Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Auction

Description

The Annual Meeting will take place on June 25, 2013.  Celebrate our year in review and network with other business professionals.  Special presentations of the Citizen of the Year/Community Service Award and Key Award will take place.  The commencement of the new Board of Directors will also occur along with recognition of those Board Members completing their term. There will also be the annual Chamber great Escape Auction with over 150 auction items for sale at the event.  
For more information, contact The Chamber at 401-596-7761.
 

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AND KEY AWARD RECIPIENT
 
The Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of has announced that it will honor Robert Valenti Jr., a Pawcatuck resident,  as the 2013 Citizen of the Year.
 
The award was established in 1957 to recognize outstanding leadership and exceptional contributions to the community.  Criteria considered in the selection process include leadership role in the community, specific contributions in business and civic/non-profit organizations, promoting the community image, improving the quality of life in our area, personal and professional characteristics including integrity, creativity, communication skills and broad social perspectives. 
 
Robert has served this community nobly and faithfully for many years.  “He is a man of outstanding community spirit, generosity and concern for the well being of our citizens and the quality of life in our community.  He is known as a savvy business man with a reputation for fairness, and a loyal volunteer .” said Chamber President Deb Turrisi.  Rob has committed a tremendous amount of time, energy and donations to many different civic organizations she added.
 
Robert Valenti Jr., President of Valenti Family of Dealerships, has helped create jobs in the Westerly community by making a large investment in our local economy.   In 1998, they Valenti family purchased the Toyota dealership in Dunns Corners and then 10 years later, during one of the most difficult economic times in the nation’s history, he made a bold decision and expanded the business,  adding a Subaru dealership.  The Westerly location employs more than 30 people.
 
Rob also served on numerous boards including New England Ford Dealers Advertising Association, Mystic YMCA, Ocean Community YMCA, Mystic Aquarium, and was a Corporator for the Chelsea Groton Savings Bank.  As a part of his commitment to local fundraising efforts, he has generously shown support to the Bring back the Beach campaign with a $10,000 donation and then secured a matching grant of $10,000 from Toyota.  He has donated to Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality, Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Westerly Hospital, North Stonington Schools, The Mystic Aquarium Ocean Commotion event, Hurricane Sandy Animal Pet Adoption, and the Stonington Education Fund.  He has sponsored many school football, baseball, soccer and track teams through the business.
 
“Rob’s positive, enthusiastic attitude is known throughout the community.  He is known as the go-to guy” said Susan Stritar of Pawcatuck who nominated him for the award.  “He always gets the job done and looks at the glass as half full”.
 
Some of Rob’s many local community contributions are outlined below:
 
Outstanding Board member of more than 10 years of service and supporter of the Mystic YMCA serving on nearly every committee
Concurrent Board member of the Ocean Community YMCA
Through his tremendous volunteer service to the YMCA, he has raised tens of thousands of dollars annually for the organization.
Reach Out to Youth Scholarship Campaigner
Supplier of vehicles for the Work Vessels for Vets program, which helps our solders coming back from overseas by providing them with automobiles.
His dealership has also helped the Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality by donating a vehicle to a family in need so the father could have transportation in order to keep his job.
 
Outside of the community Rob also serves on the Boards of the New England Ford Dealers Advertising Association and the Volkswagen Advertising Directors Board for the past 6 years.
   
Robert Valenti Jr’s unwavering enthusiasm has propelled many local organizations to succeed, thrive, and grow to continue valued charitable work.


 The Key Award- This award was established to honor those whose selfless actions have helped the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce achieve its mission.  Sherry A. Quinlan of Stonington will be honored for donating over 125 hours of her time helping with Superstorm Sandy activities at The Chamber.  Sherry responded to The Chamber’s community appeal for volunteers.  She has helped with issuing resident passes, answering phones, making cold calls to secure donations, organizing volunteers, and much more.  Sherry is very dedicated, has a wonderful disposition and has been a tremendous asset helping us with the tremendous extra work load The Chamber has taken on in recent months.  We couldn’t have done it without her” said Chamber Executive Director Lisa Konicki.
 
Valenti and Quinlan will receive their awards at the Annual Dinner.
 
Annual Dinner Information-The Annual Meeting will take place on June 25, 2013 at Venice in Westerly, 6pm.  There will also be the annual Chamber great Escape Auction with over 150 auction items for sale at the event.  Tickets are $50 and are available on a first-come, first serve basis.  Corporate tables of 10 that include an ad in the event program are available for $800.   The event is open to the public. Historically, the event sells out, so interested parties are encouraged to register quickly as seating is limited. 
For more information, contact The Chamber at 401-596-7761.
 
 
INFORMATION  - Lisa Konicki,   401-596-7761.