Jeanne Cotroneo Darrow

Two summers ago, Ileana Musa brought together two people she loves who are 100 years apart in age in the place where she was born. That moment, when she introduced her five-year-old daughter to her 105-year-old grandmother in Cuba, was unlike any other. “Here were two women, 100 years apart, getting to know one another,” says Ileana, head of International Banking and Lending at Morgan Stanley and co-head of the International ...

Some days, underneath his Catholic school uniform, Kalena Griffin Costa’s four-year-old son is wearing his favorite superhero outfit. Hidden from sight and doing his best to conform, yet he wants to show his friends his secret powers. Those days are strong reminders to Kalena of the inner often secret hidden power in all of us. “If everyone genuinely believed in their own distinct inner power that is theirs to share....

At mile 20 of her first marathon, Adrianne Yamaki had to start walking because of a knee injury. “I couldn’t run more than a few steps before the pain made me stop. And I had six miles left! Heck – I don’t even walk six miles when running errands if I can drive them.” But Adrianne made a decision she’d made many times before. However hard it was, she wouldn’t give up.

She was only four years old, but Gabriela Teran remembers the day her parents put her on an airplane to flee war-torn Nicaragua. Headed to Guatemala with her three older sisters to stay with friends in safety, the plan was for their parents to join them later. “They put us on that plane not really knowing if they would see us again,” recalls Gaby of that turbulent time. “It was a full-blown war, and my parents needed to get u...

While some can’t pinpoint where their gumption and grit come from, others can trace it exactly. Kathleen Youngerman is quick to credit her father’s influence and her all-girl high school experience. “A lot of my determination and drive stems from my all-female setting during that formative period,” says Kathleen of the private school she attended in St. Louis. “There was never any question as to whether you should raise your ...

Senior Portfolio Manager and Senior Vice President Patricia Selin doesn’t believe in excuses. After all, she’s never counted on anyone to make things happen. “You have to make it happen for yourself,” says the Boca Raton, Fla. based Financial Advisor. “I never blame others or my circumstances if things don’t go my way.”

I crafted Bill Dwyer's executive biography.

Lori Villagas doesn’t rely on a plan “B”. “When I get my mind set on something, I’m going to do it,” she insists. “My stubbornness really comes through.”
Many would agree that this tenacity—along with her intelligence and determination—is a driving force in her success as a Morgan Stanley Wealth Advisor over the last 25 years.

Rhonda Viapiano treasures when members of her team stop by her office and ask, “Do you have a minute? I want to run something by you.”
“It’s incredibly rewarding as a manager to get that kind of receptivity and trust from the Financial Advisors I work with,” says the Park Potomac, Md., branch manager of a team of nearly three dozen colleagues.

Hopewell Junction neighbors Chris Muratore and Matt Cavaliere share passion for both music and helping others. Together, they recently launched CM-MC Festivals Inc., a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that creates and promotes live music events to help those affected by diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Those familiar with Sabellico’s Greenhouses & Florist in Hopewell Junction know they’re a little different from most garden centers. Not only do they grow what they sell, but they have plants you won’t find anywhere else. This year, they’re offering 15 different varieties of Super Hots. The seeds for these peppers are the rarest and hardest to find—from the world record-holding Carolina Reaper to the Naga Viper and the dangerous 7 Pot Peppers in red, yellow and chocolate. A little advice from Matthew Sabellico: “Enjoy but beware!”

Julie Baeder grew up “going to protests and marches as far back as I can remember,” she says. Her mother ran political campaigns and hosted candidate events in their Yonkers, N.Y., apartment. When they moved to the West Coast when Julie was a teen, she and her friends raised money for Bay Area women’s causes, including the first battered women’s shelter in Oakland, Calif. Today, Julie continues that activism, , tirelessly advocating for gender equality and mentoring many young, disadvantaged women.

Known for leaping off buildings for charity, developing female talent, and spreading joy, this MAKER is truly one of a kind.

Tax refunds can provide some discretionary funds. Should you spend it or invest it? During Financial Literacy Month, Managing Director Marilyn F. Booker outlines when to start investing and the power of compound interest.

Step into Tomáš Tapas Bar & Restaurant at 900 Route 376 in Wappingers Falls and prepare to be transported by the warmth—and elegance—of the room, the food and the people. There to greet you is a friendly and courteous team that includes owners Lynn and Tomáš Monoši (the š is pronounced “sh”).