Career Coaches
Barbara Sanchez bsanche@yahoo.com 917-428-8117
Carol DiMarco info@bluelabeldesign.com 718-667-0024
Valarie Holland vrencher1@verizon.net 347-210-1113
Joelle Grunblatt joelle@rgroup2003.com 347-286-1747
Carole Kass firstwordresume@gmail.com 917-882-9576
Valarie Contrino valarie@contrinotravel.com 718-761-4846
Rob Myers rmyers@idbny.com 917-655-7965
Barbara Sanchez bsanche@yahoo.com 917-428-8117
Carol DiMarco info@bluelabeldesign.com 718-667-0024
Valarie Holland vrencher1@verizon.net 347-210-1113
Joelle Grunblatt joelle@rgroup2003.com 347-286-1747
Carole Kass firstwordresume@gmail.com 917-882-9576
Valarie Contrino valarie@contrinotravel.com 718-761-4846
Rob Myers rmyers@idbny.com 917-655-7965
Below are the bios of our current team members:
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Owner – Contrino Travel, Inc.
718-761-4846
Beginning her career as an outside travel consultant for a local Staten Island agency just before 9/11/2001, Valarie worked concurrently as an insurance broker for a large commercial brokerage firm which had been located in the World Trade Center. After relocating to the brokerage firm’s Parsippany office while still working simultaneously as a travel consultant, she made the decision to open her own agency and did so in February 2005.
She worked concurrently for several years after that, and in March 2008 left the insurance industry to commit 100% of her energies to her business. Given the economic climate, it was a very difficult decision to make, but she is glad to have taken the risk.
Valarie holds the designation, CTA, Certified Travel Associate, a professional certification program in the travel industry. She has traveled extensively to parts East and West, including Hong Kong, Japan and Western Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Mexico. Cruising is also a special interest, having sailed on more than a half dozen ships.
Acting as a host agency for other outside sales agents, she recruited and is currently providing mentorship to one of her clients who realized being a travel professional was her dream too.
Valarie is always up for a challenge and enjoys researching those locations she has not yet had the pleasure of experiencing for herself. She prides herself on continually educating herself through various venues such as seminars, webinars and online education, utilizing that knowledge to assist her clients’ needs. She is committed to service.
In addition to her love for travel, Valarie enjoys cooking for friends and relatives; she also has a passion for writing.
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Blue Label Design
Carol has been working in the printing industry for 9 years. For the last three years, she has owned and operated Blue Label Design (formerly CLR Printing, Plus), after being encouraged by the vendors and clients from previously working as a bookkeeper for another printer where she learned from the ground up to go out and work for herself. Blue Label Design is a woman-owned business with City and State Certification specializing in commercial printing and promotional items.
She has a Graphic Designer that works with her, who is also starting his own freelance business. She has a passion for helping others who also want to start on their own, whether it be choosing the right marketing tools or just making the right connection.
Carol has two great children who she enjoys spending time with and also loves to cook - if she wasn’t in the printing business, she would have her own cafe.
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http://rgroup2003.com/insurance.html
Joelle is a financial representative helping people create financial security for themselves, their families and their businesses.
She was born in Antwerp, Belgium. Graduated College in Economics and Business Administration and then graduated with a Masters Degree in Business Administration, MBA from the University of Antwerp.
Joelle started her career in the bank, while pursuing her college degree, with a special program for managing director. Then she continued her career at the office of the President of the Antwerp Diamond Exchange, with different corporate titles as financial manager, comptroller and CFO. She stayed till her move to the US in January 2004.
"Being a financial professional where I am today, I am able to translate my knowledge and experience in finance in favor of my clients, who are happy to benefit from my expertise. In a nutshell, I am offering to individuals and families Income protection plans with life, disability and long term-care insurance, and continuing to build up a financial nest-egg with college funding, retirement solutions, and investments. As time comes I am structuring the estate planning as an important phase in the financial structure. With businesses I am looking at strategic employee retention plans, employee benefits, business partnerships protections and much more.
On a personal note, I am married and have three children, and am actively involved in my children’s schools. I am volunteering with SCORE, Counselor’s to America’s Small Business.
I love sports, skiing, ice skating, swimming, tennis, biking, and you name it…Reading and updating in my field is a continuous project that I take very seriously."
Joelle Grunblatt, MBA
Financial Representative
347-286 1747
e-mail: joelle@rgroup2003.com
http://rgroup2003.com/insurance.html
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Robert Myers
Vice President US Private Banking
IDBBANK
Tel 718-698-4892
Email:
rmyers@idbny.com
Prior to his current role, Robert led the financing initiative for the Staten Island office of the New York City Department of Small Business Services. This was a role that allowed Robert to assist in the economic development of Staten Island by facilitating over $5 million in commercial loans over the past year while also teaching classes on commercial lending and credit. On the lending side, Robert was able to utilize his expertise to facilitate loans that would lead to the start or expansion of over 40 businesses on Staten Island. This has led to job growth with the creation of new positions that Robert has also helped to staff. Mr. Myers also led the initiative to bring knowledge and lending options to various underserved communities of Staten Island. Through large scale presentations and events, Robert was able to work with strong partner organizations to create a platform to discuss the Agency’s mission and free services.
Robert also held various positions prior to this role during the 8 years that he worked within SI Bank & Trust in their Dongan Hills, St. George, and Stapleton locations. During his time there, Robert was able to once again promote economic growth on Staten Island by facilitating over $6 million in lending during the height of a challenging economic time.
A lifelong Staten Islander, Robert attended St. Joseph by the Sea High School and attained his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Wagner College. He continued to work on Staten Island, while attaining his MBA in Finance from Baruch College. Robert is an active member of the Staten Island community, maintaining key roles in organizations throughout the borough. This includes his participation in the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, with key positions on their Membership Council and the Leadership Council of their Young Professionals Group. Robert is also a Founding Member of the Small Business Outreach Group of Staten Island, a member of The Rotary Club of Staten Island, and is currently attending the Staten Island Leadership Institute.
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Link Wizards: Web Design and Online Marketing Strategy Services
http://www.linkwizards.com/
Bsanche@yahoo.com
Barbara is a lover of all things internet. She noticed that many people have great business ideas, but become overwhelmed by websites, blogs and social networks like facebook. So in 2009 she decided to start Link Wizards to help small businesses make their mark on the online.
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Carole Kass
Carole has more than 20 years of
résumé preparation experience, working for a career service, the College of Staten Island, and as an independent
résumé writer. Currently, she is sole proprietor of First Word Résumé
Preparation, providing assistance to clients with a wide range of backgrounds
and goals.
“The ability to listen closely is
key to writing an effective résumé,” said Carole. “I often use casual chit-chat
to get at the vital information that may not be presented outright for a
variety of reasons.”
She recognizes how frustrating the
résumé-writing process can be for people. How in the world are you supposed to
know how to write a résumé in the first place?
While school may teach you how to write a report, first-person essay and
haiku, lessons on how to put together an effective résumé are never part of the
curriculum. Making matters worse, the Internet produces an overwhelming amount
of conflicting advice in response to a simple search. What to do?
Her own advice begins with giving yourself
credit for what you’re good at, and what you have accomplished. After all, it’s
not bragging if it’s true. Finally, Carole stresses the importance of being
truthful. “Not only is it the right thing to do,” she said. “But you will feel
more relaxed and focused during the interview if you’re not worried about
keeping your story straight.”
As an active PTA mom in her
daughters’ elementary school, P.S. 45 in West Brighton, (a long, long time
ago), Carole fought to improve traffic conditions around the school. She secured
an additional school crossing guard post, and convinced the Department of
Transportation to convert hectic Morrison
Avenue to a one-way street. She brings that same
sense of advocacy to her work on behalf of her clients.
---------------------------Valerie Holland Rencher
vrencher1@gmail.com
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My name is Valerie Holland Rencher; I am a certified Personnel Life Coach credentialed from New York University and I have two Masters Degrees in Urban Studies and Criminal Justice; in addition, I have various training in substance abuse counseling , domestic violence, and family development . For over 30 years, I have been employed with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene providing Administration: including Human Resources, Procurement and Finance.
I am also the co- founder of a non-profit organization called the Urban Community Empowerment Project. The Urban Community Empowerment Project is an empowerment service that promotes positive life change for at risk populations, living in urban communities, with an emphasis on youth at risk.
