NEW ROCHELLE, NY — On Wednesday, October 15, 2014 the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce held its 12th Annual Women of Excellence Award Dinner at Beckwith Pointe with more than 170 people attending. Also in attendance were many elected officials and a representative from Governor Cuomo’s office demonstrating how Executive Director, Bob Marrone; Frank Miceli, Board President; Jennifer Lanser, Director of Marketing & Communications and the Chamber of Commerce is making a comeback as a respected institution in the community of New Rochelle.
Each year the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce honors women who distribute outstanding achievement in this community. This year the Chamber was particularly proud of its four honorees including the Executive Director of Volunteer! New York, Alisa Kesten, who won the 1st Annual Muriel Zaukas Woman of Outstanding Achievement for her work providing Volunteers to so many nonprofit organizations throughout the state. Jackie Agudelo of United Community Center of Westchester won the Humanitarian Award for her work with immigrants who need help assimilating into the culture and workforce of the U.S.A. Founder of Butterflies from Jodie, Amy Torigian-Parise won the Community Outreach award for her organization that provides AED defibrillator machines throughout the Westchester Community in memory of her sister, Jodie, who unfortunately did not have one when she died of cardiac arrest when she was only twenty one. Maria Jose, a past president of the Rotary Club and Board Director of the Chamber of Commerce, won the Business and Professional Award for being a true American success story. She started as a bank teller 25 years ago when she arrived from Portugal and is now Assistant Treasurer and Branch Manager of Hudson City Savings Bank and gives back to the New Rochelle community with all of her volunteer work through the Rotary Club to the Hope Food Kitchen and other organizations.
These women all demonstrate an extraordinary amount of outreach, especially in the New Rochelle community. Each in her own right help people in a unique way and have touched many lives. Bob Marrone and the New Rochelle Chamber gave each of them a lovely leaf statuette and roses. Mayor Noam Bramson, County Executive Jim Maisano, State Assemblyman Steve Otis and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, and Eric Warren of Governor Cuomo’s office each attended to award these exceptional women with Proclamations from the City of New Rochelle and the State of New York.
In addition to these special women, Lina Arboleda, who currently attends The College of New Rochelle, was awarded the Young Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship donated each year by the Zaukas family in memory of Muriel Zaukas. Mrs. Zaukas was a very special woman of the New Rochelle community. The scholarship is for a woman demonstrating excellence in her schoolwork, extracurricular activities and community outreach. This year Bill Warshaw of Tasti dLite in the Wykagyl Shopping Center also contributed to the award financially and by providing applications for students at his store location and collecting donations at his store.
The Chamber now turns its attention to the Thanksgiving Day Parade – its other signature fall event. To march, have a vehicle or rent a float please call the Chamber at 914.632.5700.