Sudbury Resident Named Business Person of the Year

The Concord Chamber of Commerce will honor the 2011 Business Person of the Year, Christine Schuster, at the Chamber’s 58th annual dinner on Oct. 26. 

Schuster, president and CEO of Emerson Hospital, has been at the helm of the hospital for six years and has led a surge of programs and activities that have benefited Concord and the ever-expanding Emerson Hospital community.

“I am thrilled to receive this great honor," said Schuster. "It has been my privilege to meet and support the many diverse businesses in the Chamber who work so tirelessly to make Concord a special place to visit and shop."

Schuster served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Concord Chamber of Commerce from 2006-2009. She sponsors and hosts the business seminar series held by the Chamber each winter and was instrumental in the creation of the Chamber’s Concordopoly game.

She has also been actively involved with the Concord Business Partnership (where she served on the Board), the Concord Rotary, Nashawtuc Country Club (where she is on the Board of Governors), and Nashoba Brooks School. 

By appointment of the Board of Selectmen, Schuster also served on the Concord Economic Development Council.

She has worked with the Concord schools through her support of the Emerson Hospital Youth Risk Behavior Survey; with the Concord Fire Department on a new model for advanced life support care emergency services for the community; and on Emerson’s annual Family Health and Wellness Expo, where hundreds of area residents benefit from a host of free health screenings.

In support of other community non-profits, Schuster has spearheaded Emerson’s commitment to many organizations, including Minuteman Arc, the Concord Author’s Festival, Emerson Umbrella, the West Concord Garden Club and the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest. 

In the business community, she continues to foster a “buy local” spirit whenever possible, frequenting local businesses and encouraging her 1,500 employees to shop locally as well.

She involved the Emerson gift shop in the Chamber’s "Gift of Concord" gift certificate program, and she has welcomed classes taught in Emerson Hospital’s Wellness Center by Debra’s Natural Gourmet; a fitness program for Emerson staff and physicians with the Thoreau Club; and the fulfillment of printed materials from Alphagraphics.

"Thank you to the Board for recognizing the great partnership you have with Emerson," Schuster said. "I know I speak for all of our 1,800 employees, 500 volunteers, and 300-plus physicians who are grateful for everything you do for our community."