Executive Committee

The Executive Committee develops strategy and implements the policies of the Board of Directors.  An active body, the Executive Committee consists of business and community leaders throughout the county representing different industries and a diverse set of experiences.  Their leadership has enabled the Chamber to achieve consistent and sustainable growth.

The Board of Directors acts as our governing body and provides the structure behind Chamber initiatives, committees and councils as well as considers and implements policy and operational recommendations made by our Executive Committee.  Our Board of Directors represents a cross section of business interests as well as geographic areas in Middlesex  County.

Chairman
Bob Fusari- Real Estate Service of Connecticut

The Committee meets on the fourth Friday of each month, at 11:00 AM, in the Chamber Conference Room.  The next meeting of the Affordable Housing Committee is on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 11:00 AM in the Chamber Conference Room. 

The Chamber’s Affordable Housing Committee has continued to spread the message that there is simply not enough Affordable Housing in the state of Connecticut and that this should be of great concern to the business community.  Our state has the grim distinction of leading the nation in the loss of people age 20-35.  More and more Connecticut businesses are having a difficult time filling key positions because employees or prospective employees cannot afford to live in close proximity to the job.  The cities and towns of the county are having an increasingly difficult time finding volunteers to staff critical elements of any municipality such as volunteer Fire Departments and Ambulance Corps.  Part of this committee’s charge is to make sure that the elected and appointed officials who represent Connecticut understand these important points. 

The committee has recently collaborated with other stakeholders to continue to link the business community with important housing issues.  The committee’s signature event, a Special Luncheon on Housing featuring US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, was held at The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station in Haddam on April 8, 2011.  This event was sponsored by Liberty Bank and was a great success.  Landing a member of the President’s cabinet, and the point person on all housing policy in the United States; shows just how effective this committee is.  The Affordable Housing Committee will continue to work hard on this critical issue.

The Affordable Housing Committee has been focusing recently on working with state officials who have direct involvement with the development of housing in Connecticut.  The September meeting featured Bob Scully, Supervising Sanitary Engineer in the Environmental Engineering Program at the CT. Department of Public Health.  Bob is considered an expert in on site wastewater systems and their relationship to development.  The October meeting featured Michael Hart, Supervising Sanitary Engineer in the Water Permitting and Enforcement Division at the CT. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 

The committee is currently looking ahead to the rest of 2012 and beyond and is considering a number of new initiatives.   Please check back for updates. 

DOT Arrigoni Bridge Website  

Chairman
Larry McHugh - Chamber President

Sub-Committee Chairmen
Robert Shea - Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management, Town of Portland
Gary Ouellette - Fire Chief, City of Middletown

Please review the agenda for the next Arrigoni Bridge Sub-Committee meeting on March 2nd at 9:30 a.m.

The Arrigoni Bridge Committee was established to provide a more formal communication channel between local elected officials, the Department of Transportation and the business community. Initially the meetings focused on safety issues and how to address situations where an accident has occurred. Establishing a traffic alert system for the public, the dissemination of alternative routes and improving responses have been some of the positive results of this committee.

Now the committee has been reactivated due to the impending bridge repair and rehabilitation project planned by the Department of Transportation.  DOT is developing the specifications and Request for Proposal documents and would like to start the project in the late spring/early summer. 

Bridge project.  Rest assured we will be vigilant in our attempts to mitigate any disruptions these repairs will cause.  We anticipate that the Arrigoni Bridge Committee will remain active until the completion of the project.   

Chairmen
Rich Jukonski - Jukonski Auto Sales, Ltd.
Michael Turner, Portland Automotive

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Automotive Council, led by co-chairs Rich Jukonski and Michael Turner, welcomed Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner Melody Currey to its meeting on Tuesday, July 26 at Cantina Restaurant in Middletown.

Commissioner Currey presented the committee with an overview of the state of the DMV and outlined the recent cuts to the department.  Of those, she detailed the consolidation of DMV centers across the state. 

The Commissioner concluded by taking questions from the committee.

Photo:  Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Melody Currey (center) addresses the Middlesex Chamber’s Automotive Council on July 26 at Cantina Restaurant in Middletown.

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce began an Automotive Council in 1987 to promote good business and trade among the automotive industry in Middlesex County. Over the past 20 years, the council has worked hard to bring hot issues and current trends to the table for discussion and resolution. The Council has addressed many issues that have helped local businesses in this very important business cluster. Through the years, the chamber and council have maintained a friendship with the Department of Motor Vehicles, which allows our members a great avenue to use when questions or problems arise. Michael Turner, Portland Automotive, and Rich Jukonski, Jukonski Truck Sales Ltd., have been outstanding leaders of the council and instrumental in its success.

Chairman
Thomas Serra

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council will develop and encourage partnerships between member businesses and educational leaders to provide services and opportunities that assist our schools in producing responsible and productive citizens for our global economy.

The Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council meets on the second Wednesday of the month during the school year.  Please review the meeting notice for their next meeting on January 11, 2012.

2012 HIGH SCHOOL CAREER FAIR EXPO
Thursday, April 26, 2012   Wesleyan University, Middletown

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council in partnership with the Middlesex Consortium of Schools and Wesleyan University will present the 2012 High School Career Fair Expo on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at Wesleyan University, Middletown. 

The Career Fair Expo has become an annual event at Wesleyan University where Business and Career Professionals from all over Connecticut come to meet with over 1300 students from Middlesex County, New London and Norwich high schools, to present and share their career experiences, giving the students an excellent opportunity to explore potential careers, so that they may better plan their future educational goals. 

To participate, please confirm your reservation of table space at 2012 HIGH SCHOOL CAREER FAIR EXPO by completing and returning the Confirmation Form by Friday, February 10, 2012.  Contact: jennifer@middlesexchamber.com.

For Photographs of 2011 Career Expo: http://www.dekinephoto.zenfolio.com.

Car Cruise Committee

The Car Cruise Committee plans and administers the Annual Cruise Night on Main Street. They help coordinate the registration of vintage cars, communications with downtown restaurants, signing up vendors, musical acts and establish areas for family oriented games. Their work provides a fun-filled evening of entertainment for people of all ages.

Co-Chairs
Matt Pugliese – Oddfellows Playhouse
Pamela Steele – Pamela Roose Specialty Handknits

Meetings occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 12 noon or 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at Middlesex Chamber.  There are no meetings in July and August.

The next meeting will be held at the Middlesex Chamber on Thursday, January 12, 2012, from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.   Please review the meeting notice for more information. 

Creative Juice is a council that brings together interested artists, arts organizations and related businesses within the Chamber to sustain and expand the creative economy of the region.  Creative Juice  provides advocacy on the impact of the arts, stimulates alliances with the greater business community and builds capacity of our members through professional development programs.  This is the Arts & Creative Industries Council of Middlesex Chamber, better known as Creative Juice, the intersection of creativity and commerce!

Distinguished Citizens Committee

Each year the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce presents the Distinguished Citizen Award to one or more individuals who "have served as an inspiration to others and is recognized by the Middlesex community as having unselfishly given his or her time and talent to produce a lasting benefit to the area." The committee which consists of past distinguished citizens makes its selection from a list of nominees made by Chamber members.

Co-Chairmen
George Smilas – Bennett & Smilas Engineering
Andrew Lord – Murtha Cullina LLP

The Committee meets on the first Wednesday of the Month at the Chamber at 8:00 a.m., except for July.

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, February 1st from 8:00-9:00 a.m. at the Chamber.  Please review the agenda for more information.

The mission of the Chamber's Environment, Land Use and Energy Committee is to help create more successful processes and decisions through the education of the Chamber's members. In general, the Committee serves as a resource to the Chamber and its members for information and insight on environmental, land use and energy topics and projects, coordinate with other Chamber committees to receive and disseminate information and monitor regional developments and monitors legislative and administrative initiatives in the environmental, land use and energy areas.

The Committee did not meet in November because of the impacts of the Fall storm. 

The Committee met on September 7th at the Chamber.  The meeting focused on the Chamber's Affordable Housing Committee meeting on September 23rd where they will be hosting Bob Scully, Supervisory Sanitary Engineer, Department of Public Health.  Some of the issues covered included the delineation between DPH and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as far as who has oversight over particular systems based on gallonage and the interpretation of regulations.  We ended the meeting discussing the impact of Tropical Storm Irene on business and the future of distributed generation of energy.  The Committee concluded that they would like to bring in a speaker for November to discuss this issue.

At our August 3rd meeting, the Committee hosted Dan Morley and David LeVasseur from the Office of Policy and Management who gave a presentation on the State Plan of Conservation and Development and its relationship with local plans of C&D.  Mr. Morley, Policy Development Coordinator and Mr. LeVasseur, Undersecretary of Municipal Affairs, have been meeting with various groups to discuss the State Plan of C&D and how it will be utilized in the future.  Members were pleased with the approach the agency is taking, such as making the State Plan of C&D a locally driven product and providing mechanisms to remedy disputes between various entities.  The State officials concluded the meeting by offering to meet with us at a later date on specific issues.

Chairmen
Brian Armet – Mattabassett District
Pamela Luchka – Marlborough Health Care Center Inc.

Meetings occur following the Member Breakfast Meetings at the Crowne Plaza at 9:15 a.m. and the next meeting will be held on April 23, 2012

The Expo Committee meets monthly year round to plan one of Middlesex County's premier events. Transitioning to a business to business format, the Expo provides an opportunity for people in the community to join together with family and friends in discovering the goods and services offered by over 119 businesses throughout Middlesex County.

For over a quarter of a century, this fall tradition continuously grows as some of the finest names in the business will be present.  Expo 2012 will be held on Tuesday, October 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by our featured Executive Evening Event from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.  at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell in Cromwell.

If you would like more information about Expo 2012 or to participate on the committee, please contact Johanna Bond.

Family Owned Business Council

Chaired by Ray Bourret and Jerry Margolis, the mission of the Family Owned Business Council is to help family businesses keep harmony through education in an unbiased, thought provoking setting. The long-term success of a family business from generation to generation is rooted in the development of competent leaders for the future. The best family business transitions that sustain value from generation to generation are developed through open communication and ongoing dialogue within the entire family. This council is an excellent resource to our members who will be passing the baton to the next generation. It is a place to discuss ideas, come up with strategies, and deal with issues related to balancing family and business management.

Chamber Golf Tournament Will Be Held On Friday, May 4, 2012

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament is the premier golf outing of the County. Now in its 29th year, the Chamber's Golf Tournament is known for its outstanding golf, good cheer, great food and generous gifts. The success of this event is due in part to the tremendous golf committee. Their steadfast commitment to the tournament and the Chamber is unsurpassed. The Golf Tournament proceeds support many educational programs and the Lorraine C. McHugh scholarship given annually at our Annual Dinner.

The next meeting of the Golf Committee will be held on Thursday, March 1st at 5:00 p.m. at Luce Restaurant.  If you would like more information about this committee or the tournament, please contact Johanna Bond.

Chairman
Anthony Assante – Egidio Assante Wealth Management LLC

Meetings occur on the second Thursday every other month at 7:30 a.m.  The next meeting will be held at the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce on February 9th at 7:30 a.m.  Please review the meeting agenda for more information.

The council's mission is to develop lines of communication between the business and health care community. The dialogue is designed to gain a better understanding of the different constituency groups and in the process, the council will explore solutions to particular issues resulting in a more efficient, high quality and cost effective health care system.

Throughout the past several years, the council has created several exciting programs and initiatives. With the help of many dedicated business and health care representatives under the leadership of Anthony Assante and Jim Cama, the council strives to bring the tough issues to the table for discussion. 

In March, Frances Padilla and Jill Zorn, Universal Health Care Foundation, spoke to members about The Sustinet Health Plan (Connecticut Public Act 09-148) which is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization dedicated to achieving a quality health care system that is affordable and available for everyone in the state. The Foundation believes that health care is a fundamental right. It views its work as part of a larger vision of social and economic justice for all.

One of our initiatives is to publish an on-line newsletter focusing on different aspects of the Council and health care in general.  We plan on releasing them periodically and encourage you to check back to get the latest news and activities of the Health Care Council. 

Please check out our archived July 2010 Health Care newsletter and feel free to offer comments or share it with others.

This council is a closed council, if you would like more information on how you can get involved, please contact Johanna Bond.

Holiday on Main Street Committee

Holiday On Main Street is a Downtown Middletown event that began in 1985 when the trees on Main Street were decorated with white lights and there were some events on the Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Over the years, this event has grown to include the Lighting of the Tree on the South Green, followed by a Parade to the Middlesex Chamber to light the tree on the roof on Friday evening, the day after Thanksgiving, with many events throughout the day and night; and continues on four Saturdays before Christmas. There are Free Hayrides and Santa is at every event, as well as Free Rides at various times on the Fun Train and the Horse & Carriage. Main Street is decorated with pre-lit wreaths and garlands hung across the street for a festive atmosphere that can be enjoyed day and night!

Hotel & Restaurant Council

This council meets monthly to discuss current legislative and economic issues that affect the industry. Guest speakers include representatives from tourism, area hotels, restaurants and area attractions.

Human Resource Council

The Human Resource Council was newly formed in 2008. The objectives of the council are to organize educational programs designed to keep human resource professionals and business owners abreast of current developments in their field. The council also provides networking opportunities for the interchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences. Under the leadership of Chair Carol DuPlessis and Vice Chair Laura Pedersen, the Council has already grown to over 50 attendees at the monthly meetings.

Insurance Committee

The Insurance Committee has recently met to address many issues that affect the rising costs of health insurance. The Committee took action against some pending legislation that could have widespread negative effects on all businesses. In addition to taking a stance against certain legislation, the group seeks to be an informational support group for the Chamber's member agents. By providing resources that cover many of the new, innovative plans, the Insurance Committee looks forward to a lasting contribution to the agent community.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 15th a.m. located at the Chamber with featured speaker Ken Sklodsky, Sneior Market Manager, Simsbury Bank, to discuss HSA enrollment.

Co-Chairmen
Rich Carella-Updike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C. 
Rick Parmelee-Blum Shapiro

The Committee meets on the fourth Friday of each month, at 8:00 AM, in the Chamber Conference Room. 

The Chamber’s Legislative Committee works very hard to make sure that the Chamber’s voice is being heard in the capital city of Hartford.  The committee is responsible for creating the Chamber’s Public Policy Agenda on a yearly basis. The committee has recently completed the 2012 version and looks forward to working with members of the General Assembly throughout this legislative session.  Please visit the Public Policy section of the Chamber website to view the agenda and all of the up to date contact information and committee assignments for members of the Middlesex County Legislative Delegation.  Information on members of the General Assembly from the rest of the state can be found at www.cga.ct.gov. 

The Chamber has some major legislative events scheduled in the early part of 2012.  Our Special Legislative Event featuring Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams was held on Thursday February 16, 2012 at the Courtyard by Marriott Cromwell.  This event was sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power and was a great success.  The Annual Legislative Breakfast, featuring the Middlesex County legislative delegation, is scheduled for Friday February 24, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell.  This event will begin at 8:00 AM and is being sponsored by Comcast.  Connecticut Business Day 2012 will be held at the Legislative Office Building on Wednesday February 29th from 7:30 AM until 11:30 AM.  A bus is available for all Chamber members interested in attending this event.  The bus will be departing from the Chamber at 7:00 AM and the Crowne Plaza Cromwell at 7:20 AM.   

Finally, our Special Legislative Event featuring Speaker of the House Chris Donovan is scheduled for Tuesday March 13, 2012 at the Inn at Middletown beginning at 8:00 AM.  This event is being sponsored by Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. 

Any questions or concerns regarding the Chamber's Legislative Committee can be directed to Jeff Pugliese at the Chamber. 

Chairman
Chris DiPentima-Pegasus Manufacturing

The Chamber Manufacturers’ Council seeks to support area manufacturers by organizing educational programs that focus on lean enterprise, load management, successful business models and other critical issues facing the Manufacturing community.  In recent months, the council has held a series of successful meetings at some of the local state of the art manufacturing facilities in Middlesex County. 

The most recent meeting of the Manufacturers’ Council, held on Tuesday December 13^th, was held at Cooper Atkins Corporation in Middlefield.  This meeting featured a breakdown of the manufacturing related provisions of the recently passed Jobs Bill in Connecticut.  There was also a presentation on lean sales generation and a tour of the great facility at Cooper Atkins. 

In September of 2011 the group visited HOLO-KROME in Wallingford.  HOLO-KROME’s Cold-Forging techniques result in socket screws which are more precise, offer greater strength and afford higher fatigue resistance. Holo-Krome products are recognized for their uniformity, and for being virtually free of the bursts, minute cracks, tears and fractures sometimes found in other, inferior products.  The company recently moved into this state of the art facility in Wallingford and members of the Chamber Manufacturers’ Council enjoyed their visit very much. 

June of 2011 brought the council to the Middlesex Community College Precision Machining Institute in Meriden while the group visited Kaman Precision Products in Middletown in April of 2011.  Kaman specializes in the manufacture of arming solutions for defense related industries and its products can be found on many of the U.S. military’s missile and bomb systems. 

The Chamber Manufacturers’ Council will continue to support the Manufacturing community in Middlesex County and around our state. 

The Council meets every other month at different Manufacturing facilities around Middlesex County.  The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 21st at Pegasus Manufacturing in Middletown beginning at 8:00 AM.  The event will include a tour of the state of art facility at Pegasus and will feature a presentation on defining and measuring key indicators for a successful business and establishing visual monitoring of and reactions to these indicators.  Please see the events calendar on the Chamber website for the official notice. 

Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council (MCSAAC)

The Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council is a public / private partnership that was established in 1991 through the sponsorship of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. Its purpose is to reduce the incidence of alcohol and other drug abuse in the fifteen towns of Middlesex County by acting as a catalyst, supporting existing providers and bringing new necessary resources into the region. MCSAAC carries out research, planning, coordinating, grant writing and town-by- town consulting. People from each community in Middlesex County take part in MCSAAC. They include top officials, police chiefs, school superintendents, legislators, community leaders, social and youth service workers, representatives of businesses, religious leaders, recovering substance abusers and concerned citizens. MCSAAC receives funding from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the office of National Drug Control Policy and other public, private and municipal resources.

Chairman
Marc Gallagher-POW R PC, Small Business IT Support

The Council meets every month at a different micro business around Middlesex County.  

A Micro Business is officially defined as any business that has ten or fewer employees.  The Chamber’s Micro Business Council is designed to support these businesses by promoting the sharing of information through social and professional interaction. 

Led by Chairman Marc Gallagher, the council focuses on a wide range of topics including business startup, taxes, insurance, marketing, local planning and zoning, management techniques and human resources.  In the past year, the council has converted its format and now gets together informally at monthly networking receptions called, Meet and Greet the Micro Businesses of Middlesex County. 

These receptions showcase local micro businesses and encourage micro business owners to interact with each other and with the Chamber membership at large.  In recent months, micro business networking receptions were held at Cartridge World in Cromwell on February 21st, in Middletown at Mattabassett Canoe Club at Harbor Park on December 13th, in East Hampton at 70 Main Coffee House (Sponsored by MAD Communications) in November, at Ameriprise Financial Services in Portland in September, at Tea Roses Tea Room in Cromwell in August and at Investigative Partners LLC in Middletown in May.

The council is looking ahead to the rest of 2012 and beyond and is considering a number of new initiatives.  Please check back for updates for future events. 

Co-Chairwomen
Isabel Jackson – The Essex Group
Terresa Long -  LogoRhythms, Inc.

Please review the meeting notice for the February 15, 2012, event.

The Middlesex Businesswomen’s Alliance meets monthly. The Mission of the MBA is to provide challenges and seeks opportunities to educate, enrich and explore issues for women in business. Chairwoman Beth London brought the idea to the forefront because of increased awareness of the desire and need for a Professional Woman’s organization within the Chamber. The Steering Committee has worked hard to plan a speaker series that are both fun and educational.

Motorcycle Mania

Motorcycle Mania is an outstanding event that allows people to let their hair down and bring their ride downtown. For event is great for riders and families alike. Last year over 900 riders came to the downtown Middletown to show off their bikes.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee reviews and recommends nominations for officers of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce and its Board of Directors. Members of the committee are past chairman of the chamber.

Chairman
Harry Burr - Brown & Brown of Ct. Inc. d/b/a McCutcheon Burr & Sons

The Chamber's Prevention Committee continues to build on past efforts to combat substance abuse in the workplace. The CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services awarded a grant to the Chamber to provide services for individual transitioning from treatment into the workforce. The Committee also assists in marketing the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the benefit of our members. This program now covers more than 3,000 employees and works with Solutions EAP and Middlesex Hospital to provide access to counseling, referral and treatment resources for employees on a multitude of issues including bereavement, depression and anger management.

The Prevention Committee continues to address the unique challenges presented by substance abuse in the workplace by holding seminars and panel discussions throughout the year.  The committee’s next seminar is “Reasonable Suspicion: What are My Rights as an Employer?”   This FREE training funded by a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, answers legal questions about drug test and drug-free workplace policy.  Participants will receive a Reasonable Suspicion Training certificate and a drug-free workplace resource kit.

Please review the Reasonable Suspicion flyer for more information.  Register Now!

Chairmen
David Gallitto – Sterling Reatlors
Diane Sayers – William Raveis Real Estate

Meetings occur on the first Thursday of the month at 11:00 a.m.  

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 1st at 11:00 a.m. located in the Middlesex Chamber Board Room.

The Real Estate Council’s mission is to provide opportunities for local real estate professionals to come together for networking, encouraging cooperation, sharing of ideas, to improve business relations through collaboration and educational experiences.

Chairman:  

Phil Cacciola - American Legion Post #75 

The Committee meets on the first Tuesday of the month.  Please review the agenda for more information on the December 6th meeting.

The Sports Events & Conventions Committee works to support and promote the major sporting events in Middlesex County, such as the Travelers Championship and the American Legion Baseball Regionals. The Committee also highlights the athletic successes and achievements of Middlesex County’s resident colleges, universities and high schools as well as the New Britain Rock Cats and works with local hotels to make sure that visiting fans are properly accommodated. Members include representatives from the Middletown Hall of Fame, the print and electronic media, local athletic directors, hotel executives and everyday businesses people.

The Sports Events and Conventions Committee met on May 3, 2011 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell.  The meeting featured two guest speakers:  Director of Athletics John Biddiscombe of Wesleyan University Athletics and former Xavier High School football standout, and current player in the National Football League, Amari Spievey.

Mr. Biddiscombe discussed the brisk activity within the Wesleyan Athletic Department and provided a preview of the many individuals who will be drawn to the County by the many upcoming sport camps at Wesleyan over the summer months; there will be basketball, soccer, wrestling, and lacrosse camps in our around the Freeman Athletic Center to name a few.

Amari Spievey spoke about his first year in the NFL and his experiences at Xavier High School and the University of Iowa, where he played for the school’s NCAA Division I level.  Amari then fielded questions from the committee.  The committee was very excited to welcome him to the meeting.

Taste of Downtown Auction Committee

For over 20 years an auction has been held to raise funds for the Holiday On Main Street Program and is held during Business After Work in the springtime. There is no fee to attend this exciting event (a benefit of membership). A highlight of the event is the "Taste of Downtown." Attendees can sample food from downtown restaurants while networking with other business members. Central Business Bureau members and others donate over 200 items for the live Auction, as well as a Silent Auction, Teacup Auction and a Raffle. This event has an attendance of over 300 people.

Chairman
Marc Gallagher - POWR PC

Next meeting is scheduled for January 18, 2012, at 3:30 p.m.at the Chamber.

The Technology Committee is active again under the leadership of our new chairman, Marc Gallagher of POWR PC.  Technology Committee strives to keep the Chamber in the forefront of technological advances, including the upgrade of our database software and website. Besides these efforts, in recent years the Technology Committee worked with AT&T to deliver high speed internet access to our area. The Committee has also worked to bring "WIFI" to downtown Middletown and will be working on other projects in the future that will be technologically beneficial to the business community of Middlesex County.

The Technology Committee met on September 21.  A prerecorded presentation from Weblink International on the new Mobile Web Application was viewed and discussed.  The Chamber is developing a weekly newsletter that will be emailed to all members each week.  A preview of the format and functionality was presented and well received by committee members.
 
The Chamber recently sent an RFP for IT services to targeted members.  Bid submission deadline is October 7.  The committee will review the submissions at its next meeting on October 19 at 3:30 at the Chamber. 

Co-Chairman
Tom Cheeseman - Middletown Area Transit
T. Gerald Dyar, SFP Associates

The Transportation Council meets on the third Thursday every other month at 10:00 a.m. at the Chamber.

Next meeting:  Thursday, January 19th.  Please review the agenda.

Building upon the foundation of previous efforts, the Council continues to focus its attention on the planned Arrigoni Bridge construction, Route 9 traffic light proposals, the State Transportation Strategy Board initiatives and freight and tourism rail. Our efforts have helped maintain a dialogue with the State Department of Transportation and have provided an opportunity to have a positive impact on the decision-makers in local, State and Federal Government. Priorities of the Council include concentrating on the interrelation of all modes of transportation and the improvements necessary to maintain and improve our infrastructure so that our economy may prosper.

The Transportation Council met on August 18th and discussed the approval of the New Britain to Hartford busway and the subsequent hearings.  The Council reiterated its neutral position on the matter.  During the freight report, the Council emphasized that they would like the rail line reinstalled off of DeKoven drive.  The line was removed for a construction project to repair a pipe.  While it is not being used currently, it is an important link between Pratt & Whitney and Hartford.  Valley Railroad has had a good spring and summer with ridership enhanced by Thomas the Tank and Circus Train weekends.  Finally, the Council continues to monitor the Arrigoni Bridge construction project.  It is going along as scheduled and the communication between the Chamber, public safety and the state has been maintained.
The Transportation Council met on March 17th and discussed the pending decision on the proposed busway from New Britain to Hartford.  It was noted that Governor Dannel Malloy planned to meet with the stakeholders on both sides of the issue.  After hearing each argument, the Governor was going to make a decision as to whether or not he was going to move forward with the project or pursue an alternative plan. Council members discussed both the positives and negatives of each party's argument.  It was decided the Chamber should remain neutral.

During the Tourism Report, members were encouraging Valley Railroad to be more aggressive in combatting the 'Rails to Trails' initiative being promoted by detractors of rail expansion.  It was expressed that Valley Railroad needs to launch a pre-emptive public relations effort to thwart any attempt at converting the rail line to a trail by focusing on the economic development opportunities associated with rehabilitating the line from Haddam to Middletown.

In light of the Arrigoni Bridge construction, a visitor to the Council asked to learn about the potential of utilizing the Swing Bridge from Portland to Middletown for transporting tourists who may want to visit the Brownstone Quarries, which has become a destination for many throughout the state and the region.  Besides this application, members also discussed the feasibility of moving cargo over the bridge to reduce the number of trucks traveling between Portland and Middletown.

The Committee concluded by discussing some of the items being considered by the legislature such as the reinstallation of tolls and the proposed $.03 tax hike on gas.  One of the concerns about the gas tax is that it may go into the General Fund of the legislature.  If the gas tax is imposed, the Council wants it guaranteed to be spent on trnasportation infrastructure improvements.

Chairwoman
Kelly Therrien - Farrell, Guarino and Boccalatte Law Office, Middletown

The Middlesex County Young Professionals' Alliance is a personal and professional development committee that is comprised of young Chamber members looking to make a difference.  The YPA is designed to help young business people interact socially, exchange ideas and interests, and gain an insider's view of the regional business scene.

The Alliance is chaired by Kelly Therrien of Farrell, Guarino and Boccalatte Law Office in Middletown and is comprised of future leaders of our region and our state.  YPA meets on a monthly basis and hosts many special events throughout the year.  Our next event is a March Madness March which will bring the group on a tour of a few of the great establishments on Main Street in Middletown while watching the opening round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.  The group will be meeting at the Chamber for networking and pizza at 5:30 PM.  Please see the events calendar on the Chamber website for the official notice. 

Recent Events:

The first ever Young Professionals' Alliance field trip to see the Connecticut Whale was held on Tuesday February 7th at the XL Center in Hartford.  The group enjoyed a pre-game networking reception at Coach's Sports Tavern in Hartford.  YPA also held a very successful Winter Networking Reception which was sponsored and hosted by our good friends at the Inn at Middletown on Thursday January 19th.  The 2^nd annual YPA Holiday Social was held on Thursday December 8, 2011 at Mattabassett Canoe Club at Harbor Park in Middletown and was a big success.  The event included networking with young professionals from across Middlesex County and featured a holiday toy drive, which netted over 30 donated toys.  The YPA has donated these toys to the City of Middletown’s Park and Recreation Department for use with various youth programs.  On October 18^th of 2011, YPA held a Speed Networking event at TD Bank, Washington Street Middletown, which was a great success which featured over 40 Middlesex County young professionals.  YPA also held an informal networking session at the TPC at River Highlands in September,  its first ever Zip Line and Barbeque Event in July 2011 at EMPOWER Leadership Sports and Adventure in Middletown and its first ever Beer Tasting in May of 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell.  The Zip Line and BBQ Event will be back by popular demand in 2012 is scheduled for June 21st. 

The Middlesex County Young Professionals' Alliance is the premier young professionals organization in Middlesex County.