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www.HartfordBusiness.com November 26, 2012 • Hartford Business Journal 81 Celebrating 20 Years of Business News HONORED those richarD roseNthal Business Person of the Year, 2002 Probably no man has had more of a consistent impact on high- quality dining in the last 20 years in Greater Hartford than Richard Rosenthal, CEO and owner of The Max Restaurant Group, which has eight restaurants and a catering company. His first restaurant was Max on Main, which opened in 1986, and later became Max Downtown, across from the Civic Center. Since then, his restaurant chain has grown to include restaurants in Avon, Glastonbury, Hartford, West Hartford and Springfield, Mass. Rosenthal, a West Hartford native, has used his thriving restaurant group to give back to the community. Over the years, the company's "Max Cares" donations program has raised millions of dollars for a wide variety of national and local Connecti- cut charities by donating items such as exclusive wine dinners, the popular Max Dining Card, and hosting the annual Max's Golf Classic tournaments. elleN rothBerg Remarkable Women, 2005 Health Care Hero, 2010 At the time Ellen Rothberg was honored as a health care hero for community service, the Hartford Business Journal wrote, "As presi- dent and CEO of VNA Health Care Inc., her plate is already full manag- ing 800 employees who provide a range of home care, health care and hospice services in 59 towns in Central Connecticut and the Waterbury area. But when health reform became the cen- terpiece of the Obama adminis- tration's domestic agenda, her frequent flyer account started growing." The challenge, she explained at the time, was educating federal and state legislators and policy makers that there is a delicate balance between Medicare and Med- icaid. Even a minor change in one program can cause some- times unexpected change in the other. All involved must give their utmost attention to every detail, she stressed, as they evaluate health care reform proposals. For Rothberg, the key to her success is simple: "Perseverance," she said. "I don't take no for an answer. I don't understand giving up, but I will accept incremental gains." Michael seaver Business Person of the Year, 1993 Michael Seaver was the first person to be honored by the Hartford Business Journal after it commenced publishing in 1992. Seaver was honored for his work as president of Business for Downtown Hartford. At the time, Seaver owned two res- taurants in the Hartford Civic Center mall: Chuck's Steak House and Margarita's. His livelihood, as well as the other 150 businesses in the group, was dependent on crowds com- ing to the Civic Center. That's one of the reasons he pushed for Hartford hav- ing a team in the Continental Basketball Association, then a professional basketball minor league. The games brought more people into Hartford. Beth shluger Women in Business, 2012 The pounding of thousands of pairs of feet around Greater Hart- ford every October is the result of the efforts of Beth Shluger, execu- tive director of the Hartford Marathon Foundation. As observed early this year when she won her award, "More than 15 years ago, Beth Shluger managed to do what few people are able to accomplish. She turned her avocation — running and participating in triathlons — into a vocation." In the early 1990s, Hartford hosted its first triathlon and the out-of- town promoter hired Shluger to manage the event, according her profile in the Hartford Busi- ness Journal. When the entity that promoted the event went out of business a couple of years later, Shluger picked up the ball, founding the Glaston- bury-based Hartford Marathon Foundation and organizing its first marathon in 1994. The first year drew 352 run- ners. Last year, 14,000 people ran in the marathon — now called the ING Hartford Mara- thon in recognition of its pri- mary sponsor — and other shorter races for people of all ages held on a single fall weekend. In addition to the organization's signature event, the Hartford Marathon Foundation has grown to include some 50 different pro- grams for adults and children, including about 30 athletic events held in every corner of Connecticut throughout the year. Prior to joining the Marathon Foundation, Shluger was executive director of the Hartford Restaurant Association. French cooking is now her avocation. JeNNiFer sMith turNer Women in Business, 2010 At the time she was heralded as one of the leading Women in Busi- ness in 2010, Jennifer Smith Turner was CEO of Girl Scouts of Con- necticut. She retired from that position this past spring, capping off a career of nearly 40 years in public service and nonprofit work. Smith Turner was the first CEO of Girl Scouts of Con- necticut when appointed in 2007. It was created through the realignment of five area councils and serves more than 55,000 girls and 20,000 adult volunteers in the state. She came to the Girl Scouts from Smith & Associates LLC, a management consulting company that specializes in assisting organizations in achieving their strategic and operational potential. In 2004, she was appointed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell as deputy commissioner for the Department of Economic and Community Development. Smith Turner is a part president of the board of The Hartford Stage, where she has been a long time board member. She has served as a trustee of Union College and as a regent at the University of Hart- ford where she sat on the strategic plan and executive committees. She was also appointed to the board of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Jennifer Smith Turner was the first CEO of Girl Scouts of Connecticut when appointed in 2007. Hartford Business Journal, 2010