named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Disability & Paid Family Leave Insurance
Provides members with access to low-cost statutory disability insurance through partnerships with ShelterPoint and Standard Security Life.
Health Insurance Program
Offers custom HMO, PPO, EPO, and POS health plans through a partnership with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., with internal underwriting to secure competitive rates.
Merchant Services Program
Provides payment processing solutions including mobile apps, Wi-Fi terminals, e-commerce gateways, ACH, and surcharging through partners like Global Payments and TSYS.
Point-of-Sale Software & Solutions
Offers tailored POS software with inventory management, customer analytics, and tax reporting, plus installation, training, and support services.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program
Offers members access to Safety Group 493 underwritten by NYSIF, providing up-front discounts of up to 30% and potential year-end dividends averaging 38.7%.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Union and Association Benefit Funds 2 activities
- Administering workers’ compensation and other insurance programsOffers access to workers’ compensation insurance through Safety Group 493, underwritten by NYSIF, with advance discounts and potential dividends for qualified members. Also provides access to statutory disability insurance (DBL), health, group long-term disability, life, cyber liability, general liability, commercial property, and auto insurance through partnerships with providers like ShelterPoint, Standard Security Life, and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- Offering a Multiple Employer 401(k) Retirement PlanAdministers a Multiple Employer 401(k) Retirement Plan in partnership with the Alliance of State Retail Associations, providing member businesses access to a shared retirement savings program.
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Member Business Referral & Discount Programs 1 activity
- Administering a merchant services program for retailersAdministers a merchant services program offering payment processing solutions and customer service tailored to retailers and small businesses, with over $300 million in annual transaction volume and access to discounted equipment and supplies such as terminal receipt paper.
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Trade Association Advocacy & Compliance 1 activity
- Advocacy and government relations for retail businessesProvides government relations advocacy at the state and local level, advancing a comprehensive legislative agenda on behalf of nearly 5,000 retail stores and affiliated businesses across New York State. Analyzes over 10,000 legislative proposals per two-year cycle and delivers real-time updates to support member compliance with new laws and regulations.
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Business Member Promotion Services 1 activity
- Producing member engagement and industry visibility contentProduces a monthly interview series featuring member business owners to highlight the retail industry in New York State and promote member visibility.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Providing point-of-sale (POS) software support and trainingOffers hands-on assistance with POS software implementation, including live demonstrations, installation, training, and 50% reimbursement (up to $250) on eligible Square equipment after six months of sales. Provides online training via Teams or Zoom, recorded sessions, and onsite training for a fee, with 97% of merchants successfully transferring inventory data from prior systems.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.24M
Contributions & grants$903K73%
Program service revenue$86K7%
Investment income$148K12%
Other revenue$100K
expenses
Total expenses$1.15M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$770K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.48M
Cash$392K
Investments$2.37M
Liabilities$1.45M
Net assets$2.04M
Liquid reserves28.9 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +10.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELISSA O'CONNOR | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 28 | $375K |
| ADAM HERSHBERG | CFO | 10 | $210K |
| NICHOLL LOCKWOOD | VICE PRESIDENT | 10 | $150K |
| JACK YONALLY | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2K |
| CLINTON HEGEMAN | TREASURER | 1 | $2K |
| SHARON FENNO | CHAIRMAN | 1 | $2K |
board members · 7
- BLAIR REINARMAN — DIRECTOR
- CHARLES MILLER — VICE CHAIRMAN
- DAN LOPEZ — SECRETARY
- DANIEL KILBERT — DIRECTOR
- DAVEY MARCUS — DIRECTOR
- DENEVAN O'CONNELL — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW CAMPION — DIRECTOR
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- Alliance of State Retail Associations Partner — Partner in administering the Multiple Employer 401(k) Retirement Plan.
- Alliance of State Retail Associations Partner — Partnership to offer a Multiple Employer 401(k) Retirement Plan for members.
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Partner — Partners with Retail Council Services Corp. to offer competitive health insurance plans to members.
- Avalara Partner — Integration partner for simplified tax reporting within POS systems.
- Boro Rug & Carpet Warehouse Partner — Featured as a member participant in the Retailer Spotlights interview series.
- CardConnect Partner — Industry partner providing payment processing solutions for Retail Council members.
- City and State Network — Recognized Kelsey Dorado Bobersky from the Retail Council as one of Tomorrow’s Leaders.
- Crain’s New York Business Partner — Published an article featuring the Retail Council among 32 New York business groups opposing tax increases.
- Genius POS Partner — Partner for restaurant-focused POS solutions with table management, kitchen routing, and customer loyalty features.
- Global Payments Partner — Industry partner providing payment processing solutions for Retail Council members.
- Governor Hochul Government — Received advocacy letter urging focus on affordability in budget negotiations.
- MPIPOS Partner — Partner for all-in-one POS hardware and software solutions tailored to retail and restaurant operations.
- New York State Assembly Government — Received letter opposing legislation to limit discounts for consumers.
- New York State Insurance Fund Partner — Underwrites the Retail Council's Safety Group 493 workers’ compensation program.
- New York State Legislature Government — Engages in government relations with state legislative bodies as part of advocacy efforts.
- New York State Legislature Government — Received advocacy letter urging focus on affordability in budget negotiations.
- New York State Senate Government — Received letter opposing legislation to limit discounts for consumers.
- QuickBooks Partner — Integration partner for financial management, enabling seamless data flow between POS systems and accounting software.
- Retail Council Services Corp. Network — Wholly owned subsidiary of the Retail Council of New York State that administers the Merchant Services Program.
- Safety Group 493 Partner — Jointly administers insurance programs and provides member support services.
- ShelterPoint Partner — Provides statutory disability insurance (DBL) plans to Retail Council members.
- Square Partner — Partner for POS solutions, offering members equipment reimbursement through a co-branded program.
- Standard Security Life Partner — Provides statutory disability insurance (DBL) plans to Retail Council members.
- TSYS Partner — Industry partner providing payment processing solutions for Retail Council members.
- Target Partner — Senior Director of Government Affairs at Target provides testimonial support, indicating a member relationship and collaboration in advocacy efforts.
- Transamerica Partner — Recordkeeper for the Multiple Employer 401(k) Retirement Plan.
- Wix Partner — Partner for POS and e-commerce solutions, offering integration with inventory, customer management, and tax reporting tools.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collective Risk and Cost Reduction Through Pooling and Negotiationmethodology: collective_buying_powerBy aggregating member businesses into shared risk pools and leveraging collective buying power, the organization reduces operational costs in workers’ compensation, payment processing, insurance, and retirement plans, because scale and group negotiation lower per-unit expenses and improve financial sustainability for small and mid-sized retailers.
- Integrated Service Delivery for Operational Efficiencymethodology: one_stop_serviceBy offering a one-stop platform for POS systems, tax reporting, inventory management, and business services, the organization improves operational efficiency for small retailers, because integrated, cloud-based solutions reduce administrative burden and enable better business decision-making.
- Member-Driven Advocacy and Policy Influencemethodology: member-driven_advocacyBy developing policy positions in collaboration with members and representing a unified retail industry voice, the organization increases its influence with policymakers and media, because aligned, collective advocacy enhances credibility and effectiveness in shaping legislation and preventing harmful regulations.