The 9th RPCN Entrepreneurs Awards Celebration

Rochester Professional Consultants Network (RPCN) was honored to hold our 9th RPCN Entrepreneurs Awards Celebration on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Red Fedele’s Brook House Restaurant! We enjoyed hosting a luncheon for our six winners, their guests, and other business leaders and professionals in the community. We also had an opportunity to learn more about the winners and network with them and the other attendees.

The categories of the awards, and our winners, are listed below:

• Community Champion, David Powe, Partner and Lead Consultant of AIOPIX Management Consulting
• Leadership Award, James Senall, President of NextCorps, Inc.
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Melissa Mueller-Douglas, Founder and CEO of MYRetreat, Inc.
• Linda Halliburton Friend of RPCN Award, Melissa Cobo, Librarian at the Business Insight Center and Manager at the Carlson Center for Intellectual Property at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
• Dave Young Dedicated Service Award, Dave Finger, Sole Proprietor of Computer Gardener LLC
• President’s Award, Bob Manard, Chief Marketing Strategist of Sharp Dressed Brand; Licensed Real Estate Salesperson at Where You Sleep; and Creative Director at Faces That Work

There were many people who contributed to making this event a success. Some are the dedicated members within RPCN, and others are members of the community, such as Ginny Ryan, who contributed her time and her talents as a former Rochester newscaster to be our Master of Ceremonies. We also want to thank the dedicated staff at the Brook House Restaurant, particularly the twin sisters working there, who were responsive to our requests for help during our time at the Brook House.

The RPCN members who donated their time and talents in the planning, setup, and execution of the event are: Joyce Curran, Thomas Fecteau, Melanie Watson, Bob Manard, David Finger, Dave Bassett, David Powe, Mark Fling, Michael Roach, Bob Lurz, Ruth Balkin, Sandra Glanton.

We want to thank them for all their hard work and contributions! Please plan to join us for RPCN’s 10th Annual Entrepreneurs Wall of Fame Awards Celebration in the Spring of 2026.

—Sandra Glanton

Get a Mentor for Your Business

As a solo entrepreneur, you’re responsible for all aspects of your enterprise, and it’s lonely at the top. Even if you engage others for taxes, legal issues, marketing, etc., you’re the place where it “all comes to a head.” You’re the one who must:

• Acquire clients and use your expertise to produce client value. 
• Develop strategy and action plans.
• Track progress.
• Handle big and small issues.
• “Fight fires” and adapt to the unexpected. 
• Coordinate to keep it all together.
• Make your company successful.

And don’t forget about your personal life outside of business.

Why a Mentor?
Mentors can be trusted advisors to help you objectively sort it all out. A mentor can guide you to make sound decisions, do the right things at the right time, avoid pitfalls, and recover when you stumble. Mentors can also connect entrepreneurs to networks of resources needed to start and build the business.

Mentor Definition
Confusion exists between mentoring and coaching. Oversimplified definitions: Mentors advise you. They can help you be accountable to yourself for achieving goals. They have connections to resources. Business Coaches help you learn the skills needed to start a business. Coaches can help you modify personal behaviors that keep you from achieving goals. 
Many mentors provide some coaching, and many coaches provide some mentoring.

How to Find a Mentor?

• Ask trusted colleagues and friends to recommend mentors.
• Network to find mentors in applicable professional organizations.
• Search for mentoring organizations. SCORE offers no-cost mentors.

How to Choose a Mentor?
Interview mentor candidates and their clients.
Do a trial period at low or no cost.
If you start with a SCORE mentor who doesn’t seem to fit your needs, ask for a different mentor. 

How to Use a Mentor?

• Establish what the mentor will do for you: Help you plan and follow through? Advice about nagging problems? Introduce you to key contacts? Recommend sources of funding?
• Make the mentor aware of how your business and personal lives affect each other.
• Meet often enough to keep your mentor updated and aware of changes in your needs.

Summary
Again, “It’s lonely at the top.” Use your mentor for objective advice and to help combat the isolation of a one-person business.

10 Ways to Make AI a Force for Good

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved into one of the most transformative technologies of our time, revolutionizing industries, enhancing productivity, and improving decision-making. However, as its impact continues to grow, so does the responsibility to use AI ethically. Ethical considerations are essential to ensure AI benefits society while avoiding harm, bias, or misuse.

1. Prioritize Transparency
AI systems should operate with openness. Developers must clearly communicate how these systems work, the data they rely on, and how decisions are made. Transparency builds user trust by helping people understand the scope, limitations, and intended outcomes of AI applications.

2. Avoid Bias and Discrimination
To prevent unfair treatment, AI models need regular audits and updates. Using diverse and representative datasets is crucial to minimize systemic bias and ensure that AI outcomes do not disproportionately affect certain groups.

3. Ensure Privacy and Data Protection
Respect for privacy must be a cornerstone of AI deployment. Organizations should adhere to strict regulations, such as the US’s and EU’s general data protection regulation (GDPR) or California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), to collect only essential data, encrypt sensitive information, and maintain robust cybersecurity protections to prevent misuse.

4. Be Mindful of AI’s Social Impact
The rise of AI has significant implications for jobs and communities. Ethical AI use means designing systems that augment human roles rather than eliminate them. It also means investing in training and reskilling programs to prepare people for an AI-augmented workforce.

5. Develop Ethical Guidelines for AI Use
Collaborating with ethicists, policymakers, and industry leaders to establish and update ethical frameworks is essential. These guidelines must include accountability measures to ensure ethical compliance throughout the AI lifecycle.

6. Promote Accessibility and Inclusivity
AI technologies should serve all people, not just the privileged few. Building systems that accommodate diverse needs, and including marginalized voices in design processes, can help bridge equity gaps and improve social outcomes.

7. Focus on Accuracy and Reliability
High-performing AI systems require continuous refinement. Rigorous pre-deployment testing and ongoing monitoring post-launch are critical to ensure accuracy, reduce errors, and improve user trust.

8. Avoid Autonomous Decision-Making in Critical Areas
In high-stakes scenarios like healthcare or legal decisions, human oversight must remain central. While AI can provide support, limiting full autonomy ensures accountability and prevents unintended consequences.

9. Stay Compliant with Laws and Regulations
Organizations must remain vigilant in following legal standards and adapting to evolving regulations. Working with lawmakers helps ensure ethical practices are embedded into the development and use of AI.

10. Educate and Empower Stakeholders
Everyone involved with AI—developers, users, leaders—should receive training on its capabilities and ethical considerations. Promoting open dialogue and awareness helps create a culture of accountability and informed decision-making.

Conclusion
Ethical AI isn’t a luxury -- it’s a necessity. As AI continues to shape our future, its responsible use will determine whether it becomes a tool for positive transformation or a source of harm. The decisions we make today will define AI’s legacy for generations to come. Let’s make them count.

—Bob Manard