FAIRFIELD COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL February 23, 2015 | VOL. 51, No. 8
15 | LUXURIOUS LIVING
18 | NEWSMAKERS westfaironline.com
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Robert Berger swaps sensory experiences for gargantuan spaces BY CRYSTAL KANG ckang@westfairinc.com
REFINING AND REDEFINING THE UPSCALE HOME
WHEN WESTPORT ARCHITECT ROBERT M. BERGER started his design-build firm in 1993, the Fairfield County market was robust with homeowners interested in custom-designed additions. He developed a waiting list that could fill an entire year with work. Nowadays, Berger has drastically scaled down on the number of projects, but each is worth millions of dollars. Size, he said, is not the biggest factor in creating luxury; rather, it’s about creating a sensory experience. Berger’s most recent project, a French-influenced luxury home at 8 Melon Patch Lane in Westport, has taken 2 years to
Robert Berger examines the limestone used to build part of his current luxury home project.
» BERGER, page 16
ALL IN THE FAMILY
20 TO BE HONORED AT WESTFAIR BUSINESS AWARDS CELEBRATION BY DANIELLE BRODY dbrody@westfairinc.com
F
ROM MORE THAN 60 NOMINEES, 20 family businesses from Westchester and Fairfield counties representing industries as diverse as cutting-edge technology in the prevention of concussions in sports to a 120-year-old dairy operation, will be honored Feb. 26 at the second annual Westfair Communications Family-Owned Business Awards.
Family businesses account for 50 percent of U.S. gross domestic product and for about 80 percent of all new job creation nationwide. The awards were the culmination of numerous discussions among Westfair Communications and members of the business community on how to honor family entrepreneurs. The winners were chosen by leaders in their respective fields: Pete Gioia, vice president and economist, Connecticut Business & Industry
Association (a partner in the event); Anthony Davidson, dean, Manhattanville College School of Business; Donald Janezic, executive vice president and treasurer, Bigelow Tea; Eon Nichols, partner, Cuddy & Feder LLP; and Joseph Armentano, CEO, Paraco Gas. Stew Leonard Jr., who is well-versed about family business as the president and CEO of his eponymous grocery store, will be the keynote » FAMILY, page 5
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