More than 30 mostly Westchester-based businesses, individuals and agencies will be honored at Westchester Arc’s annual employer recognition breakfast being held tomorrow at the Westchester Marriott in Greenburgh.

More than 200 attendees are expected at the annual event, Arc said, which this year will feature a speech by Kenneth Adams, president and chief executive of the Business Council of New York State.

The Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce is looking for a few good businesses to participate in the third annual Shop Putnam Business & Home Expo to be held May 2 at Villa Barone Hilltop Manor in Mahopac.

For an application or more information, visit the chamber’s Web site at www.mahopaccarmelchamber.com/expo or call Eileen Martinelli 845-628-5553.

“New Americans — Tomorrow’s Workforce,� a conference on the regional work force, is slated for Friday at the Tarrytown House Estate and Conference Center in Tarrytown.

A group of experts will discuss topics of relevance to the local work force, touching on economic, education, and legal and legislative issues. The conference proceedings will be published as a starting point for initiatives to meet the county’s need for skilled workers.

Rae Rosen, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will speak on the subject, “Labor and Workforce Trends: The Regional Economic Climate and Projections for the Future.�

Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and chief executive of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, will speak on “Diversity Enriches the Leadership of Tomorrow.�

A series of six interactive roundtables with expert panelists are planned for the following topics:

• “Work Locally, Compete Globally – Building the Regional Skilled Workforce.� Panelists: Dr. Peter A. Creticos, president and executive director of the Institute for Work and the Economy and senior research associate at Northern Illinois University Outreach; John M. DeMarco, senior VP and corporate counsel for Lowe Enterprises; Timothy Indiveri, section manager of recruitment, Con Edison; and Jon B. Schandler, president and chief executive, White Plains Hospital Center.

• “Access to Success – Higher Education, Language and Literacy.� Panelists: Tara Colton, associate research director, Center for an Urban Future; Dr. Suma Kurien, director, LaGuardia Community College Center for Immigrant Education and Training; and Tarrytown School Superintendent Dr. Howard W. Smith.

• “Economic Development – Innovation and Partnerships for Business, Education and the Community.� Panelists: Julian L. Alssid, executive director, Workforce Strategy Center; Christopher Bruhl, head of the Business Council of Fairfield; Dr. Timothy Dowding, associate professor-in-residence & director, University of Connecticut; and William M. Mooney, Jr., president, Westchester County Association.

• “Immigration Policy and Legislation – Creating Policies that Work.� Panelists: Hon. Jose Alvarado, Westchester County Legislator, District 17; Robin Bikkal, senior partner, Silverman, Bikkal & Sandberg LLP; and Chung-Wha Hong, executive director, The New York Immigration Coalition.

• “The New Talent Pool – Diversity, Leadership and International Professionals.� Panelists: Manuel Boado, president and chief executive, SPANUSA; Nikki Cicerani, managing director, Upwardly Global; and Elizabeth McIsaac, executive director, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council.

• “Cost of Living – Building the Infrastructure for the New Workforce.� Panelists: Jerry Mulligan, Westchester County Planning Commissioner; Dr. Brian Nickerson, director, Pace University Edwin G. Michaelian Institute for Public Policy & Management; and Isabel Villar, executive director, El Centro Hispano Inc.

For more information, please call the Westchester Community College Foundation office at (914) 606-6804 or visit www.sunywcc.edu/forum to register online.

Minority- and women-owned businesses looking for a way to break into government contracting can learn the secrets of doing so at a four-day workshop due to start on Saturday.

The Hudson Valley Prep Program takes place on Saturdays from Apr. 14 through May 5 at the offices of the co-sponsor, the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties Inc. in Mount Vernon.

Among the subjects covered in the workshop are marketing, cost estimates, accounting, and understanding the bureaucracy. The chamber said that, historically, 76 percent of participants are awarded contracts.

“It’s a pretty complicated process,� chamber President and Chief Executive Robin Douglas said, “but it’s definitely worth it.�

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is co-sponsoring the program. Registration is $110. For more information, call the chamber at 914-699-4749, or check the Web at www.aaccnys.org.

Verizon Wireless will hold two job fairs in Rockland County next week as it looks to fill positions in business sales, telesales and communications stores in the New York metro area. The first job fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Romano Hall on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas College at 125 Rt. 340 in Sparkill. A second job fair will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Dominican College, 470 Western Highway in Orangeburg. Job requirements include one to two years of retail sales or service experience. A college degree is desirable, according to the company. For more information, visit the company’s Web site (www.verizonwireless.com/careers).

The North Rockland Businesses Alliance will host an open house April 12 for North Rockland businesses and residents.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at RHO Cottage in Letchworth Village. The speaker will be Thomas P. Zugibe, the organization’s counsel, former West Haverstraw Village judge and a candidate for Rockland County District Attorney.

For more information, or send an e-mail message to NRockBA@aol.com or call 845-942-4474.

The biggest minority business expo in the Lower Hudson Valley gets under way Tuesday with a job fair and an open discussion on how entrepreneurs can grow their enterprises.

The eighth annual Business-to-Business Exchange takes place through tomorrow at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains. The event is organized by the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties Inc.

For the third year in a row, the program will sponsor a “Town Hall Meeting� tonight from 6-9. The subject will be the next steps that businesses need to take to ensure their future, said Robin Douglas, president and chief executive officer of the chamber.

Marilyn D. Johnson, vice president of market development for IBM Corp., will moderate the meeting. Panelists include CNN commentator Donna Brazil, Westchester County Board of Legislators Vice Chairman Clinton I. Young Jr., Black Enterprise Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Alfred A. Edmond Jr., and Michael Jones-Bey, director of the division of minority and women’s business development for New York state.

The job fair will run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Seminars are scheduled for tomorrow on such topics as brand building, technology, and doing business with the state School Construction Authority. The keynote speaker at tomorrow’s luncheon is broadcaster Ed Gordon, host of “Our World with Black Enterprise.�

Four women will be honored during the luncheon for their business achievements. They are Jeannine Blanco, public affairs specialist at State Farm Companies; Joy P. Crichlow, director of Con Edison’s Supplier Diversity Program; Wanda McKenzie, a market executive for IBM; and Tracey Travis, chief financial officer for Polo Ralph Lauren.

More information on the program is available at the chamber’s Web site at www.aaccnys.org.

The Business Council of Westchester is hosting on seminar on ways to manage the costs of benefits Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. a the Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University in Purchase. The program’s offerings include three ways for business owners, manager and human-resource professionals to manage costs, regardless of whether a company is fully insured or self insured. Cost is $25 for Business Council members; $35 for non-members. To register, call 914-948-2110 or go online at www.westchesterny.org.

The Rockland Economic Development Corp. will host (REDC) is hosting “Financing Rockland County Business Development,� a free financing assistance seminar, from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday at the Pearl River Hilton, 500 Veterans Memorial Drive in Pearl River. The seminar is intended to give businesses the chance to learn about financial resources available through the county Industrial Development Agency, New York Business Development Corp. and the Rockland County Empire Zone Program. Registration is required. To register or to get more information contact the REDC at 845-735-7040 or info@redc.org.

“Mitigating Risk in a Wired World� will be the topic Thursday at a luncheon sponsored by the Westchester County Association.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Sam’s of Gedney Way at 52 Gedney Way in White Plains.

Speakers will include Christopher Furey, chief operating officer of Another 9 LLC in Tarrytown, and Erica L. Martinson, director of risk management services of The Rollins Agency in Tuckahoe.

The program will explore the potential risks that businesses face from loss of records by damage or theft, leaking of company-sensitive information and liability issues surrounding electronic communication.

For more information, call Julia Salem at 914-948-6740.

The Rockland Business Association has partnered with United Way of Rockland County to create the Rockland Open golf tournament.

The event will take place May 21 at Rockland Country Club in Sparkill and Minisceongo Golf Club in Pomona.

Proceeds will benefit the community programs of the Rockland Business Association and the United Way of Rockland County. Presenting sponsors are Active International, based in Pearl River, and Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern.

Rockland Country Club will host a corporate-challenge event in which corporate foursomes compete for top showing. Minisceongo Golf Club will host regular individuals and foursomes.

For information on fees and how to register or become a corporate sponsor, log onto www.rocklandbusiness.org/rba_golf.html or call 845-735-2100

The Rockland Economic Development Corp. will host a free financing assistance seminar for Rockland County businesses on March 9. “Financing Rockland County Business Development,� sponsored by Commerce Bank, will cover financial resources available including the County of Rockland Industrial Development Agency, New York Business Development Corp. and the Rockland County Empire Zone Program. The event is from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pearl River Hilton, 500 Veterans Memorial Drive. A continental breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. Seating is limited, and registration is required. To register, contact REDC at 845-735-7040 or info@redc.org.

Members of Westchester-Rockland Coaches, the local chapter of the International Coach Federation, is celebrating International Coaching Week, which starts Monday, with two events.

On Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m., Westchester-Rockland Coaches invites those who are interested in becoming a member of the organization, which provides life and business coaching services, to an event being held in Valhalla.

Those interested in attending should contact President Marcia Grubel at mgcoach@verizon.net or 914-591-4556 for location details.

Westchester-Rockland Coaches is also provide free coaching to senior management at Pleasantville-based Northern Westchester Shelter to help them provide services to domestic-violence victims.
The first round of the free-coaching project runs through February with another phase planned for later in the year, the organization said.

Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano will speak at The Westchester County Association’s annual breakfast with the county executive next month, the business group announced today. Spano’s speech will focus on the economic outlook and key initiatives of the county for 2007 at the breakfast forum, to be held Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Westchester Country Club in Rye. The cost for the event is $50 for WCA members ($60 at the door) and $70 for non-members ($80 at the door). Reservations can be made online at www.westchester.org or for more information call 914-948-6444.

Mount Vernon-native Terrie Williams returns to Westchester tomorrow to deliver a speech to the eighth annual Women’s Networking Roundtable at Berkeley College in White Plains.

The Manhattan author and founder of her own public-relations firm will discuss achieving success in life and business to a gathering of women business owners, who attend the roundtable to network and discover business resources.

In addition to hearing Williams’ speech, attendees will participate in breakout sessions on networking skills, marketing strategies, financial and accounting practices, Web site development and employment issues.

The event is sponsored by the Women’s Enterprise Development Center and the Alliance of Hudson Valley Business Owners.

To reserve a spot at the networking roundtable, e-mail Candy Palmer at cpalmer@westchester.org or call her at 914-948-6098 ext. 10.

The cost, including continental breakfast and lunch, breakout sessions and keynote speaker, is $50 a person.

Westchester Business Accelerator LLC principals Jeffrey Marks and Jeffrey Zink, also a former Yahoo! Inc. vice president, will speak at Rockland Economic Development Corp.’s annual economic development awards luncheon next week, the REDC announced today.

WBA is a White Plains-based consultancy that has advised start-up businesses for 25 years in sectors such as media, finance, technology and health care.

The duo’s expertise in getting small businesses off the ground ties in with the theme for this year’s REDC event — “Connections 2006: A Rockland County Small Business Summit.�

The event will be held Nov. 17 at the IBM Palisades Executive Conference Center on Route 9W in Palisades.

For more information, reach the REDC at info@redc.org or 845-735-7040.

Three major developers comprising the joint-venture partnership of Struever Fidelco Cappelli along with Yonkers Mayor Philip A. Amicone will be presented the Westchester County Association’s business leadership award next week for their efforts to revitalize Yonkers.

The three developers — Bill Struever, president and chief executive of Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, a Baltimore-based developer with offices in Yonkers; Marc E. Berson, chairman at Fidelco Realty Group of Millburn, N.J.; and Louis R. Cappelli, president of Cappelli Enterprises Inc., Valhalla — and Amicone will be presented the award during WCA’s annual fall dinner to be held Nov. 16. in Rye Brook.

The cost is $195 for association members; $250 for non-members. To register, click here or call 914-948-6444 for more information.