Fairfield County business leaders turned out in force as the Business Journal hosted the first annual CFO of the Year awards Nov. 19 at The J House in Greenwich.
Three chief financial officers were recognized for their strategic leadership in their respective companies as well as for their service to their communities.
The winners included K. Oni Chukwu of Triple Point Technology Inc. in Westport for the large business category; Donald Janezic Jr. of R.C. Bigelow Inc. in Fairfield for the medium-size business category; and Brian R. Feidt of Babcock & King Inc. in Fairfield for the small business category.
The winners were chosen from among 12 CFOs who were nominated by their peers and colleagues.
“The CFOs, from our perspective, are really the lifeblood of a company,” said William Creaser, senior vice president of TD Bank. “They provide the stability in good times and bad. That really allows the company to take advantage of the very good times or prepare and weather the tough times.”
TD Bank and McGladrey L.L.P. sponsored the event, along with the Business Journal.
“CFOs own reality,” said Chris Bruhl, one of four judges and president of The Business Council of Fairfield County. “They understand the financial performance of an enterprise in both a detailed and a nuanced way. And the numbers matter of course, but not in and of themselves. It”™s their language and the language tells a story. And the story talks about a strategy.”
Other nominees included James Blake of Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven; Scott Fabricant of Precision Resource Inc. in Shelton; Jeffrey Gulbin of Finacity Corp. in Stamford; Kevin Kearney of BroadReach Partners Inc. in Stamford; Michael Marcinek of Fletcher Thompson Inc. in Shelton; Patrick McCabe of Bridgeport Hospital; Kevin McNamara of Centerplate Inc. in Stamford; Kevin Patti of Penske Automotive Group”™s Connecticut market; and Douglas Polistena of The Amber Room in Danbury.
The judges included Bruhl, Peter M. Gioia of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association in Hartford, Allen Morton of the Ancell School of Business at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury; and Thomas S. Santa of Santa Energy Corp. in Bridgeport.
In accepting his award, Chukwu said he felt the people around him deserved the credit. He has been credited with playing a vital role in Triple Point Technology”™s growth and several cross-border acquisitions. Additionally, his family has founded an organization that raises seed capital for entrepreneurs in underdeveloped economies.
Serving as CFO and treasurer for Bigelow Tea in Fairfield for the past 25 years, Janezic accepted the award for medium-size business with a heartfelt thank you.
Janezic echoed Chukwu”™s comments, saying, “You”™re really nothing without the people you work with. Everybody that really helps to pull together day in and day out, all the things that you do, you”™re no stronger than the person you work next to.”
He currently is on the boards of directors of his local YMCA, the Therapeutic Research Foundation, MAC Casualty Insurance Co. and the Captive Investors Fund.
Feidt, in accepting the award for the small business category, said he was honored to have even been nominated.
“I told several of my colleagues when this was presented to me, ”˜This is just proof that I can continue to get all the accolades if they keep working hard.”™”
Jokes aside, colleagues say Feidt has helped Babcock to record sales and earnings through his efforts to restructure the company, maintain strong working capital and control costs. He also is on the board of directors for Beardsley Zoo and is an avid supporter of the Special Olympics.
