Member Profiles Sep. 2007 – 2008

These profiles first appeared in SkyLines between September 2007 and December 2008.  All profiles were written by Arnhild Buckhurst.

Member 100! Stacey-Ann Ottley

A native of Trinidad, Stacey-Ann and her family moved to Brooklyn when she was six.  While in high school, she earned an internship in the fashion industry at a textile converting company in the Garment District, where she was hired full time at graduation.  She has always loved women’s fashion and spent a lot of her time watching fashion shows on TV.  To satisfy her longing for understanding how things are produced pushed her to volunteer at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, where she was able to not only follow the actual production process but also to see the actual finished product in person.

Stacey-Ann joined Tukuru Technologies in July 2005, originally as a receptionist but rapidly worked her way up to Staff Coordinator/Office Manager.  Her regular duties range from answering the phones and taking messages to meeting with vendors and establishing new partnership what will allow them to better serve their clients.  She has the opportunity to be involved in several different areas of the firm, so she can also be found writing proposals or dealing with Accounts Payable and Receivable.  For someone who loves to figure out how things work, Tukuru is providing a sterling opportunity to learn new skills and see how a successful business is run.  That experience is coming in handy in her classes towards a BA in Business Management at Manhattan Community College

Stacey-Ann was the 100^th member to join the New York Chapter SDA in 2007, and she received a suitably inscribed plaque at the last round table luncheon.  She enjoys the fact that being a member allows her a rare opportunity to tear away from the office every now and then.  She loves the balance between how much the members share in common and the differences that help the organization and its members grow.

Recently, Stacey-Ann is in the process of starting an organization that aims to bring awareness to Sickle Cell Anemia while helping people that have the disease, and their families, cope with the strains.

Les Degen is an Account Executive for Mercury Business Services, an overnight shipping management firm. He has been a member since May 2007 and is an active participant at the luncheon round tables and on the Canstruction Committee. In particular, the generous donation from Mercury, as well as his own support and assistance in sending out the many mailings has been an invaluable contribution to the work of that busy committee.

He has been a sales professional for more than 25 years and has represented firms in industries varying from messenger/trucking to printing to newspaper advertising sales. Born in Washington Heights and raised in Sunnyside, Queens, Les graduated from Queens College with a BA in mass communications.

With his lovely wife, Gail, Les lives on Long Island with their three children – Liz at 22 is a recent FIT graduate in graphic design; Jon (20) is in his junior year as a music major at Stonybrook; and 18-year old Samantha is a freshman at FIT, pursuing a degree as an illustration major. All members of the Degen family are accomplished musicians, and Les himself has a second and parallel career as singer, actor and comedian. He performs Broadway show tunes and classic standards with his singing trio, Two Guys and a Gal; and as an actor, some of his favorite regional theatre credits include the lead in plays including Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Damn Yankees and Barefoot in the Park. Les also performs stand-up comedy at various venues throughout the New York Metropolitan Area. His passion for his family, the stage and his career provide the basis for a well balanced, productive and meaningful life, he tells us.

Les joined the SDA at the suggestion of one of his design clients and it has been a joy for him to network, share information, learn more about the design industry and have the opportunity to share some laughs with the many friends he has found within this dynamic group of professionals. He is looking forward to becoming an even more active member in the future, contributing to the growth, success and integrity of the SDA and its enterprises.

And his advise for living? Always remember to follow your dreams – just make sure you’re awake while you’re doing it!

Brian Boak is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a double major in Finance and Marketing and now resides in Wayne (NJ) with his wife of 15 years – Jan. They have two children who both live locally which is a great plus now that the first grandchild, a soon-to-be-one year old girl, is around. In addition to work and family, Brian keeps busy with a number of outside activities – not the least of which is his award-winning home brewed beer which members of the SDA are privileged to sample at the annual Membership Party (check him out at www.jerseybrewers.com). He is President-Elect of the Hackensack Rotary Club, a member and Past President of the Estate Planning Council of Rockland County, and a member of Toastmasters. During the football season he can be found at the Giants Stadium where he cheers his team to victory with 40 of his closest friends – they cook everything from smoked salmon and Brie omelets to 16-hour smoke pork shoulder and fried turkey – all served with his delicious home-brew.

As the Personal Insurance Specialist of the Executive Protection Department at Singer Nelson Charlmers, which designs insurance coverage for high-net-worth clients, he was instrumental in the development of the Personal Protection Review™, an analytical process ensuring the best possible insurance coverage while making best use of individual insurance dollar investments. He works closely with other SNC departments to ensure that clients receive the best possible advice for all their insurance needs. Since many of his firm’s clients are also SDA members, Brian has found that his membership gives him an opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the design business from the inside, which in turn allows him to better serve their design firm clients and giving back to the community he works with on a daily basis. .

An SDA member since 2002 , he has been involved in many activities and events – he serves as the very efficient “bouncer” during the Canstruction gala events; he contributes articles for this publication; he was a member of the Canstruction Calendar committee; and he helps host the Principals’ Breakfast – to mention but a few of his contributions. He enjoys meeting other members of the SDA in a relaxed atmosphere which allows him to learn more about other firms from the inside.

Olivia Parker has only been a member of the SDA since June 2007, but has already benefited from many of the advantages that come with membership.

Although she had been providing administrative services in various sectors for 16 years prior to working with JRS Architect, P.C., Olivia lacked design administration experience. Soon after joining SDA she was able to access information to fill this gap and in turn share what she learned with colleagues. An avid believer in seizing opportunities, what she especially loves about SDA is the “smorgasbord of information” that is available from its members, web sites and other sources, as well as the easy camaraderie between members. She first experienced this by taking part in the tour of the New York Times Building followed by a memorable dinner with a number of “old hands.” Olivia knows she can ask for guidance in any area and receive valuable, industry specific advice to enhance her effectiveness as a design administration professional. To date, she has enjoyed being an active member who has already served on the Chapter board, on many chapter and national committees, as well as attending the recent SDA National Leadership and EDSymposium conferences.

Olivia has a B.Sc. from John Jay College and lives in Queens with her husband of twelve years, Garrick, and their wonderful cat, Mz. Lion. On top of a busy work schedule, she is involved with a number of important humanitarian efforts – AIDS Walk NY; The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral’s Annual Feeding of the Multitude on Thanksgiving; and the Nora F. Taylor Missionary Society where she participates in a variety of programs. Olivia also finds time to volunteer with the Queens Mental Health Council and Democrats for Education Reform. In addition to her SDA membership, she is affiliated with the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). .

What she really likes about SDA is the easy access to what she refers to as the “smorgasbord of information” that is available from the members, the web sites and all the others sources, as well as the easy camaraderie between members. She knows that she can ask for information in any area (i.e., there is no question so off the wall that cannot be asked) and that she will always discover added advantages – in doing the tour of the New York Times Building, for instance, she not only learned about architecture, but also got new information about LEED certification and construction!