Westchester Spirit of Achievement
Awards Dinner

Join Junior Achievement of the Hudson Valley, Inc. at the annual Spirit of Achievement Awards Dinner, celebrating the successes of both the business and the education community at work to provide the children of the Hudson Valley with the education they deserve. In partnership with the Westchester County Business Journal, Junior Achievement recognizes businesses and individuals who make a difference in the Westchester community. The recipient of this award must meet strict criteria, which include business excellence, inspiring leadership, community involvement, and a positive influence on future generations.

See photos below from
March 27, 2008
Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY

Junior Achievement is proud to be honoring

BEST BUY CO.

ENTERGY

Westchester County Business Journal's
Overachiever of the Year

THOMPSON & BENDER

2008 Event Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Photos from 2008 Spirit of Achievement Awards Dinner
March 27,2008

Grimes ES Dance Crew in opening performance

JAHV President Angela D. Giustino welcomes guests

Co-hosts Jim Fosina (Fosina Marketing Group) and Taniqua Mighty (Mt. Vernon High School), introduce the evening's ceremonies

Mt. Vernon HS Jr ROTC present colors

Clark Academy at St. Christopher's students Iliana Fiqueroa-Vincent and Jennay McClean sing national anthem

Talibah Stephenson and Mehki Clayton-Smith of Grimes Elementary School give the Invocation and JA Elementary Experience

Barbara Hanlon presents the Westcheter County Business Journal's Overachiever of the Year award

Elizabeth A. Bracken-Thompson accepts award on behalf of Thompson & Bender

accepts JA Impact Award on behalf of her father Michael A. Schiavone

Sakile Stephenson and Mattie Jallow of Grimes Elementary School give their message of Dreams in English and Mandarin Chinese

Susan Crucy-Burkhardt of Hitachi America, Ltd. gives her JA Alumna experience

Brittany Cannady-Gorton High School and Toshia Parks-Clark Academy at St. Christopher's give the JA High School Experience

Michael Balducci accepts award on behalf of Entergy

Marie Gallagher, PepsiCo. gives her JA Alumna experience

Raul and Guillermo Renderos of Commerce Middle School give their JA Middle School Experience

Michael D. Doyle accepts
Spirit of Achievment Award on behalf of Best Buy, Co.

Honorees of Best Buy, Entergy, and Thompson and Bender with JAHV President Angela Giustino

Angela Giustino with Kathy Conits (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.) and student presenters

Photos from 2007 Event

Co-hosts Jim Fosina and Vincent Laino start the night off with a bang

Grace Yawman, 2nd grade student at
WL Morse Elementary School in Tarrytown, gives invocation and
JA Elementary experience

Lydia Dembert, 3rd grade student at
WL Morse gives invocation and
JA Elementary experience

Dee DelBello, Publisher of the Westchester County Business Journal presents the
Overachiever of the Year Award to
Marden Harrison & Kreuter, CPAs, PC (MHK)

Stephen Harrison accepts Overachiever of the Year award on behalf of MHK

Students Marwa Shelaby (Clark Academy-St. Christopher's) and
Jerry Thomas (Gorton High School) present the Spirit of Achievement Award to Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc.

Mariangela Battista accepts award on behalf of Starwood

Commerce Middle School student Jeremy Sanchez gives his JA Middle School experience and co-presents the Spirit of Achievement Award to Robert Weisz

Samantha Rosario, 9th grade student at Mt. Vernon High school shares her JA experiences with the audience as she co-presents the award

Robert P. Weisz accepts Spirit of Achievement Award

Commerce Middle School Select Choir performs at the end of the night under the direction of Ken Knox

The Lincoln High School Jazz Ensemble entertains guests during dinner. Ray Cruz leads the musicians.

Past Honorees

Year	Honorees
1993	Susan V. Crucy Community Relations Officer Hitachi America Ltd.	Francina Bryant Jubilee	Ralph D. Lewis Chase Community Development Corporation
1994	Dr. Donald M. Batista Director of Education - Leak & Watts	Lois S. Amend Community Relations Director Ciba Corporation	The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.
1995	Linda M. Johnson Vice President Hudson Valley Bank	Mark A. Suwyn Executive Vice President International Paper Company	NYNEX
1996	Richard D. Schaab Vice President The Westchester County Association	Marshall Loeb Editor-at-Large FORTUNE Magazine	NORTEL Networks
1997	Walton E. Burdick Senior Vice President-Human Resources IBM Corporation	Tambrands Inc.
1998	Lillian Vernon Harold E. Vogt President The County Chamber of Commerce	MasterCard International Maureen Walker Comptroller City of Mount Vernon	Judy Matson Director of Cultural Affairs Westchester County Tsuneo Tanaka President Hitachi America, Ltd
1999	Kraft Foods, Inc. Jeffrey C. Roberts Educator Gorton High School	Earl G. Graves Publisher Black Enterprises Magazine Earl G. Graves, Jr. President Black Enterprises Magazine	James C. Joedecke President-Mid State Bell Atlantic
2000	Leigh J. Abrams President Drew Industries	Millie H. Becker President & CEO Westchester Air, Inc.	Westchester County Business Journal's Overachiever of the Year Award Dennis Mehiel Chairman & CEO Sweetheart Cup Co, Inc.
2001	Richard P. Biondi Director of Community Affairs Verizon	Snapple Beverage Group	Colin Urgo General Manager Westchester Residence Inn
2002	JPMorgan Chase	Ronald O. Ross Superintendent of Schools Mt. Vernon City School District	Lenore Minerva President - Empress Ambulance Service/American Transit
2003	Ellen Lunch SVP and Managing Director Albert B. Ashforth, Inc./EastRidge Properties	Carl E. Petrillo President & CEO Yonkers Contracting Company	Jo Ann Mazella Murphy Vice Chair Country Bank
2004	Pace University	Wachovia Bank	Ed Sirlin Senior Vice President Sterling National Bank
2005	Brenda L. Smith Superintendent of Schools Mount Vernon City School District	Keane & Beane, PC	John M. Tolomer Senior Vice President Commerce Bank
2006	MasterCard International	Martin Ginsburg President Ginsburg Development Companies, LLC	Peter Herrero President New York Hospitality Group
2007	Robert P. Weisz President RPW Group	Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.	Marden, Harrison & Kreuter, CPAs, P.C.


Grimes ES Dance Crew in opening performance	JAHV President Angela D. Giustino welcomes guests	Co-hosts Jim Fosina (Fosina Marketing Group) and Taniqua Mighty (Mt. Vernon High School), introduce the evening's ceremonies

Mt. Vernon HS Jr ROTC present colors	Clark Academy at St. Christopher's students Iliana Fiqueroa-Vincent and Jennay McClean sing national anthem	Talibah Stephenson and Mehki Clayton-Smith of Grimes Elementary School give the Invocation and JA Elementary Experience

Barbara Hanlon presents the Westcheter County Business Journal's Overachiever of the Year award	Elizabeth A. Bracken-Thompson accepts award on behalf of Thompson & Bender	accepts JA Impact Award on behalf of her father Michael A. Schiavone

Sakile Stephenson and Mattie Jallow of Grimes Elementary School give their message of Dreams in English and Mandarin Chinese	Susan Crucy-Burkhardt of Hitachi America, Ltd. gives her JA Alumna experience	Brittany Cannady-Gorton High School and Toshia Parks-Clark Academy at St. Christopher's give the JA High School Experience

Michael Balducci accepts award on behalf of Entergy	Marie Gallagher, PepsiCo. gives her JA Alumna experience	Raul and Guillermo Renderos of Commerce Middle School give their JA Middle School Experience

Michael D. Doyle accepts Spirit of Achievment Award on behalf of Best Buy, Co.	Honorees of Best Buy, Entergy, and Thompson and Bender with JAHV President Angela Giustino	Angela Giustino with Kathy Conits (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.) and student presenters


Co-hosts Jim Fosina and Vincent Laino start the night off with a bang	Grace Yawman, 2nd grade student at WL Morse Elementary School in Tarrytown, gives invocation and JA Elementary experience	Lydia Dembert, 3rd grade student at WL Morse gives invocation and JA Elementary experience

Dee DelBello, Publisher of the Westchester County Business Journal presents the Overachiever of the Year Award to Marden Harrison & Kreuter, CPAs, PC (MHK)	Stephen Harrison accepts Overachiever of the Year award on behalf of MHK	Students Marwa Shelaby (Clark Academy-St. Christopher's) and Jerry Thomas (Gorton High School) present the Spirit of Achievement Award to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Mariangela Battista accepts award on behalf of Starwood	*Commerce Middle School student Jeremy Sanchez gives his JA Middle School experience and co-presents the Spirit of Achievement Award* to Robert Weisz**	Samantha Rosario, 9th grade student at Mt. Vernon High school shares her JA experiences with the audience as she co-presents the award

Robert P. Weisz accepts Spirit of Achievement Award	Commerce Middle School Select Choir performs at the end of the night under the direction of Ken Knox	The Lincoln High School Jazz Ensemble entertains guests during dinner. Ray Cruz leads the musicians.