October 22, 2003

ROMNEY PRESENTS INNER CITY INVESTMENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARDS

Honors Boston-based electrical firm and a creative Randolph snack company

A Boston electrical construction and maintenance firm and a Randolph snack company were honored today by Governor Mitt Romney.

Romney presented the Governor’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award to the President and Co-Founder of Stacy’s Pita Chips, Stacy Madison. The Governor’s Inner City Investment Award went to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of City Lights Electrical, Maryanne Cataldo.

Both awards, which are presented monthly, are part of Romney’s “Jobs First” initiative. The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award recognizes individuals who best demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit that drives the Massachusetts economy and who inspire others to turn their ideas into action. The Inner City Investment Award honors the dedication and hard work of men and women who contribute to the revitalization of the Commonwealth’s cities through business investment and job creation.

“These awards recognize the tremendous talent, ambition and hard work that forge a stronger and more dynamic economy,” said Romney. “The business leaders we honor today show us that perseverance and determination turn dreams into success stories.”

Stacy’s Pita Chips is a healthy snack food company that grew out of a strategy to keep hungry office workers happy while waiting in line at a sandwich cart located in Downtown Crossing in Boston and operated by Stacy Madison and Mark Andrus. The lines at the cart grew longer each day and, to show their appreciation to their waiting customers, Stacy and Mark would serve homemade pita chips. The free pita chips were an instant sensation.

Customers encouraged Stacy and Mark to start selling the chips to stores and Stacy’s Pita Chips was born. The duo opened a 500-square foot production facility in the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain, which they quickly outgrew, and in 2000 moved to a 50,000-square foot facility in Randolph. Today, Stacy’s Pita Chips are sold in 35 states and the company employs 85 people.

“The state of Massachusetts has always been supportive as we’ve grown this company,” said Madison. “Its colleges, universities, banks and government funding have all been part of helping us grow and expand. Plus it’s our home!”

The Inner City Investment Award recipient, City Lights of Boston, is a high-growth, full-service electrical construction and maintenance firm specializing in commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. City Lights was founded in 1989 by Maryanne Cataldo, a master electrician with 20 years of construction management and field experience.

Cataldo’s philosophy is to combine education with experience to forge a strong team. City Lights employees 200 workers and grew from revenues of $250,000 in Fiscal Year 1989 to $48 million in Fiscal Year 2003.

In 2002, City Lights was awarded a contract to upgrade baggage handling security at Logan Airport. They have also completed projects for State Street Bank, CitiStreet, Harvard University, Omni Parker House, Hale and Dorr Law Offices and Batterymarch Park. Last year, City Lights ranked 85th nationally in the Inc. Magazine InnerCity 100, and Maryanne Cataldo was the Massachusetts Small Business Association Entrepreneurial Success Award winner for 2003.

“Through City Lights Electrical Company, I am pleased to be able to give back to the next generation in the community the opportunity that was given to me,” said Cataldo. “We have now expanded to other states and have a high tech subsidiary, Intelligent Systems. However, our base will always be Boston, Massachusetts.”

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