Financial Leaders 2023 honorees announced

Rochester Business Journal and the Rochester Chapter of Financial Executives International have selected 22 individuals as Financial Leaders 2023 honorees.

Financial Leaders recognizes financial professionals who have made outstanding contributions to their organizations and to the Greater Rochester community during the past year. Nominees were judged based on their professional accomplishment within their category and on their civic commitment to the Rochester community by their contribution to the economic growth and stability of the region.

Awards are presented in the following categories: Budget Director/Manager; For-Profit Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance; Nonprofit Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance; Controller/Director of Finance; Independent CPA; Lifetime Achievement; Payroll Director/Manager; Rising Star; and Wealth/Financial Advisor.

Honorees for Financial Leaders 2023 were chosen by a panel of judges including past honorees, educators and representatives from the Rochester Chapter of Financial Executives International and the Rochester Business Journal.

“The 2023 Financial Leaders are professionals who lead, innovate and mentor, and they make a significant difference in their field and in the community,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of the Rochester Business Journal/BridgeTower Media. “Their commitment to the Greater Rochester region is stellar, and we are honored to join with the Rochester Chapter of Financial Executives International to celebrate their accomplishments.”

The honorees will be celebrated at a luncheon on June 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, 123 East Main Street in Rochester. Follow @RBJdaily and use the event hashtag #RBJevents.

Attendance is limited, and honorees and sponsors receive first priority access. There are various sponsorship levels available which include the right to use the event logo; multimedia marketing; a table to share with co-workers, family members and guests at the event; and much more. Tables are only available with sponsorship. To secure a sponsorship to ensure you and your guests can celebrate together, contact Suzanne Fischer-Huettner at [email protected].

Honorees will be profiled in a special magazine that will be inserted into the June 23 issue of the Rochester Business Journal and will be available online at RBJ.net.

The Presenting Sponsor is FreedMaxick. The Celebration Sponsors include Evans Bank. For more information and updated sponsorship information about the Rochester Business Journal’s 2023 Financial Leaders, visit RBJ.net.

The Financial Leaders 2023 honorees are:

Budget Director/Manager

• Michael Burns, CPA, City of Rochester
• Shari Lamphron, Foodlink Inc.
• Lindsey Meyers, Evans Bank

For-Profit Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance

• Scott Chapman, Butler/Till
• Ted Cordes, MBA, CPA, CPL
• Kenneth O. Hall, CPA, CMA, CFM, Riedman Companies
• Kyle Johnson, Leonard’s Express

Nonprofit Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance

• Linda Anderson, Lifetime Assistance Inc.
• Christopher Gorecki, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
• Tom Rogers, CPA, ESL Federal Credit Union
• Chadwick Roy, East House Corporation

Controller/Director of Finance

• Kate Beardsley, L3Harris
• Roberta Spezzano, UR Medicine Thompson Health

Independent CPA

• Tim Flaherty, CPA, Flaherty Salmin CPAs

Lifetime Achievement

• James Englert, High Falls Advisors Inc.

Payroll Director/Manager

• Kathy Scorse, The Arc of Monroe

Rising Star

• Ronnie B. Ells, Vanteon Corporation
• Kristy Gonzalez, Robert Half International
• Sheri Watkins, MBA, Monroe County Office of Mental Health (Via Coordinated Care Services Inc.)

Wealth/Financial Advisor

• Richard Anderson, Anderson & Associates Wealth Management at Northwestern Mutual
• Stephen C. Krauss, CFA, Canandaigua National Bank and Trust
• Russell Schwartzbeck, SFG Wealth Management