Mamaroneck's Future Business Leaders Celebrate a Successful Year

Last night, Mamaroneck's future executives and entrepreneurs were all under one roof.

Mamaroneck High School's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) held its 29th Annual Banquet and Officer Installation Ceremony Thursday to commemorate a successful year and look ahead to many more.

The Mamaroneck students involved had much to celebrate, including winning FBLA's New York State Chapter of the Year for a third consecutive time. In doing so, Mamaroneck beat out over 160 other chapters.

The chapter was also awarded first place in New York State in the American Enterprise Project and Local Chapter Annual Business Report categories.

Though there were many accolades and awards, the true focus of the night was on the relationships built and experiences had through FBLA—especially for the chapter's seniors heading off to college in the fall.

"I started with this group back in freshman year," said senior chapter vice-president Giancarlo Riso, who will be studying business at Indiana University next year. "I was actually one of the few kids that stayed with the club. Over these four years I've really taken a lot out of it. I'm very happy I joined."

Riso was one of 13 members recognized at the 2010 State Leadership Conference in Albany, N.Y., where Mamaroneck brought home 14 different awards. Awards ranged from business ethics and public speaking to digital video production and global business.

One of the other students recognized in Albany was senior and president Rory O'Connor, who led the installation of the 2010-2011 officers before ceding his place to rising senior Ben Silverstein, who served as the chapter's director of American Enterprise this past year. Felicia O'Connor, sister of Rory, was named next year's treasurer during the ceremony.

"I really feel like all the hard work and dedication that we've put in was recognized tonight," said O'Connor. "Being named chapter of the year for the third consecutive year was really a great way of wrapping things up."

Thursday's banquet was particularly emotional because Eileen Multari—a Mamaroneck High School teacher of 32 years and chapter adviser of 30—will be retiring at the end of the scholastic year. Current and former Mamaroneck FBLA members paid tribute to Multari during the banquet and expressed deep gratitude.

"Mrs. Multari understands people cannot be forced to change or to grow," said Tommy Fijacko, class of 2006. "But that they must be shown the way through positive reinforcement. We will forever carry her lessons with us. That is something special, something that cannot be measured in trophies."

Multari leaves Mamaroneck High School and FBLA very much on top—arguably the most successful chapter adviser in the history of the school's program.

"For me this was a beautiful closure to a wonderful career," Multari said. "Every year with every group I always say, 'These kids are the best.' And if I were here next year I'd probably say it about next year's kids. I just fall in love with all of them. This year's students were a special group of kids. But then again, so are these alumni."

Multari and the Mamaroneck FBLA chapter will send a number of students to the National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn., later this summer to continue their success at the last and most prestigious competition of the year.