Basso of Alcott HR named honoree of CN Guidance & Counseling Services' Taste of Hope Gala

Hicksville, NY Louis Basso, president and co-founder of Alcott HR, a leading nationwide provider of Human Resources Outsourcing (HRO) services, was the honoree of the first annual “Taste of Hope” Gala to benefit CN Guidance & Counseling Services, Inc. CN Guidance & Counseling Services is a nonprofit organization providing clinical treatment, rehabilitation, housing opportunities, social and support services, counseling and guidance to individuals, families and the community affected by mental illness, developmental disabilities, psychological difficulties, addiction and/or chemical dependency problems. The Taste of Hope Gala was held on September 17th, 2015 at The Shelter Rock Gallery and Patio of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation (Manhasset, NY) and featured tastings from some of Long Island’s premier restaurants and bakeries, wines and brews, along with a raffle and silent auction for great gifts, fine wines and brews. “Due to the stigma that is associated with mental illness and substance abuse, it is often difficult to find champions for our cause,” said Jeffrey Friedman, CEO of CN Guidance & Counseling Services. “Sometimes the attitude we encounter is, ‘that’s somebody else’s problem,’ or ‘let somebody else solve it.’ But that’s not who Lou is. Lou refuses to sit on the sideline and let good people in our community suffer. He’s given his time, he’s made significant financial contributions to our agency, and he’s connected us to resources that previously weren’t attainable.” Basso has been a longtime supporter for CN Guidance & Counseling Services. His company has consistently served as a sponsor of its annual Runday and Golf outings; events in which Basso has personally participated and encouraged his employees and business associates to also do so. In addition, he is an active supporter of other organizations including Long Island Cares, the American Heart Association, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for which, Basso, a competitive tri-athlete, has participated in its “Team in Training” fundraising campaign, serving as a Mentor Captain and Coach. He and his wife, Diane, have personally raised thousands of dollars on behalf of the Society. In addition to his community service, Basso is a well-respected business leader who has received national recognition for his advocacy on behalf of small businesses. He is the recipient of the National Federation of Independent Business’ “Small Business Advocate of the Year Award” as well as its “Small Business Champion Award”. He was one of the first inductees into the New York State Business Hall of Fame, and has been a finalist in the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award. This year, he was named one of Long Island Business News’ “Outstanding CEOs.” Basso has also been a strong leader of the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry. He serves as the Leadership Chair of the New York State Leadership Council of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), and is a past president and vice president of NAPEO, and past Chairman of NAPEO’s Federal Government Affairs Committee. He is also a past president of the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (E.S.A.C.), the accrediting organization for PEOs. Another important achievement of Basso’s was his appointment by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to serve on the Long Island Regional Advisory Committee for the New York State Health Benefit Exchange which was established pursuant to the federal Affordable Care Act.