PRINT JOURNALISM: BECAUSE IT STILL MATTERS. FEBRUARY 3, 2020 VOL. 56, No. 5
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Vince McMahon is looking for success on the gridiron with the XFL.
McMahon’s $500 million bet
INSIDE PAGE
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STAMFORD IS BOOMING
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STARTING A BUSINESS
COULD TOM BRADY SAVE GREENWICH’S REAL ESTATE MARKET?
THE NEW XFL: STARS SEEM ALIGNED FOR SUCCESS, BUT WILL VIEWERS PUNT? BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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ith Super Bowl LIV finishing the National Football League’s 100th season on Feb. 2, many in the sporting world are wondering if football fans will pivot quickly and embrace the XFL — or take a pass.
“I think, overall, curiosity will get the best of most of us, at least initially,” remarked Josh Shuart, director, sport management, at the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology at Sacred Heart University. “They’re taking a completely different approach than they did before, which was very gimmicky. This time they’re being more
methodical.” This is XFL 2.0, following the 2001 version that was the brainchild of Vince McMahon as a 50/50 joint venture between the Stamford-based World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and NBC. NBC earned an impressive 9.5 rating — 86% higher than its Saturday night average at that point of the 200001 TV season — for the premier game, a Feb. 3 tilt between the New York/ New Jersey Hitmen and Las Vegas Outlaws. But that yardage was almost immediately lost. Ratings for NBC’s Saturday night games » MCMAHON
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BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com
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n Jan. 14, Bostonbased WEEI-FM sports talk show host Greg Hill dropped an exclusive scoop: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his family had reportedly moved out of their home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and relocated to a recently purchased home in Greenwich. Hill’s story was immediately picked up by every media outlet in Connecticut as major breaking news, and Gov. Ned Lamont took to Twitter to welcome Brady
to his new Connecticut residency. Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo went even further, taking a guest shot on Hill’s show to trumpet his town’s newest arrival. But there was one problem: the story was incorrect. The day after Hill’s story broke, WEEI quietly slipped an update on its blog that acknowledged “Brady does not in fact own a house in Connecticut.” While it is not uncommon for news outlets to report stories that require a retraction, the Brady-inGreenwich story sparked an excited frenzy that inadvertently highlight» BRADY
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The reinvention of Noel Kayo BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com
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former member of Bridgeport’s ethics commission who resigned his position in 2017 after being arrested for allegedly soliciting a prostitute has quietly re-emerged under a new name as the director of a health education program that receives state and federal funds. Noel Kayo was appointed to the Bridgeport Ethics Commission on Aug. 22, 2016, by a unanimous vote. In presenting himself to the commission as a candidate for consideration, Kayo identified himself as an M.D. who was educated in France and Belgium and had “started to research preventative measures for heart disease in minorities, i.e. Blacks and Hispanics.” The commission also noted that Kayo said he had “recently been appointed to (the) Yale School of Medicine to participate in a health care disparity research project on which he is now working.” On June 26, 2017, Kayo was arrested outside of The Quality Suites in Stratford after hiring a woman from the now-defunct Backpage.com for what he told police was a “massage and happy ending.” However, Kayo then approached a different woman at the hotel who opened a pepper spray canister into his face. The woman’s boyfriend witnessed the incident and opened his own pepper spray canister at Kayo. Kayo was charged with patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor, and the couple were charged with assault. The publicity related to the incident cast a harsh spotlight on Kayo’s career and raised questions about his professional activities. In his commission application, Kayo stated that he graduated from St. Matthew’s University Medical School in Grand Cayman, although he would later admit that he was not licensed to practice medicine in Connecticut. Nonetheless, state law enabled him to host screenings on medical and health issues. At the time, he was running the nonprofit Bridging the Gap Education, which focused on preventive strategies to mitigate the risks of diabetes and heart disease. But an investigation by the Connecticut Post determined the nonprofit was not properly licensed in the state and further probing raised questions on whether he had any affiliation with Yale, as he claimed in his ethics commission application. During his application process,
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On Jan. 14, Wade was featured in the Hometown Hero segment of News 12 Connecticut based on his work with Monitor My Health. The interview made no mention of his career under the Kayo name.
Dana Wade. Photograph by Phil Hall.
I am a U.S. citizen now and I wanted a culturally appropriate name.
Kayo would state that his candidacy was recommended by Mario Testa, the Democratic town chairman. Testa would later tell the Associated Press that he did not know Kayo very well. Kayo used his Facebook page to decry how he was treated by the police and the media. “I was assaulted with pepper spray by 2 criminals who where (sic) trying to rob me,” he wrote on June 30, 2017. “They both admitted to their crimes and were charged for assault. Ironically the News paper (sic) turned things around and smear me with wrong allegations about the incident.
“My organization which has nothing to do with the assault was also under attack with false allegations. Very unfair.” Kayo resigned from the ethics commission on July 14, 2017, citing the need to clear his “good name and reputation.” Four months later, the charges against him were dismissed. After this incident, Bridging the Gap Education disappeared from sight and there is no longer any website tied to that organization. A nonprofit called Monitor My Health Inc. emerged in 2017, with its original business address based at Kayo’s Bridgeport residence. The new organization had an identical mission to its predecessor in providing screenings and educational seminars for lower-income area residents on strategies to mitigate the onset of diabetes and heart disease. Noel Kayo also disappeared from public view. He legally changed his name to Dana Paris Wade in December 2017. “I am a U.S. citizen now and I wanted a culturally appropriate name,” he told the Business Journal. “My whole family changed its name.
I felt it was good to have a name that was easier to pronounce.” Wade added that changing his name had nothing to do with his arrest, stating that his application for a new name was submitted before the incident occurred. Under his new name, Wade successfully pursued an MBA at the University of Bridgeport. His first public appearance as Wade occurred in April 2018 when the university released a news release and photograph that showed Wade as the second-place winner in a “Shark Tank”-style business pitch competition. He would also update his LinkedIn profile under the Wade name. In December 2018, Solera Health issued a press release welcoming Monitor My Health into its national network of Centers for Disease Control and Preventionrecognized diabetes prevention program providers. In 2019, he conducted health-related seminars in Fairfield and New Haven counties. In December, his office issued a press release about receiving its second $25,000 federal matching grant — the first came in 2018 — with the funding issued by the CDC and the Connecticut Department of Public Health. On Jan. 14, Wade was featured in the Hometown Hero segment of News 12 Connecticut based on his work with Monitor My Health. The interview made no mention of his career under the Kayo name. In discussing Monitor My Health with the Business Journal, Wade pointed out that it is never too late for people to reinvent their lives in pursuit of a longer and healthier existence.
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Stamford continues to reign supreme with $6B in development BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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alk about a place that’s booming — this is it!” So says Stamford Director of Economic Development Thomas Madden, and it is difficult to take issue with his enthusiasm. The city has more than $6 billion worth of commercial and residential development underway, a growing population and employment rate and placed 64th on data aggregating website Stacker’s list of the 100 Best Cities to Raise a Family — the only Connecticut municipality to make the tally and easily trouncing such nationally better-known names as Orlando, Denver and Dallas. “That speaks volumes about where the state is going and what Stamford is doing,” Madden said. Described by the Business Journal a year ago as “Fairfield County’s crown jewel,” Stamford’s luster continues to shine ever brighter. The city led the county’s leasing activity in 2019 with its central business district accounting for nearly 1.2 million square feet of the county’s total leasing volume of 3.2 million square feet. WWE announced in March that it was leaving its 1241 E. Main St. headquarters in Stamford and signing a 16½-year lease for the 415,000-square-foot, three-building complex at 677 Washington Blvd. It expects to complete that move in the spring of 2021. Other highlights of 2019 included: • Diageo’s relocation of its North American headquarters from 810 Main Ave. in Norwalk to 40,000 square feet of office space at 200 Elm St. in Stamford. • Cenveo’s 25,590-squarefoot renewal at 200 First Stamford Place. • Ernst & Young renewing approximately 25,000 square feet at 300 First
Stamford Place. • Two new deals totaling 37,000 square feet by Thomson Reuters and Wexford Capital, at 677 Washington Blvd. In addition, two companies have relocated to Stamford, both of them in the consumer goods industry and both at 1 Dock Street. Canidae Pet Food signed a 16,700-squarefoot lease, relocating its headquarters from Norco, California, and Cholula Hot Sauce signed for 11,600 square feet and is relocating from New York City. Manhattan’s unscripted television production company Lucky 8 is also coming to Stamford, and episodes of HBO competition series “Legendary” are being filmed there, Madden added. “Our vacancy rate is an overall 5% throughout the town,” Madden said. “And we’re not a big-box place — we have a lot of mom-and-pop stores. That speaks volumes about the healthy market we have.” It’s not all good news, however. In October came word that Stamford Town Center, the 853,000-square-foot mall at 100 Greyrock Place, was being sold by owner Taubman Centers. The struggling shopping center has lost a number of retail occupants to Norwalk’s SoNo Collection of late, though Madden took exception to reports that there was a mass exodus taking place. “First, a lot of stores left due to closing because of the financial situation of their corporations,” he said. “And the SoNo Collection is offering at least some of their tenants three years free or reduced rent, and the buildout of a new storefront. That makes moving there very, very profitable.” As for what the ultimate destiny might be for the Stamford Town Center,
The city’s unemployment rate stands at about 3.1% compared with 3.6% in 2018. Stamford’s mean household income stands at more than $134,000 and its median at nearly $85,000. Madden is also a prime mover behind the Fairfield Five, a partnership formed by the chief elected officials and their economic development directors of Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield, Greenwich and Westport. The group’s primary goal is to generate economic growth and employment opportunities in lower Fairfield County, in part by wooing firms from New York City. He said the collective was hoping to receive some funding from the Connecticut General Assembly during its short legislative session, which is scheduled to run from Feb. 5 through May 6.
Downtown Stamford. Photo by Derek Sabine.
Madden vehemently rejected the oft-floated idea that it could be converted into additional housing for UConn students. “I’m so tired of being asked about that,” he declared. “UConn is not going anywhere near the mall.” Instead, he said, “several ownership groups” have been in contact about possibly purchasing the parcel. Madden said he believed it could ultimately be redeveloped as a mixed-use property, but that Taubman was still in its due diligence phase of 180 days. On the residential side, Allure — a 435-unit multifamily project at 850 Pacific St. — opened in September and residents began moving in to the 464-unit Urby Stamford at 1 Greyrock Place in October. There were more than 5,400 apartment units and more than 900,000 square feet of commercial office space in development throughout the city at the end of the third quarter, Madden said.
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In Court Judge approves seven-figure Purdue Pharma CEO bonus BY PAUL SCHOTT
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urdue Pharma CEO Craig Landau can receive a $1.3 million bonus, after the judge overseeing the OxyContin maker’s bankruptcy on Jan. 24 approved one of the most contentious proposals the company has presented during the case. Judge Robert Drain said Purdue was justified in giving Landau the additional remuneration because it would help to keep him at Purdue, where he has served as chief executive since June 2017. With that ruling — which followed his approval of a broader $35 million package of bonuses — Drain largely resolved a major argument about employee compensation between Purdue and 24 states including Connecticut that has persisted since the firm’s bankruptcy filing last September. “If you cannot get capable people to perform this type of work without paying that amount of money or more — or alternatively, the replacement cost is greater than what is being proposed — it’s really not in the interests of the creditors and not appropriate to say, nevertheless, they (Purdue) should take a ‘haircut’ because it
Finally free to leave Stamford BY JOHN NICKERSON
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24-year-old man is headed home to California after a five-week ordeal that kept him in Stamford, a city he had never been to before. A Stamford judge on Jan. 21 dismissed larceny charges against Emmanuel Mong, 24, of San Mateo, California, who had been arrested by Stamford police for allegedly illegally obtaining and cashing a $30,000 check from Purdue Pharma in 2017. Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Valdes told Judge Richard Comerford that the state no longer had probable cause to charge Mong with first-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and criminal
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seems like a lot of money,” Drain said during the hearing at the federal courthouse in White Plains, New York. Connecticut and the 23 other “non-consenting” states that have not agreed to settlement terms with Purdue had strongly opposed the bonus. “I’m disappointed by this decision and certainly would have preferred the money be spent on opioid recovery, treatment and prevention,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. “But this is one step in a long process, and we will continue to fight to ensure that Purdue and the Sacklers cannot hide behind this bankruptcy proceeding to evade accountability.” In a statement, Purdue officials praised Drain’s ruling, which they said recognized the importance of Landau continuing to lead the company during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. “As a physician who has dedicated his career to developing new pain treatments, Dr. Landau is uniquely positioned to help ensure the company’s successful reorganization as a public benefit corporation that can deliver more than $10 billion in value to communities
and families impacted by the opioid crisis,” the statement said. When he approved the $35 million bonus package on Dec. 4, Drain held off on ruling on Landau’s 2019 performance bonus so Purdue and the non-consenting states could try to broker an agreement. They were unable, however, to reconcile their differences on the matter. Purdue officials have maintained that the company and Landau have made major concessions, including him forgoing a 2019 retention bonus that would have been worth up to approximately $1.6 million and the firm reducing his performance bonus by 50% from its original amount. The performance compensation would equate to about half of Landau’s approximately $2.6 million base salary for this year. In addition, Purdue and Landau consented to deferring until Dec. 31 the “vesting” or delivery of the final $3 million of a $6 million retention bonus awarded to Landau in March 2018, as long as he also received the performance bonus. The retention bonus would have vested March 1, according to previous terms. If he were to resign before Dec.
31, 2020, Landau would forfeit the $3 million unvested 2018 retention payment and would have to repay that amount to the company. “Dr. Landau’s and the debtors’ willingness to make repeated concessions with respect to his compensation reflects his and their commitment to stewarding the debtors properly through these Chapter 11 cases, while still compensating Dr. Landau appropriately for the extraordinarily difficult work he is being asked to undertake,” Purdue wrote in a motion. The non-consenting states were unpersuaded, reiterating their opposition in a filing. “By making their offer to defer vesting contingent upon immediate payment of the (performance bonus), the debtors seem to assert that they must guarantee that Landau receives more than $4.3 million to ensure that he continues his work with the debtors this year,” the filing said. They have also expressed concerns about Landau’s involvement in the litigation. The approximately 2,700 lawsuits against Purdue allege the company fueled the opioid crisis with deceptive OxyContin marketing. Some, such as Massachusetts’,
accuse Landau of being directly involved in the purported malfeasance. He previously served as the company’s chief medical officer and as the head of its Canadian business. Landau agreed that the court could reconsider the bonus if he were “finally determined to be liable” in a pending case for wrongdoing in the sale of Purdue’s opioids. With that ability to “claw back” the bonus if Landau were found to have committed misconduct, Drain said “an appropriate balance” had been struck to address the non-consenting states’ concerns. “It is conceivable to me that Dr. Landau could, as alleged in those complaints, have some liability. It is equally conceivable to me… that he does not,” Drain said. “I believe it would be wholly inappropriate to, in essence, send a debtor into material risk of not having a chief executive officer merely because a complaint has been filed again against him or her.” Landau’s performance bonus is set to be paid on or about June 1 while the remaining half would be paid on or about Sept. 1. Paul Schott is a staff reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media. He can be reached at pschott@stamfordadvocate.com or 203-964-2236.
impersonation. The dismissal is a very rare one for an out-of-state defendant charged with an electronic financial crime. The move apparently came after Mong’s defense attorney, Allan Friedman, was able to show Valdes that the federal government had already arrested someone else for using Mong’s name to cash an illegally obtained check elsewhere in the U.S. “The court and the Stamford Police Department have become aware of a recent U.S. government investigation of a similar scheme and one of them actually uses Emmanuel Mong as an AKA (also known as),” Valdes said. Valdes added that he was told federal officials are taking over the investigation of what appears to be a “nationwide scam” and the state of Connecticut no longer has probable cause to proceed in the case. Valdes said federal authorities were better equipped to deal with
such a case. “As the evidence exists, there is no reason to proceed against this guy for this case. There is not sufficient evidence to establish probable cause that he committed this crime,” Valdes said after the hearing. The hearing took a few minutes and Mong was free to have his GPS ankle device removed. Mong, who was required to stay in Connecticut since paying to fly to the state and turning himself over to Stamford police on Jan. 7, can now return home. After staying at a West Side hotel, it looked as though a weight had been taken off his shoulders. As a sign things were headed in his direction, a judge refunded Mong’s $25,000 cash bond and allowed him to sign a promise to appear in court. But the judge would not allow him to leave the state and required him to remain under GPS monitoring. “I’m mostly just relieved that
I can finally go back to work and go back home,” Mong said. “It has been a very trying time for my family and my mother. She has not been taking this very well, so I am just happy she can get some relief.” Mong’s ordeal began on Dec. 16 when he tried to board a flight home to his native Nigeria from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers detained him after seeing that he was wanted for a Stamford police warrant charging him with stealing and cashing a $30,000 check from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma. Mong, who works for Survey Monkey in San Mateo, was held on a $250,000 court appearance bond that was posted by the members of his church and the church itself, the Redeemed Christian Church of God Graceland in Livermore, California. According to his arrest warrant, the pill maker was the victim of a “man-in-the-middle scam,” in
which a corporation, usually with business connections to Africa or Asia, has its email systems hacked by a computer virus or some other malware. Once inside an email system, the fraudsters monitor company email traffic, learning payment behaviors and relevant executives’ names. Eventually they will direct someone within the company to send a normal accounts-payable wire to an account controlled by the fraudsters. In April 2017, Purdue Pharma sent a payment of $30,000 for production materials to a Wells Fargo bank account. Police investigated and discovered that the money was sent to a Savannah, Georgia, bank account that was purportedly opened by Mong. Mong denies opening the account. John Nickerson is a staff reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media. He can be reached at jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com.
Connecticut lawmakers expected to vote on tolls
Citrin Cooperman Corner
Disintermediation — How Will the Distributor Survive? BY MATTHEW MURPHY
BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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onnecticut’s General Assembly is expected to vote this week on bringing highway tolls back to the state. A draft of the long-awaited bill includes language establishing a Transportation Policy Council that would have the power to raise future toll rates. Previously, the state Department of Transportation was the only agency that held such control. It would now only make recommendations for toll increases. The tolls — which would only be applied to 18-wheelers — would be placed at: • I-84 over the Housatonic River on the Newtown-Southbury border, at the Rochambeau Bridge. • I-95 over the Metro-North bridge in Stamford. • I-95 over Route 33 in Westport. • I-684 over the Byram River in Greenwich. • The Mixmaster at the intersection of I-84 and Route 8 in Waterbury. • I-84 over Berkshire Road in West Hartford. • The Charter Oak Bridge in Hartford. • I-95 over the Metro-North railroad in West Haven. • I-95 over Route 161 in East Lyme. • The Gold Star Memorial Bridge between Groton and New London on I-95 over the Thames River. • I-395 over the Moosup River in Plainfield. • Route 8 south of I-84 in Waterbury. Gov. Ned Lamont also announced that a compromise deal had been reached on a new state bond package, which he had refused to approve until state lawmakers adopted a tolls proposal, or demonstrated an alternative means of paying for upgrades to the state’s transportation system over the next few years.
The two-year bond plan includes $1.7 billion in general obligation bonding for the current fiscal year, with about $100 million reserved for transportation infrastructure. Lamont had originally hoped to keep general obligation bonding to a little more than $1.4 billion. The bonds are used to fund municipal school construction, capital projects at public colleges and universities, state building maintenance, open space and farmland preservation and a host of other, smaller community-based projects. As a result, state funds to municipalities — including $60 million for a local road maintenance program that also pays for winter snow removal — will be freed. The bill also states that construction bonds issued over the next two years would maintain that the trucks-only provision would remain in place through 2030. However, at a Jan. 28 press conference, Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano said that technically the construction bonds could be refinanced by a future legislation in order to pay them off before 2030 — and thus pave the way for instituting tolls for all vehicles. Income from tolls is estimated at $150 million to $175 million per year, which would then be used to pay back low-interest federal loans that would help fund Lamont’s 10-year, $19 billion CT2030 transportation initiative. The loans would be repaid over 35 years. Lamont and fellow Democrats have been pushing for the transportation bill to be voted upon before the start of the next legislative session, which begins on Feb. 5. Republican opposition to tolls of any kind has been fierce, but Democrat leaders have said over the past few weeks that they believe they have the votes to pass the bill. Democrats have a 22-14 majority in the Senate and a 91-60 majority in the House.
The players in the historical supply chain have been allies for over 100 years. Indeed, from manufacturer (let’s call them the supplier) to distributor, to retailer, to consumer, all of these players have relied on and profited from each other since the Industrial Revolution. However, in today’s technological age, the MATTHEW MURPHY internet, e-commerce solutions, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, along with the increased awareness by manufacturers of how to connect to the ultimate users of their products, have all significantly increased the disruptive forces of disintermediation. Disintermediation is essentially the removal of intermediaries from a supply chain, or “cutting out the middlemen.” Disintermediation has existed for decades, but technology has brought it to a different level. Amazon, eBay, and ASOS are all examples of how companies utilizing technology as their primary asset have forever changed the traditional supply chain. With customers experiencing a wider range of choices available to them, all with instant purchase options, distributors are under the constant threat of having gross revenues and margins reduced or being squeezed out of the supply chain altogether. Advanced web portals, app-based ordering, and telesales enable suppliers to cover large geographies without building regional warehouses. More and more suppliers are moving to the direct sales model or teaming up with partners like Amazon. Every time a distributor loses a customer to a supplier, they not only lose revenues and profits, they also create a competitor with the ability to offer competing products at a lower price point. In order to address this threat, distributors need to understand some of the challenges the suppliers will face when trying to sell directly to the retailer or consumer. Suppliers will need to manage the high cost of many smaller shipments they are not accustomed to; improve technology for security measures to protect the customer’s privacy; manage the additional exposure of income and sales tax reporting in a multi-state environment; and most importantly, provide a high satisfaction level customer experience. This understanding will put the distributor in a better position to improve themselves in the service areas the supplier is attempting to enter. Here are a few things distributors should do to make sure they are operating at a best-in-class level in order to increase the strength of their customer relationships: Meet or exceed your customer’s expectations for on-time delivery. In order for a supplier to enter into your space, their business process must change significantly, including the reduction of shipment sizes and dramatic increases in delivery locations. The investment for this business pivot is significant for the supplier. Discourage your competitor’s attempts by making it difficult for them to meet your customer’s expectations by: •Monitoring your on-time delivery performance on a weekly basis •Including delivery performance statistics as part of your key performance indicators •Incorporating delivery performance into compensation reviews at every level of the organization, from the warehouse personnel to the chief operating officer Invest in your technology. Make sure your organization is operating using best-in-class software solutions.
Unnecessary software customization is usually counter-productive, increasing the need for monthly manual processes just so employees can work with reports similar to those produced by the legacy software. Resist this temptation and adapt to how the new software was designed. Utilizing appropriate software the way it was intended will increase time available to work on process improvement and analysis, instead of wasting time reorganizing information with manually prepared spreadsheets and pivot tables, etc. Utilize technology and processes to increase the accuracy of shipments. More important than on-time delivery is accurate delivery of the correct quantity and type of product ordered. Again, consistently monitoring and creating improvements to minimize returns and under/over shipments will keep your customers coming back. Know your customers. Understand what they perceive as value. Today’s buyers have more product information than ever. They are more sophisticated and demanding, expecting a global reach, real-time fulfilment capabilities, technical support, and deep knowledge of product design and capabilities. Use this knowledge to determine where your company’s value lies. Distributors likely have products in their portfolio which are more susceptible to disintermediation than others. Therefore, partial disintermediation may be the answer. Consider analyzing your portfolio of products to determine which products your supplier could efficiently take directly to the buyer. Chances are the supplier is already looking at this as well. It may make sense to allocate resources away from these products or segments and invest in the areas which are harder for the supplier to penetrate. Employ a team approach. Work with your supplier so both sides win. As noted above, customers are more informed than ever. The customer experience is delivered by supply chain, or, using another term, the value chain. Suppliers and distributors can work together to deliver a best-in class customer experience. Many suppliers and distributors are identifying an essential new requirement for effective partnerships — the mutual investment in competencies around digital tools. Digital partnerships that collaborate around marketing programs, customer acquisition, complementary websites, collaborative customer support, and above all, the sharing of data and information have a formula where 1+1=3. All of this leads to collaborative growth, verses an eat-what-you-kill mentality. Suppliers will continue to gain scale, build their own distribution platforms, or go direct with enhanced digital platforms. This trend is a threat which will turn slow-moving distributors to commoditized warehousing, fulfillment, and transportation roles. But if distributors look at their markets strategically and understand how technology will help enhance their strengths and improve their customer’s experience, the future will not be so unsettling. Matthew Murphy is a partner at Citrin Cooperman with more than 20 years of experience providing accounting, audit, and advisory services. Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients, with experience spanning several industries, including publishing companies, service companies, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations, construction, financial services, technology, wholesale distribution, retail, real estate, and health care. Matthew can be reached at mmurphy@ citrincooperman.com Citrin Cooperman is a full-service accounting and advisory firm with 17 domestic and international locations. Visit us at citrincooperman.com
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McMahon — From page 1
dropped to 4.6 on Week 2 and continued to erode from there, ending with a 2.1 rating for the XFL championship game on April 21. NBC punted on airing a second season, despite having a two-year contract. It and the WWF reportedly each lost $35 million of their total $100 million investment. The gimmicks mentioned by Shuart were blamed for much of the wreckage, especially as the ratings continued to plummet. Balancing seasoned sportscasters like Matt Vasgersian and Fred Roggin in the booth were pro wrestling personalities Jerry Lawler, Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura. Suggestive camera shots of more-scantily-clad-thanusual cheerleaders were heavily criticized (including by Vasgersian, who was demoted by McMahon himself). And WWF/WWE-style shenanigans — a supposed NBC cameraman was allegedly knocked unconscious, leading to a dream sequence featuring cheerleaders in S&M outfits and a shirtless Rodney Dangerfield — were not what most pro football viewers had in mind. Nor was the quality of play, due to a short pre-season training period and the fact that the XFL’s eight rosters were largely composed of players who had been cut from NFL squads, were undrafted free agents or were looking to jump from the Canadian Football League. Garish uniforms with each player able to handpick what was written on the back — “He Hate Me” quickly becoming the most infamous — didn’t help. Then there were the different rules, meant to up the action and viewer excitement. The beginning of each game was marked by the “opening scramble,” wherein one player from each team would rush to midfield to gain possession of the ball. A player for the Orlando Rage was injured during that team’s first game and was lost for the season.
Top: Jerrod Heard. Below: Philip Nelson
LESSONS LEARNED?
But most indications are that McMahon — who retained the name and owns it under his new Alpha Entertainment banner — is in it to win it this time. Other than the league’s name and the fact that the season will last for 10 games, there will be little familiar to those who watched the ’01 season. McMahon has said he is prepared to invest as much as $500 million — five times what he invested in its first incarnation — over the new XFL’s first three years. Last March he sold $272 million worth of WWE stock, most of it to fund the
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EASTERN CONFERENCE • DC Defenders • New York Guardians • St. Louis BattleHawks • Tampa Bay Vipers
WESTERN CONFERENCE • Dallas Renegades • Houston Roughnecks • Los Angeles Wildcats • Seattle Dragons
football league. Also promised is that the gimmicks, over-the-top storylines and even the cheerleaders will be absent. McMahon and various XFL executives did not respond to requests for comment. “I think they learned a lot from their first try,” said Michael Shaub, clinical professor and Deloitte Professional Program Director in the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. “They are not just running on gimmicks. I don’t think it will be driven by a pro wrestling personality or trying to be ‘off the edge’ as it was the first time. My guess, consistent with the league’s message, is that you will be familiar with the game you are watching, not trying to learn crazy rules.” Those rules include kickoffs from the 25-yard-line, rather than the NFL’s 35, to encourage more returns; allowing teams to throw a second forward pass, as long as the ball has not crossed the line of scrimmage, instead of the NFL’s allowing just one; a 25-second, rather than 40-second, play clock; and, perhaps most strikingly, a menu of after-touchdown plays that can result in one, two or three points. Once again, most of the players will be unfamiliar to at least casual fans. Former NFL players Connor Cook, Joe Callahan, Christine Michael and David Cobb might be the biggest names to take the field. On Jan. 19, one-time Cincinnati Bengals star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson canceled an XFL tryout scheduled for the next day, while hopes that NFL washout Johnny Manziel, a.k.a. Johnny Football, might put on a uniform have so far gone unanswered. Manziel’s last pro game was with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), another would-be NFL alternative that lasted for a single season before filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on April 17, 2019. “It’s really hard to have an alternative professional football league,” said Jeff Pearlman, a one-time Sports Illustrated writer-turned-author whose latest book, 2018’s “Football for a Buck,” retold the story of yet another failed league, the USFL, which hobbled through three seasons in the mid-1980s. “I still think the XFL has little to no chance, but it’s certainly helped by the AAF folding.” Pearlman said. Pearlman said he was impressed by the fact that the new XFL hired Oliver Luck as its CEO and commissioner. In addition to being a retired NFL quarterback, Luck was director of intercollegiate athletes at West Virginia University and an executive with the NCAA, in charge of its regulatory functions.
“He’s a really smart guy who knows his shit,” Pearlman said. “He’s got a lot of football savvy. He’s a pretty big feather in their cap.” Pearlman also had praise for some of the new league’s coaching staffs, which include Bob Stoops (Dallas Renegades), June Jones (Houston Roughnecks), Jim Zorn (Seattle Dragons) and Kevin Gilbride (New York Guardians) as those squads’ head coach/general managers. Another name from the past, the colorful ex-Houston Oilers and ex-Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville, is defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Vipers. Such hires “are an important way to forge legitimacy,” Pearlman said. “They indicate that this might not be the buffoonery that it all could have been.” While Shuart agreed that the original XFL was “abysmal, a shticky thing that didn’t work,” he, too, expressed confidence that McMahon was making all the right moves this time. “I’m very optimistic,” he said, adding with a chuckle, “I’m a wrestling fan, so I think McMahon is a genius.”
BIG-NAME PARTNERS
The XFL had its media partners lined up well in advance of its Feb. 8 kickoff. Disney-owned ABC and ESPN (18 regular season and one playoff game) and Fox and its FS1 and FS2 outlets (20 regular season and one playoff game) will split broadcast duties. In the regular season, four games are scheduled each week, typically with two back-toback games on both Saturdays and Sundays. The XFL schedule also features two prime-time Thursday night games in the final weeks of the regular season. The XFL championship game will be played April 26 on ESPN. “America’s love of football is something we’re obviously very familiar with,” said ESPN Senior Vice President, programming and acquisitions, Scott Guglielmino. “The team (the XFL) has assembled piqued our interest, especially as they chose to work with Oliver Luck — we’ve known Oliver for a long, long time.” Guglielmino said the network believes the new approach is based on “authentic football,” and that what McMahon and company are offering should fit in well with its other programming. “We approach the NFL and college football as a year-round proposition,” he said, “and this fits nicely into the calendar. All the ingredients are in place and we’re excited to see it develop.” Guglielmino said the network
he said. Either way, he added, “The odds for something like this to survive more than five years are very, very low. The NFL is yearround now, between the draft, the actual season and the NFL Network. There’s no such thing as an ‘off-season’ now. People are into the NFL year-round.” “If the quality of play is terrible, the XFL will be vulnerable,” said Shaub at Texas
Oliver Luck
has no specific ratings number in mind, but underscored that its presence on the various television networks should help raise its profile considerably. He noted that those calling the games for ESPN and ABC will include Steve Levy, Greg McElroy, Tom Hart and Joey Galloway. Another important component of football — betting — is part of the mix. “From a betting perspective, we have pretty good hopes for the XFL and are very interested to see the level of action it generates,” said Patrick Eichner, spokesman for online betting site PointsBet USA. “Turnover won’t be anywhere close to the four major U.S. sports, but still should be decent given the American appetite for football.” Eichner said the company saw “some betting interest” in the AAF when it began play after last year’s Super Bowl, but said that it “certainly tapered over time. “But if the XFL can manage to maintain that initial wave, it’ll be an encouraging sign,” he added. “The league has taken steps to benefit from the rapid growth of legalized sports betting in the U.S., which we, of course, think is a smart move.” Eichner noted that some of the new rules, such as the point-after-touchdown scenarios, “will present traders with a challenge, as the traditional key numbers of 3 and 7 in NFL betting will hold substantially less significance. Not only will operators need to get a feel for all the teams and coaches, but a close monitoring of team tendencies and success rates after touchdowns will be required in order to set appropriate lines and totals. “In other words,” he said, “the line-making process figures to evolve fairly rapidly and aggressively in a short period of time.” Shuart at Sacred Heart predicted at least one season for the new XFL, but said a lack of breakout players could spell doom. He was, however, encouraged that the league chose to place its eight teams in markets that already have — or, in the case of St. Louis, recently had — NFL squads. “They’re all decent media markets,” he said. “If they’d gone to, for example, Des Moines, they’d have to find or build a place to play.” Pearlman wasn’t so sure. “It’s always better to have a smaller stadium filled than see 70,000 empty seats,” which was usually the case with the USFL,
A&M. “But it has been almost two decades since they rolled out the ragged rosters of yesteryear, which needed gimmick names to be interesting. All the players playing now have had personal coaches growing up and have expected to be in the NFL for years. “Here at Texas A&M, I would guess that at least 75%, and perhaps all, of the 22 starters on the football team expect to be in the NFL,” he continued. “That has not always
been true. I think there are plenty of really good Power Five-quality athletes to populate the league, if the league has staying power.” Power Five refers to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference and Southeastern Conference in college football. Asked for a prediction, Shaub replied: “I think it’s a three-year window to determine its sustainability.”
In Partnership with the Chambers of Commerce of Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, and Westport Presents
Multi-Chamber Business Expo Hosted by
Norwalk Community College
DATE: Wednesday, March 18th TIME: 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. LOCATION: Norwalk Community College, 188 Richards Avenue (West Campus) EXHIBIT TABLE: $350 ADMISSION: FREE
This singular event brings together the Fairfield County business community for networking on a grand scale, with nearly 100 businesses showcasing their services and products. Meet new people and make new contacts. This is not an opportunity and event to miss!
Mark Your Calendar, and Reserve Your Table! bvetter@norwalkchamberofcommerce.com (203) 866-2521
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Mark Pires, a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, knows from personal experience that A-list neighbors don’t necessarily boost local enthusiasm, let alone home sales. “I grew up in New Canaan when Paul Simon and Harry Connick Jr. moved to town,” he recalled. “People walked right pass them in town. It doesn’t help the real estate market. It’s just one more celebrity looking for privacy outside of New York City.”
Brady — From page 1
ed lingering problems with the Greenwich real estate market and Connecticut’s overall economy.
THE ROAD TO GREENWICH
Brady had no connection to Greenwich until last August when the New York Post cited unnamed sources that insisted Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, were house shopping in the town’s luxury housing market. In November, a website called Homes of the Rich ran an item that Brady and Bundchen were “rumored” to have bought a Greenwich mansion for $9 million. The website did not identify a specific property, although it ran a photograph of a mansion that was quickly identified as 19 Lower Cross Road. Brady was asked about the Greenwich news on Hill’s WEEI show in November, but he cryptically replied, “You’re so funny. It’s hard to respond to everything. The reality is, I choose to respond to almost nothing. I just don’t get into the fray.” However, Compass Real Estate, the brokerage representing the property, immediately issued a press statement that unequivocally insisted that Brady did not buy the property and had no connection to it. Despite this clear denial, much of the media coverage of Hill’s claim erroneously linked that property to the quarterback. Bill Petkanas, professor of communication and media arts at Western Connecticut State University, observed that the rumors about a Greenwich residency helped to pad a news cycle in a manner that could not be satiated with a straightforward acknowledgment or denial. “The amplifying pressure is that there is a great deal of press and very little news, so the people discussing issues talk about what might happen,” he noted. “Denials about the move can add to the discussion as in, ‘Well, where might he move?’ ” Hill’s announcement coincided with a possible career crossroads for Brady, who failed to lead his team to a Super Bowl berth this year and is set to become a free agent for the first time in his professional football career on March 18. Chase Hutchison, senior vice president at Brookfield-based Mack Media Group, pointed out that Brady’s real estate moves could offer a significant clue on his career’s trajectory. “If he bought a house in Los Angeles, this would all but con-
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‘THE BETTER DEAL’
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen. Photo courtesy @TomBrady on Twitter.
In the past, very wealthy celebrities moved in. Greenwich is its own submarket and has been very powerful for years. It’s one of those cool things like, ‘Guess who’s living in Greenwich now?’ But it has no effect on the market. We need some excitement because it is very much a stagnant market. But let’s talk about context, not celebrities.
firm an imminent move to another team,” he said. “A move to Connecticut is a bit confusing because he’s still within range of Gillette Stadium, the home of the Patriots.”
THE PROBLEM WITH GREENWICH
Having a star athlete and his glamorous model wife move into Greenwich would have been a rare bit of stellar news in a luxury real estate market that hasn’t seen much positive coverage lately. Houlihan Lawrence recently reported that Greenwich’s luxury housing market generated only 126 sales during 2019, a 18.7% drop from the 155 sales recorded in 2018. The median home price for a Greenwich luxury residence in 2019 was $4.08 million, a 1.7% decline from the $4.15 million set one year earlier. The total dollar volume for this market sector in 2019 was $633 million, a 17.6% tumble from 2018’s $769 million. Scott Lipow, president of Fairfield-based Six7 Marketing, speculated that the possibility of Brady and Bundchen setting up a home in Greenwich could have been spun in a manner that benefited the local luxury housing market. “Just like with advertising, a celebrity endorsement is powerful,” he said. “If true, this is essentially an ‘endorsement’ for Greenwich
and Connecticut from two of the most universally respected celebrities. Brands look for celebrities with shared values to endorse their products, so what better celebrities to endorse the local area than this power couple?” Lipow added that Brady and Bundchen have amassed loyal fan followings on social media, which could further intensify the cred given to a Greenwich move. “Celebrities like these two also have huge social networks, as they are brands in themselves,” he continued. “In the same way media and politicians are excited about a major brand like GE coming or leaving, shouldn’t they then care about celebrities?” However, some real estate professionals questioned whether star power alone can help a troubled housing market. Craig Oshrin, a Realtor in the Darien office of Coldwell Banker, believed there is little novelty in having red carpet icons in this particular area. “In the past, very wealthy celebrities moved in,” he said. “Greenwich is its own submarket and has been very powerful for years. It’s one of those cool things like, ‘Guess who’s living in Greenwich now?’ But it has no effect on the market. We need some excitement because it is very much a stagnant market. But let’s talk about context, not celebrities.”
Pires also joked whether Greenwich residents would have been more excited at having the newly retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning as a neighbor rather than the leader of the Patriots. John Traynor, executive vice president and chief investment officer at People’s United Bank, referred to the Brady news during a presentation at the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Economic Outlook Breakfast. “Massachusetts got GE and we got Gisele — I think we got the better deal,” he quipped, sparking a cheer of laughter from his audience. Yet Traynor also used his presentation to highlight a none-toofunny comparison between the Connecticut and Massachusetts economies. “Employment growth in Connecticut has still not gotten back to the prior peak in 2007,” he remarked. “We are dead last among the states. Massachusetts is 352% ahead of where they were in 2007. There’s something wrong here. They’re not fracking up in Massachusetts.” Attracting a beloved entity to move out of Massachusetts was too much for Lamont to resist. The governor retweeted the Hartford Courant coverage of Hill’s announcement and added, “Other governors have tried to lure the @Patriots here to CT—30 years later, we’re glad to finally land one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. Welcome, neighbor @TomBrady!” Ronald R. Magas, president of Magas Media Consultants LLC in Monroe, expressed concern that Lamont was not helping to boost Connecticut’s viability with his tweet. “It makes Connecticut look silly,” he said. “But, then again, Connecticut’s politicians made themselves look silly in the last 25 years. Most people are not in Tom Brady’s world in terms of what he makes. How does this impact the average Joe’s life?”
In Brief Sacred Heart University to build $60M hockey arena
A rendering of the arena.
Sacred Heart University plans to build a $60 million, 4,000-seat hockey and ice-skating arena on its west campus in Fairfield. Construction is set to begin this summer and is scheduled to be completed in 2022. The new arena, which has yet to be named, will also include a pro shop, beer gardens, food venues, suite, meeting rooms and offices. The arena will host a new women’s ice hockey team and synchronized skating events. The university plans to make the arena available for ice skating by students, faculty, staff and the public. The building also will host special events, including concerts and convocations and be used as practice space for the school’s sports management, communications and media and hospitality courses. The arena is being designed by architectural firm ALG of North Dakota and the S/L/A/M Collaborative of Glastonbury. In September, Fairfield University unveiled plans to build a $45 million, 3,500-seat arena on the current site of its alumni hall to host the school’s Division I basketball and volleyball programs, Fairfield Prep’s basketball team and concerts and special events for both the school and neighboring community. The arena is expected to open in 2021.
XEROX TO NOMINATE 11 DIRECTORS FOR HP BOARD
Xerox Holdings Corp. opened a new front in its takeover bid of HP Inc. with a plan to nominate 11 directors to the HP board. Xerox initiated an unsolicited $33.5 billion acquisition bid for HP in November, but the leadership of the Palo Alto, California-based HP has repeatedly rejected the takeover overtures. This effort follows a vow by Xerox CEO and Vice Chairman John Visentin to take the case of acquisition directly to the HP shareholders. “HP shareholders have told us they believe our acquisition proposal will bring tremendous value, which is why we lined up $24 billion in binding financing commitments and a slate of highly qualified director candidates,” Visentin said. “We believe HP shareholders will be better served by a new slate of independent directors who understand the challenges of operating a global enterprise and appreciate the value that can be created by realizing the synergies of a combination with Xerox.” Xerox noted that its nominees include former senior executives from major corporations, including Aetna, United Airlines, Hilton Hotels, Novartis and Verizon. Absent from the list is Carl Icahn, a Xerox director and the Norwalkheadquartered company’s largest
shareholder. Icahn owns a 4.24% share in HP, making him the company’s fifth-largest shareholder. However, the Miami Firefighters Relief and Pension Fund filed a lawsuit last month against Icahn for allegedly buying HP stock during mid-2019 with advance knowledge that Xerox would be pursuing an acquisition bid. An HP spokesperson responded to Xerox’s announcement with a press statement that read, “These nominations are a self-serving tactic by Xerox to advance its proposal, which significantly undervalues HP and creates meaningful risk to the detriment of HP shareholders.”
FAIRWAY MARKET FILES FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY; STORES TO REMAIN OPEN
One day after Fairway Market refuted press reports that it was filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the 14-store grocery chain instead quietly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the middle of the night. Fairway Market made its filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York at 1:21 a.m. on Jan. 23. The company had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2016 after losing money in every quarter following its 2013 public offering. The company also announced it entered a $70 million stalking horse asset purchase agreement
with Village Super Market, the parent company of the ShopRite grocery chain, for five of its New York City stores and its distribution center. It added that the bankruptcy court would run a supervised sale process of its other nine stores, which will remain open during this period. Founded in 1933 as a fruit-and-vegetable stand on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the company operates stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Fairway Market has a supermarket and adjacent liquor store at 699 Canal St. in Stamford as well as at the Post Road Plaza shopping center in Pelham Manor. Both locations opened in 2010. The chain operated a store in Nanuet from 2013 until its closing in September.
CHRISTINE SQUIRES NAMED PRESIDENT, CEO OF AMERICARES
Americares Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Christine Squires will be the Stamford relief and development nonprofit’s next president and CEO, effective March 14. Squires will succeed Michael J. Nyenhuis, who is leaving Americares in March to become president and CEO of UNICEF USA. During his six years at Americares, Nyenhuis nearly tripled its cash revenue, more than doubled its global workforce and raised its pro-
Christine Squires
file within the NGO sector, according to the organization. A Greenwich resident, Squires has held numerous senior leadership roles. Prior to joining Americares in 2016, she served as chief operating officer for Physicians for Human Rights where she oversaw global fundraising, strategic planning, human resources, information technology and an $8.5 million budget. Squires also served as managing director of development and outreach for Human Rights Watch and spent 10 years as vice president of marketing at UNICEF USA. At Americares Squires expanded fundraising efforts and doubled the organization’s annual operating budget to more than $60 million. She previously led the organization as acting president and CEO while Nyenhuis was on a leave of absence for two months last year. Also, Astellas Pharma U.S. President Percival Barretto-Ko has been elected to Americares’ Board of Directors. Barretto-Ko, whose three-year term began Jan. 17, brings to the board experience in the global pharmaceutical industry, including several senior leadership positions in general management, corporate strategy and business development.
SYNCHRONY TEAMS WITH VERIZON ON CREDIT CARD PROGRAM
Stamford-headquartered Synchrony is partnering with Verizon to become the exclusive provider of the telecommunications company’s co-branded consumer credit card. The new credit card is the first aimed specifically for Verizon customers. The card is scheduled to become available during the first half of this year, although the companies did not offer any preview of the card program’s special features or benefits for users.
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In Brief
The Darien Playhouse.
DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SELLS FOR $11.3 MILLION
The Darien Playhouse, the town’s only commercial cinema, has been sold to Darien Place LLC for $11.3 million. The nearly 21,000-squarefoot theater building at 1077 Boston Post Road was built in 1927. A portion of the building has since been converted into
Merritt River Apartments.
NORWALK’S MERRITT RIVER APARTMENTS SOLD
Merritt River Apartments, a 227unit development at 399 Main Ave. in Norwalk, has been sold. The sale price for the property was not disclosed. CBRE, which handled the transaction, identified the seller as an “institutional owner” and the buyer as “a private New Jersey investment firm.” Built in 2002, the eight-story property includes a clubhouse, fitness center, outdoor pool, fire pits, business center and covered parking garage. Rents on the property range from $1,723 for a 710-squarefoot, one-bedroom apartment to $2,962 for a 1,338-square-foot, three-bedroom unit.
EPA SENDS VIOLATION NOTICE TO FAIRFIELD OVER CONTAMINATED FILL PILE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a violation notice to Fairfield in the latest chapter of the town’s fill pile saga. The notice cites the presence of PCBs up to 230 parts per million, well above allowable levels, on the property. The EPA requires the town to provide information within 10 days of receipt about what action it will take to address the PCB contamination. The notice follows two state violations the town received last year about the fill pile. The fill pile led to the arrests of several people, including former
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Fairfield Superintendent of Public Works Scott Bartlett and former Fairfield Director of Public Works Joseph Michelangelo, on charges ranging from forgery, bribery and larceny to illegal dumping, handling waste without a permit and violating waste facility requirements. The cost of the site’s cleanup will likely be substantial. Fairfield is considering four firms for that work.
also New England’s third-most expensive ZIP code and ranked 70th in PropertyShark’s nationwide survey. Old Greenwich’s 06870 was Connecticut’s second-most expensive ZIP code in 2019 with a median sale price of $1.62 million. It also ranked 71st in the nation. Greenwich’s 06830 placed third in the state and 95th in the nation with a median sale price of $1.45 million.
CONNECTICUT TRAILS MASSACHUSETTS FOR PRICEY REAL ESTATE
BIC SCORES INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT WIN OVER ARROW LIGHTER
When it comes to expensive New England residential real estate, a study from PropertyShark shows the Boston market makes Fairfield County’s Gold Coast look like a haven for affordable housing. Boston is home to four of New England’s 10 most expensive ZIP codes and eight of its 50 priciest ZIP codes. Massachusetts was home to the top three most expensive counties in New England. Boston’s 02199 ZIP code had the highest median sales price in New England during 2019 at $3.66 million. Fairfield County tied Massachusetts’ Middlesex County with nine of New England’s most expensive ZIP codes. Riverside’s 06878 was Connecticut’s most expensive ZIP code with a median sale price of $1.63 million. It was
Shelton-headquartered BIC announced that it scored a victory over Arrow Lighter Inc. in an infringement lawsuit filed with the International Trade Commission (ITC). BIC filed its lawsuit in December 2018, accusing Arrow Lighter of churning out Chinese-made imitation pocket lighters sold under the MK brand name that were designed to imitate the shape and design of BIC’s lighters. BIC also stated the Chinese lighters failed to meet the U.S. safety and quality standards required of the BIC product line. The ITC complaint also stated that the lawsuit’s defendants engaged in unlicensed importation and sales in the U.S. market. BIC announced that Arrow Lighter agreed to stop selling its MK brand models and will liquidate its existing inventory of the lighters by Oct. 21.
retail space that preserves its vintage architecture. The retailers include Caffe Nero, Verizon and Posh Spa & Nail. The cinema continues to show movies. The Cushman & Wakefield team of Al Mirin, Kate Schwartz, Matthew Torrance and Jodie Dostal represented the seller, Pear Partners LLC, in the transaction.
Pot proposal CONNECTICUT DEMOCRATS PLAN TO PUSH FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AGAIN BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com Connecticut Senate Democrats expect to renew a push to legalize recreational marijuana this year, reviving an effort that seemed to have traction last year but ultimately came to naught. Cannabis legalization is one of eight proposals included in “A Smart & Responsible Connecticut,” an agenda for the 2020 legislative session released on Jan. 23 by Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and other members of the Senate Democratic caucus. Gov. Ned Lamont has spoken in favor of revisiting the idea during the upcoming legislative session, which is scheduled to run from Feb. 5 through May 6. The state Judiciary Committee approved several bills last spring that would have legalized possession of recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. SB 1085 established 1.5 ounces as the amount of marijuana that could be legally possessed for recreational use, set penalties for selling marijuana to minors and provided for people who previously had been convicted of marijuana possession to petition courts to have those records expunged. SB 1085 passed mostly along party lines. No Republicans voted for it while a few Democrats voted against it. Advocates have projected that Connecticut could make $70 million in the first year of legalization and approximately $160 million in each following year. Recreational marijuana shops in Massachusetts took in more than $420 million in sales in the first full calendar year of legalization, according to state data. The Bay State imposes roughly 17% to 20% in taxes on marijuana, including a 6.25% sales tax, a 10.75% excise tax and an optional local tax of up to 3%. Opponents question whether such a move would be in the best interests of public safety.
In Brief CBIA OFFERING IDENTITY-THEFT PROTECTION SERVICE TO SMALL-BUSINESS MEMBERS
The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) has partnered with an identity-theft protection service to provide identity theft protection and recovery solutions for small businesses and their employees. The CBIA/defend-id partnership offers eligible employees identity monitoring and alerts, credit monitoring and alerts, fully managed identity recovery and expense reimbursement insurance up to $1 million for expenses incurred during identity recovery. The identity protection plans, provided as an employer-paid or employee-paid benefit, are available exclusively to members of CBIA’s Health Connections employee benefits program. According to CBIA’s website, the partnership’s gold plan costs $3.59 per month per employee, or $5.39 per family. Its platinum plan costs $5.63 per employee, or $7.43 per family. That pricing is for companies with 250 or fewer
employees. The organization asks that companies with more than 250 employees contact it directly for pricing.
BOB’S DISCOUNT FURNITURE DEPARTING STAMFORD FOR NORWALK
Bob’s Discount Furniture is closing its store at the Glenbrook Shopping Center in Stamford in favor of a space in Norwalk that once housed a Toys ‘R’ Us retail
center. The new location at 59 Connecticut Ave. is about 30,000 square feet compared with the 40,000-square-foot space in the Stamford center at 479 Hope St. The chain also operates stores in Brookfield and Bridgeport, and in Yonkers in Westchester County. It has 121 stores in 18 states. Headquartered in Manchester, its estimated annual revenue is $1.3 billion.
GREENWICH’S BRAND VELOCITY PARTNERS ACQUIRES ORIGINAL FOOTWEAR
under the Altama, Original S.W.A.T. and Smith & Wesson brands. The company recently expanded into the consumer footwear market with Urban Assault, a lighter-weight variation on its Altama brand of military boots. BVP, which was founded last year, teamed with three financial services companies to complete the transaction: Boston private equity fund BPEA, Nashville bank Pinnacle Financial Partners and Chicago small business investment company fund Invision Capital.
Brand Velocity Partners (BVP), a startup private equity firm based in Greenwich, has announced its first acquisition with the purchase of Original Footwear Inc., a provider of military and law enforcement footwear. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Morristown, Tennessee, Original Footwear offers products
27th Annual
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243 Tresser Boulevard Admission 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm $70 per person pre-registered $80 at the door Sorry No refunds Must be 21+ years old Great Food, Wines & Spirits! To Register: www.StamfordChamber.com (203)359-4761 Ext: 103 Free Parking
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In Brief
John R. Ciulla and James C. Smith
WEBSTER BANK CEO CIULLA NAMED BOARD CHAIRMAN
BED BATH & BEYOND CLOSING TWO AREA STORES
Bed Bath & Beyond has listed its stores in Shelton and West Nyack as being among the 40 locations it plans to close this year. Last fall, the retailer announced plans to close 40 of the Bed Bath & Beyond stores and 20 stores operating under its other brands. The Shelton store at 862 Bridgeport Ave. is the only Connecticut outlet that will be going out of business. The West Nyack store at 1406 Palisades Center Drive is one of three New York stores to be shut down, along with retail units in the Bronx and Cheektowaga. Stores in 19 states and the District of Columbia will be wound down this year. Within Fairfield County, the company’s remaining Bed Bath & Beyond stores are in Brookfield, Danbury, Fairfield, Norwalk and Stamford. In New York, the combined Westchester-Hudson Valley region has Bed Bath & Beyond stores in Elmsford, Middletown, Mohegan Lake, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Port Chester, Spring Valley and Yonkers.
AMERICA’S FIRST NETWORK CREDIT UNION MOVING HQ OUT OF TRUMBULL FOR E. HARTFORD
America’s First Network Credit Union is moving its Trumbull headquarters to East Hartford. Based at 45 Commerce Drive, the credit union is making 92
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Pitkin St. its new home. It has operated a full-service branch at that location since it acquired East Hartford Federal Credit Union in 2017. America’s First, which has 4,939 members and $35.5 million in total assets, also has a branch in Fairfield University’s Gonzaga Hall, as well as one in Danbury that is limited to employees of global relocation firm Cartus. The credit union began life in 1976 as Chesebrough-Pond’s Federal Credit Union, based in Clinton. Upon its 1987 acquisition by Unilever Home & Personal Care, its name was changed to Personal Care America Federal Credit Union. It adopted its current name in 2016 after switching from a federally chartered credit union to a state-chartered one.
AQUARION PLANS TO SELL SURPLUS GREENWICH LAND TO THE TOWN
Aquarion Water Co. has filed an application with the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) for permission to sell 72.27 acres of company-owned land on Lake Avenue in Greenwich to the town of Greenwich and Greenwich Land Trust. Aquarion, which is headquartered in Bridgeport, said the land is no longer needed by the utility to provide water service because it
is not within an aquifer protection area or any public water supply watersheds. In addition to the land to be designated as open space, Aquarion is proposing to subdivide and sell two, 4-acre, single-family residential building lots. The subdivision plan will be submitted to the town Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency for their approvals. Aquarion plans to reinvest the $2 million proceeds from the sale of the land into capital improvements to its water infrastructure. Aquarion expects to complete the land sale this summer.
DIAGEO’S JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL CELEBRATES THE CHINESE NEW YEAR’S RAT
Diageo is marking the Chinese New Year with a limited edition version of its Johnnie Walker Blue Label featuring original artwork by Chinese artist Shirley Gong. The Chinese New Year festivities run through Feb. 8, celebrating the Year of the Rat. The bottle design covers three of the four faces of the square bottle with depictions of a blue-and-white rodent playing beneath bright red lanterns hanging from cherry blossom trees. Diageo’s North American headquarters are in Norwalk. The price range is between $200 and $260.
Webster Financial Corp., the holding company for Webster Bank, has appointed President and CEO John R. Ciulla as its next chairman of the board of directors. He will replace James C. Smith, who served in that capacity since January 2018 and will retire at the company’s 2020 annual meeting of shareholders. Ciulla, 54, joined Webster in 2004 as senior vice president for middle market banking and served in several management positions, including chief credit risk officer and head of commercial banking, before becoming president in 2015. He replaced Smith as CEO in January 2018, becoming the third chief executive in the company’s history. Ciulla is also president of the bank’s holding company and a member of the Webster Bank board of directors. He also serves on the Federal Reserve System’s Federal Advisory Council as a representative for the Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston. Webster Bank operates 177 branches and 316 ATMs in Connecticut, Westchester County, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
VALUE OF FAIRFIELD COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS PASSES $100M
Data compiled by the Fairfield Department of Community & Economic Development indicate the value of commercial building permits issued in 2019 surpassed $100 million — more than twice the 2018 total and the highest number for the past 15 years. Among 2019’s most notable permits were those to construct a mixed-use, transit-oriented development near the Fairfield Metro Center train station ($17.7 million), a medical office building ($5.4 million), townhouses at Fairfield University ($7.1 million) and three residence halls at Sacred Heart University ($43.4 million). — Phil Hall and Kevin Zimmerman
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FOCUS ON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL
What does it take to start a business? BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com
C
reating a business from scratch is never an easy endeavor, but some entrepreneurs might carry the scars from the high costs associated with startups while others become their own boss relatively unscathed with much less of a financial burden. An analysis conducted by LendingTree, the online lending marketplace, of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 Survey of Entrepreneurs (the most recent data available) found that 21% of entrepreneurs began their ventures with less than $5,000 in their business checking accounts.
“Those companies were small and local businesses,” said Derek Miller, senior research analyst with LendingTree. “They were especially in the construction industry and with people selling stuff online. They were not going to probably start the next big tech company with that kind of money.” The financial services industry had the highest startup costs, especially those new companies that hold the securities or equity interests of other enterprises or oversee and manage the planning and decision-making process within other businesses. The average business in this industry requires about $440,740 in startup
funding. The second-highest startup costs involved utilities, an industry where startups are not especially common. LendingTree analyzed 1,097 utilities companies in the Census Bureau data set — and the average needed by startup utilities was $265,676. This might have been a bit broad as an industrial classification as LendingTree mixed electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply and sewage removal businesses into the utilities category for this study. The food and hospitality industry had the third-highest mean startup costs. This may have been the broadest category for startups, ranging from
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modest family-owned diners to extravagant hotels and casinos. In this industry, the average startup costs exceeded $250,000. At the other end of the spectrum, LendingTree determined that construction is the least expensive industry to enter: The average new firm only required an average of $67,349 to get started, while 50% of firms examined in this data study began with less than $12,390 on hand. Construction was also one of the largest industries with startups, encompassing approximately 300,000 reporting firms with combined startup expenses at $20.2 billion and most costs derived » BUSINESS
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
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Focus On ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO START A BUSINESS CAPITAL TOTAL CAPITAL USED NUMBER OF AVERAGE NEEDED TO TO START BUSINESSES BUSINESSES BUSINESSESSTART
INDUSTRY Management of companies and enterprises
$2,049,880,000
4,651
$440,740
$284,007,500
1,069
$265,676
$56,068,572,500
221,867
$252,713
Mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction
$2,221,690,000
8,949
$248,261
Manufacturing
$23,223,472,500
105,570
$219,982
Arts, entertainment and recreation
$9,000,657,500
42,462
$211,970
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
$2,264,125,000
11,642
$194,479
Health care and social assistance
$54,614,760,000
289,986
$188,336
Real estate and rental and leasing
$22,699,252,500
122,282
$185,630
Retail trade
$53,935,260,000
300,333
$179,585
Wholesale trade
$23,696,875,000
133,923
$176,944
Information
$4,938,982,500
29,146
$169,457
Industries not classified
$1,724,597,500
10,714
$160,967
Finance and insurance
$15,629,310,000
111,139
$140,628
Other services
$22,511,192,500
184,472
$122,030
Transportation and warehousing
$9,181,427,500
78,396
$117,116
Educational services
$2,635,407,500
32,045
$82,241
Professional, scientific and technical services
$29,009,655,000
402,654
$72,046
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
$10,958,537,500
157,657
$69,509
Construction
$20,216,477,500
300,176
$67,349
Total for all sectors
$363,137,377,500
2,540,109
$142,961
Utilities Accommodation and food services
Note: These estimates ignore firms which used more than $3 million to start a business. Source: LendingTree.com.
Business — From page 13
from raw materials used on projects, tools and equipment, labor, insurance, permits and licenses. Also on the low side regarding startup costs were employment agencies, janitorial services, waste collection and management firms and travel agencies as entrepreneurs in those fields needed an average of $69,509 in startup funding. This is primarily because businesses usually have far
fewer startup requirements in these areas. Janitorial services find most of their initial funds going to supplies and labor costs. Professional, scientific and technical services startups also have relatively low startup costs — the average amount is $72,046 — but office space and equipment are frequently the greatest up-front expenses here. The survey did not offer a geographical consideration of where the bulk of startups are beginning. LendingTree’s Miller
acknowledged that some of the most famous stories of humble startups involved lowly California garages that offered the first setting for world-dominant brands including Google and Apple. But he also forecast that the high-tech startups of tomorrow might be taking root in less-expensive states. “Tech companies are moving out of California due to the high costs,” he said. “We may see Midwest cities getting their business.”
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More than 14,000 votes are tallied as of today. Make sure you enter your vote for the best companies. Visit Fairfield’s best companies supplement at westfaironline.com and vote your choices for the best of the best. Join the celebration of the winners after your votes have been tallied.
Tuesday, April 28 • 5 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza • 2701 Summer St., Stamford Business organizations partnering with the Fairfield County Business Journal are: Bridgeport Regional Business Council, The Business Council of Fairfield County, Darien Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce, Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, Stamford Chamber of Commerce, Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce For information, contact: Olivia D’Amelio at odamelio@westfairinc.com. For sponsorships, contact: Barbara Hanlon at bhanlon@westfairinc.com or 914-358-0766.
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FEBRUARY 3, 2020
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Good Things MADE FOR THE ALDRICH
Andy Grammer
SINGER/ SONGWRITER TO PERFORM AT GREENWICH HOSPITAL BENEFIT
Genesis Belanger, One For Me And One For My Friend (detail), 2019. Courtesy the artist and François Ghebaly. Photograph: Pauline Shapiro.
From top: Shanique D. Fenlator, Amanda C. Stefanatos and Victoria K. Wunder.
RYAN RYAN DELUCA WELCOMES NEW ATTORNEYS The law firm Ryan Ryan Deluca LLP, with offices in Bridgeport, Stamford, Hartford and New York, welcomed three associate attorneys to the firm, including: Shanique D. Fenlator of the Hartford office; Amanda C. Stefanatos of the Bridgeport office; and Victoria K. Wunder of the Bridgeport office. Fenlator received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. In addition to her litigation practice, she serves as a cooperating attorney for the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides legal services to individuals in the practice areas of immigration law and landlord-tenant law. Stefanatos received her Juris Doctorate cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law. She practices in the areas of personal injury and insurance defense litigation primarily involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability and uninsured/ under-insured motorist cases. Wunder received her Juris Doctorate from Penn State Law. While in law school, she spent two years as a research assistant for the Center for Agriculture and Shale Law researching legal and policy changes in the oil and gas sector for publication. In her third year she was admitted to the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic.
The Genesis Belanger exhibition at the Aldrich Contempory Art Museum will debut a body of work conceived for the museum that will be on view from May 17 to Nov. 1. Belanger’s conceptual methodology blends surrealism and pop art with a self-possessed feminism informed by a professional career inside the fashion and advertising industries. Her studio practice
is chiefly centered on the creation of porcelain and stoneware sculptures and tableaux. Staging her sculptural objects on upholstered furnishings of her own invention, Belanger constructs uncanny scenes that perform narratives about our anxiety-afflicted present. Dozens of animated objects will be arranged on ghostly furnishings: a standing
piano, an extended dining table, a round coffee table, a sofa and more. The furniture will be shrouded in monochromatic grey upholstered skirts while an immense pleated curtain will fill an entire gallery wall, casting the room in a palpable funereal atmosphere. The exhibit is organized by Amy Smith-Stewart, senior curator at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.
WRAPPING FOR HABITAT 2019
BANK FOUNDATION GIVES TO CHARITABLE GROUPS
From left: Lee Sharshukov, Jamie Welch, Meghan Krebs and Roland Stephen from Newtown Savings Bank and Sonia Perugini, a repeat volunteer.
During the month of December, Housatonic Habitat for Humanity in Danbury held its annual Wrapping for Habitat program at the Danbury Fair Mall where volunteers wrapped gifts purchased throughout the
mall in return for donations to Housatonic Habitat. There were approximately 25 teams and 250 individuals who shared their holiday spirit in support of Housatonic Hab-
itat. Many teams have volunteered for the past several years. More than $13,000 was raised that will support Housatonic Habitat’s mission to provide affordable housing in the Danbury area.
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Greenwich Hospital announced that singer and songwriter Andy Grammer will headline the hospital’s annual benefit on Friday May 15, at Greenwich Country Club to raise funds for neuroscience, pediatrics and women’s health. Grammer has scored seven chart-topping hits, including the single “Honey, I’m Good.” Rounding out the evening’s lineup will be master of ceremonies Kathie Lee Gifford, former “Today” show co-host, singer, actress and author. This year’s benefit celebrates honorees James A. Brunetti, D.O., and the Arthur and Elizabeth Martinez family. For more information about sponsorship and tickets, contact Stephanie Dunn Ashley, director of special events, at 203863-3860 or email Events@GreenwichHospital.org or visit http://giving.greenhosp. org/benefit-2020.
The Milford Bank Foundation announced it contributed $16,100 to several community groups, including Beth-El Center, Bridges Healthcare, the Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut Yankee Council, Core Training Academy, Disabled Americans Auxiliary, EMERGE, Freelove Baldwin Stow, Get in Touch Foundation, Harborside Middle School, Kids Count of Milford, Literacy Volunteers of Southern Connecticut, Department of Human Services, Milford Education Foundation, Milford Family Resource Center, Milford Historical Society, Milford Little League, Milford Prevention Council, Milford Salvation Army, Pantochino Productions, REACH OUT Project, Sterling House Community Center, Stratford Education Foundation, Stratford Library Association, Stratford VNA and the United Way of Milford. The Milford Bank Foundation was established in 2003 to support charitable, health, public safety and education initiatives in communities served by the bank.
MINKS TO SINKS PRESENTS CHECK
Andrew R. Lubin
LAW FIRM PRINCIPAL APPOINTED TO TRUMBULL ETHICS COMMISSION Andrew R. Lubin, a Trumbull resident and principal with the law firm of Neubert, Pepe & Monteith PC, has been appointed to the town of Trumbull Ethics Commission. Lubin previously served on the town’s Inland Wetland Commission and Board of Tax Assessment Appeals and was a member of the Trumbull Frenchtown Elementary New School Building Committee. He heads his firm’s real estate practice group, practicing primarily in the areas of commercial real estate and commercial finance law.
VOLUNTARY FOOD SCRAP RECYCLING PILOT TO LAUNCH IN APRIL The Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board and Waste Free Greenwich, in partnership with the Department of Public Works, Conservation Commission and Greenwich Green & Clean, announced the launch of a municipal food scrap recycling pilot in April 2020. Donations to meet the goal of $5,398 can be made through ioby, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform, and the Sustainable Connecticut Community Match Fund will match each dollar donated. The fundraising campaign will run through Feb. 14 and contributions will fund educational programming, materials and operations to make this program a success. Donations can be made online at: https://ioby.org/project/ greenwich-ct-food-scrap-recycling-pilotprogram. The drop-off food scrap recycling pilot will be voluntary and free to all Greenwich residents. Residents will collect food scraps at home and bring them to a designated location at Holly Hill Resource Recovery Center. A hauler will cart the material to a commercial composting facility to be turned into nutrient-rich compost. All food, including meat and dairy products, tea bags, cut flowers and paper towels and napkins, will be accepted. Kits, containing bins and compostable bags, will be offered for sale in the spring. =
Mark Barnhart, Frank Festini, Brenda Kupchick and Beverly Balaz
CHAMBER’S NEWEST MEMBER IS A GOTASKER The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce announced that its new member, goTasker at 400 Center St. in Southport, held its grand-opening, ribbon-cutting on Jan. 9 that was officiated by Fairfield First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick. From left: Rosemarie Malcarney, Minks to Sinks assistant treasurer; Michelle Doggett, Minks to Sinks chair and FCA board member; Maria Wilcox, FCA board chairman; and Robert F. Cashel, FCA president and CEO.
Members of Minks to Sinks gathered at their annual meeting Wednesday, Jan. 22, to present Family & Children’s Agency (FCA) a check commemorating the $90,000 the organization’s tag sales raised for the nonprofit in 2019. Minks to Sinks is a women-run
group with more than 80 years of history. Each year, hundreds of thousands of items are donated or consigned to the two tag sales held under tents near the Wilton High School tennis courts. All proceeds benefit Family & Children’s Agency, a nonprofit human services
organization serving more than 13,000 children, families, adults and seniors each year. The next Minks to Sinks sale will be held May 2, 3 and 4. For more information about donating, shopping or joining Minks to Sinks, visit minkstosinks.org.
STEPPING STONES AMAZING CAMP ADVENTURES Michael Lerner
YALE VOICE CENTER AT GREENWICH HOSPITAL
Stepping Stones Museum for Children’s year of amazing camp adventures kicks off during the February vacation period with Camp Dinosaurs: We’re Diggin’ It.
Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk has amazing summer camp adventures for children in kindergarten to second grade and third grade to fifth grade, along with engaging February and April camp offerings.
Registration is open for February vacation (Feb. 14 and from Feb. 17 to 21), April vacation (April 6 to 10 and April 13 to 17) and summer camp adventures at Stepping Stones. Summer camp experiences will take place with different weekly themes
from June 22 to Aug. 21. To register or for more information about camp adventures at Stepping Stones, stop by its welcome desk in the museum, call 203-899-0606, ext. 0, or visit steppingstonesmuseum.org/camp.
The Yale Voice Center at Greenwich Hospital has opened at 55 Holly Hill Lane in Greenwich to provide a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art services. The center offers specialty care for professional, occupational and performing voice users, in addition to a variety of advanced office-based procedures to help patients return to their lives faster. The practice is led by Michael Lerner, M.D., a fellowship-trained Yale Medicine laryngologist — an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician with additional training to treat conditions of the larynx or voice box. The team includes speech language pathologists specializing in voice and swallow therapies.
Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.
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Facts & Figures BUILDING PERMITS Commercial Adi East Inc., Stamford, contractor for 1937 Main Office LLC. Construct wall at 1937 W. Main St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Sept. 3. Avalon Properties Inc., Stamford, contractor for Avalon Properties Inc. Install helical pilings at 60 Glenbrook Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $80,000. Filed Sept. 6. BELFOR USA Group Inc., Stamford, contractor for Vanessa J. Roma. Repair fire damage at 104 Forest St., Unit 104, Stamford. Estimated cost: $400,000. Filed Sept. 5.
Empire Telecom USA LLC, Stamford, contractor for Stamford Hotel Propco LLC. Remove and replace antenna at 243 Tresser Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Sept. 6.
T Long LLC, Stamford, contractor for 292 Long Ridge Road Stamford. Perform replacement alterations at 260-292 Long Ridge Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $1,250,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Hulse, Brian H., Stamford, contractor for 765 East Main Street Associates LLC. Remove and replace underground storage and replace concrete at 765 E. Main St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed Sept. 4.
Young Israel of Stamford Inc., Stamford, contractor for Young Israel of Stamford Inc. Set up for a private party at 1633 Washington Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed Aug. 30.
Hulse, Brian H., Stamford, contractor for High Ridge Real Estate LLC. Remove and replace storage tanks at 908 High Ridge Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed Sept. 4.
Comex Painting LLC, Stamford, contractor for BLT 333 Ludlow LLC. Perform replacement alterations at 1 Star Point, Stamford. Estimated cost: $350,000. Filed Aug. 28.
Ironbo Inc., Stamford, contractor for Washington Heights Condo Association LLC. Remove and replace antenna at 1633 Washington Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Aug. 30.
Crown Castle USA Inc., Stamford, contractor for Three 79 Ponus Ridge LLC. Modify rooftop antenna and replace associated cabling at 1051 Long Ridge Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Aug. 28.
Pavarini North East Construction Company LLC, Stamford, contractor for ESRT Metro Center LLC. Alter lobby at 429 Washington Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $102,000. Filed Aug. 30.
D&A Construction Management Control Inc., Stamford, contractor for Cellco Partnership. Upgrade and replacement work at telecommunications facility, Lot 4, Eastover Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Sept. 4. Dalton Gordon LLC, Stamford, contractor for Two Harbor Point Square LLC. Interior fit-out for skin lab at 100 Washington Blvd., Unit S2, Stamford. Estimated cost: $400,000. Filed Sept. 3. Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken. Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to:
Peters, John T., et al, Stamford, contractor for John T. Peters. Perform replacement alterations at 73 Southfield Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $65,000. Filed Aug. 28. Shay Construction LLC, Stamford, contractor for Pinckney Lawton, et al. Remove bathroom at 26 Revere Drive, Unit 20-F, Stamford. Estimated cost: $4,040. Filed Sept. 5. Stamford Hotel Propco LLC, Stamford, contractor for Stamford Hotel Propco LLC. Remove and replace roof at 243 Tresser Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $314,020. Filed Aug. 28. Sullivan, Daniel E., Stamford, contractor for Harbor Drive Acquisitions LLC. Renovate elevators at 208 Harbor Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $3,664,443. Filed Aug. 30.
Bob Rozycki c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699
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ON THE RECORD
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Residential 19 Durant Street LLC, Stamford, contractor for 19 Durant Street LLC. Convert single-family residence to a two-family home at 19 Durant St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $260,745. Filed Sept. 6. Belfor USA Group Inc., Stamford, contractor for Maria Levin. Rebuild after fire damage at 206 W. Haviland Lane, Stamford. Estimated cost: $450,000. Filed Sept. 10. Blair Arcano, Adam Silano, Stamford, contractor for Adam Silano Blair Arcano. Remodel and extend kitchen at 22 Long Hill Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $66,775. Filed Aug. 30. Carpanzano, Mario V., et al, Stamford, contractor for Mario V. Carpanzano. Expand primary residence at 595 Webbs Hill Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $233,155. Filed Sept. 5. City of Stamford, contractor for the city of Stamford. Set up for a private party at 1040 Washington Blvd., Stamford. Estimated cost: $4,000. Filed Sept. 9. Clean Cut’s LLC, Stamford, contractor for Claudia Rodriguez. Replace kitchen cabinets and appliances at 44 Strawberry Hill Ave., Unit 2J, Stamford. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed Sept. 6. Criscuolo, Anthony J., Stamford, contractor for Elaine R. Arbizo. Remodel kitchen and remove walls at 195 Barclay Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Aug. 28.
Darcangelis, Edward C., et al, Stamford, contractor for Edward C. D’Arcangelis. Construct garage addition, rear deck and install new windows at 10 Ledge Terrace, Stamford. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed Sept. 5. DeRosa Builders LLC, Stamford, contractor for Anthony B. DeRosa. Convert garage into a gym at 44 Westview Lane, Stamford. Estimated cost: $108,510. Filed Aug. 27.
The Home Depot USA Inc., Stamford, contractor for Nicholas Richard Rev. Install vinyl and replace windows at 520 Wildwood Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $5,138. Filed Sept. 10. J&I General Construction LLC, Stamford, contractor for Kenrick J. Alexander. Remove deck and replace lower deck at 36 Gerik Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Sept. 5.
Design by Day LLC, Stamford, contractor for Christian Philemon. Finish basement at 223 Cold Spring Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Sept. 4.
JS Home Improvement Services LLC, Stamford, contractor for Andrew Cloherty. Finish basement at 240 Wardwell St., Unit 17, Stamford. Estimated cost: $14,000. Filed Aug. 28.
Digiorgi Roofing and Siding Inc., Stamford, contractor for Trepca Bledi. Remove siding and apply vinyl siding to garage at 33 Bridge St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $4,654. Filed Sept. 5.
Katchko & Sons Construction Services Inc., Stamford, contractor for Sutton Stamford Guy. Demolish single-family residence at 41 Hinckley Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $7,500. Filed Sept. 6.
DiGiorgio Roofing and Siding Inc., Stamford, contractor for Trepca Bledi. Remove roofing at 33 Bridge St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $4,654. Filed Sept. 5.
Lapointe, David P., Stamford, contractor for Luciane T. Jake. Build a vinyl lined inground pool at 22 Mitchell St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $28,454. Filed Sept. 4.
DR Energy Saver Connecticut LLC, Stamford, contractor for Phyllis Finn. Add insulation in attic at 89 Clubhouse Drive, Unit 34A, Stamford. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Lopez, James, Stamford, contractor for James Lopez. Rebuild after fire damage at 20 Hackett Circle South, Stamford. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Aug. 27.
Exantus Oriold, Stamford, contractor for Exantus Oriold. Finish bedroom, bathroom and closet at 1 Finney Lane, Unit A, Stamford. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Aug. 29.
M&R Builders LLC, Stamford, contractor for George Fieldale. Finish stairs and elevated deck at 59 Fishing Trail, Stamford. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Aug. 29.
Fairfield County Roofing and Siding LLC, Stamford, contractor for Anne Moravick. Replace cedar shingles at 63 Ocean Drive West, Stamford. Estimated cost: $42,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Mayne Construction LLC, Stamford, contractor for Michael L. Larkin. Remove and install new kitchen cabinets, sink and appliances at 1383 Hope St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $60,000. Filed Aug. 27.
Gabriele Construction Inc., Stamford, contractor for Michael A. Totilo. Remove crawl space andt finish basement at 172 Highview Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Moronta, Gabriel, et al, Stamford, contractor for Gabriel Moronta. Remodel master bedroom at 27 Lindstrom Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Sept. 3.
H&M Enterprise LLC, Stamford, contractor for Homero Sandoval. Add second floor at 63 Soundview Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $286,760. Filed Aug. 30.
New Canaan Building & Remodeling LLC, Stamford, contractor for Jeffrey H. Holm. Remove and re-roof at 1333 Rock Rimmon Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $19,000. Filed Aug. 27.
New Canaan Building & Remodeling LLC, Stamford, contractor for Jeffrey H. Holm. Remodel bathroom, move wall, change location of door and replace the roof at 1333 Rock Rimmon Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed Aug. 29. Novoseletskaya, Svetlana, Stamford, contractor for Svetlana Novoseletskaya. Renovate bathroom at 30 Glenbrook Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $2,500. Filed Sept. 9. Panteleimon Hatzicasiliadis LLC, Stamford, contractor for Laura Halkides. Remove and re-roof at 40 Fairland St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $5,800. Filed Sept. 5. Prestige Renovations LLC, Stamford, contractor for Trepca Bledi. Remove and replace entry doors with storm door at 33 Bridge St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Aug. 27. Pro Custom Solar LLC, Stamford, contractor for Kenneth J. Kresmery. Install roof-top solar panels at 75 Woodway Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $27,690. Filed Sept. 4. R Pelton Builders Inc., Stamford, contractor for Li Lu. Install roof-mounted panels at 36 Northwind Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $21,072. Filed Sept. 5. Richard Ferrari Jr. Construction LLC, Stamford, contractor for Germain Jocelyn. Remove and re-roof 20 Burr St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $6,000. Filed Sept. 6. Sadler, Eliza, et al, Stamford, contractor for Eliza Sadler. Add a portico in front of house at 135 Dolphin Cove Quay, Stamford. Estimated cost: $20,100. Filed Sept. 4. Schmidt, W Tracy, et al, Stamford, contractor for Tracy Schmidt. Renovate greenhouse at 19 Sky meadow Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $14,840. Filed Aug. 29.
Facts & Figures V&Y Construction LLC, Stamford, contractor for Slipyy Vasyl. Renovate interior and exterior of existing house at 8 Northwoods Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $294,105. Filed Aug. 30. Vivint Solar Developer LLC, Stamford, contractor for Kevin James Kelly. Install roof-mounted panels at 23 Faudett St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $4,989. Filed Aug. 30. Vivint Solar Developer LLC, Stamford, contractor for Daniel E. Levinson. Install roof-mounted panels at 35 Elmbrook Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $7,207. Filed Sept. 3. Warsaw Home Improvement LLC, Stamford, contractor for Natalie Schibell. Remodel kitchen, bathroom, add master bathroom and replace siding at 1500 Hope St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed Aug. 30.
COURT CASES Bridgeport Superior Court Johnson, Stanley, Stratford. Filed by The Southern Connecticut Gas Co., Orange. Plaintiff’s attorney: Nair & Levin Law Offices PC, Bloomfield. Action: The plaintiff provided gas utility service to the defendant. The defendant has neglected and failed to pay the plaintiff, despite being billed on a monthly basis. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-196092160-S. Filed Dec. 4. Orthopaedic Specialty Group PC, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Margaret Spagnuolo et al, Fairfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Patrick J. Filan Law Offices of LLC, Fairfield. Action: The plaintiff was a patient of the defendants who performed multiple operations on the plaintiff, which failed to repair the plaintiff’s fracture. The plaintiff suffered serious and painful injuries and seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-196092101-S. Filed Dec. 3.
Rosche, Melissa Danielle, Westport. Filed by John Haggerty, Bethel. Plaintiff’s attorney: James Owens Gaston, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-196092119-S. Filed Dec. 3.
George, David J., et al, Brookfield. Filed by Diana Duncan, Brookfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Ventura Law, Danbury. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-196034240-S. Filed Nov. 4.
Stamford Town Center Investors, LLC, et al, Hartford. Filed by Nancy Koutrakos, Stratford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Millman & Millman, Westport. Action: The plaintiff was walking in the parking garage, when she slipped on oil and suffered severe injuries. The fall was caused allegedly because of the defendants’ the negligence. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-196092066-S. Filed Dec. 2.
Krivoshik-Martirano, Elizabeth M., et al, Wilton. Filed by John H Brennan, Bethel. Plaintiff’s attorney: Dennis W Light, White Plains, New York. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206034738-S. Filed Dec. 18.
The Restaurant at Captain’s Cove Inc., Bridgeport. Filed by Jones Truedicha, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cooper Sevillano LLC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff was an invitee of the defendant when while sitting in a chair was caused to fall because of a defect in the wooden-planked floor, thereby causing severe injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-196092503-S. Filed Dec. 16.
Danbury Superior Court Calandro, Robert E., et al, Brookfield. Filed by Deborah Nakano, Brookfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Ventura Law, Danbury. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206034473-S. Filed Nov. 22.
Perreault, Kevin J., Danbury. Filed by Peter DiBenetto Jr., Danbury. Plaintiff’s attorney: Ventura Law, Danbury. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206034643-S. Filed Dec. 9. Prusak, Robert R., Ridgefield. Filed by John Comiskey, Wilton. Plaintiff’s attorney: Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206034756-S. Filed Dec. 19.
Stamford Superior Court Chubb National Insurance Co., Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. Filed by Lisa Arden, Lloyd Harbor, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: Casper & Detoledo LLC, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-19-6044409-S. Filed Nov. 8. Fletcher Development LLC, et al, Norwalk. Filed by Norwalk Marine Contractors Inc., Stratford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Robinson & Cole LLP, Hartford. Action: The plaintiff entered into a subcontract with the defendants for construction services. The plaintiff completed the work, however the defendants failed to pay the plaintiff. As a result, the defendants breached the contract and plaintiff suffered economic damages. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-196044901-S. Filed Dec. 16. Infantes, Robert, et al, Norwalk. Filed by Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Albert Lea, Minnesota. Plaintiff’s attorney: Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington. Action: The plaintiff was assigned the defendants’ mortgage. The defendants defaulted on the terms of the agreement and have failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of the mortgage, possession of the mortgage premises, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-196044422-S. Filed Nov. 8.
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC, Hartford. Filed by Belinda Pitt, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Mccoy & Mccoy LLC, Hartford. Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the defendant’s premises when she fell, due to produce that was on the floor, thereby causing her to suffer the injuries. The defendant failed to maintain the walking surface in safe conditions. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-20-6044681-S. Filed Nov. 27.
DEEDS
Newfield Properties LLC, Stamford. Seller: John Zinicola and Assunta Zinicola, Stamford. Property: 172 SeasideAve., Stamford. Amount: $825,000. Filed Sept. 3. Semichev, Galina and Vasily Semichev, Norwalk. Seller: CDVK Real Estate LLC, Norwalk. Property: 47 Glenrock, Norwalk. Amount: $290,000. Filed Aug. 22. Torres, Andres and Nyla Torres, Norwalk. Seller: 31 Wilton Avenue LLC, Weston. Property: 31 Wilton Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $390,000. Filed Aug. 22.
Residential
Commercial 50 Spring Hill Lane North, Easton. Seller: Maria DeRoma Pick, Stamford. Property: 50 Spring Hill Lane North, Stamford. Amount: $1,000,000. Filed Sept. 3. AMY LIGHT, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Seller: Eileen M. Brown, Norwalk. Property: 33 N. Water St., Unit 308, Norwalk. Amount: $355,000. Filed Aug. 23. Campos, Osvaldo and Ivannia E. Campos, Norwalk. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 7 Pogany St., Unit B, Norwalk. Amount: $304,000. Filed Aug. 28. Carpenter, Nicole, Stamford. Seller: Pemlu LLC, Weston. Property: 3 Brookhill Lane, Norwalk. Amount: $540,000. Filed Aug. 26. Jones, Aisha and Brian K. Rainey, Stamford. Seller: First Class Properties LLC, Branford. Property: 27 Ponus Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $445,000. Filed Aug. 27. Komi Ventures LLC, Norwalk. Seller: The Norwalk Hospital Association, Norwalk. Property: 5 Isaacs St., Norwalk. Amount: $275,000. Filed Aug. 19. Matkovich, Martin A. and Frank Altese, Stamford. Seller: RMS Colonial Road LLC, Stamford. Property: 15911 Colonial Road, Stamford. Amount: $913,106. Filed Sept. 5.
FCBJ
Anand, Varun and Swati Arora, Stamford. Seller: Cary Doyce Taylor, Stamford. Property: 52 Randall Ave., Unit 13, Stamford. Amount: $360,000. Filed Sept. 3. Breed, Alaina and Rastislav Polishchuk, Stamford. Seller: Verina Yates-Barry, Stamford. Property: 54 Hope St., Unit L, Stamford. Amount: $375,000. Filed Sept. 4. Calle, Adriana, Norwalk. Seller: Carmenza Mondragon, Norwalk. Property: 75 Fairfield Ave., Unit 8, Norwalk. Amount: $235,000. Filed Aug. 23. Camacho, Edwin, Norwalk. Seller: Susan S. Brady, Norwalk. Property: 24 Dock Road, Norwalk. Amount: $585,000. Filed Aug. 27. Chowdhary, Parikshit and Archica Chowdhary, Stamford. Seller: Deborah A. Huller, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Property: 50 Glenbrook Road, Unit 7D, Stamford. Amount: $260,000. Filed Sept. 3. Collins, Gerald E., Norwalk. Seller: Robert Ritchie and Lauren Ritchie, Norwalk. Property: 6 Marvin St., Norwalk. Amount: $637,500. Filed Aug. 27. Conti, Danielle, Cortland Manor, New York. Seller: Stephen Patterson, Norwalk. Property: Unit 253, Clock Tower Close Condominium, Norwalk. Amount: $218,000. Filed Aug. 27.
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
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Facts & Figures Dougherty, Melinda A. and Michael J. Dougherty, Norwalk. Seller: Douglas C. Evans and Nikolaj Bauer, Palm Beach, Florida. Property: Unit 16, Charles Cove Condominium, Norwalk. Amount: $815,000. Filed Aug. 19. Elrod, Christopher P. and Amy Michelle Elrod, Dallas, Texas. Seller: Thomas McCluskey, Pacific Palisades, California. Property: 25 Marshall St., Unit 3-A, Norwalk. Amount: $390,000. Filed Aug. 29. Gallo, Lucy S., Wilton. Seller: Robert A. Notargiacomo, Wilton. Property: 22 Fawn Ridge Lane, Wilton. Amount: $435,000. Filed Aug. 20. Hamlet, Derevaughn A. and Syreeta N. Veney, Elmsford, New York. Seller: Karen L. Danks, Stamford. Property: 11 Laurel Road, Stamford. Amount: $665,000. Filed Sep. 3. Hyun Sub Jang and Sun Jung Lee, Norwalk. Seller: Robert Brulotte and Manon Boucher, Norwalk. Property: 94 Fawn Ridge Lane, Unit 94, Norwalk. Amount: $412,500. Filed Aug. 26. Kanefsky, Rebekah Avi and Brian Eric Kanefsky, Stamford. Seller: Rina Nof and Chanoch Nof, Stamford. Property: Lot 31-B, Map 10288. Stamford. Amount: $476,000. Filed Sept. 3. Kiriakides, Vera, Norwalk. Seller: Carolyn Richards, Norwalk. Property: 75 Fairfield Ave., Unit 6, Norwalk. Amount: $235,000. Filed Aug. 19. Korb, Rachel, Norwalk. Seller: Arlinda Graves, Norwalk. Property: Unit 3G, Briarwood Condominium, Norwalk. Amount: $336,000. Filed Aug. 19. Krzemienski, Natalie, White Plains, New York. Seller: Claudette Stark, Norwalk. Property: 11 Bedford Ave., Unit M3, Norwalk. Amount: $120,000. Filed Aug. 28. Lake, Jonathan and Elisa Lake, Norwalk. Seller: Lee J. Taylor, Norwalk. Property: 10 Devonshire Road, Norwalk. Amount: $695,000. Filed Aug. 20.
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FEBRUARY 3, 2020
Locantore, Marykate, Norwalk. Seller: Sara Scheffer, Norwalk. Property: 25 Regency Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $566,500. Filed Aug. 26.
Padalia, Mehul V. and Julie M. Padalia, Stamford. Seller: Stacy L. Bone, Stamford. Property: 62 McMullen Ave., Stamford. Amount: $476,000. Filed Sept. 3.
McCurran, Lindsay J., Norwalk. Seller: Margaret N. Poidevin and Marc B. Poidevin, Stamford. Property: 12 Cutrone Road, Norwalk. Amount: $40,500. Filed Aug. 27.
Palma, Walter and Otto Palma, Stamford. Seller: Dennis Brown, New Canaan, Property: 9 Chelene Road, Norwalk. Amount: $429,000. Filed Aug. 22.
McKenna, Ausra S., Stamford. Seller: Julia W. Kiselewich, Stamford. Property: Lot 5, Map 2875, Stamford. Amount: $415,000. Filed Sept. 5.
Parrish, Brittany, et al. Stamford. Seller: Elise A. Sergeant, Stamford. Property: 85 Camp Ave., Unit 7D, Stamford. Amount: $487,500. Filed Sept. 3.
McKeon, James, Stamford. Seller: Richard L. Viton and Diane S. Viton, Greenwich. Property: Lot 72, Map 6, Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Sept. 3.
Perez, David, Norwalk. Seller: Daphne Case and Nivardo Gutierrez, Norwalk. Property: 9 Pettom Road, Norwalk. Amount: $420,000. Filed Aug. 26.
Meirowitz, Lindsay Simone and Alex Drew Meirowitz, Stamford. Seller: Eugene J. Fattore Jr., Stamford. Property: 142 Old North Stamford Road, Stamford. Amount: $1,075,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Reynolds, Kelli, Stamford. Seller: Abha Gupta and Rajat Goel, Scarsdale, New York. Property: 624 Hope St., Unit C, Stamford. Amount: $510,000. Filed Sept. 4.
Mengle, William and Alison Stone, Stamford. Seller: Judah Plotner and Susan Fisher Plotner, Stamford. Property: 1097Sunset Road, Stamford. Amount: $750,000. Filed Sep. 3. Monahan, Mary Beth, Norwalk. Seller: Thana Van Rooyen, Norwalk. Property: 2 Betts Place, Norwalk. Amount: $463,000. Filed Aug. 26. Moore, Douglas A. and Erica Burhans, Norwalk. Seller: Srinivas Thottempudi and Sirisha Kilaru, Norwalk. Property: 40 Nash Place, Unit 1, Norwalk. Amount: $319,900. Filed Aug. 21.
Riina, Elizabeth M., Norwalk. Seller: Marion McKenzie, New York, New York. Property: 126 Washington St., Unit R202, Norwalk. Amount: $235,000. Filed Aug. 26. Robinson, Angeli, New Rochelle, New York. Seller: Xinyi Li, Norwalk. Property: 11 Bedford Ave., Unit E3, Norwalk. Amount: $170,000. Filed Aug. 26. Rozanski, David Alan and Anita P. Pai, Stamford. Seller: William J. Lesoravage and Jeanne D. Lesoravage, Stamford. Property: 241 Hunting Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $710,000. Filed Sept. 4.
Musante, Michael, Norwalk. Seller: Kelley Ryan, Norwalk. Property: 7 Seir Hill Road, Unit 13, Norwalk. Amount: $244,000. Filed Aug. 19.
Ryan, Sean M. and Shawna C. Claffey, Norwalk. Seller: Maria Martinez Arcila, Stamford. Property: 100 Richards Ave., Unit 102, Norwalk. Amount: $390,000. Filed Aug. 22.
Obermuller, Daniel E., Yonkers, New York. Seller: Peter J. Harris, Norwalk. Property: 178 Flax Hill Road, Unit C202, Norwalk. Amount: $282,500. Filed Aug. 20.
Schwartz, Margery B., Stamford. Seller: Gilbert Kaufman, Coral Gables, Florida. Property: 1746 Newfield Ave., Stamford. Amount: $125,000. Filed Sept. 3.
FCBJ
Shahid, Sufian Akther and Sauda Esoof Bholat, Stamford. Seller: Philip M. Allopenna, Stamford. Property: 205 Hope St., Unit 3, Stamford. Amount: $429,000. Filed Sep. 4. Sinani, Krenar and Valbona Sinani. Norwalk. Seller: Thomas P. Hendrican and Michelle A. Hendrican, Norwalk. Property: 5 Flintlock Road, Norwalk. Amount: $395,000. Filed Aug. 26. Srednicki, Radoslaw, Stamford. Seller: Klara Szilagyt, Longboat Key, Florida. Property: 88 Southfield Ave., Unit 402, Stamford. Amount: $490,000. Filed Sept. 4. Viveiros, Michael and Graham Pitts, Jersey City, New Jersey. Seller: Paul A. Grier and Heather Grier, Norwalk. Property: 30 Birchside Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $610,000. Filed Aug. 19. Wizard, Stelbert, Norwalk. Seller: The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Property: 40 Ferris Ave., Unit 1, Norwalk. Amount: $330,000. Filed Aug. 29.
FORECLOSURES 73-75 Willow Street LLC. Creditor: Ebay Wanted Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 73-75 Willow St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Achoa Jr., Charles, et al. Creditor: Capital One NA, Eureka, California. Property: 444 Old Church Road, Greenwich. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 2. Alston, Marie, et al. Creditor: US Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Property: 331 Pleasantview Ave., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Buckenmaier, Bruce, et al. Creditor: Wells Fargo Bank NA, Santa Ana, California. Property: 80 Tesiny Ave., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Carmer-Wurzel, Kammy, et al. Creditor: M&T Bank. Property: 146 Chelsea St., Fairfield. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 16.
Garofalo, Frank Paul, et al. Creditor: US Bank National Association, Property: 106 Dora St., Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 8. Mitchell, Elaine, et al. Creditor: HSBC Bank USA National Association, Anaheim, California. Property: 485 Fairfield Ave., Unit 4, Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 30. Neff Companies LLC, et al. Creditor: Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD, Bridgeport. Property: 58 Sherman St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan 14. Ortiz, Jesus, et al. Creditor: Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD, Bridgeport. Property: 4-10 Beatrice St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Ortiz, Jesus, et al. Creditor: Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD, Bridgeport. Property: 445-447 Brooks St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Ortiz, Jesus, et al. Creditor: Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD, Bridgeport. Property: 34-36 Park St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 14. Ortiz, Jesus, et al. Creditor: Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD, Bridgeport. Property: 45 Columbia St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 15.
JUDGMENTS Alvarez, Michelle, Fresh Meadows, New York. $919, in favor of Standard Oil of Connecticut Inc., Bridgeport, by Philip H. Monagan, Waterbury. Property: 297 Newton Ave., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 26. Bennis, Hanane, Stamford. $2,985, in favor of American Express National Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, by Zwicker & Associates PC, Enfield. Property: 25 Van Buskirk Ave., Stamford. Filed Dec. 10. Bronson, Peter and Ornella Bronson, Norwalk. $1,396, in favor of Urology Associates of Norwalk PC, Norwalk, by Abraham M. Hoffman, Trumbull. Property: 230 New Canaan Ave., Unit 2, Norwalk. Filed Dec. 2.
Del Vecchio, Richard, Stamford. $951, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California, by Schereiber Law LLC, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 169 Thornridge Drive, Stamford. Filed Dec. 2. Evans, Rose, Bridgeport. $3,067, in favor of Connecticut Pain and Wellness Center LLC, Fairfield, by Abraham M. Hoffman, Trumbull. Property: 235 Marigold Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 15. Frye, Eireial, Bridgeport. $939, in favor of Petro Inc., Woodbury, New York, by Gerald S. Knopf, Stamford. Property: 295 Nutmeg Road, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 10. Gilbert, Mary S., Stamford. $5,772, in favor of Cavalry SPV I LLC, Valhalla, New York, by Schereiber Law LLC, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 245 Pepper Ridge Road, Stamford. Filed Dec. 2. Gonzalez, Guillermo, Stamford. $6,904, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 60 Lawn Ave., Unit 16, Stamford. Filed Dec. 19. Gurusaransingh, Fred, Stamford. $3,958, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, Warren, Michigan, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 54 Myrtle Ave, Unit 1, Stamford. Filed Dec. 27. Leath, Kristina, Bridgeport. $867, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California, by Schereiber Law LLC, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 170 Kent Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Dec. 2. Lopez, Pedro, Greenwich. $11,313, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, Warren, Michigan, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 353 Delavan Ave., Greenwich. Filed Nov. 25. Mayes, Marilyn, Stamford. $3,151, in favor of Barclays Bank Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 34 Ann St., Stamford. Filed Dec. 19.
2020
NOMINATE TODAY DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FEB. 7 Nominate at westfaironline.com/events KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
JOHN MURPHY CEO OF NUVANCE
2019 Westfair's Businessperson of the year "Helped create a powerhouse in health care"
HONORING OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTIES AWARDS EVENT: Thursday, March 12 • 5:30 p.m. Serafina at the Italian Center 1620 Newfield Ave, Stamford, CT
WestfairOnline PRESENTED BY:
Nominations may be entered for those who work in the following roles, or who manage these responsibilities:
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or the controller/financial leader - Chief Technology Officer (CTO/CIO) or the technology executive - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or the top executive - Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Chief Medical or Marketing Officer (CMO) Or nominate your senior executive that deserves honors, accolades or acknowledgment.
For event information, contact: Olivia D'Amelio at odamelio@westfairinc.com. For sponsorship inquiries, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545. SUPPORTERS:
BENEFITING SPONSOR:
FCBJ
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
21
Facts & Figures Nirschel, Martin, Stamford. $1,271, in favor of LVNV Funding LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 215 Fishing Trail, Stamford. Filed Dec. 19. Pachwicewicz, Lukasz, Stamford. $1,739, in favor of LVNV Funding LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 23 Marian St., Stamford. Filed Dec. 19. Rodriguez, Eric, Norwalk. $2,200, in favor of R. Richard Roina and Lena M. Roina, Norwalk, by Frankel & Berg, Norwalk. Property: 42 S. Main St., Unit 304, Norwalk. Filed Nov. 27. Sanchez, Hector, Bridgeport. $19,987, in favor of Bell Pump Service Co., Hartford, by Murphy, Laudati, Kiel & Rattigan LLC, Farmington. Property: 261 Roger Williams Road, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 6. Slavinsky, Paul, Stamford. $1,418, in favor of LVNV Funding LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 88 Pine Hill Ave., Stamford. Filed Dec. 19. Data Scientist (Nestlé Waters North America, Inc. – Stamford, CT) Participate in designing & dvlp’g syst for the bus to deploy data science solutns at scale. Bld analytics & predictiv stat modls to enhance bus functns incl Pricing, Operations & Marketing & train others in execut’g analyses for ongo’g imprvmnts. F/T. Resumes: K. Weiss, Nestlé USA, Inc., 1812 N Moore St, Arlington, VA 22209. Job ID: 4376420.
Vasquez, Yvonne, Stamford. $3,422, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 55 Big Oak Lane, Stamford. Filed Dec. 27. Wahba, Susanne, Greenwich. $7,352, in favor of Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California, by the Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff PC, East Hartford. Property: 111 Byram Shore Road, Greenwich. Filed Nov. 25. Winter, Joan, Norwalk. $13,932, in favor of American Express National Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, by Zwicker & Associates PC, Enfield. Property: 14 Bartlett Manor, Norwalk. Filed Nov. 26.
LIENS Federal Tax Liens Filed Aleman Cadoux, Louise, 42 Prescott St., Bridgeport. $101, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Andriolas, Stacey, 354 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $285, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Baskin, Maeola, 165 Harbor Ave., Bridgeport. $176, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Bhagya Realty Holding LLC, 375 Howard Ave., Bridgeport. $166, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Chang, Yen Fang, 111 Arthur St., Bridgeport. $166, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Corvus Capital Partners LLC, 1625 Railroad Ave., Bridgeport. $35, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Ortiz, Jesus, 550-554 Atlantic St., Bridgeport. $1,296, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Covington, Sheryl L., 109111 Park Terrace, Bridgeport. $210, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Ott, Linda, 399 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $41, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Dover Park Properties LLC, 61-63 Ridge Ave., Bridgeport. $32, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Dragone & Son’s LLC, 171 Andover St., Bridgeport. $130, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Estate of Cephas N. Reid, 110 Albion St., Bridgeport. $873, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Guzman, Rodolfo, 24-28 Melrose Ave., Bridgeport. $141, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Jackson, Annette, 117-119 Park Terrace, Bridgeport. $439, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
FCBJ
Russell, Linda, 406-410 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $854, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Sellers, Kevin and Mini Rite Market, 460 Bird St., Bridgeport. $64, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Staton, Bobby and Barbara Staton, 33-35 Rennell Court, Bridgeport. $1,141, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Tannous, Elias, 528-530 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $234, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13. Waldorf Properties LLC, 165 Andover St., Bridgeport. $2,299, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
La Iglesia de Dios Incorporada, 495 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $291, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Wilson, Lois A. and Johnny J. Wilson, 434 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $196, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
McDonald, Yolanda, 7688 Columbia St., Bridgeport. $159, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Zhang, Xiujing, 56-58 Park Terrace, Bridgeport. $148, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Send resumes to Sandra.DiCairano@worldquant.com; ref job title & #259270 in subjct line.
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
Park City Realty LLC, 518520 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $97, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Jordan, Theodore, 411 Gregory St., Bridgeport. $160, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Vice President, Portfolio Management (WorldQuant, LLC / Old Greenwich, CT) – Dvlp systmatc quantitatve strategies which exploit statisticlly-basd predictve signals associatd w/ various mrkt inefficiencies. Reqs Bach degree or hghr in Math, Comp Sci, Physics, or similr quantitatve field & 2 yrs exp in job offrd or 2 yrs exp as Sr Quantitatve Rsrchr &/or Quantitatve Rsrchr. Bkgd in educ, traing or exp must incld exp in practicl applicatns of mathmticl methods; exp writg comp progrms to implemnt mathmticl methds; strong knwldge of C++ & Python programmg, as well as Unix systms; strong knwldge of mathmtcs in general (incldg algorithms & regression analysis).
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Nelson, Patrese and Moses Nelson, 51-53 Park Terrace, Bridgeport. $409, civil proceeding tax. Filed Aug. 13.
Mechanical’s Liens O’Meara, Vicki A., Stamford. Filed by Fulton Landscaping Design Inc., by John Fulton. Property: 97 Deep Valley Road, Stamford. Amount: $24,578. Filed Jan. 13.
LIS PENDENS 1134 Norman Street LLC, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD. Property: 1134 Norman St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6.
1225 Connecticut Avenue LLC, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for Tower Fund Services. Property: 174 Bishop Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. 60 Pacific Street LLC, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Bershtein, Volpe & McKeon PC, New Haven, for US Bank National Association. Property: 60-62 Pacific St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 7. Aganbi, Valentine O., et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington, for Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Property: 97 Alfred St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 13. Amador, Cathy, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for the Water Pollution Control Authority for the city of Bridgeport. Property: 12 Arcadia Ave. Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Anderson, Suzanne, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Offices of Krasnow & Krasnow LLC, Bridgeport, for Foxledge Condominium Association. Property: Unit 15, Foxledge Condominium, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Caz Creek Connecticut Reo LLC, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for Tower Fund Services. Property: 1448-1452 Stratford Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12.
Clark, Delores and Dana Clark, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for Tower Fund Services. Property: 122 Cowles St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Desir, Nardine and Robert Desir, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for Tower Fund Services. Property: 62 Elm Court, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Dorlean, Charlene, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Law Offices of Donald H. Brown, North Haven, for Columbus Commons Condominium Association Inc. Property: 1492 North Ave., Unit 202, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6. Duarte, Santos E., Bridgeport. Filed by Michael J. Leventhal, Shelton, for Mirna L. Duarte. Property: 544 Union Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Duarte, Santos E., Bridgeport. Filed by Michael J. Leventhal, Shelton, for Mirna L. Duarte. Property: 291 Harriet St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Gayle, Henry, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for the Water Pollution Control Authority for the city of Bridgeport. Property: 46 Pacific St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 9. Gosselin, Michael, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD. Property: 41 Willow St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 9. Huerta, Julian, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington, for Us Bank National Association. Property: 324 Anton St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 8.
Facts & Figures Jordan, Michael T., et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington, for Wilmington Savings Fund Society. Property: 205-207 Sixth St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 13.
Szwed, Ferdinand Franciszek, Bridgeport. Filed by Bender, Anderson and Barba PC, North Haven, for The Success Village Apartments Inc. Property: 95 Court D, Building 31, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Aug. 7.
Koslowski, Sophie, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD. Property: 2955 Madison Ave., Unit 14, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6.
Wright, Lionel, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The Marcus Law Firm, North Branford, for Tower Fund Services. Property: 1801Central Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12.
Moore, Selassie, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island, for CitiMortgage Inc. Property: Lot 619 Pennsylvania Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Noel, Kenol, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for the Water Pollution Control Authority for the city of Bridgeport. Property: 10501052 Hancock Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 9. Peeler’s widower, Mary R., et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Glass & Braus LLC, Fairfield, for Citibank NA. Property: 90 Read St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6. Ramlakha, Isaac, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by the Law Office of Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for Benchmark Municipal Tax Services LTD. Property: 68 Park St., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6. Roberts-Armistead, Delphine, Bridgeport. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island, for Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Property: 79 Tesiny Ave., Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Aug. 12. Sosnowski, Mark, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington, for US Bank National Association. Property: 25 Ellsworth St., Unit 17, Bridgeport. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Aug. 6.
LEASES Espaillat-Mora, Perla, by Marylou Weeks. Landlord: Success Village Apartments Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 100 Court D, Building 16, Apartment 17, Bridgeport. Term: 35 years, commenced Jan. 14, 2020. Filed Jan. 15.
MORTGAGES Anglin, Annette and Joy Anglin, Bridgeport, by Tarik Robertson. Lender: Bethpage Federal Credit Union, 971 Corporate Blvd., Linthicum, Maryland. Property: 324 Pearl Harbor St., Bridgeport. Amount: $133,000. Filed July 8.
Duplan, Edwidge and Monette Duplan, Bridgeport, by Sham Skyers-Jenkins. Lender: Citibank NA, 1000 Technology Drive, O’Fallon, Montana. Property: 52 Asia Circle, Bridgeport. Amount: $217,200. Filed July 9.
Watkins, Christopher J., Bridgeport, byN/A. Lender: People’s United Bank National Association, 850 Main St., Bridgeport. Property: 770 Platt St., Bridgeport. Amount: $233,689. Filed July 9.
Flores, Francisco J. and Maria D. Flores, Bridgeport, by Maria E. Bakies. Lender: Carrington Mortgage Services LLC, 1600 S. Douglas Road, Anaheim, California. Property: 993 Grand St., Bridgeport. Amount: $104,443. Filed July 8.
NEW BUSINESSES
Gamez Benitez, David, Bridgeport, by Cheryl A. Rodriguez. Lender: HomeBridge Financial Services Inc, 194 Wood Avenue South, Iselin, New Jersey. Property: 305 George St., Bridgeport. Amount: $220,000. Filed July 8. Gatling, Keith, Bridgeport, by Kim Sparo Smith. Lender: PNC Bank NA, 3232 Newmark Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio. Property: 231 Parrot Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $203,000. Filed July 8. Hepburn, Heather A., Bridgeport, by Josie Ponce. Lender: Sikorski Financial Credit Union, 1000 Oronoque Lane, Stratford. Property: 96 Morningside Drive, Bridgeport. Amount: $135,200. Filed July 5.
Ayala, Nicole and Pablo Ayala, Bridgeport, by Louis A. Afonso. Lender: Caliber Home Loans Inc, 1525 S Belt Line Road, Coppell, Texas. Property: 695-697 Capitol Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $402,573. Filed July 8.
Martinez, Gody and Ricardo Quiles, Bridgeport, by Jennifer L. Nastri. Lender: Sikorski Financial Credit Union, 1000 Oronoque Lane, Stratford. Property: 3130 E. Main St., Bridgeport. Amount: $65,000. Filed July 5.
Barada, Raul, Bridgeport, by Marcy E. LaFollette. Lender: United Bank, 1645 Ellington Road, South Windsor. Property: 1160 Park Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $146,250. Filed July 8.
Palmer, Naudia C., Bridgeport, by Bevon E. A. McLean. Lender: Envoy Mortgage LTD, 10496 Katy Freeway, Suite250, Houston, Texas. Property: 228 Pequonnock St., Bridgeport. Amount: $132,478. Filed July 8.
Cabrera Sanchez, Giovanny Francisco and Brenda Cabrera, Bridgeport, by Pedro F. Delgado Jr. Lender: Prysma Lending Group LLC, 18 Padanaram Road, Danbury. Property: 306 Fifth St., Bridgeport. Amount: $237,840. Filed July 9.
Palmer, Wayne and Simone Phiona Palmer, Bridgeport, by Cheryl A. Rodriguez. Lender: Total Mortgage Services LLC, 185 Plains Road, Milford. Property: 59 Infield St., Bridgeport. Amount: $228,000. Filed July 8.
Capozziello, Gianni, Bridgeport, by Daniel Shepro. Lender: Delaware Limited Liability Company, 7 Trap Falls Road, Shelton. Property: 822 William St., Bridgeport. Amount: $131,250. Filed July 9.
Roma, Angelo, Bridgeport, by Louis A. Afonso. Lender: Jessica Capozziello, Bridgeport. Property: 272 Aldo St., Bridgeport. Amount: $170,000. Filed July 8.
Kilim Design, 100 Greyrock Place, Stamford 06901, c/o Ibrahim Geyiko. Filed Nov. 19. Madurai South Indian Cuisine, 487 Glenbrook Road, Stamford 06906, c/o Avighna Inc. Filed Nov. 18.
Beauty by Pashka, 85 Camp Ave., Unit 10C, Stamford 06907, c/o Pashke Pergjoni. Filed Nov. 21.
Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli Stamford, 1980 W. Main St., Stamford 06902, c/o Masakatsu Watarai. Filed Nov. 19.
Black & White Fine Art Photography, 33 Virgil St., Apartment 7, Stamford 06902, c/o Miguel Vasquez. Filed Nov. 18.
Mya’s Creations Ele, 1425 Bedford St., Apartment 2-14R, Stamford 06905, c/o Mya M. Valentin. Filed Nov. 14.
Cardamas Olive Oil, 128 N. Stamford Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Bill Pay. Filed Nov. 21. CR Bricks LLC, 100 Greyrock Place, Stamford 06901, c/o Andrea Kovacs. Filed Nov. 12. Diamond & Tires, 5 St. Mary St., Stamford 06902, c/o Byron Cardona. Filed Nov. 18. Fashion Beauty and Nail Salon, 11 Virgil St., Stamford 06902, c/o Gilma Lopez. Filed Nov. 19. Force Tech Fire Protection, 33 Virgil St., Apartment 7, Stamford 06902, c/o Miguel Vasquez. Filed Nov. 18. Francine Tiso Sole Prop., 188 Mountain Wood Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Francine Tiso. Filed Nov. 22. Futbol Scholars, 48 Dean St., Apartment 6, Stamford 06902, c/o Juan Peralta. Filed Nov. 12. Gava, 1295 Riverbank Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Augustine Fayomi. Filed Nov. 15. Hollywood Remodeling LLC, 185 Henry St., Unit F, Stamford 06905, c/o Andre Correa. Filed Nov. 15. Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Hispana de, 164 Richmond Hill Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Miguel Monroy Leon. Filed Nov. 13.
Paola Hair Design, 332A Hope St., Stamford 06906, c/o Paola Barone. Filed Nov. 19. S&K Realty, 906 E. Main St., Stamford 06902, c/o John Sotiropoulos. Filed Nov. 22. Sound Financial Strategies, 535 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk 06854, c/o Matthew E. Greene. Filed Nov. 1. The Spot Deli, 69 Winfield Ave., Norwalk 06855, c/o Wendy Vicente. Filed Nov. 8. Tiny Hearts Daycare, 7 Naples Ave., Norwalk 06855, c/o Ledys Jinara Arteaga. Filed Nov. 12. Tita’s Daycare, 5 Steppingstone Road, Norwalk 06850, c/o Sormelida Salazar Diez. Filed Nov. 18. Tony’s Hair Styling Shop, 2530 Summer St., Stamford 06902, c/o Antonio DiGiovanni. Filed Nov. 20. United Life Plans, 524 Rock Rimmon Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Barry Strom. Filed Nov. 19. United Services of America, 855 Main St., Bridgeport 06604, c/o Affineco LLC. Filed Oct. 28. Zar its Solutions Inc., 117 Butternut Lane, Stamford 06903, c/o Erzsebet Chait. Filed Nov. 12. Zara, 100 N. Water St., Norwalk 06854, c/o Zara USA Inc DBA. Filed Nov. 12.
FCBJ
PATENTS Antitheft enclosure and cover. Patent no. 10,547,168 issued to Wiley Rick Tipton, Friendsville, Tennessee; John Thomas Polk, Townsend, Texas; Greg Glenn Isaacson, Fallbrook, California; Michael Edward Fisher, Knoxville, Tennessee; Paul Steven Tramm, Knoxville, Tennessee. Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton. Compression connector. Patent no. 10,547,124 issued to Richard E. Robicheau, Litchfield, New Hampshire; Glen Harrison Ruggiero, Manchester, New Hampshire; Benjamin Joseph Michaud, Hooksett, New Hampshire. Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton. Method and apparatus for broadcasting with spatially diverse signals. Patent no. 10,547,414 issued to Carl M. Elam, Perry Hall, Maryland. Assigned to Greenwich Technologies, Greenwich. Protective travel case for equipment. Patent no. 10,543,416 issued to Joseph T. Moody Jr., Danbury; Joseph Biraglia, Danbury. Assigned to Club Cage LLC, Danbury. Remote postage printing using efficient load balancing of postage requests. Patent no. 10,547,671 issued to George T. Monroe, Seymour. Assigned to Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford. Solenoid coil having an enhanced magnetic field. Patent no. 10,546,676 issued to Stephen P. Simonin, Northfield. Assigned to Hubbel Inc., Shelton. System and method for indicating operational characteristics of a lighting system. Patent no. 10,548,199 issued to Christopher Lane Bailey, Greenville, South Carolina. Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton. Systems and methods for implementing data communication with security tokens. Patent no. 10,547,594 issued to Sin-Min Chang, Shelton; Santanu Das, Shelton. Assigned to Domanicom Corp., Shelton.
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
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Success Runs in the Family
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• Companies showcase their business • Network and meet the families of family-owned businesses • Shop product and services at pop-up shops • Hear first hand about the success and struggles families have faced WestfairOnline For event information, contact: Olivia D'Amelio at odamelio@westfairinc.com. For sponsorship inquiries, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545.
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