Service, entrepreneurship and a commitment to giving back took center stage last week, when the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce honored four businesses and community leaders whose work has helped shape the at during its 24th annual Awards Dinner & Celebration.
Held at Sea Cliff Manor on July 22, the event, whose theme was “A Night to Shine,” recognized Nosh Delivers; Lloyd Rosenman, of Tocolo Cantina; retired Glen Cove Police Chief William Whitton; and Mark and Candy Udell, of London Jewelers — a nonprofit, a restaurateur, a law enforcement officer and the owners of a family business whose contributions have benefited Glen Cove. Throughout the evening, speakers returned to a common message: Strong communities are built through service to others.
For Nosh volunteers, that commitment begins with ensuring that neighbors have enough to eat. The organization received the Community Impact Award for its efforts to address food insecurity across the North Shore.
Volunteer Rosie Steinhauser said her family’s involvement began after her oldest daughter told her she wanted to do more for the community. “We thought that day we were helping the community,” Steinhauser said. “But Nosh has helped us in so many ways.”
Steinhauser, who emigrated from El Salvador, said that volunteering becomes deeply personal when she sees families receiving assistance. “When I see my people coming and getting the help and getting the kindness that they need, that they deserve, I just feel like I’m doing a little something for them,” she said.
She encouraged residents of all ages to get involved, adding, “Everybody’s welcome, and everybody can help.”
Christine Rice, who chairs the Nosh Delivers board, thanked the community for sustaining the organization’s mission with the support of more than 300 volunteers. “We would love the fact that nobody needs help with food insecurity,” Rice said. “But unfortunately, that is here.”
While volunteers spoke about meeting basic needs, local business leaders reflected on investing in Glen Cove in other ways. Rosenman received the Envision Award for his entrepreneurial leadership and community involvement at Tocolo Cantina. He credited the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Improvement District and the city for embracing the restaurant.
The chamber also recognized a business that has been a fixture in Glen Cove for nearly a century. Mark and Candy Udell received the Pinnacle Award as London Jewelers approaches its 100th anniversary. Founded on School Street in 1926, the company has grown from a single storefront into a 17-store luxury jewelry business while maintaining its roots in Glen Cove.
Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck recalled visiting London Jewelers as a child, describing it as a place where generations of residents shopped for everything from charm bracelets to milestone gifts.
“Everyone was able to shop there,” Panzenbeck said, noting that while many family-owned businesses have disappeared over the years, the Udell family has continued to build on its legacy.
Mark Udell said his love for the jewelry business began when he was just 5 years old, and spent time with his parents at the family’s original School Street store. Calling his family “the luckiest people in the world,” Udell credited four generations of relatives for building the business together, and said that the next generation is already helping lead it into the future.
“I thank you all for being here to make this thing go for the next 50 years, hopefully,” he said.
The evening concluded with recognition of Whitton, who received the Sentinel Award for his more than four decades of service to the Police Department.
Former Mayor Reggie Spinello said that Whitton approached policing as more than enforcing the law. “He believed it was about building relationships, earning trust and making Glen Cove a better place for every family,” Spinello said. He also praised Whitton’s efforts to improve residents’ quality of life, support the city’s seniors and mentor younger officers throughout his career.
Whitton reflected on his 41 years with the department and thanked the officers and family members who supported him throughout his career.
“Serving this city has been the honor of a lifetime,” he said. “Together we worked tirelessly to strengthen public safety, build trust within our community, and ensure Glen Cove would remain a place where families could live, work and thrive.”
Whitton credited the department’s professionalism and teamwork for helping Glen Cove become one of the safest cities in the country. “Any success that I achieved was built on their commitment and teamwork.”
