Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

The Chamber’s county based divisions are back in action and are off to a great start.  Last week featured meetings of our Portland and East Hampton Division, Central Business Bureau, and Down County Division which represents Chester, Deep River, and Essex.  The Portland and East Hampton Division meeting, held Wednesday morning at Portland Library, featured terrific member updates and a great conversation about economic development in the two towns.  The Central Business Bureau meeting, held Thursday morning in the Chamber Conference Room, featured updates from Mayor Drew and a number of city department directors.  Those in attendance received an update on the Main Street (North End) Gas Reliability Project.  This downtown infrastructure project will include the installation of a new 12 inch steel pipeline that will have the capacity to provide high pressure gas to the businesses along Main Street from Washington Street down through the north end, and then down Hartford Avenue to Route 9.  This is an exciting project that will help existing businesses and will serve as another recruiting tool for businesses that would be a good fit in downtown Middletown.  Henkels & McCoy, Inc., a national firm with local operations in Portland, is the contractor for the project.  We are very happy that they have been chosen to work with Yankee Gas and CT DOT on this important project for Middletown.  The installation of the pipe will occur at night, Sunday through Thursday, from 10:00 PM until 6:00 AM.  Once the project makes the turn down Hartford Avenue, the work will run from 9:00 PM until 5:00 AM.  I would like to thank city officials, Henkels & McCoy, and Yankee Gas for keeping everyone in the loop throughout this process.  The Chester, Deep River, and Essex Division meeting, held Friday morning at Valley Railroad Company in Essex, featured an update on tourism from Randy Fiveash, Tourism Division Director, Connecticut Office of Tourism.  Randy always does a great job updating our members and I appreciate him making the trip to Essex to visit with our division.  This coming week features meetings of the Chamber’s Durham and Middlefield Division, which will be held at the Durham Fairgrounds and will include a preview of this year’s fair, and the Cromwell Division, which will be held at The Mattabassett District and will feature an update from Cromwell Town Planner Stuart Popper.  The Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council and the Middletown Mentor Program Core Committee will meet at the Chamber this week. 

Scatz Restaurant & Jazz Lounge held a Grand Opening on Wednesday, September 4th at its location on Main Street Extension in Middletown.  Gee Williams, Owner and Chef, is a 2010 graduate of the Chamber’s Side Street to Main Street Business & Leadership Development Program.  I want to congratulate Gee, his fellow Owner Kuron Johnson, and the entire Scatz team on this terrific new business.  I was proud to celebrate the grand opening along with Paul Dodge, the Chairman of our South Middletown Division, Mayor Dan Drew, Jennifer De Kine from the Chamber staff who serves as liaison to the Side Street to Main Street Business & Leadership Development Program, and Chamber Chairwoman Darlene Briggs who has done a wonderful job leading our organization since taking over as Chair in June. 

A mandatory Program Orientation and Application Submission Meeting for the Chamber’s Side Street to Main Street Business & Leadership Development Program was held last Thursday, September 5th in the Chamber Conference Room.  This program is a year-long entrepreneurial and business development course, with a rigorous curriculum, that is designed to assist minority small business owners in the community.  These entrepreneurs have not had any formal business training and this initiative is designed to help them become more successful by developing the attitudes, skills and qualities necessary for effective business ownership.  The idea is take them from the Side Street to the Main Street of the business community.  Over 25 interested candidates attended the orientation.  I would like to once again thank Program Facilitator Jim Jackson of The Essex Group, Chamber Staff Liaison Jennifer De Kine for her coordination efforts, and of course, our friends at Aetna, Inc. who have provided the sponsorship funding for this program since its inception in 1997.  We look forward to another great year of the Side Street to Main Street Business & Leadership Development Program. 

We are very much looking forward to tomorrow night’s Chamber Member Business After Work networking event at Water's Edge Center For Health & Rehabilitation in Middletown.  The event will begin at 5:00 PM and will feature a terrific spread of food, drinks, and the best networking around.  This has become a terrific annual event, and I want to again thank the Water’s Edge team for hosting our group.  Laura Falt, Director of Community Relations, works closely with the Chamber staff and I appreciate her coordination efforts and support of the Chamber. 

The official Grand Opening for Big Lots, Washington Street in Middletown, will be held this Friday, September 13th at 8:45 AM.  Big Lots is a quality national company that will bring economic development and jobs to Middletown.  We are excited about the opening of the store and look forward to celebrating the Grand Opening with the Big Lots team. 

The Chamber’s September Member Breakfast Meeting, featuring United States Congressman John B. Larson, will be held on Monday, September 23rd, at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell, 100 Berlin Road, Cromwell.  Networking begins at 7:00 A.M., Breakfast Buffet opens at 7:45 A.M., and the Meeting Program runs from 8:00 to 9:00 A.M.  Cost is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members.  We are expecting a large crowd for this event and I would like to again thank Pratt & Whitney for sponsoring the event and for their continuing support of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. 

The Governor William A. O’Neill Public Service Award will be presented to Tom Serra at the Larson Breakfast.  The Governor William A. O’Neill Public Service Award, presented since 2002, is awarded to an individual who has performed outstanding public service for Middlesex County and the State of Connecticut. The award is named after Governor O’Neill, who dedicated himself to public service during his tenure as a State Representative, Lieutenant Governor and Governor.  Tom Serra has dedicated himself to public service throughout a long and distinguished career as an educator, a principal, a mayor, a member of the Middletown Common Council, and a supporter of countless community initiatives.  He has also been a very active member of this Chamber through his service on our Scholarship Committee, as Chairman of our Business & Education Partnership Advisory Council, and his support of many other Chamber events and activities.  We are proud to honor him with this prestigious award.

It is September in Middlesex County which means the Durham Fair is right around the corner.  This year’s Fair, its 94th annual edition, will be held from September 26 – 29.  Durham Agricultural Fair Association President Daniel Miramant and his team have done a great job preparing for this year’s event which will once again attract thousands of people to the area.  This year’s fair will again feature high quality entertainment, exhibits, a wide selection of food options, and for the first time will host the Connecticut Wine Festival on the Durham town green.  I hope to see everyone out at the Durham Fair at the end of September. 

The Chamber will once again offer complimentary tickets to two Yale football games this season.  Thanks to the Yale University Athletic Department, tickets are available for Bulldogs games on Saturday, October 19th vs. Fordham University, kickoff at 12 Noon, and Saturday, November 9th vs. Brown University, kickoff at 12 Noon.  These complimentary tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.  Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Middlesex Chamber, 393 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457, or contact the Chamber office at 860-347-6924 to reserve your tickets to see some exciting Ivy League football. 

I must end this week’s column on a sad note.  Michael E. (Mike) Amara passed recently after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.  Mike was a terrific man who dedicated himself to serving others in a variety of ways.  He served honorably in the United States Army which was an experience that transformed his life.  After his military service, Mike obtained his GED from Middletown Adult Education and eventually earned a Master’s Degree.  He worked for the State of Connecticut where he helped many individuals with their substance abuse battles.  Mike served on the Common Council and the Board of Education in the City of Middletown during the 1980’s and did a wonderful job for me during his time working at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.  He had a passion for supporting the YMCA and loved the City of Middletown.  Mike will certainly be missed, but we can now take comfort in the fact that he is at peace.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Janice, his sister Phyllis and her husband Sal Sapia, and Mike’s entire family during this difficult time. 

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