Steven Fialkow, president and chief executive officer of National Home Health Care of Scarsdale, will keep his position following an expected sale of the company to AG Home Health, according to the Scarsdale company’s proxy released this week.

Fialkow’s annual salary would be reduced from $545,475 to $475,000, but he will receive an interest in AG Home Health, among other contract changes. Fialkow’s father, Frederick H. Fialkow, the company’s chairman, would see his recently-amended employment agreement terminate upon the completion of the sale.

In August, National Home Health Care said the sale’s closing had been extended to Nov. 21 to allow for regulatory review.

Heineken USA in White Plains said that Kheri Holland Tillman has joined the beer importer’s marketing department as vice president for the Amstel Light and Dos Equis brands. Tillman replaces Willem van der Hoeven, who transferred to manage operations for Heineken South Africa.

Previously, Tillman spent eight years with Kraft Foods Inc. in a number of roles, most recently as brand director for new beverage products, and as a brand manager for multi-million dollar products, such as Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, Cool Whip and Jell-O. She also served as director of business development and client services at Translation Consultation and Brand Imaging, a youth and urban marketing consultant for companies such as Samsung, Chevrolet and Verizon.

IntegraMed America Inc. of Purchase said yesterday that it has reorganized its businesses into three divisions, and announced management changes.

The operator of fertility centers and vein care clinics said the new divisions are Fertility Centers, Consumer Services, and Vein Clinics. The company recently bought Vein Clinics of America.

Kush Agarwal, the chief executive officer of VCA before the acquisition, was named president of the Vein Clinics division. Joseph Travia, formerly senior vice president of IntegraMed’s Eastern division, was promoted to president of the Fertility Centers division. Pamela Schumann, formerly vice president of consumer services, was promoted to president of the Consumer Services division.

The Rockland Business Association signs up its 1,000 member this afternoon, reports the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer Al Samuels.

Member 1,000 is the Old 76 House, a Tappan restaurant housed in a historic 17th tavern.

The RBA has nearly tripled its membership during the seven years that Samuels has been at the helm of the organization, which has its offices at the
Blue Hill office complex in Pearl River.

Samuels attributed the rise to a three-pronged approach that includes attracting members from outside the county and the establishment of subsidiary groups within the RBA.

The organization also broadened its mission beyond being a business-networking group, Samuels said.

“Public policy and economic development became primary focus,� he said. “And I think that has attracted a lot of the membership.�

The RBA, the county’s chamber of commerce, reached its 1,000-member goal just a month after celebrating its 40th year in business.

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. of Purchase said yesterday that retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Kane has joined the company as vice president of defense and government programs, a new position.

Kane’s appointed was effective yesterday. He will support Atlas Air’s relationships with international government agencies and organizations, and will develop services to meet the needs of U.S. agencies.

Kane previously directed a staff of 275 military and civilians while at the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. Before that, he was based in Seoul as deputy chief of staff of the UN Command and U.S. Forces Korea, and as a senior member to the UN Military Armistice Commission.

While on the Korean peninsula, he worked with 15 member nations and their ambassadors, keeping them abreast of issues regarding the military armistice agreement.

South Salem resident Jeff Wellington has been named publisher of Reader’s Digest magazine. Wellington, who will join Reader’s Digest on Oct. 22, will be based at the company’s New York City office. He is president and group publisher of The Parenting Group, publisher of Parenting and BabyTalk magazines.

Wellington will report to Eva Dillon, president of RD Inspiration and group publisher of Reader’s Digest. Dillon has been overseeing Reader’s Digest since the former publisher, Ben Madden, left this spring after Reader’s Digest was acquired by private owners.

Wellington joined The Parenting Group in 1998 and was named to his current post in 2005. He recently led The Parenting Group’s transition to new ownership by Stockholm-based Bonnier Group, which purchased the company from Time Inc. in March.

Reader’s Digest is published by the Reader’s Digest Association Inc. of Chappaqua. An investor group led by Ripplewood Holdings LLC purchased Reader’s Digest earlier this year.

Alfred B. DelBello has been elected chairman of the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Association, becoming the 30th chairman in the business organization’s 57-year history.

The WCA made the announcement today. Two other officers and five board members were also elected.

DelBello, an attorney, businessman and former elected official, succeeds Stanley E. Freimuth, former senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Fujifilm U.S.A. Inc. in Valhalla.

DelBello is a native of Yonkers who lives in Waccabuc. He has served as Yonkers mayor, state lieutenant governor and Westchester county executive. He is the founding partner of what is now the lawfirm of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr LLP, based in White Plains. With the WCA, he has served on the Government Relations Committee and on the Health-Care Reform Task Force. In December, he was named chair of the WCA’s Property Tax Reform Commission, which is exploring the county’s property tax structure.

Other officers elected were Ale Frederico as corporate secretary and Frank Schettino as treasurer. Frederico, who lives in White Plains, is vice president of government banking-Westchester, for Commerce Bank in Purchase, and Schettino, of Cortlandt Manor, is associate managing partner in the accounting firm of Anchin Block & Anchin in Manhattan.

Also elected to the board were:

• John Barnes of New Canaan, Conn., senior vice president/director Westchester Connecticut Division, SL Green.

• Millie Becker of Pound Ridge, vice president/sales and marketing, Landmark Aviation.

• Robert A. Glazer of Millwood, chief executive officer, ENT & Allergy Associates LLP.

• Carla L. Romita of Pelham Manor, senior vice president, Castle Oil Corp.

• Kathleen Rooney of Hopewell Junction, executive vice president of Mahopac National Bank.

Another top executive at Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. of Irvington will leave this year with a six-figure “work at home� contract following his departure, the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Eric M. Millar, Prestige Brands’ senior vice president — operations, will resign before Sept. 30 but will remain an employee for one year at a salary of $213,000, the same amount as his 2007 pay. He also will qualify for a payment around May 2008 of either $96,000 or his bonus for the fiscal year that ends March 31, 2008, whichever is greater.

During the “work-at-home� period, Millar “will provide advice, information or guidance to the company on an as-needed basis,� the filing said. Millar has been senior vice president at the company since it was formed in June 2004.

Millar is the latest top executive to leave the consumer products company after Mark Pettie was tapped in January as its third chief executive in 12 months. In April, the company said Michael A. Fink would retire from his post as senior vice president — marketing, OTC/Personal Care.

Fink also received a “work at home� contract under which he would be paid $211,000 for a year, plus additional cash, in return for his availability to consult.

Frits van Paasschen knows all about sneakers and beer.

He boosted sales of those products around the world and turned around a struggling brand as a former executive in those industries.

Now, van Paasschen is about to test his skills as a hotel guy.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. considered more than 60 candidates during a five-month search for new chief executive officer before offering the job to van Paasschen. The company cited his 20-plus years of experience with consumer lifestyle brands as a major factor in the choice. Van Paasschen, 46, previously was a senior executive at Nike Inc., the world’s largest sneaker company, and Coors Brewing Co., the third largest U.S. brewer.

“You have a really experienced and savvy marketing executive who understands how to build brands,� board member Stephen Quazzo said yesterday in a conference call.

Quazzo, who headed Starwood’s executive search team, said that van Paasschen was the company’s top choice. He said that no one else was offered the job to lead the White Plains-based hotel company, whose brands include Sheraton, Westin and St. Regis.

“We wanted someone who would be people friendly and really a great guy, and we have that,� Quazzo said.

Quazzo said that van Paasschen’s attributes also include a keen appreciation of customer service, broad international experience and and a reputation as a team player.

Van Paasschen succeeds Bruce W. Duncan, who has served as interim CEO since April. Duncan will remain as chairman.

“I firmly believe he is the ideal candidate to lead the company in the future,� Duncan said on the conference call.

Van Paasschen most recently spent 2ÿ years as president and CEO of Coors Brewing Co., helping to boost market share and reverse nine quarters of decline in the flagship brand, Coors Light. During an earlier seven-year stint at Nike, he oversaw the company’s business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as revenues surged from $2.5 billion to nearly $4 billion.

“I recognize some significant differences between beer, sneakers and hotel rooms,� van Paasschen said on the conference call.

Noting that all successful products resonate with consumers, van Paasschen said that Starwood has enormous growth opportunities.

“In many ways, Starwood has redefined the hospitality industry,� van Paasschen said.
Van Paasschen takes over as CEO on Sept. 24. Duncan has served as interim CEO since the April resignation of Steven J. Heyer, amid feelings by board members that they had lost confidence in him due to his management methods, the company said.

In August, Starwood raised its profit forecast for the year as it benefited from strong travel and rising room rates around the world. Starwood, whose portfolio includes 105,000 rooms in more than 100 countries, reported operating profits of $178 million in the second quarter, up from $169 million a year earlier. Revenues jumped 4.5 percent to $1.57 billion.

Jeremy Glaser, an analyst at Morningstar, said that there are pros and cons to Starwood’s selection of van Paasschen.

“Although we are not thrilled that he has no previous experience in the hospitality industry, we think that Mr. van Paasschen’s marketing and branding prowess will help Starwood better differentiate its brands and segment the market more effectively,â€? Glaser said in a research report.

Home Instead Senior Care, which provides non-medical, in-home services to seniors, announced that it has transferred the ownership of the Northern Westchester and Putnam County territory to Brian Trainor. The office is in Carmel, and Trainor plans to open as second location in the next few months.

Trainor, who lives in Yorktown Heights, owns and operates the company’s Southern Westchester franchise, which has an office in White Plains. “Due to the growth of our senior population, the demand has escalated, and there’s a lot of seniors in Northern Westchester and Putnam County that can benefit form the services we provide,� he said.

His company provides services designed to help senior citizens who require assistance with chores and driving can remain in their homes. The hourly rate is $19.50. The company also provides round-the-clock live-in assistance.

“We provide companionship, meal prep, housekeeping, laundry… incidental transportation and help with errands and medications, “ he said. We want to keep it affordable so that the seniors can remail home safe and independent. So by providing some of these services… it allows them to remain home independent, and that’s really what all the seniors and older adults really want to do.â€?

Home Instead, based in Omaha, Neb., sells independently operated franchises nationally and internationally. For information on local services, call 845-278-5800 or 914-997-0400 or visit the company’s Web site.

MBIA Inc. of Armonk said Richard C. Vaughan, retired executive vice president and chief financial officer of Lincoln Financial Group, was elected to MBIA’s board of directors. Vaughan joined Lincoln in July 1990 as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Lincoln National’s Employee Benefits Division. He retired in May 2005.

Patricia Rochford of Yonkers has been named branch manager of the Chappaqua office of Houlihan Lawrence, the largest independently owned and operated residential real estate service in Westchester and Putnam counties.

Rochford has worked at Houlihan Lawrence since 1997. She started as an associate broker in the Yorktown office before moving to the Bronxville office. In 2001, Rochford was named branch manager of the Fleetwood office, where she has worked for the past six years.
Previously, she was a controller for four years at HCK Recreation, Inc., an operator of indoor and outdoor tennis facilities in the metro area. She later joined Century 21 Robert-David, where she worked for sixteen years, before Houlihan Lawrence acquired it.

A graduate of the Bronx Community College, she holds several real estate sales awards.

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Paul M. Bisaro is leaving the New Jersey-based generic-drug giant to take over as president and chief executive officer at Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Bisaro, 46, is replacing current Watson Chairman, CEO and President Allen Chao, 61, the founder of the 24-year-old generic-drug company, who is retiring as chief executive and president next month but will remain chairman.

“We regret that (Bisaro) has accepted a position with Watson Pharmaceuticals,� Barr Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bruce L. Downey said in a written statement. Downey will assume Bisaro’s responsibilities on an interim basis, the statement said.

Bisaro joined Barr in 1992 as the company’s general counsel.

Watson and Barr compete with each other in selling versions of some drugs.
Recently, Watson gained approval to begin selling a generic version of Barr’s Seasonale branded birth-control regimen, which limits women’s menstrual periods to four a year.

Both companies have substantial operations in the Lower Hudson Valley. Corona, Calif.-based Watson has a plant in Carmel where about 570 workers are employed. It also has a distribution center in Brewster with some 90 employees.

Barr, based in Woodcliff Lake, has generic-drug research and development operations in Pomona, employing more than 400 workers.

Michael A. Brennan has been appointed president of Reader’s Digest Europe and chief executive officer of Direct Holdings Worldwide, the Reader’s Digest unit that manages the Time Life business. The announcement was made yesterday by Mary Berner, president and CEO of The Reader’s Digest Association.

Brennan had been president of the company’s Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions since 1998. Before that, he was vice president of developing markets, overseeing operations in Asia, Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe.

“I am delighted to appoint Mike Brennan to his second tour of duty in Europe, where he worked in headquarters in the mid-1990s and played a role in RDA’s first wave of expansion into the Central European markets,� Berner said in a written statement.

With Direct Holdings Worldwide, Brennan will oversee global marketing for Time Life. Direct Holdings became part of the company in March when Reader’s Digest was acquired by a group of investors led by Ripplewood Holdings LLC.

Reader’s Digest also announced the appointments of Paul Heath as president of Reader’s Digest’s Asia Pacific region and Andrea Martin as president of its Canada and Latin America regions. The international restructuring is designed to more directly link regional businesses with global headquarters.

Jarden Branded Consumables, a unit of Rye-based Jarden Corp., has announced four senior-level promotions.

Michael Cornell, 35, is now president and chief executive officer of Jarden Branded Consumables, assuming the responsibilities of James E. Lillie, president and chief operating officer of Jarden Corp., who held the position on an interim basis. Previously, Cornell was CEO of Jarden Home Brands, a subdivision of Jarden Branded Consumables. Cornell joined Jarden following the acquisition of the Loew-Cornell art-supply company in 2004. At Jarden, he has led the Loew-Cornell, Pine Mountain firelog and Jarden Home Brands businesses, including the Diamond and Ball brands. Now he is also overseeing the United States Playing Cards, Lehigh and First Alert businesses.

Also promoted and reporting to Cornell are Kevin Brunory, Tom Fry and Devona Coffey. Brunory, who joined Jarden Home Brands in 2006 as vice president of sales, is now its executive vice president and general manager. Fry, who is executive vice president of operations for the firelog business, is now chief operating officer for Jarden Home Brands. And Coffey, who has worked for Jarden for more than 20 years, is now vice president of human resources for Jarden Branded Consumables.

Jarden Corp., which has more than 20,000 employees worldwide, sells familiar household products under brands that include Mr. Coffee, Sunbeam and Coleman.

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. announced today that it has hired two former DHL Express executives to help lead operations at the Harrison-based company’s Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc. subsidiary.

Former DHL Express executive Randy Clark has been named Polar’s chief operating officer following an agreement with DHL Express that includes the acquisition of an equity stake in Polar and a 20-year commercial arrangement.

In addition, Olivier Alexandroff, formerly vice president of controlling for DHL Express U.S., was named Polar’s chief financial officer.

Atlas Air and DHL said last November they had agreed to a 20-year commercial arrangement that will give DHL access to Polar’s six Boeing 747-400 Freighter planes and other benefits. Atlas Air estimated the deal would bring in up to $3.5 billion in revenues. DHL, a shipping company that is a subsidiary of German-based Deutsche Post AG, will also get a 25 percent voting interest in Polar in exchange for $150 million.

Tanya Vanasse, general manager of marketing at Stewart International Airport, will leave the post effective July 21 to move to Ithaca, the Orange County airport announced. Vanasse joined the airport in February 2005. Previously, she had worked as senior vice president for community banking at Mahopac National Bank.

Ralph Gregory, who has been president and chief executive officer of United Way of Westchester and Putnam for 26 years, said today that he plans to retire at the end of this year.

The 68-year-old Gregory, a resident of Katonah, is known for his efforts to build consensus and seek out diverse opinions to shape his leadership.

“His door or his telephone line is always open. His level of accessibility is critical for a person in his type of position who’s working collaboratively with a number of agencies,� said Robert W. Lapp, the president of the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester.

Gregory introduced a research effort in the 1980s to identify the most pressing problems from the perspective of area residents and community leaders. The research is now conducted every three to four years, and has led directly to the formation of the Child Care Council, the Westchester Housing Fund, the Community Housing Resource Center, an intergenerational initiative and the 211 HelpLine in the Hudson Valley region, among other services.

Gregory said the 211 help line is his proudest achievement. The service is a one-stop resource for health and human services information and referrals in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and other counties in the region.

Community leaders inspired 211 when they were asked what barriers there are to residents getting the services they need.

“Every time we asked that question, the No. 1 answer was people don’t know a service is in place that may be able to help them,� Gregory said.

Residents can dial 211 24 hours a day, seven days a week to learn how they can get help with everything from rent assistance to health care to food to employment.

The 211 service was introduced about a year and a half ago after a five-year effort, Gregory said, and has an annual budget of $2 million. The money comes in part from the state and county government. Also $200,000 is provided by United Way.

Gregory said he’s also made it a personal mission to spread the word to the area’s affluent community that there are people in desperate need of aid.

“When people think of Westchester or Putnam, they think of the beautiful parkways and the many golf courses and all the other good things we all enjoy. We really don’t think enough — and I’m sure we have not been as successful as we would like to be — about the fact that there are many who are hurting, living on the edge and in need of our help,� Gregory said.

Before coming to Westchester County, Gregory worked for the United Way in Dayton, Ohio, and also was the executive director of a residential treatment center for troubled children and a senior center operation in the Midwest.

He has a master’s degree in social science administration from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in Illinois.
Gregory, who has an adult son and two grandchildren, said he will stay active in the United Way as a volunteer.

Gregory is the third CEO in the United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s 45-year history. The agency said it will create a committee by the middle of July to search for a successor.

Jacqualyn A. Fouse will join Bunge Ltd. as chief financial officer, effective July 23. Since 2002, Fouse served as CFO at Alcon Inc., a Swiss-based eye care company. Fouse earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in economics from the University of Texas at Arlington. In a related announcement, White Plains-based Bunge said that Drew Burke, who had served as interim CFO since April, will return full-time to his role as co-chief executive officer of Bunge Global Agribusiness.

William R. Brody, president of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has been named a board member at IBM Corp. effective July 31. Brody became president of Johns Hopkins in 1996. Previously, he was provost of the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota.