The importance and benefits of communication and teamwork were the bywords for many of this year”™s Westfair C-Suite Award winners, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The event itself was for the first time held virtually, following several postponements of the usually in-person ceremonies.
Posted online on Sept. 10, this year”™s edition led off with Nuvance Health CEO Dr. John Murphy, who was named 2019”™s Business Person of the Year by the publishing company.
“The last six or seven months have been remarkable,” Murphy said, “certainly in health care ”“ and, I suspect, for each and every one of you the world has changed.”
He went on to define professional success by paraphrasing Dr. Albert Schweitzer”™s remarks that “those who will be happiest would be those who sought and found how to serve others,” and to describe personal success as “when you have something useful to do, someone to love and something to hope for.”
Anthony Viceroy, CEO, Westmed Medical Group, expanded on the topic by saying: “Success to me doesn”™t necessarily have to do with one”™s own achievements. Success means giving your team and your organization the tools that they need in order to be successful.”
“It”™s all about the people,” remarked Atlantic Westchester President Budd Hammer. “That”™s the key to success.” He illustrated the point by noting that his firm occasionally sends out videos, in addition to scheduling live video meetings, for staff to stay connected and informed; the result, he said, is “a stronger, better company” because “we know each other a little bit better.”
A.G. Williams Painting Co. President and CEO George Williams said his company holds daily Zoom meetings with staff. Sometimes the talk is about business and sometimes it is about how everyone is feeling, “expressing ourselves and getting it out there,” he said.
Katrine Beck, co-founder of Fullerton Beck LLP, said the law firm”™s philosophy is to “build genuine relationships and treat people with respect and dignity at all times” ”“ an idea echoed by Ugo Chiulli, CEO and co-founder of Progressive Computing.
“Our guiding principle is that relationships mean everything,” he said. Even during the pandemic, “Doing nothing and hoping for the best was simply not an option if we wanted to remain in business.”
To keep communications flowing, quarterly meetings became monthly get-togethers, Chiulli said, describing his team as “now stronger than ever before.”
Also honored were: Marvet Abbassi, CFO of Dental Associates of Connecticut; Paul Blanco, founder and CEO, Barnum Financial Group; Robert Glazer, CEO of ENT & Allergy Associates; Adam Hammerman, vice president and CFO, New York Medical College; Meghan Hongach, director of marketing, Ridge Hill; and Glenn Maciness, executive vice president and CFO at Webster Financial Group.
Other honorees included: Michael Moran, president and CEO, The SCA Palace Theatre; Moonyean Oh-Park, senior VP and Chief Medical Officer, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital; Suobo Richards, CEO, Service After Service; Reed Salvatore, CEO, Accurate Lock & Hardware; Roger Woolsey, owner and CEO, Million Air; Russell Yankwitt, founder and managing partner, Yankwitt LLP; and Lois Zabrocky, CEO and president, International Seaways Inc.
Sponsors of the event were KL Technology, Atlantic Westchester, Westmed Medical Group, Webster Bank, International Seaways Inc., Barnum Financial Group, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, ENT & Allergy Associates, Gilda Bonanno LLC, Buzz Creators, Val”™s Putnam Wines & Liquors, Lippolis Electric Inc. and Blossom Flower Shops.
