Organizations earn booth awards at business expo

A number of organizations earned awards for best booths at the Connecticut Connections Middlesex County’s Premier Expo at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell on Oct. 24.

“The 2018 Connecticut Connections was a great success. I want to thank all participating companies, our sponsors, and the incredible work of our best booth winners at the expo,” Lou Brockett, chairman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Expo Committee, said in a prepared statement.

Events and activities in the main expo hall included more than 105 exhibitors from a wide variety of industry sectors, a career fair with over 42 employers who are hiring workers, the annual small business awards celebration luncheon, which honored a number of small business champions, and other content ranging from tourism, economic resilience, entrepreneurship and substance abuse prevention.

The morning kicked off with a session hosted by the Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council, “The Honest Truth: Opioid Addiction: Resources for the Workplace and for Families.” This workshop featured a panel discussion covering access to treatment, recovering in the workplace, and the role of insurance in treatment.

Activities included the Middlesex County Fall Career Fair, sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Workforce Alliance and the chamber. Professional resume writers were available to help people develop resumes and cover letters.

Best overall booth

First place, Connecticut Lottery; second place, Kuhn Employment Opportunities, Meriden; third place, Connecticut Valley Hospital, Middletown

Retail sector

First place, Torrison Stone & Garden, Durham; second place, Lyman Orchards, Middlefield; third place, Logo Thread Embroidery, Wethersfield

Service sector

First place, St. Clements Castle, Portland; second place, CT Thermography, Farmington; third place, Bouvier Insurance, West Hartford

Nonprofit sector

First place, American Legion Post 105, Cromwell; second place, Adelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services, Cromwell; third place, Community Health Center, Middletown

The expo was sponsored by Comcast Business and Red Lion Hotel, with media partner Hartford Business Journal.

Platinum sponsors included Bouvier Insurance, Colonial Life, Eversource Energy, iHeartMedia, Pratt & Whitney and Tower Laboratories LTD. Titanium sponsors included Connecticut Lottery, People’s United Bank and Workforce Alliance. Gold sponsors included: A&A Office, Albertus Magnus College, Bank of America, The Mattabassett District and Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.

Silver sponsors included Community Health Center, Cromwell Pizza & Pasta, Dattco, Lyman Orchards, NFP, Suburban Stationers and The Triplet Connection. Bronze sponsors included A Second Chance CPR & First Aid Training, Peter M. Bakker Agency, Executive Offices, Suburban Office Furniture and The Durham Manufacturing Co.

For information, visit middlesexchamber.com.

Contributed photo Connecticut Lottery won first place for best overall booth at the recent Connecticut Connections expo at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell.