CEO Speakers Series begins Jan. 12

The Waterbury Regional Chamber’s Y.P.O.W.R. — Young Professionals of Waterbury Region — will host the annual Influential Business CEO Speaker Series, “Community Cornerstones and Driving Change In Higher Education.”

The 2018 series will begin on Friday, Jan. 12 with speaker William J. Pizzuto, Ph.D., campus director of UConn Waterbury and chairman of the Waterbury Regional Chamber Board of Directors.

On Friday, Jan. 25 the series will continue with speaker Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D., president of Naugatuck Community College in Waterbury, and John Hopkins, CEO of Post University in Waterbury will be the final speaker on Friday, Feb. 23. All three run from 8 to 9:15 a.m. and on each speaker’s respective college campuses.

CEO Series speaker, William J. Pizzuto, Ph.D., with more than 20 years of experience in higher education administration and has served as director of the University of Connecticut Waterbury campus for the past 17 years, will provide his insights into the exciting new changes at UConn Waterbury. For more than 60 years, UConn Waterbury has provided access to quality education for thousands of Connecticut residents.

In the last two years, the campus has expanded across East Main Street into the renovated Rectory Building, has opened a Starbucks operated through UConn’s Dining Services which provides jobs for students and the community, and for the first time in its history, offered campus dorms.

UConn Waterbury’s hands-on student population allows Dr. Pizzuto to innovate and create a unique, exciting and valuable space for the future leaders of the business community.

During his presentation, Pizzuto will share his keen insights into the latest developments and struggles in an ever-changing environment for expansion and growth of UConn Waterbury.

Daisy Cocco DeFilippis, Ph.D., is the Jan. 25 speaker. DeFilippis has served as president of Naugatuck Valley Community College since 2008.

The hallmark of her service is a shared vision of community, student-centeredness, collaboration and civic engagement.

Under her guidance, NVCC student retention has steadily risen with an enrollment increase of about 500 new students, and graduation awards have grown from 521 in the academic year 2007 to 2008 to 1,123 total awards for the year 2016 to 2017.

NVCC has successfully developed a growing campus in Danbury; added two new classroom buildings to provide students with better resources and handson classroom experiences; has expanded programming for manufacturing and nursing; extended library and tutoring hours to evenings and weekends; implemented collegewide mentoring, advising and job-readiness programs; and established a Bridge to College office for high school students.

Attendees will hear from DeFilippis on the challenges she and her team have overcome. They will learn of the important differences in management between a community college and a private or public university.

The Feb. 23 speaker, John Hopkins, has a successful history of working with institutional and private equity investors to create significant value in companies with challenges ranging from struggling organizations in their infancy to turnarounds or growth companies with revenues ranging from initial formation to over $2 billion.

In February 2016, John Hopkins joined Post University and since then has created significant value and awareness across the country, launching a new logo and marketing campaign to put Post University in the forefront of top colleges of choice.

The series is open to Y.P.O.W.R. and Waterbury Regional Chamber members and potential members.

Cost for the series are $15/session for Y.P.O.W.R. members, $20/session for chamber members, and $25/session for potential Waterbury Regional Chamber members.

For attendance at all three sessions, total costs are $35 for Y.P.O.W.R. members; $45 for Waterbury Regional Chamber members; and $65 for potential chamber members. All cost offerings expire Jan. 12.

To register for individual programs, or the full 2018 Y.P.O.W.R. CEO series, visit www.ypowr.org, or email to info@ypowr.org, or call 203-757-0701.