Chamber award winners praised for commitment to Orleans County
Photos by Tom Rivers: Heather Smith, the CEO and a partner at Velocitii, accepts thanks the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce for naming the company in Medina as its “Business of the Year” for 2025. She is joined on stage by Velocitii leaders, Jeff Brandt, chief information officer, and Brian O’Neill, vice president of sales. The awards celebration was held Oct. 23 at the White Birch Golf Course.
LYNDONVILLE – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce presented nine awards to businesses and committed citizens during the Chamber’s 27th annual awards banquet last month.
Darlene Hartway, the Chamber’s executive director, told 125 people at the banquet that the county has a strong backbone of business owners.
“Our local business owners invest their time, talents and money not only into their own businesses, but into the entire community,” Hartway said at the Oct. 23 banquet. “They donate, volunteer, serve on community boards and actively participate in the community.”
The award winners were nominated by other businesses and residents in the county.
“Local business owners are tenacious,” Hartway said. “They fight through times of loss and hardships. They sacrifice family time, financial rewards, wear and tear on mind and body, simply to serve their neighbor communities. I am in constant awe of people who make the commitment to invest in themselves, their businesses, and their community.”
Business of the Year: Velocitii
Velocitii opened 11 years ago and operates out of the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue in Medina.
Velocitii is a business process outsourcing company. It provides support for other businesses, handling calls for customers about plans, billing and troubleshooting. Velocitii works with companies in healthcare, waste management, hospitality, e-commerce, auto insurance and technology.
Velocitii was founded by Roger Hungerford in the Olde Pickle Factory, initially with six employees. Velocitii each of the past three years has been named a top workplace in the Rochester region, placing in the mid-size company category (125 to 300 employees).
The company is now owned by Heather Smith (CEO), Brian O’Neill and Jeff Brandt. It has grown from 55 employees to 180 in the past three years.
Most of the employees work from home and Smith said Velocitii values work-life flexibility for the employees, while maintaining customer service for its clients.
The company provides paid time off to volunteer in the community, and strives to reward employees with other recognitions throughout the year.
“I want to thank the management team and the employees,” Smith said. “We look forward to many more years in the Orleans County community.”
Lifetime Achievement Award: Rita Zambito
Rita Zambito accepts the award for “lifetime achievement.” She has led a very successful real estate business in Orleans County and the region.
Rita Zambito in less than 20 years has turned a startup real estate business into a powerhouse in the region with 80 real estate agents that handled 600 transactions, topping $100 million in 2024.
“She has reached sales volumes thought unattainable in her market,” Hartway said.
Zambito started selling real estate in 1995. In 2006, she launched Zambito Realtors with her son, Mark. In 2021, she bought into the nationwide Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
She also has assisted her other son Michael with the very popular Zambistro restaurant in Medina, handling the back office operations.
Her daughter, Mandy Gotham, works out of the Berkshire Hathaway office in Orchard Park.
Zambito said she took chances on the business as a single mother. Her children have all been great to work with.
Hartway praised Zambito for being a great role model for women in business locally.
“This award is so deserving,” Hartway said. “You have been a beacon in our community.”
Business Person of the Year: Dan DeCarlo
Dan DeCarlo accepts the “Business Person of the Year” during the Chamber banquet. DeCarlo has been involved in the family business of selling auto parts in Albion ever since his father purchased Arnold’s Auto Parts in 1968. Dan was 8 years old back then.
After taking over the business when his father retired 10 years ago, DeCarlo has been a big supporter of the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministry which has a community refrigerator stocked with food outside Arnold’s, 116 North Liberty St. The outreach ministry has many other events throughout the year, including a massive Easter egg hunt, Trunk of Treat at Beggar’s Nite and free chicken barbecue dinners.
DeCarlo also has organized many car shows and cruise-ins over the years.
His business ethics and support of community have earned him the Business Person of the Year. DeCarlo said he is a low-key guy who doesn’t like to be in the spotlight.
“I want to thank my employees, customers and friends who come in every day to support us,” he said. “I’ve spent almost my whole life at the store and in the downtown community. It’s been quite a ride.”
New Business of the Year: Homestead Pest Control
Jacob Ivison, owner of Homestead Pest Control, accepts the award for “New Business of the Year.”
The business is based at 109 East Bank St. in Albion. Hartway, the Chamber director, said the Chamber appreciates Ivison investing in a brick-and-mortar site in downtown Albion as well as offering the pest control services to the community.
Ivison was working as a delivery driver for an agricultural chemical facility. He met the owner of a pest control business sin Middleport, and that person directed him to a new career.
Ivison works with residents and business owners to rid the sites of bugs and rodents.
“Orleans County has been very good to me,” he said.
Hidden Gem: Hurd Orchards
Amy Machamer, co-owner of Hurd Orchards on Route 104 in Holley, accepts the “Hidden Gem” award which goes to a business that brings in tourists and visitors to the county.
Machamer is the seventh generation in her family to be part of the farm. Her daughter, Amelia Sidonio, is the eighth generation.
Amy has teamed with her mother, Susan Hurd Machamer, to run the farm the past 40 years. Hurd Orchards, located at 17260 Ridge Rd., is an EcoCertified farm that uses sustainable and environmentally responsible growing practices.
“Our hope is to be ambassadors to the fruit culture,” Machamer said about the Chamber event. “Our message is to bring simple goodness to the broad world around us.”
While the farm has adapted to changes, Hurd Orchards stays authentic, Machamer said. Hurd Orchards welcomes many visitors for events, including luncheons with food prepared from an 1895 cookbook. The steamed quince pudding is a popular item. A pear luncheon features the Seckel pear which are grown at Hurd’s.
Hurd Orchards sells fruits commercially, and has a bakery and jam kitchen. They raise elegant flowers and make up gift baskets to order.
“It’s been almost two centuries of filling Western New York with beauty and flavor,” Machamer said about the farm. “We draw a lot of people from very far away. We’re proud of that, and we have dedicated ourselves to Orleans County.”
Phoenix Award: Newell Lounge/Shirt Factory
Andrew Meier, right, and his partner Richie Sarrero accept the Phoenix Award for their efforts to restore and repurpose the Newell building at 113 West Center St.
Meier, an attorney in Medina, purchased the building in 2005. He has worked 20 years to upgrade the property, which was once home to the Newell Shirt Factory business.
The building now has three floors of different businesses. In 2006, the first business, the Shirt Factory Café, opened. It has since been restructured and is a restaurant and cocktail lounge known as the Shirt Factory.
Several businesses, including 810 Meadworks and a salon opened there, but moved out, creating new opportunities for Meier to try other ventures. The result was creating a coffee and snack shop called Factory Espresso, which opened in the spring of 2024, and a classic cocktail bar called the Newell Lounge which opened this spring.
Total remodeling of the second floor created space for Webster, Schubel and Meier to move their law offices there. The third floor renovation is home to the Hart Hotel, with 10 boutique rooms.
Meier and Sarrero plan to eventually have the Lounge open every day. They are expanding the kitchen and adding an outdoor event space in back of the building.
