Westy Award Winners 2026

The OCCC has been elevating the business and artistic community for over 100 years now. We have a particular focus on the creative economy and a well demonstrated history of providing outstanding support through marketing, volunteerism, free equipment usage and more. Further, we have made significant financial investments in each organization as well.

THE GREATER MYSTIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE serves as the collective business voice for Greater Mystic and beyond. We sponsor and facilitate community events that not only promote local businesses but also boost the regional tourism industry. We are a resource for small business owners and advocate on behalf of the entire community to create opportunities for economic growth.

Mal and Martha will happily celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in October of this year. When they married, Martha brought her two sons, Christopher and Peter Wallace to the family relationship.  Mal brought his two sons, Daniel and Jonathan.  Martha and Mal are the proud grandparents of Lauren, Baylor, Carson and Max Wallace and Colby and Connor Makin.
Mal earned his Certified Financial Planner designation in 1981and is considered to be one of the early leaders in the financial planning movement.  He is the Founder and President of New England Professional Planning Group,  a Financial Planning/ Wealth Management firm which celebrated it’s 50th anniversary in 2025.  PPG is located in Westerly, at 9 Granite St.  Mal is a member of the Barron’s Financial Advisor Hall of Fame.  He has served on several State and National Boards and committees related to the fields of Wealth Management and Financial Planning. These include the Institute of Certified Financial Planners and also the National Board of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for CFP’s of which he was Chairman for three years.
Mal was honored to be the recipient of the “Citizen of the Year Award “ in 2018, as presented by the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce.
Martha is a talented interior designer having studied at Rhode Island School of Design, following her college years.  Martha began working on her own, primarily with young families, with a focus on redesigning and renovating  bathrooms and kitchens.  This created working relationships with many professionals in the trades.  Ultimately, she worked with an experienced kitchen design firm, both in the office and in the field as a  project manager.   Unfortunately, after only two years, life intervened and her friend, the kitchen designer, was forced to close her office.  
During this same period of time, PPG was experiencing significant growth and was rapidly outgrowing it’s office space on Grove Ave.  Located just around the corner, 9 Granite St.  was placed on the market.  This historic building was perfect in terms of size, shape and location.  Unfortunately, it needed a lot of work and a lot of love.

Martha considers her most notable accomplishment to be the restoration of 9 Granite St. which became the PPG office building in 2001-2002.   The building, a twenty-two room, brick Georgian Colonial  was originally built in 1911 by Dr. John Champlin, a prominent Westerly physician and businessman,  for his office and family residence.  Over the years it had evolved into an apartment house at the expense of many of the special details that are unique to many historic buildings found in our community.  We had to follow the requirements set forth by the State of Rhode Island related to the preservation of historic buildings.  Martha, rolled up her sleeves and took over the responsibility for this entire project. There is a citation in the PPG reception room that was presented to Martha by the State of Rhode Island in honor and recognition of the work that she did in completing this historic restoration.  Martha continues to provide oversight in the preservation and maintenance of the PPG office building. In the Fall of 2025, she oversaw the complete replacement and restoration of the red cedar shingled roof.

Martha is a longtime member of the Westerly College Club.
She was a volunteer for a number of years at the Westerly Hospital as a patient advocate.
Martha has served as a volunteer counselor for Hospice.

Mal and Martha, both individually, as a couple and through PPG, have supported a number of community organizations relative to the arts, youth and families such a the Westerly Chorus, The Westerly Library, Ocean Community YMCA, Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce, the recently restored United, and many others.

Martha grew up in Worcester.  She loved to ride horse back. When she was sixteen, she competed in Madison Square Garden, coming in 13th in the nation in the “good hands class” of dressage.

For many years, Mal and Martha played competitive tennis at the Pond View Racquet Club.  
Today, Mal is a passionate golfer, a gift he attributes to Martha’s father, Harry Midgley, who insisted that Mal, Martha and the boys learn to “hit a golf ball so that they could play with him.”

Each year during  Summer and Fall, PPG is a major sponsor and benefactor for a significant number of local organizations golf fundraisers.

Rudi Hauser is the President & Owner Hauser Chocolatier. He moved to Westerly, RI in 1990, where two out of his four children sang (or continue to sing!) with the Chorus of Westerly. Rudi has been a Chorus Board member since 2014, is the current Board Chair, and volunteer for post event food prep. He was also an Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce Board member from 2006 to 2014, and is a past Board Chair. He spent many years volunteering and chairing the Duck Race, volunteering and chairing River Glow, and as the Troop Leader of Boy Scouts Troop 10. He continues to volunteer for the Virtu Art Festival weekend.

John Townsend grew up in Baltimore and built a career that combined global finance with deep civic commitment. He earned a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a Certificate in Modern Greek from the Defense Language Institute, and later an M.B.A. in International Finance from Wharton. After serving in U.S. Army Intelligence in Munich, John held senior roles in international banking and corporate finance at Chemical Bank, Goldman Sachs, and UBS, where he served as Head of Investment Banking.

John has devoted decades to nonprofit leadership, serving on boards including City Harvest, Planned Parenthood of New York, Canterbury Choral Society, the Altman Foundation, Westerly Land Trust, and the Chorus of Westerly, where he continues as a nonvoting member of the Finance Committee and a singing member of the Foundations Chorus.

The Chorus of Westerly is thrilled to honor Andrew Nathan as one of the recipients of the Cheese Corner’s Unsung Hero Award! A true champion of community, creativity, and good food, Andrew has made an indelible mark on Westerly.

Tracey and her husband Nick moved to Rhode Island from England in late 2001.
They quickly entered into the world of volunteering, first with Westerly Youth soccer. Then once Maisie entered the school system, Tracey was a regular in the classroom or performing PTO duties. At age 8, Maisie joined the Chorus of Westerly. Tracey and Bob (then 5) found themselves sitting in the Chorus hall for hours, whilst Maisie rehearsed. This meant Tracey got to know the staff and organization pretty well. Maisie was a nervous child with some separation anxiety, insisting her Mum stayed at the GKH on concert weekends. Which quickly lead to Tracey volunteering with whatever needed doing. Over the coming years the relationships, trust and to do list grew.

Lila Pinto is a passionate musician, educator-in-training, and arts advocate. Her love for music began through her involvement with the Chorus of Westerly, which has shaped not only her artistry, but her desire to become a future music educator. Through ensemble collaboration, performance, and watching her own mentors educate at the Chorus and as a trombonist in Westerly High School's music programs, she has experienced firsthand the transformative power of music education.

Beyond performance, Lila is dedicated to strengthening access to arts within the community. Growing up, Lila watched her mom constantly pursue supporting the art’s organizations that her and her brother were a part of. Her work developing and supporting a scholarship fund in her mother’s memory demonstrates her belief that financial barriers should never prevent students from pursuing meaningful musical opportunities.

Lila is also actively involved in professional and collegiate organizations that support music education and advocacy, including NAfME and RIMEA, as well as various campus ensembles and leadership initiatives through her university.

Through these experiences, she continues to grow as both a musician and an emerging arts leader as she looks toward a career in music education.

Russ is delighted to be getting back in the theatre habit after moving to the area in 2021. Since his college days (sometime in the last century), Russ has worked professionally with New York Theatre Workshop, Long Wharf Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, and the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and directed Blown Sideways through Life at Indiana State University. In western Massachusetts, Russ served as the Inter-Group Coordinator and Festival Co-Chair for the local chapter of the American Association of Community Theatres (AACT), and also produced and directed, as well as designed and built sets for several community theatre groups in the area. In “real life,” Russ restores and manages multi-family properties in New Haven, Connecticut. Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, he grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, and currently lives on Potter’s Hill (Westerly) with his husband, Will, and their dog, Carlo.

Rene was raised in Ashaway, RI where she volunteered from an early age. Her love of helping her community ranged from church and community events to Girl Scouts and school. She even performed in musicals at Theatre by the Sea and competed in Miss RI Teen USA! Through a career in English and Arts education she continued to mold and support her community and people of all ages. Over the past decade, her other volunteer efforts include: The Granite Theatre, The Chorus of Westerly, The United Theatre, the Bricks and Murals fundraising event, the Starry Lights Ocean Community Chamber event, being a Westerly Land Trust member and many, many more. She would like to thank her family and friends for being so supportive of all her endeavors over the years.

Don, the son of a doctor, grew up on an Ohio farm that had been in his family since 1802. In both high school and college he enjoyed working backstage, running lights mostly, in several plays and musicals. However after college, life and lack of opportunities prevented continuation of any thespian pursuits. Instead he found another hobby, soccer. He played, coached, instructed new referees, and refereed soccer for 30 years. When not doing something with soccer, he worked as a research chemist and then a R&D software engineer. In 2017 his wife moved to Westerly, bringing him along, to be near her family (turnabout is fair play) and grandson. In 2019, he asked about volunteering at the Granite, but COVID happened. In 2023 he again volunteered at the Granite. Since then he has helped build a few sets, run the lights on 17 shows, designing the lights for a couple shows, acted in The Miracle on 34 Street and Kiss Me Kate, and was the stage manager for Christmas Carol - The Musical. He also helped at Kent Hall with the set and lights installation for the Twelfth Night 2025, and has joined the Foundation Chorus. He is looking forward to the 2026 season at both the Granite and the Chorus.

John Yonsky is a retired Product Management, Marketing, and Computer Sciences professional where he aggregated the needs of customers and employees into innovative solutions across a variety of business industries.

Throughout his life, his technical background always intersected with creative and artistic hobbies , including photography, stained glass art, designing and building arcade machines, and a virtual pinball machine during the “covid-years”. He enjoys repairing, and sometimes upgrading his Grandkids toys, and usually has at least three or four home improvement or hobby projects in-progress at any given moment. He and his wife moved here in retirement to be closer to their kids and Grandkids. John greatly appreciates all Westerly has to offer, especially how much the local community supports the arts. He thanks all the wonderful and inspiring people he has met at the Granite Theatre, The United Music School, and The Westerly Chorus, and is honored to play a part in contributing his talents to these organizations!

Sarah started working at the Granite in the spring of 2024, stage managing Seussical Jr., and immediately fell in love with the kids and the people who worked there. Her experience during that show solidified her love and dedication to the Granite. She learned how to operate the soundboard and has been able to do the sound for all of the shows she’s stage managed thus far, and then some. Last year she stage-managed Peter Pan Jr., Kiss Me Kate, and 101 Dalmatians Kids. This season she will be making her onstage debut in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and then spending the rest of the season stage managing Newsies Jr., Oklahoma, and Willy Wonka Kids. Sarah sends as much gratitude as she possibly could to her foundations of support: her family, Nicole DiMattei, and the board of directors at the Granite.

Paula is a lifelong resident of Westerly and proud supporter of the arts in her community. With more than 35 years experience in sales, marketing and business development, Paula built a career centered on connection, growth, and opportunity. Now retired, she continues to channel that same enthusiasm into volunteering and supporting the organizations she cares about most.

Coming from a very musical family, Paula has always had a deep love for live music and dance. She remains an active supporter of Westerly’s vibrant music scene and finds joy in celebrating performances and bringing people together throughout the arts. An avid traveler, hiker and emerging travel photographer, she finds inspiration in the world around her — but her greatest joy remains her family, friends, and her ongoing commitment to helping the arts thrive throughout the Westerly community.

Tom was born in 1946 in Bronxville, New York where he grew up K through 12. He graduated from Columbia College in 1968, served in the US Navy in Vietnam, from '68 to '70, when he returned to marry Candy Davis Sanford of Westerly, RI and earned his MBA at Columbia University.

Tom went on to work for Irving Trust Company and (acquired by) The Bank of New York for 30 years of which 8 years were spent in London. Tom retired in 2001 when he and Candy moved to Stonington, CT. Tom and Candy raised three children. Sadly Candy passed away in 2025.

Tom is very active in community affairs, currently volunteering in various capacities with the Ocean Community YMCA, Historic Stonington (aka Stonington Historical Society), Calvary Episcopal Church, the United Theatre, the Stonington Men's Group, the Mystic Museum of Art, CUSH (Clean Up Sound and Harbors), the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club and the Stonington Garden Club. He is an avid rower, having started a rowing program at the YMCA in Mystic back in 2006 which continues today.

Lou Toscano is a 1974 graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where he earned degrees in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and a Master’s in Adult Education. He began his career as Youth Director at the Westerly YMCA, then taught sixth grade at St. Michael’s School before spending 31 years at Pine Point School in Stonington as a Kindergarten and Lower School Science teacher, retiring in 2020. Lou has also been a Certified Golf Instructor for 15 years, teaching players of all ages at Winnapaug Country Club, Westerly Virtual Golf, and South Shore Village in South Kingstown. A dedicated community leader, he is serving his second term as a Trustee of the Westerly Library and Wilcox Park, where he chairs the Education Committee, and his second term as President of the Dante Society of Westerly, promoting Italian language and culture while recognizing student achievement. As President of the Westerly High School Class of 1970, he is co-founder and co-chair of the Westerly High School Music Hall of Fame, honoring distinguished graduates in music performance, direction, and education each year at an induction ceremony held in the Black Box at the UNITED Theatre.

PJ Nunes is nine-years-old and a third grader at Ashaway Elementary School. He is a Bear Scout in Cub Scouts Pack One in Ashaway and plays soccer with the Chariho Youth Soccer Association. PJ loves learning about airplanes and one day hopes to have his pilot license. He has always loved animals big and small and hopes to become a wildlife photographer when he grows up. PJ has been around the UNITED Theatre since he was a baby, watching the building take shape through the eyes of a curious toddler and helping out at events whenever he can. He is a dedicated music fan and an uninhibited dancer who enjoys going to concerts and listening to live music, especially The Lumineers' show last year. Anyone who knows PJ will tell you that he is a friend to all, a kindhearted young man with an unsurpassed imagination and an infectious curiosity.

Nina Robbins is a sophomore at Gordon College studying Music Education with a concentration in piano. After graduation, she eventually hopes to compose music professionally and conduct choirs. Originally from Baltimore, MD, she grew up singing in choir, playing flute in band, playing piano, and writing songs. Since moving to Stonington, she has been involved in as many local musical opportunities as she could, including the United and the Chorus of Westerly.