Welcome to the Young Emerging Professional’s Member Spotlight, where each month YEP will sit down with one of our members and see what they’re up to. Over the next several months we will introduce you to the YEP Team. These folks are the heart and soul behind our events and our mission. 

This month we’re proud to present one of YEP’s founding members: Heather Smith-Jaser, CPA

Employer: Dworken Hillman LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C. DHL&S
Title: Accounting and Audit Manager

YEP: Tell us a bit about what you do?

HSJ: DHL&S is a full service public accounting firm providing accounting, auditing, tax and consulting services.  As a Manager, I am responsible for planning and evaluation of engagements in various industries including real estate investment, manufacturing, health care and not for profit accounting. I am also involved in the preparation of income tax returns and management of entry level, Senior and Supervisor-level staff. In addition to my client responsibilities I am involved in recruiting and the evaluation and development of our accounting personnel. 

YEP: Tell us a bit about yourself ?

HSJ: Well professionally, I am a CPA and enjoy the spontaneity of public accounting.  Never knowing what each day will bring, or what new challenges our clients may face. 

Personally – I am a mom to an amazing 1 year old, who is the light of mine and my husband’s lives.   She keeps us on our toes and every day is an adventure.  We are looking forward to the summertime when we can start enjoying some of our favorite activities like the beach, jet skiing, camping and traveling through the eyes of our daughter.  

YEP: You have been one of the original board members since YEP got off the ground. What is it about YEP that made you want to be more than just a participant at our events; but a representative of the group?

HSJ: From my very first YEP after hours, I felt that this could be a great opportunity, not only for me but for other Young Professionals within the community, to network in and among their peers.  It is an opportunity for young professionals to grow their network in an environment that is less intimidating.  As we have heard repeatedly, young professionals are the future.  If we are able to assist professionals in the beginning of their careers with monthly networking events, training seminars and community involvement, we have not only assisted with the growth of our careers but the growth of us as individuals. 

YEP: DHL&S always has a strong showing at our YEP events. What is it about YEP that you and your colleagues like about YEP?

HSJ: The opportunities the group presents to even our newest staff are something I feel is worth investing in.  We have utilized YEP as not only a networking community but as a form of training our newer staff on the art of networking.  It allows for an environment that they feel comfortable in and at such an early stage in their careers, they can begin to develop those relationships. 

YEP: Future aspirations?

HSJ: Continued success in my profession. 

YEP: Any fun facts or most interesting thing that’s ever happened to you?

HSJ: Most interesting thing that ever happened to me was I was camping with my family a few years ago and we were in the middle of a horrible rain storm.  A dam up river let go and the campground became flooded, over the course of three hours the water level rose to more than ten feet.  I assisted the campground owners (among them was my family) and the Bernardston, MA fire department and dive team search and rescue squad remove trailers and evacuate those occupants whose trailers could not be moved.  We lost several trailers that day and weeks later we were still pulling debris (gas grills and decks) out of the woods down river.  Watching the community come together to assist us and others was the one thing that I will always remember.

Welcome to the Young Emerging Professional’s Member Spotlight, where each month YEP will sit down with one of our members and see what they’re up to. Over the next several months we will introduce you to the YEP Team. These folks are the heart and soul behind our events and our mission. 

On tap for January? 

Andrew Venditti from 203 Communications, LLC.

YEP: Happy New Year Andy! Tell us a little about 203…

AV:  We are a marketing firm with a strong focus on web development and photography. The two may seem odd inside one company, but they actually compliment each other quite well…nothing compliments a well designed and programmed website better than striking content. We pride ourselves on providing our clients with unique, custom solutions built into a strong marketing plan that we help them develop to achieve their goals. We like to immerse ourselves in our clients business, and become part of their team, not just an outside vendor.

The company began almost accidentally. Dan Zaniewski and I are both Seymour firefighters (Dan is actually the Captain at Great HIll Hose Company). One night at the firehouse  one of our fellow firefighters who owns a company asked us if we could work together to help him with a solution for his site. Knowing I had the design acumen and marketing experience (as I was the Director of Marketing for a nationwide manufacturing firm for about 5 years at the time), and Dan was a super programmer, working for a 40 billion dollar company, it was only natural for him to ask people he trusted and knew could do it.

Once that project was completed, he ended up sending us a referral, we decided to incorporate, and haven’t looked back since.

In late 2009 we decided to officially start 203 Photography as a subsidiary of 203 Communications, LLC. This decision was fueled by the fact that we were seeing a call for photographic services that were outside of the realm of “marketing”, such as weddings, events, portraits, and sports photography.

Photo Courtesy of Arnold Gold / New Haven Register

YEP: What does 2011 have in store for 203?

AV: We’re approaching 2011 as our year of growth. What started off as a side job has really progressed in to a profitable, successful company. This year we plan to move out of our home offices and into a corporate setting within the first quarter. We’re also looking at the possibility of hiring more help. We’ve been very busy lately, and in order to keep up this pace, and expand further, we’re going to need help, or risk burning ourselves out. We’re very excited at how our first month is going. It’s great to see people spending money again. I think we are already seeing the economy start to come back to life as people loosen the purse stings a bit and start to get back in to “spend money to make money” mindsets. We’re hoping that the trend we’ve seen here in the first month continues, and our working towards ensuring that momentum. In January alone we were featured in the New Haven Register, and on national television shooting a URI vs. Xavier game at the Ryan Center on ESPNU.

YEP: As a YEP Board Member, what can you share about your YEP experience?

AV: I’m honored to be part of such a great group of hungry, motivated and talented young professionals. I’ve found that networking is essential to growing a company. It’s not the only element, but one of the most important. Not only do you achieve exposure for your business, but you also get to keep your finger on the pulse of regional trends, industrial and technological trends, and see what works and what impedes growth in others businesses. Being a part of YEP has helped to get our business to where it is, and like anything else in this world, you’ll get out of it what you put in.

YEP: Any New Year Resolutions?

AV: Yes. We plan to make this the year that we not only move into an office, but get busy enough to where we need to hire developers and designers. We plan to also focus on growing the sports photography side of our business. We’d love to get to be shooting pro sports before the end of 2011. We’re also hoping to focus a bit more on shooting weddings this summer. Typically we shoot 4-5 a year, because we don’t actively market the service, I’d love to double that number this year!

YEP: Good stuff Andy. We would also like to acknowledge all the hard work you guys did getting the YEP website up and running. We’re hopeful that the site will continue to evolve and become the source for all young professionals living and working in the Lower Naugatuck Valley. All the best to you, Dan and 203 for a great 2011!