Chamber Corner with Larry McHugh

We have reached Thanksgiving week in Middlesex County and throughout our great country. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, not simply because of the great turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but because it inspires reflection and a true appreciation of what is important in life. I have a wonderful family and a terrific group of friends that provide me with unbelievable support on a daily basis. It is an honor and a privilege for me to serve as president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, a dynamic business organization with over 2,350 members that employ over 50,000 people. We have a dedicated Board of Directors, led by Chairwoman Darlene Briggs, that truly makes Middlesex County a great place to live and work. I am blessed with a dedicated staff that has my back throughout the year. It doesn’t get much better than that. I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving with their families and their friends. As you enjoy the holiday, please keep in mind those who are less fortunate, and never forget the brave men and women of our Armed Forces serving at home and around the globe.

The Thanksgiving holiday also means that it is Holiday on Main Street time in Middletown. Middletown’s 28th Annual Holiday on Main Street, presented by Pratt & Whitney, begins this Friday, Nov. 29. Friday’s festivities include four tree lightings, carol singing with local school choruses, free horse & carriage rides, a parade down Main Street with Mayor Drew and the Middletown High School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School bands, and free pictures with Santa. This Saturday, Nov. 30 features Holiday Story Time with The Berenstein Bears Kids & Parents along with Fire Chief Gary Ouellette, Santa’s Stamp Hunt Game, a mobile petting zoo, free hayrides, a fun train, and a Kung Fu demonstration by Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy. Middletown’s Holiday on Main Street is a terrific community event. In addition to our presenting sponsor, Pratt & Whitney, I would like to thank Mayor Dan Drew and the Common Council for the City of Middletown’s strong support, Citizens Bank, Middletown Downtown Business District, Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, Liberty Bank, Malloves Jewelers, Webster Bank, Glitsy Girls Mobile Salon, Greco Design, Metro Movies 12, Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy, Ädelbrook Behavioral & Developmental Services, Guilmartin, DiPiro & Sokolowski, and St. Vincent de Paul Middletown. Middletown’s Holiday on Main Street continues on Dec. 7, and Dec. 14. For more information, please visit www.HolidayOnMain.com.

Today, we are honored to welcome back former United States Senator Christopher J. Dodd to a Chamber Member Breakfast Meeting. Senator Dodd is now the chairman and chief executive officer of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc., serving as the voice and advocate of the U.S. motion picture, home video, and television industries around the world. Senator Dodd has addressed our Chamber many times and has always given terrific remarks. We look forward to hearing his thoughts on the motion picture industry, and a number of other important topics this morning at the Crowne Plaza Cromwell. I would like to again thank The Mohegan Tribe for sponsoring this event with Senator Dodd.

I look forward to heading up to the Bushnell tomorrow night for the 2013 Celebrate Connecticut event. Celebrate Connecticut is the Connecticut Economic Resource Center’s annual event that brings together the state’s economic development community to celebrate the many successes in growing our communities, regions and the state. This year’s event will recognize the hard work of hundreds of public officials, economic development professionals and business leaders. The gathering will highlight recent accomplishments from across the state that are helping to make Connecticut a more competitive business environment. One company and one initiative from each region in the state are honored with a Celebrate Connecticut Award. In the Middlesex region, Lyman Orchards is the company awardee, and the Middlesex County Revitalization Commission (MCRC) is the initiative awardee. Owned and operated by the Lyman Family since 1741, Lyman Orchards is recognized as the 12th oldest family-owned business in America. For generations of Connecticut families and visitors, Lyman Orchards has been a year-round destination for great food, family fun, and championship golf. The Golf Center and Apple Nine courses are recognized among the country’s top facilities. The Apple Barrel Market is known as a favored destination for family fun and great food. The Lyman team has been commercially growing fruit on the same land overlooking the Connecticut River for over a century. Lyman Orchards is indeed, Connecticut’s sweet spot. Created by a special act of the CT General Assembly in 1993, the members of the Middlesex County Revitalization Commission (MCRC) are the chief elected official, or designee, in each of the fifteen towns in Middlesex County, plus a representative from the Middlesex Chamber. MCRC’s mission is to encourage and stimulate economic development in each of the towns in the county by providing low interest loans up to $250,000 to small and mid-sized businesses to create jobs and maintain a high standard of living in Middlesex County. Loan proceeds may be used for buildings, building improvements, equipment and working capital. We look forward to honoring Lyman Orchards and MCRC tomorrow night in Hartford.   

Last week featured an outstanding Chamber member Business After Work networking event, a grand opening, and a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station hosted an unbelievable Business After Work at the Haddam facility last week. Over 300 Chamber members and their guests packed the Riverhouse and enjoyed a delicious spread of food, along with free beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks and the best networking around. I want to once again thank Riverhouse Managing Partner Jim Bucko and General Manager Kelley Smith for hosting and sponsoring this huge event every year. The Festival of Wreaths Auction, a component of this event, was very successful and raised money to support the Middletown Mentor Program and Holiday on Main Street.

On Wednesday afternoon, I visited Chris Cote’s Golf Shop in Portland for the grand opening of its new facility on Route 66 along with Chamber Chairwoman Darlene Briggs, Portland First Selectman Susan Bransfield, Board of Selectman member Kathy Richards, and Portland Economic Development Coordinator Mary Dickerson. The new golf shop is terrific, and I would like to thank Chris and Donna Cote for inviting us to participate in the celebration. I would also like to take a moment to wish Mary Dickerson the best of luck in her new position as economic development specialist for the Town of Wallingford. Mary has been terrific to work with, and she has really done a lot for Portland and for Middlesex County. We wish her nothing but the best.

Telserv held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday morning at its Cromwell facility. I was happy to attend the event along with Darlene, Cromwell Mayor Enzo Faienza, and State Rep. Christie Carpino. Telserv is a great company that focuses on collaboration and communications solutions for businesses.  We are happy to have founders Charlie Boyle, Jim Colella, Bill Fellows, and Mike Piscitelli, along with their entire team, in our region and in Chamber membership.

Finally, we are looking forward to two more exciting Member Breakfast Meetings that are coming up.  Governor Dannel P. Malloy will speak to the Chamber at our Annual Holiday Member Breakfast Meeting on Tuesday, December 10th.  This event is sponsored by Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas, Northeast Utilities Companies.  We look forward to welcoming our Governor to Middlesex County as we do every year.  On Friday, January 3rd, the Chamber is excited to welcome as guest speaker, Sergeant First Class Joe Kapacziewski.  Known as “Joe Kap” by his comrades and friends, Joe is the only amputee in the history of the United States Army Rangers to return to combat, serving ten tours in the Middle East.  SFC Joe Kap will receive our Role Model Award at this Member Breakfast Meeting on January 3rd.  He is the author of “Back in the Fight”, a terrific book about his amazing story.  Copies of “Back in the Fight” will be available for sale, and a book signing will be a component of the Member Breakfast Meeting.  AT&T is the sponsor for this important Chamber event and we appreciate their support. 

We have reached the holiday season in Middlesex County, and the Middlesex Chamber is still on the move.

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