Chamber Honors Cerasuolo O’Rorke, Others in June

Sally Cerasuolo O’Rorke is credited with having the vision to pursue the $68 million Harbor Place project, downtown.

The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will award top honors to a number of familiar local leaders when it celebrates its 100th annual dinner in June.

Sally Cerasuolo O’Rorke, credited with having the vision to pursue the $68 million Harbor Place project, receives the chamber’s top honor, the Charles E. Billups Award. Other major awards will go to Paul Magliocchetti, recipient of the Jerry Loy Outstanding Director Award, and Kelley Contarino, recipient of the Community Leadership award.

Cerasuolo O’Rorke is the founder and president of Gold Leaf Fine Jewelry, which she established 30 years ago out of her home. Within 10 years, the business outgrew that space and she moved the company to its current location at 800 Broadway in Haverhill. In 1998, while still operating Gold Leaf, she was named president and CEO of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. She was initially appointed to a one-year contract to stabilize the organization, but continued in the position until 2007. During that time, she chaired “The Great Race;” increased chamber membership from 400 to 800; created Leadership Merrimack Valley in partnership with Northern Essex Community College; co-founded Team Haverhill, a community-based organization designed to grow and promote the city of Haverhill; and founded Winning Opportunities for Women (WOW). Cerasuolo-O’Rorke is also credited with convincing the Greater Haverhill Foundation to buy the former F.W. Woolworth’s department store, resulting in the redevelopment of seven key parcels in downtown Haverhill for “Harbor Place.”

The Charles E. Billups Award was established in 1985 to recognize an outstanding organization or individual that “continuously and selflessly supports the efforts of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.” It is named for the late chairman and CEO of Essex County Gas Co. who stepped in to save the chamber. This annual award is presented to an organization or individual that has made a positive impact on the success of the Chamber of Commerce, going above and beyond in their participation, leadership and overall support of the mission.

Paul Magliocchetti, a school committeeman and partner with the law firm of Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras & Magliocchetti, is receiving the Jerry Loy Outstanding Director Award, presented to an individual from the current board of directors who goes above and beyond in their efforts to support the chamber’s mission, its programs and events and the organization’s financial viability. In 2010, he became a chamber director and was elected to the executive committee last year. His firm was also host last fall of an open house and will cosponsor other events with the chamber.  Acting as an advocate, Magliocchetti takes time to introduce new businesses to the chamber and let them know about benefits offered by the organization.

Kelley Contarino, of Align Credit Union, receives the Community Leadership award, acknowledging and recognizing a person who has made a positive impact to improve the quality of life throughout the area. Contarino is credited with using her background in finance, business development and marketing to teach young women and girls the basics of doing business budgeting, banking and financial literacy. She is a frequent volunteer for Emmaus and serves at Community Meals on a regular basis. She also volunteers her time assisting with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes at Emmaus’ Bethel Business Center, organized a blanket drive for Emmaus and assisted in the promotion of the Spring Food-a-Thon both at her Align Credit Union. branch on Cushing Avenue in Haverhill and on the credit union’s website. She is also a member of the Haverhill Kiwanis Club.

During the annual dinner, chamber Service Awards will also be presented to Jayne Andrews, of Anstiss & Co., CPAs, and Nicole Sammartino, of Career Resources Corp. the Service Award recognizes those who have committed themselves to promote the mission and values of the chamber and demonstrate leadership, integrity, creativity, resource management and loyalty.

In recognition of the 100th annual meeting of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, a number of other long-time businesses will be honored. These include Bradford Ski and Haverhill Golf & Country Club, presented with Longevity Awards; Best Western (beginning as Howard Johnson) and Northern Essex Community College, Half-Century Awards; and Georgetown Bank, Haverhill Bank and Pentucket Bank, Century Awards.

The dinner takes place Thursday, June 2, from 6 to 9:30 p.m., at Renaissance Golf Club, Haverhill. Special guests for the dinner are Rep. Brian Dempsey, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, and keynote speaker and master of ceremonies Brian Longwell.

Tickets are $100 per person. Reservations may be made by calling (978) 373-5663 or visiting www.haverhillchamber.com.

2 thoughts on “Chamber Honors Cerasuolo O’Rorke, Others in June

  1. “credited with having the vision to pursue the $68 million Harbor Place…Special guests for the dinner are Rep. Brian Dempsey, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee” –

    Funny thing about The OCPF, you don’t have to be exact in filing and what you find is by slight alterations in names, but same addresses and businesses, is more bribes, I mean campaign donations! In this case O’Rorke, or Orork, or family & friends donated just under $10K in contributions. While nothing near the amounts that the Fish Family donates, still not too bad, with just over $2K going to Brian.

    Speaking of Brian and Harbor Place, there’s is absolutely nothing visionary of making a cash grab on $70 million dollars of taxpayer monies, only to turn around and hand it to you friends that have faithfully paid their “pay-to-play” dues on Beacon Hill. This is on top of a property no one would touch for over 40 years. The politics in this city and this state are simply horrendous, yet made legal through simple legislation as to protect the cronies. Anyone not living in a cave here knows there is not equality in the rule of law here and these politicians ensure it stays that way. The quid pro quo of pay-to-play is long and distinguished, and has greatly benefited their crony capitalistic benefactors in The City of Haverhill at The People’s expense, especially The Fish Family.

    The sad irony is that when Harbor Place is finished, the economic destruction of The People will continue as UMass-Lowell and social welfare housing takes over there. UMass can continue to economically rape students for more useless degrees and shrinking ROI with student loans, and the Fish Family can continue to benefit along with the other welfare housing they own in the city all at taxpayers expense.