The Chamber's Ambassador Committee began in 2012 under the leadership of Jim Cama and Kelly Therrien and is currently chaired by Lori Lodge. Ambassadors are highly visible, prestigious volunteers who serve as the Chamber’s primary liaison to new Chamber members. Considered the goodwill arm of the Chamber, the Ambassador committee plays an essential role in member communication and retention, and each Ambassador is charged with conveying member needs, questions and concerns to Chamber staff, and keeping our Chamber in line with our members’ desires. Upon their appointment, each Ambassador makes a commitment to build lasting relationships with the Chamber membership, particularly new members, in order to build a loyal, committed membership base that will continue to support, participate in, and invest in the Chamber.

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. Under the leadership of Richard Jukonski and Michael Turner, the council has worked hard to bring hot issues and current trends to the table for discussion and resolution. Through the years, the council have maintained a partnership with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the CT Automotive Retailers Association, which provides our members with a great avenue to use when questions or problems arise.

The Business & Education Partnership Program Advisory Council facilitates the development of mutually supportive partnerships between Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce member businesses, the Middlesex Consortium of Schools, Wesleyan University’s Jewett Center for Community Partnerships, Middlesex Community College, other county School Partners, and surrounding area schools, for the purpose of enriching the educational process of our students to meet the demands of a constantly changing business world. One of the main goals of the partnership is to build and maintain active relationships between businesses and schools, by providing services such as the annual High School Career Fair Expo - a Career Exploration Event that assist schools in preparing our next generation of career-ready workers for the ever-changing workforce. This spring, after the three-year break/COVID-19, saw the return of the in-person High School Career Fair Exploration Event at Wesleyan University. A big thank you to all the Business & Career Professionals who came out to share their career experiences. Sponsorship funding support for the Business & Education Partnership Program – 2022-2023 School Year was provided by Eversource Energy and Pratt & Whitney. The Business & Education Partnership Program Advisory Council is chaired by Todd Corey. 

Over the past year, the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce continued to support strong development activity and receive serious relocation interest in Middlesex County. Chamber President Johanna Bond and the team have continued discussions with developers and local business leaders regarding available properties and other important economic development issues. Chamber staff worked especially hard on the critically important issues of workforce development, business district parking, supporting Connecticut manufacturing, Middletown Riverfront Development, and attracting and promoting tourism. We have continuously supported businesses of all sizes and from all industry sectors through technical assistance, and have done everything we can to be a constructive community partner.

The Building Committee, established in January 2023, was created to survey and address infrastructure improvements to the Chamber building.

Built in 1915, the building has faced many challenges with flooding, a leaking roof and in desperate need of new windows, doors, and a first-floor renovation.

Led by Tim Myjak, the committee is comprised of eight building industry professionals who will continue to develop a plan to address the improvements and identify budget needs. This group is critical to ensuring this building can meet the modern needs of today, as we continue to serve as the center for business and economic development, and to reflect the energy and spirit of the Chamber.

In 2022-2023, the Chamber’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee focused on a variety of important issues dealing with the environment, land use, energy, transportation, water and sewer infrastructure, and much more. The group, led by Chairman Tim Myjak, also advised the Legislative Committee and Board of Directors on relevant chamber policy statements, and served as the chamber’s lead subcommittee on issues pertaining to the East Haddam Swing Bridge Project, the Rt. 9 and Rt. 17 construction project in Middletown and various other construction that either directly impacted or had the potential to impact our members, and much more. Finally, the committee continued to focus on “economic resilience”, and will be tasked with incorporating lessons learned during the pandemic into future emergency planning for the business community in our region.

New this year was the formation of the Finance Committee led by Committee Chair, Teresa Opalacz. The Committee under Teresa’s leadership has been an important addition to the Chamber organization and serves as a valuable resource to the Chamber and President Johanna Bond.

The Committee’s role allows for a much deeper dive into the finances of our organization. Members of the Committee bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and this format provides a platform for insight into the Chamber accounting practices and finances. The group meets monthly to review financial statements and to discuss areas which may present financial opportunities or challenges for the Chamber. The Mission of the Committee is to assist in ensuring the financial sustainability of the Chamber.

The mission of the Chamber’s Health Care Council is to maintain a line of communication between the business and health care community, and to work on projects to improve the health, healthcare, and value of health care in the county. The Council, sponsored by Middlesex Health, identifies opportunities for the development and implementation of collaborative solutions that strive for an efficient, high quality and effective health care system.

Throughout the years, the Council has created several programs and initiatives with the help of many dedicated business and health care representatives. Under the leadership of Kelly Smith and the Steering Team, the Council strives to educate members and engage them in dialogue about the leading-edge issues for healthcare. The council continues to promote positive changes in Middlesex County’s current health climate, paying particular attention to cost, quality and assisting small employers with workplace wellness programs. Again this year we promoted the “Ask Me 3...Good Questions for Your Prescription Health” Outreach Program. With support from Middlesex Health and partnering with MCSAAC, this program is designed to assist individuals to ask the right questions when it comes to the prescription drugs that they are prescribed to educate on why they are needed, what the complications can be, what are the alternatives, and most importantly, what happens if they don’t take them.

The Human Resource Council, led by Nancy Nesbitt is now in its fifth year. The council consists of eight members representing small, medium and large companies of varying industries. The goal of the council is to provide an opportunity for HR professionals to discuss employment related topics, exchange ideas with their peers and receive professional development and training.

Charged to bring engaging events and informational workshops, the council has been busy planning for their second annual half day workshop coming up this October. The HR Council is committed to continuing to bring the latest information and topics to the forefront for discussion to assist our business community.

The Insurance Committee consists of member agents and their representatives in life, accident and health lines. Led by Chairwoman Darlene Kish, the committee has continued to advertise the chamber insurance program offering quality, affordable health care solutions. The Chamber has partnered with SL Healthplans to bring Chamber member health benefit plans, which are competitively priced and offer small business owners a variety of choices through our local member insurance agents. Voluntary benefits are also available and include: Vision Care, Dental, Short Term Disability and Term Life Insurance. The program continues to grow and expand throughout the region.

The Legislative Committee had another extremely productive year under the leadership of Co-Chairs Richard Carella and Dan Moore. The committee developed the chamber’s 2023 Public Policy Agenda, submitted public hearing testimony on a number of important bills that were under consideration at the General Assembly, and joined a number of coalitions dealing with issues from labor to tourism to hospitals and economic development. The Legislative Committee also hosted their Legislative Leadership Series which featured meetings with Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, and the 2023 Legislative Breakfast with the Middlesex County delegation, sponsored by Comcast. The committee tracked over 300 bills this session, kept members updated on the status of state budget negotiations, and worked hard once again on behalf of the business community. 

The Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council (MCSAAC) is a public-private partnership that brings diverse populations of the community together to reduce alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse, prescription drug abuse, problem gambling, and suicide prevention. MCSAAC continues to serve our region’s families and businesses through collaboration with the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s Prevention Committee hosts seminars on the impact of alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace. The Chamber’s Healthcare Council Initiative partners with MCSAAC to address a myriad of substance abuse concerns. The Chamber and the Prevention Committee presented informative community workshops on the topics of opioid usage, vaping, and the connection between drug abuse and suicides.

Additionally, through the Business Industry Foundation, the Recovery Employment Program (REP) continues to assist people in recovery to contribute to the economy while building successful careers and maintaining their health and to develop a network of employers who are informed about addiction, have confidence in working with employees in recovery, and whose businesses thrive on the skills and talents such employees offer. Through the 2022-2023 year, REP has taken on 56 clients, 20 of which are gainfully employed today.

REP also works in conjunction with MCSAAC on very informative workshops focusing on opioid addiction and vaping. These workshops have also become a part of the Recovery Friendly Workplace tool kit that DMHAS has instituted as an incentive for businesses in Middlesex County to focus on the well-being of our region’s community members and the businesses that operate them. The REP program is in the process of scheduling workshops to benefit member businesses, REP clients, and the general public.

The Real Estate Council, under the leadership of Nancy Currlin and Juliet Cavanaugh, once again created an atmosphere for local realtors to come together for networking, encouraging cooperation, sharing ideas, improving business relations through collaboration, and educational experiences. The council consists of 24 members throughout the county who meet monthly. The main objectives include: continuing education for real estate renewal licenses, promotion of the real estate industry, legislation and referrals to the Chamber’s Legislative Committee. The committee participated in a food drive benefitting St. Vincent de Paul Middletown Soup Kitchen, held Lunch & Learn workshops on topics pertaining to the real estate market, and held its second overwhelmingly successful Comedy Night event which raised funds for the chamber's Recovery Employment Program. One of the favorite gatherings that the Real Estate Council hosts is the Annual Real Estate Luncheon which was held on Thursday, June 1st at Luce and sponsored by Liberty Bank. At this event, attendees were able to celebrate Deborah Pach of Page Taft – Compass Realty, who was the named our 2023 Mary Ellen Klinck Real Estate Industry Leader of the Year Award Winner.

The Strategic Events Committee was created in 2022 with the goal of evaluating chamber activities and events. The committee, under the leadership of chairwoman Megan Bush, is busy planning for various mid to large scale events to diversify our current programming including our first ever cornhole tournament. These events would not only raise funds to benefit various chamber programs, but also to encourage member connections through fun and interactive events. While our chamber hosts over 5 large-scale events currently, we are always looking to branch out to new event options, styles, and previously untapped attendees.

The Strategic Planning Committee was created to explore the Chamber’s future path and develop a blueprint for the next 20 years. Under the leadership of Teresa Opalacz and Anthony Assante, the committee has been working diligently throughout the year to develop the framework for the next five year Strategic Plan. The focus of this plan will be to continue to foster economic and business growth by serving area businesses and building community prosperity through advocacy, innovation, access to leaders, connectivity and business education so that all of our members can continue to prosper and grow.

The Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Committee includes representatives from the many veterans’ organizations in Middlesex County, along with the past recipients of the William J. Pomfret Veteran Community Service Award. The group is charged with planning and executing the chamber’s annual Support the Troops & Honor the Veterans Member Breakfast Meeting which is held every November.

The 21st Annual Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Member Breakfast Meeting was held at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in Rocky Hill featuring Keynote remarks from Rear Admiral William Kelly, retired Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Superintendent, Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Coast Guard. This meeting, sponsored by Middlesex Health, was attended by over 300 people, and featured terrific remarks from our 2022 William J. Pomfret Veteran Community Service Award Recipient, Albert Hamrah of Rocky Hill. The 2022 event also featured the presentation of the chamber’s AT&T Veteran Support Champion of the Year Award to Whelen Engineering. The AT&T Veteran Support Champion of the Year Award is presented annually to a business or organization that supports active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families through employment, philanthropy, spousal support and other means. There is nothing more important than supporting our troops and honoring the service and sacrifice of our veterans. The chamber is very proud of our Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Committee, chaired by Retired Army Colonel Phil Cacciola, which works diligently throughout the entire year to put this important event together.

The Transition Team was responsible for developing a comprehensive transition plan outlining steps and actions to facilitate a smooth transition. The team played a critical role in ensuring that the Chamber successfully navigated the change in leadership and continued to achieve its strategic goals and objectives.

Created by Past Chairwoman Maureen Westbrook, then led by Chairman Kristen Roberts, additional team members include; Anthony Assante, Darlene Briggs, Rich Carella, Rick Morin, Teresa Opalacz and Kelly Smith. Thank you for your unwavering support and guidance through the transition.

The Women’s Leadership Collaborative (WLC) is the premier resource for women to engage in professional development programs to promote personal and professional growth. Their goal is to unite a diverse mix of inspirational women leaders who empower women to achieve success. Led by co-chairs Kim Kann and Nancy Boyle, the WLC creates future programming, events and educational opportunities. The collaborative presents activities throughout the year including a Women’s Leadership Conference, monthly networking events and more.

The WLC's Women's Business Network is tasked with coordinating more intimate, networking style events throughout the region including speed networking sessions, mental and physical health events, and more!