Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

Last week was another busy one in Middlesex County. Wednesday’s Portland and East Hampton Division meeting featured some great economic development updates for our region. 

Sean Hayes gave a great presentation on the newly approved development plan for the Powder Ridge property in Middlefield and provided an update on the Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park in Portland. Brownstone is expecting over 75,000 visitors this year, up from 55,000 last year, and many of those visitors are coming from out of state. 

Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield announced that St. Clements Castle will be building a hotel facility that will feature 80 guest rooms. 

She also announced that she has been talking with Specialty Lighting Group of Centerbrook about relocating to Portland. As I noted last week, the Chamber’s geographically based divisions have begun to meet again after the summer hiatus and they are focusing on some very important issues. 

On Wednesday morning, I met with Ruth Levy, Superintendent of Schools, Regional School District No. 4, and Susan Viccaro, Superintendent of Schools, Regional School District No. 13, at the Chamber office in Middletown. 

We discussed an exciting new initiative underway in Region No. 4 that attempts to better expose our young people to manufacturing. The school district is partnering with Whelen Engineering Company in Chester to develop a manufacturing-related curriculum that will beat back the archaic notion that manufacturing is dirty and does not offer a sound career path. 

This program will run for all four quarters of the school year and will feature 14 students per quarter. There are already over 50 kids on the waiting list for this great pilot program. The Chamber will continue to support this initiative and will help it grow to beyond Regional School District No. 4, and beyond Whelen Engineering. 

I want to thank Ruth and Susan for visiting the Chamber office and especially thank John Olson, President and CEO of Whelen Engineering Company for his forward thinking, his endless promotion of manufacturing, and his consistent support of the Middlesex Chamber. 

Thursday brought us to Fred Astaire Dance Studio on Tuttle Place in Middletown for a Grand Opening. From Ballroom to Latin to Swing to Salsa, Fred Astaire Dance Studio offer all styles of dance lessons for all ages and ability levels in a fun atmosphere. I would like to welcome the entire Fred Astaire team to the Middletown business community. 

On Thursday evening, we had a terrific Orientation for the 16th class of the Chamber’s award-winning Side Street to Main Street Minority Business & Leadership Development Program. Fully funded by a Grant from Aetna, Inc., the Side Street to Main Street Business & Leadership Development Program is a one year long entrepreneurial and business development course, specifically designed to assist minority small business owners in the community, who have not had formal business training, to become more successful by developing the attitudes, skills and qualities necessary for effective business ownership and success, taking them from the  Side Street to the Main Street of the business community. 

Classes are held at the Chamber Offices, 393 Main Street, Middletown, and are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 through February 12, 2013, followed by quarterly sessions in March, June and September, 2013. 

We are looking forward to a terrific Member Business After Work Networking Event this Wednesday evening at Water's Edge Center for Health & Rehabilitation in Middletown. Every year this event features terrific food and drinks and of course, unmatched networking.  I want to publicly thank Lewis Abramson, Laura Falt, and Dawn Kaplan for their great support of this event and of our Chamber. 

I would like to close this week’s column by expressing my personal condolences, and those of the Chamber, to Cromwell Police Chief Tony Salvatore and his family after the passing of Alvina (LeRoy) Salvatore, Chief Salvatore’s mother.  Ms. Salvatore passed away on Saturday, September 1st, after a long and wonderful life. 

Chief Salvatore is a terrific public servant who has been a friend to this Chamber for many years. Our thoughts are with him and his family during this difficult time. 

For more information on Chamber events and activities, please contact Jeff Pugliese at jpugliese@middlesexchamber.com.