Talking Cannabis: The High Points
The scene: Forty-two stories above downtown White Plains at Kanopi (atop the Opus Hotel). The players: A veritable Who’s Who of the legal cannabis industry community, psyched to network and eager to hear the latest from those in the know about compliance, banking, and other essential topics.
Thanks again to White Plains Mayor Justin Brasch for joining us and to our panelists, below, for sharing their expertise and perspective around this constantly changing space.
Joseph Belluck
Chairman, New York State Cannabis Advisory Board
Luke Ferenc
COO, Cannabicity
COO, Ninja Supply
Founder, Cannabis Survival Guide Consulting
Jeffrey Kay
Chief Marketing Officer, Safe Harbor
Matthew Leonardo
Principal, Hinman Straub
Professor, University at Albany Government Affairs Leader
Billy Riggs
Founder, Big Apple Decon
Eric and Tessa Williams
Founders, FarmOn! Foundation
Founders, Empire Farm 1830
Honoring Those Who Build
914INC. and our sister publication Westchester Home recently spotlighted individuals and businesses shaping the land and skyline of Westchester through construction, adaptive reuse, and efforts in affordability and sustainability. The energy was through the roof at the Harrison Meadows Country Club as we feted innovation, craftsmanship, and the leaders driving progress throughout the region.
Congratulations again to all the award winners.
Adaptive Reuse | Community Project
Rob & Christina Rubicco, Co-Founders
Anna & Jack’s Treehouse
Danielle DeVito, Architect
Pencil Projects Architecture
Adaptive Reuse | Multifamily Residential
Amy Rose, President and CEO
Christopher Gibaldi, Managing Director of Development
Rose Associates
Affordable Housing | Homeownership
Bill Balter, President
WBP Development LLC
Affordable Housing | Not-for-Profit
Richard Nightingale, President & CEO
Andrew Germasky, Chief Real Estate Officer
WESTHAB
Award in Architecture
Ira Grandberg, AIA
Grandberg & Associates Architects
Boutique Developer
Dan Bsharat, Managing Director
Tariq Bsharat, Advisory Board Member
Hudson Hill Partners
Community Driving Development
Pam Tarlow, Commissioner of Planning & Community Development
City of Mount Vernon
Emerging Leader
Anthony Morando, Esq., Partner
Cuddy and Feder, LLP
Emerging Leader | Commercial Builder
Dale Phillips, President
Kaitlyn Phillips, Vice President
E.J. York, Inc.
Groundbreaker Award
Adam Bosch, (former) CEO
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Land Use Leadership
Mark P. Weingarten, Esq., Partner
DelBello, Donnellan, Weingarten, Wise & Wiederkehr LLP
Mixed-Use Builder & Commercial Developer
Patricia Simone, Principal & President
Joanna Simone, Principal & President, Leasing & Property
Simone Management Group
Management Operations
Simone Development Companies
Website
Multi-Family Home Builder
Damon Woolf, Director of Land Acquisition
Toll Brothers
Residential & Commercial Landscape Design
Val Morano Sagliocco
The Morano Group
Residential Contractor
Eric Abraham, President
Comstock Residential Contracting
Residential Single Family Home Builder
Oran Ben-Simon, Vice President
KOSL Building Group LLC
Sustainability Leadership
Ron Kamen
Founder CEO, EarthKind Energy
Director, Clean Energy Action Coalition
John Ravitz, Executive Vice President & COO
The Business Council of Westchester
Toasting the Future of Leadership
The Wunderkinds—Westchester’s brightest under-35 leaders—introduced in our last issue had their moments in the sun on a steamy May night that felt like August. Two hundred of their bosses and peers, and excited family members and friends, gathered at the Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club for an evening to remember. Special thanks to Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins for joining us. Kudos again to the Class of 2026!
2026 Wunderkinds Winners
Derick Ansah
Assistant Vice President, Wealth Advisor
Tompkins Financial Advisors
Teddy Bugniazet
Commercial Risk Advisor
Marsh McLennan Agency
Caroline King
Business Performance Advisor
Insperity
Andrew Nickoletos
Financial Advisor
Precision Wealth Solutions
Liberta Barcia
Trusts and Estates Associate
Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP
Steven Still
Associate Attorney
Abrams Fensterman, LLP
Sabrina Fata
Program Supervisor for Pretrial Services
Choice of New York
Melissa McMonagle
Development And Communications Manager
Pace Women’s Justice Center
Michael Conigliaro
Property Manager
GHP Office Realty, LLC
Gregory Maugeri
Marco Petruzzi
Project Manager/Superintendent
Yonkers Contracting
Anthony Torchia
COO, Coral Sea Pools
Founder & CEO, Best Way Technologies
Amanda Seebeck
Events & Marketing Communications Coordinator
Harrison Meadows Country Club
Kevin Oliveros
Owner
Risotto Restaurant
Dillon Faulkner
Chief Operating Officer, Backyard Sports Cares and MVP Basketball Camp
President, Backyard Sports
Angel Gray
Program & Policy Director
Westchester Children’s Association
Ryan Hirt
Director of Development
Access: Supports For Living
Ciara Mulligan
Advocacy Manager
Feeding Westchester
Natalie Goldfarb
Senior Director, External Communications
Smart Electric Power Alliance
Giuseppe D’Aloisio
Clinical Lecturer/Media Director
Iona University
Eric Dalton
Vice President
Angels On Call Homecare
Sydney Ericson
Project Director
Westchester Medical Center Health Network
Hediye Mamak
1st Deputy Commissioner
Mount Vernon Buildings Department City of Mount Vernon
Lindsey Houlihan
Communications Director
Office of NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Laura Lulgjuraj
Associate Real Estate Broker
Houlihan Lawrence
Alexa Amato
Content Manager
Love Social Media
Honoring Healthcare Heroes
In mid-May, over 170 proud colleagues and friends convened for an elegant lunch at Mulino’s of Westchester to support 12 dedicated individuals making a difference in the healthcare field.
We thank them again for their unwavering dedication and service.
Dr. Fawaz Al-Mufti
Neurologist
Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College
Jamillah Blair
Vice President of Community Relations & Program Development
Choice of New York
Danielle Butin
Founder & CEO
Afya
Joanna French
Program Coordinator & Volunteers
Trails Without Limits
Dr. Alan Kadish
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
New York Medical College/Touro University
Jason Hawksworth
Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery & Director of the Robotic Liver Surgery Program
New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Alyssa Klein
Administrative Director of Rehabilitation
New York-Presbyterian Westchester & New York-Presbyterian The One
Dr. Liane Nelson
Chief Psychologist
Westchester Jewish Community Services
Dr. Rafael Ortiz
Executive Director of Neurosciences
White Plains Hospital
Brittney Cintron-Owens
Director
Montefiore Einstein Command Center
Michael N. Rosenblut
President & CEO
Parker Jewish Institute
Dr. Erika Trovato
Associate Chief Medical Officer
Burke Rehabilitation
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