BUSINESS BRIEFS
EMPLOYMENT
Pasquale Montesanti has been named mall manager at Crystal Mall in Waterford. Montesanti most recently worked as director of operations at Crystal Mall. Prior to his time at Crystal Mall, he worked as a leasing/sales agent and property manager at WFL Real Estate Services. He lives in Guilford. For more information, visit www.simon.com.
Chelsea Groton Bank has promoted 17 employees. The employees, with their new positions, are: Anthony Joyce of Uncasville, senior loan officer and executive vice president; Michael Sheahan of Wolcott, director of retail lending and executive vice president; Richard Morelli of Norwich, executive vice president and corporate secretary; William Lidestri of North Stonington, executive vice president; Lori Dufficy of Groton, executive vice president; Denise Fournier of Norwich, vice president; Richard Balestracci of Stonington, commercial loan officer and vice president; Jessica Todd of Niantic, director of finance; Jennifer DeLucia of Franklin, accounting manager and assistant vice president; Susan Bailey of Norwich, retail lending underwriter II and assistant secretary for the Retail Lending Department; Ana Healy of Westerly, assistant secretary; Carleen Lee of New London, assistant secretary; Kelly Meakem of Norwich, Business Banking supervisor and assistant secretary; Jennifer Seuferling of Groton, assistant secretary; Lize-Anne Stewart of Hanover, assistant aecretary; Marielle Winkelman of Ledyard, assistant secretary; and Alysha Yepes of Groton, assistant secretary.
For more information, visit www.chelseagroton.com.
WORKSHOPS
The New London American Job Center located at Shaw's Cove Six and the Norwich center located at 113 Salem Turnpike, North building, Suite 200, are offering a variety of Employment and Training workshops in February to area residents. Advance registration is encouraged. To register or for more information on other workshops, go to www.CTHires. com or call (860) 439-7670 and select option #6.
SCORE will hold the following workshops:
“The ABCs of a Business Plan and Understanding a SWOT Analysis,” Tuesday, Feb. 13, 6–7:30 p.m., The Mystic & Noank Library, 40 Library Road, Mystic. Presenter is Economic Development Specialist Tanisha Baptiste of the Small Business Association. For more information, contact Anne Driscoll at anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.
“How to Start and Run a Successful Non-Profit Business - Part 2,” Wednesday, Feb. 21, 10–11:30 a.m., Old Saybrook Town Hall, 302 Main St. Presenter is Bob Potter; contact him at bobpottr@aol.com.
“Advanced QuickBooks: Desktop and Online,” Thursday, Feb. 22, 9:30–11:30 a.m., Old Saybrook Town Hall, 302 Main St. For more information, contact Anne Driscoll at anne.driscoll@ scorevolunteer.org.
“Cost, Price and Profit,” Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6–7:30 p.m., The Mystic & Noank Library, 40 Library St., Mystic; for more information contact Anne Driscoll at anne. driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.
"Simple Steps #1: Start-up Basics," Wednesday, Feb. 28, 5:30–7:30 p.m., CURE Innovation Commons, 93 Shennecossett Road, Groton.
Visit www.sect.score.org to register.
NETWORKING
The Young Professionals of Eastern CT has added new members to its Executive Committee, and announced it will honor select members of the group at the Young Professionals of the Year Celebration taking place Friday, Feb. 16, at Great Neck Country Club in Waterford. Honorees include Keith Turner, mortgage loan representative with Homestead Funding; Tanya Ballestrini, insurance consultant with Bearingstar Insurance, and Thomas Dittmeier, financial adviser with the Lincoln Financial Services Corp.
Kayla Thompson, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Fountain-Timmons Team, and owner of Melissa Ashley bridal shop, will assume the role of chairwoman of the program. She succeeds Meagan Seacor, director of UP Fitness, who was YPECT chairwoman for three years. Joining Thompson in YPECT leadership roles are: Kayla Hedman, Memoir Hub, LLC and Miranda Creative Inc., vice chairwoman of the program; Ornet Hines, Dime Bank, chair of YPECT's Civic Engagement Committee; Jessica Semmelrock, Chelsea Groton Bank, and Michael DiFranco, Electric Boat, co-chairs of the group's Social Activity Committee.
The celebration will be held Friday, Feb. 16, from 6-8:30 p.m. at Great Neck Country Club, 28 Lamphere Road, Waterford. Admission is $35 per person, requested in advance. Sign up at www.YPECT. com or call the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT at (860) 701-9113.
The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will host a Business After Hours networking event at Mystic Seaport on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave. Admission is $15 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. Advance registration is recommended to avoid an additional $5 walk-in fee at www.ChamberECT.com or (860) 701-9113.
The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will present a Business Breakfast on the topic of “The Future of Energy in Connecticut” on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Holiday Inn, 10 Laura Blvd., Norwich. Speakers include Rob Klee, commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Eric Johnson, Director of External Affairs for ISO New England. Admission is $17 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. Advance registration is recommended to avoid an additional $5 walk-in fee at www. ChamberECT.com or (860) 701-9113.
The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Business After Hours at The Lofts at Ponemah Mills Feb. 15 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Uncle D's Blain' BBQ is a sponsor. For more information visit www.norwichchamber. com.
The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Exploration & Development Program will hold its Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, Feb 27, from 5:30– 7:30 p.m. at the Spa at Norwich Inn. Keynote Speaker is Michael Rauh of Chelsea Groton Bank.
Graduates are Stephanie Ballato, United Community & Family Services; Jaimini Patel, Putnam Bank; Heather Terluk, Norwich Public Utilities; Jamie Goulas, Chelsea Groton Bank; Officer Chris Chastang, Norwich Police Department; Shawn Rector, Collins & Jewell Co.; Eric Reale, US Foods; Lori Torres, Eastern Savings Bank; Joseph Hundley, American Professional Educational Services, Inc., and Emily O'Hearn, United Community & Family Services.
Tickets are $60. For more information, visit www.norwichchamber.com.
Ignite, a program of Thames River Innovation Place, will host its first Thirsty Thursday Innovators Networking event for 2018 on Thursday, Feb. 15. The featured speaker will be Carrie Collins White from Connecticut Innovations. The event is open to all innovators, entrepreneurs and business owners and will take place from 4:30–6:30 p.m. at CURE Innovation Commons, 93 Shennecossett Road, Groton. This event is free. For more information and to register visit www.bit.ly/021518CTInno.
Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce will host a special Business Before Hours networking event, at Mystic Independent Theater, 107 Wilcox Road, Stonington, from 8-9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14. SCORE of Southeastern CT will present "Helping Small Businesses Start, Grow and Thrive." Co-sponsored with Bridget Morrissey Real Estate, the event is free and open to the public. Coffee and refreshments provided by Mystic Depot Roasters. For more info visit www.mysticchamber.org/ events or call (860) 572-9578.
HONORS
Kevin Gervasini, consumer loan officer at Westerly Community Credit Union, has been named by the Cooperative Credit Union Association as a "Crasher." He will represent Rhode Island for the upcoming Credit Union National Association Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The program was created to help credit union young professionals experience CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference in a dynamic way with exclusive networking opportunities and mentoring sessions with industry leaders. For more information, visit www. CCUA.org.
Husband and wife attorneys David N. Neusner and Linda L. Mariani have been named Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in the U.S. in 2018. Mariani practices in New London as the managing senior partner of the law firm of Mariani Reck Lane, LLC and Neusner practices in Groton and is a senior partner at the law firm of Embry & Neusner.
Parcel Center Inc., in Westerly, has earned a Top Shipper Award from United Parcel Service. The award was presented to Arthur and Zita Kachadourian. This recognition is given to the Top 100 out of more than 5,000 participants in the Top Shippers Program in the country. PCI is located at 62 Franklin St., Route 1, Westerly. For more information, call (401) 596-0644 or visit www.parcelcenterinc.com.
Stephanie Donovan of UCFS has received her Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement. She is only one of three endorsees in Connecticut, and one of the first 11 clinicians to receive this endorsement. The ECMH-E is for professionals who incorporate key infant and early childhood mental health competencies into their work with and on behalf of children ages 3 to 6 years old and their families. For more information, visit website at www.UCFShealthcare.org.
GIVING
Outer Light Brewing Company, Bridge Street, Groton, has donated $904 to both Groton Community Meals and the Connecticut Food Bank through it Tips for Charity night held in their taproom on Dec. 7. These funds will support the local food programs to provide meals to those in need. Outer Light's bartenders donated all of their tips and customers donated a total of $1,808.
Last summer, Outer Light purchased picnic tables with the help of Johnson's Hardware in Groton to donate to local Groton parks. Outer Light employees assembled the tables for an outdoor event at the brewery before they were picked up and placed at Esker Point and Eastern Point Beaches in Groton. For more information, visit www.outerlightbrewing.com.
Operation Fuel recently received donations for energy assistance from the Dominion Foundation, $10,000; and The Dime Bank Foundation, $3,500. Operation Fuel is a statewide nonprofit organization that provides emergency energy assistance year-round to lower-income working families and individuals, the elderly, and disabled individuals who are in financial crisis. Individuals who need energy assistance should call 211. For more information on Operation Fuel or to make a donation, go to www.operationfuel.org.