2020 Business Person of the Year Awards Digital Magazine

2020

Business Person Of The Year Awards Recognized on June 24, 2021

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Program Agenda

Welcome • Brett Davidsen, Anchor, News 10 NBC

Remarks • Greg Miller, President, SBC of Rochester • Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

Selection Committee: • Timothy D. Fournier, Conifer Realty, LLC • Kimberly Gangi, CPA, Insero & Co. CPAs, LLC

Tribute to 2020 Business Person of the Year Award Finalists

• Arthur Kaempffe, Klassen Ingalls • Paul S. Kaiser, Pursuit • Katarina Polozie, Esq., Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

2020 Business Person of the Year Award Presentation

• Greg Vangellow, RW Dake Construction

• Under 50 Employees Finalists Showcase • 50 or More Employees Finalists Showcase

Planning Committee: • Rick Dougherty, Echelon Wealth Advisors, LLC

Presentation of the 2020 Business Person of the Year Award Winners

• Sitima Fowler, Iconic IT • Cassidy Franklin, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce • Susan George, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

Closing Remarks

• Tim Levine, ESL Federal Credit Union

• Greg Miller, President, SBC of Rochester

• Rosa LaDelfa, A&J Pharmacy • Tamera Carregin, MVP Health Care

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Celebrating Business Leaders in Rochester Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and its Small Business Council affiliate are pleased to present the 2020 Business Person of the Year Award finalists and welcome you to our celebration.

Founded in 1983, this award was established to honor the achievements of exceptional business leaders in the Greater Rochester region. More importantly, it was established to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and business lives. Our community benefits greatly from the service and vision of each of these individuals, who strive to achieve greatness in all they do.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted many plans in 2020, it also provided an opportunity for true leaders to shine. This year’s award has special significance, and will recognize outstanding leadership and resilience in the Greater Rochester region during a time of great challenge. As you read and learn more about the 2020 Business Person of the Year Awards finalists in this special publication, we know you will agree that they are outstanding examples of success and service.

We appreciate the tremendous generosity of our sponsors, whose contributions during these difficult times have allowed us to celebrate vision, leadership, and success. We also thank the community for its continued support and participation. Your attendance today is an important part of the success of all small businesses, which are the backbone of our Greater Rochester economy, country, and world. We are honored to spend this time with you and recognize such a distinguished group of business leaders.

Best of luck to all!

Bob Duffy President and CEO Greater Rochester Chamber

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Greg Miller President Small Business Council

Sponsors

Partners

Premier Sponsors

VIP Reception Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors • ESL Federal Credit Union • Mountain House Media • Nocon & Associates • Rochester Business Journal

Supporting Sponsors • AeroSafe Global • HR Works • M&T Bank • Saunders College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology • SYNACT, Inc. • Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Greater Rochester Chamber and its Small Business Council affiliate gratefully acknowledges the generous support for this event from its partners and sponsors. To sponsor this event next year, contact Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com or 585.256.4612.

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Business Person Of The Year Award Winners 1983 - 2019

2019 over 50 - Greg Vangellow, RW Dake Construction 2019 under 50 - Nicole Mahoney, Break The Ice Media 2018 over 50 - Timothy Fournier, Conifer Realty, LLC 2018 under 50 - Abby Reinhard, GP Flooring Solutions 2017 over 50 - Steve Carl, Operation Brain Freeze 2017 under 50 - Traci Adolph, Samson Fuel 2016 over 50 - Cyndi Weis, Breathe Yoga & Juice Bar, Inc. 2016 under 50 - Michael Pavia, Sydor Technologies LLC 2015 over 50 - Ken Rosenfeld, eHealth Technologies 2015 under 50 - Mike & Sitima Fowler, Capstone Information Technologies, Inc. 2014 over 50 - Robert Healy, LaBella Associates, DPC 2014 under 50 - Michelle Ashby, Tipping Point Communications 2013 over 50 - Mark E. Davitt, ConServe 2013 under 50 - Amy Castronova, Novatek Communications, Inc. 2012 over 50 - Ray Isaac, Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. 2012 under 50 - John Ford Nichols, The Nichols Team 2011 over 50 - Sharon Napier, Partners & Napier 2011 under 50 - Mark Gentile, Odyssey Software 2010 - Eli Futerman, Dan Chessin, Hahn Automotive 2009 - Tom Bonadio, The Bonadio Group 2008 - Kenton Fiske, SenDEC Corporation 2007 - Richard Kaplan, Pictometry International Corp.

2006 - Joe Klein, Klein Steel 2005 - Jim Hammer, Hammer Packaging 2004 - Linda Yaniszewski, ExecuScribe 2003 - Chris S. McVicker, The Flanders Group

2002 - Steven B. Sauer, Business Methods, Inc. 2001 - Lauren Dixon, Dixon Schwabl Advertising, Inc. 2000 - Kenneth McAlpin, McAlpin Industries, Inc. 1999 - Sarah Jane Clifford, The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester, Inc. 1998 - Nicholas Juskiw, Trident Precision Manufacturing, Inc. 1997 - Robert T. Tobin, Tobin & Associates 1996 - David Christa, Christa Construction 1995 - James Isaac, Isaac Heating and Cooling 1994 - Richard J. Dorschel, The Dorschel Automotive Group 1993 - I.C. Shah, ICS Telecom Inc. 1992 - Robert “Bud” Frame, Trillium Group 1991 - John (Dutch) Summers, Jasco Tools 1990 - Betty Perkins Carpenter 1989 - C. S. “Chic” Lewis 1988 - Robert Sperandio, Sporting Dog Specialties 1987 - Wayne Scheible, Flower City Printing 1986 - Jane Pitt, JP Associates 1985 - Matthew Augustine, Eltrex Industries 1984 - Charlotte Hegedus 1983 - Robert Hall

The Business Person of the Year Awards program was founded in 1983 by the Small Business Council, an affiliate of the Greater Rochester Chamber. Since 1983, close to 50 top leaders have received the prestigious Business Person of the Year Award.

Candidates are nominated by their peers. An independent Selection Committee of local business leaders and advisors reviews applications and selects finalists in two categories: (i) For-profit businesses with 50 employees or more; and (ii) For-profit businesses with fewer than 50 employees. One winner is chosen annually to receive the Award in each category.

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6/20/21

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CONGRATULATIONS!

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To the 2020 Business Persons of the Year Nominees

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We are honored to also congratulate our alumni recognized as Women of Excellence Honorees

Anne L. Wilder

Maureen Ryan Wolfe

President Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Sr. VP/Director, HR & Community Impact ESL Federal Credit Union

Christina Gullo President/CEO Villa of Hope

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Past Finalists & Winners’ Corner

Greg Vangellow Chief Executive Officer RW Dake Construction

1. What has been your journey since receiving the Business Person of the Year recognition?

It certainly has been an interesting journey since I won in 2019. While it was a great honor to be recognized, the events that have occurred since then have put a lot of things in perspective. The pandemic impacted each of our regions very differently and has presented new challenges and new stressors that were never considered possible before. Social events here in Rochester and in other parts of the nation also weighed heavily on just who we are and how we operate.

I reflect back on this time with pride on how we weathered the storm and admiration as to how others persevered and pivoted to capitalize on new opportunities. I remain optimistic about the future, not only for RW Dake but for our community and the country as a whole.

2. What is your advice to those aspiring to join this elite group of business leaders?

I am fortunate and honored to be included into the past winners list. My advice for those leaders who want to be included amongst the finalists is to think beyond the needs of your employees and your clients. There are many great leaders who have amazing companies, happy employees and tremendous results who don’t dedicate enough time to sharing their skills and resources with the community at large. After reviewing the past winners and the candidates for this year’s award, community service is one common denominator that differentiates a great leader from an exceptional one.

Judy Miller Owner Miller & Associates

1. What has been your journey since receiving the Business Person of the Year recognition?

It is an incredible honor to have been recognized as BPOY nominee. I enjoyed the event reception and the many opportunities to meet new business leaders in our region. It is worthwhile to become involved in the community and understand further local needs and important issues. This can lead to new opportunities to volunteer, support an event or raise awareness about issues important to you. The experience can be as big or as small as you would like it to be.

2. What is your advice to those aspiring to join this elite group of business leaders?

I would encourage anyone who is thinking about joining the BPOY program to definitely move forward.

If nothing else, the questions in the application require you to share your leadership strategy and tell your company story. This alone is a valuable exercise.

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Mike and Sitima Fowler Co-Founders and Partners Iconic IT

1. What has been your journey since receiving the Business Person of the Year recognition?

Since Mike and I became the Business Person of the Year in 2015, we have been on the most amazing journey.

First of all, the process of applying for the award made us stronger because it made us focus on certain key areas of our lives. The recognition we received from the event has helped propel our business. It validated what we are trying to accomplish in this world to our staff, clients and the community. At the time our business was called Capstone IT. Since then, we have merged and become a national IT services company called Iconic IT. This merger has allowed us to become an even stronger company with more resources to combat cybercrimes. During the pandemic, we had a great responsibility to help our clients weather the storm and leverage technology to get their work done and even prosper. The Small Business

Council and the Rochester Chamber has enabled Mike and I to grow our business and we can’t thank them enough for this recognition.

2. What is your advice to those aspiring to join this elite group of business leaders?

There is more than one path to success. Figure out what is your unique superpower and use that to differentiate and elevate. Running a business is extremely hard. I always say that for every one success in my life, there are nine failures behind it. So don’t give up. Learn from others, focus on the key areas of your business, and give back to your community. Make it a mission to help others every chance you get. Provide incredible value to the world and you will be rewarded in many ways.

Nicole Mahoney Chief Executive Officer Break The Ice Media

1. What has been your journey since receiving the Business Person of the Year recognition?

October 2019 was an exciting month for me and my company. We celebrated our 10th anniversary that month and I was recognized as SBPOY which was an honor that I will never forget. Five months later, COVID 19 caused the world to lockdown and our thriving business was abruptly interrupted. The journey since then has been full of challenge, innovation, and growth.

I am often accused of being overly optimistic, always looking for the silver-lining. I am a glass half-full person.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I committed to adopting a forward-thinking mindset. Approaching life from this lens, allowed me to see more opportunities than roadblocks and it kept my entire team moving forward.

We relied on our company’s core values to help get us through. Those guideposts were at the heart of every decision, client interaction and innovation that we made throughout the pandemic. As a marketing agency serving the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, we doubled-

down on our focus on our niche industry by finding new ways to support and help when it was needed most. This affirmed that focus leads to results and without focus we would be like a ship floating at sea with no sail, unable to chart our course through the rocky waters.

2. What is your advice to those aspiring to join this elite group of business leaders?

First, believe in yourself. You are the most important asset to your success. Invest in your own personal growth and development. Great leaders learn how to lead themselves first so that they can develop and inspire others. Second, find your tribe. Surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you on your journey. Look for people who care about your success and who will hold you accountable and challenge you to reach for your goals. Third, get clear on your goals and your vision for the future. Once you have that vision, take small steps each day to get there.

Timothy Fournier Chairman Conifer Realty, LLC

1. What has been your journey since receiving the Business Person of the Year recognition?

2. What is your advice to those aspiring to join this elite group of business leaders?

Since receiving the BPOY award in 2018, I have experienced the great fortune of completing the succession plan journey I outlined in 2012 with the intent of implementing by the end of 2020. Despite COVID-19 and other challenges, Conifer successfully completed its capital market transaction in September 2020. This transaction allowed the senior team to take the reigns of the Company, and for me to take a step out of operations and focus primarily on growth opportunities for Conifer.

This was the ultimate culmination of my vision of “showing up differently” when I turned 60 years old, and moving out of the way so that others could step in and enjoy the many joys of success I was blessed to experience. For this, I am truly grateful.

Set, live and believe in your company values. Let these values guide your decisions each and every day. Your company really “can do well by doing good!” Surround yourself with great people and do everything possible to help them succeed – know that they truly are your most important asset. Lastly, a leader must possess qualities of humbleness, gratefulness and compassion. Recognize that luck did play a role in your success. Your passion and hard work are important ingredients, but those are not the only reason one becomes successful.

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Businesses with 50 or More Employees Jay McHarg

David C. Scalen

Timothy J. Pope

Michael S. Hess

CEO AeroSafe Global

CEO and Owner Ironwood Heavy Highway, LLC/Terry Tree Service, LLC

Bill Pollock

President & CEO Optimation Technology, Inc.

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Executive Vice President and Co-Founder Regional Distributors, Inc.

Founder, President and CEO Waste Harmonics

Jay McHarg CEO AeroSafe Global

Jay McHarg brings over 20 years of operational, technical and strategic experience to his role as CEO of AeroSafe Global. As the founding member of the executive team, Jay has led the strategy and innovation that has helped create the most trusted provider of biopharma cold chain services.

Before joining AeroSafe Global, Jay was VP of Corporate Development at Boston Private Financial Holdings, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions.

Earlier in his career Jay was a structural engineer for Thornton Tomasetti, leading the design of projects such as the Basketball Hall of Fame and ATF Headquarters.

Jay holds both a B.A. degree in civil engineering and an M.A. degree in structural engineering from McGill University, and an M.B.A. from Babson College. Jay lives in Pittsford, NY with his wife and three children.

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Timothy J. Pope

CEO and Owner Ironwood Heavy Highway, LLC/ Terry Tree Service, LLC Timothy Pope is the CEO/Owner of Terry Tree Service, LLC & Ironwood Heavy Highway, LLC; two Rochester based companies that provide services including residential and commercial tree clearing, civil construction, vegetation management, environmental matting, and storm disaster recovery. Tim has been in this role for 26 years, dating back to 1995 when he and his partner, Thomas Terry III, started Terry Tree Service, LLC. Ironwood Heavy Highway, LLC was established in 2003, expanding those services offered to local and regional utility providers.

Under Tim’s leadership, Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway have consistently grown, currently employing over 300 people from Rochester, NY headquarters. Tim is proud of the storm disaster relief efforts he has led to help restore communities across the nation after a natural disaster. Tim has overseen 500 crews in response to storms such as Hurricane Katrina, Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Matthew, the Joplin Missouri Tornados, etc. Tim also takes pride in his community service, specifically with his involvement with Warrior Salute Veteran Services. In Tim’s free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and golfing.

William Pollock President & CEO Optimation Technology, Inc.

Bill Pollock is founder and President of Optimation Technology, Inc. Optimation is a firm engaged in the design and fabrication of custom manufacturing systems. They are distinguished from other firms by the broad cross section of complementing services they offer for manufacturing companies. Optimation has been listed on the Rochester Top 100 list of fastest growing many times and has grown into a company of 200 employees. Prior to founding Optimation, Bill was an associate professor of systems engineering at the State University of New York at Alfred. Earlier in his career he spent ten years as a control systems engineer at the Eastman Kodak Co. Bill earned a BS and an ME in electrical engineering from RPI and was elected to the RPI Athletic Hall of fame. He is recipient of the Vanden Brul Award as Rochester’s entrepreneur of the year.

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David C. Scalen

Executive Vice President and Co-Founder Regional Distributors, Inc. David Scalen has worked in the wholesale distribution industry for almost 30 years. He co-founded Regional Distributors, Inc. in 1994 with his wife, Tracy Scalen, President & CEO, after recognizing increased opportunity in the marketplace. Ever since their trucks rolled out for the first time in 1994, he has been overseeing everything from account management and strategic acquisitions to operations and managing the company’s leadership team. As Executive Vice President, he is a source of inspiration, vision and encouragement to the Regional team and nurtures every aspect of the company culture for growth and success. He balances his efforts on expressing the needs, goals and convictions of the organization with consideration for the thoughts and feelings of all. As a business and community leader, he believes his most important responsibility is to create optimism, develop confidence and inspire people to help them become emotionally invested in the work they do. His vision to excel Regional in the marketplace by building the careers of those he serves, utilizing progressive technology and delivering the highest level of efficiency and service to customers has grown the company into the multi-million dollar business it is today.

Michael S. Hess Founder, President and CEO Waste Harmonics

Michael Hess is CEO, president and founder of Waste Harmonics. He brings over 30 years of experience in the solid-waste industry to lead the company’s strategic planning and vision, growth and acquisition development, as well as empowering a positive culture and tone for employees and customers alike. Prior to his current role, he served as vice president of U.S. operations for Capital Environmental Resource Inc., where he played an integral role in the acquisition, startup and integration of 11 solid-waste companies. Hess acquired Waste Harmonics from Capital Environment in 2001 and has grown the company into a multimillion-dollar business serving customers across North America. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management from SUNY Empire State College and serves on the Nazareth College Board of Trustees

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Businesses with Under 50 Employees John Allen

Jill Knittel

Jason Barrett

Nannette Nocon

President Allen Associates Inc.

President Black Button Distilling

Aaron Gordon

Founder & CEO Optic Sky Productions, LLC

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President JK Executive Strategies, LLC

Private Wealth Advisor Nocon & Associates

John Allen President Allen Associates Inc.

John M. Allen is president of Allen Associates, Inc., a fourth-generation, family-owned U.S. concession and balloon distribution company founded in 1945. Since taking the helm 25 years ago, Allen’s results-driven, passionate, and visionary approach has transformed the company into a major regional distributor of helium balloons, specialty beverages, and fun food products, supplying to supermarkets, the military, convenience stores, and family entertainment venues.

Allen credits his success and the company’s growth to a customer-centered approach, a dedication to continuous quality improvement, a passion for personal development, and a commitment to maintaining the business’s core values that came from his grandparents.

“Our philosophy is family, integrity, passion, and excellence,” says Allen. “Those values, and our approach to hire the best in our local area, means we keep our mission as the number one priority.”

Using that ideology and an intentional and formidable business acumen, the company doubled its sales and expanded into new and diverse markets over the past two decades. In spite of that success, Allen remains committed to continuing the ‘Allen-Way’ of doing business: “Turning the Ordinary into Extraordinary.”

He also retains membership with the Small Business Council and Vistage, the executive leadership organization.

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Jason Barrett President Black Button Distilling

When life hands you lemons, sometimes you just have to make bourbon!

Growing up, Jason spent a lot of time working with his grandfather in his family’s button factory in Rochester, New York. Their buttons were known around the world for their superior quality, and he imagined himself running the factory one day, carrying on the family tradition. But there was one little problem - Jason is color blind. Since making nothing but black buttons wasn’t an option, he decided to honor the values of hard work, entrepreneurship, and community that his grandfather taught him by pouring them into his passion for crafting spirits. In 2012, Jason founded Black Button Distilling. Black Button is Rochester’s first grain-to-glass distillery since prohibition.

In the last few years, Jason has taken Black Button from a start-up distillery to a globally recognized force in the industry.

In 2021, Jason was recognized in Fast Company’s 5th Annual World Changing Ideas for his hand sanitizer work. Inc. Magazine listed BBD as one of New York’s Fastest Growing companies. The Wine Spirits and Education Trust has recognized Jason for being a key global influencer in the beverage industry, and in 2017, Jason was the fourth American to be inducted in the prestigious Gin Guild.

Aaron Gordon Founder & CEO Optic Sky Productions, LLC

Aaron Gordon began Optic Sky Productions in 2014, at age 22, based on the conviction that Western NY could provide world class commercial film advertising on a national level.

Since then, he has grown Optic Sky into a multimillion dollar company, experiencing double and triple-digit growth each year leading up to the pandemic. Its current portfolio includes household brands such as Google, Amazon, and Wegmans, game-changing tech startups like Datto and Token, and globally-recognized agencies. The work has brought in countless accolades and mentions from the American Advertising Awards, Webby Awards, and One Show, and has accumulated hundreds of millions of views. As a drummer, Aaron believes there’s rhythm, flow, and momentum to everything and that it can be harnessed to guide insights and creativity. Having built a multidisciplinary in-house team of award-winning directors, digital artists, storytellers, producers, and creative technologists, he strongly believes that the foundation of true growth will always lie in an incredible team effort. Stick around long enough and you’ll undoubtedly catch him saying one of two catchphrases: “Let’s Make a Movie,” or “There’s always a better way.”

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Jill Knittel

President JK Executive Strategies, LLC Jill Knittel, Founder & President of JK Executive Strategies, has more than 20 years of experience and a MBA and BS in Accounting from St. John Fisher College. After working in the industry for decades, Jill set out to build a new type of search firm in 2017, focused on a personal approach with transparent processes.

Today, her team assists companies across the country in executive & leadership search, professional search and project services to help companies make the right hire at the right time. Demonstrating just how effective her unique approach to hiring is, Jill has expanded her team by more than 500% in just four years’ time.

JK Executive Strategies is nationally certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and as a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) through New York State. Additionally, Jill is an active member of the National Women’s President’s Organization and Global Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

Past accomplishments and awards include the Women of Excellence Award (2019) by the Rochester Business Journal, a recipient of the Rochester Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award (2006), and a finalist of the Women’s Council Athena Award in Rochester (2014). A proud St. John Fisher College alumnus, Jill received the University’s Dean’s Medal in 2014, and is involved in multiple volunteer roles including serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Strategic Enrollment Committee. Jill also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Hillside Family of Agencies Board of Governors and is an honorary member of the Bivona Child Advocacy Center Board of Directors.

When she’s not assisting corporations and non-profits with making great placements, networking with exceptional talent, and supporting her community, you can find Jill at home with her husband, daughter and three Labrador Retrievers.

Nannette Nocon Private Wealth Advisor Nocon & Associates

Nannette Nocon immigrated to the United States as a young teenager with her widowed mother and 4 siblings. At the age of 15, Nannette had no resources to pay for her college or application fee, she wrote to Cornell University asking for a waiver on her application fee. She was granted the request. With scholarships, grants and student loans, she was able to attend Cornell.

Nannette believes that we never stay at the same place; we either progress or regress. Hence, in her 37 year career as a financial advisor, she has earned several designations including CFP®, ChFC®, CIMA®, CLTC®. She has been a Private Wealth Advisor since 1984. As a franchisee for Ameriprise Financial, she owns Nocon & Associates and is grateful for her hard-working team providing the opportunity for meaningful work by providing comprehensive advice and outstanding service to clients. She currently ranks among the top 2% of 10,000 Ameriprise advisors nationwide. Nannette enjoys giving back to the community; supporting the arts and education for those who could use a hand.

Nannette has been married to Karl Wessendorf for almost 30 years. They have enjoyed living downtown Rochester for the past 16 years, enjoying the arts and good food within walking distance. Both are grateful for the opportunity to live in Rochester and travel.

A goal-oriented person from a young age, her lifetime goals include helping people become financially independent, a business person, an author, a philanthropist.

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“Congratulations to my fellow finalists for the 2020 Rochester Chamber Business Person of the Year!

This award validates the importance of strong leaders in local organizations who make a difference. Whatever the field we serve, we all have in common a desire to make Rochester a better place to live. We do that with the product or service we offer to our clients or customers; and by providing opportunities for the people on our team. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats.

My team and I are grateful to the staff and volunteers at the Small Business Council and the Rochester Chamber for the work they do each year to recognize and celebrate the business leaders in Rochester with this award.

We are fortunate to live in a community that has entrepreneurship as one of its top strengths. I’m in awe to be in the company of finalists who are accomplished, well respected and civic minded business owners across many industries for this award.

Each of you are an inspiration to all of us!

Nannette Nocon, CFP® ChFC® CIMA® CLTC® is a business owner and a wealth advisor at Nocon & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial, LLC.” Nannette Nocon Private Wealth Advisor Nocon & Associates

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Nocon & Associates A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

MVP Health Care MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, award winning, not-for-profit health insurer caring for members across New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of our members and the communities we serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal.

Strong and stable for more than 35 years—yet still nimble and innovative—we provide quality health insurance plans paired with personal support that people need to get healthy and stay healthy.

As a regional company with a real connection to the people, businesses, and communities we serve, our goal is to ensure that our members will have access to quality care and that their health care needs are met.

The benefits MVP health insurance goes far beyond great medical, dental, and vision coverage. The company values the holistic well-being of its members and offers additional wellness benefits, community supports, and personalized care management services that will keep our members feeling great—mind, body, and soul.

With more than 1,800 employees across New York State and Vermont, we work every day to make a difference in the lives of our members.

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Business is Complex.

Paychex Makes it Simple.

Since 1971, we’ve made it simple for businesses to pay and manage employees. We handle their benefits programs, help guide them through human resources challenges, keep them up to date with ever-changing laws and regulations. We do it on many levels – with our evolving technology platform, experienced professionals and dedicated experts, online and mobile, over the phone, and in-person. At Paychex, we work with you the way you want to work.

Congratulations to the 2020 Business Person of the Year honorees.

Entrepreneurialism “Entrepreneurialism. That unwavering confidence in a groundbreaking idea paired with a passion for bringing it to life. It’s always been a critical element to success in a business of any size. When I look back on what’s been a differentiator for Paychex and the finalists for 2020 Business Person of the Year, it’s a collective commitment to innovation that stands out. These leaders have adapted quickly while helping their customers thrive throughout any challenge. And the companies here continue to lead the nation in innovation – from startups to Fortune 1000.

On behalf of Paychex, I congratulate this year’s Business Person of the Year finalists for continuing to drive innovation despite the uncertainty of the past year. Paychex is proud to stand with you and all businesses, working tirelessly to provide the best HR technology and service to our 680,000 clients, all while supporting our local communities.”

Martin Mucci President and CEO Paychex

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Geva Theatre Center proudly congratulates

Congratulations Business Person of the Year Award Winners!

our dear friend

Nannette Nocon

on her well-deserved nomination for 2021 Business Person of the Year!

Get social with RBJ Get social Rochester’s essential local with RBJ business news source.

Geva presents

@RBJdaily

@RBJdaily Facebook.com/RBJdaily

Facebook.com/RBJdaily go.rbj.net/RBJLinkedIn

go.rbj.net/RBJLinkedIn

RBJ.net

August 3 – September 11 Created by Richard Maltby, Jr. Conceived by William Meade Directed by Mark Cuddy Adapted from the Broadway Production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edward

Performed outdoors on Geva’s Six-String Bandstand sponsored by

LIGHT THE WAY

S AV E T H E DAT E OCTOBER 13, 2021

This full-day technology conference is designed to create excitement around digital technology, introduce regional companies to the latest technologies concepts, and give them direction on what they should be doing to upgrade their businesses to thrive for the next generation. The keynote speaker will be Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Sponsorships Available: contact Susan.George@GreaterRochester Chamber.com for more information.

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON

FASHION WEEK ROCHESTER RETURNS OCTOBER 12 - 16, 2021 FASHIONWEEKOFROCHESTER.ORG

Business Person of the Year Attributes Alive and Well at Davie Kaplan, CPA, PC. “The “Business Person of the Year” finalists were chosen based on significant contributions made to their companies in the areas of growth, leadership, achievement and community service. At Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C., we see the above inspirational attributes displayed on a daily basis both within the Firm and in our community. We strive to make these contributions to each of our clients through personal engagement and a deep understanding of their business.

To meet the challenges of the past year, our leadership was focused on clear and consistent communication. Like many businesses, the leveraging of digital work platforms changed more than simply where our people were working – it changed many of the processes under which the work was done while maintaining the welfare of our entire team.

We are proud to be a part of the Rochester business community and look forward to continuing the journey of collaborating with our clients in areas of assurance services, tax planning & compliance, and financial planning.”

Gregory A. Miller, CPA/PFS, CVA Shareholder, Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C. Small Business Council President 2020-2021

Michael Hess, CEO, President and Founder, Waste Harmonics, is an innovator that has built a successful business model with his customers at the heart of his approach. Waste Harmonics goes beyond offering solutions and software as a service to its customers – it has redefined the customer experience by bringing value as a service to the forefront of its approach. Value starts from the day a customer first interacts with Waste Harmonics – and it doesn’t end there.

Providing a good customer experience goes beyond providing occasional assistance. Michael’s leadership and business model fuels his team to think differently and provide expertise at a level that is personalized to each customer. Getting to know the inner workings of a customer and their goals goes a long way and is key to fostering a long-term relationship over time. As a self-proclaimed “customer service wonk,” Michael empowers a positive culture and tone for customers and employees alike.

Waste Harmonics provides comprehensive outsourced waste management consolidation services for companies and corporations with up to 5,000+ locations. As a managed waste service provider, Waste Harmonics works with diverse business clients across North America to deliver cost savings, consolidation of invoicing and communications, and recycling and sustainability strategies. It is a portfolio company of Arcapita, a global alternative investments firm.

For more information, please visit www.wasteharmonics.com.

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THIS IS MORE THAN FINANCES,

th is is ou r fu tu re

ESL Federal Credit Union Q&A: Keith Cleary, Senior VP/Director of Business Banking

What have been the most important lessons learned within the past year?

We always knew, but the impact of the contributions that small businesses make to the Greater Rochester community became even clearer. They are the lifeblood that keeps our economy going and present the greatest opportunity for job growth throughout the region.

At ESL, we’re stepping up and committing to an even Greater Rochester for all — for you, your family, your business and this community.

Because when we invest in the things that matter, we can envision more — together.

And that is so much bigger.

ESL is honored to support the Small Business Council of Rochester.

To ensure small businesses received the necessary support, all lending institutions, including us at ESL, needed to become more flexible when it came to receiving and processing loan applications. While processing over 2,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, we were truly able to see the specific and direct economic impact that small businesses have at both a macro and micro level. The salaries that PPP was able to preserve were absolutely critical to guiding our community through the past year, and ensured that employees and their families could be taken care through the most stressful of times.

The program certainly wasn’t perfect, but to think of where our community, state and country would be without it is unfathomable. The most important lesson is that in times of economic stress and uncertainty, significant action is needed to support our small businesses. Our community cannot thrive without them.

What is the most significant issue the small business community faces in the next year?

Equitable access to capital. This must be an area of focus—for us at ESL and for the entire Greater Rochester financial community. As helpful as PPP was, we saw the access to these funds produced inequitable results, as minority-owned businesses did not have equitable access to PPP applications, thus creating more difficulties to receiving this funding lifeline.

Actions taken by financial institutions should involve creating more inroads with these businesses so that access to information, resources and capital can help these businesses grow and thrive. At ESL, in addition to grants provided to small businesses through PathStone Enterprise and the Urban League of Rochester, we also announced a new branch build in the City of Rochester’s Edgerton Neighborhood on Lake Ave.— the first of three new branch builds we are planning in the city. We know that physical proximity to financial institutions improves access to capital for small businesses in these neighborhoods and helps contribute to the ease of doing business. If we are to support small businesses, we must be sure we are supporting all small businesses, and improving accessibility is a necessity. Investments must be made in the communities that have experienced inequitable access to capital. Such investments help all of us, and only serve to strengthen our small business community as a whole.

Why is it important for ESL to support the Business Person of the Year Awards?

The Business Person of the Year Awards allows us all to step back and truly recognize and appreciate the significant accomplishments among all of the nominees. Our community’s small businesses deserve to be celebrated and must be supported Every small business has a story to tell. There was some spark or moment of inspiration that motivated the founding of the business that drives its work and the work of its employees day-in and day-out. I know we at ESL are always inspired to learn about the stories behind the award nominees and the businesses we work with on a daily basis. It’s understanding that story and the drive behind it that not only inspires us, but provides valuable insights and lessons to aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs.

Additionally, Greater Rochester’s people have always been our greatest asset. The resiliency, collaborative nature, and ingenuity of our small businesses are what drive our local economy today. This year’s Business Person of the Year Award nominees are shining examples of these characteristics in practice.

Congratulations to all, and thank you for all you do to support and provide for our community!

25 Membership subject to eligibility. ESL is a registered service mark of ESL Federal Credit Union.

Jeremiah Gryczka

Founder & CEO Mountain House Media

How has media consumption changed?

An increase in screen time during the pandemic - split between streaming services like Net�lix and Amazon Prime or social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok - has taught us all that businesses can't ignore the need for a digital presence.

With new platforms and an increased focus on custom curated content feeds comes massive opportunities for creative marketing initiatives. Businesses that leap feet �irst and take risks in their content are often rewarded with virality, engagement, and earned media.

Why Video?

Video has higher engagement than text or photo-based social media posts. On average, websites with videos have average session durations nearly a minute longer than those without video. Viewers most often skim print or website copy, as you may be doing right now, but videos grasp your undivided attention. As well as video has more mileage; it can be recut and repurposed for different target audiences and with different intentions.

What does the future of media production look like?

In the past few years, virtual production & motion capture technology has made it clear that the future of media production will be closely tied with 3D design & gaming technology. The integration of real-time rendering from game engines and in-studio cinema capture allows video production crews to streamline the creative process, removing the need for post-production VFX.

In February of 2021, Mountain House Media opened the �irst commercial virtual production studio in Upstate, NY. We can take your production from the beach to the mountains, and back to New York City without leaving the studio. Investing in this technology & work�low introduces opportunities for our clients who are looking to elevate their content by saving their time and money on travel, location rentals, production days, and render times.

If you would like to take a tour of the studio we would love to show you what virtual production can do for your projects!

-Jeremiah Gryczka 26

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Congratulations!

6x6 is back!

The Anthony Museum congratulates all of this year’s exceptional finalists for the 2020 Business Person of the Year and especially Nannette Nocon for her leadership, community service, and civic commitment.

Nannette Nocon 2021

Rochester Chamber Business Person of the Year Finalist We celebrate Nannette’s commitment and leadership at the George Eastman Museum and in the Greater Rochester community and give thanks for her contributions as a board member, committee chair, and generous advocate and supporter.

YOUR

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FRIENDS

17 Madison Street | Rochester, NY 14608 585.279.7490

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AT

Help us Ensure a Happy Thanksgiving for over 3,000 Families in the Rochester Area November 19-20, 2021

1. Build Food Boxes: rally your company to build food boxes containing the requested items, including a $25 gift card to ALDI, Tops, Walmart or Wegmans, with each box and/or 2. Buy A Box: make a monetary donation of a minimum of $50 to cover the approximate cost of one food box (though a donation of any amount is appreciated) 3. Volunteer Your Time: to pick-up or distribute food boxes

Contact rick@echelonwa.com and marcus.cortellini@inserocpa.com for more information!

Small Businesses get

BIG SUPPORT. The Small Business Council, an afffiliate of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, fosters a caring community that celebrates small business by delivering premier programs and events that promote business growth in the Rochester region.

Visit RochesterSBC.com and GreaterRochesterChamber.com for more information.