Fairfield County Business Journal 021813 by Westfair Business Journal

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

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CODE RED

Hospitals fight proposed funding cuts in Malloy budget BY JENNIFER BISSELL

GE to sell NBC stake, properties in $18.1B deal

jbissell@westfairinc.com

HOSPITAL ADVOCATES were vociferous in their criticism of cuts to health care providers included in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget proposal for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years, saying the gap in funding would hurt hospitals and possibly increase the cost of insurance for consumers and businesses. The Malloy budget proposes to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to hospitals to help offset the state’s rising Medicaid bills and higher initial costs the state will absorb starting next January as the Affordable Care Act takes full effect. Stephen Frayne, senior vice president of health policy for the Connecticut Hospital Association, said that over the next 30 months, hospitals are facing roughly $650 million in funding cuts from the state. “These cuts are large. They’re enormous and they’re intended to be per-

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER

pgallagher@westfairinc.com

FCBJ THIS WEEK

A WILToN TEcHNoLogY developer and marketing firm recently launched Vidifly, an aerial photo and video service … 8 JERI fINARD is settling in as the new president of Godiva North America … 9 WITH TAX SEASoN under way, financial professionals offer their insights and project increased capital investment in 2013 as equities surge … 16

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Defense contractors wait as sequester looms BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

BuILDINg pERmITS are up, but new home construction remains at historically low levels, industry representatives say … 3

tractors — have warned over the past several months that the cuts could be dramatic and could lead to hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs lost. However, officials say that without knowledge of what and how much will be cut, it’s difficult to plan ahead. “We’re trying to assess what the impact will be on us, but of course that’s very hard for us to do when we don’t know how the Department of Defense will be affected,” said Jay DeFrank, vice president of communica-

hree years after announcing plans to reduce its stake in NBCUniversal in a deal with Comcast Corp., General Electric Co. has agreed to sell its remaining 49 percent stake to the cable provider for $16.7 billion. GE Capital, a unit of the Fairfieldbased GE, will sell the NBCUniversal (NBCU) occupied floors of 30 Rockefeller Center and the Englewood, N.J., headquarters of CNBC to Comcast for an additional $1.4 billion, bringing the total value of the deal to $18.1 billion. The deal, which was foreshadowed last September in a series of comments by Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis, has been approved by the boards of directors of GE and Comcast and is expected to be completed before the end of the first quarter pending regulatory approvals. Divesting of its common equity interest in the joint NBCU venture with Comcast will allow GE to increase cash dividends, accelerate share buyback plans and invest in its core businesses, said Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE. “This transaction allows us to significantly increase the cash we plan to return to shareholders in 2013, to approximately $18 billion, and to continue to invest in our industrial business,” Immelt said in a Feb. 12 statement. The joint venture includes NBCU’s cable networks, films, television shows,

Downtown manhattan, viewed from the cockpit of an S-76 helicopter, which is manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft corp. photo courtesy of united Technologies.

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TENS OF THOUSANDS of Connecticut residents employed by defense contractors anxiously await Washington’s resolution on more than $500 billion in defense spending cuts scheduled to kick in March 1 as part of the sequester. Officials of United Technologies Corp. and subsidiaries Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Pratt & Whitney — collectively among the state’s largest employers and the region’s largest defense con-

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February 18, 2013 | VOL. 49, No. 7

LEVELING THE FIELD

150 AND COUNTING

Women’s council seeks to ‘level the playing ﬁeld’

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Fran Pastore and Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development Catherine Smith at a Jan. 23 ribbon cutting. Photo courtesy of the Women’s Business Development Council.

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

ust a month ago, the Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) cut the ribbon on its renovated Stamford headquarters, which includes a new financial education center aimed at women entrepreneurs. This week, CEO Fran Pastore takes the organization’s curricula to Costa Rica as part of an initiative of the WBDC, the University of Connecticut and the U.S. State Department to foster financial awareness and business savvy abroad. For Pastore and the WBDC it all comes down to evening the playing field — both at home and oversees — even as womenowned businesses add workers and grow revenue at a faster pace than most U.S. firms. “One of the reasons why women look to entrepreneurship is because it represents a road to inclusion,” said Pastore,

who serves on the National Women’s Business Council, a nonpartisan council that advises Congress, the president and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues pertaining to women business owners, in addition to leading the Stamford-based WBDC. Entrepreneurship, Pastore said, represents “a logical and reachable goal to help you level the playing field.” In conjunction with a Jan. 23 visit to the WBDC’s Stamford offices, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he had tasked the state departments of Labor and of Economic and Community Development with studying factors that contribute to the gender wage gap and making recommendations to eliminate any inequality. As Malloy and the Connecticut General Assembly launch into the biennial process of drafting the state’s budget, Pastore said one answer to the inequality issue is providing more resources for women-owned businesses.

“The revenues of women-owned businesses in Connecticut are outpacing those across the rest of the nation by about 11 percent,” Pastore said. “What I’m saying to our leadership is, ‘What resources are we putting toward helping women to grow businesses in our state?’ ... I would think we want to focus initiatives for and about women, and I’d like to see more of that.” A major area that has yet to be addressed is access to credit, Pastore said. Citing data collected by American Express OPEN, she said it takes women four times longer to obtain a business loan than it does for businesses owned by men. “Cash flow is the number one issue” for women business owners WBDC works with, she said. “One of the challenges around cash flow is there is still discrimination...There is still bias against women.” That, despite the fact that in Connecticut and nationally, womenowned businesses are growing at a faster rate than most any other business, according to a 2012 report commissioned by American Express OPEN and the National Women’s Business Council. According to the report, “The growth in number (up 54 percent), employment (up 9 percent) and revenues (up 58 percent) of women-owned firms over the past 15 years exceeds the growth rates of all but the largest, publicly traded firms.” Employment at women-owned businesses based in Connecticut grew 17.3 percent to 92,200 workers from 1997 to 2011, while revenues increased 66.4 percent, according to the report.

Pastore called for an emphasis on programs such as the state’s Small Business Express initiative — which provides loans and grants to Connecticut-based businesses not more than a year old that have fewer than 100 employees — that could be geared toward women-owned businesses. She said the WBDC was able to nearly double the size of its Stamford office and hire six new employees with the help of a $239,000 Small Business Express loan and a matching $100,000 grant. The expansion and addition of a financial clinic helps to address what Pastore described as a “changing clientele.” “We started out being an organization that focused on low-to-moderate income women and minorities,” she said. “Sixteen years later ... the organization has really changed to meet the needs of the community. More and more we are seeing women coming to us from all walks of life – from GEDs to PhDs.” Pastore said the WBDC works with about 1,200 women each year and that about 90 percent of the nonprofit’s clients are micro-entrepreneurs, or business owners with five or fewer employees. However, she said there has been a shift coming out of the recession, with more established business owners seeking out financial assistance and training from the WBDC. “Women business owners who are established have become a major part of our constituency. And we are responding to that ... We think of ourselves as a post-secondary training organization for women.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

CHARTER TO BUY OPTIMUM WEST

Charter Communications Inc., a member of Connecticut’s “Next Five” economic development initiative and the nation’s fourth-largest cable company, has agreed to acquire regional cable provider Optimum West from Cablevision Systems Corp. for $1.625 billion in cash. Under the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval, Charter would take on about 304,000 Optimum West cable customers in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. With customers in 25 states, Charter is in the process of building headquarters in downtown Stamford, at which point the company would relocate most corporate executives from its current headquarters in St. Louis. Multiple cable providers, includ-

ing Time Warner Cable Inc., reportedly presented Cablevision with offers for Optimum West. Cablevision bought the unit, which formally does business as Bresnan Broadband Holdings L.L.C., more than two years ago from Providence Equity Partners Inc. for slightly less than $1.4 billion. Cablevision, based in Bethpage, N.Y., is the country’s fifth-largest cable provider and has about 3 million customers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and parts of Pennsylvania.

CANADA CONSIDERS FINING SIKORSKY

A top Canadian government official said last week that the country would impose financial penalties against Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for delays in delivering Cyclone search and rescue helicopters,

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according to reports. Canada in 2004 signed a deal to buy 28 Cyclone helicopters from the Stratford-based manufacturer and United Technologies Corp. subsidiary for about $5 billion, with the first scheduled for delivery in 2009. That deal was adjusted in late 2008 to push back delivery of the first helicopter to June 2012. However, Canada has yet to receive its first helicopter delivery, with Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose telling Canada’s House of Commons Feb. 11 that significant penalties would be imposed. Based on the contract between Sikorsky and the Canadian government, those penalties could rise as high as about $80 million if the first aircraft is not delivered by June 2013, according to reports.

XPO LOGISTICS BUYS CHARTER PROVIDER

Greenwich freight services provider XPO Logistics Inc. has acquired East Coast Air Charter (ECAC) Inc., which specializes in air charter brokerage, for $9.25 million. William McBane, who founded ECAC as a non-asset owning charterer of cargo aircraft in 1997, will continue to lead the company from its Statesville, N.C., headquarters. ECAC, which had about $43 million in revenues last year, becomes the latest in a series of acquisitions by XPO Logistics. XPO serves more than 7,500 clients in the retail, commercial, manufacturing and industrial sectors, offering freight brokerage, expedited transportation and freight forwarding services. — Patrick Gallagher

Builders see slowdown in new home construction BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

he market for homes has shown signs of solid growth in Fairfield County over the last several months, with brokers noting strong demand for luxury homes and higher overall sales volume. However, as economists point to housing as a primary contributor to the optimism being felt across U.S. financial markets, real estate experts say the data are still a far cry from pre-recession levels, with the market for newly built homes relatively flat at best. For home builders, “It’s definitely a work in progress,” said Peter J. Fusaro, founder of Preferred Builders Inc. in Greenwich and president of the Home Builders Association of Fairfield County. “I’m not sure things will ever be back to where they were seven, eight years ago.” Connecticut municipalities authorized permits for 4,140 housing units in 2012, up 46 percent from the previous year, when permits were authorized for just 2,837 units, according to data released Jan. 28 by the state Department of

Economic and Community Development (DECD). The rate of new permits being issued was higher across most of the county’s largest towns and cities. According to the DECD data, Greenwich issued 65 permits in 2012 to 59 permits the previous year, Stamford issued 564 permits to 207 in 2011, Danbury issued 396 permits to 103 in 2011, Norwalk issued 235 permits to 67 in 2011, Fairfield issued 50 permits to 48 in 2011, and Bridgeport issued 174 permits to 126 in 2011. The statewide volume was the highest it’s been since 2008, when 4,910 permits were issued. However, the 2012 number still represented a significant drop off from the mid-2000s: Connecticut towns and cities averaged 9,460 permits a year from 2004 to 2006, including more than 10,300 permits in 2004. Fusaro said the high annual increase from 2011 to 2012 masks the fact that permit volume was still historically low last year. “A 40 percent increase isn’t a true number, based on where permits used to be before this crash in the markets,”

he said. Terence Beaty, director of Prudential Connecticut Realty’s New Homes & Land division, said that while permits were up last year, that didn’t result in more sales of newly constructed homes. Beaty said that of all homes sold in 2012, 1,309 were newly constructed single-family homes or condominiums, compared with 1,302 newly built homes that were sold in 2011. “So it’s a very flat market from a new construction standpoint,” Beaty said. He said new home sales have declined relative to the total number of homes sold. “We went back and looked at nine or 10 years of new home sales compared to resales. If you look at new homes as a share of total sales, we were actually down 12 percent (in 2012),” Beaty said. “The numbers have been consistently sliding.” He said new homes represented 4.2 percent of all homes that were sold in 2012. In comparison, new homes amounted to 7.8 percent of all homes sold in 2008, and 10.3 percent of all homes sold in 2006.

“Historically, we’ve just seen an erosion in the number of new homes built and sold as it compares to the overall market,” Beaty said. Beaty said demand for newly built homes is likely lower because of the availability of existing homes, adding that a home that is two or three years old can often be bought for much less than an identical home that is brand new. However, he said there could be a lag between the issuance of permits and the sale of homes, noting that medium-size single family homes might take eight months to build while larger homes could take anywhere from 10 to 14 months. Both Beaty and Fusaro said demand for renovations — particularly fixes to homes affected by recent storms and upgrades that involve “green” components – is relatively high. “There is going to be a big boom in retrofitting older houses to add ener�y efficiencies,” Fusaro said. “Right now ... I see a lot of people wanting to stay in their existing homes and to retrofit them into more ener�y-efficient homes.”

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013

PERSPECTIVES

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

BUSINESS JOURNAL

The bare minimum

n what is an annual tradition, the White House typically releases sections of the president’s State of the Union address in the lead-up to the speech itself. But judging from the reaction in the House chamber, those in attendance — and by extension, the millions watching from home — did not predict Obama would call for the federal minimum wage to be hiked to $9 an hour. The discussion is frequently entertained on both the state and federal levels; in fact, Democrats in the Connecticut General Assembly are currently in discussions over raising the state’s minimum wage from $8.25 to $9.75 in two increments over the next year and a half. The question is, do we have a moral obligation to raise the minimum wage, and what would the consequences be? Would raising the minimum hourly salary in fact lead to fewer job openings, as many contend? Or would businesses hire based purely on internal need, regardless of where the minimum wage stands? Obama, addressing the joint session of Congress, said, “We know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day’s work with honest wages. But today, a fulltime worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief we’ve put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong.” We wholeheartedly agree. The

Business Journal feels that the state legislature and the Congress have moral obligations to raise the national and Connecticut minimum wage levels and to align any future increases with increases in the cost of living. The current $7.25 federal minimum wage has been in place since July 2009, while Connecticut’s minimum of $8.25 came into effect Jan. 1, 2010. Since those last increases, the cost of living, as measured by the U.S. Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) has gone up every year. After virtually no increase in 2008, the U.S. CPI increased 2.7 percent in 2009, 1.5 percent in 2010, 3 percent in 2011 and 1.7 percent last year. Natasha Pierre, policy and legislative director of the Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, recently told the Business Journal that in Connecticut, a resident would need to earn $10.56 an hour on a full-time basis to cover the cost of basic needs. To cover basic needs with a moderate amount of emergency savings, an individual would need to earn more than $17 an hour, Pierre said. “If we want workers to succeed and be able to support themselves and their families, we have to create a realistic floor on wages,” Pierre told the Business Journal. “Not one that leaves working adults and their families at or below poverty.” That is not to say the case against

raising the minimum wage is invalid, particularly during times of economic stress and slow growth. Moreover, the question of raising the minimum wage cannot be confined to morals. Andrew Markowski, Connecticut chapter director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), said in a Feb. 5 statement, “Connecticut’s economy lags behind most other states even as some national trends are beginning to turn upward. Its unemployment rate remains stubbornly high and small businesses here, which have traditionally created the most jobs, are finding it harder to bear the high taxes and costly mandates already in place.” Markowski continued, “Raising the minimum wage again will harm businesses and job seekers in Connecticut who are already at a disadvantage.” And so we must take steps to ensure that does not become the case, and that raising the minimum wage leads to economic growth. By raising the minimum wage, both the state and federal governments would see increased income tax revenues, which in turn could be used to provide additional incentive dollars to businesses that hire new employees. The combination of more hiring and higher wages would result in more spending, and with consumer spending representing 70 percent of all U.S. economic activity, that is not a factor to be taken lightly

THEY SAID IT “The president’s return to a focus on jobs and growth is overdue and we welcome his call for immigration reform and trade expansion. The question is whether the totality of his agenda is designed to grow our economy or simply to grow the government. More spending, higher taxes, and massive federal rule-making will not put Americans back to work or stop the slide of middle-class incomes. “To revive our economy, restore confidence, and put millions of unemployed Americans back to work, jobs and growth cannot be an occasional priority, it must be the top priority at all times.” — Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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WE WANT TO KNOW Where do you stand on proposals by President Barack Obama and by Democrats in the Connecticut General Assembly to raise the federal and state minimum wages?

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CAPITAL BRIEFING ROOM

Budget focuses on jobs, education funding BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

n his budget proposal delivered Feb. 6, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy focused on several key areas as he looks to grow Connecticut’s economy and make state government leaner. The $43.8 billion biennial budget proposal includes an additional $6 billion in capital expenditures for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years and about $1.8 billion in cuts to state services. “Connecticut families have had to buckle down, make tough decisions, pay their bills, make sacrifices and find compromise,” Malloy said to legislators in his budget address. “So must their government.” Malloy said his budget keeps the state “firmly in balance.” But as individuals and organizations pore over the details, some — including the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) — have voiced concerns about the state’s spending allocations, tax policies and borrowing habits to pay for investments. Legislators will vote on the budget June 5. The budget will run from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2015. The Business Journal examines the individual sections of the governor’s proposal.

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manent,” Frayne said. “The hospitals are figuring out how to live with it. But over the upcoming months, it won’t be pretty.” The proposed cuts average about a 15 percent annual reduction, state officials said. Frayne said hospitals would likely need to re-evaluate and eliminate services, reduce staff and put off infrastructure projects. He also said it was likely hospitals would seek higher funding from insurance companies, which would then pass along the cost to businesses in their coverage plans. Ben Barnes, state budget director and secretary of the Office of Policy & Management (OPM), said the notion that hospitals would somehow need to dig into their own pockets was an inaccurate portrayal of their fiscal health, which he said includes high returns on investments, significant profits and outside donations. “The cuts do put hospitals in a difficult position,” Barnes said. “I’m not going to deny that. But they are spread out over a three-year period.” Barnes also said a battle between

NO NEW TAXES Malloy’s budget includes no new taxes but extends several taxes set to expire in June, including the corporate tax surcharge, electric generator tax and a limit on the insurance premium tax credit. CBIA officials have spoken out against the extensions, calling for both broader spending cuts and a more competitive tax system. Businesses may not have gotten a break this session, but Malloy’s budget did include two provisions to reduce taxes on the middle class. Under the proposal, the first $20,000 of a car’s assessed value would no longer be taxable beginning in the 2014 fiscal year, while clothing and footwear under $25 would be exempt from sales tax starting in the 2015 fiscal year with the exemption increasing to $50 the following year.

to increase by $119.5 million in the 2014 fiscal year and by $215.2 million in the 2015 fiscal year, including $152 million in new Education Cost Sharing funding over the two years for what is currently a $2 billion program. The governor also proposed to invest $2 billion in the University of Connecticut over 10 years in an effort to bolster the science, technolo�y, engineering and mathematics fields. Connecticut Voices for Children, an independent research and advocacy group, applauded Malloy’s continued commitment to education but also criticized how he plans to fund the initiatives through “one-time revenues” and “substancial borrowing that will burden our children tomorrow.”

Connecticut initiative over a 10-year period, aimed at growing the state’s bioscience industry.

MORE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION Among the most widely discussed aspects of the budget are the proposed investments in education, beginning as early as pre-kindergarten and through college. The proposal would either preserve or increase funding for the majority of the state’s early child care and primary and secondary education programs. Malloy calls for state funding for primary and secondary education initiatives

INVESTING IN BUSINESS To help businesses grow and create jobs, the budget would provide $100 million each year to the state Department of Economic and Community Development to continue to provide low-interest loans and other incentives to businesses to either stay in or relocate to Connecticut, and calls for $100 million in funding over two years to continue the Small Business Express loan program. Additionally, Malloy called for a $200 million investment in the Bioscience

HOLDING ‘HARMLESS’ Though some have criticized Malloy’s proposals for municipal aid as being confusing, officials have guaranteed that municipalities would be held “harmless” under the proposed budget. The budget calls for Municipal Aid Adjustment grants of $47.2 million in the 2014 fiscal year and $31.6 million in the 2015 fiscal year to ensure no town or city sees lower funding than it currently receives. In addition, the plan calls for grants available under the Town Aid Road program to increase $30 million each year, and for funding under the Local Capital Improvement Program to increase $56 million each year. Proposed bond authorizations in the biennial budget include $1.1 billion to assist towns and cities in school construction projects, $1 billion in clean water and drinking water grants and loans, $100 million for Urban Act grants used largely to promote community conservation and development, $40 million for Small Town Economic Assistance Program grants for smaller communities, and $40 million in Open Space Acquisition grants.

providers and insurance companies was likely, but that the federal government has a keen interest in controlling costs, which would limit insurance cost increases for businesses and consumers. State officials have said the funding cuts outlined in Malloy’s budget proposal are necessary in order to offset the higherthan-expected costs associated with the 2010 transition to a Medicaid for Low Income Adults (LIA) program. About 45,000 residents were expected to enroll in the LIA program, which was approved by the federal government in June 2010 to replace Connecticut’s previous State Administered General Assistance (SAGA) program. However, to date, about 87,000 individuals have enrolled, leading to projections of a budget deficit for the current fiscal year and forcing state legislators to adopt a deficit mitigation package of across-theboard spending cuts in December. On top of that, it’s estimated that the net cost to the state resulting from the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act will be $171 million for the state’s 2014 fiscal year, which runs through June 30, 2014. However, the state will see an esti-

mated $19.6 million profit in its 2015 fiscal year as a result of the ACA policies. The proposed $650 million funding cuts is composed of three major reductions in Malloy’s budget. First is a $50 million per year reduction in hospital reimbursements for serving uninsured patients. Under the proposal, hospitals would need to absorb the cost by themselves. However Barnes said the costs were in anticipation of ACA changes, which is expected to decrease the number of uninsured patients to 1 percent. Barnes also said the profit made off other patients should be able to cover the temporary expense. The second cut is a $72 million overall reduction in Medicaid funding to hospitals, which originally was intended to mitigate the losses hospitals may have incurred during the state’s transition off its previously state-run Medicaid program. After further reflection, however, Barnes said officials decided the payment was unnecessary, given the majority of hospitals’ losses were from negotiations with insurance providers for lower rates. “There isn’t a basis for the state to pay them, especially given the financial con-

straints we face,” Barnes said. The final and largest cut comes in the state’s decision to continue the Hospital Provider Tax without returning the all the revenue to the hospitals, as originally proposed. Frayne said the tax, which amounts to $350 million a year in revenue, was intended to be a way to get matched federal funding on Medicaid payments. But under Malloy’s proposal the state would stop returning the complete payment to hospitals to keep the revenue for other purposes. Barnes said the tax would still increase the state’s Medicaid payments. “The support we were given in the current budget was $50 million a year,” Frayne said. “The funding being withdrawn is $650 million. They’re taking away, in multiples, more funding than we’ve ever received.” Frayne said CHA intends to fight the cuts and ask legislators for reinstated funding. “Over the next two years the state will get hundreds of millions of new dollars to help underwrite health care costs,” Frayne said. “We see that more dollars are flowing to the state and less money is going to the provider.”

6 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

General Electric Co. CEO and Chairman Jeffrey Immelt.

CHANNEL — » From page 1

theme parks and unconsolidated investments, and Comcast’s cable networks, which include E!, Versus and the Golf Channel and 10 regional sports networks, among other components. In December 2009, GE agreed to sell a portion of its interest in NBCU to Comcast, making Comcast — the country’s largest cable provider — the majority partner in the NBCU joint venture. That $13.8 billion deal was approved and finalized in January 2011, with GE’s share in NBCU reduced from 80 percent to 49 percent and Comcast’s share increasing to 51 percent of the

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tions and government relations for East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney, an aerospace manufacturer. “It’s one thing to say that the spending in the Department of Defense must be reduced and another thing to say how and by how much.” The package of cuts, known as the sequester, would affect both defense and domestic programs. The sequester came about as part of 2011 negotiations in Congress over raising the debt ceiling and was designed to compel lawmakers to agree to a “grand bargain” over spending and entitlement programs. The cuts, which would decrease funding across budget lines, regardless of importance or effectiveness, were scheduled to have taken effect Jan. 1 but were pushed into March as part of a New Year’s Day tax and spending bill. During his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for closing tax loopholes, higher taxes on the wealthy and a balanced approached to budget cuts to protect defense, education, Medicare and Social Security benefits.

joint venture. As part of that agreement, Comcast had the option of buying out GE in a three-and-a-half to seven-year time frame. Comcast CEO and Chairman Brian L. Roberts recognized the GE management team for being a “valuable” partner over the past two years. “Our decision to acquire GE’s ownership is driven by our sense of optimism for the future prospects of NBCUniversal and our desire to capture future value that we hope to create for our shareholders,” Roberts said in a statement. In October 2011, NBC Sports Group, a unit of NBCU, became the fourth company to enlist in Connecticut’s First Five economic development initiative and

“After all, why would we choose to make deeper cuts to education and Medicare just to protect special interest tax breaks?” Obama asked. “How is that fair? How does that promote growth?” Rep. Jim Himes, a Greenwich Democrat, has long advocated for a package of spending cuts and tax reforms like those outlined by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, whose draft report calls for a cap on discretionary spending, a simplified tax system and changes in Social Security and health care polices. Earlier this month, 75 members of Congress voted in favor of a resolution to adopt the Simpson-Bowles recommendations. Himes said he is hopeful Congress will come to a decision on the cuts by the March 1 deadline. “There’s a more significant sense of urgency today than there was about a week ago,” Himes said. “(The sequester) will have a very significant impact on the day-to-day lives of Americans. It’s not quite shutting down the government, but it will have a real impact.” Himes said he believes the country needs to make “more than modest” cuts in defense over the long run, but called for a smarter approach than blind, automatic cuts that come with uncertainty

said it would consolidate the bulk of its Northeast operations at new studios and corporate offices in Stamford. At the time of the announcement, NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said, “This new campus is about bringing people together to maximize production, creativity and efficient teamwork. We are creating one 32-acre unique location that allows us to build numerous state-of-the-art studios, house more than 450 employees and prepare for anticipated future growth.” In exchange for pledging to create as many as 450 new jobs in Connecticut and to make various capital investments in the new facilities, the state Department of Economic and Community Development provided NBC Sports Group a $20 million loan and other incentives. With the Feb. 12 transaction, GE will receive $12 billion in cash, $4 billion in debt guaranteed by Comcast and $700 million of preferred stock, while GE Capital will receive $1.4 billion in cash. GE estimated that its pre-tax gain from the sale of its NBCU interest would be about $1 billion, with that gain offset by restructuring that will take place in 2013. The company’s board of directors also increased GE’s share repurchase authority to $35 billion, with about $23 billion of authorization remaining as of

month over month. In terms of the economic impact of defense cuts in Connecticut, Himes

“THE KEY POINT IS THE SEQUESTER, BY DEFINITION, IS A BAD ANSWER. IT HURTS THE NATION. IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE AN UNTHINKABLE OUTCOME. …WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO AVOID IT.” — Jay DeFrank

said the state would need to eventually adjust, but that the demand for products the state manufactures would still be there.

Feb. 12. With the authorization, GE plans to increase its share repurchase program to about $10 billion this year. Earnings previously forecast from GE’s NBCU stake would likely be replaced by the effects of share repurchases, cost reductions and earnings growth in the company’s industrial businesses, GE said. GE Capital expects a $500 million after-tax gain from the sale of the properties, with those funds allocated to accelerating non-core asset reductions.

“Connecticut manufactures weapons needed for tomorrow,” Himes said, citing there will still be a need for helicopters and submarines. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but Connecticut is slightly better insulated than other geographies.” Pratt and Whitney’s DeFrank agreed and said there are ways the company could work around cuts in defense. The sequester does threaten the company’s workforce and potential hiring, but DeFrank said about 25 percent of Pratt and Whitney’s products are defense related and shifts could be made. However, as the company sources 80 percent of its work to nearly 460 suppliers in Connecticut alone, DeFrank said it’s not necessarily the large manufacturers that would be hit the hardest by cuts, but the small manufacturers who specialize in only one or two areas. For them, the sequester has already impacted further investments and hiring decisions. “The key point is the sequester, by definition, is a bad answer,” DeFrank said. “It hurts the nation. It was designed to be an unthinkable outcome. …We need to do everything we can to avoid it.”

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013

Aerial video on the rise BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

t’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a flying camera? For businesses looking to get a new perspective for their marketing, one Wilton-based company suggests taking the bird’s-eye view. Vidifly, launched by software developer and marketing firm Metabulus L.L.C., is a new aerial video service that uses min-

Photo courtesy of Vidifly.

Straight up the hill and firm, Z. Yep. Got it.

Team McGladrey Golfer Zach Johnson and his caddie, Damon Green.

Power comes from being understood.SM When you trust the advice you’re getting, you know your next move is the right move. That’s what you can expect from McGladrey. That’s the power of being understood. Experience the power. Go to zachisunderstood.com or contact Tony Ceci at 203.328.7101.

8 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

iature drone helicopters to take video and photos of properties and events. “It’s a very different perspective than a ground-based shot,” said Metabulus cofounder Adam Pemberton. “You can tell immediately how a property or area is laid out because you can see much more.” In the past, aerial photos might have required expensive helicopter rides to produce images not unlike those on Google Maps, Pemberton said. But now that the technolo�y for remote-controlled helicopters out of the hobby industry has become more advanced and inexpensive, individuals can take closer, high-definition videos and photos at a fraction of the price, he said. The term drone has come to describe an unmanned, remote-controlled military aircraft, but has increasingly been used to describe smaller unmanned aerial vehicles and remote-controlled aircraft such as the ones Vidifly uses. Vidifly’s drones are about three to four feet in diameter and can fly about a half mile away from their remote controllers. Though flight control software has improved dramatically in terms of stability, Vidifly’s drones still require frequent battery changes about every six minutes. The base rate for a Vidifly video is $1,500 for four hours of shooting with aerial stills starting at $500 each. Pemberton said he believes there’s a big market for aerial videos and photos for promotional materials, especially in the real estate industry. He said he’s seen interest from real estate agents, property owners and event managers from across the Northeast, but is looking to increase its business concentration in Fairfield County and expand from there. “An aerial video is selling in a way you couldn’t before,” Pemberton said. “It’s a compelling style of photo that is now available to any business that wants it.” A bird’s eye view of a residential property for sale or a convention center looking to hold more events is a new and fresh way of selling, he said. In the next couple of years he expects to see much more aerial video competition from competing marketing firms, he said. Additionally Pemberton said he thinks the commercial market for drones is on the edge of a massive expansion, targeting kids and even occasional travelers on vacation. “I believe that it’s going to grow and become much more widely used,” he said. “There’s not anything like the kind of video these aircraft get.”

How sweet it is BY MARY SHUSTACK mshustack@westfairinc.com

here’s a sweet sense of fate in Jeri Finard becoming president of Godiva North America. The Larchmont, N.Y., woman smiles as she shares a bit of personal history on a recent afternoon in her Manhattan office. And it’s a history that underscores the charming element of kismet underlying years of hard work that brought her, this past August, to a top executive post in the premium chocolate company known around the world. “Honestly, I feel like it was destiny for me,” she says. “Growing up, my father actually worked for a chocolate factory.” Finard, born on the South Side of Chicago and raised in Philadelphia, says she even had her first job at the nowdefunct Pennsylvania chocolate company. “When I say I was practically weaned on chocolate, I was weaned on chocolate,” she says. It makes the post with Godiva Chocolatier Inc. especially rewarding for Finard, who candidly shares “I never go a day without chocolate.” And despite her slender figure, you tend to believe her as she adds that when good friends heard about the new job, “They said, ‘I hope they’re locking up their inventory.’” Joking aside, Finard is well aware that her “pretty cool job” is far from frivolous. “It is an immensely complex business,” she says. “The great thing is we have an amazing, iconic brand.” And that was what drew Finard to Godiva, founded in Belgium in 1926. Finard is no stranger to top management roles at major corporations. Following graduation from Brandeis University in Massachusetts, she went on to earn an MBA. “I came to New York to go to Columbia Business School,” she says. With her first job at General Foods, she moved to Westchester County and over the next 20 years worked in offices including White Plains, Rye Brook and Tarrytown during a time when the merger with Kraft Foods came about. When commuting to Chicago from Westchester for her last position — as chief marketing officer — became too much, she moved on to Avon Products Inc. Again based in New York, she served for more than three years as senior vice president and global brand president. The Godiva job, she says, incorporates varied elements from her career. “When they called me about Godiva, I

said this is too perfect, because it was food and it was fashion,” she says. And it’s also, she acknowledges, kind of impressive. She says whenever someone hears about her employer, they say “I’d like to get to know you better.” And that makes her laugh: “Let’s just say I didn’t get the same reaction when I’d say Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.” Finard is determined to know her brand inside and out. “I’m still trying to eat my way through,” she says with a laugh. Finard is in charge of some 230 retail boutiques, including those in Stamford and Danbury, along with her company’s presence in fine department stores, and she is determined to get out to the company’s top stores and forge a bond with

the staffers. “It’s really important for them to know who I am and know that I’m approachable,” she says. Those visits have already included the Godiva boutique in The Westchester in White Plains, where Finard learned how to make the company’s famed chocolatedipped strawberries. “I’m not sure mine were the prettiest, but I did my best,” she says. Choices, of course, go far beyond the iconic fruits dipped in milk, dark or white chocolate. “We kind of introduced premium chocolate to America, but now there are a lot of competitors,” Finard says, though Godiva does have an edge. “It is recognized everywhere. It is really globally

iconic. Everybody responds to it.” Finard is in charge of “the mechanics of how we run,” with duties ranging from monitoring the supply chain to overseeing inventory management. Finard says she is still settling into her new position, tapping into the “Godiva culture” that reflects loyalty, innovation and team effort. And that includes a commitment to corporate philanthropy, as well, exemplified by its Lady Godiva Program that celebrates inspirational women around the world who, the program description notes, “embody the attributes of Lady Godiva through selflessness, generosity, leadership and the spirit of giving back to the community.” “It’s business, but it’s business that does good,” Finard says.

At First County Bank, we feel that the services we offer are just the beginning. Our job is to be an advisor you can trust to recommend what’s best for you, your family or business. Therefore, First County’s Trust and Investment Department has adopted a new name: First County Advisors. It is a more accurate description of how we are different from other trust, investment and wealth management departments. First County Advisors will provide you with thoughtful recommendations on: • Investment*, Retirement and Financial Planning • Estate Planning and Settlement • Investment Management and Trust Administration • Fiduciary and other services STA M FO R D

NORWALK

DARIEN

We welcome the opportunity to speak to you about First County Advisors. Call Dave Metzgar, Senior Vice President, Senior Trust Officer, at 203-462-4267 to discuss your goals and plans. And for the record, we can meet over a cup of coffee.

GREENWICH

NEW

CANAAN

WESTPORT

* Products and or services offered through First County Advisors at First County Bank are not FDIC insured; not insured by any government agency, not a deposit or other obligation of First County Bank, not guaranteed by First County Bank, and are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the principal. First County Bank does not provide investment advice or research, make recommendations, or solicit transactions for accommodation trades. ©2013 First County Bank. FIRST COUNTY BANK,

First County Bank, and the

FCB00496 FCBJ ad_TRUSTED ADVISOR_7.375x7.125.indd 1

logo are registered trademarks of First County Bank. 1:55 PM FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February2/12/13 18, 2013 9

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10 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

From the Emerald Isle, a Westport staple BY ANDREA KENNEDY akennedy@westfairinc.com

hen it comes to business longevity, the U.S. keeps a short list of survivors. Think Jim Bean, DuPont, Colgate. Long-lasting family-run businesses are even more scarce — a sort of novelty in this age of big-name buyouts and smallname out-of-business sales. Edward J. Musante Jr., president and CEO of the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, contends that only 12 percent of family businesses in the U.S. are still viable by the third generation. Amid the rubble stands the Gault family, a Connecticut hallmark that defies the odds. For five generations, the Gaults have carried the torch of their Westport family business. What began as a hauling and farming company in 1863 is now Gault Ener�y & Stone, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last week as it announced that the Gault Barn will be listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Today, the company — which kicked off its sesquicentennial celebration Feb. 7 — is led by Sam Gault, great-great-grandson of founder Robert Gault, who emigrated from Ireland in search of religious freedom and “an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work” (as recorded in family lore). The tradition of evolution and adaptation, said Sam, is responsible for the company’s endurance. After the hauling and farming iteration of the family business came synergistic acquisitions, like Hubbel and Staples Lumber, by Sam’s great-grandfather Leonard Gault. That was followed by a transition from being a provider of coal to a provider of heating oil under Howard Gault, Sam’s grandfather. The family subsequently incorporated a service component to the company and, under Sam’s father, Bill Gault, their masonry business acclimated to changing customer demands when stone bypassed brick in popularity. “One of the things I think we do very well is we’ve been able to listen to our customers and adapt to the changes in the marketplace,” said Sam. “Specifically in the last 25 years, we’ve seen change happen faster in business, and I think we’ve been able to keep up with that pace by making certain changes.” To maintain cadence with 21st century times, Sam has positioned the busi-

Three generations of the Gault family in front of their historic barn at Gault Energy & Stone’s 150th anniversary kickoff.

Gault Bros. employees in 1908. photos courtesy of gault Energy & Stone

ness as an ener�y conservation company offering whole-house ener�y and indoor air-quality assessments, which he calls “all the latest buzz.” The company also balances digital technolo�y like email blasts and online payment platforms with human-to-human interaction. “I think that’s another one of our successes,” he said. “In the business and industry that we’re in, we need that personal touch. People love the fact that when they call our office they get a human being that answers the phone. It’s important in this day and age for them to talk to somebody and get a problem resolved or get advice or whatever it may be.” That personal connection has been paramount — especially during the storms of recent years, during which the Gault team acted as first responders, offering essential services like keeping generator propane tanks full and fixing furnaces. And community service goes beyond business, Sam said, as the company hosts contests to give deserving folks new boilers, contributes to various boards and supports county nonprofits like the New Canaan Nature Center and Fairfield Theater Company. “We feel fortunate to be able to do business in Fairfield County, and we like to give back to Fairfield County,” said Sam. “We hope those people look at us » Gault, page 14

CEO INSIGHTS

BY BRAD SCHELLER

‘Mistakes are growth in disguise’

usiness Journal contributor Brad Scheller recently sat down in Westport for a conversation with J. Philip Bender, managing partner of The Bender Financial Group and a general agent of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., to hear his thoughts on hiring, building and aligning effective teams. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

“The last one is commitment to self and others. Our number one job is to help our clients get to their destinations. That can be funding education for children, making sure that if they die prematurely or become sick or hurt for an extended period of time that they’re going to be OK. And that they are able to retire with dignity. In essence the overlying phrase is financial security.”

LET’S TALK ABOUT HIRING. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU HIRE?

“Ener�y is the first. Second would be competitive experience or people who’ve had success in academics, sports, music where they really have to work at their craft to be great. Those are the types who seem to do best in our world.

“Work ethic is always a difficult one to test for because everyone interviews well. The work ethic is tested because the business model that we employ is simple to understand, but challenging to execute. So we are looking for those who have a blue-collar work ethic looking for a white-collar career.” » Mistakes, page 14

SCHELLER: HOW DO YOU BUILD AN EFFECTIVE TEAM?

BENDER: “I see three main aspects. It starts with my responsibility to build the vision — which is to be the flagship of Northwestern Mutual. The team’s responsibility is to figure out what strategic priorities need to be accomplished to get there. The second part is making sure everyone is aligned with the mission of the organization, which helps bring clarity to day-to-day interactions and decisions. The third part of building a team revolves around the set of values that govern each of our decisions. “In other words, where am I going to draw the line in how I operate my business? If someone is not congruent with those values than they put your organization at risk.”

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 11

LegaL Notice

To merchants who have accepted Visa and MasterCard at any time since January 1, 2004: Notice of a 6+ billion dollar class action settlement. Si desea leer este aviso en español, llámenos o visite nuestro sitio web. Notice of a class action settlement authorized by the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York. This notice is authorized by the Court to inform you about an agreement to settle a class action lawsuit that may affect you. The lawsuit claims that Visa and MasterCard, separately, and together with banks, violated antitrust laws and caused merchants to pay excessive fees for accepting Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards, including by: • Agreeing to set, apply, and enforce rules about merchant fees (called default interchange fees); • Limiting what merchants could do to encourage their customers to use other forms of payment through, for example, charging customers an extra fee or offering discounts; and • Continuing that conduct after Visa and MasterCard changed their corporate structures. The defendants say they have done nothing wrong. They say that their business practices are legal and the result of competition, and have benefitted merchants and consumers. The Court has not decided who is right because the parties agreed to a settlement. On November 27, 2012, the Court gave preliminary approval to this settlement.

tHe settLement Under the settlement, Visa, MasterCard, and the bank defendants have agreed to make payments to two settlement funds: • The first is a “Cash Fund” – a $6.05 billion fund that will pay valid claims of merchants that accepted Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards at any time between January 1, 2004 and November 28, 2012. • The second is an “Interchange Fund” –

estimated to be approximately $1.2 billion – that will be based on a portion of the interchange fees attributable to certain merchants that accept Visa or MasterCard credit cards for an eight-month “Interchange Period.” Additionally, the settlement changes some of the Visa and MasterCard rules applicable to merchants who accept their cards. This settlement creates two classes: • A Cash Settlement Class (Rule 23(b) (3) Settlement Class), which includes all persons, businesses, and other entities that accepted any Visa or MasterCard cards in the U.S. at any time from January 1, 2004 to November 28, 2012, and • A Rule Changes Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(2) Settlement Class), which includes all persons, businesses, and entities that as of November 28, 2012 or in the future accept any Visa or MasterCard cards in the U.S.

wHAt mercHAnts wiLL get from tHe settLement Every merchant in the Cash Settlement Class that files a valid claim will get money from the $6.05 billion Cash Fund, subject to a deduction (not to exceed 25% of the fund) to account for merchants who exclude themselves from the Cash Settlement Class. The value of each claim, where possible, will be based on the actual or estimated interchange fees attributable to the merchant’s MasterCard and Visa payment card transactions from January 1, 2004 to November 28, 2012. Payments to merchants who file valid claims for a portion of the Cash Fund will be based on: • The money available to pay all claims, • The total dollar value of all valid claims filed, • The deduction described above not to exceed

25% of the Cash Settlement Fund, and • The cost of settlement administration and notice, money awarded to the class representatives, and attorneys’ fees and expenses all as approved by the Court. In addition, merchants in the Cash Settlement Class that accept Visa and MasterCard during the eight-month Interchange Period and file a valid claim will get money from the separate Interchange Fund, estimated to be approximately $1.2 billion. The value of each claim, where possible, will be based on an estimate of one-tenth of 1% of the merchant’s Visa and MasterCard credit card dollar sales volume during that period. Payments to merchants who file valid claims for a portion of the Interchange Fund will be based on:

To a th yo yo or w 1-

M M m • •

• The money available to pay all claims, • The total dollar value of all valid claims filed, and

•

• The cost of settlement administration and notice, and any attorneys’ fees and expenses that may be approved by the Court.

M un al fe an

Attorneys’ fees and expenses and money awarded to the class representatives: For work done through final approval of the settlement by the district court, Class Counsel will ask the Court for attorneys’ fees in an amount that is a reasonable proportion of the Cash Settlement Fund, not to exceed 11.5% of the Cash Settlement Fund of $6.05 billion and 11.5% of the Interchange Fund estimated to be $1.2 billion to compensate all of the lawyers and their law firms that have worked on the class case. For additional work to administer the settlement, distribute both funds, and through any appeals, Class Counsel may seek reimbursement at their normal hourly rates, not to exceed an additional 1% of the Cash Settlement Fund of $6.05 billion and an additional 1% of the Interchange Fund estimated to be $1.2 billion. Class Counsel will also request reimbursement of their

w w w. P a y m e n t C a r d S e t t l e m e n t . c o m 12 Week of February 18, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

ex co $4 Pl be

M ha be •

•

on ass nd

ent ng nd he be ch an t’s les to on

expenses (not including the administrative costs of settlement or notice), not to exceed $40 million and up to $200,000 per Class Plaintiff in service awards for their efforts on behalf of the classes.

How

Ask

for

PAyment

To receive payment, merchants must fill out a claim form. If the Court finally approves the settlement, and you do not exclude yourself from the Cash Settlement Class, you will receive a claim form in the mail or by email. Or you may ask for one at: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com, or call: 1-800-625-6440.

otHer Benefits mercHAnts

for

Merchants will benefit from changes to certain MasterCard and Visa rules, which will allow merchants to, among other things: • Charge customers an extra fee if they pay with Visa or MasterCard credit cards, • Offer discounts to customers who do not pay with Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards, and

• Form buying groups that meet certain criteria to negotiate with Visa and MasterCard.

nd ses

Merchants that operate multiple businesses under different trade names or banners will also be able to accept Visa or MasterCard at fewer than all of the merchant’s trade names and banners.

ey For he sel an he of nd be ers he ter nd ay rly he nd nd sel eir

LegAL rigHts

And

oPtions

Merchants who are included in this lawsuit have the legal rights and options explained below. You may: • File a claim to ask for payment. You will receive a claim form in the mail or email or file online at: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com. • Exclude yourself from the Cash Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(3) Settlement Class). If you exclude yourself, you can sue the Defendants for damages based on alleged conduct occurring on or before November 27, 2012 on your own at your own expense, if you want to. If you exclude yourself, you will not get any money from this settlement.

If you are a merchant and wish to exclude yourself, you must make a written request, place it in an envelope, and mail it with postage prepaid and postmarked no later than May 28, 2013 to Class Administrator, Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement, P.O. Box 2530, Portland, OR 97208-2530. The written request must be signed by a person authorized to do so and provide all of the following information: (1) the words “In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation,” (2) your full name, address, telephone number, and taxpayer identification number, (3) the merchant that wishes to be excluded from the Cash Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(3) Settlement Class), and what position or authority you have to exclude the merchant, and (4) the business names, brand names, and addresses of any stores or sales locations whose sales the merchant desires to be excluded. Note: You cannot be excluded from the Rule Changes Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(2) Settlement Class). • Object to the settlement. The deadline to object is: May 28, 2013. To learn how to object, see: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com or call 1-800-625-6440. Note: If you exclude yourself from the Cash Settlement Class you cannot object to the terms of that portion of the settlement. For more information about these rights and options, visit: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com.

court APProves finAL settLement

tHe

Members of the Rule Changes Settlement Class are bound by the terms of this settlement. Members of the Cash Settlement Class, who do not exclude themselves by the deadline, are bound by the terms of this settlement whether or not they file a claim for payment. Members of both classes release all claims against all released parties listed in the Settlement Agreement. The settlement will resolve and release any claims by merchants against Visa, MasterCard or other defendants that were or could have been alleged in the lawsuit, including any claims based on interchange or other fees, no-surcharge rules, no-discounting rules, honor-all-cards rules and other rules.

The settlement will also resolve any merchant claims based upon the future effect of any Visa or MasterCard rules, as of November 27, 2012 and not to be modified pursuant to the settlement, the modified rules provided for in the settlement, or any other rules substantially similar to any such rules. The releases will not bar claims involving certain specified standard commercial disputes arising in the ordinary course of business. For more information on the release, see the settlement agreement at: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com.

tHe court HeAring ABout tHis settLement On September 12, 2013, there will be a Court hearing to decide whether to approve the proposed settlement, class counsels’ requests for attorneys’ fees and expenses, and awards for the class representatives. The hearing will take place at: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York 225 Cadman Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201 You do not have to go to the court hearing or hire an attorney. But you can if you want to, at your own cost. The Court has appointed the law firms of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP, Berger & Montague, PC, and Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP to represent the Class (“Class Counsel”).

Questions? For more information about this case (In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, MDL 1720), you may: Call toll-free: 1-800-625-6440 Visit: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com Write to the Class Administrator: Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement P.O. Box 2530 Portland, OR 97208-2530 Email: info@PaymentCardSettlement.com Please check www.PaymentCardSettlement.com for any updates relating to the settlement or the settlement approval process.

1-800-625-6440 • info@PaymentCardSettlement.com FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 13

MISTAKES — » From page 11

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG FOLKS ENTERING THE JOB MARKET TODAY?

PRO

HOCKEY

“There are two that I like to discuss with young folks coming out. The first is to take your risks early. Don’t be afraid to be unique and pursue your vision early. Because as time goes by you have responsibilities and lifestyles that make it more challenging to take risks — not that you can’t take them later, it’s just more challenging later. The second is to not be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are growth in disguise. So many of the grads and interns I interview are so desperately afraid to make a bad decision instead of making a decision and learning from it.”

WHAT QUESTIONS WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO ASK OTHER CEOs ABOUT HOW THEY MANAGE AND LEAD?

“How do you pursue your vision? What type of check points do you have in place? Who do you delegate authority to and

GAULT — » From page 10

For Sponsorship Opportunities Call: Jed Wilson

203-570-7952

14 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

as being important community-minded citizens.” The Gaults’ lasting legacy also includes several architectural structures around the county. While head of the company, Sam’s father was instrumental in orchestrating Compo Commons, a 55-home residential community, with roads that now bear the Gault name. For decades, the family has also owned and operated the real estate arm of Hamilton Development, the firm behind the development of Westport’s Riverside Avenue. The site, where L.H. Gault & Son once stood, is now home to the Saugatuck Rowing Club and Fitness Center, Saugatuck Craft Butchery and Bill Taibe eatery The Whelk. Perhaps the most iconic remnants of their roots are in the Gault Barn, a set of three barns built between 1890 and 1913 by the Gault family for cattle herds, pigs and chickens during the farming years, then for various jobs like maintaining the truck fleet. Viewable from South Campo Road and Sleigh Ridge Road, the stone and brick barns are rarely opened these days, but an exception was made for the Feb. 7 anniversary event where barn historian and researcher Charlotte Hitchcock, who

how often do you manage that delegation? What systems do you have in place to know that you are on the right track for growth? How do you manage conflict? When is the right time to let go of someone who no longer is congruent? Those are the questions all leaders have to address.”

HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT?

“The latest thing is I’ve joined a peer board of advisors. I think is very valuable to be in a diverse forum where you have someone who is a non competitor give you direct experience in leadership and management matters. As I put together our vision for 2015, I was interested in working with this group of outside business leaders who have accomplished goals and likewise are in pursuit of their vision and can challenge my thinking and hold me accountable for my progress. It’s very exciting and intriguing to me.” Brad Scheller, founder of Pivot Point Consulting Group in Wilton, is a CEO coach, management consultant and facilitator of local Renaissance CEO Advisory Boards and can be reached at bscheller@ pivotpointgroup.net.

attended on behalf of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, announced that the Gault Barn will be added to the State Register of Historic Places. “The barn really represents our heritage,” said Sam. “It reminds us of our humble beginnings. It’s a real symbol of the families and the businesses longevity in our community.” To stay sustainable through the next five decades — and another five generations — Sam said the goal is to stay true to the principles the company was founded on. “We need to continue to evolve in the communities that we serve, to continue to reevaluate our products and how they are seen in the marketplace,” said Sam. “We’re going to focus a lot on the systems in people’s homes, the heating, cooling, and indoor air quality, humidification and being neutral in terms of the ener�y source that is used in a home, whether it’s heating oil or propane or natural or electricity or natural gas. I think that’s a way to stay viable going forward.” As for the sixth generation, the pool of management contenders includes Sam’s nephews, with the boss declining to name a front runner. And Sam’s own kids? “Well, they’re just 13 and 10,” he said, “so it’s a little early for that.”

THE LIST

Listed alphabetically.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY NEXT LIST: FEB. 12 CONSTRUCTION FIRMS

WEALTH MANAGERS

Wealth Management Firms Listed alphabetically. Name, address, phone number Area code: 203 (unless otherwise noted) Website

Top local executive Contact (bold) Email address Year firm established

Average AUM per client ($) (bold)

Total AUM ($)

Number of financial planners in county

Payment options

Planning/management services offered

tax planning

philanthropy

risk management

investment management

estate planning

family and legal

fee and commission based

fee based

commission based

Minimum annual fee ($) other

John L. O'brien

Advanced Financial Advisors L.L.C.^ Landmark Office Center 2 Old New Milford Road, Suite 3F, Brookfield 06804 796-0082 • planafa.com

Financial planner and principal

Robert D. Violet CFP, CFS, CRPC Financial planner and partner

John L. O'brien

1.9 million 0

More than 100 million

790,000 10,000

230 million

58,000 2.25%

4,171,616,342

1.3 million WND

338 million

john.obrien@lfg.com

a a a a a a a

(5 Hudson Valley, N.Y.) (2 Westchester County, N.Y.)

Business succession planning, pension and employee benefits, executive benefits and compensation planning, retirement-income planning

1992

Asset Management Group Inc. 60 Long Ridge Road, Suite 305, Stamford 06902 964-8300 • amgplanning.com

Barnum Financial Group 6 Corporate Drive, Shelton 06484 (888) 712-2310 • barnumfinancialgroup.com

HTG Investment Advisors Inc. 50 Locust Ave., New Canaan 06840 972-8262 • htginvestmentadvisors.com

Investors Capital Management Inc. 1120 Post Road, Darien 06820 656-7235 • incapman.com

Janney Montgomery Scott L.L.C.^ 2150 Post Road, Second floor, Fairfield 06824 • (800) 628-7209 800 Post Road, Second floor, Darien 06820 • (800) 822-2014 janney.com

Northwestern Mutual The Bender Financial Group 285 Riverside Ave., Suite 200, Westport 06880 221-5200 • benderfinancialgroup.nmfn.com

Northwestern Mutual The Fairfield Financial Group 1 Eliot Place, Suite 200, Fairfield 06824 259-3377 • dicostanzogroup.com

Northwestern Mutual The Wilton Financial Group 372 Danbury Road, Suite 255, Wilton 06897 834-3240 • wiltongroup.nmfn.com

RDM Financial Group 1555 Post Road East, Westport 06880 255-0222 • rdmfinancialgroup.com

Reby Advisors L.L.C.^ 83 Wooster Heights, Danbury 06810 790-4949 • rebyadvisors.com

Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson 1 Landmark Square, Stamford 06901 355-0880 • rzhadvisors.com

Westport Resources 315 Boston Post Road West, Westport 06880 226-0222 • westportresources.com

Topstone Advisers L.L.C.^ 900 Ethan Allen Highway, Ridgefield 06877 431-9200 • topstoneadvisers.com

Tuttle Wealth Management L.L.C. 1 Stamford Plaza, 263 Tresser Blvd., Ninth floor, Stamford 06901 (800) 462-1655 • tuttlewealth.com

LeGrand S. Redfield Jr. CFP, ChFC, CLU

LeGrand S. Redfield Jr. lee@amgplanning.com

a a a a a a

1983 Paul Blanco Managing director

Paul Blanco pblanco@metlife.com

146

a a

(21 Westchester County, N.Y.)

a a a a

1950 H. Thomas Gnuse Susannah Hansley htg@htgadvisors.com

Retirement and education planning

1993 Steve Baker Steve Baker

WND

icm@incapman.com

1991 Chris Wilkinson Regional manager

Chris Wilkinson cwilkinson@janney.com

183,000 NA

52.6 billion

WND

480,928,500

Wealth management advisors

WND

156,443,935

WND

22 advisors

a a

a a a a

a a

27 Wealth management advisors

a a

60,859,268

11 Wealth management advisors

a a

WND

600 million

750,000 2,500

298,675,545

a a a a a a a

6 million NA

550 million

a a a a

316,000 NA

1.1 billion

a a a a

WND 1 percent

50 million

250,000 NA

100 million

Retirement-income planning

1832 J. Philip Bender Managing partner

J. Philip Bender phil.bender@nmfn.com

1857 Leonard DiCostanzo CLU Managing director

Leonard DiCostanzo len.dicostanzo@nmfn.com

1857 Walter Pierz CLU Managing director

Walter Pierz walter.pierz@nmfn.com

1857 Ronald D. Weiner Jill Bodossian rdm@rdmfinancial.com

1994 Robert J. Reby Beth Campbell info@rebyadvisors.com

1985 Carl Zuckerberg Carl Zuckerberg carlz@rzhadvisors.com

Comprehensive wealth management

2000 John Adams Vaccaro CEO Mary D. Roland wrm@westportresources.com 1986

Rand Guffey Mary Jane Guffey rand@topstoneadvisers.com

a a

2004 Matthew Tuttle Matthew Tuttle mtuttle@tuttlewealth.com

a a a a a a

2003

Questions or comments, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3005. Note: This list features companies that responded to our questionnaire. To be included on future lists, email afrey@westfairinc.com. ^ Data from 2012 listing. NA Not applicable. WND Would not dislose.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 15

SPECIAL REPORT Wealth Management

From a recovery, analysts see growth BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

inancial analysts are optimistic for a more emphatic recovery in 2013 as strong corporate profits and stock market gains lead to more relaxed credit conditions and, economists hope, increased consumer spending. The debt ceiling and sequester notwithstanding, experts surveyed by the Business Journal say a New Year’s Day tax deal in Congress and ongoing monetary actions by the Federal Reserve should provide certainty to business owners. That in turn, they say, will add to the current housing recovery and could lead to increased investment by corporations and, to a lesser extent, small and mid-size businesses. Below, we recount some of those conversations with area wealth management professionals and their expectations and recommendations for the coming year.

THE BIG FIX

Christopher M. Hyzy, managing director and chief investment officer of U.S. Trust — a wealth management unit of Bank of America Corp. geared toward high-net-worth individuals, said the “big fix for 2013 is less about stability and less about monetary policy being the catalyst — it’s more about monetary policy being a given.” The question, Hyzy said, is what acts as a catalyst to allow investors in fixed income and cash to put their money to work in more profitable areas. Hyzy, who resides in Wilton, said the answer is threefold. “First, housing must continue to recover. Our belief is, going across the country, that there are excessive pockets where housing is not only back to where it was in 2005 but where it’s growing faster,” Hyzy said. “It has to continue to move forward in a positive fashion. ...That should lead to better job growth than expected and a lower unemployment rate faster than expected. And housing has the greatest linkage to small business growth and small business growth has the greatest linkage to job growth.” The second component, he said, is an increase in business capital expenditures. Hyzy said capital expenditures must increase at a rate that allows the

Photo courtesy of NYSE Euronext

U.S. economy to grow 2.5 percent or more this year. “There are positive signs that the beginning of this year has been better than last year, so far, in that area,” Hyzy said. The third component needed to help catalyze business growth is fiscal policy transparency, he said, so that companies “know the rules of the game.”

FIXED INCOME POSES RISKS

As the credit crisis took hold in 2008 and 2009, investors doubled down on cash and fixed income — a trend Hyzy and other say has remained the status quo. Those surveyed by the Business Journal said that among the greatest risks to investors in 2013 is a lack of diversification and a misperception that fixed income can’t decline in value. “The single greatest concern on the part of most investors should be rising yields and falling bond prices,” Hyzy said. “Many of those investors simply don’t know that fixed income can actually go down in price and ultimately cause losses.” As equity markets continue to surge,

16 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

Christopher P. Jordan, CEO and president of LEXCO Wealth Management Inc., said it is important to keep portfolios diverse. “We’re telling people, as always, diversify and then separate your short, medium and long-term assets so you can correctly apply some risk metrics,” Jordan said. LEXCO, which is based in Tarrytown, N.Y., has an office in Greenwich. Jordan said investors sitting on cash reserves have been hurt by the nearnonexistent rate of inflation. “Stocks, on a relative basis ... are fairly to slightly underpriced,” Jordan said. “When you compare that with the bond market, which is interest-rate sensitive and very highly overvalued at this time, stocks look pretty attractive.”

CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

While economic indicators — from employment to the housing market — have shown positive gains, “the big ‘yeah, but’ is that the debt ceiling still looms heavily over us...and there’s the fiscal drag of higher taxes,” Jordan said. At BlumShapiro, an accounting, tax and consulting firm with offices throughout New England, Mary Hoyt says busi-

nesses are still proceeding with caution when it comes to determining any longterm investments. “We now know the tax brackets are going up for people who meet certain thresholds,” said Hoyt, a tax partner in BlumShapiro’s Westport and Shelton offices. “I have not yet seen a level of confidence where they (business owners) are jumping to make investments just because there’s been a permanent decision in the tax code.” The New Year’s Day tax agreement in Congress “definitely allows business owners to do strategic long-range planning much more effectively now that we have some certainty, however, they’re still coming out of some very difficult times,” Hoyt said. “They’re still cautious because they have seen the markets go both ways.” Hoyt said that could change as 2012 tax filings come in and businesses start to get a sense of how the federal tax code changes will affect them a year from now. “Many people haven’t gotten their heads around yet what all the changes mean to them in dollars and cents, and I think that will evolve over the next couple months as taxes get done,” she said.

SHELBY L. WILSON

The state of the estate tax and why planning remains critical

or estate planning professionals, the final quarter of 2012 brought a marked increase in client gifting to younger generation family members. This increase was due, in large part, to the threat of decreased exemptions relating to the federal estate, gift and generationskipping taxes and impending increase in marginal tax rates that began Jan. 1. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, passed Dec. 17 of that year, significantly extended the Bush tax cuts that had been in place since 2001. In particular, the federal estate, generation-skipping and lifetime—gifting exemptions were increased to $5.12 million and the top marginal estate tax rate was reduced to 35 percent (down from a top rate of 55 percent in 2001). In addition to the increase in exemptions and decrease of marginal tax rates included, the 2010 legislation also introduced the concept of “portability” between spouses. Portability allows a surviving spouse to fully utilize a prede-

ceased spouse’s remaining unused estate tax exemption without retitling assets and creating marital trusts. Simply put, in some instances, portability makes it relatively easy for most couples to pass up to $10.24 million to children and other family members with relatively basic planning. The provisions enacted by the 2010 legislation were scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2012. If Congress failed to act prior to the end of 2012, the $5.12 million exemption was set to decrease to $1 million beginning Jan. 1, and the tax rate was scheduled to return to a top marginal rate of 55 percent. As a result of the temporary nature of the legislation, many affluent individuals and families chose the year 2012 to make significant gifts to prevent losing these increased exemptions. In many instances, older generation family members made large gifts into long-term trusts for grandchildren and younger family members, in an attempt to stretch out family wealth over multiple generations. In limited cir-

cumstances, families even made gifts in excess of the exemption to take advantage of the decreased top marginal rate for lifetime gifting. In the end, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, enacted by Congress Jan. 2, 2013, made the 2010 estate, gift, and generation-skipping legislation permanent, with a few exceptions. First, the top marginal rate was increased from 35 to 40 percent. Second, the exemption was indexed for inflation and is currently $5.25 million. In addition, the annual gift tax exclusion is $14,000. In the short term, this new legislation has caused many individuals and couples who decided to forgo making gifts in 2012 to breathe a sigh of relief. However, while portability and an increased exemption seem to have decreased the need for sophisticated federal estate tax planning, the regime itself remains complex and its rules and provisions are highly technical. In addition, it is essential to understand that a few states, including Connecticut, have standalone estate and

gift tax regimes. Some states have exemptions that are significantly less than the federal exemption and may not recognize portability between spouses. And while portability may be viewed by some as a positive development in tax planning between spouses, there are many common situations that warrant the use of marital trusts and other estate planning arrangements for non-tax reasons. While the 2012 federal estate and gift tax legislation has brought some permanency to a historically unstable regime, individuals and families still have a lot to consider, and proper tax and estate planning remains paramount in the current landscape. Shelby L. Wilson is a partner with the law firm of Berchem, Moses & Devlin P.C. in Westport. She represents clients in the areas of estate planning, estate administration and tax law. Berchem, Moses & Devlin is a multispecialty law practice with offices in Milford and Westport. For more information, please visit www.bmdlaw.com.

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Email Hdebartolo@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 17

Portrait of the artist in her own words: Mary Elizabeth Peterson Born in Hartford, I began traditional European-style art training at age 9, but now my paintings are examples of recent American abstraction. Here are a few personal stats: Studio view: Signal Lake, Westport Computer: Mac I grew up in: The galleries of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford Favorite book as a kid: “Misery for Everybody,” Suzanne Heller Nickname: M.E. or Marvelous When not working, I am: Obsessing about the Arts and Crafts era and mid-20th century design and architecture Heros: Jim Brady, Chuck Close and Thomas Jefferson Best move: Waking up following 11 hours of brain surgery. I decided to sell my communications company and go to art school at The Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC. M.O.: Often using images gleaned from Google Earth and the ocean as source material, I transform references into abstract forms that retain just a hint of their original content and significance. In this way, the underlying narrative is embedded as a ghostly and cryptic presence, a strategy that echoes the practice of fellow Abstract artists Amy Sillman and Katy Moran. Similarly, the stunning potential of the paint itself is very much a part of my work, a use of the medium that both describes the subject and becomes its own visual focus. A few of my art stats are: Favorite museum: American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore Favorite sculptor: Brancusi Favorite painting from history: “Elegy to the Spanish Republic,” Robert Motherwell Favorite art-related fiction: “Girl With a Pearl Earring, “ Tracy Chevalier Favorite art-related nonfiction: “The Letters of Vincent van Gogh” I recommend: The documentary film “Herb & Dorothy” I almost: Became an architect Thesis subject: “Creativity Theories in Art History: Psychoanalytic, Behavioristic and Humanistic” Some artists in my personal collection: Diane French, Janet Lage, Elizabeth Nagle, Constance Old, Barbara Rothenberg and Barbara Wilk. My work will be featured in the exhibit “The Space Between” at the Art/Place Gallery at the Fairfield Theatre Company, beginning Feb. 28 and continuing to the end of March. Examples of my art can be found at: maryelizabethpeterson.com.

Mary Elizabeth Peterson The mission of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is to support cultural organizations, artists and creative businesses by providing promotion, services and advocacy. For more information, visit CulturalAllianceFC.org or email infoCulturalAllianceFC.org or call 256-2329. For events lists, visit FCBuzz.org.

FCBUZZ BLUEGRASS LEGENDS RENEW OLD ACQUAINTANCE IN NORWALK In 2011, McCoury was inducted into Two of bluegrass music’s most the International Bluegrass Music entertaining and well-loved Association Hall of Fame. He has performers, Sam Bush and Del collaborated with everyone from McCoury, are teaming up for a highly Dierks Bentley to Phish and has his anticipated string of tour dates, own festival, DelFest. which will bring them to Norwalk Grammy Award winning multiConcert Hall Feb. 24. instrumentalist Bush doesn’t seem This performance is one of only old enough to be a musical legend. two New England stops on the tour Known as the “King of Telluride,” for the two. It’s a pairing that’s been Bush is also a co-founder of the New a long time coming. Grass revival – a fusion of bluegrass Or as Bush says, “I first saw Del Sam Bush; Del McCoury; The Del McCoury Band onstage at DelFest in 2009. with jazz, rock, blues, funk and other at the Roanoke Bluegrass Festival in styles. The American bluegrass 1966 and have been waiting for this mandolin player is an in-demand musician who has opportunity to tour together ever since.” Though they both grew up playing traditional played with everyone from Emmylou Harris and Bela bluegrass, their openness to expanding the genre has Fleck to Lyle Lovett and Garth Brooks. And though set them apart in recent years, bringing numerous Bush is best-known for his jaw-dropping skills on the young fans to the music. McCoury has scarcely mandolin, he is also a three-time national junior fiddle stopped picking since he started off as one of Bill champion and Grammy Award-winning vocalist. Sam was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in the early 1960s. In the late ’90s, Phish invited McCoury and his band onstage Award for Instrumentalist from the Americana Music during its festival in upstate New York, effectively Association in 2009. We invite you to come join the fun as two old launching McCoury and company into the world of jam bands and expanding their appeal. His storied career friends make music and swap stories onstage. Tickets includes a Grammy, membership in the Grand Ole range from $35 to $65. For more, visit mtheads.com/ Opry and nine IBMA Entertainer of the Year Awards. del-sam.

IT’S A ‘MIXED BAG’ AT GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY The next Story Barn at the Greenwich Historical Society, “Mixed Bag” (Feb. 22), features graduates of the Greenwich Historical Society School of Storytelling, led by board member Bonnie Levison. The performance will be the culmination of Levison’s Bonnie Levison workshop, in which wouldbe raconteurs studied how to craft and deliver a compelling yarn based on personal experience. The theme not only showcases the diversity of the performers but also honors the patchwork of experiences that comprise the individual chapters of Greenwich’s colorful story. Past Story Barn

themes have often tied into exhibitions at the Historical Society, but here the field is wide open. Hence the title “Mixed Bag.” Levison has been performing stand-up comedy and storytelling on a wide variety of stages for many years. She is a storytelling instructor for MothSHOP, the community and corporate education program for The Moth, a nonprofit organization based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. She also founded the Nantucket Comedy Festival. Doors open at 7 p.m. The performance begins at 7:30. Admission to the Story Barn performance is $20; $15 for members. The Greenwich Historical Society Vanderbilt Education Center is at 39 Strickland Road, Cos Cob. To reserve seats for the Story Barn performance or find out more, visit greenwichhistory. org or call 869-6899, ext. 10.

Visit FCBuzz.org for more information on events and how to get listed. 18 Week of February 18, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

Presented by: Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

BUSINESS JOURNAL ATTACHMENTS -RELEASED Dragone, Tina, Emanuel, George and Thomas, Bridgeport, $454,000, in favor of Ridgefield Bank Mortgage Corp., Ridgefield, by Matthew C. Mason, Wilton. Property: 1771 Main St., 1795 to 1797 Main St., 2091 Fairfield Ave., 2093 to 2097 Fairfield Ave., 2115 and 2125 Fairfield Ave. and 134 Albion St., Bridgeport. Filed Feb. 4.

BUILDING PERMITS

commERcIAL 35 Glover Avenue Partners L.L.C. Perform interior renovations at an existing commercial building for Fitness Center, 901 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $256,000. Filed Jan. 29. Cherry Hill Construction L.L.C., contractor for Black Rock Congregation Church. Perform external renovations at an existing single-family residence, 3685 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $180,000. Filed Feb. 1. F&B Norden D.C. L.L.C., Brooklyn, N.Y., Fit-out an existing commercial building for 10 Norden Place, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $4.5 million. Filed Jan. 25. Gayton, Joel. Prepare commercial space for new tenant Panaderia El Sabor Latina, 218 East Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Jan. 31.

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: Bob Rozycki c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 3 Gannett Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: (914)694-3600 Fax: (914)694-3680

Greenwich Acquisitions L.L.C. Fitout an existing commercial building for David’s Bridal, 250 Westport Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $147,000. Filed Jan. 28. Hour Property Associates. Fit-out an existing commercial building, 346 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 4. HPC Construction, Danbury, contractor for the town of Wilton. Perform renovations at an existing commercial building, 128 Mather St., Wilton. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Jan. 31. Merritt Corp., contractor for Post Benson Corp. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Snipits, 837 Post Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $6,000. Filed Feb. 1. Merritt River Partners. Fit-out an existing commercial building for North American Power, 20 Glover St., Third floor, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $500,000. Filed Feb. 1. Nielsen, Gail and Guy. Perform renovations at an existing commercial building, 396 Danbury Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Jan. 23. Robert Fers Inc., North Haven, contractor for The Jostal Corp. Perform interior renovations at an existing commercial building for Stop & Shop, 385 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $26,000. Filed Jan. 30. Three Hundred Twenty-Seven. Fitout an existing commercial building for Made to Measure, 327 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Jan. 28. West Avenue L.L.C. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Retail Mattress Store, 606/14 West Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Jan. 29.

RESIDENTIAL American Cleaning and Restoration, contractor for John Simko. Repair storm damage to a single-family residence, 867 Kings Highway, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $2,941. Filed Feb. 5.

Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Nancy and William Trupp. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 1195 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $17,204. Filed Jan. 28. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Emily and David Bostrum. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 2120 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $14,131. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Lauren and Anthony Denisco. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 98 Wheeler Park Ave., Fairfield. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Jeanne and Michael Foley. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 85 Yarrow Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $20,413. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Miguel Gonzalez. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 236 Random Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $24,577. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Tara and Bradley Kerner. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 170 Edgewood Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $14,857. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Alison and Michael Genovese. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 291 Warner Hill Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $34,613. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Eileen Fickles. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 51 Merwins Lane, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $34,893. Filed Feb. 5. Astrum Solar Inc., Annapolis Junction, Md., contractor for Barbara and Lawrence O’Brien. Install solar panels at an existing single-family residence, 220 Tanglewood Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $18,432. Filed Feb. 5. Balderama Unlimited, Harrison, N.Y., contractor for Russell Mesa. Repair fire damage at an existing single-family residence, 9 Walter Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $160,000. Filed Jan. 30.

Beach, Sarah and Christopher. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 11 Ambler Lane, Wilton. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Jan. 31. Box, Ananda. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 5 Barnum Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Feb. 4. Bradshaw, Robert, New Canaan, contractor for Valerie and Philip McLeany. Add a two-story addition to an existing single-family residence, 80 Newtown Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $34,881. Filed Jan. 25. Branco, Gracinda and Antonio. Repair storm damage to a single-family residence, 74 Oyster Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Jan. 31. Chihi, Helen and Kurt. Construct an accessory building at a single-family residence, 8 Church Hill Road, Redding. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Feb. 4. Coastal Designs, contractor for Elizabeth Connelly. Repair storm damage to a single-family residence, 269 Puritan Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $175,000. Filed Feb. 1. Concavage Marine Construction, contractor for Northeast Basis L.L.C. Replace a dock at a single-family residence, 472 Pine Creek Ave., Fairfield. Estimated cost: $29,680. Filed Feb. 1. Cooke, Karen. Perform interior renovations at an existing singlefamily residence, 14 Sherman Place, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $55,000. Filed Feb. 1. Criscuolo, Agnes. Perform additions and alterations at an existing singlefamily residence, 12 Wilton Acres, Wilton. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed Jan. 31. Dewitt, Gary, Southbury, contractor for Gleviz and James Kenny. Perform interior renovations at an existing residential community, 100 Seaview Hill, Unit 1HL, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $35,000. Filed Jan. 30. DiGiorgio Roofing and Siding Inc., Beacon Falls, contractor for Jen and Anthony Calabrese. Re-roof an existing single-family residence, 216 Autumn Ridge Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $11,970. Filed Feb. 1.

Elmcrest Terrace L.P. Construct a new residential community, 4 Elmcrest Terrace, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $2.2 million. Filed Jan. 30. ERI Building & Design L.L.C., Darien, contractor for Laura and Thomas Keller. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 43 Rowayton Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $36,000. Filed Jan. 30. Falsey, James, Norwalk, contractor for Two St. James Place L.L.C., Add a two-story addition to an existing single-family residence, 56 Summis St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $175,000. Filed Jan. 25.

Kerschner Development Co., Norwalk, contractor for David Woodward. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 16 Tonetta Circle, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Jan. 29. Korck, Christer, contractor for Barbara Wales. Repair storm damage to a single-family residence, 2030 Fairfield Beech Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $8,160. Filed Jan. 28. Landis Home Improvement, Norwalk, contractor for Lassner-Zeitchiek Residence. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 125 Murray St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Hamilla, William, Bridgeport, contractor for Eleanor O’Connell. Perform external renovations at an existing single-family residence, 8 W. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $7,500. Filed Feb. 5.

M&M Constructions L.L.C., contractor for Pamela and Peter Shaplin. Re-roof an existing single-family residence, 115 Valley View Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $6,000. Filed Feb. 1.

Hannibal Construction Co. L.L.C., Trumbull, contractor for Amy Fesella. Add a two-story addition to an existing single-family residence, 12 Bayberry Lane, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $138,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Maggiore Construction, Norwalk, contractor for Howard Johnson. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 71 Comstock Hill Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Highview East Condominium. Re-roof an existing residential community, 29 Van Buren Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $14,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Manuccia, Salvatore. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 64 Whipstick Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $85,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Highview East Condominium. Re-roof an existing residential community, 29 Van Buren Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $14,000. Filed Jan. 29. Ingraham, Robert. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 18 Forest Hill Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $120,000. Filed Jan. 30. J.P. Maguire Associates, Waterbury, contractor for One Hill Condo L.L.C. Re-roof an existing residential community, 1 Hill Court, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $35,000. Filed Jan. 31. Jones, Lisa. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 95 Cherry Lane, Wilton. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Jan. 31. Kane, Jeffrey, contractor for Cynthia Scouler. Perform additions and renovations at an existing single-family residence, 119 Green Acre Lane, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Jan. 30.

McCoy, Nancy and Thomas. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 6 Mountain Laurel Lane, Redding. Estimated cost: $32,000. Filed Feb. 4. Moran, Chris, Easton, contractor for Thomas McDonagh III. Elevate a single-family residence, 11 Sylvester Court, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $85,800. Filed Feb. 4. New England Building and Management, Norwalk, contractor for Yonda-Tagliaferro Residence. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 5 Lookout Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $85,000. Filed Feb. 5. Piazza, Richard. Perform additions and alterations at an existing singlefamily residence, 22 Fox Run, Wilton. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Jan. 31.

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 19

on the record Pratt, Robert, Norwalk, contractor for Denise Garn. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 73 E. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,850. Filed Jan. 29. Project Consultants L.L.C., Bridgeport, contractor for VCS Lexington L.L.C., Raise the roof of an existing single-family residence, 70 Lexington Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Jan. 31.

COURT CASES

Bridgeport District Court Air & Liquid Systems Corp., et al., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed by Fern and John Culver. Plaintiff’s attorney: Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen, New Haven. Action: products liability claim. Filed Feb. 4. Case no. 6033004. Alfa Laval Inc., et al. Filed by Fern and John Culver. Plaintiff’s attorney: Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen, New Haven. Action: products liability claim. Filed Feb. 4. Case no. 6033005. Arch Foot Care and Devang Patel MD, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Lynn and Stephen Horvath, Plaintiff’s attorney: Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder P.C., Bridgeport. Action: malpractice claim. Filed Feb. 6. Case no. 6033072. City of Bridgeport. Filed by Nage Local R1-200. Plaintiff’s attorney: Elizabeth Ann Ditman, Bridgeport. Action: arbitration claim. Filed Feb. 7. Case no. 6033103. Electric Boat Corp., Groton. File by, Joyce Balestracci, Plaintiff’s attorney: Embry & Neusner, Groton. Action: Action: products liability claim. Filed Feb. 1. Case no. 6032979. Executive Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping L.L.C., Botsford. Filed by Unifirst Corp., Plaintiff’s attorney: Ford & Paulekas L.L.P., Hartford. Action: arbitration claim. Filed Feb. 5. Case no. 6033027. Stratford Boardwalk Marina L.L.C., Stratford. Filed by Rae Bogusky, Plaintiff’s attorney: Ferguson & Doyle P.C., Rocky Hill. Action: breach of contract claim. Filed Feb. 6. Case no. 6033074. Vigilant Insurance Co., New York City. Filed by Sheila and Arthur Plant, Plaintiff’s attorney: Biller, Sachs, Raio & Zito, Hamden. Action: insurance policy claim. Filed Feb. 5. Case no. 6033029.

Stamford District Court Boehring Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al., Ridgefield. Filed by the estate of Laverne Ann Nix, Plaintiff’s attorney: Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante P.C., New Haven. Action: products liability claim. Filed Feb. 5. Case no. 6017065. Krayeski Plumbing and Heating, Greenwich. Filed by Intercounty Supply Inc., Bedford Hills, N.Y. Plaintiff’s attorney: Richard G. Monaco, Ridgefield. Action: contracts-collections claim. Filed Jan. 31. Case no. 6017026. Luxury Stone Co., West Haven. Filed by New Canaan Choral L.L.C., New Canaan. Plaintiff’s attorney: Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, Bridgeport. Action: breach of construction contract claim. Filed Jan. 31. Case no. 6017037. Mel’s Discount Liquor Store, Norwalk. Filed by Norwalk Hospital Credit Union, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: Fiore & Fiore P.C., Norwalk. Action: contracts-collections claim. Filed Feb. 7. Case no. 6017127. On Demand Real Time L.L.C. d.b.a. Liveclips L.L.C., Stratford. Filed by Jack Loop. Plaintiff’s attorney: Diserio, Martin, O’Connor & Castiglioni, Stamford. Action: breach of contract claim. Filed Jan. 31. Case no. 6017031. Pequot Development Associates L.L.C., et al., Stonington. Filed by Ring’s End Inc., Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: John Power Regan, Stamford. Action: contracts-collections claim. Filed Feb. 4. Case no. 6017045. Pilgrim Inc., et al., New York City. Filed by Newbank, Flushing, N.Y. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cohen & Wolf P.C., Bridgeport. Action: contractscollections claim. Filed Jan. 30. Case no. 6017018. Star Meadow Ranch L.L.C., et al., Phoenix, Ariz. Filed by the city of Stamford, Plaintiff’s attorney: Stamford Corporation Counsel, Stamford. Action: injunction claim. Filed Jan. 30. Case no. 6017025. The 65 LWE L.P. d.b.a. Albrizio Ltd. L.L.C., et al. Filed by Bank of America N.A. Plaintiff’s attorney: Benanti & Associates, Stamford. Action: contracts-collections claim. Filed Feb. 4, Case no. 6017058. Unger Publishing L.L.C., Stamford. Filed by Kristin M. Sterling, Plaintiff’s attorney: Martin & Chioffi L.L.P., Stamford. Action: breach of contract claim. Filed Jan. 31. Case no. 6017033.

SUPERIOR COURT 50.com Corp. Filed by Craig Moskowitz, Plaintiff’s attorney: Sergei Lemberg. Action: consumer credit claim. Filed Feb. 7, Case no. 13cv00182. Avalon Bay Communities Inc. and Town Close Associates L.P. Filed by Andrea, Lucas, Shane Von Haugwitz and Paul Zarodkiewicz. Plaintiff’s attorney: Steven D. Jacobs. Action: personal injury claim. Filed Feb. 7. Case no. 13cv00180. Connecticut Light and Power Co., Berlin. Filed by Federal Insurance Co., Austin, Texas. Plaintiff’s attorneys: David W. Rubin and Andrew J. Soltes Jr. Action: personal property damage claim. Filed Feb. 6 Case no. 13cv00177.

136 OPR Realty L.L.C., Southport. Seller: 130 to 136 Old Post Road L.L.C., Southport. Property: 130 to 136 Old Post Road, Fairfield. Amount: $2.6 million. Filed Jan. 29. 235 Huntington Road L.L.C., Greenwich. Seller: Monterery Properties L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 930B William St., Bridgeport. Amount: $28,000. Filed Jan. 31. 33 North Avenue L.L.C., Norwalk. Seller: SN Commercial L.L.C., Eureka, Calif. Property: 33 North Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $175,000. Filed Jan. 29. 335 Benham Navcapman L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Tritex Real Estate Advisors Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Property: 335 Benham Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Jan. 31.

Dominion Energy Inc., Richmond, Va. Filed by Zurich American Insurance Co., Austin, Texas. Plaintiff’s attorneys: Brian T. Henebry and James K. Robertson Jr. Action: breach of contract claim. Filed Feb. 1. Case no. 13cv00156.

42 Dean Navcapman L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Tritex Real Estate Advisors Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Property: 42 Dean Place, Units 101 to 108, Units 201 to 208, Units 301 to 304, Bridgeport. Amount: $3.5 million. Filed Jan. 31.

Fireman’s Insurance Co., et al., Vovato, Calif. Filed by Anita Pettengill. Plaintiff’s attorney: Laurence V. Parnoff. Action: breach of contract claim. Filed Feb. 1. Case no. 13cv00154.

776 Pequot Avenue Realty L.L.C., Southport. Seller: Lori Ann and Denis J. Jakuc, Southport. Property: 776 Pequot Ave., Southport. Amount: $1.4 million. Filed Jan. 31.

Rawlings Co. L.L.C., et al., La Grange, Ky. Filed by Tonia Perry. Plaintiff’s attorney: Joel Thomas Faxon. Action: recovery of overpayment and enforcement of judgment claim. Filed Feb. 8. Case no. 13cv00192.

9 Good Hill Road L.L.C., Danbury. Seller: Edna Holmes, Danbury. Property: 6 Berkshire Drive, Danbury. Amount: $130,000. Filed Jan. 22.

Rogers Printing Inc., Ravenna, Mich. Filed by Peter King. Plaintiff’s attorney: Thomas B. Noonan. Action: diversity of contract claim. Filed Feb. 7. Case no. 13cv00179. Sabra Dipping Co. L.L.C., Astoria, N.Y. Filed by West End Ventures L.L.C., Mount Sinai, N.Y. Plaintiff’s attorney: Walter B. Welsh. Action: patent infringement claim. Filed Feb. 4. Case no. 13cv00162.

DEEDS

COMMERCIAL 1148 William Navcapman L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Tritex Real Estate Advisors Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Property: 1148 William St., Bridgeport. Amount: $1.6 million. Filed Jan. 31. 118 Evergreen L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: John and Benedict Jacobellis and JJJ Realty, Bridgeport. Property: 108 to 114 Evergreen St., Bridgeport. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 23.

20 Week of February 18, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Bank Street Real Estate Management Corp., Bridgeport. Seller: Carolyn Askew, Bridgeport. Property: 769 Beechwood Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $65,000. Filed Jan. 31. Branch Brook House L.L.C., Fairfield. Seller: Peter W. Gaboriault and Steven W. Pearsall, Westport. Property: 31 Branch Brook Road, Wilton. Amount: $900,000. Filed Jan. 29. Cartus Corp., Danbury. Seller: Lisa K. Inoue, Norwalk. Property: 37 Splitrock Road, Norwalk. Amount: $1.4 million. Filed Jan. 28. CP IV Waypointe BP I L.L.C., Norwalk. Seller: 4 Merwin Street L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: 4 Merwin St., Norwalk. Amount: $1.8 million. Filed Feb. 1. Fort Point Properties L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: NBFPPP L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: 59 Fort Point St., Norwalk. Amount: $410,000. Filed Jan. 28. Jenhar Associates L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., McLean, Va. Property: 788 William St., Bridgeport. Amount: $32,500. Filed Feb. 4.

Mid Western Connecticut Council of Alcoholism Inc., Danbury. Seller: Non-Profit Development Corp. of Danbury Inc., Danbury. Property: 18 New St., Danbury. Amount: $50,000. Filed Jan. 22. Mid Western Connecticut Council of Alcoholism Inc., Danbury. Seller: Non-Profit Development Corp. of Danbury Inc., Danbury. Property: 20 New St., Danbury. Amount: $50,000. Filed Jan. 22.

Miller, Melissa, Norwalk. Seller: Andrew Meyer, Warren, N.J. Property: 55 Barbara Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $31,125. Filed Feb. 4. YPL L.L.C., Redding. Seller: B. Richard Giordano, Redding. Property: 34 Whortleberry Road, Redding. Amount: $150,000. Filed Jan. 30.

RESIDENTIAL

Sandoinvestments L.L.C., Danbury. Seller: Carlos Morales, Bridgeport. Property: 51 Lee St., Bridgeport. Amount: $20,000. Filed Jan. 28.

Agarratt, Truly, Bridgeport. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 365 to 367 Connecticut Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $39,000. Filed Jan. 31.

TM Sunrise L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Loreto Mallone, Trumbull. Property: Woodmont Avenue and Sunrise Terrace, Bridgeport. Amount: $105,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Anderson, Derby F. Trust, Fairfield. Seller: Maureen G. Vanhise and Thomas P. Hamilton Jr., Brookfield. Property: 133 Arbor Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $273,848. Filed Jan. 25.

TMSL Properties L.L.C., Milford. Seller: REOCO Inc., Crystal River, Fla. Property: 110 Ferris St., Bridgeport. Amount: $103,199. Filed Feb. 4.

Ault Authier, Lindsey and Brian Pepin, Stamford. Seller: Michael A. Kiriakou, Elmsford, N.Y. Property: 9 Sunset Hill Road, Wilton. Amount: $295,000. Filed Jan. 22.

Very Modest Properties L.L.C., Norwalk. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 9 Wall St., Unit 302, Norwalk. Amount: $124,900. Filed Jan. 31. Vikram Construction Inc., Floral Park, N.Y. Seller: Getty Properties Corp. and Power Test Realty Co. L.P., Jericho, N.Y. Property: Concord Street and Boston Avenue, Bridgeport. Amount: $730,000. Filed Jan. 23. Ziyad Holdings Co. L.L.C., Miami Spring, Fla. Seller: Angelica Fontanez, Bridgeport. Property: 40 to 42 Center St., Bridgeport. Amount: $94,000. Filed Jan. 30.

QUIT CLAIM Brown, Christopher Sr., New Canaan. Seller: People’s United Bank, N.A., Bridgeport. Property: 7 Mather St., Wilton. Amount: $260,000. Filed Jan. 24. CP IV Waypointe BP I L.L.C., Norwalk. Seller: NW MFP NWK Town Center I L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: 33 Orchard St., 4 Merwin St., Norwalk. Amount: $10.5 million. Filed Feb. 1. CP IV Waypointe BP I L.L.C., Norwalk. Seller: NW MFP NWK Town Center III L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: 4 Merwin St., Norwalk. Amount: $5.75 million. Filed Feb. 1. Devalda, Craig Steven, Norwalk. Seller: Ora Lee Anderson; Kenneth and Andrea Devalda, Norwalk. Property: 9 Pleasant St., Norwalk. Amount: $106,000. Filed Feb. 4.

Baker, Irene and Jeffrey, Norwalk. Seller: Elizabeth C. Brown, Norwalk. Property: 257 W. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Amount: $297,000. Filed Jan. 28. Bambara, Deborah G., Port Chester, N.Y. Seller: John A. Mella, Norwalk. Property: 4 Sherry St., Norwalk. Amount: $330,000. Filed Jan. 23. Barinotto, Angella and James Vanscoy, Norwalk. Seller: Jenna Stewart and Scott A. Overbeck, Norwalk. Property: 73 Silvermine Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $305,000. Filed Jan. 25. Benroubi, Albert J. and Michael John McAuliffe, Far Rockaway, N.Y. Seller: Linda A. and Richard Tremalio, Fairfield. Property: 21 Indian Point Road, Fairfield. Amount: $753,500. Filed Jan. 30. Bhutta, Farukh S., Hagerstown, Md. Seller: Mumtaz F. and Furkan A. R. Kudia, Easton. Property: 215 Charles St., Unit 205, Bridgeport. Amount: $22,000. Filed Jan. 31. Braley, Carrie A. and Jennifer Dortch, Fairfield. Seller: Kristyn Strauss, Fairfield. Property: 10 Fox Run Road, Fairfield. Amount: $415,000. Filed Jan. 31. Brookfield Relocation Inc., Newark, N.J. Seller: Amanda and Brian Rickers, New Canaan. Property: 358 White Oak Shade Road, New Canaan. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Jan. 28. Cargill, Virginia, Southport. Seller: Elisabeth R. and George E. Clark, Fairfield. Property: 179 Main St., Fairfield. Amount: $900,000. Filed Jan. 25.

on the record CREDITS, CLIENTS AND AWARDS REYNOLDS & ROWELLA L.L.P., an accounting firm with offices in Ridgefield and New Canaan, was recently selected as a 2012 AllStar firm, an award given by Inside Public Accounting, a publication of the Platt Group. For this award, Reynolds & Rowella has been placed fourth in the tax category, competing against accounting firms throughout the nation.

NEWSMAKERS BARBARA BRANAGAN-MITCHELL, of New Milford, owner of Branagan Communications Consultants L.L.C. in New Milford and founded in Katonah, N.Y., is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her sole proprietorship public relations and marketing communications consulting agency. Branagan Communications Consultants serves publicity and marketing communications needs of small to medium-size businesses in the northern Fairfield and southern Litchfield County region. CATHERINE E.M. KORTLANDT, a Fairfield County native and Larchmont, N.Y., resident, recently joined Special Olympics Connecticut’s board of directors. Kortlandt is senior assistant general counsel and managing attorney with Praxair Inc., a specialty chemical company. Previously, she was an associate with Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel and Seward & Kissel. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University, where she received a Fulbright Scholarship to the Netherlands and earned a Certificate in European Community Law from the University of Amsterdam and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University Law School.

BRION J. KIRSCH practices in real estate and represents clients on local, regional and national levels in a wide range of matters relating to real estate and financing. Kirsch joined the firm in 2006; he has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bryant College and a Juris Doctorate from Roger Williams University School of Law.

RAYMOND G. MICHAUD was recently named senior mortgage loan officer at The Bank of Fairfield. Michaud will be responsible for the origination of residential real estate mortgage loans for purchase, refinance, construction and rehab and debt consolidation purposes. His mortgage career in Connecticut spans 19 years and includes conventional and government residential lending, as well as a history of paralegal work in real estate, bankruptcy and foreclosure.

ON THE GO TUESDAY FEB. 19 “Making Social Media Work” Internet marketing workshop hosted by SCORE. 6 to 8 p.m. (check in 5:30 p.m.), Stamford Innovation Center, 175 Atlantic St., Stamford. For information, visit scorenorwalk.org or call 831-0065.

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SNAPSHOT THE LOCKWOOD-MATHEWS MANSION MUSEUM was recently awarded a $20,000 implementation grant by The Connecticut Humanities for a new exhibit opening April 17. The Norwalk museum will host the exhibit “What Is It? Technologies & Discoveries of the Victorian Era,” highlighting the 19th century technological marvels that revolutionized the way people lived, while connecting the unfamiliar devices of the past with their modern-day counterparts.

HALEY ROCKWELL was recently appointed managing director of LLBH Private Wealth Management, a Westport-based, independent-registered investment advisors with nearly $1 billion in client assets. Rockwell will work closely with ultra-high-net-worth clients to deliver personalized financial planning services, including trustee and concierge level services, and will work with the LLBH management team to strategically help expand the business. PULLMAN & COMLEY L.L.C., a law firm with offices in Bridgeport, Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury, as well as White Plains, N.Y., recently named two attorneys members of the firm. CARA ANN CERASO practices in the firm’s litigation department in the area of commercial litigation. She joined Pullman & Comley as an associate in 2007. Ceraso has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a national historic landmark.

Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.

KERS NEWSSMLAETTER W NE

Get all the executive promotions and moves, awards and snapshots we publish in the Business Journals delivered to your inbox on Monday mornings. SuBScRIBE AT WESTFAIRONLINE.COM/HOME/BREAKING-NEWS/ FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 21

on the record Carroll, Mark, Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 30 Taylor Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $82,000. Filed Jan. 24.

Felix, Anselm, Norwalk. Seller: June Delpratt, Brooklyn, N.Y. Property: 143 to 145 Orchard St., Bridgeport. Amount: $20,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Gonzalez, Orlando, Bridgeport. Seller: OWB REO L.L.C., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 78 Fairmount Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $50,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Castro, Jesus, Danbury. Seller: Lorraine Short, Danbury. Property: 4 Meadowbrook Road, Danbury. Amount: $210,000. Filed Jan. 24.

Fernandez, Racquel, Danbury. Seller: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Property: 32 Oil Mill Road, Unit 32, Danbury. Amount: $148,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Groonell, Beverly B., Newtown. Seller: Carmela York, Fairfield. Property: 160 Fairfield Road, Unit 69, Fairfield. Amount: $155,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Chanler, Rosalie M. and William A., Norwalk. Seller: Clara Garrington, Milford. Property: 31 Allen Road, Norwalk. Amount: $365,000. Filed Jan. 30. Chen, Feng, Fairfield. Seller: Palina and Michael L. Beck, Norwalk. Property: 71 Aiken St., Unit Q1, Norwalk. Amount: $270,000. Filed Jan. 31. Cirino, Michele, Westport. Seller: PTM Associates L.L.C., Fairfield. Property: 126 Southport Woods Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $315,000. Filed Jan. 30. Costello, Joanne M. and Mark R., New Canaan. Seller: Kimberly Seltzer and Garth W. Appelt, New Canaan. Property: 585 Canoe Hill Road, New Canaan. Amount: $35,000. Filed Jan. 31. Covino, Maria and Angela, Stamford. Seller: Rene and Michelle Joseph, Stamford. Property: 23 East Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $260,000. Filed Feb. 4. Croarkin, Christine and Richard, New Canaan. Seller: Kaeser Development L.L.C., Weston. Property: 136 Douglas Road, New Canaan. Amount: $2.2 million. Filed Feb. 1. Debernardo, Amanda and Gino, Norwalk. Seller: Theresa and Harrison Hoyt Burnham, Norwalk. Property: 17 Clara Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $405,000. Filed Jan. 23. DeJesus, Jaime, Bridgeport. Seller: Bank of America N.A., Bridgeport. Property: 118 to 120 Bell St., Bridgeport. Amount: $43,000. Filed Jan. 24. Dennis, Ernest, Bridgeport. Seller: Joann M. Pacelli, Bridgeport. Property: 420 Kent Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $115,000. Filed Jan. 28. DiCarlo, Barbara J., Stratford. Seller: Jian Zhu, Fairfield. Property: 310 Pleasantview Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $165,000. Filed Jan. 28. Donnelly, Elizabeth Lowell and Eric F., Waterbury. Seller: Joan J. and David A. Banas, Bridgeport. Property: 61 Rowsley St., Apt. 6, Bridgeport. Amount: $55,000. Filed Jan. 31. Donovan, Gillian and Justin, Weston. Seller: Roberta Whipple, Norwalk. Property: 450 Newtown Turnpike, Weston. Amount: $100,000. Filed Jan. 28.

Fish, Joan and Jonathan R., Fairfield. Seller: Laurene C. Instone, Fairfield. Property: 107 Saso Hill Terrace, Fairfield. Amount: $600,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Hobayan, Archimedes, Stamford. Seller: Joan M. Edwards and Roger Prahl, Hartford. Property: 11 Heathcote Road, Norwalk. Amount: $430,000. Filed Feb. 1.

Foley, William F., Pelham, N.Y. Seller: James P. Gould, Trumbull. Property: 115 Brewster St., Unit 3A, Bridgeport. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 30.

Holmes, Anne Palace and Gilbert Alan, Darien. Seller: Karen and P. Romeyn, Darien. Property: 12 Pratt Island Road, Norwalk. Amount: $123,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Foster, Kayan, Bridgeport. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 393 Laurel Ave., Unit 404, Bridgeport. Amount: $30,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Huang, Hsin-Hsueh and Jordan Kashansky, White Plains, N.Y. Seller: Susan M. Landau, Ridgefield. Property: 220 West Lane, Ridgefield. Amount: $555,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Francis, Suzanne and Aaron, Plymouth, Minn. Seller: Geraldine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara, Fairfield. Property: 407 Toilsome Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $635,000. Filed Jan. 24.

Hughes, Marianna and William III, Naples, Fla. Seller: Anthony Thomas Builders L.L.C., Westport. Property: 1129 Oenoke Ridge Road, New Canaan. Amount: $2.7 million. Filed Jan. 30.

Franklin, Robin Y., Bridgeport. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 1612 Reservoir Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $65,000. Filed Jan. 23. Frenkel, Melanie and Evan, Danbury. Seller: Nadia and Vadim Tantsyura, Danbury. Property: 68 Judith Drive, Danbury. Amount: $394,000. Filed Jan. 23. Garrett, Elizabeth M. and George N., Ridgefield. Seller: Sturges Brothers Inc., Ridgefield. Property: 100 Golf Lane, Ridgefield. Amount: $1.8 million. Filed Feb. 1. Genaurio, Stevan, Norwalk. Seller: GMSG Properties L.L.C., Westport. Property: 4 Milbrook Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $300,000. Filed Jan. 25. Gilroy, Erin and David Lane, Norwalk. Seller: Rosalie M. and William A. Chanler, Norwalk. Property: 12 Old Witch Court, Norwalk. Amount: $620,000. Filed Jan. 30. Goetz, Steven R., Danbury. Seller: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., McLean, Va. Property: 55 Cross St., Unit B53, Danbury. Amount: $140,000. Filed Jan. 24. Gold, Jason A., Norwalk. Seller: JLG Builders Corp., Norwalk. Property: 9 Ellen St., Norwalk. Amount: $844,900. Filed Feb. 1.

Isaacson, Steven S., Brewster, N.Y. Seller: Elizabeth K. and Alexander Munoz, Danbury. Property: 55 Oil Mill Road, Unit 37, Danbury. Amount: $175,000. Filed Jan. 24. Jacobstein, Erin and Aaron, Wilton. Seller: Veronica Scifo and Francisco Montecinos, Wilton. Property: 45 Lambert Common, Wilton. Amount: $390,000. Filed Feb. 5. Jessup, Connie and Gregory R., Stamford. Seller: Dessislava and Andon Baltakov, Wilton. Property: 29 Old Kings Highway, Wilton. Amount: $514,000. Filed Feb. 4. Jordan, Nancy C. and Lee G., New Canaan. Seller: Sue Ann and John A. Jeffries, New Canaan. Property: 3 Hampton Lane, New Canaan. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Jan. 31. Koproski, Alexander and Gregory, Stamford. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust, Coppell, Texas. Property: 25 Laura St., Norwalk. Amount: $160,000. Filed Jan. 29. Larkin, Scott B., Norwalk. Seller: Ronald J. Kaspriske, Norwalk. Property: 134 Washington St., Unit 302, Norwalk. Amount: $165,000. Filed Feb. 4. Leahy, Regina and Brendan, Redding. Seller: Catharine D. and John H. Kane, Redding. Property: 31 Wood Road, Redding. Amount: $370,000. Filed Jan. 30.

22 Week of February 18, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ Fairfield County Business Journal

Lee, Andrea E. and Thomas Ian Brown, New York City. Seller: Jennifer F. and Stephen Ellia III, Wilton. Property: 125 Scarlet Oak Drive, Wilton. Amount: $775,000. Filed Feb. 1.

Miller, Meredith, Southport. Seller: Mary Louise Walsh, Fairfield. Property: 111 Mill Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $333,500. Filed Jan. 29.

Santiago, Beatriz and Wilfredo, Bridgeport. Seller: Patricia Palmer, Bridgeport. Property: 135 Macon Drive, Bridgeport. Amount: $152,000. Filed Feb. 4.

Mitchell, David and Walter, Stamford. Seller: Sarah Ponden, Stamford. Property: 325 Lafayette St., Unit 8208, Bridgeport. Amount: $58,200. Filed Jan. 29.

Schneck, Cheryl and Edward, Redding. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust, Coppell, Texas. Property: Redding. Amount: $259,900. Filed Feb. 4.

Liu, Xiaomeng, Stamford. Seller: Timothy Foster, Greenwich. Property: 30 Village Walk, Wilton. Amount: $214,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Mock, Bradley S., Danbury. Seller: Flagstar Bank FSB, Jackson, Mich. Property: 8 Chuck Wagon Lane, Danbury. Amount: $211,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Schoonmaker, Amy E., Danbury. Seller: Newbury Renaissance L.L.C., Danbury. Property: 23 Scuppo Road, Unit 1-3, Danbury. Amount: $136,500. Filed Jan. 23.

Lugo, Selina Santos and Daniel, Wilton. Seller: Suzanne G. and Stephen C. Wakeen, Wilton. Property: 46 Grand Pine Road, Wilton. Amount: $755,000. Filed Feb. 1.

Narain, Indira, Bridgeport. Seller: U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 25 Cartright St., Unit 7-D, Bridgeport. Amount: $65,000. Filed Jan. 23.

Semoy, Patrick, Bridgeport. Seller: Sherri Reed, Bridgeport. Property: 39 Trumbull Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $70,000. Filed Jan. 24.

Maestre, Edilberto R. Jr., Trumbull. Seller: Tomohiro and Guljan Torikai, Bridgeport. Property: 275A Texas Ave., Unit 172, Bridgeport. Amount: $60,000. Filed Jan. 28.

Nieves, Nicole D., Stamford. Seller: Luz Villamil and Yuri Hernandez, Norwalk. Property: 9 Bartlett Manor, Norwalk. Amount: $220,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Maida, Anna Lucia and Domenic, Milford. Seller: Enrico and Nicholas DiFilippo, Norwalk. Property: 7 Rockmeadow Road, Norwalk. Amount: $352,000. Filed Feb. 4.

Nkongo, Marthe Sooh, Fairfield. Seller: Gerald Staehle, Fairfield. Property: 28 Ginger Circle, Fairfield. Amount: $303,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Leon, Magdalena T. and Pilar M. Matailo, Webster, N.Y. Seller: Ponter Concetta and Frank Mason, Monroe. Property: 170 Alba Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $134,900. Filed Jan. 28.

Maldonado, Gilberto, Bridgeport. Seller: Salvatore Pesce, Bridgeport. Property: 139 Magnolia St., Bridgeport. Amount: $238,000. Filed Jan. 28. Marshall, Alastair, Norwalk. Seller: Kondaur Capital Corp., Orange, Calif. Property: 12 Van Ness St., Norwalk. Amount: $260,000. Filed Jan. 29. Mayer, Regina, Orange, N.J. Seller: Linda Greco, Norwalk. Property: 74 Toilsome Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $357,000. Filed Jan. 30. McQueen, Demetrius, Stratford. Seller: Blah Irenee Kouassi Khouahou and Emmanuelle Nanguy, Bridgeport. Property: 368 Remington St., Bridgeport. Amount: $27,000. Filed Jan. 28. Melendez, Rosa I., Bridgeport. Seller: Stevenson Calixte, Bridgeport. Property: 200 Monroe St., Bridgeport. Amount: $80,000. Filed Jan. 24.

Pelaez, Luis A., Danbury. Seller: Theodore B. Gaboardi, Danbury. Property: 167 Triangle St., Danbury. Amount: $170,500. Filed Jan. 24.

Short, Lorraine S., Danbury. Seller: Maritza Nunez and Jose Urena, Danbury. Property: 40 Meadowbrook Road, Danbury. Amount: $185,000. Filed Jan. 23. Signore, Justin, Bridgeport. Seller: Riverwalk II L.L.C., Monroe. Property: Unit 225 Riverwalk Condominium, Bridgeport. Amount: $190,000. Filed Jan. 28. Smith, Laserne G., Bridgeport. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 37 Coggswell St., Bridgeport. Amount: $79,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Pizarro, Lissette and Jose Melendez, Bridgeport. Seller: Elizabeth Rivera Rodriguez; and Jessie and Ismael Rivera Jr., Bridgeport. Property: 385 Taft Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $219,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Spain, Danielle, Danbury. Seller: Patricia and Thomas Oliviero, Clayton, N.C. Property: 73 Boulevard Drive, Unit 13, Danbury. Amount: $324,500. Filed Jan. 24.

Price, Aaron N., Westport. Seller: Lori and Daniel Price, Wesport. Property: 22 Wilton Hunt Road, Wilton. Amount: $765,000. Filed Jan. 22.

Spellacy, Kristin and James, Weston. Seller: Susan R. Briggs, Weston. Property: 67 Birch Hill Road, Weston. Amount: $730,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Ravenesi, Amy A. and Michael P., New Canaan. Seller: Brookfield Relocation Inc., Newark, N.J. Property: 358 White Oak Shade Road, New Canaan. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Jan. 28.

Sweeney, Siobhan and James Borger, Brooklyn, N.Y. Seller: One Six Holdings L.L.C., Fairfield. Property: 1233 S. Pine Creek Road, Fairfield. Amount: $935,000. Filed Jan. 30.

Rizio, Mario, Monroe. Seller: Maria Serna Biondino, Bridgeport. Property: 44 Kennedy Drive, Bridgeport. Amount: $61,000. Filed Jan. 29.

Tenenbaum, Kathryn Alexandra and Samuel Nathan, Wilton. Seller: Kelly A. Franklin and Ronald Kashden, Sarasota, Fla. Property: 305 Olmstead Hill Road, Wilton. Amount: $650,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Mendoza, P. Tatiana and Carlos, Stamford. Seller: Jesus A. Gonzalez, Norwalk. Property: 94 W. Norwalk Road, Norwalk. Amount: $330,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Rodrigues, Manuel P., Bridgeport. Seller: Joseph Sansone, Bridgeport. Property: 133 Exeter St., Bridgeport. Amount: $12,000. Filed Jan. 28.

Mercer, Rewa C., Norwalk. Seller: Beatriz and Sergio Antelo, Scottsdale, Ariz. Property: 94 Sunrise Hill Road, Unit 31, Norwalk. Amount: $280,000. Filed Jan. 28.

Rodriguez, Gregory, Norwalk. Seller: DMB Real Estate Partners L.L.C., Greenwich. Property: 5 Park Hill Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $418,000. Filed Jan. 30.

Thompson, Erin R., Bridgeport. Seller: Noel M. Whitney, Trumbull. Property: 61 Bradley St., Bridgeport. Amount: $85,000. Filed Jan. 24. Tierney, Margaret A. and Michelle Zanarini, Brewster, N.Y. Seller: John L. Egan, Daniel Island, S.C. Property: 13 Belmont Lane, Danbury. Amount: $143,000. Filed Jan. 24.

on the record Treado, Elisabeth M. and James J. Cinque, Norwalk. Seller: James M. Weeks, Norwalk. Property: 20 Devon Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $455,000. Filed Jan. 28. Vakil, Jesal and Hermant, Danbury. Seller: Jeanette Pagliuco and Amarilus Grieco, Ridgefield. Property: 124 Mimosa Circle, Ridgefield. Amount: $600,000. Filed Jan. 30. Vazquez, Iris M., Bridgeport. Seller: Canterbury Development L.L.C., Trumbull. Property: 128 Judson Place, Bridgeport. Amount: $179,900. Filed Jan. 23. Vincencio, Albertina, Bridgeport. Seller: Magrio L. Ribeiro, Shelton. Property: 166 Indian Field Road, Bridgeport. Amount: $144,000. Filed Jan. 31. Walker, Damian J., Stamford. Seller: Graham G. Billard, Wilton. Property: 9 Cudlipp St., Norwalk. Amount: $640,000. Filed Jan. 31. Wickersham, Sharon McMahan and William Wendell, Brooklyn, N.Y. Seller: Elizabeth S. and Steven M. Torkelsen, Wilton. Property: 26 Kings Lane, Wilton. Amount: $510,000. Filed Jan. 28. Williams, Patricia, Bridgeport. Seller: Susan E. Hylton, Bridgeport. Property: 49 to 51 Omega St., Bridgeport. Amount: $140,000. Filed Jan. 31. Wolf, Loretta A. and John A., Miami, Fla. Seller: Julia Wong, Ridgefield. Property: 190 Old Sib Road, Ridgefield. Amount: $515,000. Filed Jan. 31. Woodhall, Helen and Jean Marc Cazeneuve, White Plains, N.Y. Seller: Mark W. Hinkley, Redding. Property: 64 Sanfordtown Road, Redding. Amount: $550,000. Filed Feb. 4. Xu, Keming and Weiqun Wang, White Plains, N.Y. Seller: Frances M. Hill, Weston. Property: 7 Kramer Lane, Weston. Amount: $408,000. Filed Jan. 29. Yang, Zhifeng, Bridgeport. Seller: Martha and Victor Guillen, Hartsdale, N.Y. Property: 876 to 880 Lindley St., Bridgeport. Amount: $140,000. Filed Jan. 28. Zhou, Aurora Z. and Nathan K. Yee, Danbury. Seller: Angela and Mark Grindle, Ridgefield. Property: 28 O’Neill Court, Ridgefield. Amount: $935,000. Filed Jan. 31.

FORECLOSURES Hirsch & Levy L.L.C. and Frederick Brown. Creditor: Beal Bank, Plano, Texas. Property: 77 William St., Bridgeport. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 23. Kramer, Smith. Creditor: Bank of America N.A., Plano, Texas. Property: 15 to 17 Columbia Court, Bridgeport. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 28. Quezada, Digna and Daniel, et al. Creditor: Nationstar Mortgage L.L.C., Lewisville, Texas. Property: 1184 to 1186 Park Ave., Bridgeport. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 31. Scalo, Richard S., Administrator. Creditor: Citimortgage, Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 365 to 367 Connecticut Ave., Bridgeport. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 31. Tartaglia, John. Creditor: Poko Funding L.L.C. Property: 810 to 812 Lindley St., Bridgeport. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 28. Torres, Sara E. Creditor: OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 4 Pleasant Drive, Danbury. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Jan. 24.

JUDGMENTS Ajisefinni, Marcia, Bridgeport. $3,236.45, in favor of Citibank N.A., Sioux Falls, S.D., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 170 Burnsford Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Alexander, Aldis G., Danbury. $9,000.81, in favor of RAB Performance Recoveries L.L.C., Paramus, N.J., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 25 Padanaram Road, Apt. 106, Danbury. Filed Jan. 24. Alvarez, Javier, Danbury. $539.08, in favor of Danbury Emergency Services, Danbury, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 4 Perkins St., Danbury. Filed Jan. 24. Aponte, Judith, Bridgeport. $4,273.54, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 163 Hanover St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23.

Arpi, Manuel, Danbury. $823.66, in favor of Danbury Emergency Services, Danbury, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 9 Starr Ave., Danbury. Filed Jan. 24. Atkinson, Argentina A., Norwalk. $728.22, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 9 Broadview Terrace, Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4. Baltazar, Jerome, Danbury. $2,346.79, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 3 Bristol Terrace, Danbury. Filed Jan. 22. Balunek, Kim L., Norwalk. $21,774.98, in favor of Cach L.L.C., Denver, Col., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 6 Wolcrest Road, Norwalk. Filed Jan. 28. Bennett, John W., Fairfield. $6,376.62, in favor of FIA Card Services, N.A., Newark, Del., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 103 Flora Blvd., Fairfield. Filed Jan. 28. Billie, David, Bridgeport. $5,744.17, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 202 Pearl Harbor St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Blank, Erica, Bridgeport. $638.88, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 333 Vincelette St., Unit 36, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Bonafide Co. Inc. and Robert D. Bona, Weston. $49,060.62, in favor of Webster Bank N.A., Cheshire, by Stan R. Dombroski, New Haven. Property: 18 Fanton Hill Road, Weston. Filed Jan. 28. Bradley, Deborah, Norwalk. $21,196.41, in favor of Cavalry SPV I L.L.C., Valhalla, N.Y., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 9 Fair St., Norwalk. Filed Jan. 28. Broadhurst, Walter, Norwalk. $2,328.42, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 15 Victory St., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4. Brown, Ronald V., Norwalk. $10,177.84, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 189 W. Norwalk Road, Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

Caldwell, Jesse, Bridgeport. $3,651.50, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 222 Horace St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Capossela Tile and Design L.L.C., et al., Bridgeport. $118,980.93, in favor of Webster Bank N.A., Meriden, by Joseph E. Farighnan, New Haven. Property: 271 Wheeler Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 22. Clark, Delores, Bridgeport. $6,189.25, in favor of Cach L.L.C., Denver, Col., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 310 Alba Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Clark, Delores, Bridgeport. $6,189.25, in favor of Cach L.L.C., Denver, Col., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 114 Cowles St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Coleman, Lionel, Bridgeport. $4,704.64, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 175 Seltsam Road, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 24. Dennis, Lyn, Bridgeport. $1,835.57, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 200 Pratt St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Devoe, Gladys, Bridgeport. $1,270, in favor of Bridgeport Radiology Associates, Bridgeport, by Jeffrey T. Schuyler, New Britain. Property: 89 Tremont Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30. Digiorgio, Marines, Danbury. $2,002.90, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 10 Dana Road, Danbury. Filed Jan. 28. Dubose, Jonathan, Bridgeport. $4,313.95, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 608 N. Summerfield Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Dubose, Jonathan, Bridgeport. $656.79, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 608 N. Summerfield Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Durham, William, Bridgeport. $3,890.14, in favor of Gentle Dental Care, Monroe, by Benjamin K. Potak, New Britain. Property: 224 Cityview Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30.

Gutierrez, A., Bridgeport. $1,523.15, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 281 Orange St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23.

McKenzie, Beverner E., Bridgeport. $19,736.82, in favor of Citibank N.A., Sioux Falls, S.D., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 912 Thorne St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28.

Harris, Cheryl A., Fairfield. $3,888.51, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 83 Division Ave., Fairfield. Filed Jan. 31.

McNally, Rose and Michael, Weston. $729.80, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 32 November Trail, Weston. Filed Jan. 30.

Herrera, Lorena, Norwalk. $4,353.98, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Nathan G. Johnson, Pawtucket, R.I. Property: 43 Grandview Ave., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

Monroe, Mark, Norwalk. $2,572.97, in favor of GE Capital Retail Bank, Draper, Utah, by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 4 June Ave., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

Hoyos, Maria A., Bridgeport. $972.53, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 35 Yacht St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23.

Nelson, Jeannine, Bridgeport. $4,179.79, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 319 Pleasantville Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23.

Jeackle, Kathleen M., Norwalk. $92,031.75, in favor of Webster Bank N.A., Cheshire, by Stan R. Dombroski, New Haven. Property: 64 Cove Ave., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

Oliveira, Carla and Jairo, Danbury. $923.02, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 37 Rocky Glen Road, Danbury. Filed Jan. 28.

Jefferson, Leone, Bridgeport. $4,255.87, in favor of Stamford Hospital, Stamford, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 73 Eastwood Road, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23.

Ornato, Michael, Norwalk. $8,451, in favor of Yale New Haven Hospital Inc., New Haven, by Nair & Levin P.C., Bloomfield. Property: 20 Red Oak Lane, Norwalk. Filed Jan. 25.

KB Landscaping L.L.C. and Keith Brousseau, Norwalk. $2,686.44, in favor of John Deere Landscapes, Norwalk, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 26 Birchside Drive, Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

Ortiz, Steven, Danbury. $443.72, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 25 Padanaram Road, Unit 10, Danbury. Filed Jan. 28.

Lovelace, Devon, Bridgeport. $8,976.58, in favor of Bridgeport Hospital, New Haven, by Nair & Levin P.C., Bloomfield. Property: 226 Pearl Harbor St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 31. Lyons, Jay C., Bridgeport. $4,404.71, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 249 Louisiana Ave., Unit C, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Martinez, Amparo, Norwalk. $312.34, in favor of Associates Neurologist Southern Connecticut, Fairfield, by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 1 Silent Grove St., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4. Mashad, Muhaliza, Bridgeport. $4,031.51, in favor of Advanced Radiology Consultants, Bridgeport, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 1621 Noble Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28.

Ossers, Josefina A. and Gerson R., Danbury. $8,172, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by V. Michael Simko Jr., Shelton. Property: 3 Golden Hill Road, Danbury. Filed Jan. 22. Otero, Maria, Bridgeport. $1,485.38, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 448 Hawley Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Parella, Karen, Weston. $112,450.77, in favor of M&T, Philadelphia, Pa., by Nathan G. Johnson, Pawtucket, R.I. Property: 40 Kellogg Hill Road, Weston. Filed Jan. 28. Peterson, Dawud, Bridgeport. $8,056.45, in favor of Cavalry SPV I L.L.C., Valhalla, N.Y., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 312 Goddard Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28.

THE RECORDS SECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 23

on the record Phillips, Judith A., Norwalk. $1,015.94, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 7 Knollwood Road, Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4. Poteau, Jennifer, Bridgeport. $1,725.90, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 284 West Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Reddy, Walter, Weston. $2,187.99, in favor of LH Gault & Son Inc., Bridgeport, by Benjamin K. Potak, New Britain. Property: 16 Briar Oak Drive, Weston. Filed Feb. 1. Reiske, Karen, Danbury. $1,869.90, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 33 Broad St., Danbury. Filed Jan. 28. Remick, Sandra E., Norwalk. $8,311.63, in favor of Discover Bank, Andover, Mass., by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 55 Scribner Ave., Norwalk. Filed Jan. 25. Rivas, Ligia, Bridgeport. $1,104.32, in favor of Main Street Acquisition Corp., Norcross, Ga., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 624 Noble Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30. Rivera, Juan, Bridgeport. $2,115.63, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 94 Victory Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 24. Roggieri, Bruce, Redding. $989.90, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 8 South Lane, Redding. Filed Jan. 30. Roland, Ana, Danbury. $3,730, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 15 Hamilton Drive, Danbury. Filed Jan. 24. Roland, Jeffrey, Norwalk. $2,409.08, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 5 Lakeview Drive, Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4. Ross, John D., Danbury. $17,893.12, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 5 Hawley Ave., Danbury. Filed Jan. 22. Ross, John D., Danbury. $882.11, in favor of Danbury Office of Physician Services P.C., Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 5 Hawley Ave., Danbury. Filed Jan. 22.

Rowley, Willard, Redding. $684.58, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 12 Marchant Road, Redding. Filed Jan. 30. Ruffell, Coralie, Danbury. $1,709.68, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 6 Beechwood Drive, Danbury. Filed Jan. 24. Samuelson, Theresa F., Bridgeport. $1,010.07, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 127 Princeton St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30.

Youle, Shirley, Bridgeport. $16,091.25, in favor of Discover Bank, Andover, Mass., by Nathan G. Johnson, Pawtucket, R.I. Property: 321 Old Town Road, Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 31.

Family Dental Group - Clinton Associates L.L.C., Bridgeport. Filed by Mason Brothers Builders L.L.C., by Scott E. Mason. Property: 468 Clinton Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $21,321.86. Filed Jan. 24.

LEASES

Harbridge, Julie and Starr, Redding. Filed by Pupper Septic Inc., New Milford, by Emilio Sotil. Property: 31 Hill Road, Redding. Amount: $370.00. Filed Jan. 31.

ELRAC L.L.C. d.b.a. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, by Eric Stone. Landlord: Mike Galella and Wayne Correnty c/o Norwalk Collision. Property: 44 to 48 Van Zant St., Norwalk. Expired: Aug. 19, 2012; commenced May 7, 2004. Filed Jan. 29.

Sanchez, Francisco, Danbury. $2,868.77, in favor of FIA Card Services, N.A., Newark, Del., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 13 E. Pearl St., Apt. 1, Danbury. Filed Jan. 22.

T-Mobile Northeast L.L.C., by Mark A. Appel. Landlord: 55 Walls Drive L.L.C. Property: 51-67-73 Walls Drive, Fairflied. Term: 10 years; commenced Dec. 7, 2012. Filed Jan. 24.

Selander, Sandra, Fairfield. $16,189.08, in favor of Equable Ascent Financial L.L.C., Northbrook, Ill., by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 97 Wheeler Park Ave., Fairfield. Filed Jan. 24.

LIENS

Short, Janet, Bridgeport. $2,542.84, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 817 Beechwood Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Smith, Kathy, Ridgefield. $1,956.80, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat, Danbury. Property: 554 Branchville Road, Ridgefield. Filed Jan. 30. Spodnik, Andrew J., Bridgeport. $1,718.34, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 100 Dover St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Stephens, Theresa M., Bridgeport. $656.06, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 315 Cottage St., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 23. Troiano, Don J., Danbury. $3,197.19, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 80 Hillandale Road, Danbury. Filed Jan. 22. Usman, Malik, Bridgeport. $4,417, in favor of Yasmin and Shiyaat Malick, Fairfield, by Steven J. Leo, Milford. Property: 376 to 378 Wood Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 31. Wadeka, Anna, Norwalk. $7,715.90, in favor of FIA Card Services, N.A., Newark, Del., by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 45 Glover Ave., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 4.

FEDERAL TAX LIENSRELEASED A&R Service Center Inc., 98 Grand St., Bridgeport. $4,471.25, payroll taxes. Filed Jan. 30. Hata Hi-tech Machinging L.L.C., 70 Hawley Ave., Bridgeport. $6,733.26, payroll taxes. Filed Jan. 24. Maultz Construction Inc., 15 Wilton Acres, Wilton. $4,072.74, payroll taxes. Filed Feb. 4. Shirley, Bryan J., 5 River Road, No. 211, Wilton. $24,356.64, tax debt on income earned. Filed Jan. 28. Valois, Marc D., 20 Samuelson Road, Weston. $12,079.17, tax debt on income earned. Filed Jan. 25.

FEDERAL TAX LIENSWITHDRAWAL AFTER RELEASE Armstrong, Todd M., 63 Pine Oak Lane, Wilton. $104,460.37, tax debt on income earned. Filed Jan. 23.

MECHANIC’S LIENSFILED Couglin, Lisa and Mike, Ridgefield. Filed by Pupper Septic Inc., New Milford, by Emilio Sotil. Property: 20 Scodon Drive, Ridgefield. Amount: $410.00. Filed Jan. 31.

24 Week of February 18, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Mendiratta, Turan, Weston. Filed by Chris Mayle for Pool Services 2012. Property: 85 Lords Highway, Weston. Amount: $4,436.80. Filed Jan. 30. Norwalk Alf Property L.L.C., Chicago, Ill. and Callahan Inc., Bridgeport. Filed by TC Facility Services, Stratford, by John Shugrue. Property: 73 Strawberry Hill Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $22,546.20. Filed Jan. 29.

MECHANIC’S LIENSNOTICE OF INTENT Vazquez, Mitch, New Canaan. Filed by Bucks Flower Garden Inc., Bedford, N.Y., by Neda Bukov. Property: 26 Father Peters Lane, New Canaan. Amount: $25,574.60. Filed Jan. 28.

MECHANIC’S LIENSRELEASED Deluca, Elizabeth and Weldon Construction Management L.L.C., New Canaan. Filed by O&G Industries Inc., Torrington, by Paul A. Patch. Property: 1106 Smith Ridge Road, New Canaan. Amount: $21,292.33. Filed Jan. 29. Fantanez, Angelica, Bridgeport. Filed by Panvest Corp., Bridgeport, by David Paniccia. Property: 40 to 42 Center St., Bridgeport. Amount: $15,500. Filed Jan. 30. Mullaney Kazan, Mandy and Christopher Kazan, Wilton. Filed by Standard Oil of Connecticut Inc., Bridgeport, by Lillian Leone. Property: 999 Ridgefield Road, Wilton. Amount: $1,804.79. Filed Jan. 28. Sasco Hill Views L.L.C., Fairfield. Filed by Pastir Brothers Construction L.L.C., by Matthew Pastir. Property: 1000 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $12,000. Filed Jan. 31.

LIS PENDENS Aginian, Linda S., et al., Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed by Gregory W. McCracken, Farmington, for Winnipauk Village Condominium Inc., Norwalk. Property: 71 Aiken St., Unit C5, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common assessments. Filed Feb. 4. Akhundzadeh, Angela and Roozbeh, Bridgeport. Filed by Michael S. Alexander, Hamden, for Briarwood of Bridgeport Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Unit 155, Briarwood of Bridgeport, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges. Filed Jan. 24. Ali, Liaquat, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: Colorado Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Allen, Gertrude and Willie Mae, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 250 N. Bishop Ave., Unit 30, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Allen, Gertrude and Willie Mae, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 255 Sunshine Circle, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Almonte, Ramon, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 32 to 34 Jane St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $217,250, dated August 2007. Filed Feb. 4. Androulidiakis, Jamella, Norwalk. Filed by Mario Arena, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 73 Devils Garden Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $649,999, dated August 2007. Filed Jan. 28. Arkins Murray, Anne, et al., Wilton. Filed by Kevin Casini, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 77 Range Road, Wilton. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $690,000, dated September 2008. Filed Feb. 4.

Baez, Rodolfo A., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 154 to 156 Bond St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $287,600, dated July 2007. Filed Jan. 23. Bank of America N.A., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 227 Hollister Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $25,000, dated May 2006. Filed Jan. 29. Bank of America N.A., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Washington Row Preservation IV Condominium Association, Norwalk. Property: 42 S. Main St., Unit 301, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges and assessments. Filed Jan. 24. Bember, Ruth and Eugene Sr., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 76 Cowles St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $120,000, dated December 2005. Filed Jan. 31. Bholanathn Kuwane T., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Robert A. Pacelli Jr., Bridgeport, for Roberto Clemente Homes Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 65 Steuban St., Unit 11, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on an association lien. Filed Jan. 24. Blas, Guadalupe, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Kevin Casini, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 1 Beverly Place, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $399,200, dated August 2005. Filed Feb. 4. Bolling, George M., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 1668 Stratford Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Bona, Barbara and Robert, Weston. Filed by Mario Arena, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 18 Fanton Hill Road, Weston. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $480,000, dated January 2004. Filed Jan. 29.

on the record Bradford, Thomas, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 604 Birmingham St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30. Brantley, Levetta and Thomas Bradford, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 2130 Noble Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 28. Braziel, Jarita, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Richard M. Shapiro, Hamden, for Regency Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 2370 North Ave., Unit 4E, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on an association lien. Filed Jan. 30. Burgos, Jose, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 620 Maple St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $152,000, dated December 2005. Filed Jan. 23. Camillo, Pedro, Bridgeport. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 32 to 34 Third St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $253,000, dated July 2008. Filed Jan. 28.

Cassagnol, Mirlande and Jimmy B. Pressat, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Mark A. Sank, Stamford, for Harbor Heights Homeowners Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 7 Hamilton Ave., Unit 3-2, Norwalk. Action: to claim a foreclosure. Filed Jan. 30. Cimino, Richard, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by John J. Ribas, Bridgeport, for Grover’s Common II Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 74 Circular Ave., Unit 2B, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a statutory lien on this unit. Filed Jan. 24. Clarkin, Jeannette and Kevin D., et al., Ridgefield. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 3 Old Wagon Road, Ridgefield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $650,000, dated October 2007. Filed Feb. 1. Cole, Lashaunda and Michael D. Cole, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 409 Glendale Ave., Unit C-3, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $143,645, dated December 2007. Filed Jan. 29. Corbi, Deborah and Anthony J. Jr., Norwalk. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 135 Flax Hill Road, Unit 4A, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $49,000, dated July 1990. Filed Jan. 23.

Campbell, Christopher, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 65 to 73 Center St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $322,751, dated March 2009. Filed Jan. 29.

Cork, Sonia, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Nob Hill Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 30 Nob Hill, Unit 57, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges and assessments. Filed Jan. 24.

Caputo, Jeffrey R., Norwalk. Filed by Griffith H. Trow, Stamford, for Clocktower Close Condominium Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 25 Grand St., Unit 222, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges. Filed Feb. 1.

Couglin, Rosanna, Wilton. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 102 Kent Road, Wilton. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $665,500, dated February 2007. Filed Jan. 24.

Carmona, Gloria and Gay Tom, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 9 Talmadge Place, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $373,600, dated December 2006. Filed Feb. 4.

Danies, Carolina and Jorge Atencio, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for GMAC Mortgage L.L.C., Fort Washington, Pa. Property: 378 Anton Drive, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $15,500, dated May 2011. Filed Jan. 30.

Dawkins, Loraine Bennett and Martel A., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 30 Taylor Ave., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $400,000, dated July 2008. Filed Jan. 24.

Galarza, Moises, et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 11 to 19 Wake St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $203,300, dated July 2007. Filed Jan. 28.

Desruisseax, Frantz and Pierre, Bridgeport. Filed by Walter M. Spader, North Branford, for MTAG Caz Creek CT L.L.C. and MTAG Services L.L.C. Property: 41 Jane St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 30.

Galian, Susan and John, Bridgeport. Filed by Robert A. Pacelli Jr., Bridgeport, for Grosso Manor Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 520 Vincelette St., Unit A-1, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on an association lien. Filed Jan. 28.

Dominguez, Adriana and Maksud D. Dargin, Bridgeport. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 220 Ellsworth St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $215,200, dated November 2007. Filed Jan. 23.

Garcia, Maria L., et al., Bridgeport. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 460 East Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $114,950, dated November 2006. Filed Jan. 23.

Eberhardt, Jeanne A. and Harold F., Ridgefield. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 96 Soundview Road, Ridgefield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $395,000, dated September 2005. Filed Jan. 30. Fleck, Lynne E. and William S., et al., Ridgefield. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 24 Riverside Drive, Ridgefield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $270,000, dated September 2005. Filed Jan. 30. Folger, Joanne G. and Michael J., et al., Weston. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 5 Fresh Meadow Road, Weston. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $1.1 million, dated October 2004. Filed Jan. 30. Friedman, Miachael, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Kevin Casini, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 664 Main Ave., Unit B404, Norwalk, $232,000, dated December 2005. Filed Feb. 4.

Gelles, Carolyn Brodie and Stuart R., et al., Fairfield, Filed, for People’s United Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 158 Twin Lakes Road aka 2070 North St., Fairfield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $665,000, dated October 2006. Filed Jan. 30. Giannico, Filomena M. and Joseph C., Norwalk. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 80 Broad St., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $350,000, dated October 2008. Filed Jan. 31.

MORTGAGES 153 East Avenue L.L.C., Norwalk, by James B. Colgan. Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Ridgefield. Property: 149 to 153 East Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $1.7 million. Filed Jan. 28.

42 Dean Navcapman L.L.C., 335 Benham Navcapman and 1148 William Navcapman L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Justin Goldberg. Lender: Enbrook Ltd., Isle of Man, United Kingdom. Property: 42 Dean Place, Units 101 to 108, 201 to 208 and 301 to 304, 335 Benham Ave., and 1148 William St., Bridgeport. Amount: $22 million. Filed Jan. 31. 610 Tunxis Hill Road L.L.C., Fairfield, by Gerald N. Sylvia. Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Ridgefield. Property: 610 Tunxis Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $260,000. Filed Jan. 24. 77 Frogtown Road L.L.C., New Canaan, by Jill Gordon. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Greenwich. Property: 77 Frogtown Road, New Canaan. Amount: $2 million. Filed Jan. 29. Country Realty Co., Saratoga Springs, N.Y., by Michael J. Cantanucci. Property: Manufactureres and Traders Trust Co., Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 332 and 360 Meadow St., 1317 to 1335 Post Road East and 777 Post Road East, Fairfield. Amount: $126 million. Filed Jan. 30. Danbury Automotive Realty L.L.C., Danbury, by Samuel F. Difeo. Lender: Union Savings Bank N.A., Danbury. Property: 18 to 22 Starr Road, Danbury. Amount: $712,500. Filed Jan. 24. Dragone & Son’s L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Thomas L. Dragone. Lender: Connecticut Community Bank, Westport. Property: 1802 to 1806 Main St. and 1812 to 1822 Main St., Bridgeport. Amount: $345,000. Filed Feb. 4.

Medical Systems of Fairfield L.L.C., Fairfield, by Steven M. Cassell and Peter E. Can Dell. Lender: Webster Bank, Waterbury. Property: 1735 Post Road, Unit 13, Fairfield. Amount: $300,000. Filed Jan. 25. Pacifik Hites L.L.C., Norwalk, by James W. Lyman. Lender: First County Bank, Stamford. Property: Vista View, Units 1A, 1B, 1C, 1E, 2D, 2E, 3A, 3B and 3E, Bridgeport. Amount: $144,750. Filed Jan. 28. Pacifik Hites L.L.C., Norwalk, by James W. Lyman. Lender: First County Bank, Stamford. Property: Vista View, Units 1A, 1B, 1C, 1E, 2D, 2E, 3A, 3B and 3E, Bridgeport. Amount: $30,000. Filed Jan. 28. Phase II Associates L.L.C., Danbury, by Thomas J. Devine. Lender: Union Savings Bank N.A., Danbury. Property: 261 Main St. and 2B Ives St., Danbury. Amount: $6,586. Filed Jan. 24. TMSL Properties L.L.C., Milford, by Margaret F. Tramuta. Lender: Secure Capital Group L.L.C., Stratford. Property: 110 Ferris St., Bridgeport. Amount: $105,000. Filed Feb. 4. Valentine Capital L.L.C., Los Angeles, Calif., by Bradley D. Kayal. Lender: Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 115 Washington Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $111,425. Filed Jan. 23. Very Modest Properties L.L.C., Norwalk, by Robert A. Sisca. Lender: Hudson Valley Bank, Yonkers, N.Y. Property: 9 Wall St., Unit 302, Norwalk. Amount: $93,000. Filed Jan. 31.

Fort Point Properties L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Louis Sacoto. Lender: NBFPPP L.L.C. Property: 59 Fort Point St., Norwalk. Amount: $300,000. Filed Jan. 28. Ives Property Management L.L.C., Danbury, by Thomas J. Devine. Lender: Union Savings Bank N.A., Danbury. Property: 5 to 7 Ives St., Danbury. Amount: $18,789. Filed Jan. 24.

THE RECORDS SECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 25

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Partners PARTNERS

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2013 2012 FAIRFIELD COUNTY FAIRFIELD COUNTY

40UNDER40 40UNDER40 It’s the premIer BUSINESS-AWARD

eVeNt OF the YeAr

Be part of Fairfield County business history. Nominate a candidate (perhaps yourself) who fits the

Nominate a candidate who dynamic ﬁts the description of young (perhaps (under theyourself) age of 40), description of young (under the age of 40), dynamic industry industry leader who is part of the county’s business growth. leader who is part of the county’s business growth.

NomiNatioN forms are available oN wEsTFAIRONLINE.COm.

Nomination forms are available on westfaironline.com.

Nomination deadline is April 19. Please act quickly.

for more iNformatioN, Holly19. DeBartolo (914)quickly. 694-3600, ext. 3006 Nomination deadline call is April Pleaseatact For more information, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3031.

eveNt: June 20

26 Week of February 18, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Business ConneCtions Economy

HEaltHcarE 2014

Business Confidence Falls Amid Flat Economic Conditions

Be Wary of New Healthcare Mandates

usiness confidence in both the U.S. and Connecticut economies slumped in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a new survey. More than half (52%) of surveyed business leaders expect the state’s economy to worsen in 2013, according to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association’s Quarterly Economic Survey: Fourth Quarter 2012. That represents an increase of 8% over the previous quarter. Just 14% thought the state economy would improve, while 34% believed conditions would remain stable. “The survey results confirm an area economy and expectations stuck in neutral,” said CBIA economist Pete Gioia. Expectations for the national economy also dipped, with 40% of those surveyed responding pessimistically, compared with 36% last quarter.

The survey showed remarkably similar results to the two prior quarters, with most differences within the margin of error of the survey. Some important responses include: f 34% of respondents expect increases in production and sales, with 21% seeing decreases, the best numbers in the survey. f 18% see their work force expanding, while 19% expect to shed positions over the next quarter. f 27% see an improved outlook for their firm against 22% who see conditions declining. f For their industry, 23% see improving conditions while 28% see declines. “In each case these numbers show an economy with a long way to go to reach a sustainable economy.” Gioia said. ➤ Read more at cbia.com

However, while the EHB package includes all of the state’s existing health benefit mandates, new mandates proposed during this legislative session would not be included in the EHB package—and therefore would become a direct cost to the state.

If state lawmakers adopt any new benefit mandates this year, Connecticut will have to subsidize their costs.

Wednesday, March 6 State Legislative Office Building Hartford

More important, the cost impact of any new benefit mandates will fall mainly on Connecticut’s small businesses.

his half-day program will give you the opportunity to help state legislators understand the issues impacting your business and Connecticut’s economy.

For questions, contact CBIA’s Adam Ney at 860.244.1933 or adam.ney@cbia.com.

Connecticut’s state health insurance exchange has already adopted an Essential Health Benefit (EHB) package that defines the group of benefits that insurance companies must offer in their products in the state in 2014.

Under the federal healthcare legislation, federal dollars will be applied to cover Connecticut’s existing EHB package for people receiving subsidized coverage through the state exchange.

EvEnts

Join hundreds of fellow business leaders at the State Capitol and make an impact! You’ll have a chance to meet legislative leaders, agency officials and other policymakers. It’s a great platform to ask questions, offer solutions, and encourage accountability.

ith healthcare costs rising and significant changes facing the health insurance market, legislators should be wary of any new proposals that would further increase costs, especially on Connecticut’s small businesses.

Since most small businesses purchase these fully-insured plans (larger businesses tend to self-insure), additional mandates will leave them vulnerable to the extra costs.

Scan tO RegiSteR

Date

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Time

8:15 am–noon

Place

Legislative Office Building 300 Capitol Ave., Hartford

Cost

Free

And because the federally subsidized EHB package cannot be opened up and modified until 2016, at the earliest, small businesses would feel the cost impact for several years. The legislature should use the tools it has available to analyze and collect data on new mandates as early as possible in the process. ➤ Read more at gov.cbia.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of February 18, 2013 27

WHAT TO DO: DIGITAL / PRINT ADVERTISING AND MORE, THEY’LL SHOW YOU SABRINA HORN

ARI HALPER

SHE BUILT A COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY THAT BROKE NEW GROUND IN TECHNOLOGY MARKETS AND SHE’S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MARKETING INDUSTRY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS.

HE’S EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT GREY ADVERTISING WHERE HE MANAGES AWARD-WINNING ACCOUNTS AND WON MULTIPLE ADVERTISING AWARDS, INCLUDING SIX LIONS, A CLIO, AN ANDY, TWO EMMYS’ AND A SHORTLIST AT THE OSCARS.

A MUST-ATTEND PROGRAM FOR ANYONE WHO ADVERTISES, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL LOCAL AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE AND BE RECOGNIZED.

Bruce Museum 1 Museum Drive Greenwich 11:30 a.m. — Meet, greet and lunch Noon — Program

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IF YOU’RE GAME. EMAIL YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS AD TO DVITERI@WESTFAIRINC.COM BY FEB. 22 AND WE’LL ENLARGE IT FOR USE DURING THE PROGRAM.

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28 FEBRUARY

Admission: Complimentary for Westfair subscribers. Guests: Complimentary with subscription order. Register now. Space is limited. Email Alissa Frey at afrey@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com