Celebration of Success

Three individuals or organizations are honored at our annual Celebration of Success event, held one evening each June. Bestowed are the Business Leader Award, the Quality of Life Award, and the Community Leader Award.

Honorees are nominated by Chamber membership and voted on by the Celebration of Success Committee. Depending on the award, criteria include the nominees’ contribution to the business environment, community involvement, and commitment to the overall improvement in the quality of life in Northwest Connecticut.

The Celebration of Success was previously known as the Chamber Persons of the Year Awards. The following are past recipients of the awards:

2022 Sandy Evans, Business Leader Award
Stephen Todd, Community Leader Award
Friendly Hands Food Bank, Quality of Life Award
2021 Five Points Arts, Business Leader
Jacque Williams, Community Leader
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, a Hartford Healthcare Partner & Sharon Hospital/Nuvance Health, Quality of Life
2020 Stephen P. Reilly, Northwest Community Bank, Business Leader Award
Maria Gonzalez, Community Leader Award
KidsPlay Children's Museum, Quality of Life Award
2019 Steven Temkin, T&M Building Co., Inc., Business Leader Award
James O'Leary, Community Leader Award
Prime Time House, Quality of Life Award
2018 Gregory L. Mele, Eastside Electric, Inc., Business Leader Award
Brian T. McCormick, Esq., Ebersol, McCormick, Reis & Steck, LLC, Community Leader Award
Torrington Savings Bank, Quality of Life Award
2017 Timothy & Susan Cook, Cook Funeral Home, Business Leader Award
Kenneth W. Merz, O&G Industries, Inc., Community Leader Award
McCall Center for Behavioral Health, Quality of Life Award
2016 Freund's Farm, Business Leader Award
Wendy Eichman, Canaan Advisory Council, Community Leader Award
Brooker Memorial, Quality of Life Award
2015 Kevin Sullivan, Sullivan Automotive Group, Business Leader Award
Kevin O'Connell, The Geer Corporation, Community Leader Award
FISH/Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern CT, Inc., Quality of Life Award
2014 Connecticut Mutual Holding Company, Business Leader Award
Brian Mattiello, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Community Leader Award
Nursing & Manufacturing Programs at Northwestern CT Comm. College, Quality of Life Award
2013 Dan Hincks, Infinity Hall, Business Leader Award
Andrew Roraback, Community Leader Award
Community Health & Wellness Center of Greater Torrington, Quality of Life Award
2012 George Malkemus & Anthony Yurgaitis, Arethusa Farm, Business Leader Award
John E. Janco, Torrington Savings Bank, Community Leader Award
The Community Soup Kitchen of Torrington, Inc., Quality of Life Award
2011 Michael P. Patterson, Doyle’s Medical Supply, LLC, Business Leader Award
Sandra B. Roberts, Community Leader Award
The Center For Cancer Care Fund, Inc., Quality of Life Award
2010 John R. Ursone, Northwest Community Bank, Business Leader Award
Robert F. Petricone, Community Leader Award
Susan B. Anthony Project, Inc., Quality of Life Award
2009 Joseph J. Greco, The First National Bank of Litchfield, Business Leader Award
David Childs, New Hartford, Community Leader Award
LARC, Quality of Life Award
2008 Victor Muschell, Esq., Mushell & Simoncelli, Business Leader Award
Cynthia Bianchi, Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, Community Leader Award
The Warner Theatre, Quality of Life Award
2007 Michael Bryan Loftus, Wake Robin Inn, Business Leader Award
Deirdre Houlihan DiCara, Girl Scouts of NW Connecticut, Community Leader Award
Alcoa Foundation Alcoa Howmet, Quality of Life Award
2006 Stephen Altschuler, Altek Company, Business Leader Award
Roberta Lee August, Community Leader Award
Northwest Connecticut YMCA, Quality of Life Award
2005 Val Bernardoni, Business Leader Award
Mary Coutant, Community Leader Award
Torrington Area Foundation for Public Giving/The Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut, Quality of Life Award
2004 Francis Delaney, West State Mechanical, Business Leader Award
Rev. Robert F. Tucker, St. Anthony’s Parish, Community Leader Award
Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Quality of Life Award
2003 Domenic “Sonny” Toce, Toce Brothers, Inc., Business Leader Award
David Dolinsky, Dolinsky Associates, Inc., Community Leader Award
The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Quality of Life Award
2002 100th Anniversary of Northwest Connecticut’s Chamber of Commerce
2001 Marvin “Muff” Maskovsky, The Warner Theatre
Sharon Dante, The Nutmeg Ballet
2000 Alan Colavecchio, Colvecchio Design
Lorraine Calder, White Flower Farm
Paul A. Grossman, The China Shop
1999 Jerry Baldwin, Canaan National Bank
Jeffrey Lalonde, Torrington Savings Bank
Mark E. Macomber, Litchfield Bancorp
Christopher A. Pitt, Northwest Community Bank
1998 O&G Industries, Inc.
1997 William G. Harding, Past President, Northwest Connecticut’s Chamber of
Commerce
1996 David Dolinsky, SCASCO
Robert H. Ellis, Sr., Ellis Limousines
Gordon C. Johnson, DVM, Lime Rock Animal Hospital
Raymond A. Turri, Turri, Inc.
1995 John G. Groppo, State House of Representatives 1959-1985
Carl G. Hooper, Department of Children & Families
Peter B. Kent, Bicron Electronics Company
JoAnn M. Ryan, Kelly Temporary Services
1994 Allan R. Borghesi, Borghesi Building & Engineering Company, Inc.
Susan Saint James Ebersol, FM 97.3 WZBG
John N. Lavieri, Sterling Engineering Corporation
Paul C. Minor, Southern New England Telephone
Terrence A. & Juliet Wybrants Moore, The White Hart Inn
1993 Gladys Y. Cerruto, Torrington Metal Products
Frank H. Finch, Jr., Howd, Lavieri & Finch
Pasquale “Pat” Pallone, The Canaan Pharmacy
George A. & Doris D. Sweetman, Dwan & Company
1992 Ed Eveleth, The Wilderness Shop
Ross Grannan, Printing Service Ink
John G. Phillips, Jr., Moore & Alvord Agency
Alan F. Seitz, Seitz Corporation
1991 Thomas E. Bennett, The Torrington Company
Robert W. Doyle, Crutch & MacDonald
Perry Gardner, Pfizer, Inc.
D. John Vaccari, Vaccari’s Young Fashions