Executive Professor of Business Administration

Mr. Kessler is co-owner of Kessler Restaurants LLC, a Rochester, N.Y.-based owner and operator of 21 Burger King and 46 Friendly’s restaurants. Kessler has 27 years experience in restaurant ownership, real estate and human resource development. He employs about 3,000 workers in central and western New York State and is the largest Friendly’s franchise restaurant owner in the country. He has led a number of successful start-up companies and is a member of the Council of Advisors for Gerson Lehrman Group Inc., an international association of academic and industry thought leaders consulting for leading investment professionals worldwide.

Kessler is the Chair and Commissioner of Civil Service of the City of Rochester, a board member of the Rochester Education Foundation and was inducted into the Rochester Business Hall of Fame in 2006. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the University of Rochester Medical Center, a former trustee of The Boy Scouts of America, and serves as an advisor to local law enforcement agencies on matters pertaining to business.

B.S., City University of New York
M.A., Sociology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
M.S.L., Yale University Law School
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Suzanne Clarridge is President/CEO and Founder of My Brands Inc. (2000), the world’s best solution for consumer where-to-buy issues. My Brands provides a virtual “endless shelf” for CPG companies who seldom have perfect retail distribution across all of their products. As a contracted service to the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, My Brands solves the “where-to-buy” issue by providing one place to which the CPG manufacturer can send a consumer to purchase any product the company produces. My Brands purchases the product from the manufacturer, takes the consumer order, warehouses, picks, packs and ships the products directly to the consumer’s door. Consumers can purchase the products via a toll-free number or at MyBrands.com.

Suzanne has more than twenty years experience in Sales & Marketing; working in Brand Management for companies including Hefty and Fisher Price. She earned a BA in Political Science from Oakland University and her MBA in Marketing from Rochester Institute of Technology.

It was during her years working at Hefty that Suzanne envisioned the idea for My Brands. It was in July of 2000 when Suzanne began working full-time on the My Brands business plan and Private Placement Memorandum. The Memorandum was issued in December of 2000 seeking $1 million in private investment but as the result of the “dot-com”crash it became apparent by February of 2001 that Angel Investors would not participate. Committed to starting My Brands, Suzanne elected to “bootstrap” the company with her life savings, investments from friends and family, as well as loans through Monroe County and M&T Bank. The company began shipping products to consumers in June of 2001. My Brands solves the where-to-buy problem for over 50 notable CPG manufacturers including Nestle, Alcoa and Ocean Spray. Today, the company sells over 8,000 items and employs 17 people.

Suzanne lives in Brighton, NY with her husband and two step-children, two Australian Shepherds and her elderly cat. Her interests include skiing, gardening and golf.
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Yvonne DiVita is the founder and president of Windsor Media Enterprises, LLC, an “author services” company that specializes in print-on-demand book publishing technology (WME Books), along with professional business blog creation and social media. Starting as a web content writer in the early days of the Internet, she later helped champion several technology start-up companies. After writing and publishing her first book, Dickless Marketing: Smart Marketing to Women Online, Yvonne decided to become a publisher herself. Today, her focus is on helping aspiring authors – especially those writing business books – make wise publishing choices.

Yvonne authors Lip-Sticking, a blog with a focus on the women’s market. Her other blogs include A-ha!: Authors Helping Authors, a publishing blog; WME Blogs, a blog about blogging; the WME Books Blog, a blog about her authors’ books; and Beneath the Cover, a blog about the print-on-demand publishing process. She also writes and manages Scratchings & Sniffings, a petblog sponsored by Nestle’ Purina PetCare Company.

Yvonne is the current President of the Rochester Chapter of Women in Communications, VP of Web Communication for the Rochester Chapter of the American Marketing Association, and Past-President of the Rochester Professional Consultants Network. In 2004, she was honored by the Rochester Women’s Network as an “Up and Coming Businesswoman”. She is often quoted on the Internet regarding marketing to women, business blogging, and self-publishing, and is a frequent speaker of these topics at both local and national forums and conferences.
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Lauren Dixon had $22.11 in her bank account and an unwavering desire to make her company a success. With no loans, grants or external funding Lauren bootstrapped Dixon Schwabl from a one-person operation headquartered in her home to a 75+ employee firm headquartered in Victor, New York. She used no external financing until she built the company's headquarters in Victor in 2002.

As CEO of Dixon Schwabl, Lauren has full responsibility for agency performance with duties encompassing bottom-line factors such as long-range strategic planning, company vision and culture. She builds and provides day-to-day general and strategic oversight for a growing roster of more than 146 clients.

2007 marked the 20th anniversary of DS which now grosses over $130 million in revenue. The agency has been repeatedly hailed as one of the best small companies to work for in America. In 2008 DS officially captured the title of number one small company to work for in America conferred by The Great Place to Work institute.

Lauren's career began at WHAM TV-13 as on-air reporter, anchor, and co-host of the nationally syndicated program PM Magazine. While at Channel 13, Lauren received national recognition with awards from the Associated Press and United Press International. Lauren followed her broadcast career at Channel 13 with a position as sales manager at WROC TV-8 in Rochester before founding Dixon Schwabl in 1987.

The idea of founding a company petrified Lauren but she received strong encouragement and support from her father who gave her two pieces of advice that she still utilizes today - always hire persons that are smarter than you and always motivate your employees to want to come to work every day.

Lauren has a bachelor of science from Kent State University, majoring in broadcast journalism. She has a minor in French, Spanish, Italian, and German.

A strong proponent of giving back to the community her company annually dedicates 7,500 pro bono hours to non-profits within the Rochester community. She created the Horses on Parade fiberglass animal parade in Rochester, one of the most successful charitable events in area history, raising $1 million that was distributed to 116 local charities.

Lauren believes in helping to build a better community by encouraging tomorrow's leaders to learn and grow their careers in Rochester. DS has a comprehensive mentoring and internship program which has seen more than 800 Rochester area students holding internships at the company.

Lauren serves on several Rochester area boards including: Thompson Health Foundation, 2004-present; EnCompass, 2006-present; MCC Advisory Board Capital Campaign, 2006-present; YMCA Capital Campaign Co-Chair, 2007-present; Nazareth College Board of Trustees, 2007-present; Ontario ARC, 2005-present; and CMAC Board of Directors, 2007-present.

She is a frequent local and national guest speaker on topics such as advertising, marketing, philanthropy and company culture. She is married with four children, two of whom are actively involved in her company.
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Jane Glazer is Founder and President of QCI Direct, a catalog and online consumer products company.

Begun in 1983 as the Qwik-Cook, Inc., mail-order catalog business, Jane's company has evolved to include three catalogs and five websites, including Home Trends, Picket Fence, and Sleep Solutions.

Before launching her business career, Jane worked in education as a Math teacher and head of a Math Department in NYC and Rochester. She holds a B.S. in Math from the University at Buffalo and Masters in Education from Nazareth College.

Jane serves on the boards of WXXI (public broadcasting) and the Jewish Community Center. Her family life involves her husband, three adult children with spouses, and four grandchildren. Jane's personal interests include running (finished the NYC Marathon in 1995), gardening, golf, and flying (instrument pilot).
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Cindy Hirschberg is an attorney specializing in the area of intellectual property with an emphasis on technology transactional work. She assists clients in technology joint ventures, software development, licensing, and distribution, consulting relationships, web-related issues, trademark and copyright matters, and protection of trade secrets, among others.

Cindy's legal career began in New York City as a corporate and securities law associate at a firm then known as Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn & Berman LLP which later merged with the global firm, Bryan Cave LLP. Cindy has worked for and negotiated against numerous Fortune 500 companies and also has represented many start-up companies on a variety of legal matters. She currently is an attorney at Brown & Michaels, PC, an intellectual property boutique law firm based in Ithaca, New York with an office in the Rochester, New York area. She is a graduate of Fordham Law School and Cornell University.

Cindy lives in Rochester, New York with her 5 boys -- that is, her husband, three sons, and dog, Al.

Constantly searching for ways to be with members of her own gender, Cindy welcomed the opportunity to join the Women Entrepreneurs Blog @ Simon.
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Stella Slaight has enjoyed a successful 20-plus year career in banking. However, as with many of the small business owners and entrepreneurs with whom she now works, Stella’s early career was on a different track. Working as a physician’s secretary at Strong Memorial Hospital, Stella attended Rochester Institute of Technology at night, completing both a B.S. and M.B.A.

Degrees in hand, Stella joined Chase Lincoln First Bank’s Credit Training Program, in 1987. The formal credit-training program provided the basics of credit structure and underwriting, and launched Stella’s career in commercial banking.

Stella’s first lending assignment at Chase was the Small Business and Entrepreneurial unit, a direction she has pursued with excellence ever since. Stella continued with Chase through 1995, first elected to Banking Officer, then Second Vice President.

She joined Fleet Bank’s Business and Entrepreneurial Services Group in 1996, and M&T Bank’s Business and Professional Banking group in 1998. Stella currently holds the title of Vice-President at M&T Bank, where she provides credit and non-credit banking services to small businesses in their start-up, growth and mature phases.

In her banking career and active community participation, Stella has become a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs and woman owned businesses. In 2005, Stella was recognized as the outstanding member of the National Association of Women Business Owners in Rochester, and continues as an active member.
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Kitty Van Bortel is Founder and President of Van Bortel Subaru and Van Bortel Ford.

When you meet Kitty Van Bortel — as so many customers of her two dealerships do every day — you know that she’s the powerhouse behind the enormous, consistent success of Van Bortel Subaru and Van Bortel Ford. Kitty owns the top selling Subaru dealership in the nation, as well as one of the most successful Ford dealerships in a multi-state area. Her automotive group is now one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in the greater Rochester, NY area.

With an investment of only $500, Kitty founded her first used car dealership in her front yard in 1985, lining up the cars in front of her small house in Victor, NY. She applied the experience she had gained as sales manager for John Holtz’s Mercedes Benz/BMW dealership to her own enterprise, moving to a three-acre lot in 1990 and quickly gaining momentum until it was time to choose a brand and move to new car sales. It was only natural that she became attracted to Subaru because of the cars’ sturdy construction, excellent design and focus on safety, reliability and comfort. She built a 6,000-square-foot facility in Victor to house Van Bortel Subaru, and opened the doors in 1991.

Kitty approached new car sales with a unique philosophy: She instinctively became the kind-hearted dealer. “I trust people, and I always have,” she said in a recent keynote speech to the Greater Rochester Chapter of the National Association of Woman Business Owners. “And when you trust people, people will trust you. That’s why we give our customers a fair price, and all the information they need to make a sound decision, and then we allow them to take the time to make that decision. No tricks, no games.”

In just one year after opening Van Bortel Subaru, Kitty was inducted into the Subaru Chairman’s Roundtable — a select organization of the top 20 dealers in the nation who display excellence in sales and customer satisfaction. She has remained a member every year since 1992, and today Van Bortel Subaru maintains a 77% or more market share in Subaru sales in the Rochester area, an achievement that dates back to 1997. In 1999, Van Bortel Subaru became the largest Subaru dealership in the nation, receiving Subaru Stellar Performer certification every year since 2001.

In 2001. She opened Van Bortel Ford just a short drive down the road from the Subaru dealership in Victor, NY, and by 2002 the new dealership became Blue Oval Certified, an indication of Van Bortel Ford’s immediate and consistent success. Van Bortel Ford quickly rose to become the highest volume selling Ford dealer in the market — beating 10 other Rochester area Ford dealers. In 2003, Van Bortel Ford received Ford’s annual Top 20 Sales Achievement Award in the Pittsburgh region, which includes dealerships from several states.

Kitty is more than a smart, successful business owner — she is also a well-recognized role model for businesswomen in the greater Rochester area and throughout the nation. Working Woman magazine selected Van Bortel Subaru as a Top 500 Woman-Owned Business for four years running. Kitty has been honored as a Wells College Alumni of the Year, and she received the Alfred University College of Business Galanis Award for Excellence in Family Business in 2003.

Twice each year, the Van Bortel dealerships conduct Girl Scout Car Care and Maintenance Workshops to teach young women to take care of their own vehicles, and a Car Buying Seminar for pediatric interns at the University of Rochester. The Van Bortel dealerships sponsor Camp Good Days and Special Times, the Susan B. Anthony House, Rochester Women’s Foundation, the local chapter of the National Liver Foundation, AIDS of Rochester, and Quad A for Kids.
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Victoria Reynolds currently serves as Deputy District Director for the US Small Business Administration's District Office in Buffalo NY.

She joined the agency in 1990 and since that time has focused on providing financial, technical, and procurement assistance to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs in the district's 14 county service area.

She is a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester with a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Economics.
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Marita L. Greenidge is our budding young entrepreneur who lives by the mantra “aut viam inveniam aut faciam” — I will find a way or make one. Marita came to the Simon School after deciding to pursue her dream of starting her own publishing company. “I thought I had the creative skills but wanted to get the business skills” said the former journalist. Prior to attending Simon, Marita worked as a business journalist for two years at a publishing company in Barbados.

Entrepreneurship has long been a passion of hers. Since age 17 she has successfully marketed herself as a one-on-one tutor to parents seeking to improve the Mathematical and English skills of their children. At age 20 she attempted to scale up this business, but unfortunately failed to turn the venture into a success.

At Simon she has wasted no time in immersing herself in her great loves. She is co-Managing Editor of the school magazine and Vice President of Events for the school’s Entrepreneurs Club. Marita is also co-coordinator and consultant at the school’s writing center where she helps manage a team of student writing consultants as well as helps students improve their writing abilities. She gained exposure to the intricacies of angel investing after interning during summer 2008 at the Rochester Angel Network (RAN). RAN is the angel investing arm of Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), an economic development agency that facilitates business development in the greater Rochester region.

Marita has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Management from the University of the West Indies in Barbados, graduating within the top five in her class. She spent two years teaching Introductory Mathematics, Microeconomics and Statistics part-time. Before graduating she secured a job offer from accounting firm Deloitte & Touche staying only one month with the company after realizing that accounting was not an area of interest for her. She left that job to take up the position at the publishing company.

Marita maintains membership in the Barbados Economic Society and is a volunteer with the Barbados HIV/AIDS Commission. She is a fitness enthusiast, going to the gym several times a week.
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Judy Seil currently serves as Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development of Monroe County, NY.

Judy has worked for Monroe County for 16 years in the Economic Development Dept. She was named Economic Development Manager in 2005 and Director of Planning and Development in 2007.

Previously Judy worked as a commercial loan officer for 10 years for HSBC and Key Bank. She is a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester.
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