For the fifth consecutive year, we turn over the following pages to you — our readers. After receiving nearly 850 votes over a four-month period, you selected 36 companies in 38 different categories — including some very familiar faces — to receive our 2023 Best of Business honors. To complete the list, our editors selected six more organizations for special recognition.
Accounting
CBIZ Marks Paneth
As any business owner will tell you, accounting is one of the most important parts of running a successful enterprise — and our reader’s pick for Best Accounting Firm is committed to helping companies of all sizes. With a local branch in Purchase, CBIZ Marks Paneth stresses diversity and inclusion. One of the company’s core tenets is a commitment to helping clients win and it provides a wide range of services to help clients adapt, grow, and succeed. —EA
Audio Visual Services
Corporate AV
Top quality is always promised when Corporate AV, winners of our reader’s pick for Best Audio Visual Services for five consecutive years, sets out rm a meeting into digital perfection. The company’s virtual event production gives organizations a chance to shift any event to an online platform while retaining top quality. Corporate AV’s Zoom management productions take virtual meetings from fuzzy and shadowed to crisp, clear, and branded, while the company’s fundraising-event solutions keep nonprofits in step with their donors. —KC
Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media Services
Thompson & Bender
If any agency could be a veritable Swiss army knife of public relations, social media, and advertising services, it would be Thompson & Bender. A longtime juggernaut in the county’s business landscape, the agency captured our Best Advertising, Public Relations, and Social Media Services honors from our readers this year — and has pioneered sectors ranging from event planning to digital services. When it comes to public relations, T&B excels in crisis communications and crafting sound strategic plans for a variety of situations. With its suite of additional advertising services and social media offerings, it’s not surprising that T&B was recently named to City & Stateʼs Westchester Power 100 for its outsized impact on the county’s business landscape. —PA
After-Work Happy Hour
tredici NORTH
The fascinating paradox of happy hour is that it can serve equally well as a springboard for either serious business or a seriously great time. Apparently, tredici NORTH has elevated this craft to an art form, given that 2023 marks the restaurant’s sixth win in this category. With its three-hour fête — from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. — boasting such crafty faves as the Bloody Bulldog and the French Kiss, along with light fare that soars far above the banal, tredici NORTH will have you asking your supervisor to change your hours. —NB
Business Banking
PCSB Bank
Companies require a sound, smart, and trustworthy partner when it comes to business banking, and PCSB Bank prides itself on ticking all those boxes. A local leader in both personal and business banking, PCSB offers companies a wealth of services, including construction loans, commercial mortgages, business savings accounts, business credit cards, and even fraud prevention, to give their valued clients that extra peace of mind. —PA
Business Insurance
Levitt-Fuirst Associates
As a stalwart presence in Westchester County since 1969, it’s not surprising that Levitt-Fuirst Associates has become one of the largest independent insurance companies in the area. Pairing industry professionals with cutting-edge technology, they have expanded from construction to real estate to business market segments and even national accounts. For businesses that need it, they also offer workers compensation safety groups, living up to the company’s motto of “Protecting Your Priorities.” —EA
Business Education Program
Iona University
Few schools devote themselves to the success of their students quite like Iona University in New Rochelle. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business offers an incredible range of majors for both graduate and undergrad students, including an MBA with nine varied areas of concentration. Iona was even accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — an honor only five percent of business schools receive — keeping quality high in faculty and programming. —PA
Business Law
Dorf & Nelson, LLP
From criminal defense and life-science litigation to medical malpractice defense and intellectual property, Dorf & Nelson — the top pick among our readers for Best Business Law firm for the second year in a row — seems to excel in every imaginable area of law. The firm’s 30-plus attorneys are recognized leaders in their specialties and are devoted to their clients as both legal counsel and trusted advisors. Headquartered in Rye, Dorf & Nelson works to deliver a truly comprehensive law practice across a vast legal spectrum. —KC
Commercial Photography & Video
Enormous Creative
In an age of round-the-clock social media, capturing compelling video and photography is a no-nonsense necessity for many companies. Luckily, Peekskill’s Enormous Creative takes this job just as seriously. The four-time winner of our Best Commercial Photography & Video award offers marketing, public relations, web design, advertising, and graphic design services along with a deep focus on empowering organizations through Telly Award-winning video production services, ranging from television commercials to social media content. —PA
Commercial Real Estate Developer
MacQuesten Development, LLC
Founded by CEO Rella Fogliano in 2003, MacQuesten Development has been at the forefront of commercial real estate in the county for nearly 20 years. Working with clients at every stage — from financing and designing to construction — MacQuesten has been proving its mettle as of late, with head-turning projects like Mount Vernon’s eye-catching, 17-story residential and retail building, 22 South West and The Modern, a futuristic, 11-story building in the same city. —PA
Commercial Property Management
Diamond Properties
Mount Kisco’s Diamond Properties represents a comprehensive spectrum of real estate that cuts across industrial, medical, retail, and recreation sites, so it’s no wonder that the company has captured our Best Commercial Property Management honors for the fifth consecutive year. Most recently, the firm has responded to an emerging need with the launch of Velocity, its shared workspace initiative that supplies offices and meeting space for entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, and self-employed executives. Diamond is also a progressive leader in sustainable energy, having produced over seven megawatts of generating capacity from 24,063 solar panels. —KC
Corporate Caterer
Caperberry Events
A subsidiary of the New York Hospitality Group, Caperberry Events focuses on bringing quality food, service, and venue logistics to any location in the tri-state area. The catering company offers a rich array of menus to choose from, tailored specifically for every occasion. It also provides staffing, event coordination, venue suggestions, and even self-service options to a wide variety of venues, which include parks, historical sites, and mansions. —KC
Commercial Real Estate Brokerage
Rakow Commercial Realty Group
In the age of Zoom and virtual workspaces, a company’s need for office space is ever-changing. With 30-plus years of experience, Rakow is ready to meet that challenge. Our reader’s pick for Best Commercial Real Estate Brokerage for the fifth straight year, the firm represents buyers, tenants, and owners of all property types and sizes and negotiates favorable terms and options for relocation, renegotiation, or new commercial real estate needs. Throughout this process, the brokerage provides comprehensive financial analysis, strategic planning, and transaction management. —EA
Corporate Meeting Venue
VIP Country Club
The VIP Country Club is an impressive 120-year-old estate in New Rochelle, featuring eight waterfront acres overlooking the Long Island Sound. Our reader’s pick for Best Corporate Meeting Venue is perfect for clinching deals with clients and is also ideal for conferences, with multiple meeting rooms equipped with podiums, AV equipment, and Wi-Fi. The VIP Club can accommodate up to 500 attendees and offers inventive menus and private outdoor terraces. The site also serves as a popular wedding venue for many Westchester couples. —EA
Coworking Facility/Space
Westchester Business Center
While the pandemic may be fading into the rearview mirror, the tectonic shift to remote work has certainly not abated. Catering with aplomb to the army of telecommuters searching for a great place to work, Westchester Business Center has comfortable, tech-infused locations at Chappaqua Crossing and in downtown White Plains that offer high-speed internet, virtual services, technical support, and even mail service — all on flexible terms. —PA
Corporate Moving Company
Shleppers Moving & Storage
Open since 1978 and boasting locations from California to the Bronx, Shleppers Moving & Storage has earned its stripes as a trusted solution to nearly any moving problem. With local, long-distance, and even international commercial moving, Shleppers can also provide business storage units and specialty services like junk removal and insurance, so you can safely get your company to its newest home. —PA
Executive Limo Service
Leros Point to Point
Founded in 1983, Leros Point to Point is family-owned and operated, and has grown from a small startup to a global network. Leros offers digital convenience with their mobile app, which allows travelers to book reservations, check rates, and track their ride. With a promise of high-value service, constantly improving infrastructure, and highly trained people, Leros provides reliable transportation to travelers in a variety of luxury vehicles. —KC
Executive Wealth Management
SKG Team at Barnum Financial Group
The goal of this Elmsford-based team, winners of our reader’s pick for Best Executive Wealth Management for three straight years, is to give each client tailored solutions, lots of one-on-one personal attention, and insightful short- and long-term financial guidance. Clients include families, business owners, and Fortune 500 companies looking for financial literacy programs. Also great: Leaders Ben Soccodato and Chris Kampitsis were both named as Forbes’ Best in State Wealth Advisors for two years in a row. —KC
HR/ Benefits/ Payroll Provider
JDM Benefits
White Plains-based JDM Benefits, our reader’s pick for the Best HR, Benefits, and Payroll Provider, was founded in 1993 by current president Joe Moschitto. The firm’s happy clients include local PR firms, nonprofit groups, gyms, and other businesses — and they point to JDM’s dedication in helping nurture connections, reduce health insurance costs, and advise on HR issues. The company is also touted for its many relationships with benefits providers and online benefits platform services. —JC
General Contracting (Commercial)
Bradsell Contracting
The Bedford-based winner of this year’s Best General Commercial Contracting honors was founded by local resident Bill Bradsell more than 40 years ago. Over the decades, the company has grown from a painting and carpentry business into a full general contracting firm, offering services such as door and window replacement, roofing work, additions, and whole home renovations. The company’s diverse work includes serving commercial clients in addition to parks, government buildings, schools, and historic sites. —JC
Hotel for Business Travelers
Hyatt House, White Plains
Without a doubt, Hyatt’s success in this category is due to some clever executive thinking. First, pick a prime location, one that is in the nucleus of the county and proximate to such global players as IBM, PepsiCo, and Mastercard. Second, create a home-like environment that any extended business traveler can relate to and third, fill that space with amenities such as spacious meeting facilities, a 24-hour exercise room, pool, laundry, and more. What you have? The county’s top pick for the incoming business traveler. —NB
Graphic Design, Web Development
Copy & Art
A clean, stylish, and easy-to-navigate website is crucial to any modern business. Selected by our readers as both the Best Graphic Design and Web Development business in the county, the company provides a myriad of digital services including web and social media management for well-known clients such as Maimonides Medical Center and Northwell Health’s Phelps Hospital. Based in White Plains and founded by Elena Rivera-Cheek in 2011, this boutique advertising company is noted as both one of the top digital marketing agencies and has been honored in 914INC. as one of the best places to work in Westchester. —KC
IT/ Telecommunications
Right Click Solutions
For many business owners, IT can seem inaccessible or confusing, but at Right Click Solutions “we’re people people,” says owner Dan Taplitz. “We keep it safe and secure, but we break it down for our customers and explain how we fixed it.” The dedication to communication has enabled them to win our reader’s pick in IT/Telecommunications for three consecutive years. This 13-employee powerhouse stresses that it customizes care for all its roughly 400 clients; no business is left out, regardless of budget. As Taplitz explains, “our core focus is on helping small businesses and nonprofits.” —EA
Janitorial Services
WOW! Building Maintenance Solutions, Inc.
WOW! Building Maintenance Solutions, Inc. is a minority-owned-and-operated business based in White Plains — and our reader’s pick for Best Janitorial Service firm in the county. Since its founding in 2005, the company has prided itself on its four tenets of teamwork, transparency, integrity, and reliability to provide the best service possible to its customers. The company also employs sustainable and eco-friendly cleaning practices to ensure that every employee, client, and tenant can enjoy a healthy and safe work environment. —KC
Networking Events
Business Council of Westchester
We all know that networking opens doors that can make or break a business. As the county’s largest business membership organization and a repeat winner in our Best Networking Events category, the Business Council of Westchester (BCW) never stops connecting the county’s movers and shakers with both virtual and in-person events, offering anyone from curious multinationals to well-established local leaders an opportunity to mingle with its more than 1,000 members at various occasions throughout the year. —PA
Private Jet Service
Million Air
“We strive to provide exceptional customer service every single day,” says Million Air’s general manager, Lauren Rones-Payne. Million Air, known in the airport biz as a fixed-base operator and a three-time consecutive winner in our Best Private Jet Service category, ensures a seamless traveling experience to and from Westchester County Airport for both passengers and flight crews. The company’s terminal features a luxurious passenger lounge, with impressive amenities and accommodations for their clientele. —KC
Office Furniture
Projects in Motion
When the pandemic hit, Projects in Motion in White Plains shrewdly surmised that even though the workforce had gone remote, those workers would still want their domestic environments to look and feel like proper offices. Of course, meeting that demand is that much easier when your supplier represents more than 500 manufacturers, so Projects in Motion — the winner in our Best Furniture category for the third consecutive year — can fulfill practically any office furniture need you have, commercial and/or domestic. The company also employs space-planning experts, using 2D and 3D renderings to help you realize your perfect office environment. —NB
Public Golf Course
Hudson Hills Golf Course
Westchester is known for its myriad golf opportunities, and Ossining’s Hudson Hills Golf Course — a repeat winner in our Public Golf Course category — is a big reason why. This is evident starting at the first tee, from which golfers can view nearly one-third of the sumptuous course and its breathtaking vistas. The verdant aesthetic, combined with a panoply of challenging holes, superior course maintenance, and customer service add up to a uniquely gratifying golfing experience in Westchester — or anywhere for that matter. —NB
Promotional Products
JP Promotional Products
Based in Ossining, JP Promotional Products was the top pick among our readers in the Best Promotional Products category once again this year. And with items ranging from pens to blankets to lip balm, the firm has got what you need. That includes getting them to you on short notice — it offers 24-hour rush products — or, if you’ve got a bit more time, plenty of choices to sample to find what works best for your business. —EA
Restaurant for Power Breakfast
City Limits Diner
Our reader’s choice for best power breakfast is once again City Limits Diner. Located in White Plains, it’s a perfect meeting spot for those coming from Connecticut, New Jersey, Manhattan, and beyond, says proprietor Nick Livanos. With breakfast available all day and an on-site bakery, the orange lemon waffle with fresh berries or the corned beef hash with poached eggs and chive hollandaise sauce are both superior options. “Attention to the menu and quality is no different from Oceana, our higher-end Manhattan restaurant,” notes Livanos. —EA
Restaurant for Power Lunch/ Dinner
Sam’s of Gedney Way
Recently renovated and now sporting a new HVAC system, Sam’s of Gedney Way is a neighborhood institution, a go-to meeting spot for colleagues and clients, and our top reader’s choice for Best Power Lunch/Dinner once again. There are tables in nooks and crannies that are perfect for privacy, co-owner Karen Herrero says, as well as an eclectic menu sure to satisfy any eater — and prepared swiftly for those who take “power hour” literally. “We are hoping that people who are working from home will choose to get dressed and come meet their customers here,” says Herrero. —EA
Signage Company
Digitize TV
Best Signage Company winner and Digitize TV founder Marie Musacchio understands the ongoing plight of a small business to constantly deliver better, more efficient service to its customers. Spurred by the pandemic, Musacchio drew on her copious experience in the digital world to innovate the digitization of content, using standard TVs to help small-business owners — such as restaurants — deliver eye-catching, real-time, interactive content to customers that, according to at least one happy client, doubled his sales. Might this be a sign of the times? —NB
Store for Business Attire (Women’s)
Bloomingdale’s
When sealing that next big deal, it pays to look your best — and Bloomingdale’s, our 2023 Best Store for Women’s Business Attire, has long been the spot for chic, C-suite fashions. Peruse the latest garments, accessories, handbags, and shoes from brands like Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, and Oscar de la Renta, along with beauty products and stylish home goods. Not sure what to wear? There’s always the option to make an appointment with one of Bloomingdale’s stylists or personal shoppers. —PA
Team-building Experience
Spins Hudson
Everyone knows co-workers make the job, so if you’re looking for a way to strengthen your employees’ relationships, consider our reader’s pick for Best Team-Building Experience this year. Spins Hudson in Peekskill offers outdoor adventures, like an aerial ropes course, as well as indoor activities, including a 5,000-square-foot laser tag arena and an indoor ropes courses, making this a great year-round spot to ensure your team is the strongest it can be. —EA
Store for Business Attire (Men’s)
D’Agostino Clothiers & Tailors
With more than 60 years’ experience under its designer belt, this haberdasher knows how to make a man look his best. In addition to the latest designs from the industry’s top designers — along with the de rigueur classics, of course — D’Agostino carries an array of tasteful accessories, shoes, casual wear, boy’s clothing, and even same-day tailoring (for men and women). If D’Agostino’s offerings were any more well-suited to the elegant businessman, they would come with their own C-suites. —NB
Editor’s Picks
Community-Oriented Business
MGM Empire City Casino
empirecitycasino.mgmresorts.com
Although a successful company makes a profit, a truly great business does so while aiding its community. Tirelessly working to generate positive change in the neighborhoods of its employees and guests through a fleet of kindhearted programs, initiatives, and services, Empire City Casino in Yonkers has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to dozens of local charities. That includes cash grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support a wide variety of public educational, food insecurity, and other charitable programs in the Westchester area and beyond. —PA
Excellence in Nonprofit
Lifting Up Westchester
liftingupwestchester.org
For more than four decades, Lifting Up Westchester (LUW) has faithfully executed its core mission to provide life-changing support to people who have lost their housing or are struggling to meet other basic needs — including providing emergency shelter, food, support, and even education and mentoring services to homeless youth. LUW’s work has been so uplifting and successful that companies such as Mastercard, Jägermeister, Wells Fargo, and many other high-profile companies have jumped onboard to support the organization as community partners. —NB
Exciting Relaunch
Uncle Giuseppe’s
uncleg.com
Our editor’s pick for most exciting relaunch this year is a local favorite in northern Westchester. After outgrowing its older location, Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace in Yorktown more than doubled its supermarket’s size when it moved into a nearly 50,000-square-foot space in the Yorktown Green Shopping Center last summer. The new store is the supermarket chain’s largest location in New York State, offering local residents a wide array of homemade food options, including an on-site bakery, deli, organic produce, gourmet cheese department, and special viewing rooms where customers can watch pasta and mozzarella being made fresh daily. The gourmet chocolate and gelato station will convince you there’s always room for dessert. —JC
Family-Owned Business
Pepe Auto Group
pepeautogroup.com
Through each car sold, all deals made, and every maintenance appointment at Pepe Auto Group runs the lifeblood of family. For more than five decades, members of the Pepe family have banded together to sell a range of new and used luxury vehicles from top-tier brands, including Audi, Cadillac, Genesis, Porsche, and Mercedes Benz, while giving back through a scholarship award program and extensive charitable giving. —PA
Minority-Owned Business
Wings Air
wingsair.net
If you’re seeking an impressive way to grab a client’s attention, a once-in-a-life-time date idea, or just looking to cross something off your bucket list, look no further than Wings Air. This Westchester-based and minority-owned business has been offering helicopter tours of New York City for the last 21 years. Ride in comfort seven days a week or, if you want a particularly jaw-dropping view, consider taking one of their night tours of the city. Tours cover all the major landmarks from the Statue of Liberty to Yankee Stadium. —EA
Woman-Owned Business
Buzz Creators
buzz-creators.com
Founded and run by Christina Rae, the Buzz Creators team has helped develop strategic communications programs for many well-respected national and global organizations, including HEINEKEN USA, Barnes & Noble, Drybar, Mastercard, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Heart Association, and many more. This boutique PR/communications firm also leverages their PR, social media, and marketing expertise to help many regional small businesses and nonprofits increase their visibility in the communities they depend on for success. —NB
Related: Want to Start a Business? These Resources in Westchester Can Help
