The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Downtown event biggest one yet
Downtown Middletown was rocking last Wednesday evening as the 12th Annual Middletown Motorcycle Mania was held on Main Street and the surrounding areas.
The event, featuring over 6,500 bikes and over 12,000 spectators, was presented by Hunter’s Ambulance, Hunter Limousines & the Hunter Family and driven by Haymond Law. This year’s Motorcycle Mania event was the biggest and best one yet. The entertainment was terrific, the vendors did very well, the restaurants were packed, and we are proud that the event continues to defend its title as the largest one-day summer motorcycle event in New England.
The show bikes that were entered for awards were unbelievable, and I am happy that Middlesex County was well-represented when the bike awards were presented. We thank all participants and event sponsors for their outstanding support.
I also want to take a moment to once again acknowledge the fine work of the city personnel that worked to make it a safe and enjoyable evening for everyone. From Director Bill Russo and the team at Middletown Public Works Department, Geen Thazhampallath and the team at the Parking Department, Fire Chief Rob Kronenberger, Fire Marshal Gary Gessaro and the entire Middletown Fire Department and all of the emergency services personnel, everyone did a truly professional job.
I want to especially thank the Middletown Police Department who worked very well with our staff and volunteers to make sure that the event was secure and well-organized. All of the officers and support staff were extremely helpful once again and we appreciate it very much.
I thank Chief Bill McKenna, Sgt. Dave Godwin and the entire MPD for their support of the 12th Annual Middletown Motorcycle Mania. A special thank you also goes out to Mayor Dan Drew and members of the Common Council for their continued support of all of our downtown events.
Finally, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Event Chairman Rich Greco and our over 60 volunteers for their unbelievable support. Another successful Middletown Motorcycle Mania is in the books, and we are truly grateful for the total team effort that made it possible.
While it might not be quite as busy now that Mania is behind us, this week also features some important chamber events and activities.
The KeyBank Workshop Series will continue on Tuesday morning, Aug. 15, with two sessions on Sexual Harassment Prevention Training. The first session begins at 8 a.m. and the second at 10:15 a.m. Both sessions are held at the chamber office.
The definition of sexual harassment, liability and the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace will be discussed. Attorneys Sara Simeonidis and Allison Dearington, from the law firm Jackson Lewis, will demonstrate how to limit your company’s exposure to charges of sexual harassment, which can be very damaging.
This session meets the state requirement for two hours of sexual harassment training for supervisors and managers. Please visit www.middlesexchamber.com or contact the chamber for registration information. This important chamber Workshop Series is sponsored by KeyBank, and I want to again thank Market President Jeff Hubbard and his entire team for their continued support.
Thursday features an important meeting of our Cromwell Division at 8 a.m. at Covenant Village of Cromwell. The meeting will feature reports from Mayor Enzo Faienza and other town officials. Our Board of Directors also meets on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat.
In addition to reports from chamber members and key staff, the meeting will feature an update from Nine Town Transit Executive Director Joe Comerford who will address some of the transportation related changes that are planned for our region. We look forward to two productive meetings of these important chamber groups, and continue to appreciate the support and engagement of our members.
Chamber members in the Westfield section of Middletown should mark their calendars for Aug. 22 for an important meeting of our Westfield Division. As part of the effort to keep our members in the Westfield section fully informed on the progress of the FedEx project, the meeting on Centerpoint Drive will focus on the 525,000 sq. ft. state-of-theart distribution hub which is currently under construction. Representatives from FedEx Ground and Barton Malow will attend the meeting to provide an update on the project, and to address any questions or concerns from our members. The meeting will also feature remarks from Mayor Drew and other key city officials that have an impact on the Westfield Division.
A busy next Tuesday continues in the evening as our friends at Water’s Edge Resort and Spa host a Business After Work networking reception at its beautiful Westbrook facility. This annual event on the shoreline has become very popular with our membership over the years.
Water’s Edge Resort and Spa is a strong and active member of our chamber and we appreciate their willingness to host this event.
Looking ahead to later in the week, our August Member Breakfast Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Radisson Hotel in Cromwell. This exciting event, sponsored by our friends at People’s United Bank, will feature UConn Head Football Coach Randy Edsall as keynote speaker. I will have more on both of these important chamber events in next week’s column.
Unfortunately, I must once again close this week’s column on a sad note after the recent passing of a longtime friend and member of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, T. Gerald “Gerry” Dyar. Gerry Dyar was a member of our Board of Directors, chairman of our Transportation Committee and a recipient of our 2010 Distinguished Citizen Award.
He had an outstanding professional career that included time in the musical and stereo/audio industry, the data processing industry with The Travelers Companies, and as a key provider of strategic, longrange financial planning for business owners and their businesses. He was a longtime resident of Westbrook, and was a key person who pushed for the merger of the Westbrook Chamber and the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.
He served as the first chairman of our Westbrook Division and was an extremely important voice for the Westbrook business community over the course of many years. Gerry was also a true transportation advocate. He served as a member of the I-91 Transportation Investment Area Board of the statewide Transportation Strategy Board and the statewide I-95 corridor study group and was critical to the improvement and retention of the Shoreline East train station in Westbrook.
Prior to all of these successes, he served our country in the U.S. Army at the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He completed his active duty as the Signal NCO of the center with the rank of sergeant. He then served two years in the Army Reserve as the Signal NCO of the 76th Infantry Division with the rank of sergeant first class.
Gerry was a good and decent man who was widely admired by his fellow chamber members and his colleagues. He certainly made a lasting impact on our region and on our chamber. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Helen, to whom he was married for over 60 years, his children, grandchildren and his entire network of family and friends at this difficult time. T. Gerald “Gerry” Dyar will be missed by many.