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The Kraft Heinz Co., the third-largest food and beverage company in North America, has agreed to set a goal to reduce total virgin plastic use following the filing of a shareholder proposal and engagement with As You Sow. 

The proposal asked Kraft Heinz to report on how the company would reduce plastic packaging, including planned reduction strategies or goals, materials redesign, substitution, or reductions in use of virgin plastic.

The company intends to set a substantial virgin plastic packaging reduction goal later this year or in the first quarter of 2023, the company informed As You Sow in a statement. In response, As You Sow agreed to withdraw its shareholder proposal. Kraft Heinz’s commitment continues a steady stream of major U.S. brands and retailers who have agreed to cut virgin plastic use after interaction with As You Sow. 

Kraft Heinz said it would “continue to drive towards its packaging goals and support of a circular economy through a variety of initiatives and investments, including reduction of virgin plastic material, packaging redesign, increased use of recycled content, and continued exploration and scaling of reuse models.”

“We were pleased to reach this agreement with Kraft Heinz that involves a substantial virgin plastic reduction goal for packaging including consideration of packaging redesign and innovative reuse models,” said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president at As You Sow. “We have similar pending proposals at Amazon, McDonald’s, and Kroger and hope that those companies can agree to reductions in the use of plastic for packaging.”  

Forty-five percent of Kroger shareholders and 35% of Amazon shareholders supported proposals last year asking for reductions in plastic use.

Five other large companies — Keurig Dr Pepper, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, Target Corp., and Walmart — agreed to virgin plastic reductions in 2021 after the filing of shareholder proposals by As You Sow. Target and Keurig Dr. Pepper agreed to reduce virgin plastic in brand packaging by 20%, Walmart agreed to a 15% cut; and Mondelez agreed to cut 5% — all by 2025; and PepsiCo agreed to a 20% cut by 2030. Cumulatively, the reduction in use of virgin plastic announced by these five brands is expected to total more than 700,000 tons. 

As You Sow’s efforts have been catalyzed by a 2020 landmark study by Pew Charitable Trusts, Breaking the Plastic Wave, which said immediate and sustained new commitments throughout the plastics value chain are needed, including actions by brand owners, consumer goods companies, and retailers to reduce at least one-third of plastic demand through elimination, reuse, and new delivery models.

The largest cut in overall plastic use to date by a major consumer goods company was a 2019 commitment by Unilever to cut virgin plastic use by 50%, including a total elimination of 100,000 tons of plastic packaging by 2025.

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As You Sow is the nation’s leading shareholder advocacy nonprofit, with a 30-year track record promoting environmental and social corporate responsibility and advancing values-aligned investing. Its issue areas include climate change, ocean plastics, pesticides, racial justice, workplace diversity, and executive compensation. Click here for As You Sow’s shareholder resolution tracker.

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Farmingdale State College (FSC) and The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) have signed a strategic alliance to drive innovation and support for emerging STEM talent across Long Island. The announcement was made in press release on Feb. 10.  

As part of the collaboration, ELC has leased approximately 40,000 sq. ft. of laboratory and office space at  Broad Hollow Bioscience Park (BHBP), located on the FSC campus. ELC intends to hire talent for more than 30 new scientific R&D roles and in spring 2022 will relocate select teams of employees to the new space.

The collaboration will include an applied learning initiative, which will begin in Fall 2022, and will help prepare students in FSC’s science and engineering programs for potential R&D roles at ELC. It will also include internships and collaborative research activities for FSC students and faculty, adjunct academic opportunities for ELC R&D leaders, and student scholarships.

The arrangement also brings to BHBP an anchor tenant focused on research and development, and marks ELC’s first co-location with an academic institution. The space at BHBP is only two miles from ELC’s skin care, makeup, body, fragrance, basic science and advanced technology R&D labs in Melville.

The Broad Hollow Bioscience Park is a partnership between Farmingdale State College, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and the Research Foundation of the State University of New York (SUNY). BHBP is home to various biotech companies partnering to grow the bioscience industry along the Route 110 corridor.

“We are thrilled to welcome The Estée Lauder Companies to the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park and Farmingdale State College,” said Dr. John Nader, President of Farmingdale State College (FSC). “This extraordinary public-private alliance brings a premier corporate partner to our campus and will lead to scholarship support and collaboration opportunities for Farmingdale State College students and faculty. This is a victory for Long Island, the College, and the region’s bioscience corridor.” 

The new alliance reinforces ELC’s longstanding commitment to investing in and modernizing its Long Island operations and supporting the local communities in New York State. The company currently, which has been on Long Island for more than 50 years, has thousands of employees across R&D, manufacturing, finance, information technology, and other areas working on its Melville, NY campus. ELC has a strong history of hiring SUNY graduates and also has FSC alumni working at the company. 

 “We are very proud to collaborate with Farmingdale State College and SUNY to further fuel R&D innovation and empower STEM leaders of tomorrow across Long Island and New York State,” said Lisa Napolione, Senior Vice President, Global Research & Development at The Estée Lauder Companies. 

“At ELC, our scientists, researchers, engineers, and product developers thrive on combining science, technology and creativity to formulate transformative prestige beauty products. Our collaborations with universities around the world help us stay on the cutting edge and advance our commitment to scientific excellence and delivering the highest quality, breakthrough prestige beauty products to consumers.”

“This partnership between Farmingdale State College and The Estée Lauder Companies at Broad Hollow Bioscience Park is a testament to how SUNY and the private sector can work together to create limitless opportunities within STEM fields,” said SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley. 

“I’m confident this collaboration will yield hands-on experiences for our students to learn and grow, research and instruction opportunities for our faculty and job creation potential for years to come. Congratulations to Farmingdale State College on this exciting venture, and to our students who are seizing this opportunity and making their mark,” he added.

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TVHS Director Mari Irizarry

The Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) has  announced that Mari Irizarry has been appointed by the Board of Trustees as its new Director. Her appointment comes at an opportune time in the Society’s history, as it will unveil powerful new augmented reality experiences this spring that complement the Spies! exhibit and, plans for the Dominick-Crawford Barn Education Center groundbreaking.

Irizarry has worked with TVHS since 2016 and has emerged as a dedicated visionary after the forced restructuring, in January 2021, brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mari brings over 20 years’ experience as a leader in non-profit and government sectors, in NYC and Long Island, focusing on leadership, programming, strategy, marketing, and communications.

“The Board is ecstatic to have Mari lead the Three Village Historical Society as we begin our next endeavor of expanding programming in the Three Village area with the addition of the Dominick Crawford Barn Education Center,” said Jeff Schnee, President of the Board of Trustees. “We are thankful that Mari has devoted so much of her time and expertise to the growth of the Society. She has walked with me every step of the way since the Society had to shift operations with Covid-19. In the end, we were compelled by Mari’s unique combination of energy, thought leadership, and experience, as well as her rare ability to toggle effortlessly between vision and action. We could not be more excited about this appointment!”

“I am very proud and honored to be part of this great organization that has been a staple of our Three Village area for nearly 60 years,” said Irizarry. “I look forward to building strategic partnerships and continuing to build on this incredible legacy which has already contributed so much to our community.”

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Organic Krush, an organic eatery with locations in Connecticut, New York and Virginia, has announced a partnership with Stony Brook University Athletics which includes a unique opportunity to fuel the athletes within the athletic arena, giving them direct access to healthy organic meals pre-and post workout. 

Krush worked directly with George Greene, Associate Athletic Director of High Performance and Competitive Success at SBU, to create the program, working together to select dishes based on macro-micro nutritional value, satiety and calories as well as variety, ultimately providing the athletes fueling options that reduce their body burden and allow then to train efficiently.

“Healthy clean eating is the wave of the future for athletes” said Michelle Walrath and Fran Paniccia, co-founders of Organic Krush. “As moms and parents of college athletes, we know the importance of food as fuel. Access to great tasting organic and plant based food can be difficult for college athletes. We started Organic Krush to make healthy food accessible to all. Our partnership with SBU Athletics gives us the opportunity to showcase the benefit of healthy eating to young athletes!”

“Organic Krush is the perfect partner for our athletes” said Greene. “Our goal is to keep our athletes healthy and strong on the field, court, track, and pool. Giving our athletes healthy balanced meals and uniting the passionate fans of SBU with the power of Organic Krush is a slam dunk for us! We are excited to welcome a partner that shares our commitment to improving the lives of our student-athletes as well as in the local community.”

Krush recently opened its 10th store around the corner from the Stony Brook University campus at 1111 Route 25A.

The partnership will kick off with a “Fuel Up with Krush” campaign echoing the importance of eating well for performance. Digital activations and event integrations spotlighting Organic Krush during games and events as well as a community-based summer fun run are planned.

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New Webster Bank corporate signage unveiled at a Long Island-based Webster branch.

It’s official. The Connecticut-based Webster Financial Corp. has completed its $10.3-billion acquisition of Sterling Bancorp, creating one of the largest commercial banks in the Northeast. The merger was initially announced in April 2021, and federal regulators gave the deal final approval in December of that year.

John R. Ciulla, President and Chief Executive Officer, Webster Bank and Webster Financial Corporation

With the merger, Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank’s 33 branches on Long Island, from Wading River in Suffolk County to Valley Stream on the border of Queens. The bank signs were changed this week.

“Today marks a transformative moment in Webster’s history that will greatly benefit our colleagues, clients, communities and shareholders,” said John R. Ciulla, President and CEO of Webster in a Feb. 1 press release. “Our bank will have enhanced scale, significant loan growth potential, best-in-class deposit franchises and a longstanding commitment to community development and corporate citizenship.”

The combined company has approximately $65 billion in assets, $44 billion in loans, and $53 billion in deposits based on balances as of December 31, 2021 and operates 202 financial centers in the Northeast region. 

The new headquarters of Webster is in Stamford, Connecticut, and Webster will have a continued multi-campus presence in the greater New York City area and Waterbury, Connecticut.

“The completion of the merger with Webster brings the best of our banks together, promising an elevated experience for our clients and colleagues as the financial services industry evolves,” said Executive Chairman Jack L. Kopnisky of the newly combined bank. 

Both Webster and Sterling clients will continue to bank as they normally do at their existing banking centers and through Webster’s and Sterling’s websites and mobile applications. For more information, visit www.websterbank.com.

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Heather Arnet

The Board of Trustees of The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington has appointed Heather Arnet, right, as the organization’s Executive Director and CEO.

Robin T. Hadley, Chair of the Board said, “Heather brings a wealth of leadership experience, innovative thinking, and community engagement to the Museum. We are fortunate to be adding someone of her caliber to The Heckscher Museum.” Arnet will join the Museum in June 2022.

Arnet is the CEO of Women and Girls Foundation (WGF), a community-based organization in Pittsburgh, PA, dedicated to advancing gender equality. Throughout her 18-year tenure, Arnet established award-winning youth and adult civic engagement programs, created extensive partnerships with museums and cultural centers, reached diverse communities, and raised significant support.

“The Heckscher Museum was interested in a leader who was community -centered, forward-facing, able to engage diverse audiences, and advance the important work of The Heckscher Museum. Heather fits that profile perfectly,” stated Robert Aquilina, Trustee and Chair of the Search Committee.

In addition to her work at WGF, Arnet serves as Co-Chair of the Council for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, and has worked collaboratively with teams at the Brooklyn Museum, the Frick Pittsburgh, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, the Carnegie Museums, and the Andy Warhol Museum to develop public programming. Prior to joining WGF, Arnet was Director of Development at City Theatre, and as Vice President of Marketing and Brand Developmen t for internet-based start-up companies. Early in her career, Arnet worked for five years on the production team for the educational television program Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Arnet has a B.A. in Literary & Cultural Studies from Carnegie Mellon University and is completing her Master of Liberal Arts in Museum Studies from Harvard University Extension School.

“I am excited for the opportunity to join such a passionate and creative staff and Board of Trustees as we lead The Heckscher Museum of Art into the future,” said Arnet. “I look forward to applying my experience in community development and civic engagement to advancing the Museum’s community – centered efforts, and growing its regional and national significance .”

John E. Coraor, who has served as Interim Director for the Museum, will continue as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Arnet was selected following a national search guided by Daniel Keegan, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, Manchester, NH, and Boston, MA.

ABOUT THE HECKSCHER MUSEUM OF ART

The Heckscher Museum of Art is in its second century as a source of art and inspiration on Long Island.

Founded by philanthropists Anna and August Heckscher in 1920, the Museum’s collection comprises more than 2,300 works from the 16th to the 21st century, including European and American painting, sculpture,worksonpaper,andphotography.LocatedinscenicHeckscherParkin Huntington,the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit Heckscher.org for more information. Timed Ticketing. Visitor safety guidelines available on Heckscher.org

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George Eldi of Wines by Nature

Just like the perfectly aged cheeses at the Cheese & Spice Market and matured wines at Wines by Nature, these local businesses have evolved since opening, and in fact have developed a character of distinctness, uniqueness and quality that their customers have come to expect and love.

Located at the Shoppes at East Wind in Wading River, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River, these privately owned businesses are situated near each other and create a perfect pairing for customers. Customers frequently go from one shop to the other seeking recommendations on cheese and wine pairings. Both stores proudly feature local products from Long Island and New York State. 

The Cheese & Spice Market

The Cheese & Spice Market opened for business in October 2016, and since then owner Patty Kaczmarczyk has greatly expanded the selection of cheese, meats, spices, teas and other gourmet products, focusing on customer requests and expectations. “I love finding new cheeses and other products to bring into the store,” said Patty. “It’s fun introducing our customers to things they may never have tried before.”

Wines by Nature opened in July 2017 and has an outstanding selection of wines and spirits from small family run wineries and distilleries.  “The key to our inventory selection is research and tasting,” said owner George Eldi. “The first criteria is always taste; it has to taste delicious! Then the other factors are added in, with value as it’s centerpiece, which is inherent with small, family run wineries.”

Kaczmarczyk and Eldi have over 70 years of combined experience in the food and wine business and were friends prior to opening their shops. They have a love for food, wine and cooking, and they are passionate about their businesses. Everything from the design and natural decor of their shops, the products they select, and customer service they provide is reflective of their knowledge and desire to make customers happy.  In addition to describing selections and providing recommendations and samples, they work with customers to make custom cheese platters, gift baskets, and make local deliveries to demonstrate their commitment to their customers.

The Cheese & Spice Market (631-886-1521) and Wines by Nature (631-886-2800) look forward to the day that they can host tasting events in their shops, as they did before the pandemic. Be sure to “Like” and “Follow” them on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates and information about new products they bring into the store.

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From left, John Lessard, CEO, DDI; Philip Veneziano, his son Christopher, and his wife Linda; and Monique Diaz, Residential Manager, DDI. Photo by Anekwe Noel (DDI)

Thanks to a $25,000 donation, residents of a group home for adults with developmental disabilities in Setauket will have guaranteed power for the continuity of critical systems, including life-sustaining medical devices, in the event of a power outage. Funding for the whole-house backup generator was provided by Linda and Philip Veneziano.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the installation of the whole-house backup generator was recently held at the home, operated by Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), where the Veneziano’s adult son, Christopher, resides. Mr. Veneziano is VP of Finance for Broadridge Financial Solutions and presently serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors at DDI.

“The addition of whole-house generators to our residences greatly enhances the lives of people with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as the staff that care for them, by ensuring that their lives are not disrupted by power outages and that their health and safety are not jeopardized during emergencies,” explained John Lessard, CEO, DDI. “The generator will help ensure the continuity of electrical power and critical systems in the event of a power failure; we are thankful for this wonderful gift.”

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Island Federal Credit Union (Island Federal) has joined forces with Sal DiBenedetto, the well-known digital media producer also known as “The Grubfather,” to support a special effort to fight hunger on Long Island. Together they launched “Spread the Love February Grub Drive” in support of Long Island Cares. The campaign will run throughout the month of February 2022.

From left, Chris Murray and Sal DiBenedetto. Photo from Island Federal

“For more than a decade, Island Federal has supported Long Island Cares in its mission to combat hunger on Long Island. Now, working in partnership with the hugely popular Grubfather Sal DiBenedetto, we are expecting a tremendous response,” said Chris Murray, VP/Marketing, Island Federal. “Our goal is to raise $5,000 this month, but I do believe we can far exceed that.”

Sal DiBenedetto responds, “I’m extremely proud to work with Island Federal on projects that enhance the life of Long Islanders. As fans know, I feature great meals on my Grubfather digital media. What we often forget is that, despite the abundance of great food on Long Island, there are more than 259,000 Long Islanders who remain food insecure, nearly a third of whom are children. That’s why we decided to do this joint fundraiser for Long Island Cares.”

Murray continues, “February is the perfect month to show the love to our fellow Long Islanders. And we’ve made is especially easy to donate from your computer or phone in minutes. Our Island team worked with Long Island Cares to develop a secure website to let you make a cash donation in minutes and see the amount of food it will purchase.”

The “Spread the Love February Grub Drive,” which will run through Feb. 28, will be 100% virtual. To donate, visit islandfcu.com/grubdrive or the TheGrubfather Instagram page now through end of the month.

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Photo from Northwell Health

Northwell Health announced Jan. 31 that it has begun listing patients who need a lung transplant through the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the final steps toward opening the first lung transplant program serving Long Island and Queens residents.

As the number of New Yorkers requiring a lung transplant have tripled over the last decade, the Northwell Health Transplant Center at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) launched its program to fill an urgent need. With the addition of lung, NSUH now offers world-class solid organ transplantation services for adult heart, kidney liver and lung. Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park also performs pediatric kidney transplants. There are currently just 73 lung transplant centers in the United States.

Lung transplantation was already expected to grow before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic left in its wake an entire cohort of survivors whose lungs have been permanently scarred, damaged or otherwise compromised. About 7 percent of lung transplants performed in 2021 were COVID-related. That’s in addition to the fact that Northwell physicians saw a 23 percent increase in patients experiencing lung failure between 2017-19.

“Half of all lung transplant recipients at New York City hospitals traveled from Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn or Staten Island,” said Zachary Kon, MD, surgical director of advanced lung failure and lung transplantation services at Northwell. “It’s important for patients to receive care in the communities where they live. That’s why Northwell being able to offer lung transplantation opens up options for the region and improves quality of life for their entire network of supporters on this life-saving health journey. One expedition is enough.”

The lung transplant program, which has received all necessary regulatory approvals, is the latest addition to an ongoing clinical and capital investment into North Shore University Hospital. The Petrocelli Advanced Surgical Pavilion, a seven-story, 280,000-square-foot building meant to transform the capabilities of the Level I trauma center and teaching hospital, is expected to open in 2023. NSUH is also home to the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital, the Katz Women’s Hospital, neurosurgery, multi-organ transplant services and one of the busiest emergency departments in the New York Metropolitan area.

“Lung transplant is the latest life-changing specialty we’re proud to offer to the communities we serve, and like everything we do at North Shore University Hospital, it will be performed with sophistication and best-in-class care,” said Jon Sendach, executive director of NSUH. “Our reputation already makes us a destination for complex medical procedures and that coordination of care as part of an integrated health system sets us apart.”

NSUH performed Long Island’s first heart transplant in February 2018 and followed up by completing Long Island’s first liver transplant in December 2019.

UNOS is a nonprofit which serves as the nation’s transplant system, overseeing the network of transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations and thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to honoring the gifts of life entrusted to us and to making lifesaving transplants possible for patients in need.

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