Annual Dinner Honors Broadway Set Designer and County Executive

The Business Council of Westchester honored the accomplishments of Hudson Scenic founder Neil Mazzella and outgoing Westchester County Executive and Congressman-elect George Latimer at its annual dinner.

The November 14th event at the VIP Country Club in New Rochelle drew about 500 attendees who celebrated the BCW’s accomplishments, including a year of artificial intelligence-related programming; a State of the Economy series focused on transformational development; new start-ups joining the Westchester Innovation Network; the launch of the Westchester Clean Energy Action Coalition; and the debut of the BCW Podcast Network.

“It’s a perfect time to celebrate the businesses, institutions and community-based organizations that have all woven together to create the unique fabric that makes Westchester great,” said BCW president and CEO Marsha Gordon during her address to attendees. “The Business Council of Westchester has experienced unprecedented success in serving our membership in 2024. We are the business leaders for economic development, innovation, social equity, advocacy, and diverse business development opportunities.”

Board President Jamie Schutzer said that the BCW’s signature events have become staples in the county’s business community, such as the ever-popular Day of Wellness, the Hall of Fame honoring businesses, and nonprofits; and the Rising Stars-40 under 40 Awards.

“Most importantly, the BCW’s unwavering focus on every member, from solopreneurs to small and mid-size businesses, not-for-profits and major corporations, has led to a significant increase in membership…200 new members since last year!” said Schutzer. “We have hosted over 125 events and programs to connect and educate our members on leadership and business growth.”

Hudson Scenic Studios is a leader in custom fabrication, automation, and technical supervision. Based in Yonkers, Hudson Scenic serves clients across the U.S. and has created iconic designs that include the New Year’s Eve ball in Times Square and scenery for top Broadway productions like Aladdin, Chicago, and Hamilton. The company has won more than 20 Tony Awards for its scenic designs.

Mazzella told attendees that he moved to Yonkers in 1999 five months after a news article appeared in the New York Times describing his struggle to obtain an economic development loan from New York City.

“Someone in Yonkers saw the article and contacted us to say, ‘We can get you the (industrial development) loan in two weeks,’” Mazzella told attendees about the offer he couldn’t refuse.

As for artificial intelligence and automation, Mazzella said technology-driving innovation benefitted his highly unionized sector.

“Everybody was worried that it was going to eliminate jobs. There are more jobs on Broadway now with all that automation than ever before,” said Mazzella.

The BCW presented a gold record to Latimer, who is preparing to represent most of Westchester County in the U.S. House of Representatives. In his remarks, Latimer reflected on his leadership role, and he noted his bipartisan history as a county executive who kept about three quarters of his Republican predecessor’s commissioners when he assumed the office.

“The mission isn’t to wave your party’s banner. The mission is to accomplish something. You can do that better when you work together than when you take the attitude that I know better than you and I’m going to have it my way. It’s been proven to me that kind of bipartisan cooperation works, and that’s what fuels Westchester County, and I’m happy that I was able to do that,” said Latimer.