School of Business Announces 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees

NEW PALTZ — The School of Business Selection Committee at the State University of New York at New Paltz is pleased to announce the 2007 School of Business Hall of Fame inductees.

The five inductees – Albert and Nina Smiley, Business People of the Year; Deborah Wilkins Flippin (’74), Alumna of the Year; Cari Rabinowitz, Student of the Year; and Gerard "Ozzie" Beichert, recipient of the 2007 Dean’s Award for Excellence – will be recognized at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, at the Wiltwyck Country Club in Kingston.

Albert Smiley is president and CEO of Mohonk Mountain House and Nina Smiley is director of marketing at Mohonk. After 137 years, Mohonk remains a family-owned business, founded by Mr. Smiley’s great-grand-uncle in 1869.

Ozzie Beichert is president of Timely Signs of Kingston, Inc., a full service sign manufacturing company he founded in 1964. He has worked full time at the company since 1988, moving from the Town of Ulster into a 20,000-square-foot facility in the City of Kingston in 1995, and currently employing 18 people.

Deborah Wilkins Flippin serves as vice president/marketing manager for Key Bank’s Hudson Valley District. Wilkins Flippin oversees marketing and advertising in the seven-county district (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester).

Cari Rabinowitz is an undergraduate student majoring in accounting. She has a 3.39 GPA and plans to graduate in May 2007. She accepted an offer to work in the Core Assurance department of Ernst & Young’s financial services office in New York City after graduation.

Hadi Salavitabar, dean of the School of Business, said, "It is an honor and pleasure for the School of Business to recognize the outstanding members of our community who deeply care about the education of our students and well-being of our region."

The presenting sponsor of the event is Key Bank. Corporate Sponsors include: Central Hudson Energy Group; M & T Bank; and Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, CPA, LLP. The business sponsor of the event is Ulster Savings Bank.
Company sponsors include: Alfandre Architecture; First Federal Savings of Middletown; Horse Shows in the Sun; Mid Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union; and Timely Signs.

2007 Inductees. Deborah Wilkins Flippin was unavailable for the photo.