Chamber of Commerce Awards Quinn & Hayden Honors
|
Stephen Crowe and Eugene Dellea were honored for their civic efforts by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Eugene Dellea didn't know Esther Quinn and says he is "no Esther Quinn."
But he accepted the award named for her on Wednesday.
The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce presented Dellea with the Esther Quinn Memorial Award and Stephen Crowe with the Francis H. Hayden Memorial Award. The awards recognizes each for their civic efforts.
"Those of you who know me, know the bright lights were never for me. I'm used to being in the shadow of those lights. But I am really honored to be the recipient of the Esther Quinn award because she was an incredible woman," Dellea said after being presented by former winner Mick Callahan.
Dellea, president of Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington and the Hillcrest Campus of Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, became the 13th award recipient and joins the names of Ellen Ruberto, Jerry Burke, William Wilson and last year's winner Michael MacDonald as recipients.
The award given to someone who lives and works in the county and shows enthusiasm, empathy and effort in making the county a better place to live and work.
Dellea is a former chairman of the Berkshire Community College Board of Trustees; current president of the BCC foundation; member of the American Hospital Association's Government Relations Committee and the Governor's Regional Competitiveness County former president of the Pittsfield Chapter of UNICO and an array of other boards and councils. Recently, he worked closely with the Richard Neal campaign for U.S. Congress.
Callahan read quotes from Dellea's co-workers who characterized him as a person to go to for advice, always willing to help young people and one who cares for the community.
Crowe, the chairman of MountainOne Financial Partners, reeled in the 43rd Hayden Award and joins the ranks of Donald Dubendorf, Joseph Thompson, John DeRosa, Daniel Bosley, John Barrett III, Joseph Wolfe and last year's winner Mary Grant.
"He truly embodies the spirit of this award," Grant, who presented Crowe with the award, said. "Steve has shown exceptional leadership in his work throughout his career."
Crowe is on the board of directors of Savings Bank Life Insurance, the Massachusetts Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association. He is also treasurer of the Williamstown Rotary and a member of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Board of Trustees.
But after Grant lauded his work, Crowe said he "feels guilty" accepting the award because he feels he has benefited more from his volunteer work than the organizations that he helped.
"I find that here, in our community, it is very easy to say yes to volunteer work," Crowe said, adding that the work is a team effort. "I know that every prior recipient of this award has said in some way that they are humbled or maybe think to themselves 'why me? there are so many people who have done so much in the community.' I certainly feel that way as well."
Tags: annual meeting, awards, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce,
