The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Honor the fallen on Memorial Day
We have reached Memorial Day in Middlesex County and throughout our great nation.
Every year at this time, I try to focus on the true meaning of this holiday and what it represents. Memorial Day is for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is important that we honor that ultimate sacrifice not only today, but every day of the year.
We are truly lucky to live in a country where so many of our citizens are willing to serve, and they are the reason that we are able to enjoy the freedom that we hold so dear. Over 1 million Americans have lost their lives protecting this sacred freedom. These men and women, and their families, continue to have our unending thanks and admiration.
The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is proud to count a number of local veteran’s organizations as members. Our Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Committee, under the leadership of Phil Cacciola, does a great job throughout the year. We appreciate their support of our chamber, but more importantly, we honor their service to our nation.
Memorial Day is a time for remembrance, reflection and pride. So before we fire up the grills, head to the beach, or put the boats in the water, let us again pause to recognize and honor the true meaning of Memorial Day.
There are a number of outstanding Memorial Day parades held throughout the state of Connecticut, including in the city of Middletown. We should all take advantage of these patriotic celebrations in honor of our veterans and most importantly, of those we lost.
Another busy chamber week kicks off Tuesday. Our Westbrook Division will hold its May meeting that morning at the Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center. In addition to reports from Westbrook First Selectman Noel Bishop and other local stakeholders, the meeting will feature a visit from State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, who has been touring the divisions, as he does every year, and we appreciate his continued support of our chamber.
I thank Middlesex Health CEO Vin Capece and his team for hosting the meeting, and look forward to a productive discussion. On Tuesday afternoon, I look forward to meeting in Hartford with my fellow executives from Connecticut’s eight metro chambers of commerce. The metro chambers collectively represent thousands of businesses in our state, and these meetings always feature productive discussions about collaboration and joint advocacy for the business community.
The highlight event of the week is Wednesday morning as we welcome Congressman John Larson back to a chamber member breakfast meeting at the Red Lion in Cromwell. This event is sponsored by ION Bank and the Real Estate Finance Association.
In addition to remarks by Congressman Larson, who represents key parts of the chamber’s service area, the breakfast will feature the presentation of the 2019 William A. O’Neill Public Service Award to former state senator Paul Doyle. The Governor William A. O’Neill Public Service Award, presented since 2002, is awarded to an individual who has performed outstanding public service for Middlesex County and the state of Connecticut. Paul Doyle served our state with honor and distinction.
He was a strong supporter of the business community and our chamber and we look forward to honoring him on Wednesday morning. Immediately following the breakfast, a commercial real estate forum, “Middlesex County and Beyond: Commercial Real Estate’s Influence in Economic Development,” will be held at the Red Lion.
The event will focus on CRE Investment, including apartment, retail, office and industrial sectors, local CRE projects and developments, a breakdown of current market conditions, and expectations for the future. Featured speakers will include several REFA members who are experienced and well-respected in their fields.
On the grand opening front, I look forward to joining chamber Chairman Jay Polke and Haddam First Selectwoman Lizz Milardo at the celebration for GCI Outdoor in Higganum Wednesday at 1 p.m.
GCI Outdoor develops high-quality, innovative, comfortable, compact and portable outdoor products that are designed for life outdoors. We are very proud of Co-Presidents Dan Grace and Jeff Polke, and appreciate their willingness to commit to our region.
While chamber Chairman Jay Polke has attended over 100 grand opening celebrations over the past two years, I suspect this one will be his favorite, as he gets to cut the ribbon on this beautiful new facility with his son Jeff and the terrific team at GCI. We look forward to working with them as we move forward.
On Wednesday evening, the Middletown Entrepreneurs Work Space (MEWS+) will host a one-ofa-kind pitching competition, “Collusion,” at Esca Restaurant and Wine Bar in Middletown. Participants can win cash to help grow their business or get their idea off the ground.
The goal is to connect people from different industries and perspectives in order to spur new types of collaborations. The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. with check-in beginning at 5:30, pitches and refreshments from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. and vote casting from 8:30 to 8:45 p.m.
At 9 p.m., the winners of the pitch night will be announced.
Registration is available online at collisionct.com. Tickets include food, drink ticket, and chips, which act as “investment cash” to allow you to vote for your favorite pitches.
For information, visit themewsplus.co.
I will once again close this week’s column by previewing what will be a jampacked month of June in Middlesex County. Members and other interested parties should save June 5 for one of the most important events that the chamber holds all year, our Annual Awards Dinner.
This year’s event will be held once again at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell. Each year, the chamber presents Distinguished Citizen Awards to deserving individuals who serve as an inspiration to others, and are recognized by the Middlesex community as unselfishly giving his or her time and talent to produce a lasting benefit to the area.
The committee chose the 2019 recipients from a list of over 230 nominees: Anthony F. Assante, Geoffrey F. Jacobson, and Nancy & William E. Currlin. In addition to the Distinguished Citizen Awards, the chamber also presents the Michael L. Green Award which is presented annually to a member of the police or fire community for his or her outstanding service to the community and to the chamber.
The 2019 recipient of the Michael L. Green Award is Chief Denise Lamontagne of the Cromwell Police Department.
All five of these individuals are strong and longtime supporters of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.
The event will also provide us the opportunity to thank our Chairman, Jay Polke, for an outstanding year. Jay has traveled all around Middlesex County with us and has really done a great job in this important leadership position.
We also look forward to welcoming in our new chairman DATTCO President Don Devivo, who is ready to take the reins next Wednesday night. Jay and Don represent what our chamber is all about, outstanding businesspeople, but even better corporate citizens. We appreciate their longtime support and friendship.
Finally, everyone should also save the dates for Middletown’s 22nd Annual Cruise Night On Main, powered by NAPA, June 12 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Middletown Pride event June 15 downtown, the chamber’s Travelers Championship Member Breakfast June 18, featuring PGA Tour Pro Padraig Harrington, and the Middlesex County Spring Career Fair June 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel.
Discounted tickets for the 2019 Travelers Championship are once again available through the chamber.
All tickets available are general admission tickets. Cost is $30, a significant savings on the gate price. I will have much more on the tournament and the breakfast as we draw closer, and fans interested in buying discounted tickets for the tournament can contact the chamber office or visit middlesexchamber.com.
At the Middlesex County Career Fair, over 40 companies from throughout the labor market area will be seeking people whose skills run from professional, technical, manufacturing and administrative. The chamber is proud of our efforts to serve as a bridge between job seekers and employers, and this career fair is a big part of that effort.
I will have more on all of this as we get closer, but you can visit CruiseNightOnMain.com, middletownpride.org or middlesexchamber.com for information.
Have a great week, enjoy Memorial Day, but always remember its true meaning.