2025 Small Business Grant
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HNG Leadership Team
Get to know the team behind our mission to drive growth and build community
Tom Kasper
HNG President
Tom Kasper retired as a Major after 24 years of service in the U.S. Army. During his service, he deployed three times and served throughout the world in various assignments as a Company Commander, Battalion Chief of Operations and a Team Leader planning and conducting Civil Affairs and Counter-Insurgency Operations focused primarily in the Middle East. Today he serves his community as a financial advisor with Edward Jones, President of the Hilton Networking Group, and as a proud husband and father.
“I am passionate about helping individuals, families and businesses build, protect and transfer wealth by providing integrated wealth strategies and advising services. It is a responsibility that I take extremely seriously. Edward Jones shares my values, my integrity and my approach to investing.”
Whether you are about to pull the trigger on retirement or build your path toward it, Tom can help you realize your own personal vision of financial freedom with strategies tailored to your goals.
Maureen L. Werner, Esq.
Partner, Schum & Werner
A lifelong resident and graduate of Hilton High School, Class of 1983. Residing in her childhood home, Maureen brings a profound understanding of the local landscape to her role as Partner at Schum & Werner. Starting out as an associate in 2015 and becoming a Partner in the firm in 2019, she has played a pivotal role in the firm's expansion, spearheading the establishment of a Hilton Office in 2021, complementing their existing presence in Spencerport.
Educationally, Maureen holds a diverse range of qualifications. She earned her degree from SUNY Cobleskill in 1985, followed by a degree from SUNY Brockport in 2002. Demonstrating her commitment to continuous learning and professional development, she graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Law in 2014 after completing her first year of law studies at the prestigious Thomas H. Cooley School of Law in 2011. Maureen's dedication to legal excellence culminated in her admission to the Bar of New York 4th Department in 2015.
Before embarking on her legal career, Maureen honed her skills as a Chef, leveraging her culinary expertise. Subsequently, she pursued further education at St. John Fisher College, obtaining her Paralegal Certification. For two decades, Maureen served as a trusted paralegal in the local area, adeptly assisting clients with Estate, Elder Law, Trusts, and Real Estate matters. Her tenure in this role not only fortified her legal acumen but also fostered enduring relationships within the community.
Maureen's commitment to her community extends beyond her professional endeavors. Known for her unwavering dedication, she has cultivated strong ties with individuals, businesses, and community organizations across Hilton, Spencerport, Brockport, Hamlin, Greece, and surrounding areas.
Outside of work, Maureen finds joy in family activities, cherishing moments with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, sisters, nieces, her ninety-six-year-young father and her great nieces and nephew the majority of them residing in the Hilton area. She also indulges in recreational pursuits, including boating, jet skiing, and relishing leisure time with friends.
Through her multifaceted experiences and unwavering dedication, Maureen Werner exemplifies professionalism, expertise, and a steadfast commitment to serving her community.
Joseph Schlonski
Owner, Platinum Quality Construction
Joe is the owner and President of Platinum Quality Construction, a small, family owned and operated exterior remodeling contractor focusing on new construction. The Platinum team specializes in custom decks, small residential additions, siding, excavation, site work, and land clearing throughout the Monroe County area.
What Joe loves about the HNG is, “We are a great group of local businesses with impeccable integrity.”
Born and raised on the West side, Joe and his family call Hilton home. They are staunch supporters of the community, donating every year in support of Hilton’s many car shows and supporting the local travel soccer teams.
When he isn’t on a job site or supporting the community, Joe can be found at Platinum Driving Range, a hobby, pet project, and side business that he founded in Hilton.
Get to Know Our Members
Meet the entrepreneurs helping the West Side business community thrive and g
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Gretchen Weber
Licensed Real Estate Agent Member of GRAR, NAR
As part of the team at ReMaxplus Gretchen provides clients with individualized attention, decades of experience, and an in-depth knowledge of the market and local community. She especially loves to work with first time buyers - “It's a joy to guide them through the process!”
She recommends the HNG as, “a wonderful group of professionals who all come together to SELL each others specialties, crafts and knowledge. It' a warm, close knit group. Never intimidating. Always supportive!!”
Gretchen has been a part of Rochester’s West side community her entire life - even when her adventures took her out of state. She loves its convenience and the strong sense of community that made it a great place to raise her daughters. When she is not helping clients realize their real estate dreams, Gretchen can be found camping with her husband of 36 tears, Michael, working as a hair stylist, or spending time with her 3 daughters.
Jason Toomey
Big Ash Fireplace & Stove Owner/Operator
A healthy home needs chimney care! Jason and his team at Big Ash fix leaky chimneys, install efficient heating units and perform advanced inspections to protect your investment. From fireplace facelifts to inspections and maintenance, they do it all, including providing support to new home owners unfamiliar with fireplace maintenance and care.
As a business owner, Jason recommends the HNG because, “it is a group of people that believe in each other and believe in betterment of others.”
He loves living on the West side because, “the views are hard to beat, there there is an intimacy from working with real down to earth people and changing their lives for the better.”
When he’s not helping homeowners, Jason loves having adventures with his wife and children - from hiking and boating to snowmobiling, travel, and just being together.
Myke Merrill
Signs, Garments and More
Myke and his team at Signs, Garments and More design, produce and install all kinds of business signage, vehicle decorations, banners, door and wall emblems, decals, magnets, yard signs, etc. They also decorate garments of any kind as well with in-house embroidery, sublimation, heat press and transfers, and can design and recover logos, do layouts and marketing products and help businesspeople grow their companies. They love to work with small business owners just getting started or wanting to upgrade their signage and promotional efforts.
Myke recommends the HNG because, “Almost all of our business for the last 20 years has come through "word of mouth" and personal connections. That is the essence of HNG.”
When he is not supporting business owners, Myke is also a published author, pastor, and active father and grandfather.
Shelby Letta
Paradise Sugar Shoppe
As the owner and creative director of Paradise Sugar Shoppe, Shelby creates beautiful custom decorated sugar cookies, cookie cakes, and drop cookies. She also leads interactive cookie decorating classes for people of all skill levels. From parties and special events to business customers, Shelby and her team can create custom printed logo cookies for events of all types and sizes.
Her popular classes sell out quickly, and she hopes to expand this area of the business through her involvement in the HNG.
Shelby recommends the HNG because, “It is a great way to build connections with local people that you can trust across a wide range of industries and services.”
What she loves most about living on the West is is the small town feeling of community. When she’s not teaching classes or creating custom cookies, Shelby can be found doing yoga or spending time with her kids.
James Bauman
Paychex Inc., Senior HR Consultant
As a member of the Paychex team, Jim Bauman supports small to medium size businesses by providing a full suite of Payroll & HR services. He especially loves working with any business that is looking for payroll support or support with processing payroll.
Jim recommends the HNG because, “It’s a great community organization and helps me spread the good word about the work we do at Paychex - and I love the people.”
When he isn’t supporting businesses, he spends his time working on the family farm and coaching his kids’ hockey teams.
Richard & Tammy Maier
Maier Land Surveying, P.C.
Richard, a Professional Land Surveyor, is a retired verteran of the United States Air Force. His 20 years of military service provide him with a strong commitment to excellence that translates into highly detailed and exeptionally accurate land surveys. With over 25 years of land surveying experierience which includes Instrument Surveys using the most technologically advanced surveying tripods, theordolites, digital levels and other instrumentation available to do indvidual boundaries, Topographic surveys, elevation certifications, As-Built Surveys, Easement Preparation and Subdivision of Land.
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He and his wife, Tammy, who co-runs the business, both highly recommend HNG: "This group consists of small business owners who are very dependable and trustworthy."
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A native of the West side, Richard and his family have been a part of the Hilton Fire Department for over 20 years.
Andrew Cole
QA Specialist
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Debbie Green
Content Strategist
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Alissa Rose
Product Manager
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