Lucy Dearborn takes top honors at Lynn Chamber annual awards

LYNNFIELD – Lucy Dearborn knows what it means to be under the lights most days, given that her name is synonymous with Lucia Lighting in Lynn, but Thursday night she basked in a different glow as winner of the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year Award.Click here to see a photo gallery from the event.Dearborn, who oversees the high-end designer lighting store and showroom in Lynn, took top honors at the chamber’s most prestigious event, which packed Spinelli’s function hall on Route 1 in Lynnfield.George Markos of Brother’s Deli in Lynn was winner of the David Solimine Sr. Community Service Award. Robert Gaudet, owner of the Porthole Pub restaurant in Lynn, was honored with the Buddy Fennell Hall of Fame Award, named for the late owner of Lynn’s landmark Capitol Diner.Norma Delgado, owner of Tatiana’s restaurant on Market Street in Lynn, received the Multi-Cultural Award for her success in opening five years ago what has become one of the city’s most popular downtown eateries.David Spaulding of Velocity Printing in Lynn won the Rookie of the Year Award, while the President’s Award, given by John Olson, the chamber’s board chairman and owner of the Columbia Insurance Agency, went to Ralph Sevinor of Wayne Alarm in Lynn.Since the area chamber also represents Lynnfield, Nahant and Swampscott, each community doled out a Town Pride Award to each. Lynnfield Town Administrator William Gustus won in his community. Rosamond Puleo received the honor for Nahant, where she is a staff member of the town’s Police Department and is involved in numerous volunteer efforts. Swampscott Police Detective Francis “Ted” Delano won the Swampscott award.The City Pride Award for Lynn went to Anne Marie Leonard, a key member of the Department of Community Development.Maria Deacon, a native of Wales and the newly arrived executive at GE in Lynn, was keynote speaker. Deacon said GE recently has faced economic hardships, which required tough decisions, but not for the first time in its 130-year history. However, the company will continue to survive and prosper because its leaders focus on the big picture, she said.Thursday night marked the chambers 97th annual Business Excellence Awards, which attracted hundreds of members and their guests. Parking valets had difficulty finding room for all the cars.The dinner also included the inauguration of new members of the chamber’s Board of Directors, including Dr. Ghazi Darazalli, president of Marian Court College in Swampscott; Pauline Spirito of Infinity Boutique in Swampscott; Susan Halter, executive director of LynnArts in Lynn; Rosalina Sweeney of One World Real Estate; Andy Giller of New Angle Glass Co., and Fitzroy Alexander of Traditional Breads.