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Nicole Smartt Serres extends her personal conviction for community work to her business.

The president and co-owner of Star Staffing, which is based in Petaluma but with an office in Fairfield, encourages her staff to get involved in their communities and gives each employee one paid day off to do volunteer work.

“I’ve always believed in paying it forward. From an early age while on a sports team, we did charity work to support our community and make it better. Those values were instilled at a young age and I’ve continued to volunteer and sit on boards that help make a difference,” Serres said in an email response to questions from the Daily Republic.

Her partner is Lisa Lichty, co-owner and the chief executive officer of Star Staffing.

The company also gets involved as teams in such activities as Heart Walk, Relay for Life and food drives.

Additionally, there are special occasions when “we take cookies and flowers to senior living facilities (on) Valentine’s Day or donate clothes and food for different drives. And during Christmastime, each member donates a gift to underprivileged homes,” Serres said.

“The most satisfying work is helping people get ahead in their careers, which is why I wrote my book, ‘From Receptionist to Boss: Real-Life Advice for Getting Ahead at Work,’ ” she said.

“We also have partnered with Sonoma State University School of Business & Economics to help students with their job search, resume help and career tips. We speak on campus to students from utilizing social media to get noticed to one page resume templates and getting your dream job.”

In fact, Serres oversees the CSU Sonoma School of Business & Economics Career Center.

Serres also sits on the boards for the North Bay Leadership Council and Friends of the Petaluma Campus, which works under the umbrella of the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation.

She said ultimately she would love to develop a foundation or some other kind of organization – or perhaps just an annual event – to help girls achieve their success and “conquer their dreams.”

Among the lessons she would teach is a personal philosophy of working hard, because that will always trump talent if that talent is not working hard.

“I’d love to do more for women’s rights and equality. I believe that when women and girls rise, we all rise,” said Serres, who is a contributing columnist for the Sacramento Business Journal, North Bay Business Journal and Forbes.

Wine Business Institute and Vinexpo New York Partner to Expand Education Program New Wine Business Video Series Augments Wine Business Institute’s Digital Education Rohnert Park, CA – The Wine Business Institute (WBI) in the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Sonoma State University (SSU) today announced a new partnership with Vinexpo New York to develop cutting-edge digital content in the form of a two-part exhibitor education program for the Vinexpo New York show, which took place March 4-5, 2019. The first part of the project is a six-video series entitled Legalities and Realities of the US Wine Market that was released to registered exhibitors over a two-month period leading up to Vinexpo New York. The videos feature industry experts from California, New York, Georgia, Texas, Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, representing segments from across the wine value chain. Topics covered in the series include the state of the US wine industry, beverage alcohol sales figures, consumption trends and demographic patterns, compliance and legal implications for producers of all sizes, navigating US wine laws and the import and distribution landscape, and options for routes to market in the U.S. The online educational series will be accessible to Sonoma State University faculty and students this spring. Part two of the education program is an onsite seminar on “Opportunities, Obstacles, and Options in the US Beverage Alcohol Market” that was delivered by Wine Business Institute faculty member and founder of Italian Wine Central, Geralyn Brostrom, who spearheaded the two-part project, and Wine Business Institute Executive Director Ray Johnson at Vinexpo New York on Sunday, March 3. Funding for the seminar and video series was provided by Vinexpo New York, jointly organized by Vinexpo and Diversified Communications, to partner in exhibitor success in this complex market. “The U.S. wine market is the largest globally, and yet penetrating this market can prove to be a challenge because of steep competition. This video series aims to help global wine professionals stay on top of changing trends and find viable solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges,” said Ray Johnson. “We were seeking to provide innovative content for wine professionals exhibiting at Vinexpo New York. Tom Matthews at Wine Spectator referred us to the Wine Business Institute as a trusted partner because of its track record for being a leader in wine business education and research, and its vast network of outstanding faculty and industry experts,” said Beckie Kier, event director of Vinexpo New York at Diversified Communications.  Experts featured in the Legalities and Realities of the US Wine Market video series include Scott Ades, president at Dalla Terra Winery Direct (New York and Napa); Gabe Barkley, CEO, and John Beaudette, president at MHW Limited (New York); Danny Brager, senior vice president of Beverage Alcohol Practice at The Nielsen Company (California and Georgia); Serena Campbell, operations director at USA Wine West (San Francisco); Alfonso Cevola, wine writer at On the Wine Trail in Italy and former import director at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Texas); Caroline Hermann, Master of Wine and beverage alcohol attorney (Washington, D.C.); John Hinman and Rebecca Stamey-White, attorneys and partners at Hinman & Carmichael LLP (San Francisco); Rebecca Hopkins, communications strategist at Folio Fine Wine Partners and founder and CEO at A Balanced Glass (Napa and San Francisco); Robert Kennedy, owner at RWK Imports LLC (D.C., Virginia, and Maryland); and Jay Youmans, Master of Wine and owner of Capital Wine School and Rock Creek Wine Merchants (D.C. and Maryland). These six films expand the WBI’s digital wine business education library, which includes the recently released Business of Wine Video Series, 13 leadership interview films featuring wine icons and pioneers in California, Washington, and Oregon. The Business of Wine Video Series is available to the public here: https://sbe.sonoma.edu/business-of-wine. For more information about the partnership or our degrees and certificate programs, please visit http://sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz, or contact us at (707) 664-3347 or winebiz@sonoma.edu. # # # About Wine Business Institute The Wine Business Institute, the global leader in wine business research and education, is the first U.S. institute of higher learning to offer undergraduate, MBA, and Executive MBA degrees specializing in the business of wine. In 2018, the WBI opened the doors to its new home, the Wine Spectator Learning Center, a 15,000-square-foot education complex dedicated to training the next generation of leaders for a changing global wine industry. For more information, visit https://sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz. About Vinexpo Since its establishment in Bordeaux in 1981, on the initiative of Bordeaux Gironde’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vinexpo has been a leading organizer of events for the wine and spirits industry. In 38 years, Vinexpo has developed a unique understanding of the market and an extensive network of key distributors around the world. The brand currently runs exhibitions in five set locations (Bordeaux, Hong Kong, New York, and soon Shanghai and Paris), and the touring event Vinexpo Explorer. For more information, visit www.vinexpo.com. About Diversified Communications Diversified Communications is a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities and digital and print publications. As producers of these market-leading products, Diversified Communications connects, educates and strengthens business communities in over 14 industries, including: food and beverage, healthcare, natural and organic, business management and technology. For more information, visit: www.divcom.com.

Nelson, one of the largest independent staffing firms in the U.S., announces that its CEO, Joe Madigan, has been recognized on the Staffing Industry Analysts 2019 Staffing 100 List.

This annual list acknowledges and celebrates leaders who are driving growth and innovation in the staffing industry. The list includes CEOs, like Madigan, as well as entrepreneurs, technologists, workforce specialists, legal advisors, data scientists and more, from a range of different kinds of companies and niches–from traditional staffing to human cloud platforms to MSP/VMS to RPO.

“The 2019 Staffing 100 North America stand out as leaders, executives and visionaries and for their significant commitment to empowering people. From job-seekers and internal talent to partners and stakeholders across the ecosystem, the Staffing 100 honorees understand that people helping people is both a competitive advantage and a way to advance the world of work for all,” said Subadhra Sriram, Editor & Publisher, Media Products, SIA. “Congratulations to those individuals named to this year’s list for their achievements and contributions and for making it, ultimately, about people.”

Madigan became the CEO of Nelson in January of 2018. He joined the company fourteen years ago as a Branch Manager and worked his way up to the top leadership position. Under his leadership, the company has grown, with 16% temp sales growth and 21% net income growth year-over-year respectively.

In addition, Madigan created the Nelson beCAUSE philanthropy program, which allows Nelson employees to support charitable causes in their communities. In 2018, the beCAUSE committee granted over $75,000 to local charities. Nelson was recognized as one of the top philanthropic companies in the Bay Area, ranking 18 out of 100 overall and fourth for most giving per employee.

“I am honored to be a part of the SIA Staffing 100 list for 2019 – helping this company grow, first as an individual contributor, and now as a leader, has been such a rewarding part of my career,” said Madigan. “In addition, this role has given me the opportunity to create rewarding careers for workers all over California and the U.S., including for those employed directly by Nelson. I look forward to continuing to make Nelson an integral part of the business communities across our state and the country.”

Nelson, which is based in Sonoma, California, has provided staffing, recruiting, and payrolling solutions to organizations of all sizes and across industries for nearly fifty years. For more information about Nelson, visit nelsonjobs.com.

https://nelsonjobs.com/nelson-ceo-joe-madigan-honored-on-staffing-industry-100-list-for-2019/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Novato and Sonoma based SolarCraft, a leading North Bay solar installer for over 35 years, recently completed the installation of a 158 kW DC solar system at Hospice by the Bay in Larkspur, CA.   The solar panels were installed as a way to save energy and protect the environment; reducing HBTB’s operating costs by thousands every month and lowering their carbon footprint.

The solar power system is roof mounted for maximum southern sun exposure and consists of 433 high-efficiency solar panels, producing 217,015 kWh annually.  Excess power generated during the day is banked by PG&E for credit towards future use, also reducing the strain on the local power grid.

SolarCraft presents very favorable financing options, which allow non-profits to benefit from federal incentives.  With a lease or PPA, the provider is able to monetize federal incentives and passes the benefits through to non-profits via lower lease payments, or as in a PPA, lower contracted utility rates. Additionally, leases and PPAs are designed to minimize or eliminate initial up-front costs, making solar immediately affordable for non-profits that want to be green.

During the life of the system, nearly 7.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide generated by Hospice by the Bay’s operations will be eliminated.  This impact is equivalent to removing air pollution produced by over 9 million miles of driving over 25 years or the pollutants removed by 176 acres of trees in one year.

About Hospice by the Bay
To help you face the end of life with dignity and comfort, Hospice by the Bay will care for you wherever you call home – a family residence, assisted living, a nursing facility or the hospital.  Found in 1975 as Hospice of Marin, they are pioneers in their field – the first hospice in California and the second in the United States.  Their Care Team approach set the standard for hospice care across the country.  To enhance their hospice, palliative and pediatric care, they offer community grief support services, free advance health care planning workshops and estate planning seminars.

SolarCraft is 100% Employee-Owned and one of the largest green-tech employers based in the North Bay for over
35 years.  SolarCraft delivers Clean Energy Solutions for homes and businesses including Solar Electric, Solar Pool Heating and Battery / Energy Storage.  With over 7,000 customers, our team of dedicated employee-partners is proud to have installed more solar energy systems than any other company in the North Bay.    www.solarcraft.com.

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Two young thought leaders from a family-run brokerage outside San Francisco kicked off 2019 by creating and posting content for a new YouTube and Instagram channel featuring short videos related to employee benefit plans.

BenefitsTV is the brainchild of Andrew McNeil, an adviser with Arrow Benefits Group and 2017 EBA Rising Star in Advising, and Rosario Avila, who heads up ABG’s Alianza division catering to clients with Spanish-speaking employee populations and was named to the 2018 EBA Top Women in Benefit Advising list.

“As audio or video platforms become an easier way to obtain information, building a library of short informational videos makes perfect sense,” McNeil says, noticing the need for branded content amid scores of clips posted by a nearly endless stream of sources.

To a large degree, social media content is a scattered frontier in arbitrary order. In some cases, subscriber buttons appear just to the right of content on YouTube searches. One such example is The Benefits Channel with just two subscribers, but no information about where and by whom it was launched is available, while in South Africa there’s a channel called EBnet – The Employee Benefits Network that has been posting content since 2012 to nine subscribers.

“From a marketing strategy standpoint, video is the king of all media,” according to Bart Camarata, a freelance videographer whose Benefit Advisor TV has helped employee benefit advisers produce video content since 2003. As a whole, he argues that video outperforms every other common marketing medium as a marketing tool, though there are always exceptions. He also believes it’s the quickest way to reach audiences on a grand scale.

Camarata cites various sources to support his case. For example, Hubspot reports a 200% to 300% increase in click-through rates when video is used in an email, while SmallBizTrends notes that social video generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined. In addition, Digital Information World found that 59% of senior executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic on the same page, they prefer to watch video.

Whatever the source of content being posted, brevity is a key theme for BenefitsTV. As a millennial, McNeil thinks it’s much easier to watch or hear a minute-long video with basic information that can always be researched further as people become busier and there’s more technology.

He admits to growing bored just 30 seconds into five-minute video clips. Of course, not everyone shares that assessment. McNeil believes older generations prefer to consume longer videos with professional production values.

Many of the younger employee populations that ABG serves are more comfortable searching for answers to benefits-related questions on social media, according to Avila. Some may be fresh off their parents’ health insurance plan without any knowledge of how their benefits actually work. Others might want to know more about their 401(k) or other benefits.

Given the nature of social media, McNeil says it’s critical to refresh the digital content so that it’s not seen as stale and viewers “know they’re going to get something new and fresh every day. And it gives them a trusted name over the long term.”

Since it’s a minimal time commitment, McNeil says it’s well worth the effort. “Once you shoot and edit a video and put it on your computer, it takes like five minutes to load, so it’s an easy way to get out good content,” he adds.

Most BenefitsTV videos are geared toward employers, though some target employees or individuals. They explain a myriad of topics, such as what an annual group medical deductible is, payment options at the pharmacy, health savings account contributions, workplace culture, etc. ABG’s team also has fielded a few questions on the Instagram version of its channel whose answers McNeil says other viewers could benefit from if they were thinking about asking the same thing. So far only one video has been done in Spanish, but more are expected.

McNeil has noticed more benefit brokers producing video content, which always could be used as a marketing tool, but he’s balking at that idea. His mission for BenefitsTV is that it be used as an informational platform, not a commercial. “There’s a fine line that I don’t want to cross with it, but we’ll definitely be sharing it with our clients and prospects,” he reports, “and over the long term, I think it will help build our recognition, not just as a company, but as individuals.”

Adds Avila: “We don’t have a tangible product that we’re selling, but we’re selling ourselves. We’re selling how we connect with clients and employees, and how we view things.”

https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/news/bay-area-advisers-launch-benefits-channel-on-social-media