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Mostly Cloudy Church, car dealership honored by Valley Stream Chamber
See more photos from the gala here.
While Valley Stream Lincoln and Bethlehem Assembly of God church may serve two different purposes, they share a commitment to bettering the community. That’s why more than 100 people turned out to honor the two institutions last week at the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards gala.
Valley Stream Lincoln, formerly known as Country Lincoln Mercury West, was presented with the Business Achievement Award at the Sept. 22 dinner at the Pompei restaurant in West Hempstead. The business has been located on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream since 1998, and recently expanded into Queens.
Bethlehem Assembly of God received the Special Recognition Award. Founded in 1929, the church has been located on East Fairview Avenue in Valley Stream since 1956.
Valley Stream Lincoln is led by three partners, President Joseph Vultaggio III and vice presidents Michael Naclerio and Eric Bietsch, who took over in 2007. Valley Stream Lincoln has become the top ranked dealership on Long Island for Lincoln and Mercury new car sales. It is also third in the New York region and 21st overall in the United States.
As for community involvement, Valley Stream Lincoln provides shuttle transportation from the Hendrickson Pool parking lot to Firemen’s Field for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. The company’s sales manager, Anthony Mezzatesta, is a member of the chamber’s Board of Directors. The company also supports the Valley Stream Soccer League.
Naclerio, who attended the awards gala for the first time, said he was very impressed by the event. He said he is proud to have his company active in the Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve made a lot of friends,” he said. “It feels good to support the local business community.”
He said the residents of Valley Stream are the reason that the business has been so successful for more than a decade. Naclerio, who described himself as a “behind the scenes guy,” said it’s important for business owners to reflect on just what leads to that success. One thing that he can say is working — the relationship between the business and the community.
