Dr. Jonathan Bayuk Honored with Continued Excellence Award

SPRINGFIELD — Impressing a panel of judges as a committed, widely recognized advocate for families dealing with food allergies, as well as with his broader work in the field of allergy and immunology, Dr. Jonathan Bayuk won the second annual Continued Excellence Award at this month’s 40 Under Forty gala presented by BusinessWest, HCN’s sister publication.
BusinessWest launched the Continued Excellence Award last year to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who have built on the initial business success and civic commitment that earned them that honor.
When Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center, was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008, he had created the Western Mass. Food Allergy Network and served on the boards of the New England Allergy Society and the Mass. Allergy and Asthma Society (he is currently president-elect of both), as well as maintaining his successful practice.
But he has since dedicated a tremendous amount of time and philanthropic support to other causes as well, including Homeward Vets, an organization that helps homeless veterans transition to self-sufficiency, and Team Henry, a group that promotes childhood wellness through exercise and nutrition. He also continues to coach several sports, serve on the board of Northampton Little League, teach medical students and residents, and organize events to help the region’s homeless.
“There were a number of excellent nominations for this year’s Continued Excellence Award,” said George O’Brien, editor of BusinessWest and HCN. “The judges could have picked any of these finalists, but they were obviously impressed with Dr. Bayuk’s work professionally, and within the community, since he was named a 40 Under Forty winner. His selection for this award speaks to the importance of healthcare to this region’s economy and Dr. Bayuk’s ability to grow his business and make a difference in this region.”
A panel of three independent judges — James Barrett, managing partner of Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT and last year’s Continued Excellence Award winner; and Janine Fondon, president and CEO of UnityFirst.com — considered dozens of submitted nominations and scored each one, narrowing the field to eight finalists. They then chose Bayuk as this year’s winner. The other seven finalists included:
• Michael Fenton (40 Under Forty class of 2012), Springfield City Council president and an associate at Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, P.C.;
• Jeff Fialky (class of 2008), partner at Bacon Wilson and former chair of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce;
• Dena Hall (class of 2007), Western Mass. regional president of United Bank and president of the United Bank Foundation for Massachusetts and Connecticut;
• Amanda Huston Garcia (class of 2010), director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Elms College;
• Amy Jamrog (class of 2007), wealth management advisor with Northwestern Mutual and owner of the Jamrog Group;
• Alex Morse (class of 2014), third-term mayor of Holyoke; and
• Meghan Rothschild (class of 2011), co-founder of chikmedia and marketing and PR manager with the Melanoma Foundation of New England.