A group of 47 local business leaders came together Thursday night to be honored for their professional achievements by Blank Slate Media.
Vision Long Island Director Eric Alexander, the keynote speaker, encouraged the leaders to continue to excel in their respective fields and support local communities by uniting businesses, educational institutions, law firms and non-profits in Nassau County.
“We have a responsibility as leaders to build up trust,” Alexander, the director of the downtown planning organization, said.
Blank Slate Media honored the business leaders at its fourth annual Top Business Leaders networking awards event attended by more than 280 people at Leonard’s Palazzo. News 12 Long Island reporter Cecelia Dowd served as emcee.
Many of the honorees and the keynote speaker mentioned the work of community building and outreach as a cornerstone of their work as business leaders.
Alexander stressed the importance of community building, especially during a time he said was characterized by much divisiveness.
Jean-Marie Addeo Levantini, the senior director of ambulatory care for NYU Langone Health and a lifelong resident of Long Island, said she was honored to be recognized among a group with such high accomplishments.
Levantini said she also recognized the group’s common thread of working with and for their community.
American Red Cross Long Island CEO Jose Dominguez said he is driven by the mission of the Red Cross and the people it represents.
Dominguez said that being recognized for his work is also an honor for his organization.
“Whatever I can do to showcase the work and the services and our volunteers, it’s amazing,” Dominguez said.
Chief Administrative Officer for Nassau Community College Maria Conzatti said the community is paramount to her organization’s work.
Conzatti echoed Dominguez’s sentiments that the honor is not just for her but also for the broader work of the institution she represents.
WellLife Network CEO Sherry Tucker said the honor was humbling.
“It’s a blessing to me to be able to get up every morning and know that we’re changing lives, that we’re impacting people’s lives and helping them to achieve their goals and dreams and desires,” Tucker said.
Despite saying she is not used to being in the spotlight, Tucker said she found the awards ceremony valuable in honoring individuals like herself who may not always be recognized for their work in making Nassau County “the best that it can be.”
“The altruism in this room is tremendous,” Dominguez said.