Bennett retires from historical society board

TORRINGTON — After many years of service, Dr. David R. Bennett has retired as President of the Board of Directors of the Torrington Historical Society and has been succeeded in that position by John E. Janco, the society recently announced.

According to a statement, during his tenure as president, Bennett, a historian and educator, oversaw several projects which advanced the historical society’s educational work. Chief among these were the installations of the award-winning permanent exhibits No Place Like Home: the History of Torrington and Pursuit of Precision: The Hendey Machine Company 1870-1954. Bennett’s interest in architectural history and historic preservation also made him an advocate for the restoration of the historic buildings owned by the historical society. He led the organization through several extensive restoration projects including the replacement of the slate roof on the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum.

As a retired teacher and school administrator, Bennett also played an active role in education at the Historical Society by writing two books that were published by the Society: The John Brown Birthplace (2002) and Gertrude Fyler Hotchkiss ( 2005). Upon his retirement and in recognition of his exemplary service, the Board of Directors appointed Dr. Bennett as President Emeritus of the Torrington Historical Society.

Janco, president and CEO of the Torrington Savings Bank, served as treasurer of the Historical Society before assuming the duties of President. Mr. Janco noted “Dr. Bennett was an unwavering advocate for the mission of Torrington Historical Society. I look forward to continuing his good work while striving to increase the visibility of the programs that we provide to the community”.

For more information contact Mark McEachern, Executive Director, at 860-482-8260 or mark@torringtonhistoricalsociety.org and Senior Research Analyst at First Eagle Investment Management. He began his career in investment banking at Lazard Freres & Co. before joining Soros Fund Management in 1992. He holds a BA in History of Art from Yale University. Adrian’s interest in Litchfield Jazz Camp began when his daughter joined the program and stayed with it until she went off to Princeton and began her college career. In addition to his new non-profit assignment with Litchfield, Adrian supports the Hip to Hip Theatre Company, a Shakespeare troupe bringing free performances to under-served communities in New York City.