Annual Dinner & Membership Meeting

We hosted our 110^th Annual Dinner and Membership Meeting on Friday, January 31, 2020 at Finger Lakes Community College.  Over 270 local business men and women gathered for the Annual Chamber Meeting and to honor the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, Susanne Kennedy.

Christopher Hubler, outgoing president of our Board of Directors, opened the meeting with a year in review and presented the 2019 printed Annual Report.  Incoming Board President, Karen Dworaczyk, thanked Hubler for his leadership throughout 2019 by presenting him with the traditional gavel plaque for the outgoing board president, then shared lots of new and big plans for the upcoming 2020 year.

Jack Schuppenhauer, the 2018 Mr. Canandaigua Award Recipient, presented the highly anticipated Lifetime Achievement Award, filling in for last year’s recipient, Richard McGavern who was on a world-tour with his wife but sent his regards. We have been recognizing the talent, influence and impact of exceptional individuals since the first recipient was honored in 1960.  Since that time, 60 other men and women have been honored for their selfless investment in our community, long-known as “The Chosen Spot.”  They’re honored for accomplishing a lifetime full of extraordinary achievement.

Recipients live or work in our community and have demonstrated service to the people of Canandaigua, over and above what can be expected of one person, without expectation of financial gain.  Their contributions to Canandaigua are generous, meaningful and often made behind the scenes and without fanfare.

Each year, an anonymous panel of previous recipients, members of the community, sponsors, and members of our Chamber Board select the recipient from a pool of worthy and accomplished nominees.  Their work is not easy, they give selflessly of their time and talent for the benefit of others and our community.

The 2020 recipient, Susanne Kennedy, is a friend, a colleague and an inspiration to many.  A mother of two and influencer of countless others.  She has left her mark on the culture and operations of dozens of local and regional organizations including United Way of Ontario County, Granger Homestead, Ontario County Historical Society and Bristol Valley Theater.

She is a charter member of the local DAR and a longtime friend of FLCC.

Her nominator writes, “she uses her strengths in connecting, arranging and maximizing relationships between individuals and the community in meaningful ways…”

“I am most impressed with Susanne’s resilience and forward focus…”

“I have learned so much from this woman and what it means to ‘give back’…”

The honor roll of Susanne’s selfless investments includes:

• Hospital Association of New York State
• Seven Lakes Girl Scouts
• MS Society
• Youth Museum of the Finger Lakes
• Ontario County Human Society
• Rochester City Ballet
• South Bristol Cultural Center
• Cheshire Community Action Team…and the list continues.

Susanne Kennedy was presented the traditional silver bowl by the 2018 Mr. Canandaigua recipient, Jack Schuppenhauer, and proclamations adopted by Congressman Tom Reed, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, and Senator Pam Helming.