big story: Rochester's rising stars in spotlight Pam Cowan
For 10 years the Rochester Business Journal has been honoring the who's who of Rochester. To be more precise, RBJ has been honoring the who's who of Rochester who also happen to be younger than 40, and the unveiling of its Forty Under 40 list still is a highly anticipated event. How did it get started? It was an attempt to
try to spotlight some of the younger people who, on one hand, are making significant achievements in business
but at the same time, found time to give to Rochester's nonprofit organizations, says Paul Ericson, editor and vice president of RBJ .
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This year's honorees are no different. They not only have varying backgrounds but varying ambitions and goals. Here's an inside look at three of them Marisol Lopez Lopez, 34, is the chief of staff for Rochester Mayor William A. Johnson Jr. The Rochester resident earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Barry University in Miami. What exactly does the chief of staff do? If you watch TV and you see The West Wing
the chief of staff manages the staff for the elected official.
I do something different. (Lopez oversees operations for parks, the library system, the Pathways to Peace program, the Neighborhood Empowerment Team and Teen Court. Lopez also coordinates the city's effort to curb youth violence.) How did you get the job? I was the assistant to the chief of staff for five years, and when he left, (the mayor) appointed me to that position.
Not being originally from Rochester, and considering my age, I was very glad he had the confidence in me to do this job. When were you appointed? In February of 2002.
I was 31. What brought you to Rochester? I moved to Rochester to start a family with my husband, who is originally from here.
I moved here in 1997. Do you want to go on to be chief of staff anywhere else? Do you have a political agenda? I'm not interested in being an elected official. I have a 6-year-old son, and right now my work takes up a lot of time. In 2002 you became the highest-ranking Hispanic person in the mayor's administration. Is that still true? Yes. And the highest-ranking female. Do you feel like you have to carry the flagstaff for all Hispanics and women in Rochester because of that? Not necessarily the female part but the Hispanic part.
There aren't many Hispanic people in leadership positions, in business and governement, in Rochester. It's great to see growth, and it's great to be part of growth. I know you serve on several nonprofit boards. What do you get out of that personally? I'm on the board for the Center for Youth and for Rochester's Step-Off Educational Foundation Inc., and those are youth organizations. My roots in Miami were youth-focused, and I have a great passion for working with youth. How does Rochester keep its young people here? That's the million-dollar question.
I am part of a group working to do that, and it's called the Roc City Coaltion.
We get together to talk about what it will take.
Hopefully, we can come to some solution. Do you have any advice for people looking to stay but aren't sure what to do? I think young people are the ones that follow trends. We need young people to be trendsetters. How does it feel to be one of Rochester's Forty Under 40? I'm so excited. It's funny because I was very flattered I was nominated. What do you love most about Rochester? What keeps you here? It feels like home. I enjoy where I work. I have made the best friends in Rochester.
I feel home here. I feel community there. People look at me like, You left Miami.'
I'd rather be in a place with cold weather, and a warm heart. Find out about two more rising stars 
Forty Under 40:
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Rochester Business Journal's Forty Under 40. Here, in alphabetical order, are the honorees for 2004: 1. Michele Agostinelli, 35, vice president, consulting practice at The Rochester Group Inc. 2. Ronald Billitier, 39, president and owner of Billitier Electric Inc. 3. John Billone Jr., 38, president of Flower City Property Management Corp. 4. James Brennan, 34, a partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP 5. Michelle Cain, 32, principal at Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP 6. Sandra Tindale Carl, 33, president of The Parks Golf Courses 7. Algimantas Chesonis, 38, senior vice president of finance and controller at PaeTec Communications Inc. 8. Andrew Deubler, 39, associate vice president and chief development officer at University of Rochester Medical Center 9. Robert Finnerty, 38, chief communications officer at Rochester Institute of Technology 10. Shirley Green, 39, principal at General Elwell S. Otis School No. 30 in the Rochester City School District 11. Sam Guerrieri, 39, president of M&T Securities Inc. for M&T Bank 12. Michelle Hare, 29, public affairs specialist for State Farm InsuranceCos. 13. Virginia Tyler Homsy, 37, president of Tyler Consulting Inc. 14. David Koretz, 25, president and CEO of BlueTie Inc. 15. Laurie Leo, 37, chief financial officer for CGR Inc. 16. Marisol Lopez, 34, chief of staff for Rochester Mayor William A. Johnson. Jr. 17. Peter T. Mendick, 34, partner and chief financial officer at Mendick Associates, LLC and Imperial Garden Apartments, LLC 18. Kelly Mittiga, 32, vice president, regional sales manager at First Niagara Bank 19. Syed Ahmed Mustafa, 36, managing partner for Team AED 20.Philip L. Pecora, 34, president and CEO for Genesee Regional Bank 21. William Pelino, 37, internal audit director for Paychex Inc. 22. Gary Phillips M.D., 38, corporate vice president, global pharmaceuticals and vitreoretinal for Bausch & Lomb Inc. 23. Todd Plouffe, 35, general manager at The Del Monte Lodge, a Renaissance Hotel 24. Maurice L. Ragland, 31, manager, lean manufacturing Alstom Signaling 25. Annette Reyes-Kendrick, 31, full-time executive MBA student at St. John Fisher College, Ronald L. Bittner School of Management 26. William P. Smith Jr., 39, partner at Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP 27. Gary Stafford Jr., 37, president and chief operating officer for Lazer Inc. 28. Erika Stanat, 36, partner, trial group at Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP 29. Trudy Starr, 39, chief financial officer at Mercury Print Productions Inc. 30. Kaye Elizabeth Stone, 39, manager, product development/delivery for Xerox Corp. 31. James Tabbi, 39, president and CEO of Tabtronics Inc. 32. Mark Tolbert, 33, director of business development for Aurora Systems 33. Lori VanAuken, 37, program officer at Rochester Area Community Foundation 34. Beth Van Vliet, 35, director, direct to consumer product management for Citibank The Student Loan Corp. 35. Joseph Vasile M.D., 39, chief of psychiatry at ViaHealth, Rochester General Hospital 36. Craig Wittlin, 37, partner at Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP 37. Alan Wood, 39, realtor/broker associate for Realty USA/Rick Leasure Division 38. Cheryl Lynn Yawman, 39, executive recruiter for Employee Relations Associates (joining in 2005) 39. Joseph Zappia, 39, senior vice president, investments; assistant branch manager for A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. 40. Christina Zazulak, 37, executive director for Center Information Services Inc. (an Al Sigl Partnership Agency) How honorees are selected The 40 honorees are nominated by the community and selected by a committee of business leaders. Those chosen are seen as Rochester's next generation of leaders and are honored for their professional and civic achievements. Next year's honorees Nominations for next year's Forty Under 40 will be accepted throughout the year. If you're interested in nominating someone, you need to
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