‘Epidemic within the Pandemic’ workshop set

MIDDLETOWN — Fall is upon us in Middlesex County, and the chamber continues to be on the move.

This week is another busy one in our region, which features a number of important meetings and events. On the chamber division front, our Westbrook Division meets on Tuesday, and our East Haddam & Haddam Division meets on Thursday. We look forward to two productive meetings that will focus on local issues of importance in these three key member towns.

Also Tuesday morning, I look forward to my weekly virtual meeting with the leaders of the Metro Chambers of Commerce in our state, which represent thousands of businesses. These meetings always feature productive discussions about collaboration and joint advocacy for the business community. These partnerships are more important now than ever before, and I thank my fellow chambers for their good work and leadership in their respective communities.

On Tuesday afternoon, I will head out to A&A Office Systems in Middletown for a meeting with the company’s new General Manager Paul Lee. I look forward to working with Paul and his team moving forward, and appreciate the opportunity to meet with him at the A&A facility.

On the workforce development front, the Workforce Alliance Board of Directors meets on Thursday morning via an online platform. This group works to improve the delivery of workforce services in close collaboration with business, education and training providers, and local elected officials. It serves the public through the American Job Centers, one of which is located on South Main Street in Middletown.

The chamber continues to enjoy a very strong working relationship with Workforce Alliance, and we appreciate the support of

President and CEO Bill Villano and his team.

An important virtual workshop on opioids, “Epidemic within the Pandemic,” will be held Sept. 23. This important discussion will include general information on the effects of opioids, ways to prevent addiction, awareness and treatment options, and the different levels of care and virtual support that are available.

We have a distinguished lineup of speakers ready to go, including: Middletown Public Health Manager Kevin Elak, Dr. Michael Kalinowski of Middlesex Health and the Durham Wellness Coalition; Margaret O’Hagan Lynch of Connecticut Valley Hospital’s Addiction Services Division, Dr. Jonathan Craig Allen, medical director at Rushford Center, and Dr. Hamilton Giani, a fellowship-trained psychiatrist at the Middlesex Health Center for Behavioral Health.

The event, supported by the city, is an initiative of the chamber’s Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council, which is chaired by Cromwell Town Manager Tony Salvatore, works to reduce substance abuse in Middlesex County through grassroots and community activities.

For information, visit middlesexchamber.com.

Excitement is also building for a special chamber virtual luncheon featuring UConn President Tom Katsouleas Wednesday. Sponsored by People’s United Bank, the event will focus on UConn’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, and more generally, on President Katsouleas’ efforts to spark innovation and expand UConn’s impact on our state’s economy.

Rounding out the week, I look forward to attending the grand opening celebration for Sweet Jean’s Café in East Hampton Friday afternoon. Sweet Jean’s, right in the center of East Hampton, offers bountiful options for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. We wish Aaron Tyler and his team nothing but the best moving forward, and thank them for their commitment to East Hampton, and our region.

Before closing, I want to take a moment to provide some information on the Next Gen. Sector Partnership initiative that the chamber is involved in. This is a state-led initiative being executed at the regional level. The starting point is organizing a group of economic development, workforce, education and chamber people to identify the key industries to focus on.

These stakeholders will first focus on identifying key industry sectors, and will then work together to establish formal partnerships that will eventually lead to a more vibrant, and resilient, regional and statewide economy. I will have more details on this important program in the near future, but I am happy that the chamber is involved in these important conversations.

In closing, I would like to put a bow on the 37th annual Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, held last Wednesday at Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield. While the event looked a little different from previous years due to COVID-19 precautions, it was once again a huge success.

We are so grateful to all of our sponsors and supporters, Golf Committee Chairman Dante Fazzina and all of the committee members, all members who donated gifts and prizes, and the terrific team at Lyman Orchards, which did a fantastic job.

Lyman Orchards is not only a destination for some of the best golf in the state, but it is a critical tourist attraction in our region. We appreciate the continued professionalism of CEO Gary Jalbert and his outstanding team.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank the chamber staff for its great work on the golf tournament. Chamber Vice President Johanna Bond and team member Danielle Aletta worked very hard on the tournament, and they executed a flawless event. I am proud of them both and appreciate their great work. We are already looking ahead to the chamber’s 38th event, scheduled for May 14, 2021.

The sun always shines in Middlesex County. Have a great week!