BUSINESS OUTLOOK - Stamford Chamber of Commerce

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Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
APRIL 7, 2009
In This Issue
State Rep. Shapiro
On Session
First Stimulus Money
For Stamford
United House
Wrecking
Family Business
Mall is
Entertainment
Center
Members
Making News
Community
Corner
RESTAURANTS, CATERING
& ENTERTAINMENT
Welcome
New Members
A Marketing Publication From The Advocate
What’s Inside
4
United House Wrecking Celebrates
55 Years As A Family Business
Stamford Downtown –
The Place To Shop, Dine and Be Entertained
5
That’s Entertainment, That’s Music,
and That’s Stamford Town Center
6
2009 Session
Stimulus Funds For Youth Employment
7
UConn Stamford Art Gallery Showcases Local Talent
8
Curtain Call
Good Housekeeping Recognizes Tasty Bite in Top 100
9
Stamford To Host Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
10
The 16th Annual Taste of Stamford: Tastefully Delicious!
11
Creative Insight Wins Banner Campaign
Membership Drive - SBO
12
Members Making News
Community Corner
13
Welcome New Members
Renewing Members
The Stamford Business Outlook is a monthly publication of the Stamford Chamber
of Commerce. It is published in conjunction with the The Advocate Newspapers. This publication does
not represent the views of The Advocate Editorial department. To advertise, please call 964-2448.
2
STAMFORD BUSINESS OUTLOOK
John Condlin, President, Stamford Chamber of Commerce
Barbara Seiter, Vice President, Stamford Chamber of Commerce
Lisa Diggins, Retail Sales Manager, The Advocate
Jim Reid, Retail Sales Manager, The Advocate
Marcia Groglio, Special Sections Supervisor, The Advocate
Shelley Lowell, Special Sections Designer
Geri Fortunato, Director of Membership, Stamford Chamber of Commerce
March and April Covers, Pages 2,4,10,11 photos by Dan Tual, Photographic Memories
Stamford’s Culture, Entertainment
and Points of Interest
©Photographic Memories
Stamford stands tall when it comes to being recognized as a major
business center, even during these bad economic times. And when it
comes to arts, culture, entertainment and points of interest, Stamford
ranks high in its league.
A Message
from the
President
of the
Stamford Chamber
Stamford is the hub of Fairfield County. It’s a major spot for shopping,
dining, entertainment and just plain having fun. Our retail centers
and shops, live performing arts centers, movie theaters and fine dining
establishments attract hundreds of thousands of people into our city each year. The
arts, culture and entertainment industry is in large part the heart of our community.
Just how important is this industry? Very important according to a recent national
study conducted by Americans for the Arts, which is the nation’s leading non-profit
organization for advancing the arts in America. The study shows that the non-profit
arts and cultural industry generates over a hundred billion dollars in economic
activity each year. One third of these dollars is generated by arts and cultural events.
The other two thirds are generated by the audiences related to the events. The
impact of this activity is significant. It supports millions of jobs.
The slowdown in the economy is causing havoc with all non-profits, including
tourism based agencies. Our good friends at Stamford Center for the Arts are still
working on an arrangement that would bring them much needed relief with a lease
that would put television broadcasting back into Stamford. The city has not seen live
TV broadcast since the 1980s when Phil Donohue did his program in Harbor Plaza.
There seems to be a lot of debate about the Jerry Springer and Maury Povich shows.
I have never watched the shows so I wouldn’t know, so I will leave that debate up to
others. One thing I do know is having television production back in Stamford would
not be a bad thing. It could lead to other television productions moving to Stamford.
Maybe something like Dateline with Chris Hansen or perhaps a food show.
The cultural, arts, entertainment and tourism industry give Stamford a great vitality
and makes it a 24/7 city. It is a critical industry that continues to need the support of
Stamford’s residents, businesses and corporations. Stamford would be a very different
city without it. With it, Stamford really does have it all!
John P. Condlin
President and CEO
Stamford Chamber of Commerce
3
United House Wrecking Celebrates
55 years as a family business
Phil Lodato, United House Wrecking
al items as well as many unusual pieces
from around the world. In addition, we
offer a wide array of garden and outdoor
decor selections including patio furniture, fountains, bronze urns, statues and
gazebos. Plus, the recently added rug
©Photographic Memories
Beginning as a demolition company in 1954, United House Wrecking
(UHW) has evolved into a very unique
home-furnishings store. Among the
selections of new & reproduction furniture you’ll find antiques and architectur-
Phil Lodato and staff
Stamford Downtown – The place
to shop, dine and be entertained
Sandy Goldstein, Downtown Special Service District
4
Inviting downtowns don’t just happen. More often than not they are
formed by combining many diverse
elements which make the whole more
important than the sum of its parts.
So it is with Stamford Downtown. Its
multiplicity of restaurants, residences,
business, educational, entertainment
and shopping venues create a sense of
place that invites patrons.
Stamford Downtown’s rich array of
restaurants would lure anyone, whether a “foodie” or one with a simpler palate. There are currently 74 restaurants
in the downtown—with four more
scheduled to open within the next two
months. The culinary choices abound.
If you like Italian food you can discover 13 restaurants with diverse and
tempting menus. You can have pizza
and calzones only; or dine on tempting veal, fish, chicken or game dishes
with exotic names such as Scottadito
al Rosmarino or Ippoglosso con Spect
e Asparagis. You can also find everything in between, like a satisfying veal
parmigiana or pasta with meat ball
sauce. Almost every single street in this
downtown hosts an Italian restaurant
or two or more. Do yourself a favor and
try any of them.
Do you like Japanese food?—There
are at least three superb restaurants to
please you! Contemporary, American
and California Cuisine is more up your
alley? We have award winning restaurants to please your palate as well; one
of which was recently named the best
restaurant in the state—with the best
chef to boot. If you want to try French or
Greek or Indian or Chinese or Spanish
or Peruvian---don’t go any farther than
our downtown. There are steakhouses
and delis, Asian food and burger houses, Mid-Eastern and Mexican. You can
find restaurants serving Irish specialties
gallery features hand knotted Oriental
rugs from around the world.
Through the years UHW became
known as the place to go to browse
and discover unique items. Celebrating
our 55th year in business and three
generations later, we are proud to
carry on the tradition of a unique
shopping experience. The many challenges of maintaining a family business
(especially in the current economic
situation) provide us with a constant
reminder that the basics are more
critical than ever. If your foundation
is solid and the trust and customer
service you provide is sincere, success
will follow.
As we find out more and more
of what our customers are looking
for, our business continues to evolve.
Trends in antiques and new furniture
are constantly changing, and we have
adapted to our patrons needs. We have
recently increased the physical size of
our indoor showroom to over 43,000
square feet by adding a two story building to our property. The new addition
is home to our Design Center man-
aged by our lovely and talented head
designer Karen Preli. It also includes
our new children’s furniture gallery,
new bedroom sets and a large selection
of lighting fixtures and accessories.
In a place where 12 ft. tall carved
antique mantels or a vintage four
poster canopy beds have become a
common sight for us, we sometimes
forget how different and interesting
our merchandise can be. We are constantly reminded by our customers
about just how exciting a trip to
United House Wrecking can be. But
it’s not only the great things you’ll find
here that keep our customers (and
their families!) coming back again and
again. I believe it is the relaxed, family friendly atmosphere that we have
built our reputation on and the simple
perks we provide our customers, like
our 10 day return policy. Combine
that with a non-commissioned based
sales team, many of whom have been
with us for over 15 years and genuinely want to help our customers, and
you have a recipe for success that can
be applied to any small business.
and coffee shops and of course fast real estate firms, Department stores
food parlors. Nightclubs and private and boutiques. And in the spring,
summer and fall when
clubs abound and cater
our numerous outdoor
to an over-21 crowd who
sidewalk cafes are
enjoy the “happening”
brimming with peofeeling in the Downtown.
ple, enjoy the food and
Did I leave anything out?
then shop. (Or shop
If I did, go downtown---and then enjoy the
find a food type I left out
food.) Of course there’s
and let me know.
also the richness of the
We also have numerStamford Town Center
ous top notch retail
(3 anchors, 130 shops,
establishments. Want to
6 restaurants and a
improve your golf score,
food court) which carget decked out for a wedSandy Goldstein
ries everything from
ding, buy flowers, delectable chocolates or artistic glassware, clothing, to luggage, to phones, to
or perhaps a fur coat? Just walk down computers, to perfume, to jewelry, to
Bedford Street and any of the latter furniture, to accessories, to shoes, to
products can be yours. Want designer, stationery and on and on. Go there and
high quality furniture and accessories?- discover the Mall’s extensive collections
-Go to Atlantic Street. Your kitchen for yourself.
Our entertainment venues define
or bathroom needs remodeling?—Visit
Summer Street. There are clothing Stamford Downtown as a thriving locastores downtown, great hairdressers tion. The Stamford Center for the Arts
(at every price point), nail salons and is rebounding and has great crowd
banks. There are insurance agencies
Continued on page 7
and print shops, eye glass stores and
That’s entertainment, that’s music, and that’s Stamford Town Center!
Michael McAndrews, General Manager, Stamford Town Center
Recognizing the abundant supply of musical talent in Fairfield
County, the Stamford Town Center
has become a local showcase for
aspiring musicians and entertainers.
Each year, the mall, in partnership
with the Young Artists Philharmonic
Orchestra (YAP),
features
live
music,
singing, and dance
recitals as part
of its Holidays
in
Harmony
marketing campaign. Set amidst
a
$440,000
musical
conservatory, the
mall welcomes
over 2,000 performers
each
holiday season,
according to General Manager Mike
McAndrews.
“Our Center Court becomes a
musical stage each year and we’re
proud to sponsor and support YAP
musicians and entertainers”, says
McAndrews. Working with YAP
Executive Director Joyce DiCamillo,
artists from area school groups,
choirs, concert bands, and the YAP’s
own philharmonic orchestra, perform throughout the holiday season with free concerts to entertain
shoppers.
McAndrews says the mall will now
feature a summer
jazz series in the
new, outdoor Plaza
every Wednesday
night in June,
July, and August.
He says, “Our
Marketing Director,
Jim Zielinski and
Ms. DiCammilo are
working together
to plan the events
and book a variety
of jazz performers, including jazz
workshops for YAP
students”. He added, “With all of the
outdoor dining available at our new
restaurants, the Plaza is a perfect
venue to feature live music with a
touch of sophistication”.
Entertainment at the mall has
been a mall tradition since the center
opened in 1982. Zielinski’s collabo-
The Stamford
Town Center
has become
a local showcase
for aspiring
musicians and
entertainers.
ration with DiCamillo resulted in an
exclusive show with YAP students by
music legend Billy Preston in 2005,
ºone of his last performances before
his untimely death. Since then, the
mall has been home to hundreds
of entertainers from teen idol Chris
Truesdale to children’s favorite Dora
the Explorer. Televised entertainment was also a breakthrough at the
mall when Zielinski secured a
deal with ABC’s Good Morning
America. The show used the
mall’s musical backdrop in a
‘live’ national broadcast featuring local school choirs.
“Fairfield County has some
of the finest young musicians
in the country” says Zielinski.
“We work with our sponsoring
partners to spotlight this talent
and give young people a venue
for them to hone their talents
in front of a wide audience,
giving each performer valuable experience to understand
audience tastes and response”.
The mall’s amphitheatre style
Center Court is unlike a typical suburban mall. He says, “It
makes Stamford Town Center one of
the most unique shopping,
dining, and entertainment
venues in America”.
The mall’s Kids Club
is also focused on entertainment with tie-ins to
Broadway shows and television cartoon characters.
Members Credit Union, a
Kids Club partner not only
offers $25 savings accounts
to kids who increase grades
in school, they also sponsor
entertainment events like
appearances by ScoobyDoo, the PowerPuff Girls,
and Spiderman or the
10th Anniversary exhibit
of Disney’s Lion King. The
mall is a presenting sponsor
of the Stamford Downtown
Holiday Parade and Kids
Club entertainment is a
parade favorite with appearances by
Cirque du Soleil ‘Wintuk’ characters,
The Cat in the Hat, or Bugs Bunny
and the Looney Tunes characters.
All have appeared in the parade
and later in the mall for Kids Club
entertainment in partnership with
Norwalk Hospital, the naming rights
sponsor of the mall’s new Children’s
Play Area.
Michael McAndrews
“Music and entertainment at the
mall gives us a point of differentiation” says McAndrews”. He adds
“it also allows local businesses an
opportunity to expose their products and services in an aggressive
sponsorship and marketing alliance”.
The mall reaches millions of shoppers each year. With a $70 million
expansion and renovation behind
it, new merchants and new marketing sponsorships have enhanced
the draw of the regional shopping
center. McAndrews believes it’s ‘just
the beginning of a new era for
the mall’ with entertainment accenting a quality line-up of new stores
and restaurants. The result is more
people being employed at the mall
with more people enjoying the best
shopping, dining, and entertainment experience in lower Fairfield
County. And that, he says ‘is music
to my ears’.
5
2009 Session
Representative
James A. Shapiro
In commenting on previous sessions, I focused on education funding, health care reform, revamping
our energy policy, and other issues
that were vitally important at the time
and remain so today. But for the 2009
legislative session, the state’s massive
budget deficit, currently projected at
$10 billion out of a $36 billion budget, will crowd out all other issues. The
deficit stems from a steep decline in all
forms of state revenue precipitated by
the national real estate meltdown, the
credit crisis on Wall Street, and the
subsequent job losses. The question
this begets comes in two parts. First,
how do we close this tremendous
gap without dismantling vital services,
and second, how do we get through
this crisis while still positioning ourselves for eventual recovery?
We must start with cutting spending. Proposals abound for shrinking
government departments, consolidating commissions, and doing more with
less, or sometimes, realistically, just
doing less. Government must constrict
to focus on its core purposes, and the
myriad wonderful things we did in
good times will have to be temporarily
shelved until such times return. A person whose salary is diminished, bonus
lost, or job eliminated can no longer
afford to dine out three times a week,
and neither can the state.
While cutting luxuries, the state
must still invest in its core functions.
After keeping its citizens safe from
harm, the government’s most central
role is in creating an educated and
employable citizenry. Thankfully, that
is also the way to prepare ourselves for
the day when we see the light at the
end of the economic tunnel. When
that day arrives, we will need students and workers able to lift us out
of this financial morass. Accordingly,
we must maintain the current level of
education funding to cities and towns.
Whatever else we cut, it should not
Stimulus funds for
youth employment
By Joe Carbone President & CEO, The WorkPlace, Inc.
6
Thanks to the federal stimu- ties/local government. This is free
lus package (officially the ARRA, to participating members. WorkPlace
American Recovery and Reinvestment pays their salary.
In Southwestern Connecticut, the
Act of 2009), communities across the
country will be offering Summer Summer Youth Employment program
will give priority to the
Youth
Employment
neediest youth. For the
Opportunities
this
region overall, our goal
year. In Southwestern
is to hire approximately
Connecticut, we are
900 youth. A minimum
moving fast to set
of 30% of the particiup these opportunipants must be “out of
ties, working with the
school youth” (meaning
Stamford Chamber of
not enrolled during the
Commerce to help idenschool year).
tify Work Sites in the
Joe Carbone
Recruitment of canStamford market.
The Summer Youth Employment didates, application process, eligibilprogram will pay participants for ity verification, payroll, and work
20-25 hours per week at minimum readiness (credential must be part of
wage for approximately 7 weeks the summer youth experience) will
starting July 6 or after. Work Sites be handled by The WorkPlace, Inc.
can be for-profit businesses, non- in its role as the region’s Workforce
profit organizations, or municipali- Investment Board.
be this. In addition, we should sup- “Tax or cut the other guy, but not me.”
port the proposal to link our voca- If we are going to cut services, it must
tional and technical
be done broadly and
high schools to our
fairly, and if we are
community
colgoing to raise revelege system, like the
nue, which should be
joint venture envia last resort, it must
sioned by Wright
be done with the
Tech in Stamford and
philosophy of shared
Norwalk Community
sacrifice. We cannot
College.
Creating
target some indusstudents who are
tries over others or
better prepared in
some segments of the
both academics and
population over othtrades will put us
ers. It goes against
in good stead when
our sense of common
James A. Shapiro
the federal economic
purpose and fairness
stimulus arrives and we need people to balance the budget on the backs of
qualified to plan and build all of those a few, and perhaps just as importantly,
“shovel ready projects.”
targeted fees and taxes will never raise
Along with what we must do to enough revenue to close the budget
make it through these hard times gap. Only broad-based measures will
comes the corollary, what we must not get us where we need to go. We must
do. We must not let political arm-wres- remember that we are all in this togethtling decide that some will be winners er, and when we finally reach the other
in this restructuring and others losers. side of this economic chasm, we must
Already voices have been raised to say, arrive as one.
Youth must meet eligibility requirements under the federal
Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
These include:
• Age 14-24 at time of
registration (must be verified
by birth certificate, drivers
license, government-issued ID,
or passport)
• Income – meet lower living
standard based on family size
(e.g. $26,208 for family of 4)
• Barrier – barriers include
Basic Skills Deficiency;
School Dropout; Ex-Offender;
Pregnant or Parenting;
Homeless, Runaway, or
Foster Child.
For Youth, Pre-applications will
be distributed beginning late March
and must be returned the week of
April 20. There may be a lottery if the
number of Youth applicants exceeds
the available Work Sites. Eligibility
verification will begin immediately
after selection. Matching of Youth
with Work Sites will take place in
early June.
Guidelines for Work Sites are that
the Summer Youth cannot replace
laid-off employees. In addition, the
ARRA specifically excludes the following recreation-oriented sites:
swimming pools, golf courses, aquariums, zoos, and casinos.
This Summer Youth Employment
program creates excellent opportunities for local youth to gain meaningful
work experience while earning some
needed income for their families during these lean economic times. For
participating businesses and agencies, the program provides motivated
youth who have completed work
readiness preparation. By hosting one
or more youth through this program,
the Work Site gets needed work done
without incurring costs. Collectively,
our community benefits by developing our young workforce.
If you are interested in becoming a Work Site or want to learn
more, please contact David Harris
at (phone) 203-610-8568 or (email)
dharris@workplace.org. Watch for
our flyer in next month’s Stamford
Chamber monthly mailer.
UConn Stamford Art Gallery
showcases local talent
Michael M. Ego, Ph.D. Associate Vice Provost,
University of Connecticut, Stamford Campus
The mission of the UConn a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00
a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Stamford Campus Art
The gallery is locatGallery is to offer a
ed on the first level of
welcoming environthe UConn Stamford
ment that attracts artCampus, which is located
ists and members of
at One University Place,
the community to high
in downtown Stamford.
caliber exhibitions and
Free parking is available
programs. The gallery
on the second level of the
supports the University
campus garage located on
of Connecticut’s educaWashington Blvd.
tional mission by stimMichael
M.
Ego
For more information
ulating active learning
and dialogue about the arts and the about the gallery exhibits, please call
251-8400, and view website: www.
creative process.
The 2009 Art Gallery schedule stamford.uconn.edu/artgallery.html
Michael M. Ego, Ph.D. is the
offers visitors an opportunity to view
a range of exhibits that showcase art- Associate Vice Provost at the University
ists from Stamford and throughout of Connecticut, Stamford Campus. He
the region. The Art Gallery is open to can be reached at michael.ego@uconn.
the public Monday through Thursday, edu and www.stamford.uconn.edu.
8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:30
Stamford Downtown
2009 EXHIBITS
Continued from page 4
April 9 – 30
Everyday Hero:
New Paintings by
Michael Manning
Opening Reception:
April 18, 2 – 4 p.m.
pleasers on tap in the next few months
such as Foreigner, Willie Nelson, La
Traviata and Jesus Christ Superstar.
The Palace Theatre promises to increase
its entertainment bookings during the
next year with enough concerts for
everyone to enjoy. And, this summer
the DSSD will wow its audiences with
7 more Columbus Park concerts at its
Thursday evening Alive @ 5 extravaganzas and its Wednesday Pops in the
Parks musical and orchestral shows.
Downtown’s movie theatres draw
more than a million patrons with its
first run features. Of course, the Avon
Theatre with its eclectic mix of first run
art and independent films, lectures and
magnificent oldies is a major stimulus
package in itself. Couple that with the
privilege of having UCONN Stamford
with its extraordinary curriculum
and cultural offerings and you have a
tempting combination to please everyone, especially the most discerning.
So what are you waiting for----come
on downtown!!!!!!
May 8 – June 30
Pink House Artists Show
Opening Reception:
May 16, 3 – 5 p.m.
July 1 – August 31
Heidi Lewis Coleman Show
Opening Reception: TBA
September 1 – October 15
MFA Showcase, featuring
UConn, Yale and
WCSU Graduate Students
Opening Reception: TBA
October 20 – December 20
Juried Photography Show
Opening Reception: TBA
Textile
Specialist
Si n c e 1 9 6 3
Our Clients Include the
Most Prestigious Corporate
Facilities in Westchester &
Fairfield Counties
203.847.8000
Tr i p l e S C l e a n . c o m
7
Curtain Call
Lou Ursone,
Executive Director
“How are we doing? We’re OK,”
said Lou Ursone, Executive Director of
Curtain Call, Stamford’s longest-running community-based theatre company and BEST LOCAL THEATRE
GROUP four years running, “We’re
having our best season of ticket sales
ever. Starting last July, we saw a huge
increase over the previous year in
subscriptions, and that growth has
continued all season, but that doesn’t
mean we’re not struggling with the
economy,” he said.
Unfortunately, ticket sales alone
do not keep this local arts organization afloat. Contributed income
from individuals and foundations has
remained flat while corporate funding has decreased. Participation in
fee-based educational workshops is
down, making the financial balancing act “as difficult as it’s ever been”
according to Ursone.
“We’ve had a solid schedule of
130 performances this season” Ursone
said. Curtain Call continues to be
Stamford’s busiest performing nonprofit performing arts organization,
filling their three stages with yearround live theatrical programming.
“We do our best to keep the 37
year-old Kweskin Theatre (traditional
auditorium) and The Dressing Room
Theatre (cabaret-style seating) as busy
as possible with something happening almost every weekend of the year”
he added. Curtain Call has been in
residence at Sterling Farms for the
past 17 years. Over the last nine years,
under Ursone’s leadership, more than
100 productions attended by over
100,000 patrons have been produced
Lou Ursone
by this dynamic organization. Their
next two shows – audience favorites
– are THE WIZARD OF OZ (April 3
– May 2) and MULBERRY STREET
(June 4 – 29). But one of its muchacclaimed programs may be silenced
this summer.
“Due to lost funding at various levels, we may be forced to cancel what
would be our 6th annual Shakespeare
on the Green presentation,” Ursone
said. Record crowds of over 3,200
attended last summer. “The fixed costs
associated with presenting outdoor
theatre can be daunting, but we’ve
had great sponsorship in the past.
This year, we’re not seeing the same
level of commitment and that may
make it impossible for us to go forward,” he noted.
“Our next big venture is Dancing
With The Stars, Stamford, which will
be held June 13 at The Palace Theatre.
“This fund-raising event will feature
local celebrities partnered with dance
professionals and is again sure to be
the ‘must see’ special event of the
year in our area,” said Curtain Call
Executive Director Lou Ursone. Last
year’s Dancing event sold out weeks in
advance Ursone said.
This year’se-up of STAR DANCERS
includes: George Boyce – State Farm
Insurance Agent/Owner; Tom Cassone
- Director of Legal Affairs, City of
Stamford; Deborah A. DeMatteis VP, Branch Manager HSBC Bank;
Carol Fedele - wife of Lt. Governor
Michael Fedele; Regina Maguire
Kirshbaum - Owner, Agabhumi the
Best of Bali; Rich Manz - Second Vice
President, General Re Corporation;
Frank J. Mercede - President, Frank
Mercede and Sons; Ernie Orgera Engineering Bureau, City of Stamford;
Michelle Palazzo - Patient Services
and Operations Mgr., Bennett Cancer
Center; Cindy Palmer-Dean - Vice
President/Creative Director, Palmer’s
Supermarket, Inc.; June Rosenthal –
President, Juner Properties and Arthur
“Arty” Selkowitz - Chairman, Mill
River Collaborative, will get out their
dancing shoes and strut their stuff
partnered with professional dancers
from our area.
The professional dance studios
that have volunteered their time and
are working with our Star Dancers
include: Arthur Murray Dance Studio
of Stamford; The Ballroom Company;
Dance-Fit; Fred Astaire Dance Studios;
David Graybill Productions; Latin
Moves Dance Studio; Maria Fiora’s
Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio.
“Being named BEST LOCAL
THEATRE GROUP four years running
in a survey conducted by Fairfield
County Weekly and, just recently, for
the second consecutive year, THE BEST
PERFORMING GROUP by StamfordPlus magazine, tells me what I’ve
known for a while – our community
really supports us,” Ursone said. “In
spite of all the great recognition, many
area residents still have no idea that
we’re here – we’re probably Stamford’s
best kept secret – but hopefully not
for long,” Ursone said.
For information about sponsorship opportunities, Dancing With
The Stars, Stamford or any upcoming events, call Curtain Call at
203-329-8207 or go online to
www.curtaincallinc.com.
Good Housekeeping Recognizes Tasty Bite in Top 100
Good Housekeeping recently analyzed thousands of products across America, testing for
nutrition, taste and convenience.
Volunteers (ages 5 to 85) then
sampled the products to come up
with America’s 100 best convenience foods. The results are featured in their February issue.
“Tasty Bite”, the brand owned
by Stamford, CT based Preferred
Brands International and a
Stamford Chamber of Commerce
member made it to the Top 100
with two of their products!
“Tasty Bite” has a range of natural, ready-to-eat, ethnic entrees,
pilafs, meals and simmer sauces.
The products are all vegetarian and
can be heated and served in 90 seconds. This line of delicious recipes
offer a variety of vegetables, lentils,
beans, paneer cheese, all cooked in
aromatic spices and herbs.
“Tasty Bite” is available nationwide in most grocery chains like
Safeways, Kroger, Whole Foods,
Mrs. Green’s, Trader Joe’s, Costco,
Wegmans, Giant Eagle, Stop &
Shop, Shaws etc. and online at
www.tastybite.com. The brand,
with a tag line “Spice it Up”, has
wide appeal with North American
consumers who seek healthy foods
that combine flavor, convenience
and adventure.
In addition to being natural,
the products need no refrigeration
& have a shelf life of 18 months
– a great pantry item and ideal for
the outdoor lifestyle as well. The
company was co-founded in the
mid 90s – two of the founders,
Meera and Ashok Vasudevan, live
in Stamford, CT.
8
Meera and Ashok Vasudevan
Stamford to Host Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Jim Nicholas, Connecticut World Trade
The Stamford Alumni Chapter
of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
is hosting the 79th Northeastern
Province Council from April 23 to
April 26, 2009 at the Sheraton hotel in
Stamford, Connecticut. An estimated
500 men and 100 women will register
for the Council from throughout the
Northeast and up to 1,000 people
including state and local government,
business officials, educators and community members will attend some
Council activities. The Council theme
is “Living the Dream, Setting the Pace
and Moving Forward.”
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
is a 98 year-old internationally recognized fraternity headquartered in
Philadelphia, PA. Achievement is the
hallmark objective of the organization.
Notable members of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc have been recognized
as leaders in government, business,
the arts, military, athletics, civil rights,
education, and science. The late
Tom Bradley, five-time Mayor of Los
Angeles, Leon Sullivan and Ed Bradley
were members of the Fraternity as
well as Robert L. Johnson owner of
BET and the coach of victorious Super
Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers,
Mike Tomlin. The Fraternity has over
105,000 members worldwide. The
organization is a major contributor in
the fields of political, business, government, social, cultural and scholastic achievement.
Speakers from business, government and the fraternity have been
confirmed to speak at the various
Council programs. Rodney C. Adkins
“Rod”,
Senior
Vice President
Development &
Manufacturing
IBM
Systems
&
Technology
Group will be the
keynote speaker
at the Friday evening Public Forum
where Lieutenant
Governor Michael
Fedele has been
invited to provide the official
Welcome. Other
prominent business, government and
community leaders will also partici-
pate. The Friday Night Entertainment
will include a Collegiate Step Show
and a scheduled appearance by R &
B Artist “Olivia”. On Saturday, there
will be a Career Fair, Youth Leadership
Conference and a full schedule of
activities for females.
Stamford Alumni Chapter is an
organization of professional men,
doctors, dentists, attorneys, clergy,
educators, business leaders, entrepreneurs and other occupations.
Fraternity members volunteer their
time and resources to enhance the
lives of youth in the Greater Fairfield
County and Stamford areas, throughout the United States and around the
world. The signature deliverable is
the Guide Right Program in which
elementary, middle and high school
students receive tutoring and mentoring. In addition, the Stamford Chapter
also contributes to many other programs including the Thanksgiving
Food Drive and Toys for Tots and
provide academic scholarships for
our local students.
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9
The 16th Annual Taste of Stamford: Tastefully Delicious!
And the “Best Of”
Winners are:
For one evening on a Thursday
in February, more than 800 people chose to shake off the winter
blahs and cabin fever to experience
what has become a culinary signature event in Stamford: the Annual
Taste of Stamford. From sampling
the delicacies of menu items served
Best Tasting Food:
The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille Managing Partner
Greg Perna and Markie Campbell,
Sales and Marketing Manager
served up plenty of their award
winning samples to win the “Best
Tasting Food” category.
The Ketel One samplers were kept
busy all night serving the featured
Diageo product. Jack Condlin,
President & CEO, Stamford
Chamber presents the “Best
Beverage” award to Tamara Riveira,
Kristen Lovullo, Jen Sweeters,
Christine Nguyen and Callie Bundy.
Also making the presentation is
(far right) Joyce Mazur, Associate
Director, Office of the COO,
The Americas UBS.
Best Dessert:
SONO Baking Company
and Café
Taste revelers voted the SONO
Baking Company and Café as the
winner in the Best Dessert category.
Jack Condlin, President & CEO,
Stamford Chamber and Joyce
Mazur, Associate Director, Office of
the COO, The Americas UBS (right)
congratulate Veronica Ciccarone
with the award plaque.
©Photographic Memories
Best Beverage:
Ketel One Vodka
by Diageo
Sheraton Stamford Hotel.
“It was a great time that
was had by all,” says Stamford
Chamber president and CEO
Jack Condlin. “This is always
a very festive night. We keep
the evening very light with
no business talk….it’s strictly
about eating,
drinking and
meeting up
with friends
and
colleagues. We
really have to
©Photographic Memories
thank all the
Best Tasting Food: The Capital Grille
exhibitors,
the sponsors,
announcements were made. The
and our host hotel honors for the Best Display went
for their generous to David’s Soundview Catering for
support of this sig- their tastefully done tablescape. Best
nature event.”
Beverage award was captured by Ketel
The hardest part One Vodka for their thirst-quenching
of the evening came martinis. SoNo Baking Company and
Best Dessert: SONO Baking Company and Café
by Stamford area restaurants and
caterers, to satisfying “sweet tooths”
with a full-range of desserts, to sipping libations provided by wine, beer
and martini specialists, the Taste of
Stamford satisfied everyone’s palate.
The food and drink extravaganza, which was sponsored by
Diageo and featured their Ketel One
Vodka, Beaulieu Vineyard wines and
Guinness beer line, was held at the
when guests had
to vote for the
Best Display, the
Best Tasting, the
Best Beverage and
the Best Dessert.
Ballots were distributed and the
votes were tallied
up. At the end of
the evening, the
10
©Photographic Memories
All Photos: Photographic Memories
Best Beverage: Ketel One Vodka by Diageo
Café garnered the Best Dessert category for their outstandingly delicious
Warm Brownie Cups with Espresso
Whipped Cream. The Best Tasting
category went to first-time exhibitor Capital Grille. They wooed the
crowds with two specialty dishes:
kona crusted filet mignon sandwiches and lobster mac & cheese.
Proceeds of the Taste of Stamford
benefit the Stamford Chamber program development efforts including
the Kids Our Future Trust Fund, a
not-for-profit organization created by
the Chamber to raise funds to support educational programs with the
Stamford Public Schools.
Best Display:
David’s Soundview
Catering
The culinary experience is all about
presentation as well. And taking
home the award for Best Display
was David’s Soundview Catering.
Pictured from left to right: Cassandra
Owolo, Event and Design Manager;
Debbie Mortimer, Foodservice
Director; Melissa Desousa, Director
of Sales and Operations; and Erik
Anderson, Executive Chef.
©Photographic Memories
Best Display: David’s Soundview Catering
Creative Insight wins Banner Campaign
Creative Insight LLC has been
awarded the new street banner marketing campaign for the Stamford
Downtown Special Services District
(DSSD). The six illustrated fullcolor banners, which invite residents and visitors to Shop, Learn,
Live, Play, Dine and Work in thriving Stamford Downtown, will be
displayed throughout the area for
the next three years, as well as
incorporated into advertising and
other marketing media.
The winning banners were the
creation of Creative Insight partners and art
directors Mike
Lombardo and
Nancy Andersen.
“Our goal was to
create a series of
impactful visuals that draw
attention to the
area and coordinate with the economic environment of Stamford Downtown,” says
Lombardo. The six graphics executed by the team reflect the many
diverse cultures that comprise the
experience of working, living, dining, learning, shopping and enjoying entertainment in the area.
“We’re so proud to have been
Membership Drive - SBO
On Thursday, January 8th, the
Stamford Chamber of Commerce held
its Annual Membership Campaign.
This was a major undertaking with
more than 50 volunteers contacting
local businesses to recruit them for
membership into it’s organization.
Jack Condlin, President and CEO of
the Stamford Chamber says membership in the Stamford Chamber of
Commerce is a great way to make
important connections and market
your business in a relatively inexpen-
sive way. The Chamber also offers its
members participation on a number
of committees, with opportunities
to contribute to the vibrancy of the
community and legislative advocacy.
The goal for the day was to bring in
a number of additional new members to its already existing roster of
approximately 1,600 businesses.
The Holiday Inn Stamford
Downtown, generously donated the
use of their facility and phones to
hold the Drive and also sponsored an
selected from such an
accomplished group
of creative agencies,”
says Andersen. “With
400 banners displayed
throughout Stamford
Downtown,”
she
continues, “we feel
extremely privileged
to have our work
receive
immense
exposure to such a
vast and diverse audience over the next
three years.”
To view all the
new banner designs
or for more information about the agency’s services visit creative-insight.com or
call (203) 594-9409.
Nancy Andersen and Michael Lombardo, Partners
and Art Directors of Creative Insight, LLC, designed
and illustrated the new street banner campaign for
Stamford Downtown which will be displayed for the
next 3 years.
appreciation party for all the volunteers in their newly renovated lounge
at the end of the day. A sales training
class to kick off the event was donated by Gene D’Agostino, VP of Sandler
Training TEM and photography was
donated by Dan Tual, Photographic
Memories.
The Campaign also recognized
the volunteers for their achievements
with gifts donated by fellow Chamber
members. Marc Halpert of Your Best
Interest and Judy Heft of Judith Heft
& Associates were the top achievers
for the day and Gold Club mem-
bership status was awarded to Tess
Abalos, CT Massage & Bodywork,
LLC; Edison Barahona, EB Alva; Sean
Mehner, Connecticut Information
Security; and Tony Polito, Holiday
Inn Stamford Downtown.
Geri Fortunato, the Chamber’s
membership director, says Chamber
recruiting is a year-round effort,
but the campaign brings everyone
together in a group effort to grow the
business organization. Despite difficult economic times, the day was a
great success, and brought in 66 new
members.
11
©Photographic Memories
MembersMakingNews
Appointments
& New Positions
James Daniel
Entertainment
Inc., a full-service entertainment company,
announces the
launch of their
A/V & Event
Gennaro Scarpelli
Lighting division under the direction of Gennaro
Scarpelli. In his new position
as chief operating officer for the
James Daniel A/V & Event Lighting
Division, he will oversee all the
equipment rentals as well as lighting
design, sound and video placement.
Scott Gerard
Department.
Mally S. Chakola
has joined the
firm as an associate in the
Business Finance
Department.
Ian Ceppos,
Murtha Cullina
LLP announced
that Scott Gerard
has joined the
law office as a
partner in the
Business Finance
associate at the Stamford office of
CB Richard Ellis, was appointed
to the office of treasurer on the
board of directors of the Building
Owners and Managers Association
of Westchester NY, Inc. He will be
heading the finance committee and
will audit association accounts.
John Festo was promoted to vice
president, information technology
(IT) at Patriot National Bank in
Stamford.
Fred Camillo was appointed loan
officer at The Bank of Greenwich.
James Euchner, vice president of
growth strategy and innovation at
Pitney Bowes, Inc., was appointed
to the board of directors at Visiting
Nurse and Hospice Care (VNHC)
of Southwestern Connecticut in
Stamford. Pitney Bowes has hosted
VNHC’s annual Tree of Life ceremony at its world headquarters for the
past 19 years.
Awards &
Recognition
Mally S. Chakola
The magazine’s bank-performance
scorecard was complied by Sandler
O’Neill and Partners.
Business
Enhancements
Sacred Heart University was
appointed a place in the President’s
Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll by The
Corporation for National and
Community Service in Washington,
D.C. for displaying exemplary service efforts to America’s
communities.
Business Management Resource
Group, LLC (BMRG) announced
that it has been selected as an
Intuit® Solution Provider. BMRG
offers a full range of value-added consulting services for Intuit
QuickBooks® Enterprise Solutions
(www.enterprisesuite.com) developed by Intuit Inc.
Computronix
LLC, a leading Technology
Solutions provider, has been
included in the
MSPmentor 100,
Barry Monies
a distinguished
list of the world’s most progressive
managed service providers. The
MSPmentor 100 recognizes managed
service providers, integrators, consulting firms and VARs that leverage
managed services to vastly improve
customer service.
Boost eLearning has granted a
Non-Profit Enterprise License to St.
Luke’s LifeWorks to use their Boost
eLearning’s Google Search Training
System. Boost eLearning’s Google
Search Training quickly teaches an
organization’s participants or workers how to command faster, more
accurate results from the Google
search bar.
art thou, Romeo?” Now area audiences will hear the former, spoken by
a young girl from Kansas, a cowardly
lion, a scarecrow and a tin woodsman
when Curtain Call’s spring musical
production of The Wizard of Oz takes
the stage of The Kweskin Theatre.
public relations bluster, the application would be to Willie Nelson.
Also featuring Ray Price and Billy
Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters.
The iconic Texan Willie Nelson is
the creative genius behind historic
recordings like “Crazy,” “Red Headed
Stranger,” and “Stardust.” In many
ways “living legend” doesn’t describe
how Willie Nelson is such a force
here and now in 2009. Recently touring with the legendary country swing
band “Asleep at the Wheel” Willie
Nelson continues to record and tour
delighting his fans the world over.
People’s United Bank was the
fifth-best performing bank in the
Northeast and second best in the
nation for capital adequacy, according to Bank Director magazine.
Stepping Stones Museum for
Children announced a team of local,
national and international construction, design and engineering partners were selected to work on the
museum’s environmentally conscious
building expansion, scheduled to
begin in the spring. The $15 million
expansion will include the addition
of 22,000 square feet to the east side
of the building in Mathews Park.
CommunityCorner
Stamford Symphony Orchestra
presents Fantasy & the Familiar on
April 18 at 8pm and April 19 at 3pm.
Featured Musician: Joshua Roman,
cello. For more information: (203)
325-1407
Curtain Call. Calendar of Events.
For more information:
(203) 461-6358 ext. 34
12
“A Merry Mulberry Street Musical.”
Monday, April 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm.
What do you get when you take
Stamford’s most-produced romantic
comedy, set it during the holidays
and add in some music? A Merry
Mulberry Street Musical! This brand
new story, featuring the characters
you’ve loved for 70 years. will warm
your hearts and make you laugh
heartily (and maybe even shed a tear).
Featuring songs by Jeffrey Lodin and
William Squier.
“The Wizard of Oz..” Through May
2nd. “Lions and tigers and bears.
Oh my!” Those famous film lines are
probably as well known around the
world as “Romeo. Romeo. Wherefore
Palace Theatre. Calendar of Events.
For tickets call the Box Office at (203)
325-4466.
Willie Nelson & Family. Tuesday,
April 14, 7:30 PM. If ever the words
“living legend” were more than just
Stephen Lynch. Thursday, April
16, 08:00 PM. Whether he’s singing
an ode to an ailing grandfather (and
the inheritance that his death will
bring), breaking up with a girlfriend
because of her racial make-up (she’s
just “too white”), or opening the
door to his mind to let the voices
inside his head sing out, Lynch is a
self-proclaimed “musician trapped in
the body of a comedian.” His unique
blend of musical based comedy has
earned him fiercely loyal fans around
the world who live to experience his
sold-out live shows, three best-selling CDs and DVDs, and his top-rated
Comedy Central Specials.
World On Stage Dance Festival.
Saturday, May 02, 02:30 PM. Presenting more than 80 dancers in a spectacular display of vivid and vibrant
dances from around the world.
Foreigner. Sunday, May 03, 07:30
PM. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s,
Foreigner was universally hailed as
one of the most popular rock acts in
the world, racking up scores of smash
hits, multi-platinum albums, and sold
out concert tours. A Limited number
of VIP Passes are available and must
be purchased separately. You MUST
have a ticket to the concert in order
to use the VIP Pass.
WelcomeNewMembers
Benenson Capital
Matt Butts
1600 Summer Street
Stamford CT06905-5125
(203) 325-8279
www.BenensonCapital.com
1600mbutts@sbcglobal.net
Real Estate-Development
Claim Services International
Crystal B. Carvalho, CEO
26 Mill Plain Road
Danbury CT06811
(203) 792-7775 Ext:31
www.claimservicesintl.com
cbcarvalho@claimservicesintl.com
Claim Administrator – Adjuster
CSI is a national independent claims
administrator providing customized
claim programs including investigation, adjustment & consulting.
Clean Image Medical Spa
Sunny Ahuja, Spa Director
825 High Ridge Road
Stamford CT06905
(203) 968-6000
www.cleanimagespa.com
sunny@cleanimagespa.com
Medical Spa
We are Connecticut’s premier medical spa treatment facility providing
a vast array of proven treatments for
skin and body.
Corporate Culinary
Nicholas Simeone, CEO
333 Ludlow Street
Stamford CT06902
(203) 653-6093
www.corporateculinary.com
nicholas.simeone@corporateculinary.
com
Caterers
RenewingMembers
100 Black Men of Stamford, Inc.
Thomas Marshall, President
P.O. Box 1313, Stamford CT 06904-1313
(203) 961-1203
100bmos.com
Non-Profit Organization
A Volunteer organization that provides
youth mentoring programs for education, health & wellness and economic
development.
Aladdin Services, LLC
Eric Lotstein, Owner
1127 High Ridge Road, Suite 329
Stamford CT 06905
(203) 329-7955
www.aladdinwash.com
Home Improvements
All types of commercial and residential
Power Washing and Painting with an
emphasis on SERVICE.
New York Life
Michelle Alviso, Licensed Agent
99 Hawley Lane, Suite 1400
Stratford CT06614
(203) 918-0628
www.michellealviso.nylagents.com
maalviso@ft.newyorklife.com
Insurance
Offering free consultation and
or planning about life insurance,
annuities, college funding, long term
care, disability, health insurance and
guaranteed lifetime income.
Angel Worldwide
Angel Samaniego, Owner
206 High Ridge Rd., Stamford CT 06905
(866) 526-7094
www.angel-worldwide.com
Limousine Service & Chauffeured
Transportation
Chauffered Transportation and Jet
Charter, serving the New York Tri-State
area airports, JFK, LGA, Newark, HPN, etc.
Appraisal Services, LLC
Allen Glucksman, Principal
102 Lincoln Ave., Stamford CT 06902
(203) 977-0663
www.4appraisalservicesllc.com
Real Estate-Appraisers
We are a leading provider for: Residential
& commercial appraisals, Primary & secondary mortgages, purchases, mortgage
Pinpoint Profit Recovery
Services, Inc.
Kevin M. Moonan, COO &
Managing Partner
800 Summer Street Suite 510
Stamford CT06901
(203) 348-9700
www.PinPointProfit.com
KMoonan@PinpointProfit.com
Financial Services
Pinpoint specializes in recovery
audit services. We identify and
recover our clients’ hidden profits.
Vinylume Inc.
Jon Fleming, Vice President
2041 West Main St.
Stamford CT06902
(203) 406-0889
www.vinylumeinc.com
jon@vinylumeinc.com
Home Improvements
refinancing, Employee Relocation, Private
Mortgage Insurance Removal (PMI),
Estate & Business Planning, Divorce
Settlement & Assessment.
ARI of Connecticut
Matthew P. Reyher, President & CEO
174 Richmond Hill Ave.
Stamford CT 06902-5696
(203) 324-9258
www.arict.org
Organizations-Nonprofit
ARI supports individuals and families
who live with disabilities, enabling them
to be more independent by finding them
a job and place to live.
13
Actions 4 Health
Carol W. Watt, Principal
94 Saddle Hill Rd., Stamford CT 06903
(203) 943-2590
www.betterwomenshealth.com
Health & Fitness
We measure and improve your antioxidant levels. Discover world class antiaging nutritional and skincare products
used by Olympic Training Centers.
Madonia
Shelly Roach, Marketing Director
1297 Long Ridge Road
Stamford CT06903
(203) 322-8870
www.madoniarestaurant.com
sparkling2323@yahoo.com
Restaurants
Continued on page 14
Avalon Glen Apartments
Michelle Maxim, Community Manager
66 Glenbrook Rd.
Stamford CT 06902-8402
(203) 357-1108
www.avalonbay.com
Apartments
Avalon Glen offers traditional New
England apartment homes, a landscaped
courtyard and luxurious amenities in an
exciting in-town location.
Avalon Grove
Dianna Bernardo, Community Manager
200 Broad St., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 357-1313
www.avalonbay.com
Apartments
Avalon Grove offers an array of designed
floor plans combined with state-of-theart amenities in the heart of downtown
Stamford
BevMax-Warehouse Liquors
Michael Berkoff, CEO
17 Cedar St., Stamford CT06902
(203) 357-9151
www.bevmax.com
Wine & Liquor Stores
BevMax is a Stamford based corporation
that specializes in operating high volume
wine and liquor superstores.
Brennan & Vlahakis Insurance
Daniel Brennan, Partner
104 Bedford St., Suite 2
Stamford CT 06901
(203) 324-6226
Insurance Agents & Brokers
Full service home, auto, life, health, and
business insurance agency.
Capriccio Café
Giovanni Gentile, President/Owner
189 Bedford Street, Stamford CT 06901
(203) 356-9819
www.capricciocafe.net
Restaurants
CB Richard Ellis
Robert Caruso, Senior Managing Director
177 Broad St.
Stamford CT06901-2002
(203) 329-7900
www.cbre.com
Real Estate-Commercial
Commercial Real Estate Sales and Leasing in
the Westchester, Fairfield and Tri-State area.
14
Charter Oak Agency
Rick Magnant, Insurance Agent
50 Old King’s Highway North
Darien CT06820
(203) 655-9766
Insurance
Chyten Educational Services
Barbara D. Levine, Owner
70 Main Street, New Canaan CT06840
(203) 972-3600
www.chyten.com
Tutoring
One-on-one tutoring covering all subjects, utilizing Master’s prepared tutors;
special expertise in SAT/ACT test prep
and college counseling.
Compass Corporate Housing
Eric Fleming, President
127 Greyrock Place, Stamford CT 06901
(203) 325-2355
www.compasscorp.com
Corporate Housing
Offering short and long-term fully
furnished apartments throughout
Connecticut, Westchester, Manhattan and
New Jersey.
Concentra Medical Centers
Jeff Quadrato, Area Sales Manager
15 Commerce Rd., 3rd Floor
Stamford CT 06902
(203) 324-9100
www.concentra.com
Health Services-Occupational
Occupational healthcare including:
Workers’ Compensation treatment, drug
screening, physicals and immunizations,
etc. “Urgent Care Travel Medicine.”
CookieTime Productions LLC
Richard “Cookie” Thomas, Artist
P O Box 110192
Stamford CT06911-0192
(203) 326-7919
www.cookiethomas.com
Music & Entertainment & Voiceover
The Smooth Voice That Makes The
Event”
Courtyard by Marriott
Stamford Downtown
Todd Lindvall, General Manager
275 Summer St., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 358-8822
www.marriott.com/stfcy
Hotels & Motels
The new Courtyard Marriott is a unique
contemporary downtown Stamford hotel.
Located within walking distance of over
70 bars & restaurants. With 115 rooms,
2 meeting rooms, complimentary wireless
access and a staff that is eager to meet the
demands of today’s business travelers.
CT Information Technology Institute
Debbie Gunzelman, Director For Noncredit Programs
One University Place, Stamford CT 06901
(203) 251-9516
www.citi.uconn.edu
Educational Services/Professional
Development CITI, a unit of UCONN’s
school of business, provides a broad
spectrum of resources needed to fulfill
IT solutions, training and professional
development. CITI, is a global registered education provider for the Project
Management Institute.
Curtis, Brinckerhoff &
Barrett, P.C.
John Wayne Fox, Attorney
666 Summer St., Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 324-6777
www.curtisbb.com
Attorneys-Attorneys at Law
A general practice law firm serving the needs
of our clients in Stamford since 1860.
Daviddelfiner.com, LLC
David Delfiner, CEO
9 Oriole Drive, Norwalk CT 06851
(203) 358-8109
www.daviddelfiner.com
Computer Services
Providing technology services to home
users, with a focus on customer service
and professionalism.
Diserio, Martin, O’Connor &
Castiglioni, LLP
Kevin Katske, Esq., Partner
One Atlantic St., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 358-0800
Attorneys
General practice law firm.
Equity Office
Neisha Natale, General Manager
281 Tresser Blvd. 11th Floor
Stamford CT 06901
(203) 328-3610
Real Estate-Commercial
Extra Space Storage
Scott Alvord, Site Manager
1934 West Main St., Stamford CT 06902
(203) 357-8200
www.extraspace.com
Storage-Self Storage
Extra Space Storage’s company goals are
to maximize customer satisfaction, provide an excellent product and excellent
service and to grow.
Francis J. Browne, Esq., P.C.
Francis J. Browne, Attorney
112 Prospect St. Stamford CT 06901
(203) 967-9995
Attorneys
Limited liability companies, shareholders agreements, buy-sell agreements.
Commercial and residential real estate.
Garden Homes Management
Corporation
Richard K. Freedman, President
29 Knapp Street, Stamford CT 06907
(203) 348-2200
Real Estate Management
Real Estate investment, management and
development.
GEC Property Management
Beverly Catchpole, Property Manager
97 Sweet Briar Road, Stamford CT 06905
(203) 329-9262
www.gecpropertymanagement.com
Property Management
Residential property management company providing house minding, necessary
maintenance, repair and preservation
programs.
George Comfort & Sons, Inc./
High Ridge Park
Jodi Gutierrez, Manager
5 High Ridge Park, Stamford CT 06905
(203) 322-0325
www.highridgeofficeinapark.com
Real Estate-Leasing & Management
High Ridge Park consists of six first class
office buildings on beautifully landscaped
grounds. Amenities include fitness center, daycare center and cafeteria.
GVA Williams of CT
Cory R. Gubner, President & CEO
1055 Washington Blvd.
Stamford CT 06901
(203) 324-0800
www.gvawilliams.com
Real Estate-Commercial
A full service Real Estate Firm.
Hank May’s Goodyear
Hank May, Owner
168 Magee Ave., Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 348-3000
www.hankmays.com
Tires & Auto Repair
Sales of tires and automotive repairs
including Connecticut Emission
Inspections.
Hyatt Regency Greenwich
Jennifer Labriola, Senior Sales Manager,
Corporate Travel
1800 East Putnam Avenue
Old Greenwich CT 06870
(203) 637-1234
www.hyattregencygreenwich.com
Hotels & Motels
Full Service AAA Four Diamond Hotel.
Jacobsen & Company, P.C.
David Jacobsen, Vice – President
1177 Summer St., Stamford CT 06905
(203) 327-5880
Accountants-Certified Public
We are a CPA firm providing innovative
tax planning strategies, consulting services to grow your business and accounting
services to measure your results.
Keller Williams Realty
David B. Wittenberg, Realtor, ABR, GRI
60 Long Ridge Rd., Stamford CT 06903
(203) 912-5466
www.wittyhomesales.com
Real Estate
Representing buyers and sellers throughout Fairfield County
Kelly Services
Suzanne VanNorman, Branch Manager
300 Atlantic St., Ste. 110
Stamford CT 06901
(203) 324-2211
www.kellyservices.com
Employment Agencies
Kelly Services offers staffing solutions
that include temporary services, staff
leasing, outsourcing, vendor-on-site and
full time placement in skill sets that
include office services, accounting, engineering, IT, law, science, marketing, light
industrial, and education, health care and
home care.
La Quinta Inn
Charlie Weisenbach, General Manager
135 Harvard Ave., Stamford CT 06902
(203) 357-7100
www.lq.com
Hotels & Motels
Literacy Volunteers-Stamford/
Greenwich
Diane J. Rosenthal, Exec. Dir.
141 Franklin St., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 324-5214
Organizations-Nonprofit
The agency provides free instruction
in reading, writing and conversational
English to adults who are over 18 and
out of school.
Long Ridge House Cleaning
Service, LLC
Jeff Grinnell, Owner
61 Woodbine Rd., Stamford CT 06903
(203) 329-2094
House Cleaning
We provide customized house cleaning
tailored to meet your specific needs
Long-Term Care Planning & Insurance
Linda M. Molnar, Long Term
Care Specialist
43 Arrowhead Way, Darien CT 06820
(203) 655-7822
www.DontMessTheBedWithoutLTC.com
Insurance Agents & Brokers
Your Financial Planner helped grow your
assets. Let Me Protect them with a longterm care plan designed for you.
P & P Studios, Inc.
John Fishback, President
110 Lenox Avenue, Suite 210
Stamford CT 06906
(203) 359-9292
www.weproduce.com
Audio/Video/Multimedia/Production/
Consulting
Since 1970, P & P’s provided support
to area businesses with award-winning
audio, video, and multimedia production.
Recording and editing facilities in-house.
Pierson & Smith, Inc.
Dave Coughlin, Business Development
40 Richards Avenue, Norwalk CT 06854
(203) 854-3438
www.piersonandsmith.com
Insurance Brokerage
Pierson & Smith, Inc. is a full service,
independently owned, insurance brokerage firm specializing in Employee
Benefits and Commercial Property &
Liability insurance.
Pullman & Comley, LLC
Sandy K. Campbell, Jr., Partner
107 Elm St., 4th Floor
Stamford CT 06902-3834
(203) 324-5000
www.pullcom.com
Attorneys
Pullman & Comley, LLC is an 80-lawyer
firm providing a full range of legal services to clients in the New England region
and nationally.
Regency Limousine Inc.
Stephen Summerton, President
P.O. Box 716, 331 Danbury Rd.
Wilton CT 06897
(203) 357-9717
www.regencylimousine.com
Limousine Service
Professional Door to Door limousine
services and 24 hour service anywhere.
Anytime office staffed 24 hrs, all major
credit cards are accepted. Sedans, Stretch
limousines, Vans, and SUV.
John E. Richardson, Jr., Inc.
John Richardson, Jr.
317 Courtland Ave., Stamford, CT 06906
(203) 323-5311
Building Materials Sheet Rock reseller.
River Bend Executive Center
J. Turner
One Omega Drive,
P.O. Box 4047, Stamford, CT 06907
(203) 359-7744
www.riverbendl.com
Real Estate-Leasing & Management
Commercial office space and business
continuity space.
Sacred Heart University
Mary Lou DeRosa, Interim Dean
12 Omega Drive, Stamford CT 06907
(203) 323-4959 Ext:11
www.sacredheart.edu
Colleges/Universities
The Center for Financial Education
offers Financial Planning, Series 7 and
Registered Paraplanner Classes at the
Stamford Campus.
Saks Fifth Avenue
Susan Gorman, General Manager
140 Atlantic St., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 323-3100
www.saks.com
Retail Shop
Saugatuck Construction Group
Kevin Coughlin, President
54 Research Drive, Suite 200
Stamford CT 06905
(203) 323-6500
www.saugatuck-cg.com
Construction
A full service contracting firm specializing in Construction Management,
General Contracting and Design-Build
Seaside Design LLC
Angela Spanakos, Partner
165 Bedford S., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 348-8080
www.gotoseaside.com
Advertising & Graphic Design Brochures,
logo design, packaging, newsletters,
annual reports, signage, direct mail, print
advertising, menus, invitations, promotional products.
ServiceMaster of Stamford
Steve Willis, President
76 Viaduct Rd., Stamford CT 06907
(203) 327-3477
Fire & Water Damage Restoration
We provide cleaning and restoration services primarily due to fire, smoke and
water damages in residential and commercial properties including 24hr emergency
services.
SONO Baking Company & Café
John Barricelli, Owner
101 S. Water Street
South Norwalk CT 06854
(203) 847-7666
www.sonobaking.com
Bakery/Café
We are a full service retail, wholesale
bakery with a cafe and seasonal outdoor
dining.
Dr. Scott Spector’s Eyecare Centers
Dianne Redner, Office Manager
1250 Summer Street, Ste. 205
Stamford, CT 06905
(800) 639-8474
www.spectoreye.com
Physicians & Surgeons
Spector Eye Care offers customized
Cataract and Laser Vision Surgery to
correct nearsighted, farsighted and astigmatism. We accept most major insurance
plans including Medicare.
Spherion Staffing
Gloria Favreau, Senior Branch Manager
100 First Stamford Place, Suite 100A
Stamford CT 06902
(203) 325-4151
www.spherion.com
Employment Agencies
Spherion Corporation is a leading
recruiting and staffing company that
provides integrated solutions to meet
the evolving needs of companies and job
candidates.
Splash Hand Car Wash
Solange Manco, Marketing Rep.
66 A Gate House Road
Stamford CT 06902
(203) 324-5400
www.splashcarwashes.com
Car Wash
A Full Service, 100% Hand Car Wash.
Enjoy our viewing gallery and retail
store while your car is being professionally cleaned. Locations in Fairfield,
Westchester and New Haven Counties.
SSC, Inc.
Daniel Ocasio, Assistant Vice President
45 Knollwood Road
Elmsford NY10523
(914) 347-2400
www.securessc.com
Security Services
SSC offers security consulting, uniformed
guard services, computer forensic assistance, and investigations.
Stamford Education 4 Autism, Inc.
RobinMarie Portanova, President
1127 High Ridge Road, PMB#315
Stamford CT 06905
(203) 322-9767
Non-Profit Organization
Stamford Partnership
Kathleen Walsh, President
680 Washington Blvd., Stamford CT 06901
(203) 325-4461
Public-Private Partnership
The Stamford Partnership, Stamford’s
primary civic organization, works to
enhance the quality of life for those living
and/or working here.
Continued on page 16
15
Members Credit Union
Kathy L. Chartier, President/CEO
56 West Broad St, Stamford CT 06902
(203) 975-3866
www.memberscu.com
Credit Union
Full service financial cooperative offering
banking services to anyone who lives,
works, worships or attends school in
Fairfield County.
RenewingMembers
Continued from page 15
Stamford Public Education
Foundation
Cathleen Guinta, Executive Director
62 Palmers Hill Rd., Stamford CT 06902
(203) 965-7733
www.stamfordpublicedfoundation.org
Non-Profit Organization
The mission of the Stamford Public
Education Foundation is to improve student performance by facilitating, designing and evaluating high impact partnership programs.
St. Basil College
Edward Bordeau, Ph.D., Academic Dean
195 Glenbrook Rd., Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 324-4578
www.stbasilcollegesem.net
Education
A local Ukrainian Catholic College
Seminary, with an extensive library and
Research Center, offering a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Philosophy.
Sanders Stein, M.D.
2777 Summer Street Suite 504 B
Stamford CT 06905
(203) 324-0082
Doctor
Dr. Stein is a board certified child,
adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. His
services include psychiatric and medical
evaluations, medication follow up and
psycotherapy.
Strictly Accounting CPA
David Devin, CPA, President
12 Long Ridge Rd., Stamford CT 06905
(203) 322-4000
strictlyaccounting.com
Accountants-CPA
Business and family accounting and
income tax preparation. Other planning
and consultations. Sponsor Bill Pay USA,
Quickbooks and Peachtree.
Sterling Electric, LLC
Antonio Antonucci, President
PO Box 4669, Stamford CT 06907-0669
(203) 324-1354
Electrical Contractor-Commercial &
Residential
We cater to all your electrical needs.
Guardian generator dealer. Install and
service generators.
Business Directory
Over the years, you’ve made
some pretty good choices.
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Sherri Valentin, RN, BSN Branch Director
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