So, we have come to the end of another year. I’m turning this letter over to some of the people I surround myself with day in and day out. It’s said you spend more time with the people you work with than you do with your family, and this is the case at Westchester Magazine, which we bought in August 2000. I asked some of the members of our team to say one or two things about the magazine and share some of their thoughts on working here.
“I feel the most satisfaction when I hear feedback from readers and advertisers, saying how they read all the articles, how great the design is. When I see someone reading it in a doctor’s office or at the gym, I have to say, ‘I work there, you know!’”
— Kathee Casey-Pennucci, Production Director, 16 years (plus 20 years at Westchester Magazine‘s predecessor, Spotlight Magazine)
“Love the people, the camaraderie, and everyone is so easy to work with. The fact it’s a family-owned business makes it so much more personal.”
— Jennifer D’Ambrosio, Director of Marketing, 4 years
“The beauty of what we do is that our entire community is outside our window — as opposed to national media — and our job is to connect people and businesses with other people and businesses in the community.”
— Samuel N. Wender, Associate Publisher, 7 years
“I always tell everyone that our department heads know how to divide their time with us not just as managers, but also as people, and they share their humor with us.”
— Natalie Martelli, Accounts Receivable Administrator, 5 years (plus 14 years at the Martinelli business Gazette Press)
“I’ve watched the company grow and change over the many years I’ve worked here, and I feel proud every day to be a part of it. My coworkers are like family to me, and the community is great. I truly love what I do.”
— Angie Boreland, Advertising Sales Support Manager, 17 years (including one year at Westchester Magazine‘s sister publication, Hudson Valley Magazine)
“My kids brag that I work for Westchester Magazine, and I’m proud they’re proud of me. I love my colleagues and feel fortunate to be an integral part of a top-level, editorially sound publication.”
— Ana Mantini, Sales Manager, Westchester Home, 13 years
“It’s family–oriented; everyone is treated equally; and there are many longtime employees. So if someone leaves, it feels like a death in the family.
— Catherine Colón-Cocco, Assistant to the Publisher, 10 years
“I get positive feedback from my clients, and that’s a validation I’m doing something good. If an ad helps their business, then their family is helped, as well as their employees’ families.”
— Frank Tarascio, Advertising Sales Manager, 13 years
The staffers at Westchester Magazine are special. We know how to work, and we know how to get along. We all have positions designated to our qualifications, but we all learn from each other, as well. The staffers quoted above are a big part of our sales, marketing, and administrative teams; some have been with me since we started Westchester Magazine. Some have been here even longer, while others not as long. I wish I had more room on the page, as there are many others on the team who deserve to be acknowledged.
We are happy to present for the first time a Most Intriguing People feature (page 48), with 30 fascinating people in the county who’d make your next dinner party truly memorable. I was fortunate to have met one of them, David Granger, Esquire magazine’s former editor-in-chief, at RiverMarket in Tarrytown. I’m also excited about our cookie recipe feature (page 76), with delicious, festive treats — even one by Martha Stewart — you can make for your holiday party.
From our family, either work or personal, to yours, I wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. Enjoy the issue!
Ralph A. Martinelli
Publisher