July 12, 2022
The Pat Armentano Legacy Award honors and celebrates one employee each year. This individual most highly demonstrates esteemed qualities and character traits, consistently exceeding daily expectations on and off the job. These revered qualities include showing sincere respect, compassion, and concern for others while also being well-respected by others; going above and beyond the call of duty; having a thirst for learning and doing more; exhibiting mentorship and leadership; and the willingness to move beyond a normal routine and comfort zone. This individual is humble and willingly accepts accountability for their actions. This person possesses the highest integrity level in their professional and personal social ethic.
Nominations come from fellow employees, and below are our great nominees (first-name alphabetic order), with a few of the many highlights supporting their nomination to this prestigious Award.
It’s a great honor to be recognized, admired, and respected by peers. These nominations attest to how our nominees positively impact their peers and communities, demonstrating the highest standards of moral, ethical, and social conduct.
A special thank you to all our nominators for taking the thoughtful time to participate in our 2022 Pat Armentano Legacy Award. Along with this year’s twelve nominees, you help create great outcomes and transformations within our company, neighborhoods, and communities.
Stay tuned. The winner of this year’s Award will be announced this summer!
ANGEL PAGAN – PRODUCTION MANAGER, WATERBURY, CT
• A real team player, never afraid to get his hands dirty. He is highly responsive to answering anyone reaching out to him and never shies away from taking on more challenges to help the facility’s operation.
• Leads from the front and by example and is unwaveringly respectful. He doesn’t expect anything from others he wouldn’t do himself.
• Is humble and hard-working, bleeding “Paraco blue.” Always respectful, conscientious, and keen on safety first. Angel handles multiple tasks successfully and without fail and aspires to ensure quality products and services consistently represent Paraco.
• Helps the community with staunch advocacy of giving people opportunities who would have otherwise not had a chance, exemplified by his support of open hiring with Greyston’s bakery.
BRIAN ADLER – DOCK/YARD ASSOCIATE, RIVERHEAD, NY
• A considerate and excellent communicator who shares his knowledge and time with other team members, training them to prevent operational glitches when people are absent from the job.
• Is highly regarded by his peers, managers, and corporate staff. Dealers speak highly of Brian’s abilities, communications skills, and personality.
• Diligent, dependable and loyal, Brian is known to work very long hours whenever there’s a call out, which speaks volumes about his dedication.
• Is involved in the community, actively engaging within the industry and providing valuable insight and feedback.
CHRISTINE SNYDER – DATA ANALYTICS & TRAINING ADMINISTRATOR
• Has had several roles throughout her tenure and amassed a lot of knowledge. She is steadfast in helping others to hone their skills and increase their knowledge base.
• Makes herself available, is always approachable, enthusiastic, and with a “can-do” attitude.
• Possesses great team-building and work ethics.
• Is actively involved in her community via supporting her church, participating in everything from fundraising to toy drives and soup kitchens, and helping engage others to join in.
DARNELL JENNINGS – BULK/CYLINDER DRIVER, WATERBURY, CT
• Always willing to step up and support. He helps his peers, often lending his mechanical skills to support a repair to a truck to ensure it is usable and with no safety concerns.
• Helps train other drivers to assimilate into the role and organization. With a true team spirit and regardless of the season, Darnell is always the first to step up whenever the business demands additional support.
• Committed to safety, Darnell drives defensively, shares valuable insight in Safety Meetings, and offers advice or recommendations for other employees to ensure their safety.
• Demonstrating Excellence with a knack for mentorship, Darnell is the “go-to” person for new employees. He leads by example, offers valuable knowledge and guidance, and shares techniques for improvement. He is dedicated and loyal and with a near-perfect attendance and completion rate.
GERRY LUSSIER – SERVICE TECHNICIAN, ESSEX, CT
• Always goes out of his way to ensure the customer is number one.
• A receptive and excellent mentor and leader, consistently dependable and available for guidance and assistance. Fellow team members hold Gerry in high regard because he truly loves what he does and genuinely cares about people.
• Is dependable and can always be counted on for support in the field and the office.
• Never fails to provide first-class customer service with a safety-first mentality. Gerry’s number one priority is always the customer, and customers respect and trust him.
JULIAN PONCE – SERVICE APPRENTICE, SHIRLEY, NY
• Always respectful and willing to help other colleagues and support the team in accomplishing tasks.
• Works conscientiously with safety front and center. Keeps the facility safe by salting the parking lot and loading dock after it snows to prevent icing. He is consistent in wearing his safety vest and hard hat.
• Dependable and loyal, he’ll do whatever is asked of him, even if outside the standard scope of his role. He takes his job seriously and treats customers with the utmost respect.
• Supports his community by being heavily involved in church activities and donations.
KELLY STAFFORD – SERVICE OFFICE MANAGER, SAUGERTIES, NY
• Possesses the quality of Excellence in all she does. Always cordial, with safety and customer satisfaction front and center.
• Dependable, loyal, knowledgeable, and valued, Kelly willingly aids others in all situations that come about regularly, always with a smile on her face, never missing a beat.
• Is highly responsive to other colleagues, no matter which department. You can count on Kelly to return phone calls, text messages, and emails, no matter how inundated she is.
• Is involved in the community, doing walks and school volunteering.
LINDSEY STANSFIELD – DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
• Consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. Genuinely invested in the success of Paraco and wanting employees to feel good about what we do together.
• Possesses Excellence in all she does. Fully vested in her team, she is a sincerely caring individual, creating an emotionally-safe environment where employees can freely ask for guidance.
• Excels in mentorship and leadership. She is aspirational both in business and personally, with a talent for providing subtle, respectful, and appropriate guidance. She is unrelenting in self-improvement, inspiring her team to do the same on and off the job.
• Is passionate about the communities in which we work and live. Lindsey possesses a big-picture view of what is most meaningful to help and delight people the most. With a love of children and learning, she is writing a children’s novel.
MARK TAKOURIAN – OUTSIDE SALES REP, SAUGERTIES, NY
• Goes above and beyond regular duties, strategically identifying where he needs to be to exceed his goals.
• Is safety conscious, reviewing each job and following all legal requirements.
• Supports other employees, consistently communicating with delivery and service.
• Aims to provide first-in-class customer service through consistent and thoughtful relationship building.
MATT ARENA – SERVICE TECHNICIAN/INSTALLER, SHIRLEY, NY
• Takes pride in his work and works diligently and meticulously.
• Is supportive of his colleagues, always positive, patient, and never condescending. Has great morale with the team and is always available to lend a helping hand.
• Is a thoughtful and dependable mentor. He will stop and show you how to do things correctly, safely, and efficiently. He has a way of making you feel good about your day, no matter what.
• Strives to provide first-in-class customer service with a safety-first mentality. Customers mean a lot to him, and customers love Matt.
MICHAEL COLOMBO – CONTROLLER
• Is honestly concerned about others. He steps in to help any employee needing assistance and keeps the team together in times of crisis.
• Treats fellow employees with care, encourages smart work and emphasizes to his team that he’s always available. He is a receptive leader where employees feel comfortable reaching out to him.
• Supportive and respectful, he is a loyal resource. On the rare occasion he doesn’t have the answer, he can and will help you find it.
• Has a proactive and uplifting attitude. Michael is a solution-oriented individual. He is always ready to roll up his sleeves and help any department without hesitation.
THERESA BEIL – ROUTING ANALYST, BAYSHORE, NY
• Proven to go above and beyond her regular responsibilities, Theresa expects and embraces all challenges.
• Safety is always on Theresa’s mind and part of her daily life. Her excellent communication skills and knowledge of safety protocols always keep employees and customers safe.
• Excels in supporting all colleagues and providing first-in-class customer service with compassion and empathy. She is dependable, highly inclusive, and serves as a bridge for teammates. Her overall approach and talents bring people together cohesively for projects and community-oriented events alike.
• Supports the community, taking up the flag for cancer foundation and cancer victim support in numerous ways. Other charitable contributions include Toys for Tots, a Long Island Animal Shelter, and Sacred Heart Academy’s fundraising initiatives for Ukraine.