Fairfield County Business Journal 041519 by Westfair Business Journal

APRIL 15, 2019 VOL. 55, No. 15

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Luxury rental market offers housing alternative INSIDE

RENTS CAN REACH $20K PER MONTH FOR A LARGE HOUSE BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

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LUXURY SALES DOWN

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

lthough real estate developer and marketer Gary Hirsch, whose office is in Rye, is confident he could build 60-story apartment buildings if he wanted to, “It’s not what we choose to do,” he told the Business Journal. Nevertheless, Hirsch, who found a real estate niche 20 years ago and has been successfully serving that segment of the market in both Westchester and Fairfield, has been care-

fully branching out. “My wife Diane and I decided to start a business that had no real presence in the Westchester market or frankly throughout the country, which was to acquire and renovate and rent single-family homes for short-term rentals for as little as 30 days,” Hirsch said. “We would buy a house in prime communities like Scarsdale and Rye. We would renovate it, furnish it and advertise it.” Far from being flippers who’d buy, renovate and sell, they targeted people who needed

a place to live during their own house renovation, a place to live while waiting to close on their own house purchase and families of corporate executives, many with two or three children, who had relocated to Westchester and needed a short-term rental. Diane Hirsch served as president of Elk Homes LLC from the beginning and a few years ago added the title of president of a related company, Elk Homes Realty LLC. Gary Hirsch holds the title of chairman. “Basically, between 2000 and 2007 or 2008, we focused entirely on the short-term rental business,” he said. “Then, we came to understand that there really was a shortage of quality rental housing for those people who were looking for longer-term rental » LUXURY RENTALS

The gourmet kitchen in an Elk Homes rental house in Greenwich.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY RECORDS 725,000 SQUARE FEET IN OFFICE LEASING DURING Q1 BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

airfield County’s office market kicked off 2019 with a bang, generating 725,000 square feet in leasing activity, according to data released by CBRE. The first-quarter leasing activity was 9.2 percent over the five-year quarterly average, and CBRE noted this was the strongest beginning to a year since 2015. However, the robust statistics were not driven by a countywide effort, but were instead dominated by a pair of major deals: WWE signing a 16½-year lease for the 415,000-squarefoot, three-building complex at 677 Washington

Blvd. in Stamford that was once the home to UBS; and Diageo’s relocation from its Norwalk headquarters to a 38,000-square-foot space at 695 East Main St. in Stamford. Tom Pajolek, executive vice president at CBRE’s Stamford office, observed that the first quarter is continuing “a trend from last year, with two or three very big deals dominating the headlines.” Pajolek recalled last year’s mega-transactions — Charter Communications’ third-quarter deal that covered 532,258 square feet at 406 Washington Blvd. in Stamford, FactSet’s 173,164-square-foot lease at 45 Glover Ave. in Norwalk during the first quarter and Reed Exhibition Cos.’ » OFFICE LEASING

Emerson spending $49 million on new HQ in Brookfield BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

lobal technology and engineering company Emerson is building a global headquarters in Brookfield’s Berkshire Corporate Park for its Branson assembly technologies product line. The $49 million facility, which will replace its existing headquarters at 41 Eagle Road in Danbury, will include laboratories, offices, manufacturing space and a customer experience center. Branson-branded products are customer-focused solutions for plastic joining, ultrasonic metal joining and precision processing.

Emerson bought a 13-acre parcel less than two miles from its Danbury headquarters and had received municipal approvals to build on the site. The new 140,000-square-foot building will house the 220 professional staff, engineers and production team. Groundbreaking is scheduled for June, with an eye toward opening in late 2020. “Our new headquarters will provide a showcase for the great work we do here in Connecticut to drive growth and innovation, including high-tech spaces where customers can see our products in action,” said John Meek, president of assembly technologies for Emerson.

“Emerson greatly appreciates the incentives approved by the town of Brookfield and the state of Connecticut to support this important project for our Branson portfolio, and we look forward to continued investment in this community,” Meek added. Features of the new facility will include: an expanded, high-tech laboratory to support new product development, customer applications and technical services while facilitating the transfer of technical knowledge to the next generation of engineers; modern manufacturing space to house the production and assembly of highly engineered tooling, cleaning

A rendering of the headquarters.

systems and metal welding systems; and four customer experience demonstration spaces that will showcase Emerson’s technical ability to provide solutions to customers in a collaborative environment. The new headquarters will be designed by Fox Architects of St. Louis and CPG Architects of Stamford. Emerson has commit-

ted $250 million to build at least three new U.S. facilities through 2021. A diversified manufacturer with $17.4 billion in sales last year, Emerson’s products range from tools and large industrial valves to refrigeration, lighting and climate control systems. One of its bestknown consumer products is the InSinkErator garbage disposal.

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he number of luxury home sales in New York City’s northern suburbs fell 33 percent over the last six months when compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the 2019 First Quarter Luxury Market Report from Houlihan Lawrence. Westchester County experienced the steepest drop, with sales of properties worth $2 million and higher down 38 percent. In Fairfield County, sales of properties $3 million and higher in Greenwich and $2 million and higher in Darien/New Canaan saw declines averaging 28 percent. Luxury sales in Putnam and Dutchess counties were unchanged. According to Houlihan Lawrence Senior Vice President, Director of Private Brokerage Anthony Cutugno, there was a con-

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fluence of events that negatively impacted the markets and reduced the number of luxury buyers north of New York City. “The real estate market in New York City has softened, resulting in fewer buyers leaving the city to head north because their apartments remain unsold,” Cutugno said. “This important feeder market was robust just 18 months ago. Condos, co-ops and townhomes appreciated in value, sold quickly, and reliably drove buyers leaving the city to the area. Now, listings are sitting on the market longer as inventory grows, selling for less than expected.” Houlihan Lawrence’s data indicate a 40 percent decline in the number of New York City buyers moving to the suburbs year over year. Another factor in the luxury market drop is new limitations on property tax deductibility stemming

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from the new federal tax law, making home ownership less affordable, according to the report. Many would-be move-up buyers, an important sector in the luxury market, are now more likely to stay in their current home, perhaps adding a bedroom or renovating the kitchen, rather than trade up to a larger and more expensive one. There were exceptions over the past six months, he said, noting a $9.1 million off-market sale at 8 S. Manursing Island in Rye — the highest price per square foot sold in the area. Michael McCooey, a Houlihan Lawrence agent, had represented the seller in their original purchase of the waterfront property in September 2017, which closed at $7.4 million. After razing an existing residence on the parcel and choosing to build, the owners ultimately decided to move on and listed the land for sale at $9.8 million.

Publisher Dee DelBello Managing Editor/Print Glenn Kalinoski Managing Editor/Digital Bob Rozycki Associate Publisher Anne Jordan Group Associate Publisher Dan Viteri NEWS Copy and Video Editor • Peter Katz Bureau Chief • Kevin Zimmerman Senior Reporter • Bill Heltzel, Phil Hall, Georgette Gouveia, Mary Shustack Research Coordinator • Luis Flores ART & PRODUCTION Creative Director Dan Viteri Art Director Sebastián Flores Art Director Kelsie Mania Digital Content Director Meghan McSharry

Luxury sales down in Westchester, Fairﬁeld amid limitations on property tax deductibility BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN

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19 Newtown Turnpike in Westport. Photo courtesy GHP Office Realty.

Westport Arts Center conﬁrms move to Martha Stewart’s old TV studio BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

he Westport Arts Center has confirmed reports that it will expand and relocate from 51 Riverside Ave. to 19 Newtown Turnpike, a facility that once housed Martha Stewart’s television studio on the WestportNorwalk line. The first phase of the relocation and expansion is set to open this fall and will occupy nearly 10,000 square feet, effectively tripling the footprint the

organization holds in its current location. The original 1926 stone building, attached warehouse and freestanding cottages offer the potential of 33,000 square feet for museum exhibitions, classrooms, concerts and events, as well as offices, a cafe, lounge and library. The six-acre property includes outdoor garden space and parking for 110 vehicles. The interior remodel and renovation of 19 Newtown Turnpike is being led by Howard Lathrop, a principal at Westport’s Sellars Lathrop Architects LLC.

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Fairfield’s eRichards Consulting handles IT recruitment with a holistic touch BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com When eRichards Consulting opened for business in January 2000, the Fairfieldbased company chose the phrase “Bringing humanity to technology” as its motto. Company President Doreen Gebbia acknowledged that they might have been ahead of their time. “In the beginning people would say, ‘What does that mean, exactly?’ ” she recalled. “Now, the way our culture has gone, everyone is sort of craving that experience and nobody asks anymore. They are relieved to see it.” The technology aspect of the motto is the core focus of the business: a recruitment firm that brings IT professionals to a national client base of mid-sized to Fortune 500 firms. But the humanity aspect is “the biggest differentiator” and she stressed a holistic approach in understanding client needs while reviewing applicant inquiries. “I always say that I kind of have a third ear,” she explained. “People joke about the third eye, but we really listen with the third ear.” The inspiration for this approach came from company founder and Gebbia’s husband, Mark Richards, who had his own unsatisfactory experiences in the IT recruiting process. “Mark understood what bringing consultants together into a project role would be like and he knew all of the things he didn’t like in how he was treated by other firms,” Gebbia said. “So, we went out of our way to make sure we corrected those harsh edges and softened them.” The couple operates their business from their Fairfield residence, with Richards working on backend operations from an upstairs office while Gebbia handles her duties downstairs, occasionally joined by a pair of dogs and a cat. The

Doreen Gebbia of eRichards Consulting. Photo by Phil Hall.

four-legged staff members are crucial, she laughed, because they “help me to get up and remember to leave my desk.” For corporate clients, Gebbia stated that her firm functions as an extension of a corporate environment where the proper amount of time and attention is often not given to the recruitment process. “If they split that time, something gives,” she observed, referring to multitaskers who ultimately have too much on their plates. “When they go outside and come to a company like ours, they know that we have an understanding of who the company is and who the candidates are, and who will not only technically and project-wise fit, but also culturally fit.” eRichards Consulting mostly screens IT professionals for senior and managerial roles, although occasionally there is a call to fill mid-level and associate level positions. Gebbia begins the process with a rudimentary initial screening via telephone, where she uses the conversation for “teasing out a personality and technical skills” from the applicants. “It is a process of listening and asking the right questions,” she said. Gebbia observed that many IT professionals seeking positions meet with disappointment by going through an online portal that supposedly channels applications directly to

a company. She referred to those types of sites as a “black hole” and warned that few applicants are even acknowledged by going that route. “When you see a job that you like on a portal, look around to see if it is posted with a company like mine or go onto LinkedIn and see who you might know or see who the senior management or HR management is and directly reach out to them, and form a relationship there,” she said. “Because it is really a relationship that gets you your next job.” Gebbia acknowledged that she has worked with female applicants who approach the job market by seeking salaries below their level of expertise and experience. “More times than not, women who have the same qualifications and the same number of years are asking for less, easily by 10 to 15 percent, than the male in that role,” she lamented. “I often find myself coaching women. We’re just so trained to think about less.” One human resources trend that Gebbia has avoided is snooping through applicants’ social media websites in search of potentially embarrassing behavior. To date, there has been no need for such digital detective work. “We’ve been really, really fortunate,” she stated. “In 19 years, maybe we had three people that we placed asked to leave their role.”

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SUITE TALK

erence Floyd is vice president and community relations consultant at Wells Fargo Bank in Meriden and president of the Connecticut Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA), a position he was elected to in October 2018 for a twoyear term. In this edition of Suite Talk, Business Journal reporter Phil Hall met with Floyd to discuss the state of Connecticut’s mortgage profession.

Do you see a lot of younger people in Connecticut coming into the mortgage profession?

“I’d say yes and no. We created something called the Future Leaders Association, a subset of the CMBA, and that group is tasked with finding younger people who work for the company members and saying, ‘Have them come to some of the networking, educational, developmental functions. It can give them something that can help keep them employed at your firm.’ “It is a huge problem, not just in Connecticut, but nationwide. Especially on the sales side, where originators are averaging 54 years old. If you start now — 22, 23, 24 years old — and by the time you are 30 and you work hard and really enjoy it, you can make a really good living.”

What is keeping the younger generation from wanting to pursue this line of work?

“When we try to teach the young people what their careers could be, we don’t think of mortgage sales as a career. I think it is just a lack of information. We tell them to work for an insurance company or something that could be considered stable. We’ve seen a lot in the mortgage field in the last 20 years — it fluctuates — and most mortgage companies do not pay a salary. If you start, you might get a stipend for a few months to feed yourself, but at some point you are a straight-commission employee.

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Terence Floyd says Latino population offers growth opportunities “At 23, 24 or 25, the thought of ‘I’m going to bust my butt and work and six months from now I may not be making a lot of money’ is not something that a lot of young adults want to do. I get it, but at the time you’re 30 you can be in six figures, and where else at the age of 30 can you earn six figures? “But this is not easy work — it’s not for everybody. However, if someone wants to make a good living, especially on the sales side, the business is still strong and people are still lending.”

Mortgage bankers suffered from a bad reputation during the 2008 economic crisis and for several years after. Is that stigma still there? And if so, can it be corrected?

“Our government’s done a lot to correct that. One of the things the DoddFrank Act did was streamline things and gave us standardization across the industry. It brought in certifications — back in 20042006, people would come to me saying they heard they could make a lot of money doing mortgages. I asked them what they did and they would say, ‘Oh, I teach yoga.’ And that was what was happening and it put a negative slant on the entire business. While some of us were working hard, following the rules and doing the right things, a lot of people weren’t.”

Are you seeing more Connecticut millennials aspiring to become homeowners?

“I wouldn’t say there is a large rush. One of the problems with younger adults is student loan debt — it is huge and it is hard at 25 when you have $100,000 in

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student loan debt that you have to start paying back to go out and buy a house. “There are some — their families planned well, their student loan debt is low or they went into the military instead of college, and everybody is trying to grab that pocket of people. The real growth is in the Latino homeownership population — that is the growth over the next few years. That is the fastest-growing population in the country and they’re buying houses. Every entity has to be ready to figure out a way to address that population. With some, English isn’t their primary language, so do you have Spanish-speaking originators, processors, underwriters or staff to meet their needs?”

Community banks and credit unions pride themselves on offering excellent customer service. What is the level of customer service like in today’s mortgage industry?

What can be done to increase homeownership within the African-American community?

“I don’t know. That has been a personal thing of mine for 20 years. Before the crisis hit, we were very close to 50 percent, which is still well below the national homeownership rate. “I wish I knew the answer to that. I know a number of large lenders have initiatives that are targeting people of color. But everywhere I go and with everyone I talk to, it’s about how we can level that playing field. Unfortunately, we still have some racism — not only in Connecticut, but around the country — and there will always be people out there who think ‘those people’ don’t deserve it. I think it will always be there. But there will be organizations like the CMBA and the national Mortgage Bankers Association that will say, ‘Not so fast. Here are some

it — you’ll help yourself out with this thing called mortgage insurance. But if you don’t, it’s not a barrier. We have FHA and just about every bank has some sort of portfolio program that they can offer a first-time homebuyer that’s a 3 percent or 3.5 percent down — some have no mortgage insurance, some do. “But as a consumer, you have to do your homework and comparison shop. I did a lot of years on the sales side and I would tell people, ‘Shop me last because I have the best deals.’ And you have to see who gives you the best deals and the best service, because any institution can give you a great rate. But you want a loan officer who is knowledgeable, especially with first-time homebuyers.”

Terence Floyd

great programs that our members have that you can benefit from.’”

There have been several financial industry surveys recently that found many borrowers are confused over down payment information, with people believing you will be shut out of the process if you cannot put 20 percent down. Is it incumbent on the lender to educate borrowers on down payments, or is it the

borrower’s responsibility to know the answers before making the mortgage application?

“I think the banks and mortgage companies and the mortgage brokers who want that business have a responsibility to get the word out. The nonprofits do a great job of advertising down payment and first-time borrower assistance programs. Yes, you can put 20 percent and it’s not a bad idea if you have

“The institution has a lot to do with it — and you have to ask about the culture of the institution. While we cannot throw out a member from the CMBA if we find out they are doing poor customer service, there are some things we can do if there are problems. We can sit down with them and say, ‘Look, you are a reflection of the industry and a member of the CMBA. We have resources we can offer to help you. Let’s work together and improve some of the areas.’ “But it is also about the person. Does the person care? I worked with people who were brokers and had their own broker shop but couldn’t survive for whatever reasons, left, went to national banks and did phenomenal jobs. The conventional wisdom was, ‘Oh, if you worked for a broker, you couldn’t go and originate for a bank.’ Yes, they could — if they have the right attitude.”

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Luxury Rentals — From page 1

options.” Hirsch said it was in 2011, after the market had stabilized from the bursting of the housing bubble, “… but had not yet recovered, my partner Jim Lash and I along with my wife Diane decided it was an opportune time to significantly expand our portfolio and go into long-term housing.” Lash provided expertise about the other side of the New York-Connecticut border, having served as Greenwich’s first selectman from 2003 through 2007. “Most landlords of single-family homes in Greenwich and in prime Westchester communities are what we call ‘accidental landlords,’ ” Hirsch said. They moved and had a house they didn’t want to sell so they offered it for rent. “They really weren’t in the business of bringing in clients and taking care of them, of maintaining the home and offering longterm rental options for multiple years.” Elk Homes’ portfolio of luxury rental houses

Of�ice Leasing — From page 1

93,899-square-foot transaction at 201 Merritt 7 in Norwalk in the third quarter — as “the big deals that drove the market.” The first quarter seemed a bit sleepy outside of the WWE and Diageo leases, with Guidepost magazine’s 21,121-square-foot renewal at 39 Old Ridgebury Road in Danbury coming in as the third-largest transaction of the period, followed by Charter’s 18,391-square-foot sublease at 400 Atlantic St. in Stamford as the fourth-largest and Ventus Networks’ 17,266-squarefoot renewal at 10 Norden Place in Norwalk as the fifth-largest. Adding to the lopsided

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consists of 39 properties in Westchester and 14 in Connecticut. Examples include a 5,600-squarefoot, six-bedroom house with five full baths on Palmer Terrace in Riverside, Connecticut; a 5,500-square-foot, seven-bedroom, five-bathroom house on Dandy Lane in Cos Cob, Connecticut; and a 7,024-square-foot, seven-bedroom, six-bathroom house on Fox Meadow Lane in Scarsdale. There are numerous smaller houses, such as one with 2,464 square feet on Iselin Terrace in Larchmont, which has four bedrooms and two full baths. “The tenants in our single-family homes are probably 70 percent, 80 percent relocating executives who are going to be here between two and four years,” Hirsch said. “It doesn’t matter how nice you are. They’re going to leave at the end of their contract or their arrangements with their employers. And they come from all over the world.” Hirsch begins seeking new tenants between 60 and 90 days before lease expiration. With its success in the house rental field, Elk

state of the office market was the dominance of the Greenwich and Stamford CBD zones, which accounted for 73.7 percent of the first quarter’s leasing activity despite hosting only 30.3 percent of the county’s office market inventory. CBRE determined that Fairfield County posted nearly 912,000 square feet in negative net absorption in the first quarter, which was primarily attributed to the removal or repurposing of older building stock. “The suburban stock is rightsizing, for lack of a better word,” observed Pajolek, noting the recent announcements of the conversion of the old United Healthcare building in Trumbull into a senior living complex and the former Union Carbide headquarters in Danbury into

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The open floor plan in one of Elk’s fully furnished homes in Greenwich.

Homes tested the market for apartments with a strategy of constructing small infill buildings in Irvington, Mamaroneck and Rye. Elk’s Harbor Court at 108 Mamaroneck Ave. in Mamaroneck has six units while Marina Court at 422 Boston Post Road, also in Mamaroneck, has 13 units. It has under construction Colonial Court, a 16-unit luxury building at 8 Boulevard

West in Pelham. “Generally, the apartment sizes range up to 2,500 square feet,” Hirsch said. “They all come with very high-end appliances and high-end finishes, tall ceilings, beautiful windows and also great locations. They’re right near the train station, the shopping district, the movie theater.” Hirsch plans to have a model apartment ready

for showing at the Pelham project in May and expects the building to be opened during the summer. “Even though it’s a small building, we’ll have a full fitness center. We’ll have a rooftop amenity that will have a view of the New York City skyline. We’ll have a pet spa. We’ll have bike racks, electric car chargers,” he said. Elk Homes’ rents range from about $4,000 a month

for an apartment up to about $20,000 a month for a large house. Hirsch discussed the fact that up to 25 percent of the energy consumed in a house typically goes to heating hot water. “In all of our houses for the last few years, and in our apartments, we’ve gone to tankless water heaters, which is an on-demand system. It’s a significant incremental cost to do that,” he said. Elk’s properties use higher R-value insulation to reduce overall energy demand, energy-efficient windows and appliances and, in the newer buildings, green roofs to capture storm water. Elk Homes plans to confine its operations to Westchester and Fairfield. Hirsch said, “Do we want to go across the river to New Jersey? Do we want to cross the bridge and go to Long Island? There are many great communities where we could bring the level of service and quality that we have and, I think, do well. We’re going to probably continue to stay focused on our prime markets where we have the greatest knowledge and experience.”

a mixed-use development. Within the last three years, roughly 4.3 percent of the county’s office market has been converted into other property usage. As for the non-CBD zone office markets in Fairfield County, Pajolek acknowledged that things are “very quiet,” with properties in those localities appearing to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, at least in terms of leasing trends. “Companies want to urbanize and be within transit-oriented development with access to labor from New York,” he said, adding that Stamford’s aggressive focus on developing apartment complexes has helped to complement the city’s increased leadership position in the office market. 677 Washington Blvd. in Stamford.

Realtors react to lawsuit: ‘commissions are negotiable’ BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

he White Plains-based Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR), along with real estate professionals in Connecticut, emphasized the value of a multiple listing service (MLS) and the integrity of real estate colleagues when asked by the Business Journal about a class-action lawsuit, which alleges impropriety in setting real estate commissions and operating the property listing services. The lawsuit, filed in March in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, charges that rules established by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) regarding MLS operations are anti-competitive. Six law firms submitted the lawsuit, including Seattlebased Hagens Berman, a firm which specializes in class-action litigation and says it has achieved more than $260 billion in settlements in lawsuits against big banks, automakers and technology corporations such as Apple. HGAR was not named in the lawsuit and its MLS was not mentioned. HGAR’s MLS has been growing to include data for Long Island and parts of New York City as well as Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Rockland and Dutchess counties. The lawsuit named as defendants NAR and the four largest national real estate brokerage franchisors. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy requiring home sellers, rather than buyers, to pay the broker representing the buyer of their homes and to pay inflated commissions. It also challenges what it says is the NAR rule that requires all brokers to make a blanket, nonnegotiable offer of buyer broker compensation when listing a property on an MLS. Among those named as defendants along with NAR were: Realogy Holdings Corp., headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, which

Richard Haggerty

owns, operates and franchises such well-known brokerage names as Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International and ERA Real Estate; HomeServices of America, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, which is an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway and owns, operates and franchises firms, including HomeServices, Prudential Real Estate and Edina Realty; RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Denver; and Keller Williams Realty, Inc., headquartered in Austin. The lawsuit also named 20 MLSs in several states. The lawsuit contends that total broker compensation in the U.S. has been five to six percent of a home’s selling price with about half of the amount paid to someone representing the buyer. It claims that the alleged conspiracy has kept buyer brokers’ commissions artificially high. It questions why a buyer broker receives a commission on a million-dollar home, which is four times the commission received on the sale of a $250,000 home when the buyer broker’s costs are similar regardless of the price of the home. Richard Haggerty, CEO of HGAR and the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service, said, “The service the MLS provides to the consumer is the antithesis to anti-competitive behavior. We take antitrust issues very seriously and continually educate our membership as

Ryan Raveis. Photo by Kyle Norton.

to the severe consequences if members engage in any anti-competitive or antitrust behavior.” He was unequivocal in characterizing HGAR’s MLS. “Our MLS does not engage in any anti-competitive or antitrust practices. In fact, a MLS does not inhibit competition but rather increases it and provides the consumer and the industry with the necessary information to make a knowledgeable decision when buying, selling or leasing real estate,” Haggerty said. Quintin Simmons, a vice president of NAR at its Chicago headquarters, said, “The complaint is baseless and contains an abundance of false claims.” He said previous court cases have found that MLS operations “…are pro-competitive and benefit consumers by creating great efficiencies.” Haggerty underscored that an MLS is not involved in the negotiation of commissions between real estate licensees and their clients. “A MLS in no way restricts the negotiation of commissions,” he said. “To the contrary, MLS rules and NAR’s ethics rules explicitly state that commissions are negotiable.” Ryan Raveis, co-president of William Raveis, Inc., headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, who also is president of William Raveis Mortgage, told the Business Journal, “The MLS systems have served a critical role to the home buying and selling

process, which has positively impacted accessibility to homes and created an efficient market.” The William Raveis organization has 134 offices in nine states. Ryan Raveis said, “The lawsuit is misguided, claiming that buyer’s agent commissions aren’t subject to negotiation…the commis-

sion offered to the buyer’s broker is determined by the seller — not by the MLS. It can be a percentage of the purchase price or a fixed amount. And, contrary to what the class-action law firms allege, the commission is subject to negotiation.” Raveis added that the buyer brokers continue “…to play a critical role in bringing deals together, as well as guiding customers through a complex and infrequent transaction.” Elaine Barksdale of Barksdale Realty in New Milford, Connecticut, has been a real estate agent for more than 30 years serving clients in Fairfield as well as Litchfield counties. “Commissions are 100 percent negotiable,” she said bluntly. “There’s nobody I’m working with that will do what I call price fixing.” Barksdale said her experience has been that real

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estate professionals are absolutely ethical. “We truly do operate like we are trying to make something happen to the satisfaction of buyers and sellers.” The principal plaintiff in the lawsuit is Christopher Moehrl, a resident of Shorewood, Minnesota. In November 2017, he sold his home and was represented by a RE/MAX franchisee. The buyer was represented by a Keller Williams franchisee. Moehrl’s property had been listed on a local MLS. He paid a total commission of 6 percent, with 2.7 percent going to Keller Williams. In addition to Moehrl, the lawsuit identifies the class of plaintiffs as all the home sellers who in the last four years paid a broker commission in connection with the sale of residential real estate, which had been listed on any of the MLSs named in the complaint.

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Craft brewers wary of legislation that could hurt their businesses BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

onnecticut has seen a huge uptick over the past couple of years in the number of craft breweries it has licensed. But while that may be good news for brewers and discerning imbibers alike, it has also caught the attention of the major distributors, which in turn has birthed some legislation that could have a chilling effect on the small beer business — and not in a positive way. Introduced by Rep. Brandon McGee (D, Windsor and Hartford), HB 6658 would have prohibited craft breweries from selling beer in their taprooms; to self-distribute to retailers, restaurants and liquor stores; and to hold a manufacturer permit. Within days of introducing the bill — and an outcry from brewers and members of the public — McGee, a candidate for Hartford mayor, withdrew it. “I didn’t realize so many people were so passionate about beer,” he said after rescinding the bill. Another bill — SB 742, introduced by Sen. Douglas McCrory (D, Hartford, Bloomfield and Windsor) —

would have required breweries to choose between off-premise or on-premise sale and consumption. Facing similar pressure, McCrory has also pulled his bill from consideration. “It isn’t hard to guess who was behind those bills,” said Mark Szamatulski, co-owner with wife Tess of Veracious Brewing Co. at 246 Main St. in Monroe. “All you have to do is look at who the top contributors were to (McGee’s) campaign.” During their 2018 campaigns — McCrory ran unopposed — the two men received contributions from executives at Levine Distributing Co., an Anheuser-Busch InBev wholesaler in Norwich; F&F Distributors in New London; Star Distributors in West Haven; and G&G Beverage Distributors in Wallingford. McGee also received financial support from the Connecticut Beer Wholesalers Association. While each of those donations were in the $50$250 range, P. Scott Vallely, owner and brewmaster at Charter Oak Brewing at 39B Shelter Rock Road in Danbury, said he was “disappointed” in the two bills’ arrival, and expressed concern that they will be revived in the future. “I think it will come up

again,” he said. “We’ve got the big guys’ attention now. And if they want to, they can squish us like bugs.” Vallely is of the opinion that the bills being pulled “was down to bad PR more than anything else.” Ryan Broderick, co-owner of Reverie Brewing Co. at 57B Church Hill Road in Newtown, said he took heart from the immediate response he got from state legislators Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan (D), Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R) and Sen. Tony Hwang (R), all of whom represent Newtown and all of whom replied within a few days via email to assure him they would fight against such measures. “The idea that we wouldn’t be able to sell in the taproom would have been disastrous,” said Broderick, whose brewery opened in late February. “Almost all of our sales are on-site. We’d like to get into canning down the road, but we’re not there yet.” Szamatulski was particularly outspoken about the bills, encouraging customers on his website to sign petitions and directly contact their lawmakers. “I put $600,000 into this business,” he said. “I was planning to add a patio out front, add another room in back. But if they want to start changing the

rules, after I spent the time to put in this equipment and build this business to the point where we’re finally starting to make a profit, it just doesn’t make sense.” Veracious opened in 2015, but Szamatulski said if he knew then what he knows now, he may never have bothered. “Connecticut is not a good place to do business right now,” he said. “None of us make the rules and if they can just keep shifting them around to benefit the bigger guys, where does that leave us?” The latest data from the national trade group The Brewer Association, which works on behalf of independent breweries, counts 84 craft breweries in Connecticut — up from 49 in 2016, when craft beer sales contributed $718 million to the state’s economy (the latest figures available), and significantly larger than the 15 that were in operation before that. Until the state Legislature amended its liquor laws in 2012, breweries could only supply tastings and needed to have a liquor license even if they were only selling beer. According to the Connecticut Brewers Guild (CBG), the state’s craft breweries produce over 166,000 barrels of beer a

year. Connecticut ranks 29th in total number of breweries, 26th in breweries per capita (per 100,000 adults age 21 and over), 29th in beer production, 28th in economic impact and 27th in the excise tax rate — but sits at the bottom of the list for direct-to-consumer sales. In Fairfield County, in addition to the aforementioned establishments, craft breweries have opened in Bethel, Bridgeport, Redding, Ridgefield, Sherman, Stamford and Stratford. Another 15 are in various stages of construction, with Asylum Brewing Co. likely to open in Newtown’s Fairfield Hills this year. The craft brewers maintain they are not trying to compete with liquor stores — “We’re trying to get our product in their stores and not just rely on taproom sales,” Vallely said — or restaurants. “That’s why we’re only open a few days a week, and only for a few hours on those days,” Szamatulski said, noting that most craft brewers don’t have kitchens, relying instead on food trucks or delivery by local restaurants. Not all the beer-related legislation has been negative for craft breweries. HB 7184, which has the endorse-

ment of both the CBG and the Connecticut Beer Wholesalers Association, would increase the limit on how much beer a customer could take home — from nine liters (roughly 2.4 gallons) per person to nine gallons, or the equivalent of three cases of 16-ounce cans. The CBG had been pushing for no limits — like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine have — but settled on the increase as a compromise with the wholesalers. “You can go down the street to a liquor store and buy 20 cases of Bud Light if you want to,” Broderick said. “But this is better than what it was.” Not only do Connecticut breweries lose sales, but the state loses taxes, “because we are forced to tell our customers they legally can’t buy more, and collectively lose revenue to out-of-state breweries every week,” said CBG Executive Director Phil Pappas. “The added benefits of increasing direct-to-consumer sales limits will only continue to add to the massive economic impact that our industry has on our state, allow our breweries to reinvest in our businesses, create more jobs, increase our total production and simply sell more of our product.”

WCHN, Health Quest Systems merger approved; entity will be called Nuvance Health BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

hirteen months after formally agreeing to merge, Health Quest Systems and Western Connecticut Health Network (WCHN) have received the required federal and state (New York and Connecticut) regulatory approvals to form

APRIL 15, 2019

a new nonprofit health system, Nuvance Health. The new system will serve 1.5 million residents across New York’s Hudson Valley and western Connecticut, and be comprised of seven hospitals: Health Quest’s Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck; Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel; Sharon Hospital in Sharon,

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Connecticut; and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, and WCHN’s hospitals in New Milford, Danbury and Norwalk. Other affiliates include Health Quest Medical Practice, The Thompson House, Health Quest Urgent Care, Hudson Valley Cardiovascular Practice P.C, also known as The Heart Center, Western Connecticut

Medical Group and Western Connecticut Home Care. Nuvance will consist of more than 2,600 physicians and 12,000 employees. Projected annual revenue of the system is $2.4 billion. WCHN President and CEO John Murphy will serve as Nuvance’s CEO while Health Quest President and CEO Robert Friedberg will be its president. The new

organization’s board of directors includes eight members nominated by Health Quest and eight by WCHN. The executives said the benefits of combining and creating the new health system include greater breadth of services, such as more specialty physicians and population health programs. Additional expected benefits include the use of data ana-

lytics to enhance quality and safety and improve health outcomes as well as growing medical education and learning. Nuvance Health will replace the legacy health network names Health Quest and WCHN. The organization will reveal a new logo and other brand marks in the coming weeks and months.

FACES & PLACES

Badass Women Fairfield County recognizes honorees

ix 2019 Badass Women Fairfield County honorees were recognized at The J House on April 2 as 100 people were in attendance. They included Laurie Stefanowicz of Catamount Wealth Management, Kim Nichols of NicholsMD Dermatology, Maureen Clark Newlove of noble salon, Rabbi Deb Salomon of Hebrew Wizards, Alessandra Messineo Long of The Law Offices of Alessandra Messineo Long and Layla Lisiewski of The Local Mom’s Network. Proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to Girls With Impact. The event raised $7,000. Badass Women Fairfield County, a new professional women’s association, was founded by Mia Schipani, owner of Schipani PR, to recognize entrepreneurial women and to teach girls entrepreneurship skills. For more information, visit schipanipr.com/badasswomen. Its 2019 fund-raising goal is $50,000 that will support 100 teenage girls’ participation in Girls With Impact’s six-week entrepreneurial program.

Mia Schipani of Schipani PR; Lucinda Cross of Active Worldwide; and Jennifer Openshaw of Girls With Impact.

From top left: Alessandra Messineo Long; Kim Nichols, Laurie Stefanowicz, Layla Alessandra Messineo Long of The Law Offices of Alessandra Messineo Long; Lisiewski, Maureen Clark Newlove and Rabbi Deb Salomon. and Amy Andrews of Hilton Interiors.

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What's the future of residential and commercial real estate in Fairfield and Westchester County — and how do you make money?

April 30 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. C.V. Rich Mansion, White Plains For more, visit westfaironline.com/events

Learn from our experts

From left: Louise Phillips Forbes, Halstead Manhattan; John S. Traynor, People’s United Advisors; HaNa Park, Vice President at Starwood Capital; Clay Fowler, Spinnaker Real Estate Partners; and Chris Halliburton, Compass. For event information, contact: Tracey Vitale at tvitale@westfairinc.com. For sponsorship inquiries, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545.

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ASK ANDI Special rules for family? MY SISTER IS FAMILY, BUT SHE IS ALSO AN EMPLOYEE. AND SHE COMES AND GOES WHEN SHE WANTS. WHEN SHE’S HERE, SHE DOES A GOOD JOB. BUT IT’S THE EXAMPLE I’M WORRIED ABOUT. EVERYONE ELSE HERE HAS TO ARRIVE ON TIME AND STAY TO THE END OF THE DAY. IF THEY’RE CONSTANTLY LATE, IF THEY DISAPPEAR DURING THE DAY OR IF THEY LEAVE EARLY, THEY END UP ON PROBATION, AND IF IT KEEPS UP THEY LOSE THEIR JOB. NO ONE IN THE FAMILY SEEMS TO WANT TO DEAL WITH MY SISTER’S WORK HABITS. SEEMS TO ME THE FAMILY SHOULD BE LIVING UP TO A HIGHER STANDARD. YOUR THOUGHTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: Figure out your sister’s contribution. Hold a family meeting and set work rules. Define what happens if family members take advantage. Clarify reporting lines. Building equity into work rules when it comes to family members will help with employee respect, retention and long-term satisfaction. Is your sister’s job properly classified? Is she hourly

or exempt, fulltime or parttime? Is her pay scale appropriate for her job? Often exemptions are allowed to level the playing field. For example, someone makes a greater contribution than their job classification and pay scale. To “make things right,” instead of adjusting the job or pay scale, someone decided to tolerate extra paid time off. Should your sister be

working parttime? She may have agreed to a part-time schedule and then become valuable enough that she gets asked to work more hours. It may be that the hours she’s working exceed what she thinks is fair, and so she takes off when she maxes out the hours she’s willing to work. Another possibility is that the job she’s doing requires her to be out of the office during the day, for example, in sales, customer support or field operations. Or she has a job that she can do from home and has taken the liberty of setting things up to do just that. So she’s actually working, just not where anyone can see her. Ask your sister for the facts about what’s going on. Is she working when she’s

not in the office? Is she taking time off because she prefers to work parttime? How does she report her hours and report on the work she does? Or is she milking the system? Ask family members to convene a board meeting to discuss work rules. When are employees allowed to work from home? How should employees report in when they’re out in the field? What’s the difference between classifying employees as parttime versus fulltime? Ask the family to propose and vote on rules about what to do if a family member steps out of line. Under what conditions are they asked to leave the company? What kind of warning do they get? Who in the family steps in as discipli-

narian – or is there a governance council that meets with the person? Everyone in the family should report to someone. Figure out who your sister’s position logically reports to. Make certain her “boss” knows it’s OK to manage issues of work hours, responsibilities and reporting in. If there’s a problem make sure your sister’s boss knows who in the family to go to for advice. Help your sister to view the other side of the coin. What do employees see regarding her behavior? What kinds of problems do exceptions create when it comes to retaining and attracting other good employees who value fairness and equity? What will the family tolerate going forward?

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BOOK RECOMMENDATION: “Human Resources in the Family Business, Maximizing the Power of Your People,” by David Ransburg, Wendy SageHayward and Amy Schuman. Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., StrategyLeaders.com, a business-consulting firm that teaches companies how to double revenue and triple profits in repetitive growth cycles. Have a question for AskAndi? Wondering how Strategy Leaders can help your business thrive? Call or email for a free consultation and diagnostics: 877-238-3535 or AskAndi@StrategyLeaders. com. Check out our library of business advice articles at AskAndi.com.

APRIL 15, 2019

DAILYVOICEPLUS.COM

WEÊ¼ve SPREAD OUR WINGS

Now, the complete local picture

APRIL 15, 2019

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Women in business event covers fashion, ﬁnance and more BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

videh Safaei, an executive director and financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities, told the attendees at the Outstanding Women in Business event held at The Castle Hotel & Spa in Tarrytown on April 4 there’s a need for women to be proactive and make sure they’re financially positioned to cope with any eventuality. Presented by Westfair Communications, publisher of the Westchester County Business Journal, Fairfield

County Business Journal and WAG magazine, the underlying theme for the gathering was that being a woman who has achieved success in business does not automatically insulate that person from the everyday issues of women’s health, wealth and well-being. “We’ve been in a very long period of slow growth in the economy and trending downward from here,” she said. Safaei had some general advice for those in the audience. “It may be a good time to take a little risk off the table. Cut back some of your profits in some of the stocks you have that may be

a little more aggressive and reinvest in things that are a little bit less aggressive, whether that means having a good mix of different asset classes like fixed-income in the portfolio that has more downside protection, or even some other stocks that have a lower-risk profile.” Safaei said, “History has shown that markets work in cycles, usually five-year cycles, and we’ve exceeded that this time. So, if you are invested appropriately with some downside protection in the portfolio, less aggressive, you’ve been shown that you will be rewarded for it, so don’t panic. Sell every-

Marria Pooya

Avideh Safaei

Hannie Sio-Stellakis

Katherine Vadasdi

thing and then try to get back in when the market goes up: it just never works. That’s what you feel like you want to do, but that’s not what you should do. You kind of sit tight, weather the storm, but do definitely make sure your portfolio has a little bit of safety in it.” Another speaker was Marria Pooya, managing partner of Greenwich Medical Spa. Started in 2005, the medical spa includes locations in Westport and Greenwich, Connecticut, and Scarsdale, New York. There are 23 staff members providing treatments, including CoolSculpting, Botox and fill-

ers. “I wanted a business that helped empower women,” Pooya said. “I wanted to be the best med spa in the area by giving the best quality of care, the best customer service and to be completely honest and transparent with patients.” In addition to the medical spa locations, Greenwich Medical Spa has developed a line of skincare products, ArieedMD. Pooya said there are three things anyone concerned with antiaging should be using. “Sunscreen is the No. 1 antiaging product that’s out there. You should not leave home even in the winter without sun-

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screen. No. 2 is vitamin C.” She said vitamin C helps the body deal with free radicals created by sun exposure, pollution and even stress. “Finally, a retinoid or Retin-A (a form of vitamin A) because that helps with fine lines and wrinkles. It helps build collagen as well as thicken your skin and shrink your pores.” Katherine Vadasdi, M.D., director of the ONS Women’s Sports Medicine Center, gave a presentation about injury prevention, including weakness and brittleness of bones due to osteoporosis. She said posture often is » WOMEN

APRIL 15, 2019

Outstanding Women in Business

WOMEN — From page 13

overlooked as a contributing factor to back and neck pain. “For a lot of women taking care of others, taking care of babies, we’re in a hunch position. We’re on our phones, we’re on our computers.” Vadasdi said she sees a lot of knee pain and injury. “A lot of women come in and say they have knee pain and I tell them to go strengthen their hips,” she said. “Every decade you kind of have to reevaluate the activities you love to do, what injuries you’ve had and how you need to modify it a little bit so you can continue to do everything you want to do but do it safely,” Vadasdi said, emphasizing that people can’t do the exact same things at age 50 as they were doing at age 20. “Our bodies just can’t handle that without making some adjustments.”

Hannie Sio-Stellakis, public relations manager for Neiman Marcus Westchester, talked about fashion and reported that one of the major themes the store is incorporating into its spring fashions is “the hopeless romantic,” which involves embracing the feminine side. “You’ll see a lot of ruffles, a lot of florals,” she said. Another theme, “free spirit,” has its roots in the ’70s. “It also embraces a lot of textural elements. A lot of designers are incorporating a lot of tribal hues, a lot of cultural patterns into a lot of the garments,” according to Sio-Stellakis. Another lifestyle theme is “colorful personality.” She said while black and white is popular among businesswomen in New York, the “colorful personality” theme introduces blocks of bright colors. “ ‘Urban sophisticate’ is one of my favorite trends, and it probably relates to about

Lauren Rones-Payne, Millie Becker and Janette Licastrino

Maria Valente and Sylvia Spitalnick

Lesley Stern and Dawn Knief

Lisa Black and Sheryl Sanford

APRIL 15, 2019

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Outstanding Women in Business 90 percent of the women in this room and it really ranges from sort of great suiting, tailored blazers, to power jumpsuits. Jumpsuits are having a resurgence and we can’t keep them in the store,” she said. Sio-Stellakis noted that in addition to showcasing the latest fashions designed to appeal to women in business, Neiman Marcus has been embracing technology, especially when it comes to online shopping. “People who do shop online can sign up for our new digital stylist program, which we’ve recently launched,” she said. “They can actually share their shopping carts and identify an associate in the store, in the White Plains store, and they can chat with them and then come in and they can help you with your transactions and purchases.” Dominica Valenti of Lafayette 148 New York, the New York-based women’s fashion brand named after

the address in SoHo where it was founded, narrated a fashion show featuring some of the new items for spring. Pamela S. Pagnani, vice president/brokerage manager of Sotheby’s International Realty in Greenwich, was the moderator of the question and answer portion of the program. The Castle Hotel & Spa was the partnering sponsor for Outstanding Women in Business. The Bronze sponsors were: J.P. Morgan; Neiman Marcus; Masterpiece Accounting Services; Greenwich Medical Spa; ONS Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists; and MYX Fitness. Supporters were: Rajni Meno; Gilda Bonanno LLC; The Kensington; Canyon Ranch; The Bristal Assisted Living; Le Caprice Paris; Professional Women of Westchester; Courtyard Traver; Women’s Enterprise Development Center; Medi Tresse; and Blossom Flower Shops.

Jennifer Miller and Megan Lucas

Sarah Binderberger and Brittany Lynch

Keren Lai and Lillya Kulinska

Hannah Gerety and Christina Rae All photos by Bob Rozycki.

Masterpiece Accounting Services April 15th and After The ultimate goal of a company that wants to become or remain profitable is to generate value for the owners. This value cannot be accomplished without the satisfaction of customers, efficient operations and having the infrastructure necessary to accomplish all of these activities. Having in place an internal accounting system is an important component of a firm’s information system, but just one portion of the complexity of the financial and business management of a company. Looking at the entire picture of the business and understanding the interconnectedness of each one requires a great level of knowledge, experience and a team of professionals who work together toward the achievement of the organization’s goals. We are more than just an accounting firm; we are Business Consultants and your CFO Advisory Board who are interested in partnering with you to provide the support you need for your business to succeed. Our focus is to tailor a plan of action for small to mid-sized companies who are looking for a comprehensive design of operations and financial management. From setting up your accounting system to managing your accounting department and helping you navigate through the complexity of the taxation world; we are here to help you. At Masterpiece Accounting, our mission is to consistently assist in the transformation of small businesses by delivering peace of mind while eliminating the constant tension and worry built-in with the ownership and management of the operations and finances of a business. Our services encompass everything that a business needs, General Business Consulting, Controllership/Management Advisory Services, Tax Planning, Individual and Business Tax Preparation, QuickBooks Setup and Training, Accounting, Sales Tax Preparation, Entity Selection and Incorporation, and more. www.masterpieceaccounting.com | 914-752-3632

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APRIL 15, 2019

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE On Thursday, May 16 Westfair Communications, in partnership with Greystone on Hudson and PIMCO, will honor the top 100 wealth advisors in our region at a celebratory reception and awards ceremony. This exclusive, invitation-only event, hosted in an elegantly designed grand estate with breathtaking views of the Hudson River, will draw the whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who in the financial industry. Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Greystone on Hudson

For event information, contact: Tracey Vitale at tvitale@westfairinc.com. For sponsorship inquiries, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545.

SPONSORED BY

APRIL 15, 2019

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FOCUS ON

EDUCATION FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Report finds Fairfield County’s independent universities have $5.58B impact on local economy BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

airfield County’s three independent schools of higher learning — Sacred Heart University, Fairfield University and the University of Bridgeport — contributed more than $5.58 billion in total economic impact to the local economy, according to a new report from the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges (CCIC) covering 2017. The CCIC report measured total economic impact in terms of direct spending by the schools and its employ-

ees, students, alumni and visitors, as well as induced economic impact from additional employment and expenditures of local business that resulted because of the direct spending. “The induced spending represents the sum of the multiplier effects that result when money is imported into a regional economy,” explained Mark Paul Gius, professor of economics at Quinnipiac University, who prepared the report for the CCIC. “Due to this imported money (direct spending), local businesses must hire additional workers who then must purchase more goods and services in the area.

These additional purchases of goods and services induce even greater increases in employment and additional increases in the local purchases of goods and services. The sum of all these rounds or cycles of spending is induced spending. The total economic impact is the sum of the direct and induced spending.” During 2017, the CCIC determined that Sacred Heart University generated a $2.35 billion total economic impact, through $1.4 billion in direct spending — which includes $99.4 million in direct spending by students — and $948 million in induced spending. The university was

credited with creating 17,121 jobs, with Connecticut being home to 26,078 of its alumni. The CCIC found Fairfield University generated a $1.97 billion total economic impact, through $1.18 billion in direct spending — which includes $44.6 million in direct spending by students — and $795 million in induced spending. The university was credited with creating 14,356 jobs, with Connecticut being home to 20,000 of its alumni. The report noted that the University of Bridgeport generated a $1.26 billion total economic impact, through $753 million in direct spending — which includes $66.9

A view of Sacred Heart University’s campus in Fairfield. Photo courtesy Sacred Heart University.

million in direct spending by students — and $507 million in induced spending. The university was credited with creating 9,157 jobs, with Connecticut being home to 18,074 of its alumni. The CCIC concluded that its 11 member institutions had a $33.2 billion econom-

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ic impact on Connecticut in 2017, with $20.4 billion in direct spending — including $739 million in direct spending by students — and $12.8 billion in induced spending. The CCIC member institutions were credited with creating 257,939 jobs, and 220,471 of its alumni live in Connecticut. APRIL 15, 2019

CONTRIBUTING WRITER | BY PAUL DOYLE

Sen. Murphy to NCAA: Pay college athletes U.S. SEN. CHRIS MURPHY

is an avowed sports fan, always eager to talk about his love for the Red Sox, Giants and UConn basketball. So his interest in the world of college athletics runs deeper than that of most politicians. Murphy has critiqued the NCAA and the business of college sports, but he was compelled to take action while watching Duke freshman sensation Zion Williamson fall to the floor when his Nike sneaker exploded soon after the start of a heralded game against North Carolina — a game that saw ticket prices rise to $4,000. Williamson sprained his knee and returned, but the idea that the freshman may have jeopardized his future basketball career during a high-profile and profitable “amateur” event served as a

springboard for Murphy. Murphy released the first in a series of reports that seek to expose the problems in college sports. Titled “Madness Inc.: How Everyone is Getting Rich Off College Sports — Except the Players,” the report ultimately calls for student-athletes to be paid. Citing statistics and revenue numbers, the report “seeks to shine a light on the size, scope and nature of the college sports industrial complex as well as examine the ways participating institutions move money around the student-athletes who provide the labor and their bodies for other people’s profits.” Murphy, a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, rolled out the report as the money-making NCAA

Tournament moved to the Sweet 16 round. “The NCAA is broken,” Murphy said in a statement. “I am a big college sports fan, but I think most fans recognize that the NCAA today isn’t acting in the best interest of many student-athletes. College basketball and football have become a multibillion dollar industry where everyone’s getting rich except the students actually doing the work. Frankly, it’s a civil rights issue that no one is talking about. That’s why I’m speaking out.” Murphy’s report critiques what he calls “The College Sports Industrial Complex.” Citing the Department of Education, the report says college sports programs generated $14 billion in total revenue last year — a $10 million increase from 2003. That’s more than every professional sport, with the exception of

the NFL. More numbers cited: $936 million in student aid goes to 45,000 athletes in so-called Power Five conferences, while $1.2 billion covered salaries for the 4,400 Power Five coaches. The report also touches on “lavish facilities” and lucrative deals with corporate sponsors and media partners. “Under the current system, students in bigtime athletic programs are shortchanged on their education as the college sports machine demands more of their time and more pressure to win,” Murphy said. “Meanwhile, coaches, universities, broadcasters and even shoe companies are raking in the cash and sending a relatively small percentage of the money to students in the form of scholarships. The NCAA needs to come up with a way

to compensate student-athletes, at least in the sports that demand the most time and make the most money. It’s an issue of fairness. It’s an issue of civil rights.” The solution? “The NCAA must start putting the players first — that starts with finding a way to fairly compensate them for their labor,” the report states in its conclusion. But it offers no specific roadmap or plan to implement change. Murphy, though, isn’t the only politician calling for an overhaul of the NCAA and there is growing support for compensating players from within the college sports industry. A federal judge in Oakland, California, ruled the NCAA violates antitrust law by capping education-related expenses. The NCAA is appealing the ruling, but there is

momentum toward changing the way college athletes are compensated. Future reports from Murphy will examine the nature of amateurism, how programs fail to provide a full education to student-athletes, the longterm health consequences college athletes face, and, ultimately, how to address issues within the college sports industry. “Is there an easy solution? No,” Murphy said. “But the NCAA has created a complicated system of sponsorship and broadcast rights by which lots of adults get rich. They can figure out a way to get a percentage of that money to the students who are kept poor by a system that is designed to make lots of people rich except for the kids.” Paul Doyle is a staff reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media.

MBA PROGRAMS Full-time / Part-time / Executive SPECIALIZED MASTERS Accounting (Online) Business Analytics & Project Management Financial Risk Management Human Resource Management

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grad.business.uconn.edu

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

In-state tuition for NY, NJ residents draws students to WestConn BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

here are signs of improvement at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) in Danbury these days. Not just in physical terms — represented by a multimillion-dollar renovation of its academic Higgins Hall now underway and a new campus police station that opened last year — but also in enrollment, a new branding initiative and, according to WCSU President John Clark, the overall atmosphere. “I look at what the university does for its students and the state and in both cases, we’re doing very well,” he said. “For students who want to become nurses, accountants, officers of the law or medical professionals, WCSU offers them a top education at an affordable price. And we are more engaged with our local communities than ever before, working with institutions and businesses to improve the cities and towns.” Following eight consecutive years of eroding enrollment, WestConn welcomed 919 freshmen last fall, a 10.5 percent increase over the fall of 2017. That was driven in part by the school’s successful outreach to students in New York and New Jersey, who under a program rolled out a few years ago by the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system, to which WestConn belongs, can pay in-state tuition rates. “We will always give preference to Connecticut residents,” Clark said, “but at the same time, Connecticut’s high school population is declining and that trend is expected to continue for nearly a decade. We expect next fall to show strong numbers as well.” The school had fewer than 200 students from New York and New Jersey three years ago, the president said, but “we now have about 600 students who see the value of a WCSU education that is still not far from their hometowns.” New York alone was the source of 344 students, a 30 percent increase over fall ’17. Per semester, in-state tuition at the school is $5,429.50, while for nonresidents it is $11,683.50. The school opened its $6.45 million, nearly 11,000-square-foot police station — almost five times the size of its previous facility — last May, and work is continuing on Higgins Hall, which Clark said “is being completely refreshed and reconfigured.” In addition to improving the builtin-1949 Higgins roof, plumbing and mechanicals, plans call for WestConn’s math, communications and foreign language departments to relocate there. “We’re replacing small, traditional

classrooms with several auditorium-type classrooms that can serve a few students or larger groups, so we will have more flexibility,” Clark said of the project, which will end up at 85,000 square feet at a cost of about $34.5 million. “The original Higgins was dark and worn out. The new version, which will open in the fall, is open and bright.” The school made news recently by renaming its Social Sciences Hall after Ebenezer Bassett, the first AfricanAmerican to graduate from what is now Central Connecticut State University and to serve as a U.S. diplomat. WestConn’s move marks the first time a public university in the state has named an academic building in honor of an African-American.

WCSU is in the process of naming its School of Visual and Performing Arts after African-American contralto Marian Anderson. Asked about CSCU’s proposed 5 percent tuition increase for students at its four regional universities, Clark said: “When I became president in 2016, I said that we would ensure that finances would not stand in the way of any student enrolling or staying at WCSU and I am committed to continuing that. Most of our students work, many are paying their own way and money is an issue. We support our students with grants and loans so they can stay in school. “The tuition increase will enable us to maintain and improve the high-quality

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education and service to our students. Like most of the region, we face the prospect of a declining high school population. That is why we started the New York/New Jersey initiative — to attract students into the state, instead of watching our population decline.”

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APRIL 15, 2019

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

University president Trombley promotes ‘The Bridgeport Plan’ BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

t seemed fitting that the 935-seat Mertens Theater at the University of Bridgeport was selected as the place for the April 6 ceremonial inauguration of Laura Skandera Trombley as the university’s 10th president, since the theater is the focal point for one of the new programs being promoted under Trombley’s administration. This fall the university begins offering a theater major, leading to a bachelor’s degree in the performing arts. The professionally equipped theater is where students enrolled in the new major are

Laura Skandera Trombley

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sure to be spending a lot of their time, both onstage and backstage. “It’s a tradition in higher education that would have the community come together and have an inauguration,” she told the Business Journal about the ceremonial happening. Trombley actually assumed the position as president last July 1. Trombley previously served as president of Pitzer College in Claremont, California. She was president of The Huntington Library, Arts Collections and Botanical Gardens, a research institution in San Marino, California, in 2013, President Barack Obama had appointed her to the J.

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William Fulbright Scholarship Board. She is an expert on Mark Twain and is a consultant to the Libra Foundation, a private foundation with $260 million in endowments, and the Harrington-Schiff Foundation, which supports nonprofits involved in health, the environment, arts and culture. “What we’ve started is a program called ‘The Bridgeport Plan,’ connecting education to a career that will give parents and students a much clearer sense of the kinds of opportunities that exist and the kinds of careers and salaries that they will have their choice of once they graduate,” Trombley said. One of the university’s greatest assets, Trombley said, is its location and the physical beauty of its campus overlooking Long Island Sound. “One of the projects that we’re currently starting is how can we best engage our unique location with an emphasis on sustainability and environment management because we have an urban field station that is located right between I-95 and the Long Island Sound,” she said. Trombley referred to a series of meetings she had with faculty members after she moved into the president’s office and a number of late-night meetings with students. “I heard from students about how faculty members have been wonderful mentors and educators and how they’ve truly transformed the student experience. Over the last few months, what I’ve been looking at very carefully is first portraying the institution to the public in a way that represents the excellence of what we do here.” One of the things being worked on as part of a strategic plan is to “create value and opportunities for our students each step of the way and to come up with a very clear pathway in terms of everything they can expect from their first year all the way to their senior year,” Trombley said. “Students are far more portable than they used to be. Transferring (from school to school) over the last 10 years has become much more commonplace than it was, say, when I went to college, where the norm was you would start and finish at the exact same location.” Trombley said the university expects to be announcing new educational programs and cultural events in the coming months. “We’re currently in conversations with the Bridgeport Symphony about making the University of Bridgeport their future home,” she said. Nursing professionals looking to expand their portfolios can look forward to the university adding offerings in cancer care and pain management. She said the university is planning to host a major national conference on opioids in the fall. Additional programs are being developed for graduate students in the fields of finance, robotics and education.

With tuitions rising, CSCU may still close schools to balance budget BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

lthough he said that “Tuition increases are always a last resort,” Mark Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system, announced another such increase, with an expected 2 percent increase at its community colleges joining a previously announced 5 percent increase at its four state universities. The increase at CSCU’s 12 community colleges — which include Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College and Norwalk Community College — is expected to be approved by the CSCU’s full Board of Regents on April 18, following a unanimous favorable vote by the board’s Finance Committee. The proposal also includes an increase in mandatory fees of $92 for full-time, in-state students. “Even despite the increase,” he said, “we anticipate drawing down on up to $20 million in university reserves.” Average tuition and fees at CSCU’s four state universities — Central Connecticut State in New Britain, Eastern Connecticut State in Willimantic, Southern Connecticut State in New Haven and Western Connecticut State in Danbury — will increase by $479, or 4.4 percent, for an in-state undergraduate commuter student and by $860, or 3.6 percent, for in-state residential students. Tuition for students at online Charter Oak State College will increase by 2.9 percent, while fees will increase by 4.2 percent. The tuition increases come as a result of the flat funding the schools are set

to receive under Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed budget. Even with the increases, the schools still face a budget deficit of $22.6 million. Ojakian and the CSCU are still hoping to receive approval for their “Students First” consolidation plan, introduced in April 2017. That plan, which would have merged the 12 community colleges into one Community College of Connecticut with 12 campuses by 2019, would save what they said was about $42 million annually by consolidating back-office functions. A year after the CSCU proposal was announced, however, accrediting agency the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE) withheld approval on the grounds that it would represent not just a substantive change, as the proposal worded it, but would create an entirely new college system requiring a thorough vetting process. The agency also said the plan’s call for eliminating some 200 administrative positions and combining curricula for over 200 degree programs at the 12 community colleges was too tall an order to accomplish by the CSCU’s proposed 2019. “Because of the magnitude of the proposed changes, the proposed timeline and the limited investment in supporting the changes, the Commission is concerned that the potential for a disorderly environment is too high to approve the proposed Community College of Connecticut as a candidate for accreditation based on this proposal,” the group wrote. Faced with the possibility of closing schools to erase the budget deficit, Ojakian instead reworked the “Students First” initia-

tive, which now calls for reapplying for accreditation in 2023 with annual savings for the consolidation of $23 million. Some 170 positions would be eliminated. Ojakian has cited a 2017 report by the TIAA Institute as proof that mergers can work, specifically that of Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU) with Augusta State University in 2012, which resulted in the creation of Augusta University. According to the report, before the merger administrative costs at GHSU, with a total budget of roughly $450 million, were approximately 6.3 percent. At Augusta State, with a total budget of roughly $70 million, administrative costs were approximately 17 percent. Following the consolidation, administrative costs of the merged institution were approximately 6.7 percent. In what may be a portent of the accreditation showdown to come with NECHE, its president, Barbara Brittingham, told members of the General Assembly’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee on March 27, “I don’t know about a merger anywhere else as ambitious as it is here.” Ojakian said, “I do believe, if we don’t make fundamental changes, we’ll have to make some difficult choices between winners and losers.”

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APRIL 15, 2019

Good Things NEW MANAGER AT HOULIHAN LAWRENCE DARIEN BROKERAGE Amanda Bryan Briggs has been named the new manager of Houlihan Lawrence Darien brokerage. Briggs, who has 13 years of experience in real estate, has been managing Houlihan Lawrence’s New Canaan office since 2015. She takes over for Jeff Kelly, who was recently promoted to regional vice president of Houlihan Lawrence. Prior to joining Houlihan Lawrence in 2015, Briggs was with William Pitt Sotheby’s office in Darien. Before her career in real estate, she worked in private wealth management for Credit Suisse. She holds an MBA from Columbia University Business School. She serves on the executive board of the New Canaan Board of Realtors and is a member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors; National Association of Realtors; Darien Board of Realtors; Darien Multiple Listing Service; New Canaan Board of Realtors; Greater Fairfield County CML; and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a global real estate network affiliation. Briggs is a resident of New Canaan.

PEOPLE’S UNITED SPONSORING REFRESHMENTS FOR HABITAT’S EARTH WEEK CELEBRATION

Jon Angel

WINNER, COSTAR GROUP2018 POWER BROKER AWARD

People’s United Bank will be the refreshment sponsor Wednesday April 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Earth Week celebration at Housatonic Habitat for Humanity Restore, 51 Austin St. in Danbury. The celebration will include special sales and activities at the Restore, including a raffle and informative discussions on recycling and re-purposing everyday items. People’s United is a long-time supporter of Housatonic Habitat. Its Vice President Customer Experience Manager John Gonski became the treasurer of the Housatonic Habitat Board in January 2018. For more, visit housatonichabitat.org.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES CELEBRATES TOP PRODUCERS

ABILITY BEYOND HOSTS MAGICAL ANNUAL FUND-RAISER There may not be any fairies or magic beans at the annual Ability Beyond gala, but it does have the power to fulfill the dream of a better life for more than 3,000 individuals with disabilities. The 2019 Enchanted Forest black-tie gala will be held Saturday, April 27, at the Amber Room Colonnade, 1 Stacey Road in Danbury, from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Gala co-chairs are Sandy and Joe Clouse; Meghann Smith is gala committee chair. John Loehr and the Ridgefield Sunrise Cottage leadership and directors will receive the Robert S. Young Humanitarian award. Its largest fund-raising event, attracting close to 500 guests each year, will allow the nonprofit organization to continue to provide critical support to clients in Connecticut and Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties in New York with the money raised. For more than 60 years, Ability Beyond has led the way in providing independent housing, day programs and award-winning employment initiatives that support and honor the dignity of people with developmental, intellectual, autism spectrum and mental health disabilities. For ticket information, contact Stephanie Goncalves at 203-826-3101 orStephanie. Goncalves@abilitybeyond.org.

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The recipient of the 2018 Power Broker Award by CoStar Group Inc., the data/analytics leader of the commercial real estate industry, is Jon Angel, president of Angel Commercial LLC. He received the award for Top Office Leasing Broker and Top Industrial Leasing Broker based on the high volume of lease transactions that he closed during 2018 in the Westchester and southern Connecticut market. The CoStar Power Broker Award program has honored the industry’s elite for 19 years. Angel Commercial is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in the acquisition, disposition and leasing of office, industrial, retail, multifamily, development and investment properties on a local and national level.

MAKER FAIRE WESTPORT 2019 LINEUP Julianne Ward of Greenwich, left, and Candace Adams.

Candace Adams, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Westchester Properties, welcomed more than 1,000 team members to the “Year of Being Bold” at the company’s annual awards and service event. The day-long celebration, which took place at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Connecticut, honored top pro-

Candace Adams with Elayne Jassey of Stamford.

ducers, years of service and leaders in the firm’s philanthropic efforts. Some of the event’s biggest highlights included honoring Julianne Ward of Greenwich, the No. 1 agent in 2018 for Gross Commission Income (GCI). In addition, she was ranked No. 8 in the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Global Network of nearly

50,000 agents for GCI. Elayne Jassey of Stamford was recognized with the Thirty-Year Legend Award, the first individual to reach this milestone in the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. Legend Award recipients are those that consistently rank in the top 2 percent of the network or higher for more than five years.

ARI OF CONNECTICUT ANNUAL WALK FOR INDEPENDENCE The ARI of Connecticut Inc. 13th annual Walk for Independence will take place Sunday, April 28 at Cove Island Park in Stamford. Consumers, staff and supporters take part in this three-mile walk to raise funds to support programs at ARI of Connecticut, which provides an array of services and support for nearly 150 individuals with developmental disabilities so they can live happy, productive lives and achieve their fullest potential at home, at work and in the community. The event will begin with registration at

10 a.m.; walk begins at 11a.m. followed by a lunch for participants. Music and games will take place throughout. This year’s warm-up will be led by Eleanor Casale from Dance with El with clowns and the famous “Bubble Bus” will be on hand to entertain. There is no fee to walk; however, in order to receive a T-shirt, walkers are asked to pledge $50. Corporate sponsors for this event include Distance Sponsors FD Rich, Conair, AIFS, The Umbrella Club and Connecticut Pharmacy; Pace Setter Sponsors Carmody, Torrance, San-

dak, Hennessey, LLP, First County Bank, J&A Mechanical Service, Kiwanis Club of Stamford and First Congregational Church of Stamford. Food Sponsors include Napoli Meat and Sausage Co., Konica Minolta, ACME Grocery Store, Stew Leonard’s, WB Mason and Liz Sue Bagel. Media sponsors include 95.9 The Fox and print sponsor MBA Graphics. For more information or to register to walk, become a sponsor or volunteer, visit arict.org or call Gerard Gasparino, manager of development at 324-9258, ext. 3023.

The lineup has been announced for the eighth annual Maker Faire Westport on Saturday, April 27. This year’s attractions include some favorites as well as some new activities for all ages. Part science fair, part county fair and part something entirely new, Maker Faire Westport is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire Westport to show what they have made and to share what they have learned. More than 100 Makers have signed up to participate at this year’s event, which will be held in downtown Westport on Veterans’ Green and the Baldwin parking lot. The Faire runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to attend. The opening ceremonies will be held at 10:45 a.m. Free parking is available downtown as well as at Saugatuck Congregational Church, the Westport Country Playhouse, the Imperial Avenue commuter lot and in Lot 1 at the Westport train station. Free shuttle service provides both downtown and parking shuttles. For more information, visit westport. makerfaire.com/ or contact Mark Mathias at mark@remarkablesteam.org, 203-226-1791.

AMERICARES BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ NEW MEMBER Americares in Stamford has announced the election of Mastercard Executive Vice President Susan Grossman to its Board of Directors. Having held several senior management roles in data analytics, marketing and business strategy, Grossman brings to the board wide-ranging leadership experience in the retail and technology sectors. Prior to joining Mastercard in 2011, Grossman worked as senior vice president of analytics solutions for Symphony IRI Group where she was responsible for the design, development, sales and implementation of

NEW TOP HIRES AT RAVEIS MORTGAGE

Susan Grossman

software-based analytics solutions. Grossman holds a Master of Business Administration degree in marketing from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston College.

William Raveis Mortgage (WRM), a division of Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance (WRRE), a family-owned real estate company based in Shelton and spanning the Northeast and Florida, has announced three new industry veterans have joined its mortgage division: Paul Hart, Francine Silberman and Mace Rattet. In addition, the company has launched a redesigned and upgraded mortgage website, which includes new tools, technology and resources. “William Raveis Mortgage gives buyers the ultimate advantage, since we have access to 15 or 20 lenders to

29-year-old mortgage brokerage firm, Silberman joined the firm to represent Armonk and Scarsdale, New York; Greenwich; and Old Greenwich; and New York City. She also specializes in working with international clients and self-employed business owners. Silberman’s colleague Rattet also joined WRM to cover the same towns and cities with her. “My decades of experience in real estate financing have given me the expertise to help many first-time homebuyers as well as savvy investors successfully achieve property ownership,” said Rattet.

assure our buyers they are getting the best possible rate in the market,” said Ryan Raveis, the president of WRM and co-president of WRRE. Hart, who has been working in the industry as a mortgage broker and retail lender for the past 20 years, covers the northern half of Westchester County, including Chappaqua, Katonah, Yorktown Heights and Somers. He plans to spend time in each of the Raveis offices to develop relationships with the agents and offer advice and help close deals. After a successful run as CEO and owner of Asset Center Incorporated, a

HOULIHAN LAWRENCE NEW CANAAN BROKERAGE MANAGER NAMED SVP JOINS UNION SAVINGS BANK Robert Monti has joined Union Savings Bank as senior vice president, residential and consumer lending, based in Danbury at the 126 North St. branch. In his role, Monti is responsible for managing the mortgage area, including consumer loans, overseeing the origination, underwriting and developing and executing applicable growth, quality, diversification and profitability strategies. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before joining Union Savings Bank, Monti served in executive positions at Farmington Bank, Webster Bank and Wachovia Mortgage Corp. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University where he earned a Bachelor of Sci-

Diane Jenkins has joined Houlihan Lawrence as its New Canaan brokerage manager. A top-producing agent, formerly with the New Canaan office of William Pitt Sotheby’s, Jenkins brings more than a decade of real estate experience to the position and a strong background in business and fi-

Robert Monti

ence degree in finance, Monti has also earned his Direct Endorsed Underwriter Certification and VA Lender Appraisal Processing Program Approval. He sits on the Connecticut Mortgage Bankers Association Board of Directors. Union Savings Bank, a $2.2 billion mutual bank, was established in 1866 and is headquartered in Danbury.

BCA AND UJA*JCC GREENWICH PRESENT PROGRAM ON BREAST CANCER Breast Cancer Alliance (BCA) and UJA*JCC Greenwich are partnering on a medical symposium titled “Hot Topics in Breast Cancer.” The panel, consisting of leading experts in the field, will discuss balancing science and integrative medicine for breast cancer on Tuesday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. at Old Oaks Country Club, located at 3100 Purchase St. in Purchase, New York. The panelists will include Marcus DaSilva Goncalves, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College; Alka Gupta, M.D., co-director Integrative Health and Wellbeing, Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian Hospital; Lynn Honderd, Mary’s Nutritionals; and Linda Vahdat, M.D., breast oncologist, chief of cancer services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Norwalk Hospital Partnership. The moderator will be Orli Etingin, M.D., director, Iris Cantor Woman’s Health Center, Weill Cornell. For more information, call 203-861-0014 or visit breastcanceralliance.org/. To purchase tickets visit weblink.donorperfect.com/2019NY.

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

Maryland University. Jenkins and her family have lived in both Darien and New Canaan for the past 23 years. She is an active member of the local community, is licensed in both Connecticut and New York and is a member of many professional reality associations.

nance. Prior to entering the real estate profession, she had a 12-year career in health care marketing/sales and corporate business/accounting office management in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business finance from Notre Dame of

FOUNDATION SOURCE PROMOTES BIOTTI One of the nation’s largest providers of support services to private foundations, Foundation Source in Fairfield has promoted Katherine Holbrook Biotti to national sales executive. In this role, Biotti will oversee and lead all business development efforts at Foundation Source, which include regional sales, inside sales and strategic partnerships. Most recently, she served as senior managing director for the company’s Northeast and Southeast sales regions. “Katherine’s diverse experience in regional sales, strategic partnerships, brand development and marketing, makes her the ideal leader for our business development efforts going forward,” said Susan Friedlander Calzone, CEO.

Biotti joined Foundation Source in 2005 as director of marketing, a role which helped raise the company’s visibility in the marketplace. In 2006, she transitioned to business development when she relocated to California and has since been building sales territories across the country for Foundation Source. In 2014, she assumed responsibility for the company’s Northeast region, which grew significantly under her leadership. Biotti’s career in philanthropy spans more than 20 years and began with her marketing and business development role at Fidelity Investments in its Charitable Gift Fund. Foundation Source’s comprehensive

Katherine Holbrook Biotti

support services for private foundations includes foundation creation (as needed), administrative support, active compliance monitoring, philanthropic advisory, tax and legal expertise and online foundation management tools.

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APRIL 15, 2019

Facts & Figures BUILDING PERMITS Commercial

GB Zeolla LLC, Norwalk, contractor for GB Zeolla LLC. New tenant update at 193 East Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Feb. 27.

3 Bedford LLC, Norwalk, contractor for 3 Bedford LLC. Renovate kitchen, bath; add laundry room at 3 Bedford Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Feb. 6.

Hauser, Dieter E. and Rosemarie Hauser, Norwalk, contractor for Dieter E. Hauser and Rosemarie Hauser. Tenant fit-out for retail store at 85 N. Main St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Feb. 14.

31 Ferris LLC, Norwalk, contractor for 31 Ferris LLC. Renovate kitchen, bath; add laundry room at 31 Ferris Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Feb. 6.

Jhook Realty LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Jhook Realty LLC. Tenant fit-out at 16-18 Ann St., Unit 1, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed Feb. 11.

A.V. Tuchy, Norwalk, contractor for Day Street LLC 50. Newtenant renovation on fourth floor of 50 Day St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $750,000. Filed Feb. 25. Associated Construction Co., Norwalk, contractor for Norwalk Hospital Association. Renovate office at 34 Maple St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Feb. 7. Baywater Management LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Maureen S. Cunningham, et al. Construct expansion to second-floor space at 155 Woodward Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Feb. 20. Bronko Construction LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Timothy S. Sargent. Renovate single-family residence at 6 Caesar St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed Feb. 5. Capital Equities LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Capital Equities LLC. Convert office space to residential units at 50 N. Main St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed Feb. 7.

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. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699

APRIL 15, 2019

Jon Auriemme, Norwalk, contractor for BPC Capital Management IV LLC. Install handicap lift at 85 East Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $9,156. Filed Feb. 7. Mattiello, Joseph J. and Gail F. Mattiello, Norwalk, contractor for Joseph J. Mattiello. Remove and install roof, vinyl siding and replace windows at 30 Eversley Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $8,000. Filed Feb. 4. Norwalk Land Development LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Norwalk Land Development LLC. Build-out 30,000 square feet for new tenant at 100-101 N. Water St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,051,000. Filed Feb. 26. Onice International LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Knight Street Property LLC 32-39. Construct a new bath for tenant at 39 Knight St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $4,300. Filed Feb. 8. Schindler Elevator Corp, Norwalk, contractor for Norwalk Land Development LLC. Install four escalators and one freight elevator at 100-101 North Water St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $930,000. Filed Feb. 20 Shaw, Marc, Norwalk, contractor for John Love. Renovate kitchen, laundry room and full bath at 15 Richmond Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $125,000. Filed Feb. 5. Signature Construction Group of Connecticut Inc., Norwalk, contractor for 129 Glover Avenue LLC. Renovate Veterinary Cancer Center at 129 Glover Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $978,000. Filed Feb. 11.

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ON THE RECORD

Sunrun Inc., Norwalk, contractor for Gabriela M. Pozo. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 7 Studio Lane, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $13,015. Filed Feb. 5.

Residential Bylone, Christopher A., Norwalk, contractor for Christopher A. Bylone. Install above-ground swimming pool at 1 Eagle Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 4. AB Square LLC, Norwalk, contractor for AB Square LLC. Renovate interior at 32 Algonquin Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Feb. 7. Apex Projects LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Shorehaven Road LLC 42. Pour foundation for a new two-story single-family residence at 44 Shorehaven Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $150,000. Filed Feb. 15. Armani, Karl, Norwalk, contractor for Karl Armani. Open up frame porch, expand bay window and finish attic at 8 Catalpa St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Feb. 22. Associates LLC DSA, Norwalk, contractor for Associates LLC. Pour foundation for a single-family residence at 7 Highwood Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Feb. 11. Blanche, John, Norwalk, contractor for Carlos Ulises Flores Jimenez. Install residential elevator at 4 Milked Terrace, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $38,000. Filed Feb. 8. Brennan, Diane, Norwalk, contractor for Diane Brennan. Expand bathroom and laundry room at 184 Grumman Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Feb. 19. Bruce, Fabrizio, Norwalk, contractor for Diana C. Reid. Expand kitchen, living room, and bathroom at 212 S. Main St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $27,500. Filed Feb. 8. CES Danbury Solar LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Edward P. Brennan. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 47 Neptune Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $42, 617. Filed Feb. 14.

Conte Company LLC, Norwalk, contractor for John J. Greco. Pour foundation for a single-family residence at 134 Gregory Blvd., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Feb. 22.

Home Made Easy LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Bridgeport LLC Noble. Renovate kitchen, master bath, hall bath, attic, porch and deck at 4 Morgan Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $150,000. Filed Feb. 22.

Corbel Construction LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Robert A. Orabona. Install replacement windows at 5 McKinley St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $12,277. Filed Feb. 21.

Kerschen Development Company LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Pond Ridge Lane LLC 8. Pour foundation for single-family residence and two-car garage at 4 1/2 Pond Ridge Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Feb. 19.

Country Club Homes Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Carolyn C. Wheeler. Pour a foundation for a two-story single-family residence with two-car garage and unfinished basement at 12 Stony Lane, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Feb. 21. Electrical Services LLC Avila, Norwalk, contractor for Electrical Services LLC Avila. Build addition for kitchen expansion, two bedrooms, bath and finished basement at 45 Wolfpit Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $6,000. Filed Feb. 25. Ely, David J. and Dawn B, Ely, Norwalk, contractor for David J. Ely. Construct bathroom within basement at 17 Chatham Drive, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Feb. 20. Evolve Building Group LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Lennie R. Pressman. Renovate condominium kitchen, closet and stairs at 171 Row Ayton Woods Drive, Unit 11171, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $85,343. Filed Feb. 27. Fern, Bryan P. and Cindy R. Zyra, Norwalk, contractor for Bryan P. Fern. Install wood-burning fire place insert at 205 W. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $5,600. Filed Feb. 5. Frank, George Andrew, Norwalk, contractor for George Andrew Frank. Pour a foundation for a new single-family residence at 9 Noah’s Lane, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Feb. 27. The Home Depot USA Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Roger Bennetts and Debra Bennetts. Install vinyl replacement windows at 4 Toilsome Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $1,560. Filed Feb. 15.

Kevin & Cline, Norwalk, contractor for Kevin & Cline. Add 1/2 bath to basement at 5 Stony Brook Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $5,200. Filed Feb. 25. Labarbera, Mark, Norwalk, contractor for Mark Labarbera. Replace and repair roof of garage deck at 25 Stony Brook Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $9,000. Filed Feb. 20. Lamontagne, Daniel M., Norwalk, contractor for Marie Pezant and Lannes Filho Antonio. Convert porch to living area with a fireplace at 52 W. Norwalk Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $90,000. Filed Feb. 13. Mangone, Marc and Marissa Brooke Mangone, Norwalk, contractor for Marc Mangone. Renovate kitchen and remove partial walls at 15 Ludlow Manor, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Feb. 20. Martin, William and Reimer Martin, Norwalk, contractor for William Martin and Reimer Martin. Renovate closet and relocate laundry room at 9 Geneva Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 21. Mas Construction Inc., Norwalk, contractor for Anthony Curcio. Renovate kitchen and remove wall at 14 Live Oak Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Feb. 19. McDonnell Petersen, Norwalk, contractor for McDonnell Petersen. Reconfigure kitchen and convert bath to storage at 32 Dock Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 5.

Mora, Maria A., Norwalk, contractor for Maria A. Mora. Finish basement, bathroom and laundry room at 20 Katy Lane, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Feb. 6. Pazmino, Nestor L., Norwalk, contractor for Nestor L. Pazmino. Convert porch to kitchen, office, family room and bedroom at 160 New Canaan Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $55,000. Filed Feb. 19. Pro Custom Solar LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Tomasz Geremek. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 16 Heathcote Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $42,273. Filed Feb. 21. Revisson Bonfim, Norwalk, contractor for Revisson Bonfim. Pour a foundation for a new single-family residence at 5 Seldon St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Feb. 7. Ruiz-Alpirez, Miguel, Norwalk, contractor for Miguel Ruiz-Alpirez. Add second floor with three bedrooms and master suite at 30 Ryan Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $150,000. Filed Feb. 13. Santa, Sandra, Norwalk, contractor for Sandra Santa. Renovate to kitchen and bathroom, relocate stairs and finish basement at 49 Ivy Place, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed Feb. 20. Sparano, Michael A., Norwalk, contractor for Edward P. Brennan. Install residential elevator at 47 Neptune Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $40,441. Filed Feb. 14. Sunrun Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Bethany D’Erario. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 135 Strawberry Hill Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $16,269. Filed Feb. 14. Susanna & Chapman, Norwalk, contractor for Susanna & Chapman. Renovate bathroom, sitting room and shower at 18 Carlin St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed Feb. 7. Thompson, Andrew, Norwalk, contractor for Andrew Thompson. Add bathroom to first floor of a single-family residence at 32 Dairy Farm Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Facts & Figures Trinity Heating & Air Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Andrew Mastropiero. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 4 Visconti St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $18,000. Filed Feb. 11. Trinity Heating & Air Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Carlos A. Picon. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 14 Honeysuckle Drive, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $16,000. Filed Feb. 11. Trinity Heating & Air Inc, Norwalk, contractor for Elmer A. Segura Portillo. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 4 Algonquin Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $32,000. Filed Feb. 11. Turiel, Amy R. and Joseph P. Pavia, Norwalk, contractor for Amy R. Turiel. Renovate kitchen, dining room and family room at 32 Vanderbilt Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed Feb. 27. TWP Home LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Theodore E. Davey. Renovate kitchen, roofing, siding and windows at 5 Caesar St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $65, 820. Filed Feb. 14. Vivint Solar Developer LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Hattie Cooper. Install roof-mounted solar panels at 24 Dairy Farm Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $18,018. Filed Feb. 11. Westview Electric LLC, Norwalk, contractor for Raymond C. Brien. Renovate condo unit at 54 Sunrise Hill Road, Unit B-14, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 22. Whaley, John J., Norwalk, contractor for Richard H. Walker. Install residential elevator at 2 1/2 Logan Place, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $38,000. Filed Feb. 14.

COURT CASES Bridgeport Superior Court City of Bridgeport, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by James Bulerin III, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Willinger Willinger & Bucci PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff participated in a process conducted by the defendants for a firefighter position. The defendants disqualified the plaintiff because he failed a portion of the medical examination. The defendants refused to certify the plaintiff’s name as eligible for employment to the position of firefighter. The plaintiff seeks a temporary and permanent injunction barring the defendants from removing the name of the plaintiff from the current eligibility list for the position, seeks monetary damages for attorney fees, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV19-6083042-S. Filed Feb. 6. Donald, Beverley, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by The United Illuminating Co., New Haven. Plaintiff’s attorney: Nair & Levin Law Offices of PC, Bloomfield. Action: The plaintiff provided electric service to the defendants who have failed to pay for the services despite being billed on a monthly basis. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages less than $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-19-6082204-S. Filed Jan. 7. Hobbs, Peter S., Fairfield. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank National Association, Columbus, Ohio. Plaintiff’s attorney: Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington. Action: The plaintiff is the owner of the defendant’s mortgage for which he has allegedly defaulted on the terms of the agreement and has failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of the mortgage, possession of the mortgage premises, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV19-6082519-S. Filed Jan. 16.

Danbury Superior Court Buck, Stephanie N, Bethel. Filed by Cavalry Spv I, LLC, Valhalla, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: Tobin & Marohn, Meriden. Action: The plaintiff is a banking association, which issued a credit to the defendant who agreed to make payments for goods and services. The defendant failed to make payments. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Case no. DBD-CV-19-6029717-S. Filed Jan. 4. Rattigan, Tina, Tolland. Filed by Chadwick J. St. Louis, Newtown. Plaintiff’s attorney: Garner C.I., Newtown. Action: The plaintiff and defendant have a child. The plaintiff was sentenced to jail and the defendant agreed to bring their child to visit the plaintiff. As the defendant began to move on with her life, she spoke ill to the child of the plaintiff to minimize the child’s desire to visit. The plaintiff seeks injuctive relief, commanding the defendant to bring the child for visitations, regular telephone conversations, written correspondence and updates about the child’s life. In addition, claims monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV19-5014693-S. Filed Jan. 25.

Stamford Superior Court Cummin, Pearson C., et al, Greenwich. Filed by Richard Bussa, Kew Gardens, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: The Schwartzberg Law Firm, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff was an invitee, when she fell on snow and ice on the defendants’ premises. As a result of the negligence of the defendants, the plaintiff sustained several injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-19-6040205-S. Filed Feb 26.

Walmart Stores Inc., et al, Bentonville, Arizona. Filed by Jonetha Singleton, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: The Reinken Law Firm, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the defendants’ premises as a business invitee, when a pallet merchandise loader ran over her foot. As a result of the negligence of the defendants, the plaintiff sustained several injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-19-6039098-S. Filed Dec. 4.

DEEDS Commercial 819 East Main Street LLC, Port Chester, New York. Seller: Marylyn A. Burriesci. Norwalk. Property: 819-821-823-825 and 827 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $2,140,000. Filed Jan. 23. Abbatiello, Martin L. and Elizabeth A. Abbatiello, Cheshire. Seller: St. Mary’s R.C. Church Corp. Norwalk. Property: 666 West Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $0. Filed Feb. 25. Beach Walk Homes LLC, Fairfield. Seller: John M. Maggi and Nerina Maggi, Shelton. Property: 12M Fortuna Pratt St., Fairfield. Amount: $455,000. Filed March 1. Beachwood Properties LLC, Fairfield. Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Dallas, Texas. Property: 245 Reid St., Fairfield. Amount: $325,600. Filed Feb. 28. Behey LLC, Stamford. Seller: Michael Connelly, Stamford. Property: 249 Knickerbocker Ave., Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 24. Benedetto, Scott, Easton. Seller: Benedetto & Hayman Associates LLC, Easton. Property: Unit B6, Building 3, Belvoir Condominium, Fairfield. Amount: $175,000. Filed March 1.

Donna T. O’Hare Trust, Norwalk. Seller: Donna T. O’Hare, Norwalk. Property: Unit 9A Ledgebrook Condominium, Norwalk. Amount: $1. Filed Feb. 19 Gifty, John and John Varghese, Yonkers, New York. Seller: Christopher T. Giolitto and Brendan D. Giolitto, Norwalk. Property: 169 Flushing Ave., Fairfield. Amount: $557,000. Filed March 1. Harbor Tide Associates LLC, Fairfield. Seller: Tidemill Associates Limited Partnership, Southport. Property: 95 Harbor Road, Southport. Amount: $1,700,000. Filed March 1. Herrera, Jairo, et al, Norwalk. Seller: Adam General Construction LLC, Norwalk. Property: 46 Brooklawn Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $540,000. Filed Feb. 26. Lucys Residence LLC, Fairfield. Seller: HSBC Bank USA, National Association, West Palm Beach, Florida. Property: 42 Ridgeley Ave., Fairfield. Amount: $250,000. Filed March 1. Mathew, Roshan and Mabby Mathew, Stamford. Seller: Elena L. Barnum, Stamford. Property: 112 Bentwood Drive, Stamford. Amount: $640,000. Filed Jan. 22. Mozdzer, Robert L. Stamford. Seller: John A. Mozdzer, Stamford. Property: 56 Sylvan Knoll Road, Stamford. Amount: $240,000. Filed Jan. 24. New Harbor Development LLC, Stamford. Seller: U.S. Bank National Association, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 283 Shippan Ave., Stamford. Amount: $462, 500. Filed Jan. 22. Redhead Real Estate LLC, Fairfield. Seller: Wendy B. Doyle Westport. Property: 405 N. Cedar Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,100,000. Filed March 4.

RESIDENTIAL Anderson, Kaitlyn and Philip Kawecki, Fairfield. Seller: Dominick Tartaro, Fairfield. Property: 165 Warsaw St., Fairfield. Amount: $305,000. Filed March 1. Angelbeck, Christoph and Alyssa Tierney, Darien. Seller: Ann Cuccio Ward and David S. Ward, Fairfield. Property: 15 Pine Point Road, Unit 221, Norwalk. Amount: $93,500. Filed Feb. 26. Anson, Mark G. and Khristina Marie Cabezas Anson, Stamford. Seller: Joseph Tremblay and Jennifer Blank Tremblay, Stamford. Property: 120 Mulberry St., Stamford. Amount: $715,000 Filed Jan. 25. Campo, Todd A. and Cara Campo, Fairfield. Seller: Mark Gentilozzi and Kathy Gentilozzi, Fairfield. Property: 54 Eunice Ave., Fairfield. Amount: $1,500,000. Filed March 4. Chow, William and Menry Lee, Stamford. Seller: Damian Piastowski, Stamford. Property: 570 Den Road, Stamford. Amount: $ 915,000. Filed Jan. 24. Cirkovic, Zumber and Sajka Cirkovic, Fairfield. Seller: Bernard A. Grapski and Joan M. Grapski, Fairfield. Property: 46 New St., Fairfield. Amount: $360,000. Filed March 1. Dadbahal, Rajesh and Rhea Ramkisoon, Greenwich. Seller: Nicholas Ambrosecchio, Stamford. Property: 11 Saxon Court, Stamford. Amount: $615, 000. Filed Jan. 23. David, Jerry R., Fairfield. Seller: Eric Adams and Julia Adams, Fairfield. Property: 55 Tuckahoe Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $384,000. Filed March 1. Dorisme, Quesnel and Marie Aubourg, Stamford. Seller: Shirley Patterson, Bowie, Maryland. Property: 2 Weatherly Lane, Norwalk. Amount: $322,500. Filed Feb. 20.

DeLucia, Anthony F. and Trisha Alaba, Stamford. Seller: 308 Shoreham Village LLC, Fairfield. Property: 308 Shoreham Village, Fairfield. Amount: $660,000. Filed March 4.

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APRIL 15, 2019

Facts & Figures Dwyer, Michael John, Devin and Elizabeth Dwyer, Fairfield. Seller: Kathleen D. Black Southport. Property: 105 Half Mile Lane, Southport. Amount: $942,500. Filed March 5. Fryz, Mykola and Oleh Fryz, Norwalk. Seller: Maria T. Conte, Norwalk. Property: 141 Fillow St., Norwalk. Amount: $345,000. Filed Feb. 19. Gomez, Diego Alonso and Ingrid L. Arce De Gomez, Freeport, New York. Seller: Carmen Crespo, Norwalk. Property: 29 Priscilla Road, Norwalk. Amount: $410,000. Filed Feb. 20. Harari, Megan Frank and Homero C. Harari, Fairfield. Seller: Manish Jain and Ena Jain, Fairfield. Property: 239 Wormwood Road, Fairfield. Amount: $669,000. Filed March 4. Hammerstone, James and Anna Maria L. Hammerstone, Fairfield. Seller: Kimberly A. Whalen, Fairfield. Property: 2059 and 2060 Fairfield Beach Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,985,000. Filed March 4. Jordan, Michael A. and Lauren E. Jordan, Norwalk. Seller: Shawn P. Burke and Viviane F. Burke, Darien. Property: Unit 159, Roton Point Association Condominium, Norwalk. Amount: $95,000. Filed Feb. 21. Ladyka, Igor and Andry Stoyko, Stamford. Seller: Marilyn B, Ghant, Stamford. Property: 80 Lawn Ave., Unit 11, Stamford. Amount: $190,000. Filed Jan. 23. Liu, Yahui and Qipao Rong Zhang, Bridgeport. Seller: Gary Guarnieri, Fairfield. Property: 30 Renchy St., Fairfield. Amount: $383,500. Filed Feb. 28. Massimino, Philip and Paola Massimino, New York, New York. Seller: Devin Dwyer and Michael Dwyer, Fairfield. Property: 36 Windermere St., Fairfield. Amount: $535,000. Filed March 5.

McNamara, Calla K., Norwalk. Seller: Robert H. Frazier and G.W. Mercier, Norwalk. Property: 158 Highland Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $1. Filed Feb. 21. Melendez, Julissa, Stamford. Seller: Mary L. Munck, Fairfield. Property: 203 Nordstrand Ave., Fairfield. Amount: $253,750. Filed March 1. Melian, Susan J., Stamford. Seller: Daisy R. Steward, Norwalk. Property: 296 Main Ave., Unit 2, Norwalk. Amount: $109,000. Filed Feb. 20. Miklovich, Leslie and Kellli Miklovich, Norwalk. Seller: Leslie B. Miklovich, Norwalk. Property: 46 Cove Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $1. Filed Feb. 22. Miller, Stacey Paul and Katherine Claire, Wilton. Seller: Paul J. Hiznay and Sharon D. Hiznay, Fairfield. Property: 940 S. Pine Creek Road, Fairfield. Amount: $850,000. Filed March 1. Miralles, Vilma L. and Edgar A. Miralles, Norwalk. Seller: Daniel J. Tucci Jr. and Lisa G. Tucci, Norwalk. Property: 152 Richards Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $525,000. Filed Feb. 26. Ospina, Luisa F. and Javier A. Rodriguez, Stamford. Seller: Zoila R. Hernandez, Stamford. Property: 61 Clinton Ave., Unit 11, Stamford. Amount: $135,400. Filed Jan. 22 Osvay, Kevin and Kristin Osvay, Fairfield. Seller: Jacqueline Davis and Kerri Cagnassola, Fairfield. Property: 251 Carrol Road, Fairfield. Amount: $828,000. Filed March 1. Ottaviano, Franca and Ulysses Serpa, Stamford. Seller: Cynthia Hart Deforest, Norwalk. Property: 15 Stony Lane, Norwalk. Amount: $605,000. Filed Feb. 19. Patel, Minesh and Gregory Maria, Stamford. Seller: Theresa M Circelli, Norwalk. Property: 90 Weed Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $627,000. Filed Feb. 19.

Maylor, Kareem D., Bronx, New York. Seller: David J. Bouchard and Patricia G. Bouchard, Stamford. Property: 28 Crescent St., Unit 10, Stamford. Amount: $318,000. Filed Jan. 25.

APRIL 15, 2019

FCBJ

Polanco, Dorian R. and Jillian Polanco, Bronx, New York. Seller: 254 SHL LLC, Stamford. Property: Unit 1B, Hayes House Condominium, Stamford. Amount: $305,000. Filed Jan. 23. Pribis, Maria and Thomas Kail, Fairfield. Seller: Eric W. Zadravec and Lisa L. Zadravec, Sudbury, Massachusetts. Property: Unit 41, The Ridge, A Common Interest Community, Fairfield. Amount: $1,015,000. Filed March 1. Rabadi, Murrad, Stamford. Seller: Emtethal Rabadi, Stamford. Property: 23 Hanover St., Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 23. Roth Baum, Jason and Ming Yan, Wilton. Seller: Jason Roth Baum, Wilton. Property: 104 Woodside Green, 2B, Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Jan. 25. Sarkinovic, Azra and Mirsad Sarkinovic, Fairfield. Seller: Joseph Formato and Michael Formato, Shelton. Property: 60 Jennings Road, Fairfield. Amount: $350,000. Filed March 6. Spaide, Christopher, Stamford. Seller: Juanita Diaz, Stamford. Property: 136 Woodside Green, Unit F2, Stamford. Amount: $220,000. Filed Jan. 23. Sullivan, Kimberly, Long Island City, New York. Seller: Robert E. Maloney and Christina M. Maloney, Fairfield. Property: 1780 Bronson Road, Fairfield. Amount: $655,000. Filed March 4. Theodoridis, John and Foula Theodoridis, Norwalk. Seller: Daniel Theodoridis, Norwalk. Property: Unit 7A, Riverside Plaza Residential, Norwalk. Amount: $190,000. Filed Feb. 20. Thompson, Stacy, Norwalk. Seller: Beata Bos and Krzysztof Skowronski, Norwalk. Property: 1 Linden St., Unit A11, Norwalk. Amount: $329,000. Filed Feb. 19. Tompkins, Jason and Robyn Tompkins, Fairfield. Seller: Joshua E. Cohen and Margareth K. Cohen, Fairfield. Property: 110 South St., Fairfield. Amount: $75,000. Filed March 1.

Tripp, Allison, Norwalk. Seller: Cheri Diroma, Norwalk. Property: 14-1/2 Fairview Ave., No. D4, Norwalk. Amount: $165,000. Filed Feb. 22. Vasquez, Jose L. and Rachael A. Vasquez, Norwalk. Seller: Steven L. Wallerstein and Susan O. Wallerstein, Norwalk. Property: 223 Wolfpit Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $505,000. Filed Feb. 20. Webber, Matthew Robert and Briana Marie Webber, Fairfield. Seller: Marcia C. Zola, Fairfield. Property: Lot D, Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield. Amount: $575,000. Filed March 1. Whalen, Kimberly A., Fairfield. Seller: Debra Anne Kovachi and William J. Kovachi, Fairfield. Property: 281 Penfield Road, Fairfield. Amount: $925,000. Filed March 4.

FORECLOSURES Aladin, Regina, et al, Creditor: U.S. Bank Trust N.A., San Diego, California. Property: 6 Castle Court, Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed March 28. Edwards, Peggy, et al, Creditor: Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Maryland. Property: 43 Deacon Hill Road, Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed March 22. Gonzales, Victor, Creditor: U.S. Bank, National Association, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 15 Burwood Ave., Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed March 12. Tsum, Doris, et al, Creditor: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 161 Grove St., Apartment 2, Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed March 14.

JUDGMENTS Amador, Santiago, Bridgeport. $11,437, in favor of Capital One Bank N.A., Richmond, Virginia, by London & London, Newington. Property: 225 Soundview Ave. Bridgeport. Filed March 6.

Edwards, Ann, Bridgeport. $5,406, in favor of Cavalry SPV 1 LLC., Valhalla, New York, by Tobin & Maroon, Meriden. Property: 886 Sylvan Ave., Bridgeport. Filed March 5. King, Elaine, Bridgeport. $3,840, in favor of Cavalry SPV 1, LLC, Valhalla, New York, by Tobin & Maroon, Meriden. Property: 45 Louisiana Ave., Bridgeport. Filed March 5.

LIENS Federal Tax Liens Filed Craw, Terence and Kristen E. Craw, 300 Taconic Road, Greenwich. $62,427, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 28. Hypermed Imaging Inc., 537 Steamboat Road, Greenwich. $16,644, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 28. Lombardi, Jeffrey, 6 Arnold St., Old Greenwich. $150,264, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 28. Mayfield, Joseph L., 11 Hedgerow Lane, Greenwich. $3.488, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 20. Narea, Hernan and Constance Narea, 4 Banks Ville Road, Greenwich. $9,614, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 25. Norfleet, Charles, 6 Glen Road, Greenwich. $494,619, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 12. O’Hara, Edward, 1414 King St., Greenwich. $29,565, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 20. Raquet, Walter, 78 Zacchaeus Mead Lane, Greenwich. $32,589, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 8. Sethi, Mukesh, 69 Taconic Road, Greenwich. $6,763, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 15.

LIS PENDENS Aguilar, Christian G., et al, Norwalk. Filed by O’Connell, Atmore & Morris LLC, Hartford, for The Bank of New York Mellon. Property: 12 Richelieu St., Norwalk. Action brought to foreclosure defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 26. Capparelle, Dean, Greenwich. Filed by Marianne J. Charles, Greenwich, for LouAnn Capparelle. Property: 84 Orchard St., Cos Cob. Action brought claiming a dissolution of the marriage. Filed March 21, Fragiacomo, David J., et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Property: 5 Shaw Ave., Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 12. Gonzalez, Jesus, Norwalk. Filed by Debra B. Marino, Orange, for Elaine DeCarlo-Gonzalez. Property: 2 Stonecrop Road South, Norwalk. Action seeks a dissolution of marriage and other relief. Filed April 1. Harris, Jason, et al, Norwalk. Filed by Glass & Braus, Fairfield, for Wei Mortgage LLC. Property: 1 Burr Place, Norwalk. Action is brought to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed April 1. Hill Jr. Benjamin D., et al, Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association. Property: 13 Meadow Wood Drive, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed April 5. James, Lillie M., et al, Norwalk. Filed by Glass & Braus, Fairfield, for U.S. Bank National Association. Property: 8 Oakwood Ave., No. A-11, Norwalk. Action is brought to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 25. Kerschner, Barbara B., et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Reverse Mortgage Solutions Inc. Property: 23 Split Rock Road, Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 3.

Facts & Figures Massey, Mary E., et al, Norwalk. Filed by Milford Law LLC, Milford, for Carrington Mortgage Services LLC. Property: 100 San Vincenzo Place, Unit 46, Norwalk. Action was brought for the foreclosure of defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 26.

Romeo, John, et al, Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N.A. Property: 31 Thornhill Road, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 12.

Melgar, Juana M., Norwalk. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island, for U.S. Bank National Association. Property: Lots 3 and 4, Map No. 242, Norwalk. Action is brought to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed April 4.

Roseman, Jeffrey F., et al, Norwalk. Filed by Becker Law Offices LLC, Avon, for TD Bank,N.A. Property: 51 Wall St., Norwalk. Action was brought for the foreclosure of one or more mortgages. Filed Feb. 20.

Myles, Alrick F., et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Mid First Bank. Property: 2 William St., Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 18. O’Connor, Jean, et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Reverse Mortgage Solutions Inc. Property: 16 Horton St., Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 26. Ong, John H., et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Newer LLC. Property: 25 Point Road, Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 25. O’Rourke, Amy, et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for PNC Bank, National Association. Property: 1 Linden St., Unit C1, Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 11. Pahoutas, Dennis, et al, Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Bank of America. Property: 17 Heron Vue Road, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage from Washington Mutual Bank. Filed March 7.

Rutherford, Thomas D., et al, Norwalk. Filed by O’Connell, Atmore & Morris LLC, Hartford, for Bayview Loan Servicing LLC. Property: 2 Fenwick Place, Norwalk. Action is brought for the foreclosure of defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 11. Ursone, Joseph E., et al, Norwalk. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for PHH Mortgage Corp. Property: 30 Morton St., Norwalk. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 6. Vaughn, Charles M., et al, Norwalk. Filed by Brock & Scott PLLC, for Citizens Bank N.A. Property: NN Wilsons Point, Norwalk. Action is brought to foreclosure defendants’ mortgage from RBS Citizens N.A. Filed Feb. 25. Williams, Brenda, et al, Norwalk. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island, for Bank of America, N.A. Property: Lot 126 Saddle Road, Norwalk. Action is brought for a foreclosure of defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 7.

LEASES Bomamas and Marie’s LLC, by Steven V. Pugliese. Landlord: 85 Pemberwick LLC, Greenwich. Property: 83 Pemberwick Road, Greenwich. Term: 10 years, commenced April 1, 2019. Filed April 1. Serrano, Raul and Awilda Serrano, by Felix R. Serrano. Landlord: The Serrano Children Trust. Norwalk. Property: 15 Leuvine St., Norwalk. Term: 1 year, commenced Feb. 1, 2019. Filed March 22.

MORTGAGES 38 St. Roch Avenue LLC, Greenwich, by Joseph Granitto. Lender: The First Bank of Greenwich, 444 E. Putnam Ave., Cos Cob. Property: 38 St. Roch Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $5,025,000. Filed March 29. Avellino R., Ellen Patti, Greenwich, by Joel M. Kaye. Lender: Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. 4270 Ivy Pointe Blvd, Suite 400, Cincinnati, Ohio.: 280 Round Hill Road, Greenwich. Amount: $1,000,000. Filed March 28. Bahl, Tracy L. and Alisa Lamnin Bahl, Greenwich, by Desiree Langel. Lender: Bank of America, N.A. 101 S.Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 41 Birchwood Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $3,415,000. Filed March 29. Beacon Hill Capital LLC, Greenwich, by Jeremy E. Kye. Lender: First Republic Bank, 111 Pine St, San Francisco, California. Property: 70 Sound View Drive, Unit 3, Greenwich. Amount: $1,854,000. Filed March 29. Berbari, Nathalie and Michael Rosenthal, Greenwich, by Stephen J. Scholz. Lender: Bank of America, N.A. 1001 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 36 Sherwood Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $900,000. Filed March 29. Borkowski, Michael, Greenwich, by Regina Vasquez. Lender: Quicken Loans Inc., 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan. Property: 44 Londonderry Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $750,000. Filed March 28. Gomez Bernal, Santiago and Laura Chong Dalton, Greenwich, by Dina Tornhelm. Lender: U.S. Bank National Association, 4801 Frederica St., Owensboro, Kentucky. Property: 15 Palmer St., Unit 10, Cos Cob. Amount: $319,000. Filed March 28.

Lessman, Ronald J. and Jill E. Lessman, Greenwich, by Howard R. Wolfe. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 1111 Polaris Parkway, Columbus, Ohio. Property: 15 Somerset Lane, Riverside. Amount: $389,500. Filed March 27. Mancini, Robert and Sandra-Jane Mancini, Greenwich, by Robert E. Murray Jr. Lender: Luxury Mortgage Corp., 4 Landmark Square, Suite 300, Stamford. Property: 15 Watchtower Lane, Old Greenwich. Amount: $808,000. Filed March 28. Murphy, Garret J. and Renee E. Murphy, Greenwich, by James Kavanaugh. Lender: First County Bank, 117 Prospect St., Stamford. Property: 3 Pleasant View Place, Greenwich. Amount: $630,000. Filed March 29. Nakamura, Miley and Kamil Zdunek, Greenwich, by John J. Bove. Lender: U.S. Bank National Association, 4801 Frederica St., Owensboro, Kentucky. Property: 15 Ferris Drive, Old Greenwich. Amount: $580,000. Filed March 29. Paradise, Kristen and Jeffrey Paradise, Greenwich, by Jeremy E. Kye. Lender: Limited Liability Corp., 185 Plains Road, Milford. Property: 5 Glendale St., Cos Cob. Amount: $484,000. Filed March 27. Quatrone, Victoria, Greenwich, by John L. Vecchiolla. Lender: Mutual Savings Bank, 117 Prospect St., Stamford. Property: 50 Lafayette Place, Unit 2-C, Greenwich. Amount: $248,000. Filed March 28. Tarkasikis, John N. and Rosemarie Tarkasikis, Greenwich, by Daniel M. McCabe. Lender: Parkside Lending LLC, 180 Redwood St., Suite 250, San Francisco, California. Property: 29 Talbot Lane, Greenwich. Amount: $651,200. Filed March 29. Turner, Patrick and Terry L. Conrad, Greenwich, by Laura K. Noe. Lender: PNC Bank N.A. 3232 Newmark Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio. Property: 31 Sawmill Lane, Greenwich. Amount: $2,000,000. Filed March 28.

NEW BUSINESSES 77 Coffee Shop & Delicatessen, 496 E. Main St., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Ruben D. Polanco. Filed March 12. All Around Renovations, 140 Dewer St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o David J. Otero. Filed March 4. Al’s Millennium Cuts, 251 North Ave., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Rafael A. Martinez. Filed Feb. 26. Armorosa Travel Services LLC, 853 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport 06604, c/o Rosa D. Franco. Filed March 12. Artiaga & Fence, 53 Everett St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Roger A. Artiaga. Filed March 5. Bandera’s Latin Fusion LLC., 336 Grandfield Ave., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Michel Martinez. Filed March 13. Café 503, 2671 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Wilfredy Rivas-Umanzor. Filed March 1. Cahoot, 855 Main St., Suite 400, Bridgeport 06604, c/o Manish Chowdhary. Filed March 11. Crunch and Munch TakeOut, 54 Wood Ave., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Kimberly Duval Hall. Filed Feb. 27. Excuse Me Trucking, 45 Stevens St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Devon Boothe. Filed March 11. Eye Candy Lash Bar LLC., 1651 Barnum Ave., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Jimmy Arce. Filed March 6. F.T. Mangu’z, 458 Connecticut Ave., Bridgeport 06607, c/o LTE Management, LLC. Filed March 4. Frontline Marketing Group, 483 William St., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Mitchel Noel. Filed Jan. 16. God is Good Cleaning Services, 140 Saint Stephens Road, Bridgeport 06605, c/o Jessica Cirilo. Filed Mar. 5.

FCBJ

Khari Stylez LLC, P.O. Box 5104, Bridgeport 06610, c/o Karian G. Gordon. Filed Feb.27. KwiKeez Door 2 Door, 500 Dewey St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Brian R. Benson. Filed March. 13. Lawless Fitness, 40 City View Ave., Bridgeport 06606, c/o William Paul Kline Jr. Filed March. 11. LNR Holdings, 448 Park Ave., First floor, Bridgeport 06604, c/o Lori J. Rodriguez. Filed March. 6. Lynn Beauty Supply, 1527 E. Main St., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Precie Guerrier. Filed March. 4. Palafox Contractor, 158 Wayne St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Alfredo Palafox-Ramirez. Filed Mar. 7. Plaza Mexico Lindo, 94 Albion St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Jasmine D. Munoz. Filed March. 11. Savage Life Barber Shop, 130 Arthur St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Israel Johnson. Filed March 1. Taqueria Los Cascabeles, 1361 Noble Ave., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Abel Cuateco Vicens. Filed Mar. 5. Vic Painting LLC, 4629 Main St., Stratford 06614, c/o Victor Salas. Filed Mar. 12. Zip Code Productions, 160 Gurdon St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Omar Clarke. Filed March 6.

FINANCE Advisory Senior Associate, Financial Due Diligence (Multi. Pos.), PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Stamford, CT. Help clients achieve strategic growth objectives for their organizations thru informed & empowered acquisition, divestiture & reorganization decisions. Req. Bach’s deg or foreign equiv. in Bus Admin, Fin, Acctng or rel. + 3 yrs rel. work exp.; OR a Master’s deg or foreign equiv. in Bus Admin, Fin, Acctng or rel. + 1 yr rel. work exp. Travel up to 60% req. Apply by mail, referencing Job Code CT1955, Attn: HR SSC/Talent Management, 4040 W. Boy Scout Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607.

APRIL 15, 2019

Your advisor’s

should never be in question.

What if your advisor’s firm isn’t designed to operate in your best interest?

“Fiduciary” is a popular term these days, but it’s not new to us. Our firm was founded on the principle of providing advice in the best interest of our clients. To make your most complex wealth decisions in these uncertain times, it’s critical to partner with someone whose interests are aligned with yours. For advice you can trust, rely on us. For a deeper understanding of the benefits of a fiduciary advisor, call Jim O’Hoppe and his team at 212.415.0565. Download our article Is Your Advisor Putting Your Best Interest First? at wilmingtontrust.com/fiduciary.

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Private Banking is the marketing name for an offering of M&T Bank deposit and loan products and services. Investments: • Are NOT FDIC Insured • Have NO Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value Wilmington Trust is a registered service mark. Wilmington Trust Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation. Wilmington Trust Company, operating in Delaware only, Wilmington Trust, N.A., M&T Bank, and certain other affiliates provide various fiduciary and non-fiduciary services, including trustee, custodial, agency, investment management, and other services. International corporate and institutional services are offered through Wilmington Trust Corporation’s international affiliates. Wilmington Trust Investment Advisors, Inc., a subsidiary of M&T Bank, is an SEC-registered investment advisor providing investment management services to Wilmington Trust and M&T affiliates and clients. Loans, credit cards, retail and business deposits, and other business and personal banking services and products are offered by M&T Bank, member FDIC. ©2019 Wilmington Trust Corporation and its affiliates. All rights reserved. 19601-B VF 190301

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