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Marketing Agency Founders Chosen as Salute to Excellence Award Winners

November 19, 2025

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – November 19, 2025 – The Monroe Community College Foundation awarded its highest honor—the Salute to Excellence Award—to Lauren Dixon and Mike Schwabl for their more than 15 years of support to Monroe Community College. Among their many contributions to MCC, Mike Schwabl established the Lauren Dixon Marketing and Business Endowed Scholarship to honor his wife and partner. Lauren and Mike’s inaugural support of the STAR Power Giving Initiative, a scholarship that supports primary caregivers of a minor child who are head of household, and their ongoing leadership in organizing the Gold Star Gala each year—an event that motivates others to get involved and enjoy supporting MCC students—showcase their dedication to MCC.

“I am incredibly humbled and grateful to my fellow board members and everyone at the MCC Foundation for this honor,” said Lauren Dixon, board chair at Dixon Schwabl + Company and MCC Foundation director. “It has been my absolute pleasure to play a part in helping students realize their dreams by providing support that can help eliminate barriers to their success.”

“This community helped us build a successful business, and we try to give back as much as we can to show our gratitude,” said Mike Schwabl, vice chair of the board at Dixon Schwabl + Company. “I want to thank the MCC Foundation for this recognition and for allowing us to contribute to the success of the College.”

Lauren founded DS+CO, a certified Women Business Enterprise, in 1987. Recognized by Great Place to Work as the #1 marketing firm to work for in the country twice, DS+CO has made the list of the Best Small Companies to Work For for 15 years straight. Lauren is a Rochester Small Business Person of the Year, a member of the Rochester Business Hall of Fame, and has received the ATHENA Award and Gaudette Community Award. She was also honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for community leadership. Besides serving on the MCC Foundation board since 2009, she has been on the boards of United Way of Greater Rochester, United Way Women’s Leadership Council, Thompson Health Foundation, Greater Rochester Enterprise, CMAC, and the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.

Mike is passionate about helping people and businesses succeed and has contributed to growing DS+CO into the agency it is today. He believes in using his time and resources to support others and give back to his community. His involvement is extensive, including MCC, United Way of Greater Rochester, Daystar Kids, Rochester Hope, Notre Dame Retreat House, St. Mary’s School in Canandaigua, and Our Lady of Mercy School for Girls.

“Lauren and Mike are examples for all of us of what it truly means to give back to those who helped them achieve success,” said Martin K. Birmingham, president and CEO, Five Star Bank, and chair, MCC Foundation Board of Directors. “Their decades of philanthropy in the Rochester region, particularly to MCC, demonstrate their commitment to the future success of our community by investing in the education of its residents.”

“Together, Lauren and Mike create opportunities for others to make a difference—funding initiatives that support youth, education, and social services across the Rochester region,” said Gretchen Wood, CFRE, vice president, Institutional Advancement and executive director of MCC Foundation. “At MCC, they are key in building momentum through their support of students, whether inspiring the next generation of leaders in advertising and marketing or helping primary caregivers who are heads of household stay in school to finish their educational journeys.”

The MCC Foundation also recognized Scott M. Kogler, CPA, PFS, president of Davie Kaplan CPA, P.C., with the Salute to Volunteerism award. Kogler has dedicated 22 years to the MCC Foundation Board of Directors, consistently offering his time, insights, and leadership in ways that truly strengthen our work. The MCC Foundation created the Salute to Volunteerism award in 1996 to honor individuals who generously give their time, talent, and resources to the MCC Foundation. The Salute to Volunteerism has been awarded only eight times (prior to this year) in the Foundation’s 42-year history.

Along with the Salute to Excellence award, four MCC alumni were inducted into the MCC Alumni Hall of Fame during the event. These inductees have distinguished themselves professionally, shown service to MCC, and offered leadership in our community.

  • Emad H. Kadhim ’13, owner and president, Roc Industrial LLC
  • Ebony T. Miller ’98, MBA, director, Center for Urban Entrepreneurship, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Kevin S. Salva ’84, president emeritus, Zweigle’s Inc.
  • Stephanie E. Von Bacho ’88, EdD, MSEd, MS, RN, NEA-BC, senior director, Learning and Development, University of Rochester/University of Rochester Medical Center/UR Medicine

Faheem A. Masood, president and CEO, ESL Federal Credit Union, served as the Salute to Excellence Honorary Chair. Michael A. Krupnicki, founder and executive director of the Rochester Arc + Flame Center, and Richard A. Reingold, vice president and general manager of WHEC-TV, served as committee chairs.

The Monroe Community College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit organization. Funds raised from events support scholarship assistance, faculty enrichment programs, educational equipment funding, and seed money for innovative programs.

 

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