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Nov
Antonio Civitella is the 2014 Achievers Newsmaker of the Year
- Category Featured, Announcements
Megan Rogers
Reporter- Albany Business Review
November 6, 2014
Joseph Nicolla, the president and founder of Columbia Development Company, had an Oscar moment at the Albany Business Review's Achievers event last night. Nicolla, the 2014 Game Changer, stressed in remarks to business leaders the number of people he thanked for playing a hand in his success.
"We've learned to dream at a scale that is daunting," he said.
Nicolla pointed to the success of 677 Broadway in downtown Albany that was a parking lot before he and partners turned the lot into a 12-story building that's a prominent part of Albany's skyline.
Nicolla was one of four business leaders and three companies honored at the Albany Business Review's Achievers event Wednesday night at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy. He was named the Game Changer of the year for his work in redeveloping the Albany area's downtowns.
The award winners and those accepting awards on behalf of their companies spoke to the crowd about the growth of their companies, the teams behind each company and where they find their drive for success.
More than 300 people were in attendance to recognize the awardees' accomplishments. The 2014 Achievers are:
- Dr. John Bennett, president and CEO of CDPHP, an Albany, New York-based health insurer, is the 2014 Executive of the Year.
- Autotask Corp., an East Greenbush, New York software developer, is the 2014 Company of the Year.
- Apprenda, a Troy software developer, is the 2014 Most Promising Company.
- Joseph Nicolla, president and founder of Columbia Development, one of the largest real estate development companies in the region, is our 2014 Game Changer.
- Antonio Civitella is the president and CEO of Transfinder, a software developer headquartered in Schenectady, New York. Civitella is the 2014 Achievers Newsmaker. He announced Wednesday that Transfinder would open its first satellite office outside of New York in 2015 in Austin, Texas. More on that here:
- The Capital District Community Gardens in Troy, New York is the 2014 Nonprofit of the Year. The non-profit will open an urban grow center in Troy next month.
- Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer of Albany investment firm Hugh Johnson Advisors, is the 2014 Special Recognition honoree.
