Hozio named a finalist at the 2026 HIA-LI Business Distinction Awards

HOLBROOK, N.Y., Oct. 1, 2026: Hozio was named one of five Small Business finalists at the 2026 HIA-LI Business Distinction Awards, chosen by a panel of CEO judges.

The Small Business category recognizes Long Island companies with fewer than 100 employees. This year’s awards were the 32nd annual edition, run by HIA-LI.

Co-founders Steve Orandello and John Bosco joined the Hozio team at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury on September 29, where Steve accepted the finalist certificate on stage.

Play the Hozio recap video from the HIA-LI Long Island Business Distinction Awards — Hozio at the 2026 HIA-LI Business Distinction Awards.

How HIA-LI picks its Business Distinction Awards finalists

Finalists earn their spot. Companies apply, a panel of CEO judges reviews every application, and HIA-LI interviews each finalist before announcing the recipients.

“Our process is remarkably different than most award ceremonies.”
Terri Alessi-Miceli, President and CEO, HIA-LI

The judges look at industry leadership, business performance, vision, innovation, how a company treats its people, what it does for its community, and how it’s come through hard times.

HIA-LI has represented the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge for 48 years. That’s about 1,300 companies and more than 55,000 employees.

How Hozio measures up to the HIA-LI criteria

HIA-LI’s criteria read a lot like the things Hozio was built on.

Getting through hard times. John and Steve started Hozio in 2009, as the mortgage industry they came from was collapsing. They’d learned online lead generation there and saw it could work for any local business.
Business performance. Hozio has grown without outside funding, served 1,500+ businesses since 2009, and earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies.
How it treats its people. Hozio’s 70-person team works with clear expectations and real ownership, not micromanagement.
Community. In recent months, Hozio donated to Homeless Long Island to support local veterans. Weeks later, the team gave 500 pounds of warm clothing to unhoused Long Islanders.
Innovation. Hozio built AI search into a dedicated service that helps businesses show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. It also built its own AI tools to produce content faster.

“This recognition belongs to our team, and to every business that’s trusted us over the last 17 years.”
Steve Orandello, COO and co-founder, Hozio

Inside the 32nd annual Long Island Business Distinction Awards

The ceremony brought 33 finalists in five categories to Crest Hollow on September 29, from micro businesses and first-year companies to not-for-profits and large employers.

The Hozio team at the 2026 HIA-LI Business Distinction Awards at Crest Hollow Country Club — The Hozio team at the awards, from left: Madonna Getchell (Senior Social Strategist); Richard Devoti (SEO Administrative Lead); Matthew Ross (Director of Operations); John Bosco (CEO); Steve Orandello (COO); Cooper Sanquini (Client Success Manager); Kyle Yaeger (Business Development Manager).

Meet the Hozio team →

Congratulations to the 2026 HIA-LI finalists

Hozio’s fellow Small Business finalists were Career & Employment Options, Executive Alliance Staffing Solutions, Harrow International School New York, and National EAP.

Congratulations to every finalist and recipient, and thank you to HIA-LI for a day that puts Long Island business in the spotlight.

It follows Hozio’s booth at the 38th Annual HIA-LI Trade Show in May. See the rest of Hozio’s recognition on its awards and partners page.

ABOUT HOZIO

Hozio is Long Island’s #1 SEO Advertising Agency. Hozio is the best digital marketing agency on Long Island with various types of clients, from lawyers to landscapers to interior designers and construction contractors. Located in Holbrook, New York, Hozio understands Long Island businesses and companies, which gives them the edge in determining the greatest SEO strategy for an individual business. As a digital marketing agency focused on gaining attention for their clients, Hozio focuses on various key strategies to help local businesses get more attention in their local area, including Google Ads, Social Media Management, and Web Design.

To learn more about Hozio, please visit Hozio.com.

Hozio

Lindsay Press

631-750-6295

lpress@hozio.com

Release Date: October 1, 2026