AJ Ross is thrilled to work with such a celebrated organization, giving them an opportunity to support their own community.  As a major sponsor of the Strong Kids Campaign, the agency will be reinforcing the brand and educating the public about all the wonderful things the YMCA does.  This will include creating promotional brochures and posters, wall art at the Monroe facility, and even a custom Facebook Application.  The brochures and posters will show the personality of the Orange County branches while maintaining the spirit and brand of the YMCA.  The wall art to be done in the Monroe facility will encourage the community to be a part of the YMCA – both as participants and donors.  The creatively done Facebook App was made to be user friendly and help promote the YMCA and the Strong Kids Campaign through Social Media.

“The YMCA is such an amazing organization and has so much to offer to the community.  AJ Ross is so pleased to be working with Ira Besdansky and all of his people,” says Allan Ross, President and CEO of AJ Ross Creative Media.

The YMCA has and continues to strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.  The goals are simple, yet important: to make a positive impact on our youth, promote wellness and provide great services to people from all ranges of the financial spectrum.

“The organization is incredibly fortunate to partner with AJ Ross,” states Ira Besdansky CEO of the YMCA.  “We now have the tools, the expertise and the passion of a high level creative team to help us tell the story of how impactful the Y is on the quality of life in Orange and Southern Sullivan Counties.”

Download the PDF of the article in the January 2nd Hudson Valley Business Journal.

The unique website is set apart by its reflection of all 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. As each season changes, the website will change with it, mimicking the beautiful scenic variations that Orange County experiences throughout the year.

In addition to its visual appeal, the new site has been brought up to current web standards, being user and device friendly. With iPad’s and iPhone’s becoming more commonly used for web browsing, it was important to take into consideration that Flash is not supported on these devices, so sites that incorporate that cannot be viewed. Even other smart phones and tablets that do have flash capability are moving away from it because of how draining it is on batteries. With that in mind, the new site is Flash-free, and easy to navigate.

The site was also expanded so that in addition to tourism information, it also contains new sections like Fascinating Facts, Maps & Charts, Photo Galleries and even a Video. The new site also ties into Orange County Tourism’s Facebook App, also created by AJ Ross, which boasts the same season changing theme, blended with valuable information on the county.

With so many wineries, historic sites and outdoor activities, the site has over 500 different informational pages, categorized for easy searching. Keeping all of the information organized and accessible was an important part of the website structure that also went hand in hand with a striking design.

“We’re a four season destination, beautifully reflected in Orange County Tourism’s new web site. We’re very pleased with the site A.J. Ross Media has produced for us,” says Susan Hawvermale, the Director of Orange County Tourism.
AJ Ross Creative Media, located in the Hudson Valley’s historic Chester, NY, was founded by President and CEO Allan Ross and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in business. A former set musician, jingle writer and producer, Ross parlayed that experience into the development of a full-service strategic marketing and PR agency. AJ Ross offers brand development, print, radio, and TV advertising production, graphic design, website and viral development, and public relations. Some of its clients include Orange County Tourism, Orange County Partnership, Finkelstein and Partners, Jacoby and Meyers, Partners In Safety and Catholic Charities of NYC. To learn more about AJ Ross Creative Media, visit www.ajross.com, call 800-723-4644, or email info@ajross.com.

William Balter, principal of Wilder-Balter, also reported that the firm, in cooperation with the Newburgh Housing Authority, will be vying to win a scheduled foreclosure auction on the property to be conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday, September 2.

“To show our commitment to this project, we got permission from the current management company to allow our contractors to come in and fix the two elevators that were causing problems for the building’s tenants,” Balter said. “Although we have no ownership interest in the property as yet, we are doing this work for the residents since it is just not reasonable to not have operational elevators in an eight-story senior community.”

One elevator has not operated since 2009 and the other elevator broke three days ago. “Yesterday we fixed the elevator that recently broke and by the end of this week we expect to have the other elevator operational,” Balter said.

Wilder Balter Partners has been working with the Newburgh Housing Authority on an $11-million redevelopment plan for Burton Towers that calls for the complete renovation of all 126 apartments. This will include new kitchens, bathrooms, heating and cooling (with Energy Star equipment), the installation of new elevators, new windows and a new roof. The national award-winning affordable housing developer, had in fact negotiated a contract of sale with the current owners, but later learned that HUD, which had filed foreclosure proceedings, had scheduled a public auction on the property earlier this month. That auction was postponed until this Friday. Both the Newburgh Housing Authority and the city of Newburgh each have the right of first refusal on any sale.

The Wilder Balter plan was endorsed by the Newburgh Housing Authority Board on August 24. Newburgh Mayor Nicholas Valentine and the City Council have backed what Wilder Balter Partners believes is a less comprehensive plan with Mountco Construction and Development of Scarsdale, NY.

Balter said that there have been some misconceptions circulated about the Burton Towers redevelopment and his firm’s intention to acquire the property either through a right of first refusal sale or through public auction.

For example, Balter related that the City is not at risk of losing $700,000 in outstanding PILOT payments and water and sewer liens as Mayor Valentine has charged. “Wilder Balter Partners had offered to pay the City the $700,000 owed plus $300,000 in impact fees, which is $100,000 more than Mountco’s proposal,” Balter said. “Wilder Balter also offered to pay the City $500,000 of that amount at closing versus $0 with Mountco.”

In addition, Wilder Balter’s plan calls for the Newburgh Housing Authority to be part of the ownership and management of the property whether it is acquired through a right of first refusal transaction or by public auction. Other key components of the agreement call for the Newburgh Housing Authority to receive a significant percentage of the development fee, as well as a proton of the management fee and cash flow going forward.

Balter also noted that his firm had several conversations with Newburgh City officials about its Burton Tower plan. The firm also attended the August 4th City Council work session in order to discuss its plan. However, the City Council chose to discuss the Burton Towers redevelopment in executive session. A few days later Wilder Balter learned that the Mayor and City Council had decided to move forward with a plan to buy the property and then flip it to a different developer—Mountco Construction and Development.

Balter also said, “We believe we have the right plan for Burton Towers, its residents, the Newburgh Housing Authority and the City of Newburgh and are confident that in the end we will prevail.”

To showcase the quality of a Wilder Balter development, Wilder Balter will conduct a tour of its Hearthstone development in Goshen for Burton Towers residents on Wednesday, August 31. A coach bus will leave Burton Towers at 10:30 a.m. A lunch will be provided after the tour followed by a return trip to Burton Towers.

Wilder Balter Partners Inc., managed by William G. Balter and Robert H. Wilder, Jr., is a leading residential developer in the Hudson Valley. Their work ranges from historic rehabilitations to redevelopment of affordable housing communities to construction of luxury homes.

WBP’s past projects in Orange County include Hearthstone in Goshen, the Brewery in Middletown, Stone Hill in Washingtonville and Creekside Apartments in Warwick.

Organized and led by New York City Triathlon participants Neal Wilkinson and Jeff Vizethann, the Orange County Triathlon is over 2 years in the making. They, along with others involved, balanced family and full-time jobs while planning the detailed event. Athletes will swim 1500 meters, bike 40-kiometers (24.9 miles), then end it with a 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) run. The race took the athletes through several different areas of Orange County, highlighting the beautiful Newburgh Waterfront.

AJ Ross, who is also a proud sponsor of the race, wanted to ensure that Neal and Jeff’s hard work and planning paid off by properly promoting the event. Allan Ross, president of AJ Ross states “We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship. It was a pleasure working all the people involved. It was a great event.”

To make that happen, a custom Facebook app and creative posters and flyers were designed, enticing interest and recognition. The creatively designed Facebook app allowed for visitors to view event sponsors, for athletes and volunteers to register and also has downloadable maps so anyone can view the course. It even has two videos of the bicycle and running courses so that participants not familiar with the area can get an idea of the terrain before the race. The posters show a unique illustration of the progression and struggle of the race, and in conjunction with the Facebook app, have been used to successfully publicize the event. Also AJ Ross was in charge of a major statewide PR campaign.

Co-Race Director Neal Wilkinson added how important it was to connect with a sponsor with similar work ethic.

“It was important to for us to align our selves with a company who shares our values toward hard work and promoting a future world class event,” Wilkinson said.

“Allan and his team have supported us every step of the way and helped to create a positive impression and professional look for our event,” he added.

The Facebook app as well as promotional materials featuring the event’s presenting sponsors were key factors in the promotion. “The artwork and marketing strategy was striking and we were all so proud to have AJ Ross on our team. We look forward to working with AJ Ross in the future,” Wilkinson said.

AJ Ross Creative Media, located in the Hudson Valley’s historic Chester, NY, was founded by President and CEO Allan Ross and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in business. A former set musician, jingle writer and producer, Ross parlayed that experience into the development of a full-service strategic marketing agency. AJ Ross offers brand development, print, radio, and TV advertising production, graphic design, website and viral development, and public relations. Some of its clients include Orange County Tourism, Regan Development, Finkelstein and Partners and Jacoby and Meyers To learn more about AJ Ross Creative Media, visit www.ajross.com, call 800-723-4644, or become friend on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ajrosscreative.

The race will be held this Sunday August 21 at 7:00 a.m. at the City of Newburgh Public Boat Launch located at 2 Washington Place and awards will be given out at 12PM.

Newburgh, NY (August 19, 2011) – Race Directors from the Orange County Triathlon announced today that after two years of intense planning and preparation, they will host the Inaugural Orange County Triathlon on August 21. This event will start and finish at the famed Newburgh Waterfront.
The Orange County Triathlon (OCTRI) is an Olympic Distance race consisting of a 1500m swim, a 40k bike, and a 10k run.

“It is the mission of the Orange County Triathlon to produce a competitive sporting event, which promotes athletic excellence, sportsmanship, community awareness, and a love for the sport”, Orange County resident and Co-Race Director of the Orange County Triathlon Neal Wilkinson said.  The triathlon will bring the community together and promote not only a healthy lifestyle but the feeling of local support and pride, he added.

“The OCTRI strives to put Newburgh in the news for a positive event and to bring awareness to the beauty we have here in Newburgh,” Wilkinson said.

The race is unique in that it features an open-water, point-to-point swim in the mighty Hudson River, a challenging cycle course through the beautiful countryside of Orange County, including historic points in the City and Town of Newburgh, and finally racing through picturesque Balmville, finishing with a sprint down restaurant row at Newburgh’s famed Waterfront.

“We have been working for several years to bring an Olympic Distance Triathlon to the Hudson Valley and finally its here,” added Jeff Vizethann, Co-Race Director of the event. “The Newburgh Waterfront is an ideal location to host a triathlon with the river and beautiful views of the valley.  We are thrilled to bring a world-class event to the streets of Newburgh and neighboring towns,” he said.

Wilkinson and partner Jeff Vizethann, both local athletes, who are avid competitors and impressive finishers in several marathons and triathlons, picked Orange County and the Newburgh Waterfront to host such an event because they believed it would be the perfect setting.

“Gorgeous landscapes and riverside features; Orange County is one of the most beautiful places in the country,” Vizethann said.
The team has been working diligently with leaders from the famed NYC Triathlon, local police and fire department heads, Bill Kaplan, and other government and community figures, to put together this epic event.

“The support we have received is just great.  Everyone involved so far has gone above and beyond to make this happen,” Wilkinson said.

The event also has support from several well-known sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Morehead Honda, Poland Spring, Dana Distributors, Aflac, Alexis Diner, Local 17 Laborers Union, Gold’s Gym, Lynn Warren Landscaping, John Herbert Company, Hammer Nutrition, Billy Joe’s Ribworks, Argenio Brothers Construction, Got Wildlife? Gully’s, Price Chopper, U-Haul, Bryan’s Bikes, Mobile Life Support, Arctic Glacier, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, Super Race Systems, The Home Depot, Stephen Eric Enriquez, DMD Prosthodontist, Leo’s Restaurants, Storm King Adventure Tours, The North Face, A.J. Ross Creative Media, Dr. Michele Winchester-Vega, Wells Fargo, Michael Kirtio Advisor, and many others. Under Armour (NYSE: UA) a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear and accessories, is also a sponsor and featuring all the apparel for the event.

“We are very excited to team up with all of our sponsors” added Neal Wilkinson, Co-Race Director of the Orange County Triathlon. “It was important for us to align with brands that share our values and help our athletes perform at their best.”

Wilkinson and Vizethann are also seeking volunteers and sponsors. All are encouraged to attend, participate, volunteer and/or support in any way possible to make this event a success.
Please visit orangecountytri.com for registration information and more details.

AJ Ross was proud to take on such a honorable organization as a client, and has been fully committed to creating the brand for Smiling on America’s Heroes that will be carried throughout the campaign with the creation of a striking and prideful logo, followed by a efficient and equally attractive website. The logo and website are designed to evoke the patriotic spirit of Smiling on America’s Heroes, while also being functional and allowing Veterans to easily have access to the organization’s offerings. The site makes it easy to sign up and find a provider, allowing Veterans and their family to utilize the benefits they’ve earned.

“It was quite humbling to asked to work on such a wonderful cause. I am very proud to be apart of this organization” says AJ Ross Creative Media President and CEO Allan Ross.

The Smiling on America’s Heroes program recently unveiled their plan at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor to a supportive audience including Senator William Larkin and many of our courageous Veterans. Their mission is to ensure our brave men and women in uniform are offered the quality discounted dental, vision and work & family benefits that they deserve. The program allows access to over 41,000 participating points of care for vision services, and a staggering 95,000 for dental.

Bill DeProspo, Esq. and a Principal for Smiling on America’s Heroes states “AJ Ross was able to capture our company’s feelings for Veterans and indeed our founder’s debt of gratitude by designing the logo and a first rate web site. Both have been a huge asset in our statewide launch and we look forward to working with AJ Ross and his team of talented professionals when we do our National Launch in 2012. AJ Ross is an integral and important working partner with Smiling On America’s Heroes and we are enormously grateful for their talents, their guidance and their partnership.”