Cornerstone Training Institute unites with Bluepoint Environmental, AMD Environmental, and Upstate Training to provide mold treatment and assessment programs in accordance with the New York State Department of Labor’s new Mold Program.

Rochester, New York (November 9, 2015) – Cornerstone Training Institute has teamed with Bluepoint Environmental and AMD Environmental to provide three premier microbial remediation and assessment programs in New York State.

On January 1, 2016, a new law takes affect that requires assessors, contractors and their workers in the mold remediation industry to receive proper training and licensing in accordance with the Department of Labor’s New York State Labor Law. The goal of the new legislation is to provide licensing requirements and establish minimum work standards for persons and businesses engaged in mold remediation and mold abatement activities via the DOL’s Mold Program.

Although many statewide environmental training institutes will be providing revised mold assessment and treatment programs in accordance with the new legislation, Cornerstone has united with two of the most experienced environmental consultants in the industry to ensure that local contractors receive what many consider the best mold assessment training program in New York State.

The three training classes Cornerstone provides:

• Mold Assessment (Nov. 30 – Dec. 3, Dec. 7 – 10): For consultants that identify mold problems and prescribe remedial techniques to be implemented by contractors.
• Mold Contractor (Nov. 18 – 20): For contractors that take assessment and remediation plans from assessors and create an abatement plan to remove mold hazards.
• Mold Technician (Nov. 16 – 17): For laborers that work under the contractor to execute abatement plans.

Spearheading the training program are Anthony DeMiglio, Founder of AMD Environmental, Matthew DaRin, Founder and Lead Scientist at Bluepoint Environmental, and David Jones, Owner of Upstate Training. Mr. DeMiglio has over 20 years experience assessing and treating hazardous environments. Mr. DaRin has studied the effects of fungi and other plant-based hazards on humans since he received his Bachelor’s in Environmental & Forest Biology in 2000 and was a recipient of the Central New York Business Journal’s 2012 “40 Under 40” award. Mr. Jones has worked in residential and commercial construction for 28 years and as a local home inspector for 19 years.

“We’re blessed to have Bluepoint, AMD, and Upstate Training working with us to ensure that all contractors and assessors receive the first-class training they deserve in accordance with the Department of Labor’s new mold certification program,” said Darren Yehl, President and Training Director at Cornerstone Training Institute. “As far as mold consultation goes, Matthew DaRin, Anthony DeMiglio, and David Jones have some of the most impressive resumes in the industry, and their expertise in mold assessment and treatment are nationally recognized.”

Mr. DaRin, Mr. DeMiglio, and Mr. Jones join other trainers including Kevin Hutton, Vice President and Training Director at Cornerstone with over 16 years experience in the treatment of hazardous materials; Darren Yehl, President of the Professional Abatement Contractors of New York (PACNY); and Davis E. Frederiksen, a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) since 1981.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a rise in “toxic mold disease” deaths and mold-related illnesses. If exposed to mold for extended periods of time, it can cause irreversible damage to your mental and physical health, and according to the Institute of Medicine is a known catalyst for respiratory illness and asthma.

“The reason that the Department of Labor has gone to great lengths to pass legislation designed to tackle the mold problem is that mold often goes undetected for years,” noted Yehl. “Many people who live in homes or work in buildings with mold may blame allergies or other external factors for their symptoms when the cause of their health issues is right under their nose. It’s not something that doctors readily diagnose, so in many cases these individuals continue to struggle with their health while the mold they’re exposed to remains untreated.”

For more information and to sign up for a mold assessment program prior to the January 1, 2016 cut-off date for mold assessment certification, visit www.ctiny.com.

About Cornerstone Training Institute
Cornerstone Training Institute is New York State’s most qualified Environmental Safety Firm with a proven history of minimizing risk while maximizing worksite efficiencies and cost savings. The Cornerstone Training Institute team represents the most qualified and experienced specialists in the field of asbestos, lead, and OSHA training. For more information, please visit www.ctiny.com or call 585-319-3625.

About Bluepoint Environmental
Bluepoint is a multifaceted indoor environmental quality-consulting firm, which provides a wide variety of indoor air quality testing and analytical services for both commercial and residential properties. Bluepoint distinguishes itself in part due their particularly high level of experience and expertise in dealing with indoor microbiological issues, including mold contamination and other water related building issues. To learn more, visit www.bluepointenvironmental.com.

About AMD Environmental
Based in Buffalo, AMD Environmental has over 25 years of experience consulting, sampling, and monitoring projects in the environmental domain. The firm and staff currently hold EPA Lead Based Paint Professional Licensing, NYSDOL Asbestos Inspector/ Project Monitor Certification, State of Texas Department of Health Mold Assessment Certification, Consultants Licenses, and IICRC S520 Moisture Management Certification. For more info, visit www.amdenvironmental.com.

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The Annapolis Yacht Club celebrated its 125th Anniversary from June 24 through June 26 with a weekend of on- and off-the-water activities. 

Annapolis, MD (June 30, 2011) — In the early 1880s, an informal group of canoers began to operate out of an old one-room oyster shed at the foot of Duke of Gloucester Street. Later in 1886, this group would organize themselves into the Severn Boat Club of the City of Annapolis before transitioning into the Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC) between 1935 and 1936. During this period, momentum began to shift from rowing to sailing and in September of 1936, people from all over the state participated in a sail boat regatta held in honor of the Club’s 50th Anniversary.

75 years after that first regatta and 125 years after a group of gentleman started the Severn Boat Club, the Annapolis Yacht Club has transformed from a modest canoe club to a powerhouse in the sailing world and a staple in the community, drawing ample crowds for its Wednesday Night Race series. In the last 25 years, AYC has hosted more than 50 major national and international regattas including two J/22 World Championships, 13 National Offshore One-Design (NOOD) Regattas, a Star Class World Championship, 3 Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championships, and two Etchells North American Championships, just to name a few.

On June 24 through June 26, the Annapolis Yacht Club tipped its sails to yet another milestone, celebrating its 125th Anniversary with an entire weekend of jubilation and remembrance. The clubhouse was decorated in anniversary attire and new display cases were installed to enshrine Racing trophies and treasured items from the Club’s historic past.

The festivities kicked off Friday night with a Tropical Happy Hour that attracted almost 400 attendees. For this event, the clubhouse was transformed into a tropical paradise where members enjoyed complementary beverages, hors d’oeuvres, and a Hawaiian shirt contest.

During the day on Saturday, the Club hosted a Water Carnival that offered fun for all ages. The weather couldn’t have provided a better backdrop as families stopped by the Annex for games, a cookout, and sailing races. Kids fished the docks and kept cool on the blowup water slide while adults enjoyed cold beverages and mingled with fellow members in the shade. The carnival winded down with a commemorative time capsule burial (to be unearthed in 25 years), and an awards ceremony for the Fishing Tournament, Harbor 20 and Herreshoff regattas, and the heated Marlinspike competition hosted by Commodore William Torgerson.

The signature event of the weekend was Saturday night’s Gala Anniversary Party with close to 300 people occupying all three levels of the clubhouse. Honored guests included Mayor Joshua J. Cohen, Navy Captain and assistant to the Superintendant of the United States Naval Academy Steve McAlearney, and Commodore Bill Peterson from Chesapeake Yacht Club. The anniversary celebration came to a close on Sunday with a relaxing Jazz Brunch featuring renowned local musician, BJ Doyle.

The weekend was a great success thanks to an impressive turnout and the hard work of staff and many volunteers led by AYC Board Member Howard Brooks. With 125 years now a thing of the past, AYC looks forward to its next monumental anniversary as it continues to provide an enjoyable lifelong experience for members, their families and guests, and the entire sailing community.

About the Annapolis Yacht Club
AYC was founded in 1886 as an informal canoe club. Today the Club’s mission is to encourage and support a wide range of boating activities and to maintain facilities for the recreational and social use of its 2000 members. The Annapolis Yacht Club is a full service, year-round premier private yacht club that provides high-quality programs for its members. These include sailboat racing, cruising for sailors and power boaters, a vigorous junior sailing program, fun and educational winter activities, social events, and first class dining and banquet facilities. Visit www.annapolisyc.org to learn more.

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Cornerstone Training Institute opens new office at 500 South Salina Street to provide workers with required safety training and help those certified workers receive job placement in their community. With the Joint School Construction Board project underway in the Syracuse City School District, demand for Syracuse workers extremely high.

Syracuse, New York (January 15, 2013) – Cornerstone Training Institute has teamed up with M&V Labor Resources and SUNY Syracuse EOC (Educational Opportunity Center) to help the Syracuse community find construction workers for local projects.

Due to the demand for local workers, Cornerstone recently opened a new office located on 500 South Salina Street in Syracuse, NY.

“Cornerstone Training Institute is proud to open its new office here in Syracuse,” said Darren Yehl, President and Training Director at Cornerstone Training Institute. “Even though we’ve held classes here for over a year, we didn’t feel like we had a home. There’s only so much you can do from a distance. It didn’t take long for us to realize that we had to open a new office if we were going to effectively provide training to the local community and help them find work.”

For over a year now, Cornerstone has provided training to area contractors and contracting businesses, with many of these workers being placed into numerous projects in and around Central New York. “Not only have we helped many Syracuse workers receive the training they need to receive state certification, we work with employment placement services who can help them find a job once they’ve completed their courses,” Yehl noted.

The need for skilled workers is at an all-time high in Syracuse due to the number of construction projects currently underway including the City School District, the Joint Schools Construction Board projects, the Syracuse Airport, the Pike Block project, projects at SUNY Upstate and Destiny USA, and more. As the designated trainer for the Joint Schools Construction Project, SUNY Syracuse EOC has been working with Cornerstone to get individuals the skills they need to find employment at the various school sites.

Cornerstone is also working with businesses like M&V Labor Resources, which helps place skilled trade workers with contractors in Syracuse and across the United States. The partnership allows individuals who receive training at Cornerstone to enter M&V Labor’s job pool for placement once they receive the necessary safety training required for certain jobs.

“We’ve been partners with Cornerstone for several years now and the relationship is very beneficial to the local workforce,” said Jesus Mendez, President of M&V Labor Resources. “Darren and his team offer some of the best training in the state. We know that when these students walk out of the classroom, they’re going to meet state requirements and understand the importance of safety on the worksite. It makes it a lot easier for us to find work for these individuals when we are certain that they’re adequately trained and properly certified.”

Jesus also mentioned the importance of finding work for the local community. “As a national labor provider, we would obviously prefer to find jobs for Syracuse workers rather than bring in workers from outside the area,” Jesus said. ”We’ve been working directly with the City School District to find laborers for their extensive construction projects. That’s why it’s so important that skilled workers in the area receive their required training through Cornerstone. Without it, we’re often forced to bus people in from other places around the country. It’s critical that we do our best to keep these jobs within the local community.”

Cornerstone has already trained over 100 Syracuse workers through a partnership with SUNY Syracuse EOC (Educational Opportunity Center). The program helps members of the local community find work once they’ve received proper certification via Cornerstone’s various programs.

“There are plenty of environmental safety firms out there, but we chose to collaborate with Cornerstone due to their experience in the industry, superior training products, and dedicated staff of trainers,” said Carol Hill, Work-Based Learning Coordinator at SUNY EOC. “Cornerstone’s training programs allow many people in our community to further their education and find gainful employment once they’ve completed their classes, particularly through large projects such as the Joint School Construction Board project.”

Although OSHA and NY state certifications are a major piece of the puzzle, Cornerstone insists that it’s actually just a sliver of the pie. “Obviously it’s important that workers meet OSHA and state requirements, but we want to be known as more than just a place you can go to complete your paperwork,” said Yehl. “We want everyone who walks out of the classroom to have a chance to find a job, and we also want them to know how to keep everyone safe when they do show up for that first day at work.

When fishing for a new job, it can be difficult to invest time and money in a training program with no guaranteed jobs waiting at the end of the line. Cornerstone hopes that the relationships it has formed with the SUNY Syracuse EOC and M&V Labor will alleviate some of that anxiety. “We understand that it’s tough to invest in classroom training when you’re not sure it will lead to work, especially when you’re unemployed and just trying to make ends meet,” Yehl noted. “We continue to work with M&V Labor, the SUNY Syracuse EOC, and New York State due to their wealth of job placement resources. In many cases, state grants also allow us to provide training to students who may not be able to afford it.”

To help local workers get their training in a timely fashion, Cornerstone is offering a 32 Hour NYS and EPA Asbestos Handler Initial course complete with hands-on training from Thursday, February 7 – Sunday, February 10.

Now that they’ve opened their doors, Cornerstone hopes to form even more partnerships with local Syracuse businesses in an effort to boost the workforce in the area. This should keep workers safe, properly trained, and employed for many years to come, and that’s certainly something the whole community can welcome.

About Cornerstone Training Institute
Cornerstone Training Institute is New York State’s most qualified Environmental Safety Firm with a proven history of minimizing risk while maximizing worksite efficiencies and cost savings. The Cornerstone Training Institute Team represents the most qualified and experienced specialists in the field of asbestos, lead, and OSHA training. For more information on Cornerstone Training Institute, please visit the Cornerstone web site at www.ctienvironmental.com/ or call 315-355-7770.

About M&V Labor Resources, Inc.
Founded in 2007, M&V Labor was developed as a result of owner Jesus Mendez’s experience in the industrial workforce as a worker, crew leader, supervisor, and job site superintendent. While working with several labor providers and contractors, the founders of M&V Labor noticed many areas where coordination and communication could better serve the workforce. M&V coordinates all aspects of labor, environmental education, and job productivity by concentrating on job safety while taking into account contractors needs in ensuring a timely completion of projects. Some of their work includes projects at Kodak Park and Syracuse University,Syracuse city Schools and Oswego University. For more information about M&V Labor Resources, please visit www.mvlabor.com or call 315-292-7744.

About SUNY Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center (SUNY EOC)
The statewide network of ten Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) and two Outreach and Counseling Centers essentially functions as the 65th campus of the State University of New York. With more than a thirty year history, EOCs have pioneered the way in providing urban communities with innovative academic programs leading to higher education, and vocational training programs leading to gainful employment and economic self-sufficiency. Visit www.syracuseeoc.com or call 315-472-0130 for more information.

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GiGi becomes first mobile app to provide users with a secure file, email, and text sharing network. One of its primary features is the ability to set message life spans and delete messages that have been sent to other GiGi users.

Nowadays, phones are more valuable than the combined contents of wallets, purses, and confidential files. Mobile devices have become a safety deposit box littered with social security numbers, credit card info, and top secret files and conversations with coworkers, clients, and friends. Where thieves used to focus their attention on unprotected PCs and car windows, smartphones have become the latest treasure trove overflowing with forbidden fruit just ripe for the picking. In fact, according to MicroTrax, 113 cell phones are lost or stolen every minute in the U.S.

Individuals are often so concerned with their own phones that they fail to ponder the effects of a client or friend losing their cell phone to a coat room bandit. Just think of all the emails, mp3s, exclusive videos, private files, and databases that would soon become a thief’s playground.

This is where the revolutionary GiGi mobile app straps on its tamper-resistant security suit to save the day. The GiGi (Get It! Got It! Gone!) environment consists of iOS and Android apps and a Mac and PC compatible web portal that allows users to securely share PDFs, movies, mp3s, Microsoft Office documents, emails, and more. Using a secure network, app owners can instantly communicate and send files to multiple GiGi users at once and devise custom security settings for each message or shared file.

One of the biggest fears associated with cell phone theft is that an unknown individual now has access to all types of valuable information. With GiGi, users always have control of their files and messages, even after they have been sent to another contact. The robust interface allows app owners to set the life span of files and texts or delete them automatically via the Gi-Retract Protocol feature. With a simple tap on the touch screen, GiGi will override a message’s specified life span and the file vanishes from the phones of both the sender and recipient quicker than a “Mission Impossible” audio cassette.

GiGi also gives users the power to prevent recipients from forwarding messages. Members of the film and music industries, doctors, and lawyers can rest easy knowing that a new movie trailer, latest audio mix, patient information, and legal documents are secure. Leaks are common fair on the web and they can cost companies millions in lost revenue and legal fees. It’s way too easy to click the Forward button these days and, unfortunately, tomorrow’s big screen blockbuster or smash radio hit may be getting downloaded today for free.

GiGi also comes equipped with several locking features including a pattern swipe, phone password, and security question that make it nearly impossible for unapproved users to gain access to the device.

In the event that another GiGi user does attempt to log in to a GiGi account that is not their own, GiGi’s Intruder Report records the date and time of intrusion, the code the intruder attempted to log in with, and the current location (latitude and longitude) of the intruder on a map.

Although security is the name of the game, GiGi is far more than a tightly guarded vault. Its streamlined User Interface incorporates modern “work space” layouts which allow GiGi owners to access their contacts, create groups, and communicate quicker than ever before.

Sending an mp3 file or full length videos via current phone methods is impossible without using an email program. GiGi lets users perform all their communication and file sharing from the same hub. There’s no need to venture into Gmail or Outlook to send the latest print ad or movie script. It also allows users to record audio and video from the interface without switching over to the mobile device’s home screen.

Ben Parris, Partner and Principal of GiGi LLC and Force Interactive, was enthusiastic about GiGi’s game changing potential. “GiGi’s environment is structured to be able to share files quickly with other users (or groups of users) while accompanied with dialog if necessary,” noted Parris. “It is also intuitive enough to be fully utilized by novice users while more “tech savvy” users will appreciate its vast number of customization options. Great lengths were taken to provide a User Interface that was not only innovative, but user friendly as well. It is our firm belief that anyone who shares files between their smartphone, tablet, or personal computer can benefit from GiGi.”

Securing valuable information should be a high priority. As technology continues to expand and more private information finds its way onto mobile devices, it becomes critical that mobile device users take all the steps necessary to keep this data safe. GiGi’s intuitive interface allows users to quickly share emails, texts, and files while also keeping these communication streams invisible to the unwanted eyes and ears lurking in the shadows. Get it! Got it! Gone!

GiGi is currently available in the App Store and the Google Play Store as a free trial.

About Force Interactive & GiGi LLC 
GiGi (Get It? Got It! Gone…) is a revolutionary product that allows users to securely communicate with and share files with others. It is co-developed by GiGi LLC and Force Interactive, two companies consumed with the development and delivery of innovative technology based products that better today’s society.

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