PITTSFIELD, Mass. — When Esther Quinn died in 1998, the local business community lost someone who, after working a full day, would put in countless volunteer hours. 

 

But others are following in her footsteps. This year 1Berkshire honored both Linda Gaspardi-Febles of MountainOne and Denise Richardello of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with the 18th annual Esther Quinn Award, recognizing those same type of efforts.

 

"Esther Quinn was a pioneer and as passionate advocate for causes that she believed in. She was an outstanding individual who stood out amongst her peers. I am so proud top be a recipient of the Esther Quinn Award," Richardello said.

 

The executive vice president at MCLA was presented the award at 1Berkshire's Good News Business Salute at the Berkshire Hills Country Club on Wednesday morning. 1Berkshire Board member Jonah Sykes remembers first meeting Richardello six years ago when he, as development manager for the Berkshire United Way, visited the college to see how the Berkshire County Goes to College Program was working. 

 

"I met Denise then and she spoke passionately about the value of this program, was a champion for creating access and opportunities for the local kids in our schools to aspire to a higher level of education," Sykes said. "Since then the executive vice president of my beloved alma mater MCLA has shown that she is committed to ensuring productive relationships and partnerships are made between education, civic, and business interests."

 

Sykes now sits on the 1Berkshire Board of Directors with Richardello and can name a number of other volunteer efforts she's participated in — those include statewide appoints to various educational boards and local business and education boards. Sykes said the award is "perfectly suited" for Richardello. 

 

Mick Callahan, chairman of the Ester Quinn Award Committee, had a lengthy list of volunteer efforts of Gaspardi-Febles. The vice president for business insurance at MountainOne has been on the local boards of the Chamber of Commerce, taking an instrumental role in the merger into 1Berkshire, the Northern Berkshire United Way, the Brien Center, and numerous others. 

 

"Linda's resume is long and deep. Her service is backed only by her positive attitude, her outgoing personality, her energy, whether it was tackling an assignment as a chair of the Chamber of Commerce working through the merger to get us where we are today as 1Berkshire. Her proud accomplishment is a letter that she keeps close by from Gov. Deval Patrick commending her for her personal outreach in helping young women," Callahan said. 

 

Both recipients were honored for their efforts aimed to make the Berkshires a better place to live, work, and play, said 1Berkshire President Jonathan Butler. Gaspardi-Febles, however, says she is just following the footsteps of her mentors, many of whom were at the event and included former award winners. 

 

"There are many people in the room who have supported me, too many to mention. I am forever grateful for all of you. I am more committed than ever to continue my active involvement in these organizations and help them improve the quality of life for so many," Gaspardi-Febles said. 

 

Callahan said the two women replicate Quinn's dedication to the Berkshires. Quinn served on local boards including the city's charter commission, the United Way, the Red Cross, and St. Mark's Church. 

 

"She started her career working in General Electric Company, moved on to the Berkshire County Board of Realtors where she was for 20 years. She served as the president in 1985, was elected realtor of the year in 1986, recognized as a woman of achievement in 1987 by the Berkshire Business and Professional Woman organization, an active member of the Chamber of Commerce for many of years and started the business after hours," Callahan said. 

 

"Esther had the enthusiasm and the spirit of dedicated people who want to help our community."

 

And her legacy is living on with people like Gaspardi-Febles and Richardello, who focus energy on volunteering to improve the region. 

 

"We are all very fortunate to live in a region that not only boasts natural beauty, renown cultural facilities, and remarkable institutions of higher education but a region whose cultural spirit is rooted in volunteerism and acts of kindness," Richardello said.

 

The award was presented in front of a crowd of nearly 200 from the business community. North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright and Pittsfield City Council President Peter Marchetti were among elected officials in attendance. 

 

It was the first 1Berkshire breakfast event in a year and a half or so and shed light on positive developments in local businesses. Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Elms College, Anteris, and the law firm Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook were "saluted" during the breakfast.