The new year is officially upon us, but for Gary Perone 2017 was a year to remember. Perone, the assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Cyclones, was named the Italian American baseball executive of the year by the Italian American Baseball Foundation.

"I was humbled and grateful," said the Tottenville resident Perone. "Very humbling because when you work the way I've worked all these year's it's just really nice. Sometimes you sit back and you look at the people who chose you to be honored and it's pretty amazing. Especially being honored alongside Bobby Valentine."