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Coach Kevin Gilbride and Upcoming Events |
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Monday, 12 May 2008 |
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Spring is in the air and the sun has been shining in Middlesex County! As we find ourselves in the month of May, we are looking forward to some great events coming up.
Today we welcome New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Coach Kevin Gilbride as our breakfast speaker. We have over 600 people in attendance this morning, all of whom are excited to hear Coach Gilbride speak.
A truly talented coach, Coach Gilbride has an impressive background and track record that showcases what an outstanding leader he is, not to mention he helped lead his team to become Super Bowl Champions this past February!
Prior to becoming the Offensive Coordinator for the New York Giants in 2007, Coach Gilbride was the New York Giants Quarterback Coach from 2004 - 2006. His past career titles include Outside Linebacker Coach for Idaho State University, Linebacker Coach for Tufts University, Defensive Coordinator for American International College, Head Football Coach for Southern Connecticut State University, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks and Receiver Coach for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Offensive, Passing Game and Kicking Game Coordinator for East Carolina University, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator for the Houston Oilers, Offensive Coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers, Offensive Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Offensive Coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.
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Monday, 05 May 2008 |
In the business world, as in life itself, education is the key to sustaining growth. One of the main goals of the Chamber is to educate members on small business topics.
Providing top-notch programs on a wide range of topics at a reasonable cost to our members has always been one of the main goals of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. I am very pleased to see that our Seminar Series has evolved into one of those programs.
The Chamber would like to thank all its members for their continued support of our Monthly Small Business Seminar Series. The response to topics presented has been very positive, with most seminars being sold out and in some cases a second session being added. Because of the large interest in professional development programs, our latest trend has been to hold two or more workshops within the same month as the occasion arises. Some of our popular topics have included Negotiation, Public Speaking, Time Management, Networking, Wage and Hour Laws, Management, Conflict in the Workplace, Marketing and Sales, and Employment Law, just to name a few.
And due to the hard work of the members of our Real Estate and Insurance committees, the Chamber now offers several CEU programs for Real Estate and Insurance professionals throughout the year.
Small businesses make up a large part of our economy and the success of those small businesses is vital to the health of our region. The Chamber’s seminars place a high value on learning and training within the small business community and allow small businesses to take control of professional development training for their employees. And because the Chamber has been able to maintain affordable prices for our seminars, employers of all sizes have been able to take advantage of this tremendous learning opportunity.
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Monday, 28 April 2008 |
Young people in Middlesex County are priceless. In a time when Connecticut is losing so many of its young people because of the high cost of living, Middlesex County continues to put forth a real effort to help guide our students so they can find a successful future right here at home.
The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Education Advisory Council and the Middlesex Consortium of Schools has been very busy this year planning the Third Annual Career EXPO for high school students in Middlesex County. Last year, the fair was a tremendous success and was thoroughly enjoyed by the students and the presenters alike.
I am pleased to announce that the 2008 Career EXPO will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at the Wesleyan University Ice Rink between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Last year, the fair hosted over 600 students from Cromwell, Middletown, Durham, Middlefield, Portland, and East Hampton. This year, over 800 students are expected to attend, including those from the communities of Haddam, Killingworth, Chester, Deep River, and Essex.
Over 100 career professionals will be on hand to share career experiences with the students. This event provides our high school students with an invaluable opportunity to explore potential careers so that they may better plan their educational goals. The expertise of business and community leaders is so important in connecting academics with the skills required in the workplace.
Students are assigned to visit with at least three separate presenters and document the information that they were able to gather from their conversations with the presenters they chose to visit. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to talk with various business people regarding professions, descriptions of responsibilities, training and education needed, average salaries, and advancement opportunities. The face-to-face time the students get with the businesses is such a valuable tool that they will learn from and take with them.
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Monday, 21 April 2008 |
The importance of manufacturing in this state is crucial to the overall wellbeing of our economy, and Middlesex County is among some of the counties in Connecticut that has had a net increase in manufacturing jobs over the past few years. Collectively, manufacturers make up some of the largest employers in Middlesex County.
Through our Manufacturer’s Council, the Chamber has acted as a leader in supporting the industry. With a strong working relationship with our elected officials, the Chamber continues to have a voice at the State Capitol in order to build upon our strong manufacturing tradition.
As we build upon this tradition, I was so pleased at the turnout of our last Manufacturer’s Council meeting at Pegasus Manufacturing, Inc. in Middletown. At the meeting, members were joined by Rich Steel of the Connecticut State Technical High School System and Maureen Wagner of the State Department of Education. The topics discussed were incumbent worker training; how the state’s technical high schools can better connect to Connecticut’s Manufacturers through training programs, apprenticeships and direct hires; and how adult education providers can offer customized basic skills and English language instruction in the workplace.
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Monday, 14 April 2008 |
Location, location, location. When talking about real estate, we all know just how important it is. In the recent past, location has become even more important as we hear and read about how horrible the real estate market is.
And yes, there are many places throughout the country with a struggling real estate market, but Middlesex County is not one of those places. Contrary to what one might think, the current state of the real estate market in Middlesex County is positive.
The commercial real estate market in upper Middlesex County continues to set the pace in central Connecticut. The availability of commercial space has lowered, as existing buildings are full and new buildings are being built. With the loss of Mortgage Lenders Network, over 60,000 square feet of Class A office space became available. Most of this space has been filled by the expansion of existing and new tenants, which doesn’t come as a surprise since it had been over four years since there was any Class A office space available in the downtown. This is great news for Middletown.
Real estate is local. Recently there have been some concerns in our local housing real estate market over buyer reluctance, mostly because of the negative national press. Consumers need to get a comprehensive report of their own town’s real estate market conditions and compare town data to that of the county and the state. By accessing this information, both buyers and sellers will begin to understand that our market is still strong. Prices are just slightly off from last year and some areas are holding. The number of properties closing is slightly down, and contrary to what we’ve all been hearing and reading in the news media, our local markets are holding up. The mortgage rates are great and there is inventory, and it’s a great time to buy in Middlesex County.
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