'CitiStorage Plays ‘Santa’ With Its ‘Elves’ for Youngsters

Tis the Season for Giving to Borough's At-Risk Children
CitiStorage Wins the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Award
CitiStorage Celebrates Independence Day
Law & Order Films at CitiStorage
CitiStorage Featured in New Business Book
The Spirit of Giving is Alive and Well at CitiStorage
Legislator & Local Commerce Team Up For The Holidays!
CitiStorage STRIVES To Help
CitiStorage Employees Participate in a Walk for Breast Cancer
CitiStorage Brings Holiday Cheer to Youngsters
GNYHA Ventures Partners With CitiStorage
Bird's Eye View of September 11th

 

CitiStorage Plays ‘Santa’ With Its ‘Elves’ for Youngsters

Brooklyn Business Brings Holiday Joy to League Treatment Center’s Nursery
By Harold Egeln
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

DUMBO — Santa’s helpers from “Brooklyn North Pole South,” otherwise known as CitiStorage in Williamsburg, brought holiday delights to youngsters at a preschool nursery center run by the League Treatment Center in DUMBO this week.

Playing Santa Claus by providing “elves” from their employee pool, who volunteered for “elf work,” were Norman and Elaine Brodsky, president and vice president of CitiStorage. Their holiday-spirited employees delivered 140 gifts for all the children at the center’s Joan Fenichel Therapeutic Nursery at 30 Washington St.

“The League Treatment Center truly works miracles. We are very happy about our now long partnership with them for the 11th year in a row,” said Elaine Brodsky. “Our employees do a wonderful and fantastic job finding, collecting and delivering the presents.” When they arrive, they travel from classroom to classroom, witnessing the joy that children get in opening their brightly wrapped gifts. The not-for-profit League Treatment Center, founded in Brooklyn in 1953, is known for its pioneering work that serves and supports children and young people who are autistic or have severe emotional, neurological or developmental disabilities. The agency, with the first school for autistic children in the nation, has five habilitation and learning centers in Brooklyn for 500 children, young people and adults, with a staff of 350.

“Eleven years ago, instead of having the usual traditional holiday office party, we decided, as our holiday treat, to give to an organization that serves children,” said Norm Brodsky, who writes the “Street Smarts” column in Inc. magazine. CitiStorage last year won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Award.

As members of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the Brodskys sought the chamber’s help in finding an appropriate organization. The chamber came up with the League Treatment Center, and since 1997, it has been a partnership wrapped in holiday happiness ever since.

The Fenichel Therapeutic Nursery Center in DUMBO opened in the mid-1990s and serves about 140 children in pre-K and kindergarten. The organization features a day treatment center and learning facilities for children from pre-K through 12th grade. Last year the artwork of its autistic students started to be exhibited at the LAND Gallery on Front Street, and the exhibits received upbeat reviews. “We’re grateful to Norm and Elaine Brodsky and CitiStorage employees for what they do in fining and giving presents for the children we serve,” said Stacy Chizzik, center director.

CitiStorage employees and staff who volunteer for the toy drive begin their planning at least two months before delivering the gifts. A gift list is developed by the center by Norlene Gumbs, CitiStorage data entry supervisor, for the drive. All children are matched with a gift specific to their needs. Gifts are purchased over the Internet and picked up at Toy’s ‘R’ Us.

This week has been devoted to delivering the gifts on every morning, a joy for both the CitiStorage “elves” and the center’s youngsters who receive them.

“It’s a pleasure for us to do this every year and see the children happily receive their gifts,” Patti Kanner-Post, vice president of sales at CitiStorage, told Dr. Peter Piegari, the nursery’s clinical director. And when all the work and fun is finished, the CitiStorage employees/elves are treated to a festive holiday pizza party by the Brodskys.© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007

Photo Caption: Holding one of the many large “Thank You, CitiStorage” cards from happy children is Patti Kanner-Post, CitiStorage vice president of sales. Eagle photo by Harold Egeln 

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Tis the Season for Giving to Borough's At-Risk Children

By Phil Guie on Thursday, December 20, 2007 as reported in the Queens Ledger
The League Treatment Center's Therapeutic Preschool on Washington Street in DUMBO, one of their five special educational centers located throughout Brooklyn, provides a caring and skilled environment for students with severe emotional problems.

Last Tuesday, officials for the school, along with one of the borough's top elected officials, provided something else for them - presents for Christmas.

Assemblyman Joseph Lentol joined Stacey Chizzik, a licensed speech-language pathologist and director of the Therapeutic Preschool, as well as employees of CitiStorage in handing out toys to more than 50 youth. The pre-kindergartners had previously been rejected by the public school system, and their families cannot afford private schooling.
"If there is God's work, they do it here," said Lentol, who had suggested the school to CitiStorage.

Although the records management company donated the toys, which included scooters as well as "Fur-Real"-brand parrots for the school's autistic children to enjoy, one might argue the League Treatment Center already provides its own wonderful present 365 days out of the year to its students: An educational program featuring small class sizes, and a staff that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and language specialists, and social workers.

Chizzik said the preschoolers split time between highly specialized programs and more traditional activities that allow instruction alongside typically developing peers.

As a result of this combination, students throughout League Treatment Center's five schools learn and succeed. In fact, a whopping 95 percent of preschool graduates make the jump into Department of Education programs - no small feat, given that a large percentage actually have learning disabilities.

Still, as Chizzik pointed out, most of their students come from lower-income backgrounds, and times are often tough for them. That makes gestures such as the present-giving by CitiStorage all the more significant.

"I am not exaggerating when I say this is probably the nicest gift many of these children will ever receive," she said.

PHOTO CAPTIONS: (Top) Assemblyman Joseph Lentol with a student who received a brand new scooter for Christmas.

(Bottom) This class of autistic preschoolers received "Fur-Real"-brand McCaws, which repeat phrases said to them. They are intended to encourage vocalization. Pictured left-to-right are Ernest Butler, Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, and Rachelle Turenne. Both Butler and Turenne work for CitiStorage.

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CitiStorage Wins the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Award

New York, NY, July 7, 2006

CitiStorage, a records management company in Williamsburg, Brooklyn was selected as the winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Award in the Corporate Services Category. This year’s award winners were recognized at a special 20th anniversary gala event at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square with more than 500 people in attendance.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award program is designed to recognize the vital contributions of entrepreneurs — leaders and creators who build and sustain world-class businesses. The program celebrates the vision, leadership, achievement, and social responsibility of entrepreneurial businesses.

“This recognition is great,” said Norman Brodsky, who accepted the award with his wife and co-founder, Elaine Brodsky. “We had no expectation of winning this award so it comes as a wonderful surprise.”

Elaine Brodsky thanked their customers for believing in them and contributing to the Company’s success. She recognized CitiStorage’s employees for their hard work and dedication. “We could not be who we are or realize the kind of success we’ve achieved without the spirit that comes from the entire CitiStorage family.”

CitiStorage will now compete on the National level to be held in Palm Springs, California November 2006.

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CitiStorage Celebrates Independence Day

Out and About with A.L. Gordon - CitiStorage and P.S. 132
The New York Sun - July 7, 2006

Even the most successful fund-raising events for P.S. 132 in Williamsburg have brought in only small amounts of money. The kite festival in April, for example, yielded $3,200 and took up lots of parent time.

The scenario was a bit different at the Independence Day bash Tuesday night on the Williamsburg waterfront that brought in $6,500 with minimal parental effort, thanks to Norman Brodsky, a local business owner with a strong commitment to the community.

The founder of the document storage business CitiStorage, Mr. Brodsky invited P.S. 132 to host a benefit within his annual holiday party at company headquarters, which has a prime location for fireworks-viewing along the Brooklyn waterfront. Mr. Brodsky calls it the party of the year, and the 1,200 guests in attendance seemed in agreement.

“This is fantastic for us, and it really helps get the word out about the school,” a parent who is a vice president of the Parent Teachers Association at P.S. 132, Leslye Leaness, said.

“Resources are always lacking, but especially if the school, like ours, is a pretty good school that is ethnically diverse,” Ms. Leaness said.

The school, which has 600 students, has been a solid, traditional school for a while. But historically, the artists who came to Williamsburg preferred to send their children to school in Manhattan, particularly the East Village, where the curriculum was more progressive.

That is beginning to change, with the help of parents like Ms. Leaness. When her son, Isaac, entered the school, Ms. Leaness and some friends led a neighborhood campaign to get parents to enroll their children at P.S. 132. The number of pre-kindergarten classes since then has increased to four from one.

“Two years ago, people though we were crazy. Now most people are staying,” Ms. Leaness said.

The principal of the school since 2003, Beth Lubeck-Ceffalia, who attended the party, can definitely take some of the credit for the change in enrollment patterns. She invited artists to paint murals in the building and oversaw a smooth transition to the more progressive curriculum mandated by the Department of Education. What was notable about the guests who came to support P.S. 132 by buying $50 tickets was their diversity. School parents were in attendance, but there were also young professionals from the neighborhood and alumni, many of whom found out about the event from flyers posted in the neighborhood.

“When I was growing up here, you couldn’t come down here watch the fireworks,” Frank Fedele, an alumnus, said. “There was no interest in the waterfront. Now it’s amazing,” he said.

“We like the idea of homespun Williamsburg, so anything we can do to help the community, we’re there,” Nick Bernhard, who grew up on Metropolitan Avenue and attended Catholic school, said.

For the family-oriented crowd there were carnival rides and games, lots of food (from hot dogs to carved roast beef with plenty of salad, yams, and corn on the cob), and that spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline.

Under redevelopment plans for the Williamsburg waterfront, Mr. Brodsky would likely lose his land. But with the goodwill he is building at this annual event, he will have some serious supporters on his side.

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Law & Order Films at CitiStorage

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Universal Network Television, LLC

May 22nd, 2006

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Brodsky
CitiStorage
5 North 11th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Dear Elaine and Norman,

On behalf of the Locations Department and the entire cast and crew of ‘Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”, we would like to thank you for allowing us to film at CitiStorage.

Your warehouse was the perfect backdrop for the scenes we needed to film and your exquisite loft added amazing production value. We hope you and your guests enjoyed watching the filming. The warm atmosphere of CitiStorage helped to make our long filming days a true pleasure. We are grateful to have had such gracious hosts.

Also, please extend our thanks to Louis, Peter, Frank and Jonah, who were all a tremendous help on several occasions and a key factor for us having smooth filming days. You are fortunate to have such an amazing staff at CitiStorage. It was a pleasure working with you and we hope our paths cross again soon.

The episode entitled “Underbelly” will air next season. It is currently scheduled to be the seventh episode. We will call you in September with the airdate.

Sincerely,

Trish Adlesic
Location Manager

Tom Scutro
Assistant Location Manager

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CitiStorage Featured in New Business Book

CITISTORAGE is one of the featured companies in a new business book, Small Giants - Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham published by the Penguin Group, NY, NY 2005.

Excerpts: ...some entrepreneurs have rejected the pressure of endless growth to focus on more satisfying business goals. Goals like being great at what they do...creating a great place to work...providing great customer service...making great contributions to their communities... and finding great ways to lead their lives.

Today CitiStorage is like the rest of Brooklyn - a melting pot of people from many backgrounds, speaking many languages. There's a hard-boiled, no-nonsense, "fuggedabowdit" edge to the culture, combined with a warmth, generosity of spirit, and the camaraderie of working people making their way in the world. The employees are deeply loyal to and protective of the company, which has given most of them opportunities they've never had before and would never have had without it.

For further information about the book, go to www.smallgiantsbook.com

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The Spirit of Giving is Alive and Well at CitiStorage

Records Center staff donate time and gifts to the children of the League Treatment Center

	For the eighth year in a row, the elves at CitiStorage worked tirelessly to ensure that 130 young children at the League Treatment Center would receive something special for the holidays. The League is the nation's oldest day care for mentally and physically challenged children and adults. CitiStorage is an archival storage and retrieval company. Both are located in Brooklyn. Each year in October, the teachers compile a list of specific toys. At CitiStorage, Elaine Brodsky and Norlene Gumbs organize and inventory the list and locate the best place to purchase the items using a combination of actual store visits and on-line buying. Once everything is purchased, their third floor conference room looks more like Santa's workshop than an executive meeting room. Each toy is checked, assembled, wrapped, and labeled with the child's name and
classroom. The week of December 12-16, 2005, Elaine took 5 different employees each day followed by a van filled with toys to 30 Washington Street where they were welcomed with open arms. "This is a huge undertaking and the reason it is so successful is the cooperation and dedication of the CitiStorage employees who want to make a difference," said Elaine Brodsky. And they certainly did - by the looks on the faces of the children and the welcoming hugs by the teachers when they arrived bearing their gifts - computers, bikes, trampolines, puppet theaters, and trains, etc. One young boy clutched his Millenium Falcon space ship and exclaimed, "my dreams have been answered. This is the best day of my life!" Now can you think of a better way to get into the holiday spirit? Apparently, the employees of CitiStorage figured that out eight years ago.

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Legislator & Local Commerce Team Up For The Holidays!

Greenpoint, NY, Assemblyman Joe Lentol and local community businesses including records management company, CitiStorage, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, have teamed up to help those less fortunate this holiday season. The Company's Management Team wanted to make a difference in the lives of these local families and through the Assemblyman's office initiated the launch of a 2005 Thanksgiving Food Drive in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area. They also plan to follow up with an agency effort to strengthen St. Vincent De Paul's year round food pantry program for families struggling with rising rent costs.

Norm Brodsky, CitiStorage spokesperson states, "I couldn't be more proud of the employees' generosity and willingness to work as a team on behalf of the less fortunate in our neighborhood." CitiStorage has already taken initial steps to generate food collections. They hope to donate, collect, transport, pack and distribute Thanksgiving food baskets alongside the volunteers at St. Vincent's. "We are part of this community and as such, it is our responsibility to see to it that no one goes without this holiday season, or ever, for that matter," adds company President Louis Weiner. "One of the things that make me most proud of representing Greenpoint/Williamsburg is the generosity and commitment of both local residents and local businesses like CitiStorage, especially when it comes to helping the truly local needy among us," said Assemblyman Joe Lentol

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CitiStorage STRIVES To Help
Brooklyn, NY

CitiStorage has been selected as this year's "Employer of the Year" for the STRIVE AWARD. Lee Iaccoca, Honorary Chairperson, spearheads the organization, designed to bring people from "welfare to the workplace." It's goal is to get the disadvantaged and chronically unemployed into jobs and keep them there.

CitiStorage's Norman & Elaine Brodsky have been significant participants of the organization and have exhibited remarkable results by employing and maintaining these individuals. In recognition of their outstanding contribution they will be honored by STRIVE, November 3rd, 2005 at the United Nations where Norman Brodsky has been selected keynote speaker for the event.

STRIVE's success and companies committed to the organization, like CitiStorage, is essential in helping people make positive contributions to themselves, their families and their communities.

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CitiStorage Employees Participate in a Walk for Breast Cancer

On Sunday October 16th, 2005 several CitiStorage employees and their family members participated in a Walk for Breast Cancer in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

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CitiStorage Brings Holiday Cheer to Youngsters

as written in Brooklyn's Progress, January 2004. Story by Khadija Batuta

A much-anticipated holiday tradition has developed over the past seven years at CitiStorage—the staff conducts an annual toy drive in support of the League Treatment Center, the nation’s oldest day school for autistic youngsters, located in DUMBO.

Every morning for one week, the children of the center are greeted in their classrooms by elves, CitiStorage staff volunteers, that deliver brightly wrapped and personalized gifts to each student. The staff volunteers visit with each class and assist the children in opening and assembling their presents. For CitiStorage proprietors Norman and Elaine Brodsky this is also a family affair. Ms. Brodsky and her daughter, Beth, visiting from George Washington University, enthusiastically took part in the festivities.

“This brings such joy to everyone involved. The children love it, and we feel so honored that CitiStorage has chosen our kids to adopt each year,” beamed Hannah Achtenberg Kinn, Executive Director of the League, which has been in operation since 1953, and continues to be a leader in providing comprehensive services to developmentally disabled children and adults.

As an alternative to the traditional company holiday party, CitiStorage began the toy drive in 1997. With a desire to positively impact the Brooklyn community and through networking at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, CitiStorage developed its plan. For the past four years the effort has been lovingly coordinated by Norlene Gumbs, data entry supervisor at CitiStorage, who begins the two-month process working with League Director Stacey Chizzik.

First, Ms. Chizzik develops the gift list in which each child is matched with an age-appropriate toy to support his or her specific developmental needs. Next, with assistance from other staff volunteers, Ms. Gumbs shops for and purchases the selected gifts—conducted entirely over the Internet this year—and finally recruits a number of her colleagues to join her as one of six “elves” to deliver the gifts over the five days of the drive. 140 gifts in all were distributed this year. The CitiStorage staff close out the week at their office with a fun—and economical—pizza party.

“The end of this week each year is always bittersweet for us. This is such a heartwarming experience, and we look forward to it every year,” stated Ms. Brodsky.

CitiStorage, a long-time Chamber Member, is a 14-year old full service commercial record storage center headquartered in a 10-million cubic foot state-of-the-art facility in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They can be reached by phone at 718-782-1100, or via the Internet at http://www.citistorage.com/.

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GNYHA Ventures Offers Document Storage and Disposal Services Through CitiStorage and U.S. Document Security

Skyline News, October 20, 2003

GNYHA Ventures has partnered with CitiStorage and its sister company, U.S. Document Security, to provide secure document storage and disposal services to GNYHA members at a discount. CitiStorage provides records management for private health care facilities, hospitals, government agencies, and professional practices. The company's state-of-the-art facilities enable it to substantially reduce off-site storage and service expenses, while providing flexible retrieval and delivery options. Bar coding and specially constructed shelving systems provide an accurately maintained and easily accessed off-site storage location. CitiStorage's facilities are staffed by bonded and insured personnel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All facilities are under round-the-clock, multiplex camera surveillance and are constantly recorded. All entrances are alarmed with motion sensors and are controlled by card key access. As a HIPAA-compliant business, CitiStorage can help health care institutions establish appropriate safeguards surrounding storage and retrieval of Protected Health Information (PHI).

U.S. Document Security provides for the secure destruction of confidential PHI. HIPAA regulations make it mandatory for health care institutions to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and security of patient information. U.S. Document Security, a HIPAA compliant business, works with health care facilities to guarantee the security of confidential information, by evaluating each department's needs and providing the necessary secure, on-site containers, which are specifically designed to safeguard discarded, sensitive materials against unauthorized access or use. Regular pick-ups of discarded materials in locked trucks ensure secure handling at the shredding facility. Materials are shredded within 24 hours of pick-up and a "Certificate of Destruction" is issued.

For more information, please contact Gayle White at GNYHA.

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Bird's Eye View of September 11th

As seen in O'Neil Strategic Partner Magazine, Issue No. 4, 2001
Written by Louis Weiner, President , CitiStorage

CitiStorage is a 10,000,000 cubic foot record center that sits right on the water in Brooklyn. With its brand new state-of-the-art glass offices, they had the perfect view of New York City and the World Trade Center. Unfortunately on September 11th this envious view proved to be both a blessing and a curse. Here is an account by Louis Weiner, President of CitiStorage of how the events unfolded and how CitiStorage is coping today.

Tuesday morning, about 8:55, I was in my office on the phone and happened to look out the window, which is not hard to do. There was smoke billowing from the side of one of the towers. My first thought was, "That's odd. That fire must have been burning for a while to get that bad." But I hadn't heard anything on the radio on the way to work. The smoke then shifted and I saw a gaping hole in the side of the building that actually had the shape of an airplane. My thought then was, "I only hope this was 'just' and airplane crash". A couple of staff members called me to see if I saw what was going on.

About ten minutes later, as we were standing looking out the window and trying to get any information we could from the radio, we watched in total shock as the second plane came around and hit the second tower. At that moment, we knew this was not just a plane crash. Now several employees were aware of what was happening and the word was spreading. People became very nervous and gradually drifted outside to see what was happening. I called all my managers together to discuss our place of action. Where were our drivers? Where were our field crews? During our discussion in my office, we heard on the radio that another place had crashed into the Pentagon. At about 10:00, just as we were formulating a plan, the first tower collapsed right in front of our eyes.

With the events unfolding so rapidly and in such close proximity, our employees became very nervous. Some of them wanted to leave because they had loved ones that worked in the WTC. I called all of our employees together to hopefully calm everyone down and determine our next step. Since there are over 60 employees in the facility the only place to meet was outside. We all gathered at the end of our street at the East River. It just worked out that they were all facing the city and I was speaking to them with my back to the river. About a minute into my "talk", just as I was asking everyone to stay calm, 60 people put their hands up to their heads and let out a shriek like I've never heard before. I turned around and saw the second tower crumbling right before my eyes. At this point there was nothing I could possibly say. All we could do was to let everyone that wanted to leave, leave. We told everyone that they should not attempt to go to the city, nor should they leave if they were going to just wander around. Some employees began running up the street towards the subway, others just stood crying, yet others just walked around not even knowing what they were going to do next. We stopped all non-essential operations for the day and watched the rest of the drama unfold. Most drivers were called back in. Employees at offsite projects were called back in. Some of them had to walk from uptown Manhattan across the 59th Street Bridge back to our facility in Brooklyn.

Time has now passed and the attack has had an impact on our business in many ways. Some customers have relocated to uptown Manhattan and some to Long Island and New Jersey. Deliveries take twice as long. Drivers go through many checkpoints en route to a delivery. Vehicles are inspected, and drivers questioned. Our sister company, Perfect Courier, delivers meals to the NYC Board of Education schools and to many private schools. In as much as school was already in session, and the fact that many schools were used for emergency services, we have to keep those drivers out on the road for several more hours making as many deliveries as possible. It is an almost impossible task since most roads were all down.

Other impacts involve a decrease in requests for files because so many people are still in a state of shock and everything is just taking longer. It will pick up, and is in fact beginning to now. This tragedy will have a definite impact on cash flow. People are paying more slowly, several customers had check processing offices in the downtown area, and people are just simply holding onto their money. Perfect Courier's lost baggage delivery business has certainly been impacted. With the reduction in air travel, this business has taken a hit.

As a company, we have tried to help in any way we can. We have volunteered our facilities to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce who is accepting donations of office furniture and equipment from the around the U.S. and Canada for companies affected by the World Trade Center disaster. We are going to be their warehouse and distribution center for this material for the foreseeable future.

We have not decreased our staff as a result of these attacks and our intent is to maintain all of our employees. We have not lost any employees due to commuting challenges, but commuting has become a small nightmare, particularly from the suburbs. We did have some employees out during the first few days, but they are now back at work. We have also run some in-house counseling sessions for our employees to help them with their own grieving process. People grieve in different ways, and it is not only those who lost someone firsthand who are affected. Everyone in one way or another is affected.

One thing that helps us all is no matter what anyone says, New Yorkers are a tough breed. Things are slowly starting to get back to normal, but I don't know if it can ever be the same. I believe that business levels over time will come back to normal, but the events of 9-11 will be in the back of everyone's mind for a long time to come.