Congressman John Larson Guest of Middlesex Chamber

This week, U.S. Congressman John Larson is the guest at Tuesday's monthly breakfast meeting.

As chairman of the House Democratic Caucus for the 112th Congress, John’s position makes him the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House. He will give members great insights into legislation in Washington that will impact the business community. 

John really stepped up in support of the House vote to eliminate the alternate engine program for the military’s F-35 fighter aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is the exclusive manufacturer of the engine. He supported the Air Force’s KC-X tanker aircraft program, which also brings business directly to Pratt & Whitney.

In other news, Business After Work is April 21 at Ferazzoli Imports of New England at the Galleria Design Center in Middletown. 

Gerry Martorelli is the owner and hosts us every year. His 100,000 square-foot building focuses on home design. 

The chamber continues to have a busy schedule. On April 7 at the deKoven House in Middletown, I attended an open house reception to welcome the new executive director of the Rockfall Foundation, Claire Rusowicz.

We welcomed two new Cromwell organizations over this past weekend: Ted’s Restaurant and Habitat For Humanity’s ReStore on Shunpike Road. Ted’s of Meriden is nationally known for its steamed cheeseburgers and was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food.” 

Habitat’s ReStore sells reusable and surplus building materials to the public. Each outlet features slightly different items, but the main focus is on home improvement goods and home accessories.

There were also two very successful Chamber Council meetings last week. The Human Resources Council ran a program on social networking at the Wadsworth Mansion April 12. With ever-growing social media like Facebook, Twitter and Linked In, the lines between personal and business communications are merged. The program stressed that it is vital that every business — from major corporations to home-based businesses — know the legal and practical implications involved. 

The Middlesex Businesswomen’s Alliance met last Tuesday at Angelico’s Lakehouse Restaurant in East Hampton and heard from the dynamic Barb Scala, a former attorney, lifestyle coach, speaker, on-air talent and author. She offered healthy living tips to more than 50 women.

Congratulations are also in order to Coach Jim Calhoun and the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team for capturing the 2011 NCAA National Championship.  This title — the third in school’s history and the third for Calhoun — puts the university in the stratosphere of college basketball.

Moving forward with the Arriogoni Bridge repair, the Chamber welcomed members of state DOT to its Portland/East Hampton Division and Central Business Bureau meeting recently.  

A bidder has come forward for the project and the state is ready to begin formal planning with the contractor tasked with repairing the 1938 bridge.

The Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council and the Middlesex Consortium of Schools Career Expo for Middlesex County high school students is April 28. It will be held at the Spurrier-Snyder Ice Rink in Wesleyan University’s Freeman Athletic Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Over 125 career professionals will share their career experiences with students. 

This year, more than 1,300 students are expected to attend, including those from Haddam, Killingworth, Chester, Deep River and Essex.

For information on the expo and advisory council, email jennifer@middlesexchamber.com or call (860) 347-6924. For information on chamber events, contact Matt Fraulino at matthew@middlesexchamber.com.

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