2002 40 Under Forty Winners

Click here to view the class photos of the Worcester Business Journal's 40 Under Forty winners for the year 2002 and scroll below to find out where many of them are now (listed alphabetically by last name):

Micah Chase
Current Job: CEO, Checkerboard Ltd., West Boylston

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I feel more seasoned then I did when I won the award - which is to say I have a better sense of the magnitude of what I don't know and I am getting more used to it. The current economic picture certainly puts a filter on my outlook. That said, in many ways I am as optimistic as I was then and more confident. Our business has seen significant growth and then the economy forces the whole team to navigate through very difficult financial times. It is very invigorating. I realize how dependent I am and how important it is to be working with the right team of people.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
It is all about the people. Make sure you are working with people who can help you grow and who you can help as well. This is true of the customers and suppliers as well. Listening to your customers, learning from them and making sure you are giving back to them more than they expected, works incredibly well.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a wonderful honor. The award hangs outside my office in our lobby. I think it makes an impact on customers and reminds me how important it is to be active in the local community.

Brian Galonek
Current Job: President, All Star Incentive Marketing, Sturbridge

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I'm less surprised by developments in my industry and in the vertical industries that we service. The path to success seems clearer and less obstructed than it did in the past.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
It is often stated that your generation lacks patients and craves constant feedback. Find out if this is true for you personally and if so, correct your lack of patience but continue to push for feedback. You must know what you are doing right or wrong in your manager's eyes in order to continually improve your job performance.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
My company sells incentive, recognition, and rewards programs that drive performance. I am no different than the people that are motivated by our programs in that I crave recognition as much as the next person. Simply put, being recognized as a strong business leader under the age of 40 made me feel good.

Jean Giguere
Current Job: Partner/director of accounts, Smith & Jones, Sturbridge

What was your job when you won?
Same

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Advice to young entrepreneurs: understand your industry well, see everything as an opportunity to learn, treat people the way you want to be treated, get a good accountant, and be ready to work!

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
I think the 40 Under Forty is a worthy award because it recognizes young people in our community not only for what they have accomplished professionally, but also for what they have given back. So I was honored to be on that list.

Elizabeth Greene
Current Job: Partner, Mirick O'Connell, LLP, Worcester

What was your job when you won?
Mirick O'Connell, LLP, associate

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Work hard. Make time to keep in touch with people, and meet new people. Be passionate about and ENJOY what you do.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a very nice honor.

Benjamin Lizotte
Current Job: Director of alumni relations, St. John's High School, Shrewsbury

What was your job when you won?
St. John's High School, teacher/coach

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I now have a greater appreciation toward St. John's effort to sustain caring relationships, teacher-to-student, faculty-to-parent, student-to-student, and its relations with alumni who come to realize what their St. John's experience did, often only years later.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Our grads quickly realize that the common courtesies their teachers demanded are uncommon and set you a part in the workplace.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a very nice recognition of the work I had done for such a great community. I am fortunate to have found a position that has challenged and nourished me both professionally and personally.

Kate McEvoy-Zdonczyk
Current Job: Senior director of government & community relations, Fallon Community Health Plan

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I'm not sure that it is different. I believe that anything is possible if you are willing to make a commitment to its success.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
There is a tremendous opportunity now for young people to distinguish themselves. The willingness to work hard and go above and beyond to get a job done are qualities that are valued now more than ever.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It meant a great deal to me. Actually, I have always felt a personal connection to this award in that I had worked for the WBJ and on several occasions attended the Hartford Business Journal's (WBJ's sister pub) 40 Under Forty Award events. After each event, I would come back advocating for WBJ to add this issue to the calendar and recognize our community's young leaders. It was gratifying then to see folks like Tim Murray and Anthony Consigli receive the award, and it is wonderful now to see them as the leaders they are today.

Timothy Murray
Current Job: Lt. Gov. of Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

What was your job when you won?
Mayor of the city of Worcester; partner in the law firm of Tattan, Leonard and Murray

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I think my outlook is fundamentally the same, that we can continue to improve our community, but to do so takes hard work and a willingness to have open discussions to solve problems. Especially in government, when there are deep economic challenges, the worst thing to do is to let problems fester or pretend we can have it all without being willing to pay for it. No private business can run that way, and neither can the people in business.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
I often speak with young entrepreneurs and long-established business people who have had successes and challenges over the years, and one of the common traits I see among those who continue to survive and succeed is a feeling of realistic optimism.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
I was grateful for the recognition. I enjoyed meeting the other winners that year and listening to their stories. I think this event helps promote the innovative and good work going on in Central Massachusetts and can serve to inspire younger people to succeed in their fields. I hope the event continues for many years to come.

Steven Rocheleau
Current Job: President, Rocheleau Tool and Die, Fitchburg

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
Realization that we need to defend the core infrastructure of U.S. manufacturing base.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Stick to doing what is right, even if it is difficult. Do not let current conditions (good or bad) alone affect your decision-making, planning and strategy.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
Raised my level of accountability. Looking at the other recipients, realizing that true leadership comes through dedication, service and vision, not selfish ambition.

Matthew Salmon
Current Job: VP of programs, quality and innovation, Salmon Health and Retirement

What was your job when you won?
Salmon Health and Retirement, executive director

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
It's more focused on family. I won my award in 2002 before I had children. They add a wonderful dynamic to my life. At work my outlook isn't much different.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Embrace new technology, but remember your audience. Some people still use real words and punctuation when they write. Some people still like actual paper and a phone call.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
I was proud that someone outside of my family thought enough of me to nominate me!

Joe Santa Maria
Current Job: Vice president of business development, Fitness Management Systems

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I believe I was still using Window's 98 back then so my Outlook was pretty crappy. I'm on VISTA now, so my Outlook is much better and much easier to navigate. The rest of VISTA, however, stinks.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Step softly. Pretend that if you slip off the path and crush a butterfly you will change forever the course of history. Also, don't be an idiot and borrow a bunch of money to buy stupid things.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
My life changed dramatically. One day I am a brown-haired man of no regard, the next, an international star. It was quite jarring actually. After all, all I ever wanted to do was sing. I never expected the pressures and intrusions that fame would bring me. Eventually, I could do nothing more than retreat to my quiet farmhouse in the English countryside. It was there that I discovered true peace, far far away from the illicit trappings of the 40 under Forty lifestyle. Since then, I have become one with my universe and infinitely skeptical of all such honors.

Shaun A. Suhoski
Current Job: Town administrator, Town of Ayer

What was your job when you won?
Town of Ayer, economic development director

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
Promoting change to the long-established "way we've always done it" philosophy of many local governments takes patience. I have learned that even the best ideas take time to bloom, but that a consistent and logical explanation will most often yield positive results.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
I would encourage thoughtful, creative and innovative persons to consider a career in municipal management. The Mass. Municipal Association has projected a need for talented city and town managers as incumbents reach retirement age. Effective leadership at the local government level is essential to building trust with taxpayers while effectively delivering the most core services for society including public safety, education and public works.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a nice recognition (if somewhat embarrassing) and modest boost to the ego!

Elisa Vega-Burns
Current Job: Senior business operations consultant, EMC Corp., Houston, TX

What was your job when you won?
Raytheon Company

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I have a greater appreciation of the importance of a global economy. I have traveled the world extensively in the last 15 years.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Understand how to write a business plan.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
Recognition of my accomplishments.

Todd Wetzel
Current Job: Branch manager/senior vice president, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

What was your job when you won?
Morgan Stanley

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
Just a few more years of experience, I suppose.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Keep plugging away. Network and meet as many people as possible. Be patient.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
Just happy to be recognized!

Peter Waisgerber
Current Job: Vice president of financial development and communications, South Shore YMCA, Quincy

What was your job when you won?
Same

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
I have a better understanding of the role of the nonprofit world in the context of the economy and the importance of volunteerism to our society.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Plan on working your way up, there is no substitute for experience. Remember, when you are not working to improve or better position yourself for future positions, someone else is.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a tremendous honor which gave me confidence moving forward in my career. It also put me in a group with people I have tremendous respect for. For me, as someone in the nonprofit world, to be honored alongside peers from the business community meant a great deal.

Jennifer Chase Williams
Current Job: CPA & business owner, McLaren & Associates

What was your job when you won?
Carlin, Charron & Rosen, supervisor

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
Less optimistic for sure given the state of the economy.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Be extremely careful in your business modeling...Don't rent - own!

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
It was a validation of my hard work.

Michael Zylich
Current Job: Project manager, Tighe & Bond, Bourne

What was your job when you won?
Tighe & Bond, hydrogeologist

How is your outlook today different from your outlook when you won?
Eight years ago, when I was nominated for the award, the economy was in great shape and outlook was positive. The current economic situation has slowed down construction considerably, which has impacted the engineering industry, at least temporarily. However, as the economy turns around, I fully expect that construction will pick up and the industry will again be prosperous.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
Get out of the office and network with other professionals in your industry and in other industries. The contacts you make might not seem helpful now but could prove fruitful in future ventures.

What did winning the 40 Under Forty Award mean to you?
Eight years ago, when I was nominated for the award, I was still relatively new in the field. I have been with the same company now for 15 years and have gained a much better understanding of the company and the environmental engineering industry as a whole. This understanding has allowed me to grow within industry and within the company most recently being promoted into the management program at Tighe & Bond.

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