Yonkers Business Week hits a grand slam By ANGELIQUE CHIELLI
It was a who’s who of the business community May 8
at the Hudson River Museum, as Yonkers Business Week
honored business owners for their achievements and
success at an awards dinner.
The honorees were: X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, recipient
of the Yonkers Business of the Year award; Parkledge
Apartments, recipient of the Yonkers Corporate Citizen
award; Westchester ARC, recipient of the Yonkers Employer
of the Year award; Zuppa Restaurant & Lounge, recipient
of the Yonkers Family Business award; Metro Partners
L.L.C., recipient of the Yonkers Rising Star award;
and American Sugar Refining Inc.-Domino Sugar, recipient
of the Yonkers Legend award.
The “going green” theme was in full bloom in the eco-friendly
tented dining area. Dressed in green garb, Sarah Lawrence
student performers posed as mannequins on tree stumps
under a rainforest canopy that was projected on the
ceiling. The green and blue lights that lit up the
tent complemented the green tablecloths. The dinner
was catered by honoree and Yonkers native Peter Kelly.
“I thought it was a great night,” Kelly said. “It was
very well attended – more than 400 people – so it was
fun. It was nice to be part of it both as an honoree
and catering it.”
Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone said although Business Week
has grown every year, this year left him feeling particularly
optimistic.
“Many of the business who have been here come back
because they have gotten so much from it,” he said.
“But to see so many new faces means that we have gone
beyond the borders of Yonkers; people from outside
the city are hearing about it and finding that it’s
worth their while.”
As for his batting skills, Amicone’s swing on the cover
of the Business Journal’s supplement for Business Week
proves he really can go to bat for Yonkers.
“I have to tell you that’s as level a swing as you’re
gonna ever see,” said Amicone. “And it proved to all
my friends that I still can hit it out.”
Special set for a special night By JENA BUTTERFIELD
Hudson Scenic Studio is one of the
largest production and scenic fabrication companies
serving the professional entertainment community
outside the metropolitan area. And they do it all
from a 72,000-square-foot facility on the banks of
the Hudson River in Yonkers.
Since 1980, Hudson Scenic has provided engineering,
construction, scenic art, automation and since 2004,
theatrical lighting for more than 300 Broadway productions
including the current runs of “Mary Poppins,” “Spamalot,”
“Spring Awakening” and “The Lion King.” The studio,
headed by Tony award winner Neil A. Mazzella, is also
responsible for the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in
Times Square and, just recently, for the elaborate
set at Yankee Stadium used to host the pope.
But on May 8, as guests entered the tent for the Ninth
Annual Yonkers Business Week awards dinner at the Hudson
River Museum, they also – for one night only – entered
the fanciful world of Hudson Scenic.
When guests left the cocktail hour, they arrived at
the reception through a machine-made mist drifting
around green-clad performance artists. Lighting was
positioned to project dappled leaf shapes on the roof
of the dinner tent, simulating a rainforest canopy.
And 30-inch high tree stumps, weighing more than 100
pounds a piece and sturdy enough to hold 300 pounds,
held five Sarah Lawrence student performers.
“This is being treated as a Broadway event even though
it’s a one-nighter,” Project Manager Joe Doughney said.
“And the detail is sick,” he said, pointing out the
realistic rings in the wood of the tree trunk.
Guests agreed.
“Neil (Mazzella) does such an amazing job and he gives
so much back to Yonkers,” said Doughney about the company
CEO who utilized the talent of his staff and product
of his company, Hudson Scenic, to make the evening
a one of a kind event.
Two sculptors, two painters and two lighting designers
worked exclusively on the project, turning an inspired
vision into reality.
Celebrating
Yonkers businesses and promoting green living.
Tom
Dwyer takes a food sample from Ginny Martell of
the restaurant Best in Gourmet at the “Taste of
Yonkers” event.
Parks
Commissioner Augie Cambria, right, and Steve Loftus,
director of recreation, at the “Taste of Yonkers”
networking event May 6 at the Larkin Center of the
Yonkers Public Library as part of Yonkers Business
Week.
From
left: David Simpson, spokesman for the mayor’s office;
Geoffrey Thompson, chairman of Thompson & Bender;
and Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson, partner and executive
vice president of Thompson & Bender, at the awards
dinner.
The
green-themed dinner wows guests.
A
dramatic entrance to the Hudson River Museum for
the awards dinner.Everything
from canopy lighting and painted panels to realistic
tree stumps and manufactured mist was designed by Hudson
Scenic. Sarah Lawrence students performed as trees at
the event.
DeForest
Raphael gives a stirring rendition of the National
Anthem.
News
12 Director Janine Rose has the guests smiling as
mistress of ceremonies.
Yonkers
Mayor Philip Amicone enjoys the event.
From
left: The award winners: Lael Paulson, refinery manager
for American Sugar Refining Inc.- Domino Sugar, Yonkers
Legend; Robert Leggio and father Philip Leggio of
Zuppa Restaurant and Lounge, Yonkers Family Business
of the Year; Peter X. Kelly of X20 Xaviars on the
Hudson, Business of the Year; Ken Dearden of Metro
Partners, Rising Star of the Year; and Westchester
Arc President Anne Majsak, Employer of the Year,
accompanied by Carolyn Holodak, a self-advocate employed
by the city of Yonkers and Westchester Arc board
member.
Peter
Kelly, owner of X20 restaurant and recipient of the
Yonkers Business of the Year award.
City
Council member Patricia McDow and Robert Leggio of
Zuppa.
From
left: Yonkers Mayor Philip Amicone, Veronica Raphael
of Westchester Residential Opportunities and DeForest
Raphael, department head at the city of Yonkers.
The
five Sarah Lawrence dance students take off
the green makeup and pose with the Hudson Scenic
project manager. From left: Ilona Bito, Liz Gorgas,
project manager, Joe Doughney, Jules Skloot, Mandy
Hackman and Aya Sato.
The
Pipes and Drums of the Police Emerald Society of
Westchester County New York Inc. led the march
of guests into the dinner.
From
left: Dee DelBello, publisher of the Westchester
County Business Journal; Janine Rose, News 12 director
and mistress of ceremonies; and Angelique Chielli
Business Journal on-line news and media coordinator,
at the awards dinner May 8.
