Struzzieri to receive Len Cane Heart of Ulster County Award
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. >> The founder of HITS in Saugerties said he is flattered to have been named as one of the people to have received the Len Cane Heart of Ulster County Award.
“It’s terrifically flattering,” Thomas Struzzieri said of the award from the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Ulster County Economic Development Alliance. “Quite a group of people (has) won that award.”
Struzzieri is one of eight businesses and individuals being honored by the Chamber and Economic Development Alliance for their success and their dedication and commitment to furthering business and the quality of life in the community. They will be honored during the Ulster County Business Recognition Awards Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 27, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Wiltwyck Golf Club, 404 Steward Lane, Kingston.
Other honorees include Jay Mullen & Sons as Business of the Year; Peekamoose Restaurant and Tap Room as Small Business of the Year; Charles Blaichman of CB Developers and Hotel Kinsley as Business Person of the Year; Rail Explorers as Tourism Business of the Year; and Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties for the Commitment to the Community Award. The Heritage Award will go to Scanlon’s Dry Cleaners. Ulster County Archivist Taylor Bruck was named Emerging Young Leader.
Struzzieri said he has been fortunate enough to win a couple of awards from the Chamber and Economic Development Alliance in the past, including Businessman of the Year and Business of the Year. He said he always looked at the person who won the Len Cane Heart of Ulster County Award and thought that while he might be a “heck of a decent businessman,” the person who won that award was really respected and liked. Struzzieri said it was a good feeling to now receive that award.
Ward Todd, president of the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce said this is one award chosen by the committee from his group and the Economic Development Alliance. The other awards are chosen through a nomination process.
“The committee chose Tom Struzzieri for the way he has given back to his community in such a large way, though the pandemic particularly, but really since the day he opened HITS in Saugerties,” Todd said. “He has been a tremendous supporter of local organizations that help those in need, often done quietly and behind the scenes without looking for any thanks or recognition.”
Struzzieri spent more than 40 years at the helm of HITS LLC, which is a special events management company primarily focused on producing hunter/ jumper horse shows. It was announced in September that he would be stepping down as chief executive officer at the end of the 2022 season. While he will no longer serve as CEO, Struzzieri will remain a part owner and director of the company and will continue to provide strategic consulting for it, according to a press release.
In addition to founding HITS, Struzzieri is the owner of the Diamond Mills Hotel in Saugerties, as well as a restaurant in Manhattan called Black Barn, among other ventures. He and his wife, Jane, live in Saugerties and raised their three children there.
“What a wonderful place to raise a family and take advantage of all the Hudson Valley has to offer,” Struzzieri said. “We’re pretty lucky. We’re not planning on leaving.”
For more information or tickets visit https://www. ulsterchamber.org/business-recognition-awardsdinner/.