April 20 , 2007
“Another success,” RBA Vice President of Administration Joan Neumann said contently as people filed out of the fourth annual RBA Pinnacle Awards April 18 at the Park Ridge Marriot.
The award banquet and dinner attracted over 175 guests this year and is one of the RBA’s signature events – one which is essential to creating the community of mutual respect and appreciation businesses should expect as part of their membership, RBA CEO and President Al Samuels said.
“The Pinnacle Awards bring RBA’s members together to celebrate the best of the best and in so doing creates a sense of accomplishment and being part of something significant. When we honor a business for their excellence we are really honoring the excellence in all our member’s businesses,” Samuels said.
Every year six new winners are announced, four of which are chosen by a panel of retired RBA Directors and one each by the President and Chairman of the Board. Major corporations dominated this year’s winners, unlike last year when three family-run Rockland companies took home the prestigious glass obelisk award.
“That’s just the way it played out. There are so many deserving nominations; you just do your best to pick who is most special every year. Certainly Rockland benefits from the efforts of small, medium and large sized businesses,” Samuels said.
Five minute video presentations were prepared for each winner before they addressed the crowd with their acceptance speeches.
The winners were:
Hector May presents the Chairman's Award for Overall Business Excellence to Michael Pointing, VP & General Manager of United Water New York
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Chairman’s Award for Overall Business Excellence:
Mike Pointing, VP and GM of United Water, New York, West Nyack.
Pointing is directly responsible for ensuring 270,000 people in Rockland and Orange County have the drinking water that they need. The British native has been in the water industry for 22 years. Thanks for your efforts and please don’t turn off the spout, Mr. Pointing. |
Barry Dorfman accepted the President's Award for Service to the RBA by video. He was not available to accept in person as he was receiving another award from Liberty Mutual.
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President’s Award for Service to the RBA:
Barry Dorfman, Liberty Mutual Group, New City.
Few RBA members make their impact felt the way Barry Dorfman does. With 17 years RBA experience Dorfman has become an expert networker and one willing to help others learn “the RBA craft.” He is an RBA ambassador and a table leader at RBA Relationship Building Network events. “I really believe the RBA is one of the premier business organizations in the Hudson Valley, if not the entire state,” Dorfman said. Noting its quantum leap in recent years, Dorfman said he was honored to play “whatever small part” in its growth and advancement. |
Michael Schieders, Exec. VP, Good Samaritan Hospital, presents Alan Elkin, CEO of Active International, the Award for Corporate Citizenship.
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Corporate Citizenship Award:
Active International, Pearl River.
Active International, one of the largest employers in Rockland County, made their stamp on Rockland society this year in a major way, donating $2.5 million to become the corporate sponsor for the brand-new Active International Cardiovascular Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital. The Institute, head by Dr. Edward Lundy, finally offers Rockland residents full access to open heart surgery and other heart procedures. For years Rockland residents would have to travel to Westchester County Medical Center for treatment. |
Ann Byne, The Byne Group, accepts the Women's Forum Award for Outstanding Achievement By A Woman-Owned Business |
Women’s Forum Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman-Owned Business:
The Byne Group, Suffern.
Anne Byne’s strategic design and advertising firm has made a national name for itself and the RBA has been proud to be part of her business ascension. She has grown her shop from a one-woman shop into a full office suite in Montebello Park. In 2006, she was selected as one of 50 owners of Women-Owned Businesses from across the U.S. to receive a full scholarship to a one-week intensive development program run by the prestigious Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. |
Michael McDermott, Wyeth, accepts the Manufacturer's Award for Business Excellence |
Manufacturer’s Award for Business Excellence:
Wyeth, Pearl River.
Think Wyeth, think big. Think one of the biggest pharmaceutical, vaccination and biotechnology companies in the world. Think 3,200 employees in Rockland. Think where would Rockland be without it? Truly this company could win the manufacturer’s award for excellence any year. 2007 marks its 100th anniversary in Rockland County, so what better year than this? |
Thomas Conklin, Make-A-Wish Foundation, accepts the Outstanding Achievement by a Non-Profit Organization award.
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Outstanding Achievement by a Non-Profit Organization:
Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley, Tarrytown.
The wonderful charity that offers special wishes to sick and terminally ill children has been in the Hudson Valley since 1986 and been increasingly active in the RBA recently. What is a wish, you ask? A “wish” is a child’s personal, heartfelt answer to the question: “If you could go anywhere, meet anyone, have or be or experience anything, what would you choose? What would you do?” Making those wishes come true for children facing the most difficult of life situations is what drives their touching mission. |
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Pinnacle Awards - "Great Success!"
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