Gary Thurston, Chairman and CEO of the Hayner Hoyt Corporation has been honored as a 2014 Legacy Award winner from the Central New York Business Journal.

This award recognizes organizational leaders who have built businesses and nurtured the community through their generosity of time, financial support and dedication.

Gary has demonstrated a consistent commitment to Central New York throughout his career in many capacities.  As the CEO of Hayner Hoyt he has cultivated and mentored countless individuals to develop their careers and personal aspirations.  He also spent time as a professor of Construction Management at Utica College, teaching his visionary leadership style and skillset to students over the last three decades.  Gary’s philanthropic efforts, while often humbly understated, have touched the lives of hundreds of people throughout the region.  From the many projects he leads at the Salvation Army, to giving his time to several non-profit boards, to significant financial support of libraries, schools and programs, Gary’s unpretentious generosity has impacted his neighbors in a way that cannot be quantified.

Gary’s greatest accomplishment, however, is demonstrated as the patriarch of the incredible family he has raised.  His five sons and eight grandchildren are the embodiment of the ideals and principles that he has imparted throughout the years.  Their successes are the true testament to his legacy.