Westfair’s Family-Owned Business Awards to honor 20

From more than 60 nominees, 20 family businesses from Westchester and Fairfield counties, representing industries as diverse as cutting-edge technology in the prevention of concussions in sports to a 120-year-old dairy operation, will be honored Feb. 26 at the second annual Westfair Communications Family-Owned Business Awards.

Family businesses account for 50 percent of U.S. gross domestic product and for about 80 percent of all new job creation nationwide. The inaugural awards were the culmination of numerous discussions among Westfair Communications and members of the business community on how to honor family entrepreneurs.

The winners were chosen by leaders in their respective fields: Pete Gioia, vice president and economist, Connecticut Business & Industry Association (a partner in the event); Anthony Davidson, dean, Manhattanville College School of Business; Donald Janezic, executive vice president and treasurer, Bigelow Tea; Eon Nichols, partner, Cuddy & Feder LLP; and Joseph Armentano, CEO, Paraco Gas.

Stew Leonard Jr., who is well-versed about family business as the president and CEO of his eponymous grocery store, will be the keynote speaker at the event to be held 5:30 p.m. at 1133 Westchester Ave. in White Plains.

Leonard”™s family has been in the food business for three generations starting when his grandfather, Charles Leo Leonard, founded a milk production and delivery business in the 1920s. His son, Stew Leonard Sr., expanded into retail in 1969 with the first Stew Leonard”™s store in Norwalk. The family now has more than 2,000 employees in locations in Connecticut and New York.

Joe McCoy, team leader and senior vice president of People”™s United Bank, the event”™s platinum sponsor, will speak about the importance of family-owned businesses.

Other event sponsors include gold sponsor Entergy, silver sponsor Frontier Communications, and bronze sponsors Buzz Creators, Citrin Cooperman and Sikorsky. Additional sponsors are Dessertist, Val”™s Putnam Wines & Liquors and Barksdale Home Care Services Corp.

The winners are:

AFFINECO, a maintenance and cleaning company, was formed in 2012 by merging three entities, one of which was Premier Maintenance Inc., founded by Alan Diamond in 1966. Diamond”™s son, Michael, grew up working in the shop and took over when his father retired in 2000. AffinEco”™s corporate headquarters is in Bridgeport with branches in New York City, Stamford, Milford, Hartford and Boston.

A.G. WILLIAMS PAINTING CO. was founded by Greek immigrant Arthur Ratsikas in 1906. George”™s two sons, Arthur and George, took the reins at A.G. Williams in the late 1970s. A.G. Williams, now in its fourth generation of family involvement, maintains offices in Westchester and Greenwich and employs more than 40 full-time painters, five estimators and office-support staff.

BEST PLUMBING TILE & STONE first opened in 1960 when founders Mel and Adele Weiner offered customers traditional supplies and the opportunity to see products in a showroom. Their sons Jonas and Jess joined the business in 1972 and 1979, respectively, and their eldest granddaughter, Kymberly, joined in 2006, followed by their grandson Michael in 2011. Today Best Plumbing Tile & Stone has grown to four showroom locations in Westchester and Fairfield counties.

BILOTTA KITCHENS began in 1955 with a mill shop and residential construction company headed by Jim Bilotta Sr. Since 1985, when the doors of its flagship showroom in Mamaroneck opened, Bilotta siblings Jim, Maria and Regina and close friend, Jeff Eakley, have worked in the business. Today they have a staff of 20 award-winning designers, a full engineer team, accounting, construction and marketing departments.

CANNONDALE GENERATORS INC. was incorporated and founded in 1990 by Paul Bonomo, a lifelong resident of Wilton. Cannondale Generators has grown since then into the area”™s premier provider of generators, with thousands of sets installed throughout southwestern Connecticut and Westchester and Putnam counties and more than 2,000 maintenance customers.

COMMERCE PACKAGING is a packaging company that manufactures corrugated boxes and wood crates at its facility in Norwalk. It has been family owned and operated since it was founded in 1954 by Stanley Alexander. Mickey, Stanley”™s son, has been involved with the company for nearly 50 years. Jeffrey, Mickey”™s son, has been involved with the company since 2010.

CRAIG”™S FINE JEWELRY is one of the oldest on Main Street in Ridgefield. Since opening in 1950, three generations of the Craig family have owned the business. Bill Craig, the current owner and president, follows in the footsteps of his grandmother, Helen, and his parents, Elsie and Norman Craig. Bill”™s two sisters, Lori and Karin, are both former owners and Lori still works in the repair department. Kimberly Craig, of the fourth generation, also works on the team.

CURTO”™S APPLIANCES was founded in 1948 in Yonkers by Mario Curto, the son of Sicilian immigrants. In 1966, Mario and his brother Joe built a store on Central Avenue in Yonkers. They opened seven showrooms throughout the New York metropolitan area, with Yonkers as the flagship. Mario”™s daughter Marianne Curto Giannettino, her husband, Frank, and their son Jonathan now run the business.

DECICCO & SONS began with Italian immigrants John, Joe and Frank DeCicco feeding their community in 1973 through a single store in the Bronx. John Jr., Chris and Joe Jr. now lead the chain of premium supermarkets known as DeCicco & Sons. The New York locations include Ardsley, Armonk, Brewster, Harrison, Pelham with Larchmont coming soon.

ENHANCE A COLOUR CORP. began as a small printing company 27 years ago and has grown into a national designer and manufacturer of large-scale event visuals and support materials. Kevin, James and Barbara O”™Connor founded the company and continue to work with family. James”™ wife, Fran, is board director. Sons Ryan, Geoff and KC are also involved. EaC has a manufacturing facility in Danbury and a sales office and showroom in New York City.

HOBBS”™ INC. is a third-generation family business dedicated to providing building services to clients interested in high-end construction. Hobbs”™ has served the Fairfield and Westchester market from its primary office in New Canaan since Theodore Hobbs founded the firm in 1954. More than a decade ago, Hobbs opened a second office in Bridgehampton, then opened in New York City in 2008. His son, Michael, joined in 1968 and became president of the firm in 19758. Scott Hobbs joined the firm in 1992 and his brother Ian joined him in 1996.

INNOVATIVE HEALTH SYSTEMS, a substance-use disorders clinic in White Plains, was established in 1985 by Ross Fishman, director, and Debi Stein Fishman, assistant director. They treat underserved segments of the Westchester community as well as the general population. Their daughter, Emily, who worked at IHS during and after college, is a life coach who works with clients.

LEVITT-FUIRST ASSOCIATES LTD., an independent insurance broker, has involved three generations of Levitt and Fuirst family members. V. Dave Levitt and Alan Fuirst, best friends from law school, each joined their fathers”™ insurance businesses after graduating. In 1969, they combined businesses and created Levitt-Fuirst. The principals are made up of co-presidents Jason Schiciano and Ken Fuirst, with Valerie Levitt as CFO, and Ondrea Levitt Schiciano, marketing vice president.

NEW ENGLAND TOTAL ENERGY, A coal and kerosene delivery company, was founded by Vincenzo Cortese and his son, Demetrio (Frank Sr.) in 1939. Frank eventually took over the business from his father and his brother, Pat, helped expand the company. When Frank passed away in 1983, his wife, Yolanda, worked to keep her husband”™s company afloat along with brother-in-law, Gary Lisiewski. Today, Frank Jr. is the general manager and his sister Dina, an attorney, provides legal advice for the company.

REY INSURANCE was founded by Francisco Rey, who opened his insurance office in Sleepy Hollow in 1978. Francisco”™s goal was to make insurance understandable and accessible for everyone, in Spanish and English. His two daughters, Linda and Laura, bought the business in 2013 and continue to assist clients.

SCALZO COS. began in 1942 when Victor Scalzo opened an appliance store in Danbury. In 1960, Victor”™s son, Peter launched the family real estate venture. Peter”™s son Paul opened Scalzo Realty Inc. in 1985, leading to what would become Scalzo Group Real Estate Services. In 1988, Paul”™s wife, Andrea, added Scalzo Property Management to the company”™s portfolio followed by Peter Jr. who launched his real estate law practice in 1995. Most recently, Paul Jr., of the fourth generation, joined the company as a property manager.

STRAUSS PAPER CO. is a wholesale distributor of janitorial and cleaning supplies throughout the tristate area. It was founded in 1943 by German immigrant Henry Strauss and his wife, Ruth. Henry was president until he passed away in 1984 and Ruth remained active until her death in 2002. Their son Stewart is president and CEO of the Port Chester-based company. Their daughter Joyce and her husband, Bob, are in sales. The third generation, four children in total, worked for the company during high school and have expressed interest in joining the team.

T.F. ANDREW CARPET ONE FLOOR & HOME is a carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile and vinyl provider, with two showrooms in Westchester County and a commercial business offering floor covering and window treatments to national customers in nine states across the Northeast. The company started as a side business in founder Tom Fahey”™s home in Tarrytown in 1981 and today has more than 40 employees, 100 full-time subcontractors and $30 million in annual sales. Fahey”™s children, Brian, John, and Karen continue to grow the business along with other family members.

TRIAX”™s Dale Hollingsworth and his eldest son, Chad, now co-founder and vice president of business development, created a headband and skullcap, with a sensor that measure hits to the head in youth sports. In August, the Norwalk company”™s Smart Impact Monitors launched after more than a year of testing. Sons Thomas and Cooper head up respective sales and operations offices on the West Coast.

WADE”™S DAIRY dates back to 1893, when Frank Henry Wade began delivering milk house-to-house in his horse and buggy in Easton. Frank”™s two sons Howard and John both became milkmen. Howard”™s four sons, Harvey, Ray, Doug and Don, took over the company upon Howard”™s retirement in the mid-1960s. Today, the company offers more than 700 products to more than 1,000 customers. Brother and sister Douglas Wade and Susan Warner have been managing the business since 1984. The business is now owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wade family.