FREE VP Named Long Island SmartCEO 2016 Brava Award Winner
May 27, 2016 | News
Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) is proud to announce that their Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, Dara L. Gary, CPA, has been named one of Long Island SmartCEO’s 2016 Brava Award Winners. The Brava Awards celebrate the distinguished achievements of 40 of Long Island’s top women business leaders. This year’s class collectively generates more than $10.38 billion in annual revenue and employs 8,149 individuals. The winners will be profiled in the July/August issue of SmartCEO magazine and celebrated at an awards ceremony on August 10, 2016 at Westbury Manor.
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“We could not be more proud of Dara for having achieved this tremendous accomplishment,” said Robert S. Budd, CEO FREE. “She is an integral member of our team and I am thrilled that people outside of our agency recognize what we’ve known for years.”
Dara L. Gary has more than 28 years of experience in non-profit finance, management and administration Ms. Gary has been instrumental in the integration and development of FREE’s affiliated agency network. She is currently overseeing strategic business initiatives while exploring alternate revenue sources to reduce reliance on governmental support and positon the FREE network for continued growth in a changing industry.
Ms. Gary served as the Chief Financial Officer when joining FREE in 1987 through 2014. She has played a pivotal role in the expansion of the FREE network, helping to grow the organizations’ annual budget and network operations from $2 to $125 Million.
Ms. Gary holds a BBA in Accounting from Dowling College and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1987.
She has served on several statewide committees including the New York State Association of Community and Residential Agencies (NYSACRA), Finance Committee; The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, Healthcare and Regulatory Committees; The Alliance of Long Island and held the position of Long Island regional fiscal representative for the Interagency Council of DD Agencies (IAC) Fiscal Management Committee for four years. She is currently a representative for the Interagency Council of DD Agencies (IAC) Board Finance Committee where she participates in providing recommendations on ways to strengthen the financial capacity for over 200 member organizations.
About the Brava Awards
The Brava Awards program celebrates high-impact female business leaders in three categories: CEOs, Executive Directors of Nonprofits, and C-suite executives. Brava award winners combine their irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for giving back to the community, and are exemplary leaders of both their companies and their communities. They encourage local philanthropy, mentor up-and-coming leaders and set their companies on the path to tremendous growth. Each year, an independent committee of local business leaders selects winners based on company growth, community impact and mentoring. SmartCEO shares their inspiring stories in SmartCEO magazine and celebrates their success at a high-energy awards gala.
About SmartCEO
SmartCEO’s mission is to educate and inspire the business community through its award-winning magazine, connections at C-level events and access to valuable online resources SmartCEO’s integrated media platforms reach decision makers in the Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Long Island, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas.