AWARD WINNERS
Capital District Transportation Authority among Chamber of Commerce honorees
TROY, N.Y. » The Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce honored some of the community’s best on Thursday at the 2018 Van Rensselaer Awards Dinner.
For more than 25 years, the local chamber has recognized businesses and individuals that invest in the economic, cultural and humanitarian advancement of the Rensselaer County region by bestowing the Van Rensselaer Awards and the Edward H. “Ebbie” Pattison Citizenship Award.
More than 250 guests attended the dinner on Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy to celebrate this year’s honorees: Capital District Transportation Authority, Mosaic Associates Architects and community leader Wallace “Wally” Altes.
Capital District Transportation Authority, represented on Thursday by chief executive officer Carm Basile, received the Van Rensselaer Corporate Award in recognition of its longstanding role in supporting the region’s quality of life and community organizations.
CDTA is the region’s premier transportation provider, operating bus, shuttle and para-transit services as well as the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs train stations.
The authority is committed to serving the public through initiatives such as the CDPHP Cycle! program. CDTA provides free transportation to STAR customers on Election Day, to the public for Empire State Plaza celebrations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and to students through partner- ships CDTA with sponsors area schools. the Cancer bany Services and Rensselaer Program Coun- of Alties and honors veterans by assisting with employment efforts, hosting annual luncheons and providing free transportation on Veteran’s Day.
The Van Rensselaer Small Business Award, for companies with 50 employees or less, saic recognition Associates was presented of Architects outstanding to Mo- in community contributions. The Troy-based company Mosaic Associates Architects has served clients with integrity, honor and innovation for more than a century. Growing and changing with the times, the firm is committed to its founding prin-
ciples: personal client attention, partners actively engaged in projects and working as a team.
This distinguished firm believes in giving back to the community through financial and volunteer support of the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce, the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region and others.
Mosaic Associates Architects was an inaugural participant in the annual Capital Region CANstruction competition, an international charitable event to end hunger. The firm also actively supports the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
The Edward H. Pattison Citizenship Award, also known as “The Ebbie,” went to community leader Wally Altes for his exemplary citizenship; civic involvement; and humanitarian, cultural and economic advancement in the community.
Each year, this special award recognizes an individual who demonstrates good citizenship and a community- centered spirit.
For more than 30 years, Wally Altes has used his expertise in strategic business development and executive acumen to build successful businesses, mentor professionals and strengthen communities.
He was among the
founders of the Tech Valley movement, coining the name in the 1980s to capture and brand the region’s potential and promote its collaborative spirit. From human resource consulting to public relations, executive counsel to policy guidance, Altes’ professional success is mirrored by his public service.
He has served on the boards of many community organizations, including Center for Economic Growth, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and WMHT Public Television and Radio. Today, Altes’ professional and personal legacies continue to benefit the region.
In accepting his award, Altes spoke from his perspective about what citizenship should be. To him, citizenship is “the countless things we do every day to make the community better,” he said.
Whether it’s helping those who are ill or working with youth, Altes’ advice on being a good citizen is to simply get involved. “It’s nothing more complicated than that,” he said. “Do something. To be involved in the community, there are a thousand ways to do it, and you can do it by following your own interests.”
More information about the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce and its upcoming events is available online at www. renscochamber.com.