“Off” beat: Sound off, intrepid innovators! It’s Friday on Long Island and this latest warm workweek has reached its busy end.
Another glorious summertime weekend is in the offing – but first, one more workday to check off, and this week-wrapping innovation review to kick it off. And with that … we’re off!
Clean living: Neaten up, men.
Independent thought: Today is Aug. 16 and we begin by honoring freelancers, contractors and other professionals who go it alone – stars of the show on National Independent Worker Day.
Suggesting some smiles is National Tell a Joke Day, when we’re encouraged to share humorous anecdotes, pull pranks and otherwise bring the funny.
You clean up nice: And there’s no better time to prove it than National Men’s Grooming Day, a third-Friday-of-August comb-, clip- and scrub-a-thon for the macho set.
Treat your dapper dude to a manly meal tonight – today is also World Bratwurst Day, celebrating the grade-A German sausages (beef, pork or veal, your choice) every Aug. 16.
Cable vision: Other links commemorated today include the first transatlantic telegraph message, sent on this date in 1858 from Britain’s Queen Victoria to U.S. President James Buchanan (The queen congratulated the president on the success of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, which actually crapped out after less than a month.)
Track star: More successful was Massachusetts-based inventor Edwin Prescott, who patented the looping roller coaster – a “railway chiefly for the purposes of pleasure” (Prescott’s words) featuring “parallel tracks laid with steep gradients and containing a circularly arranged vertical loop or loops” – on Aug. 16, 1898.
Air forces: United States Army paratroopers became a thing 84 years ago today.
Chute first: Also experiencing historic ups and downs were the 48 daring volunteers who completed the first official U.S. Army parachute jump on this date in 1940, introducing the paratrooper to modern warfare.
Play ball: With cover athlete Eddie Matthews of the Milwaukee Braves swinging for the fences, the very first issue of Sports Illustrated graced newsstands on this date in 1954. (The cherished periodical is still at it, for those keeping score, after barely surviving cancelation in 2023.)
Ice aged: And it was one year ago today when scientists released the results of a comprehensive DNA study of Ötzi the Iceman, a well-preserved, 5,300-year-old mummy dug out of a melting Tyrolean Alps glacier in 2012.
Among other discoveries: Ötzi was a middle-aged bald guy with darker skin than researchers expected.
Arabian knight: British Army officer, archeologist, diplomat and writer Thomas Edward “T.E.” Lawrence (1888-1935) – known best as “Lawrence of Arabia,” thanks to his Middle Eastern World War I exploits – would be 136 years old today.
Strike a pose: Madonna set the 1980s style on her way to the top.
Also born on Aug. 16 were German physiologist, philosopher and professor Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), the “Father of Experimental Psychology”; Luxembourgish American editor and magazine publisher Hugo Gernsback (1884-1967), who launched “Amazing Stories” magazine and is credited with establishing the science-fiction literary genre; American animator Otto Messmer (1892-1983), who created “Felix the Cat”; American actress, dancer, singer, writer, lingerie designer and real estate mogul Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer, 1933), who’s lived nine lives since originating the Catwoman role; and Canadian filmmaker James Cameron (born 1954), who doesn’t do anything small.
Material girl: And take a bow, Madonna! The American singer, songwriter and actress – born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone and still the reigning Queen of Pop – turns 66 today.
Get Into the Groove at editor@innovateli.com, where we Live to Tell your innovation story, we’re Crazy For You your news tips and your calendar events are always in Vogue.
About our sponsor: Farmingdale State College is the largest college of applied science and technology in the State University of New York system, with nearly 10,000 students and 46 degree programs focused on relevant, high-demand careers. More than half of our students graduate debt-free and 82 percent are employed six months after graduation or enrolled in graduate school. Nearly 80 percent of FSC graduates stay and are working on Long Island six months after graduation. Learn more here.
BUT FIRST, THIS
Now hiring: Regional executives are struggling to fill IT and marketing positions, according to the latest Marcum-Hofstra CEO Survey.
This time, it’s personnel: Regional hiring managers are struggling to fill open positions, according to the latest CEO Survey compiled by accounting giant Marcum LLP and Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business.
Released July 23, the third Marcum-Hofstra CEO questionnaire of 2024 – which follows installments in early March and late May – finds roughly one-third of responding executives are having trouble finding qualified candidates for IT, mid-level and “functional area” positions (including accounting, HR and marketing jobs). The difficulties contradict earnest efforts to retain and attract talent, according to the survey, with remote-work options, opportunities for advancement and “augmented compensation” the most commonly dangled carrots.
The latest installment of the long-running survey – which polled CEOs at 254 Greater New York mid-market companies ($5 million to $1 billion in revenues) the week of June 24 – also found that employees are becoming less likely to use accrued personal and vacation time, with about 60 percent of respondents noting employees are not taking time off and 30 percent suggesting workers would rather convert down time into higher compensation. Read the full survey results right here.
Coming up Ajces: A seven-figure donation will lead Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital deeper into cutting-edge cancer trials.
The flagship Long Island hospital of the New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System has received a $1 million donation from the Betty Ajces Trust, named in honor of the longtime jazz musician, who passed away in 2022. The grant – which will help enroll cancer patients in clinical trials of innovative therapies, technologies and treatment protocols via the National Clinical Trials Network – is the second major gift from the trust to the hospital, following a $200,000 award in August 2023 that established the Leon and Betty Ajces Memorial Fund at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital President Adhi Sharma said the “generous gift” would prove especially beneficial to regional cancer patients in no shape to trek long distances in search of next-generation treatments. “Instead of having to travel to New York City, this gift will allow us to enroll patients in cutting-edge trials right here on Long Island,” Sharma noted.
TOP OF THE SITE
Fin tech: The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County is helping the captains of Long Island’s recreational fishing fleet digitize their mandatory state-reporting requirements.
Get with it: We were so excited to get back to work this week, starting with Monday’s Calendar Newsletter, which had that great bit about … what? You didn’t see it? You’re not a subscriber?!? Well, don’t let that happen again – subscriptions are always easy, always free!
ICYMI
Albany passed on a proposed law regarding packaging-material recycling – a good move, according to Long Island Association President/CEO Matt Cohen, who believes regional socioeconomics will be energized by more innovative and business-friendly solutions.
BEST OF THE WEST (AND SOMETIMES NORTH/SOUTH)
Innovate LI’s inbox overrunneth with inspirational innovations from all North American corners. This week’s brightest out-of-towners:
From Illinois: Long Grove-based virtual pet-triage titan whiskerDocs transforms modern pet care with patented pet-health record-integration platform.
From Oregon: Beaverton-based ultralight outdoor-gear guru Six Moon Designs goes the distance with hikers and other travelers with comfy ADC Travel Pack.
From California: San Francisco-based healthcare-tech headliner Fair Square Medicare streamlines Medicare carriers’ customer-facing services with generative AI platform.
ON THE MOVE
Imoigele Aisiku
+ Imoigele Aisiku has been named chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine. He was vice chairman of the Division of Emergency Critical Care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
+ Jesse Frost has joined Riverhead-based Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo as an associate in the Wills, Trusts and Estates Practice Group. He was an associate at Uniondale-based Farrell Fritz focused on estate tax planning and administration.
+ Stephanie Fitzpatrick has been named president of the American Psychological Association’s Society for Health Psychology. She is a clinical health psychologist, behavioral medicine researcher and implementation scientist at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset.
+ The Adelphi University Board of Trustees has welcomed five new members:
- Michael Sammis, professor of practice and director of music business at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
- June Collison, president of Community Hospital of San Bernardino
- Mark Davis, audit and assurance partner at Deloitte
- Mahnoor Misbah, associate at Morrison Cohen LLP
- Alexandria Cisco, market development manager at Accenture
+ Uniondale-based Rivkin Radler has hired three new associates:
- Jordan Goldstein, now in the Uniondale office Tax Group, was an associate at Manhattan-based Ropes and Gray
- Wallis Granat, now in the Manhattan office Commercial Litigation and Insurance Fraud practice groups, was a compliance/litigation associate at Manhattan-based Klein Moynihan & Turco
- James Nelson, now in the Poughkeepsie office General Liability Practice Group, was an attorney for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
+ Britt Burner has been named chairwoman of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section. She is a partner at Burner Prudenti Law in East Setauket.
+ Julianne Bonomo has been hired as an associate at Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano in Uniondale. She was an associate at Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles in Islandia.
+ Hillary Massey has been hired as an associate at Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano in Uniondale. She was principal law clerk to the Hon. Justice Ashlee Crawford in the Bronx County Supreme Court.
+ Brian Leidy has joined Melville-based Island Harvest Food Bank as chief development officer. He was vice president and director of institutional advancement at Garden City-based SCO Family of Services.
+ Keith Gurnick has been promoted to senior associate at Melville-based Nelson + Pope. He was director of architecture and construction administration.
Like this newsletter? Innovate Long Island newsletter, website and podcast sponsorships are a prime opportunity to reach the inventors, investors, entrepreneurs and executives you need to know (just ask Farmingdale State). Marlene McDonnell can tell you more.
BELOW THE FOLD (Late Summer Edition)
Mapping it out: The foolproof road trip requires a little planning.
Holiday road: The art of the perfect road trip.
Managing expectations: The boss also needs a break.
School daze: Eliminating the stress of back-to-school season.
Fall semester: It’s the most wonderful time of the year at one of the amazing institutions that support Innovate Long Island – Farmingdale State College, where Fall 2024 is another exciting step on the road to a better tomorrow. Check them out.
