Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

Another terrific Travelers Championship is in the books, and I would like to once again congratulate everyone at the tournament on a job well done.  The weather was nice, the crowds were huge, and the Town of Cromwell was a great host once again.  I want to recognize the hard work and dedication of Tournament Director Nathan Grube, Sales Director Jason Soucy and the entire staff, all the volunteers who donated their time to the event, and the title sponsor, Travelers Companies, led by Chairman & CEO Jay Fishman and Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer Andy Bessette.  The Chamber’s Annual Travelers Championship Member Breakfast Meeting, held on Tuesday of last week, featured PGA Pro and former Masters Champion Zach Johnson as guest speaker.  As I have noted many times, the Travelers Championship is a major economic generator and tourist attraction, and we are lucky to have it in Middlesex County and in the State of Connecticut. 

The Middlesex County Career Fair was held last Tuesday, June 18th, at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell.  We had a huge showing of job seekers who came to network with 43 employers that are hiring in the professional, technical, manufacturing, and administrative fields.  This huge event would not be possible without the support of Commissioner Sharon Palmer and her team at the Connecticut Department of Labor, and Bill Villano and his team at Workforce Alliance in New Haven.  I want to thank them for their support of this very important event, and of workforce development in our state.  Finally, I would like to thank Muhammodu Giwa from the Connecticut Department of Labor for his support of this event every year, and Johanna Bond from the Chamber office for her continued dedication. 

As we approach the start of July, the Chamber’s divisions and councils are wrapping up their program years and will be taking the months of July and August off to retool.  The Chamber has over 45 active divisions and councils and they have all had very successful years.  They will reconvene in the month of September. 

On Friday, June 7th, the Chester, Deep River, and Essex Division held a meeting at the newly renovated Auditorium and Theater of the Deep River Town Hall.  The original building was dedicated in April of 1893 after pledges from local citizens raised $22,600 for construction.  The theatre was, in the words of Restoration Committee Chairman Art Thompson, “the hub of culture, recreation and social functions for the town, hosting shows, musicals, dances, high school proms and graduations.”  The facility looks outstanding and I want to commend the Restoration Committee, led by Art Thompson, along with the people of Deep River, and I join them in celebrating the reopening of this historic complex.  Finally, I would like to thank Deep River First Selectman Dick Smith for his strong leadership in the town and his consistent support of our Chamber. 

On Thursday, June 6th, the Middlesex Businesswomen's Alliance held its Summer Networking Reception at Eli Cannon's Tap Room in Middletown.  Thirty women attended the reception including new Chamber Chairperson Darlene Briggs who offered some remarks to the group.  It was another great MBA event and I would like to thank Isabel Jackson and Terresa Long for two terrific years as Co-Chairwomen of this outstanding group.  They have built MBA into a very successful and active committee and we appreciate their support. 

Looking ahead to this week, the Chamber will hold a Member Business After Work Networking Event this evening at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell.  The Courtyard has undergone a significant renovation since our visit last June and it looks terrific. We are expecting over 250 members at this event which will run from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m., and will feature free beer, wine, soft drinks and a delicious spread of food courtesy of our host.  I would like to thank General Manager Steve Matiatos and his entire team for hosting our members at what is sure to be a great event in Cromwell.  

Tomorrow morning, June 25th, our Westbrook Division is holding its final meeting before the summer break and on Thursday, June 27th, our East Haddam and Haddam Division is hosting one of its own.  The Westbrook meeting will be held at the Westbrook Elks Lodge and will feature a summer economic development and tourism update.  Todd Levine, DECD Office of Culture and Tourism and the State Historic Preservation Office, will visit with the group to discuss the Barn Trail.  The Barn Trail is the newest addition to the CT Wine, Burger, Brews and Ice Cream Trails.  The East Haddam/Haddam meeting will be held at the Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station in Haddam and will feature a talk by Liz Glidden, Town Planner, Town of Haddam, who will provide an economic development update with a focus on the Tylerville section of town. 

I am looking forward to the Grand Opening at Anytime Fitness, on Shunpike Road in Cromwell, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, June 25th at 4:00 PM.  I will attend the event along with Cromwell First Selectwoman Mertie Terry and we look forward to welcoming Andy Breton and his team to the Chamber and to the local business community. 

It is now summertime in Middlesex County, and the Chamber is on the move. 

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