2019 Business Person of the Year

2019 Business Person of the Year – Joe Vitello

The “Business Person of the Year” is someone who is recognized as having set a standard of accomplishment in both business and the community.  Nominations are from the Chamber’s business members who have made a significant impact on the role of business in the community.  The nominee must be a member of the Chamber for at least 18 months. They must be an active member who is always willing to go above and beyond, and be a leader that motivates others. They must have a level of community participation by contributing resources in the form of time, talent or money to our community via projects, clubs, churches, and not-for-profits.

Each year the Chamber Board of Directors receives a number of nominees for this honor – the selection process included several outstanding candidates and the number of nominees is a testament to the Chamber membership’s commitment to our community. 

This year’s honoree has been a Chamber member for quite a while and is a familiar face here at breakfast. He has been active in our Webster business community and many of you have been called on by him as a leading sales professional in his company.  

You know him well for his enthusiasm and for his lengthy stories!  

I am pleased to introduce the Webster Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Business Person of the Year: Joe Vitello. 

When I first met Joe it became clear in about 30 seconds that this guy was passionate about his product and wasn’t one to take any excuse for not signing on the dotted line. I told him I wanted to “think about it” and he said, “That’s fine, I’ll call you next Tuesday at 10:00 in the morning and we can finalize things!”

Joe might be one of the best salespeople I have ever encountered – and despite the fact that the title on his business card says Senior Product Advisor – this is a man that knows sales! Heartland Payroll Solutions, and before that Ovation Payroll, have given Joe multiple accolades for meeting and exceeding goals and for his mentoring of others. 

Another characteristic of Joe’s that became apparent relatively quickly (besides the stories) is that he is very much so the doting husband and father. He adores his lovely wife and is a protective papa bear when it comes to his girls. Everything runs smoothly in the Joe Vitello household – until someone puts something where it doesn’t belong. But seriously, Joe is a loving and caring husband and father and he demonstrates that as a  girls under ten soccer coach. 

Joe has been an active member of the Webster Chamber of Commerce since he joined. He has been on the Education Committee since its creation and has chaired that committee as well as been a Power Hour presenter multiple times. He has been a Board director, chair-elect, Chair, as is currently our immediate past chair. He has served on the Budget Committee and the Personnel Committee and mentored the chamber’s part-time membership salesperson. Joe often gets businesses to come to breakfast as a guest and closes the deal by convincing them to join the Chamber. 

Joe’s passion and belief in the value of Chamber membership make him our number one membership recruiter. 

In addition to being a husband, father, coach, and award-winning employee, Joe devotes his time, energy, and financial resources to several community causes. These include the YWCA Global Worldwide Day of Service, the Chase Corporate Challenge, the City School’s annual toy drive and the Rochester Strides Against Breast Cancer. 

We have a plaque for Joe today that is inscribed with these words: Business Person of the Year presented by the Webster Chamber of Commerce to Joseph A. Vitello in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the Webster Chamber of Commerce and your commitment to the community – 2019.

In addition to the plaque, the Chamber makes a contribution in his honor to a charitable organization he selects.  

Congratulations to Joe Vitello, the Webster Chamber’s 2019 Business Person of the Year!    

In the News: Read the article in the Webster Post

Read about the previous honorees: