Fairfield May 14

FAIRFIELD COUNT Y

BUSINESS JOURNAL

YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS • westfaironline.com PhoCusWright

Vol 48, No. 20 • May 14, 2012

FCBJ TODAY Foundations – the gifts that keep on giving? … 3 Pitney Bowes sets up its Volly consumer billing platform for Q4 … 5

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

W Shooting the rapids • 6

In the field: Louis Dreyfus acquires company that had 2008 explosion … 8 The List: the guaranteed places to find a small business loan ... 11 Special report: Are small businesses the jobs engines they purport to be? … 13 Also …

“Women who already own businesses in Connecticut are growing them faster than in other states.” … 14

Kayak CEO Steve Hafner

Bar for the course

Arbitrating disputes on the links

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

MEDIA PARTNER

NU takes ‘hard’ look at cost cuts

R

obert Harris has no hesitation when asked to tee up his favorite case: an attorney vacationing on Long Island 100 years ago who was forced to play a round of golf with an unfamiliar club, due to a repair company having lost his favorite “cleek” (1 iron) in the shop.

After a nightmare 18 holes, he did what any self-respecting lawyer would do – he sued and won damages totaling $1 from a sympathetic jury.

“Then he did what really obnoxious lawyers do – he appealed,” Harris recalled.

“He ended up with $4.”

An attorney and mediator in the Bar, page 6

ith the ink still drying on merger agreements with state regulators – and memories still imprinted by the prolonged blackouts of 2011 – Northeast Utilities hinted it would accelerate planned cost cuts.

In April, Northeast Utilities completed its merger with NStar, whose CEO Tom May now leads the combined company from its Boston offices. Former Northeast Utilities CEO Chuck Shivery is now chairman and Leon Olivier continues in his Northeast Utilities role as chief operating officer in Hartford.

May said Northeast Utilities is still in the process of assigning managers their roles in the consolidated company, which starts anew with more than 9,000 employees.

“We initially thought that we would have our management team all picked and in place and up and running by now,” May said in a conference call. “But because we had so much trouble getting this merger through the different gates, we sort of held off so that we wouldn’t be in a situation of selecting certain executives, which meant you ‘unselected’ others. And as a result, if it didn’t go through, we would have had some broken china in the process. So we’re a little bit behind.”

Asked about the timing for cost reductions, former NStar and new Northeast Utilities CFO James Judge ruled “conservative” a previous multi-year plan the company filed with regulators that among other elements spelled out an attrition-based plan for workforce cuts, with the company not planning on replacing workers who retire or leave for other reasons.

NU, page 6

Designs on a speedy build approval process … 2

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

W

hen the federal stimulus was rushed into law amid the frozen markets of early 2009, Connecticut was ill-prepared to act with its slow-moving processes for approving projects in place.

Builders can expect a thaw in any new opportunities, promises Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

“Once I sign this bill, Connecticut will join 46 other states that have implemented ‘design build,’ making us more competitive in the quest for federal money,” Malloy said. “But more importantly, this bill will give us the ability to make long overdue investments in our infrastructure, all while lowering the cost and improving the quality of construction projects.”

Under a bill dubbed “design-build,” state and municipal agencies can consolidate design and construction bids, rather than obtaining a completed design before putting the project out to bid among builders.

Design-build is used extensively by agencies elsewhere in a range of applications. Just last month, Norwalk-based Emcor Group Inc. won a design-build contract for a major electrical system upgrade at U.S. Coast Guard’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has put highway projects out to bid under the traditional designbid-build method. The bill, which has been passed by the state legislature, autho-

Gold coastal property

rizes the DOT commissioner to designate that highway projects be built using either a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) contract with a guaranteed maximum price or a design-build contract, as alternatives to the design-bid-build process.

Under the CMAR model, an owner contracts with a single construction manager who works with the designer and then provides labor, materials and project management during construction “I quite frankly was surprised coming into Connecticut … that this wasn’t a tool in the DOT’s toolbox, because I’ve been used to it for so long in my career in transportation,” said James Redeker, DOT commissioner, in testimony earlier this year. “In this latest round (of federal grants), I was unable to actually have a construction project in the right ballpark ready to go, because they don’t have the design backlog of projects ready to go.

But, frankly, if I had design-build, I could have gotten additional money to the state of Connecticut.”

With nearly 200 people who have taken early or scheduled retirement from DOT, Redeker said the department has a slim backlog of projects, which he hopes the bill will bolster.

“We finished the last two years of incredibly aggressive funding because we got a lot of stimulus dollars,” Redeker said. “We took those and applied them to the projects that were ready to go, so we’re actually at a place today where we have very little if any backlog of projects ready

The building totals 175,000 square feet of space, with 80,000 square feet listed as available.

Marcus Partners has its main local office in Norwalk.

RCM takes Shelton offices

Marcus Partners is undertaking a $4.5 million overhaul of 6 Armstrong Road in Shelton.

Makeover in Shelton An office building at 6 Armstrong Road in Shelton will receive $4.5 million in renovations, with Marcus Partners managing the building on behalf of the building’s new owners.

RCM Technologies USA signed a lease on 24,000 square feet of space at 1 Waterview Drive in Shelton, according to CB Richard Ellis, a commercial broker that itself is relocating its Stamford office.

New Jersey-based RCM provides information technology and high-tech engineering services for aerospace, energy and commercial building applications, with revenue totaling $38 million in the quarter ending March 31.

In Stamford, CBRE is relocating its office from 177 Broad St. to 201 Tresser Blvd., taking more than 10,000 square feet there.

T3 Group makes move T3 Group is moving from Shelton to

Doug Kerr

Design-build bill awaits Malloy’s signature

Under design-build, planners can consolidate bidding for major roadway work. Pictured is the Route 7 construction in Brookfield on the eve of the federal stimulus.

to go from a design point of view.”

Redeker added that design-build would improve Connecticut DOT’s ability to chase down any new federal funding that might become available on a competitive basis.

“In the long run, design-build I think gives us an opportunity to pick selective

projects that may be particularly difficult or interesting – that need innovation, where we want to try something new, where we want to set a price and make sure that there’s some risk being taken on by the contracting community, so that we can actually deliver something that way,” Redeker said.

Milford, citing shorter commuter times for many of its employees.

T3 Group provides software development and information technology services for financial companies. The company was founded in 1995 in Trumbull as SiteTrends and is located at 4 Research Drive in Shelton.

T3 Group took a lease for nearly 6,000 square feet at 440 Wheelers Farm Road in Milford, with Angel Commercial L.L.C. brokering the transaction.

ity also has a golf center, bowling lanes, batting cages, laser tag and arcade.

Importer buys Stratford site Steel Windows and Doors USA bought a small industrial building at 690 Surf Ave. in Stratford, relocating there from Bridgeport.

The company is renovating the building as its new U.S. headquarters, importing highend doors and windows from Europe. Angel Commercial L.L.C. brokered the transaction.

Sports center refinances The Sports Center of Connecticut refinanced a mortgage on its River Road facility in Shelton, with First Niagara Financial Group providing the financing.

The Sports Center draws 1.5 million visits annually and is home to the world’s only double-decker ice-skating arena, with two NHL-size rinks. It is the practice facility of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders. The facil-

Developer files Ch. 11 Farlap Development Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, owing millions of dollars to multiple pension funds.

Greenwich-based Farlap had unsuccessfully sought to build a golf course development on Martha’s Vineyard on a large tract of undeveloped land. The company is owned

by Corey Kupersmith.

– Alexander Soule

2 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

RDS_FCBJ_Apr12_50sMCFC_Ad:RDS_FCBJ_Apr12_50sMCFC_Ad

Money in, money out

4/24/12

4:57 PM

Page 1

Robert D. Scinto, Inc. is pleased to offer the following spaces for lease.

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

other sources.

“Half the foundations in the country ou’ve heard of the gift that keeps on were formed in the last 15 years and their giving? As one local entity sees it, founders are people who are still in their foundations of late have been the giv- earnings years,” said Andy Bangser, CFO of Foundation Source. “The foundation is ers that keep on getting.

Wealthy donors contribute as much new something they are funding every year out of capital to their private foundations each year their earnings. We see a lot of that.

“People start foundations, and when as those entities in turn grant to nonprofits, according to a study released by Fairfield- they start them they tend to be smaller,” based Foundation Source, a provider of Bangser said. “They put money in over time, so the smaller foundations are more likely to backend support for private foundations.

The data was released as a preview of be growing faster with new capital … When a larger report set for later this summer you get into the second and third generation, to include data on grants, asset allocation then … the founder put money in years ago and investment performance. Locally, the and now they’re primarily living off their Connecticut Council for Philanthropy endowment.”

Foundation Source looked at the three is holding its annual summit May 23 in key variables that affect private foundation Plantsville. asset levels: “money out” in the form of grants and expenses; infusions of new capital, contributed by the donor; and gains or losses in the financial markets.

While much other reporting about philanthropy is based on surveys and estimates, Foundation Source compiled its research based on real-time transactional data only.

At the end of 2011, total assets of private foundations with endowments of less than $50 million were, on average, 91.3 percent of their value four years previous heading into the recession year of 2008.

That group makes up 98 percent of the approximately 80,000 private foundations in the United States. Foundation Source said its data provides a rare snapshot of the fis– Andy Bangser, CFO of Foundation Source cal performance of the majority of private foundations in the United States during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Despite growth in 2009 and 2010, 2011 Since 2007, private foundation donors saw a 3 percent average decrease in foundacontributed fresh capital to their founda- tion asset levels. New capital contributions tions at the rate of 104 percent of the in 2011 were up 19 percent from the prior amounts granted, a surprising revelation year, but still funded only 84 percent of total given the assumption in some quarters money out (grants plus expenses). That rate that foundations are launched with sizable of replenishment was higher than 2010 (72 endowments that reinvest earnings from percent), but lower than 2008 and 2009 (94 investments and ongoing fundraising from percent and 111 percent).

Immediate Occupancy

casoule@westfairinc.com

Y

“Half the foundations in the country were formed in the last 15 years and their founders are people who are still in their earnings years. The foundation is something they are funding every year out of their earnings.”

50 Waterview Drive, Shelton, Connecticut 90,000 sq. ft. – R&D, light manufacturing, warehousing, and office space

Occupancy December 2012

Medical Center of Fairfield County, Trumbull, Connecticut 75,000 sq. ft. – Medical Suites from 1,200 to 55,000 sq. ft.

Development Underway

50 Corporate Drive, Trumbull, Connecticut 86,400 sq. ft. – R&D, light manufacturing, warehousing, and office space

FAIR ARGUMENT “We really never lobbied for the repeal of the incandescent light bulb. If people want to buy incandescent light bulbs, we will sell them incandescent light bulbs.”

– General Electric Co. CEO Jeff Immelt, at GE’s annual meeting April 25 in Detroit

Robert D. Scinto, Inc. OWNER/DEVELOPER/BUILDER/MANAGER

203.929.6300 www.scinto.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012

3

PERSPECTIVES • Main office telephone. . . . . . . . (914) 694-3600 • Newsroom fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3680 • Sales fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3699 • Research fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3682 • Editorial e-mail. . . . . casoule@westfairinc.com

Pain squared

But as state Sen. Toni Boucher of Wilton reminds us, the pain can be intense for families who lose a loved one to drug addiction.

Boucher led the opposition to the medical marijuana bill in the Connecticut General Assembly, saying the law puts the state at odds with federal statute and represents a runaway train to widespread abuse.

“There have been too many classmates of my own children and family who found their son or daughter dead, oftentimes in their home just before going to another treatment facility after many more,” Boucher said. “They all started with marijuana and gradually went to other things as well, and … it’s ruined their lives.”

Boucher warns pharmacies stocked with pot could lead to a wave of burglaries to rival that of Oxycontin, the Purdue Pharma blockbuster drug that proved addictive.

For the record, the Connecticut

“I’ve actually taken … Oxycontin, morphine, methadone,” Godfrey said.

“I do not want to have to take opiates … You have go into some pretty seedy areas in order to even find a (marijuana) source. I’m disabled, I’m a single woman – I’m taking my life in my own hands every time, if I have the opportunity to purchase.

“There is such an epidemic today in our society of misuse of prescription medications, and that’s a shame, especially when we do have a natural substance of which can help to alleviate pain,” she said. “If there is a way that we could pass this bill, and I pray that we do, then people like myself will not have to live in fear of being called a criminal or, perhaps, having something happen to us out on the street with some devious individual. Like I said, this is heartfelt. I ask you to please, please consider all of us who suffer in silence every day.”

Dominic Simpson

I

f you are among those who have not had a loved one suffer excruciating pain for prolonged periods – or undergone the agony yourself – in a way you are not quite qualified to render judgment on marijuana for medical use.

Pharmacy Association “cautiously” endorsed the bill, which was passed by the legislature and awaits the governor’s signature.

Good points all. But then you have to listen to people like Lorraine Godfrey, a Connecticut resident who testified she lives with debilitating pain after multiple hip operations.

Or write to: Fairfield County Business Journal 3 Gannett Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 www.westfaironline.com Publisher • Dee DelBello Managing Editor • Bob Rozycki

News

Fairfield County Bureau Chief • Alexander Soule Editor, Digital Content • Patrick Gallagher Records Reporter • George Cassidy Reporters • Patrick Gallagher • John Golden • Janice Kirkel • Mary Shustack • Zoë Zellers Research Director • Alissa Frey

Advertising Sales

Sales Manager • Anne Jordan Duffy Account Executives • Barbara Stewart Hanlon • Dan Vierno • Kristina Cook Director Digital Sales • Thomas Spanos Programs and Projects Coordinator • Beverly Visosky

Production

Department Director • Alison Kouzmanoff Art Director • Caitlin Nurge Digital Media Designer • Olga Loginova

Circulation

Director of Circulation • Holly Gallicchio Circulation Representative • Marcia Rudy

Administration

Chief Operating Officer • Michael Gallicchio Chief Financial Officer • Marie T. Orser Office Manager • Sylvia Sikoutris

Amen to that

P

icture a Baptist minister at the pulpit on a Sunday morning, beseeching his congregation to see the light; or a football coach on the sidelines on a Sunday afternoon, exhorting his team to move the chains on fourth down.

“How long are we going to allow the parking lots in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island to fill up with Connecticut license plates every weekend?”

Amen to that!

“How long are we going to watch our residents cross the borders to buy in other states the exact same products that they could be buying here in Connecticut from local Connecticut

retailers?”

Hear our prayer!

“And how long are we going to continue to cheat the consumers who do shop here with exorbitant prices and inconvenient hours?”

Hallelujah!

“I refuse to believe that Connecticut’s many small package stores are only in business today because of the protections provided by the state.”

(Um, did he really say that?)

“They are in business because of the hard work and commitment of their owners and because of the unmatched

level of customer service that that can only be found in a small retailer.

Connecticut residents including myself will continue to patronize stores where we get the best service …” … Okay, governor, we get the picture.

Trust us, if wine and liquor could be purchased here, there and everywhere, a majority of package stores would not exist today.

See any Woolworth’s around these days?

But like the five and dime soda counter, the Sunday prohibition on liquor sales was an anachronism in a modern world. Now it’s history.

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Have your say

The Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and opinion columns. Submissions must include the writer’s name, home or business address, email address and telephone number for verification purposes.

The Business Journal reserves the right to edit submissions for accuracy, style and space considerations. Email submissions to casoule@westfairinc.com.

Submissions may appear in print and online.

4 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

PB readies online bill-paying system for Q4 launch

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

P

itney Bowes Inc. is aiming for a fourthquarter U.S. launch of its Volly online bill payment system, with the open question lingering on whether the service will scale up rapidly amid myriad options for consumers.

Stamford-based Pitney Bowes unveiled Volly last year as a single platform for consumers to pay bills and view company communications, including catalogs and coupons. Many of Volly’s features are available via varying ecommerce channels, however, and it remains to be seen whether a company that is an acknowledged expert in business-to-business communications will have the pulse of consumers. Rival Zumbox Inc. has a head start, launching this month its own iPad application for a digital “mailbox” to handle billing and other functions.

For its part, Pitney Bowes is relying on billers and other third parties to promote the service as a bridge to building better customer relationships.

“Most of the studies we’ve seen suggest that consumers only trust banks or … financial institutions with money decisions,” said Barclays analyst Hale Holden, “Pitney Bowes doesn’t really have a …consumer brand and Volly certainly doesn’t have a consumer brand.”

In a conference call, CFO Michael Monahan acknowledged Volly represents “a slower build,” but expressed confidence the service will be embraced by companies and by extension their customers.

“We felt it’s very important that those brands play a part in validating Volly with the customers,” Monahan said. “There’s a value proposition, both for them as well as for the consumers themselves, to have a point of aggregation of their bills, statements and other account information.”

In April, Pitney Bowes announced the

FAIR ARGUMENT “We spent a lot of time in October on a jobs bill.

We have said that it’s very important to us that we are trying to be pro-business.

And we’re now smacking into this (bill) a ($2,500) fee?

– State Rep. Pamela Sawyer on a bill governing acquisitions of Connecticut insurance companies

Australia Post is the first national postal service to incorporate Volly into its digital offerings, with a spokesperson not saying whether Pitney Bowes is seeking a similar arrangement with the U.S. Postal Service.

To pay for Volly’s expansion and other growth-minded investments under CEO Murray Martin, Pitney Bowes indicated it is expanding its “productivity initiatives,” without specifying whether that could result in a new round of job cuts. Pitney Bowes pared its payroll by 2,000 jobs last year, leaving it with a workforce of 29,700 people world-

wide and 20,100 in the United States.

Pitney Bowes reported an 11 percent increase in Martin’s compensation last year to $9.2 million, including estimates for stock and options that vest in future years based on the company’s performance going forward.

Volly is one element Pitney Bowes is counting on for renewed growth. Firstquarter sales drooped below $1.3 billion in the first quarter, down 5 percent from a year ago, though Pitney Bowes nearly doubled profits to $159 million.

Martin said some orders may have been delayed due to the “Drupa effect” of prospective customers wanting to attend May’s Drupa print technologies convention, held every four years in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“We didn’t really see anything there in lost business – it was really more of deferral, and it sort of reminds us of a number of years ago we had that and then it came back afterwards,” Martin said. “You see in Europe with the situation there that there are delays and then some delays again in the financial services sector in the U.S.”

“ We produce energy- efficient lighting products so we understand the necessity of taking energy conscious steps in any facility renovation or new building project.” __ Allison Walker, Chairman, CEO, The Lighting Quotient.

“ When our own HVAC system failed, the Energy Efficiency Fund stepped in and made it possible for us to “walk the walk” of energy efficiency,” said Allison Walker, Chairman, CEO, The Lighting Quotient. “Our business is now not only innovative in our lighting solutions, but also innovative in embracing a green workplace, and this message is carried into the community by our employees.”

Project: The Lighting Quotient (West Haven) Fund incentives: $111,045 Projected energy savings: $36,000 annually “ There’s a large educational aspect to all of this, and it’s important to get local businesses engaged in energy-efficient products and solutions,” said Walker. The Energy Efficiency Fund educated us and worked with us to help our business operate more sustainably, and we do the same for businesses we work with. It’s a win-win partnership.”

Due to the capital investment often needed for high-efficiency systems, companies find it difficult to become energy efficient. The Fund offers substantial incentives to help you bridge that gap. And your energy cost savings are immediate and long-term.

For more information on energy efficiency programs for businesses, call 1-877-WISE-USE (1-877-947-3873) or visit www.ctEnergyInfo.com

Connecticut’s Energy Efficiency Programs are funded by a charge on customer energy bills.

CAAP12FC

NU-27085 C&I testimonial ad FCBJ_7375x85.indd 2

4/2/12 3:48 PM FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 5

Kayak.com navigates course to IPO

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

O

n one side of the straits, Kayak.com is eyeing Google. On the other side it’s Groupon and gaggles of other new-media companies.

Dead ahead, of course, is the pool representing its “liquid event” – an initial public offering of stock.

As Kayak Software Corp. paddles toward an IPO – one that promises riches for founders Steve Hafner and Paul English and the venture capital companies that backed them – it is coming under renewed pressure from Internet-era icons and upstarts alike.

It was not so long ago that Kayak was the fresh face in a still-evolving online travel industry dominated by Norwalk-based Priceline.com, Expedia and Orbitz, where Hafner previously worked.

Since then, the company has only cemented its industry status, for the second straight year winning Webby award accolades as the best travel website, beating out TripAdvisor, Hipmunk, Jetsetter.com and Trippy.com.

The Webby awards drew more than 10,000 submissions this year – Kayak was one of just 10 organizations to win multiple Webby awards, with other notable names including Skype and Sesame Street Muppets.

Kayak’s search engine combs other sites for travel deals, ranking among the 200 most-frequented U.S. websites and the fourth of those run by Connecticut-based companies, after Bristol-based ESPN (20th), Stamford-based Indeed.com (75th), and Priceline.com (158th).

Kayak earned $9.7 million last year as revenue climbed by a third to nearly $225 million. At the end of March, Kayak reported having 170 employees, with Hafner leading its Norwalk headquarters and English its technology center in Concord, Mass.

Even as Kayak readies for an IPO, it finds itself in a battle with Google, which a year

ago acquired the Cambridge, Mass.-based travel software engine ITA and has since launched flight and hotel search tools that compete directly with Kayak.

In SEC filings, Kayak concedes Google’s flight search engine offers “significantly increased speed” due to its links with ITA, an issue Hafner took up at a conference sponsored last November by Sherman-based PhoCusWright.

At deadline, Hafner had yet to respond to a request for an interview made through a PR company.

“It seems to me – I don’t know for sure – that Google must be using a different version of ITA software than perhaps someone like Kayak or Orbitz,” Hafner said to a Google executive sharing his panel. “It just seems faster. I’m curious – is that just an innovation or a capability that you intend to make commercially available to all your longstanding, loyal customers?”

Kayak cites hotel bookings as the fastest growing online travel category, with growth currently on an annual 11 percent rate of increase. In March 2011, Kayak added the capability for travelers to make hotel reservations through its U.S. website. As first reported by the Boston Business Journal, however, after Orbitz initiated litigation Kayak removed language touting its hotel booking capabilities from an updated IPO filing, without stating whether it was in response to legal pressure.

If the established titans are feeling pressure from Kayak, they remain mindful of the new generation of social media plays in the travel space. For its part, Kayak has more than 75,000 “likes” on Facebook.

“The Groupon audience is a very engaged audience,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia, speaking at the same PhoCusWright conference. “What we have to work on is to train the Expedia audience to buy a product in a different way than they are accustomed to. And I think that’s the bigger challenge.”

FAIR ARGUMENT “I think (loan demand is) improving, but not dramatically. When Lehman failed in 2008 and we saw these major institutions in trouble, everything was frozen. I don’t think there’s a great amount of confidence on the part of small businesses, but it’s better than it was a year ago.”

– Charles Howell III, CEO Wilton Bank

Bar for the course — From page 1

Westport law firm Levett Rockwood P.C., Harris has seen his fair share of golf disputes, so much so that today he is a founding member of an American Arbitration Association advisory board to the industry, one of just a few such AAA committees to include construction, health care and the broader arena of sports, including Olympics and doping disputes.

Yes, the AAA golf committee has examined the legal implications of a ball hooked into an innocent bystander. And yes, there is much more to golf law than that.

Harris became interested in the topic several years ago with the idea of writing a book and today writes a column for the National Golf Foundation while maintaining his own blog called Golf Dispute Resolution to track cases of note.

The blog includes both a topical menu (under the “celebrities” option, an April entry recounts Donald Trump’s taking on Scotland’s parliament over planned offshore wind turbines that would be visible from his new Aberdeen course) and the ability to track cases by location.

In Connecticut, Harris chronicled Darien’s recent efforts to resolving tax disputes with Country Club of Darien, Wee

NU takes‘hard’ look — From page 1

“We’re looking long and hard at that issue,” Judge said. “We have an opportunity to actually accelerate some of those savings that we had targeted in that regional plan.”

Al Lara, a Northeast Utilities spokesman in Hartford, said Judge was not specifically referencing jobs in his response and that nothing has changed on the topic from what the company has previously stated.

What has changed is the official stance of Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen with regard to job levels. In early April, the attorney general’s office issued notice of a settlement agreement that included the stipulation that any Northeast Utilities staff reductions in Connecticut be made through normal attrition and not through layoffs.

In early May, however, a Jepsen spokeswoman forwarded a statement saying Connecticut layoffs are allowed under the settlement agreement, provided the company makes matching cuts in its other territories.

“The short answer is that other than the specific provision concerning line worker

Burn Country Club, and most recently Woodway Country Club – award lower property valuations and so tax bases in exchange for clubs agreeing to preserve the courses as open space and giving the town the right of first refusal to purchase any property they put up for sale.

And of course, Harris covers the quirky and unusual – for instance the San Antonio course that sued a nearby shooting range over what it says are errant bullets that caught one golfer in the chest and menaced others; or the 2011 golf “cart-jacking” in which a man stole an elderly woman’s cart during a round at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, driving it clear to Fairchild Wheeler Golf Club in Bridgeport and smashing into multiple carts before golfers tackled him on the 16th hole and held him until police arrived.

Harris is not convinced that he is breaking any major new legal ground with his American Arbitration Association golf committee and blog, but he sees a connection between golf ’s status as the genteel game and the use of mediation to resolve legal disputes.

And the template is there if AAA wants to create other committees to help niche industries work through their disputes.

“I had a friend tell me it would be nice to have a croquet dispute resolution committee,” he said.

staffing, there are no absolute prohibitions on other reductions in employment levels,” Jepsen stated.

Even as it looks for workforce wiggle room, the new Northeast Utilities finds itself under the microscope at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, after a complaint from PURA and peer agencies in New England that transmission utilities currently enjoy “tariffs” that benefit utilities to an unreasonable degree.

PURA and other state regulators claim New England electricity customers are overpaying transmission operators by $113 million annually, an amount set to spike to $205 million in three years. If not a large amount by the measure of New England’s estimated population of 14.4 million people, it is not insignificant by the bottom line of utilities and their shareholders.

Northeast Utilities executives said they saw the FERC pronouncement just a half hour before a conference call to review the company’s first quarter results as a newly combined giant.

“It caught us a little off guard,” May said.

“We’re still sorting through it. But we … believe we have a strong basis for our position, and we’re just going to take the next steps.”

6 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

social media trends

by bruce newman

Components of an effective website

T

here are millions of websites currently on the Internet. Unfortunately, most of them are boring or confusing. A recent study found that people only remain on a website for about five seconds before leaving – probably forever – if they don’t like what they see or are too confused by what is being offered.

The other day, I was working with a client and I suggested we go and look at the website of a company that I knew had a service he could use. However, upon arriving at the site we were so confused by what it was offering that after about two minutes of fruitless searching we left. Their website lost them a sale. Unfortunately, this is all too common.

Unfriendly and confusing navigation is arguably the major reason why many websites fail. It doesn’t matter if your website looks great or has terrific graphics. If it drives away business, it fails.

When we do a social media campaign, one of the first things we look at is a client’s website. Since a successful campaign will drive traffic to a landing page and/or a website, it must be able to entice this traffic to

• Do you know your visitors pain points? take some type of action such as signing up for a product or service. The greatest social Have you addressed them?

• Does your copy focus on your cusmedia campaign in the world will fail if interested prospects land on a confusing website tomer or on you?

• Is your navigation simple? Can people and leave (or bounce) several seconds later.

Although many analytics are available, easily find what they want?

• Can people understand what you do in three are particularly important: the number of people who land on your website (par- less than 5 seconds?

• Have you evaluated your competitors’ ticularly the home page), the amount of time they remain on your website and the percent- sites? What do they emphasize?

• Do you have search engine optimizaage who take some type of action (such as supplying you with their email address and tion (SEO) and analytics? Do you use keywords? name).

• Do you have a blog?

Here are some website considerations: • Do you have social media links? Are The Three Rules of Web Awareness you social? (courtesy of Tim Ash) • Is your website optimized for mobile?

1. If your visitor can’t find something • Do you update your site (and blog) easily, it does not exist.

2. If you emphasize too many items, all of content regularly? Is it concise and informative? Are your headlines (and sub-headlines) them lose importance. effective? Is your most important informa3. Any delay increases frustration.

Questions you should consider for your tion at the top?

• Do you use any video? website: • Who is your target market? Is yourS:10” • Does your site load quickly?

• If appropriate, do you have any testicontent directed toward them? monials?

• What are the goals of your website?

It is also important to determine what motivates your viewers. This includes what drives them to your website and once there, where they go and what they access. Many companies employ an A/B strategy in which they test different variations of text against each other to see the level of response each strategy achieves. Once they see which one works better, they can tweak it to see if they can further improve their results.

Incidentally, A/B testing is the basis for many email-marketing campaigns.

Your website can be a terrific tool that can help generate business and brand your company as an industry leader. The ability of social media to drive traffic to your site further increases its importance and the need for it to be able to meet its goals.

Bruce Newman is the vice president at The Productivity Institute L.L.C. in Carmel, N.Y. He is also a social media strategist and the designer of a new service, wwWebevents.com.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and the Productivity Institute blog. He can be reached at bnewman@prodinst.com.

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012

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ring two years to the day prior to the Kleen Energy gas explosion in Middletown that killed six people.

Imperial Sugar reportedly has settled more than 60 lawsuits related to the disaster.

The company lost $53 million in its most recent fiscal year with sales off 7 percent to $848 million.

“This … is an important step forward in our plan to grow and diversify our global sugar activities from sugar cane crushing and international sugar trading into sugar refining and distribution in major consumer markets,” Mikael Morn, Louis Dreyfus Commodities CEO, said in a statement.

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Louis Dreyfus is acquiring Imperial Sugar, which vies with Domino.

Dreyfus buys sugar company For $203 million, Louis Dreyfus Commodities is acquiring Imperial Sugar Co., four years after the company was rocked by explosions and a fatal fire at a Georgia facility.

Louis Dreyfus Commodities has its main office in Wilton.

Imperial Sugar is based in Sugar Land, Texas, and has more than 500 employees.

In February 2008, 14 people died after sugar dust ignited and exploded at the Port Wentworth plant, with the disaster occur-

Harman making noise Harman International Industries Inc. won a $2 billion, follow-on order from an unspecified automaker for infotainment systems produced by the Stamford-based company.

In its third fiscal quarter ending March 31, Harman earned $53 million as sales increased 16 percent from a year earlier to $1.1 billion.

CEO Dinesh Paliwal said the company is winning interest with an electronic engine-noise cancellation technology it recently debuted.

“We are already in Prius, we just got an award with Volvo and we are also going into Nissan, which has not been our account, but we are going in,” Paliwal said in a conference

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call. “And of course German automakers (are) talking to us and so are Hyundai and others.”

Hedge fund on hold A new Greenwich hedge fund is on hold reportedly after its co-founder suffered a stroke.

Richard Ruzika, former head of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s special situations group, was raising funds for a company called Dublin Hill Capital. Bloomberg News reported Ruzika’s stroke, attributing the information to Ruzika’s partner Joe Howley, formerly with Sempra Energy and Tudor Investment Corp., and Lance Bakrow, a third co-founder, previously of Goldman Sachs before leaving to run Greenwich Energy Solutions.

from 2011. New Hampshire was the top state in the Northeast and 18th nationally.

A year after a high-profile battle with state workers, Wisconsin jumped 17 spots on the survey, while Alaska suffered the biggest drop.

The bottom four states nationally were New Jersey, Illinois, New York and California.

WWE network inches along World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. CEO Vince McMahon acknowledged WWE’s planned TV network is proceeding slower

than expected, even as the Stamford company basked in a record-breaking attendance and profit for Wrestlemania a month ago.

WWE revenue rose 3 percent from a year ago to $123 million in the first quarter, contributing to a $15.3 million profit that could have been higher but for the money WWE is spending on developing a network.

“The (network) holdup is on our end, it’s not on the end of the distributors,” McMahon said. “We’re still excited – actually more excited than we’ve ever been in terms of the potential of our network.”

Compass sells HALO For $77 million, Compass Diversified Holdings Inc. sold off HALO Holding Corp. to Candlelight Investment Holdings Inc. Westport-based Compass acquired HALO for $62 million in 2007, with the Illinois company providing fulfillment services. Compass indicated it does not expect to record a gain or loss on the transaction in the second quarter.

It was Compass’ second sale over the past few months, after reaching a deal to divest the Staffmark employment agency.

– Alexander Soule

Gartner looks for ’13 gains Fresh off a hiring campaign, Gartner Inc. CEO Gene Hall said the company expects to see the payback on that investment next year as it trains its new salespeople.

Stamford-based Gartner provides information technology market research, consulting and events. Gartner revenue gained 12 percent in Gene Hall sees 2013 as a big the first quarter year for Gartner’s new sales to $369 million, force. with its events business the biggest gainer at 29 percent.

“When we hire salespeople … (in) their first year of sales … they’re not as effective as in their second year,” Hall said. “The second year, they’re up to full productivity in sales, and then that turns into contract value during that second year which then turns into revenue, really, during their third year …

The big impact is going to be in 2013, not in 2012.”

A+

Newtown vet opens ER Newtown Veterinary Specialists opened a new, 15,000-square-foot emergency and critical care medical facility at 52 Church Hill Road in Newtown.

In addition to taking referrals from other vets for advanced diagnostic services and treatments, the facility is open nights and weekends for emergency pet care.

Newtown Savings Bank provided financing for the expansion.

Bad ranking remains Connecticut remains stuck at 44th on a list of the best and worst states in which to do business, published annually by CEO Magazine.

Texas retained its top ranking on the CEO Magazine list, with Florida second and North Carolina third, swapping positions

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n Gigi Fernandez, Chelsea Piers gets someone who knows a thing or two about handling a smoking hot serve.

In Gary Hirschberg, it gets someone who knows how to dish it out hot and cold.

In late April, the founder of the Stonyfield Farm yogurt company opened a new organic and natural café at Chelsea Piers’ flagship facility in New York City, compete with walk-up window service.

Stonyfield founder Hirschberg is opening his Chelsea Table’s second café at Chelsea Piers Connecticut, when the Stamford facility opens in July, as well as the new Overlook Restaurant offering casual fare.

In addition to providing café and lunch fare, the new operations will serve

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as the in-house caterer for special events at the facility, which will offer a wide range of organized sports leagues and booking corporate events.

Chelsea Piers has rapidly been building out its sports roster to include a tennis center led by Gigi Fernandez, who piled up 17 Grand Slam doubles titles between 1988 and 1997 and two Olympic gold medals.

Chelsea Piers also recently announced it will host a soccer camp run by Kristine Lilly, the Wilton native who is the most decorated player in U.S. history.

With Samuel Kaymen, Hirschberg cofounded Stonyfield in Wilton, N.H., as a school to teach sustainable farming practices. Stonyfield subsequently sold a majority stake to Group Danone, whose Dannon Co. division is based in White Plains, N.Y. Stonyfield, now based in Londonderry, N.H., this year it hired as CEO former Ben & Jerry’s CEO Walt Freese, freeing up Hirschberg to work on other projects like a White House trade panel, the AGree food and agriculture policy initiative, and now Chelsea’s Table.

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Gary Hirschberg of Stonyfield Yogurt fame is opening a café, restaurant and catering operation at Chelsea Piers.

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True to Hirschberg’s roots, Chelsea’s Table plans to emphasize sourcing from local farms in Connecticut and New York.

Its initial fare will include eggs from a fourth-generation family farm, all-natural deli provisions from Applegate, hormonefree cheeses from Vermont Creamery, chicken from Pella Farms in Bethel, N.Y. and young lettuces and herbs from North Fork, L.I. farms.

“Like Stonyfield, Chelsea’s Table is about more than food and commerce,” Hirshberg said in a statement.” It is a movement that aims to change how we think about food, support family farms, feed our families and accommodate today’s timechallenged lifestyles.”

10 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Ranked by number of SBA 7a loans in Connecticut during 2011.

Listed alphabetically in event of tie.

THE LIST SBA Lenders

Fairfield County Next list: May 21 Intellectual Property Attorneys

SBA Lenders

Next list: May 21 — Intellectual Property Attorneys

Rank

Ranked by number of SBA 7a loans in Connecticut during 2011 Listed alphabetically in event of tie.

Name and address • Number of branches in county Telephone number, area code: 203 (unless otherwise noted) Website

1

Webster Bank N.A.

2

Citizens Financial Group/RBS Citizens N.A.

3

Fairfield County Bank

4

TD Bank N.A.

5

Union Savings Bank

6

JPMorgan Chase N.A.

145 Bank St., Waterbury • 24 branches 578-2202 • websteronline.com

1 Citizens Plaza, Providence, RI 02903 • Four branches (401) 861-0091 • citizensbank.com

150 Danbury Road, Ridgefield 06877 • 22 branches 438-6518 • fairfieldcountybank.com

2035 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808 • 21 branches (302) 351-4560 • tdbank.com

225 Main St., Danbury, 06810 • 14 branches 830-4200 • unionsavings.com

270 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017 • 48 branches (212) 270-6000 • jpmorganchase.com

People's United Financial Inc. 850 Main St., Bridgeport 06604 • 65 branches 338-7001 • peoples.com

7

Newtown Savings Bank

8

First Niagara Bank N.A.

39 Main St., Newtown 06470 • 14 branches 426-2563 • nsbonline.com

P.O. Box 514, Buffalo, NY 14095 • Nine branches (716) 819-5877 • fnfg.com

Wells Fargo Bank N.A. 101 N. Philips Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104 • 34 branches (605) 575-7332 • wellsfargo.com

9

Savings Bank of Danbury 220 Main St., Danbury • Nine branches 743-3849 • sbdanbury.com

10

Bank of America N.A.

11

Citibank N.A.

101 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28255 • 54 branches (800) 432-1000 • bankofamerica.com

2900 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109 • 19 branches (702) 796-4201 • online.citibank.com

KeyBank N.A. 127 Public Square Cleveland, OH 44114 • One branch (216) 689-4221 • key.com

12

First County Bank 2950 Summer St., Stamford 06905 • 15 branches 462-4405 • firstcountybank.com

Chief executive officer/president Year company established

Number of SBA 7a loans in Connecticut

Total approved gross SBA 7a loans in Connecticut ($) (includes loan increase fees occuring during 2011 fiscal year)

Total approved SBA 7a loans in Connecticut ($)

James C. Smith 1870

50

17,025,600

12,692,150

Ellen Alemany 1828/2004 (RBS Citizens N.A.)

40

3,738,500

1,869,250

David Schneide 1871/2004 (present name)

39

5,290,000

2,915,000

Ed Clark 1852

36

18876000

15,338,900

Francis G. Dattalo 1866

28

4,478,600

2,198,090

James A. Bell 1824

26

4,752,400

2,794,440

26

9,658,300

7,630,600

John Martocci 1855

25

5,614,700

3,816,475

John R. Koelmel CEO, president and director 1870

24

8,040,000

6,000,750

John Stumpf 1870

24

5,797,900

4,641,475

Hal Wibling 1849

10

2,236,500

1,359,700

Brian T. Moynihan 1904

5

1,937,100

1,431,575

William Mills CEO, North America 1812

2

684,000

606,800

Beth E. Mooney Chairman, CEO and president, KeyCorp Christopher M. Gorman Chairman and CEO, KeyBank N.A. 1825

2

843,000

613,500

Richard E. Taber 1851

1

1,200,000

900,000

Armando F. Goncalves President, southern Connecticut/New York

1842

Questions or comments, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3005.

Source: Data from the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders website naggl.org; reflects quarterly data as reported to the SBA during the 2011 fiscal year ending on Sept. 30.

Information for the number of branches is current as of May 2012 and was obtained from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. website fdic.gov.

Although the data obtained from these sources is consistently reliable, its accuracy and comprehensiveness cannot be guaranteed.

THE WEEKLY LIST IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/the-lists/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 11

large corporations. We can help with

Q: Who are you enrolling in to the

Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Grant

these challenges such as advising on program as potential employees?

No. OD-21074-10-75-4-9. This docuFairfield County Welcomes the Travelers Championship the best way to on-board a new emment does not necessarily reflect the

ployee; setting up peer mentoring reA: Our clients represent diverse views or policies of the Office of DisCelebrating the Travelers designated lationships, or having a conversation backgrounds and experiences. All in- ability Employment Policy, U.S. DepartChampionship’s new office grand beneficiaries, The Fairfield County Information with managers about providing meandividuals have a high school degree ment of Labor, nor does the mention opening in Stamford, a reception The Hole in Exchange – an initiative The Busior GED certificate. We’ve enrolled of trade names, commercial products, was held at Trump Parc of Stamford on ingful performance feedback. the Wall Gang ness - provides and Small businesses know they need individuals who have backgrounds in or organizations imply endorsement by MarchCouncil 2nd, and featured data a special Camp and perspective on regional economic to be nimble to compete in a global healthcare, financial services graphic the U.S. Government. guest appearance from PGA TOUR the Greater activity, from Billy infrastructure arts, as well as office administration. professional Andrade. to human economy. The more support H a r tthey f o r red capital demographics.

They receive individualized and group About The WorkPlace The toTravelers Championship is ceive to structure for sustainability, J a y c e e sthe .

Connecticut’s only PGA TOUR event Also, more they than 130 other more resilient can be to a changcoaching and training in professionalThe WorkPlace conducts compreandThis is month lookingwe to feature expandQits charities par ticipated & Areach with Connecticut ing global economy.

Diversity and in- ism and work ethics, communication hensive planning, and coordinates into Southern with the tournament fundraisers in 2009 Jamie Goddard,Connecticut Program Manager of in clusion reflecting the demographics skills and a variety of other soft skills regional workforce development proopening of an office at 707 Summer to help generate dollars for their spe-is important to the workplace. the Add Us In/DiversityWorks initiaof our area grams to prepare people for careers Street in Stamford.

TheAdd office tive at The WorkPlace.

Us space In/Di- cific causes. In 2009, the one Travelers way to while strengthening the workforce for was generously by busiThe Championship donated $1.08 million versityWorks seeks donated to help small address these Preparation of this item was funded employers. For more information, visit Ashforth and the the talent tournathroughnesses hireCompany and leverage of to non-profit organizations priorities. by the Office of Disability Employment www.workplace.org. ment has also partnered with The out the state. people with disabilities, including lesAdditionBusiness Council of Fair field to help “We are excited for the opporbian, gay,expansion. bisexual, and transgender tunity to be a part of ally, I like with the the Fair fieldto individuals with disabilities. say that the “We welcome the Travelers County community,” said Travelers “Power is Championship to the Fair field County Championship Tournament Directorin The Business ofhelp Fairfield annu-Grube.The“The 2010 Walter H. Wheeler, Jr. Leadership ness Council. He has actively engaged his colQ: How can thisCouncil initiative small the Travelers Package” area,” said Chris Bruhl, President &County Nathan businesses in the current economy? for small busially recognizes an exceptional leader of the regional Award will be presented CEO, The Business Council. “Their Championship is a premier statewide to Richard E. Taber, Chair- leagues in community service opportunities, worked business community. man of thenesses.

Board &This CEO, First County Bank on tirelessly for access to affordable housing, and has philanthropy reaches all corners of event, and we’re eager to continue Smalland businesses may notgreat haveJr. to program, coupled with Small BusitheA: state wishH. them have a great partnership with the Through the we Walter Wheeler, Leadership Tuesday, October 5th. been deeply supportive, through personal leadersuccessThe asaddress they increase their pres- businesses, volunteers, charities and capacity to important aspects ness through ConAward, Business Council demonstrates its Tax com-Incentives Mr. Taber is athe respected community leader con- ship and the Bank’s community investments, in exence in business the region.” fans Connecticut.

Without them, of their suchleadership as humanand re- offers necticut Department oftime Economic mitment to volunteer aofrole tributing his and leadership to a variety of area panding educational opportunities for all children.

The management tournament donates 100% of the success of this Development, tournament would source including recruitand Community and model for all businesspeople to emulate.

The award, non-profits including the Housing Development For more information on this year’s Walter H. net on-boarding proceeds ever y year to its two not be WorkPlace possible.” programs, present ing, and retaining other named after the visionary Pitneytalent.

Bowes leader, cel- Fund, Stamford Partnership, the United Way, the Wheeler Jr. Leadership Award Dinner, please conFrequently, when it comes to recruit- extraordinary opportunities for small ebrates corporate leadership in our community.

Downtown Special Services District, and The Busi- tact The Business Council at 203-359-3220. ing, limited resources can mean that businesses to hire needed personnel small businesses are often up against in the current economy. a separate set of challenges than

Honoring

Richard E. Taber, Chairman of the Board & CEO, First County Bank

Leadership Fairfield County: Access. Connections. Solutions.

LEADERSHIP SNAPSHOTS University of NETWORK Connecticut President

Save the Date: Legislative Leadership Breakfast

Leadership Fair field leadership development County is a professional activities.

Participants March 24, 2010 non-profit representatives.

For more information development program that encouraged to actively Registration: 7:45am Breakfast Program: 8:00 – 9:30am is a business Human Capital Council leadership areand Employee wellness contactpresenters Elizabeth Bradley broadens succession the skills andannounced engage in dia- at ebradley@businessfairCost: $45 members; $55 non-members – and Business Council - issue. perspectives of organiza- Susan Johnson, Vice logue and take advantage field.com.

Stamford Plaza Hotel and Conference In 2007Center and 2009, a team of member executives tional leaders and provides of their expertise by asking For more information, please call 203-359-3220 President, Strategic Talconducted “Healthy employer recognition Cultural travel for U.S. citizens to rateWorkplace” includes round-trip airfare from the region with individuthoughtful andNew thought pro- forming? group ent Management & Diverprograms whichMiami, celebrated the accomplishments join prepared us to hear Cuba has resumed after years of re8 nights first class hotelofacalsPlease who are to from University voking questions.

Twelve “trusted advisors,” leaders of firms who sity Leadership peer-selected employers and shared their experiencof Connecticut President Susan Herbst infor Pitney serve as catalysts for posiMonthly sessions, begin- have striction.

19 meals (7 breakadvise business leaders, come together for a es in events andcommodations, Bowes Inc., has been publications. These were among the her first public speaking engagement in tive change. Established ning in March and concludWhile maintaining a 50-year-old fasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinners), Cuban of dialogues facilitated by Business Council best received events we’ve ever presented. named Chair of the Human ingseries Fairfield Herbst’s stated in 1992County. by the President Business in November, last from economic embargo, the Obama Ad- Travel visa, transportation by deluxe director Lucy Baney, CEO of Access Technologies Capital Council. Susan three hours to a full day, Members involved in our Health Care Council and vision forofUConn is to create a “sophisticatCouncil Fairfield County, ministration hasonauthorized select air-conditioned motor coach, and Group. have shared perspectives the Chief Human succeeds Cathy Candland, with Resources Officers Roundtable have ed, well-educated innovative citizenry” “Leadership” hasand served the Participants majority running travel organizers to legally offer travel professional Cuban bilingual guides. between and client, discussed expressed interest in holding another program later achieved employing “aCEO, laser-like focus more thanby300 executives fromAdvantage 80+ fromHuman 8:00 a.m.relationship to 1:00 p.m.

All will advisor be to Cuba.

Travelthat to Havana and Trinidad include the potential of forming an ongoing peer group, and this year, but believe Resourcing, held the opportunity to improve companies, organizations andwho held on the Fridays. on academicnon-profit achievement and investing in Be one of a select few to embark on visits to Old Havana, Museo Fine Arts, explored ways in which their unique sets of knowlposition for two years. wellness may be larger than can be met in a single government agencies.

Sites visited will be in Stamford, the economic development infrastructure this unique person-to-person cultural Cathedral de la Havana, Cienfuegos, edge and experiences can be efficiently shared with SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE HOUSE MINORITY SENATE PRESIDENT PRO SENATE MINORITY The Council provides Newtown, Hartford and event or publication.

EachUniversity.” year, mid toWe senior level profesBridgeport, of the invite you to hear travel exchange.

Jagua Castle, Church ofTEMPORE Trinidad, CHRISTOPHER DONOVAN CAFERO TEMPORE LEADER PRO leadership network.LEADER A LARRY the Boardfor of Directors Later this month, fifteen of the most knowledgesionals areher selected organizaNorwalk and the will broader include Business city halls,Council a first-hand vision by andtheir strategy the DONALD WILLIAMS JOHN MCKINNEY Farm/ Joining our colleagues at the Sugar Mill Valley, Hemingway’s lively LinkedIn Group Discussion is also underway. tions to participate in Stamford. thiswith educational transportation center, a waste water ongoing analysis of able individuals from our most “wellness-active” University and UConn Bridgeport Regional Business CounFinca La Vigia, and Cojimar Fishing group expects to make and announce deciprogram. Class size is limited to human 25. treatment public and public charLegislative leaders from the Connecticut General Assembly will participate in regional capital is-facility,The members will meet to explore potential additional acand the Chambers ofofCommerce Village. sions mission, criteria forcil and serParticipants receive exposure to the aster schools, the Stateon Capitol, a hospital, a participation moderated discussion the primary issues the State.

Moderated by sues, serves a steering tivities and of roles forfacing The Business Council.

Danbury, Greater Norwalk StamFor more information please vicesfacility, over the nextothers.

4-6 weeks. more information critical issues facing Fairfield a correctional among theFor Business Council’s VP ofand Public Policy, Joeaction McGee, we will use our famous committee for related Business Counciland programs A report, with recommendations, willcheck be Friday, June 22 County ford, The Business Council is offering out the travel itinerary and FAQs postthrough on-site visits, moderated interIf you would like to find out more contact Lynn Spreadbury at lspreadbury@business“straight to the questions” format to be followed by moderated Q&A. And our and services, provides a forum for peer best practicpresented to the Board of Directors at its September 11:30am Registration apromise: 9-day trip, beginningReally.

September ed on our website - www.businessfairaction with working professionals, this program please contact No speeches. fairfield.com. es exchanges and acts as a publiclecpolicyabout advocate. meeting. 27, For more information contact Tanya Court 12:00-2:00pm Luncheon tures, discussion groups, and other government Tanya Please Court atcall 203-359-3220. for $3,499. field.com or contact us with any quesIt is comprised of business, academic, at tcourt@businessfairfield.com.

203-359-3220 or Stamford Marriott Hotel The $3,499 per person double tions at 203-359-3220. visit businessfairfield.com $65 member; $85 non-member

Susan Herbst to Keynote Annual Meeting June 22

Discover Cuba – yes, Cuba – this September

The Business Council of Fairfield County thanks The Community’s Bank for their support of our communication efforts.

12 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

SPECIAL REPORT

National Small Business Week

Size and age do matter when it comes to job creation

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

I

n applying for a $100,000 matching state grant this year, Stamford Insurance Group agreed to retain 20 jobs, with no express promise to add more.

According to a new study, that is par for the course with small businesses.

On the eve of National Small Business Week, a new Connecticut Department of Labor study suggests small businesses are not the engines of job creation politicians are fond of hyping.

The Small Business Administration estimates that small businesses are responsible for 65 percent of the new jobs created on a net basis, when factoring in the impact of jobs that are eliminated in addition to new ones.

In the May edition of the Connecticut Economic Digest, however, Labor Department researcher Manisha Srivastava said it is not important to understand only where job counts are up on a net basis, but rather where they are actually being created, irrespective of the net impact of job destruction.

On that basis, Srivastava said, established companies have a far better record and represent a better place for job seekers to mine new positions.

“The majority of job creation occurs in mature firms that are 11 years or older,” Srivastava said. “Even though a greater number of jobs are also destroyed by mature firms, the number of opportunities available from mature firms outweighs availability of jobs from firms of all other categories, including small businesses.”

In his initial economic development move last year, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy seemed to implicitly recognize that fact by focusing his First Five economic development incentive program on companies adding at least 200 jobs in Connecticut.

After simultaneously increasing taxes on individuals and big businesses alike, with small business owners saying the increases hit them particularly hard, Malloy quickly followed up First Five with last fall’s Small Business Express program.

Small Business Express has drawn more than 325 applicants, with Stamford Insurance Group and Westport-based Catherine Cleare Interiors L.L.C. among the most recent companies to receive support under the program, agreeing to add an employee.

Nobody is shrugging off the contributions of small business – in addition to Small Business Express for businesses of all kinds, Malloy has devoted ample resources to businesses in technology and other emerging markets that represent significant growth potential, and the Stamford Innovation Center is giving entrepreneurs a focal point to grow their companies locally.

Through the first three months of 2012, new business starts were up 8 percent from a year earlier, according to the Connecticut secretary of state’s office, while business stops were down only slightly.

“The Small Business Express Program helps businesses who perform valuable services in their local communities,

as well as companies bringing new products to national and international markets,” Malloy said, in an early May announcement. “Both types of businesses are important to a growing and vibrant Connecticut economy. Whether it’s mom and pop on Main Street or (a) small tech company with (a) big idea, small businesses will lead the way to our economic recovery.”

If fashionable to break out the pompons in support of mom and pops, perhaps too many are pillaring larger companies that routinely slough off jobs in the form of layoffs, but also quietly fill new positions – sometimes with First Five-style fanfare, other times with little notice at all.

And in Connecticut in particular, Srivastava feels, that dynamic is particularly noteworthy.

“Even though there is great variability between states on job creation from small and large-size firms, Connecticut is very close to the national average,” Srivastava said. “However, Connecticut is about six percentage points above the national average for job creation coming from mature firms.

It is interesting to note that high job-growth states like California, Texas and Florida are on the lower end of percent job creation coming from mature firms.

“If the desired metric is simply job creation, then mature firms create the most, followed by large firms on average, and then small businesses,” Srivastava said.

“Even though a greater number of jobs are also destroyed by mature firms, the number of opportunities available from mature firms outweighs availability of jobs from firms of all other categories, including small businesses.”

– Manisha Srivastava

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has no shortage of takers for his Small Business Express program.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 13

Included : Dedication from a Type

Personality.

National Small Business Week

TM

Not a women’s issue – an economic issue

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ou would think the news was good: Womenowned businesses appear to be the fastest-growing segment in Connecticut’s economy, including right here in Fairfield County. In Connecticut there are an estimated 123,259 private women-owned firms, generating more than $26 billion in sales and employing 141,267 people.

According to 2010 census numbers, Connecticut is ranked 17th (66.4 percent) in the growth of firm revenue in the past 14 years. However, the state is ranked 32nd in the United States overall with a 35 percent growth in the number of firms during the same period. Though Connecticut is ranked higher than the national average in terms of revenue, the state’s percentage of growth is lower than the national average.

“What that says to me is that there are not as many new women-owned firms in the state,” says Julie Weeks, American Express OPEN research advisor. “It looks to me as if the existing firms in the state are more robust than average in terms of economic clout.”

Weeks notes a 17 percent growth in employment in the state compared to only 8 percent nationwide.

“Women who already own businesses in Connecticut are growing them faster than in other states,” she explains.

What does this discrepancy mean?

Although they are growing in rates exceeding national averages, women-owned businesses still face the challenge of scalability and sustainability beyond the startup phase.

This is a support role that the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) has been playing since its inception in 1997. WBDC, along with more than 105 other federally funded women’s business centers (WBCs) in the country, provide the training women need to grow their businesses by offering the business training, education and counseling necessary to help businesses start, grow and succeed for every stage of growth.

In the past year, WBCs have helped more than 100,000 women. Yet Congress funds the WBC program with just $14 million, which as of this writing is in great peril with federal budget cuts looming.

Between 2001 and 2003, a federal investment in WBCs of $36.5 million generated $500 million in gross receipts, nearly a 14-to-1 ratio of business revenues to federal dollars. Moreover, in 2011, according to the most recent data, women helped launch more than 13,000 new businesses, creating more than 35,000 new jobs and are leading firms, which contribute more than $1 billion to the U.S. economy.

Right here in Connecticut, WBDC assisted in the creation of nearly 120 new businesses and helped more than 140 existing businesses with current operations, resulting in the creation of more than 240 new jobs in Connecticut. WBDC clients generated an estimated $40 million in gross revenue. Cleary this is one federal program that is working.

To blindly restrict this essential funding is to overlook that women-owned businesses are essential to all economic development. To overcome the documented gap in Connecticut’s national standing, resources must continue to be made available to these homegrown businesses. We are fortunate that every member of the Connecticut Congressional delegation supports continued and stable funding for WBCs. With three WBCs in Connecticut and one specifically in Fairfield County, they know that WBCs ultimately improve the overall well being of communities around the state – to say nothing of the country by creating jobs and taxpayers nationwide.

“When you educate a woman, you educate a family,” the World Bank has observed. “An economically secure woman means an economically secure family.”

Women’s access to entrepreneurial and small-business training is not a women’s issue – it is an economic issue. This threat of budget cuts to WBCs is the biggest problem that we face in Connecticut and beyond, one that will covertly yet directly impact us all.

Fran Pastore is CEO of the Women’s Business Development Council in Stamford.

She can be reached at fpastore@ctwbdc.org

Webster Bank, N.A. Member FDIC

a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

State still trails in tax environment

BY ALEXANDER SOULE

casoule@westfairinc.com

C

onnecticut ranks 42nd nationally as the worst state tax system confronting entrepreneurs and small business owners, according to a new study, with no new major levies in store as this year’s legislative session came to its scheduled closing date.

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council released the study just as Connecticut small business owners completed a daunting tax season, absorbing accelerated tax increases in the second half of last year as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy worked to close Connecticut’s budget gap, with major snafus experienced in the amount of withholding taxes paid to the state.

South Dakota led the nation in the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBEC) study followed by Texas, with New Hampshire leading Northeast states, though just 25th nationally.

New York, New Jersey and Minnesota had the worst scores on the study, which factored in myriad taxes on income, property, sales and other areas. SBEC lumps Connecticut in with New York, Illinois and Oregon as states that made their tax structure worse for small businesses last year. “(Taxes) matter to consumers, entrepreneurs, investors and businesses,” SBEC researchers stated in the report. “They matter in terms of a state’s competitiveness. And they matter when it comes to economic growth and job creation.”

Malloy has answered critics that the increases were necessary given Connecticut’s budget crisis and has said that he would avoid additional increases. A panel he convened has been meeting to address the potential simplification of Connecticut’s

tax laws, possibly to include eliminating some tax credits that are little used. Kevin Sullivan, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, cautioned businesses should not expect any cut in taxes as a result of the group’s work.

As of April for the fiscal year ending this June – a closely watched month given the tax filing deadline – Connecticut income tax collections were up 15 percent from the first nine months of the 2011 fiscal year, while sales and use tax collections were up more than 21 percent. Corporation taxes, however, were off by 11 percent, and estate tax collections were running nearly a third below their level a year earlier.

Still, it added up to a 17 percent increase in tax revenue for Connecticut from a year ago.

As the case with other groups, SBEC warns that businesses face the threat of new tax increases after the federal elections, including for capital gains that entrepreneurs and their investors have long fought to ward off hikes.

Most notably, the Affordable Care Act’s taxation schedule kicks in next year and in 2014. And separately, the Heritage Foundation noted the U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would seek to ward off higher student loan rates looming with new revenue raised by applying the 15.3 percent payroll tax business income distributed to shareholders who also work for small businesses organized as S-corporations.

“Most S-corps that would fall under the new double tax would change their form of business to one of the other pass-through options that are not yet subject to double taxation, such as sole proprietorships, L.L.C.s or partnerships,” predicted Heritage Foundation researcher Curtis Dubay.

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 15

National Small Business Week Small business in brief

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SBA awards elude county The Connecticut office of the Small Business Administration named as small business person of the year Lawrence Janesky of Connecticut Basement Systems in Seymour.

The entrepreneur of the year award went to Scott Kluger of the Hartford Baking Co. The Connecticut SBA scheduled its annual awards for June 5 in Southbury, with no Fairfield County-based company among this year’s winners. Other small business “champions” include, by category: • financial services – Sandi Weber of Quinnipiac Bank & Trust Co.; • minority small business – Kristen Hickey of Aetna Inc.; • women in business – Jessica Sager of

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SAVORY

For 160 years, First County Bank has been operating under a set of guiding principles that have been core to our philosophy and success. These are the principles that have kept us financially strong and committed to helping local businesses. This stability-minded philosophy of “doing what’s right” is what makes our approach to banking fresh.

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logo are registered trademarks of First County Bank.

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April no barnburner April was another tenuous month for small businesses, according to the National Federation of Independent Business, with three in four small businesses polled by NFIB making no change in their employment.

“The outlook is a bit more optimistic for the second quarter, but it’s important that we not get ahead of ourselves,” William Dunkelberg, NFIB’s chief economist, said in a release. “April was no barnburner for job growth.”

Business expo nears The Connecticut Business Expo is scheduled for June 7 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, with admission to the general hall and educational seminars free.

There is a charge to attend the keynote speeches by Mike Michalowicz, author of “The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur”and John Draymond, CEO of the apparel company FUBU who has appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”

Organizers scheduled pre-convention seminars on how to build booth traffic via social media, for May 15 in Hartford; and how to convert booth visitors into buyers, for May 23 in Manchester.

Subway scores again

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For the second year in a row, Subway received the top score in Franchise Direct Top 100 Global Franchises Rankings, which recognized the Milford-based company for possessing “a clear business plan, a commitment to training and support, an ability to innovate and sensitivity to environmental issues.”

Subway has 25,000 U.S. restaurants. Its worldwide workforce now numbers 370,000 people.

Security workshops upcoming The Connecticut Business & Industry Association scheduled a May 23 workshop on cyber security at its Hartford offices, led

by BlumShapiro partner Jeff Ziplow.

CBIA is charging $85 for members and $110 for nonmembers.

Separately, the Connecticut SBA office is holding a June 14 workshop on computer security at Gateway Community College in New Haven. The free workshop is designed to help small business owners recognize the threat of computer crime and take the appropriate steps to avoid becoming a victim. To register call (860) 240-4654.

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– Alexander Soule

ask andi by andi gray

No more write-offs “We’re experiencing an unusually high amount of write-offs. It’s been increasing with the small accounts where we used to get paid 100 percent. We’ve always had some amount of write-offs with our bigger clients. I’m getting tired of it. Every time we give money back, even on a small job – there goes the profit. I would appreciate any suggestions you can make.”

Thoughts of the day: Make sure it’s a payment problem. Set expectations and follow through. Make sure you have leverage.

Keep your cool.

Figure out the source of the problem.

Do customers react in surprise to invoices, question the value of what they received, lack ability to pay or just plain renege on the deal? Each situation requires its own solution.

Going into an agreement, it’s important to be clear about what things cost.

Unexpected expenses can easily lead to a shortfall in payments. Start with a complete written estimate. Use change-order forms to communicate cost increases. Get a customer sign-off before work takes place.

Misunderstood payment terms can also lead to delays. Put your payment terms in writing. Email them over to the customer with a return receipt. Ask the customer to initial and send back. That way you both know what you agreed to.

Check if you have a quality problem.

Survey recent customers to verify that they were satisfied with what they bought. Pay close attention to any indications of problems. If customers are unhappy with what was delivered, they will likely renegotiate by sending in less than full payment.

Some customers will have the best of intentions and then run into problems.

Other customers intended from the get-go to flout the agreement about what would be paid. Either way, it’s important to have leverage and be willing to use it.

Make final payment due before all of the service or product is turned over to the customer. If customers want to delay payment until they are satisfied, set up an escrow account. Make sure that “acceptance” standards are in writing and there’s a set timeline for approval and release of escrow.

When payment isn’t forthcoming, treat the situation with respect and profession-

alism. You may be boiling over and ready to sling four-letter words at the client, but that’s not likely to accomplish anything.

Stow it.

Make a call to the accounting department. Make sure they have a copy of the invoice. If they don’t, email one with a return receipt. Follow up with a phone call to make sure it’s received.

Ask about payment sign-offs. If someone has to sign off before accounting can take over, find out who that is. Follow up with them directly.

When anyone in the approval chain starts asking about discounts, don’t be in a hurry to cave in. The customer may just be asking. Know what is a reasonable fee for your product or service and stick to your guns when pressured. If it’s after the fact, refer to written, signed documents as evidence of what’s due.

Be ready to state actions you will take if payment is not received. You can stop all future work. You can escalate the invoice through the buyer’s company. Know how to publicize that the company is a late payer or nonpayer. Refer old invoices to professional collections.

Evaluate every customer once the account is settled. Did they pay on time and in full. Go after more work with the reliable payers. Think twice about continuing with customers who challenge every invoice, who refuse to pay the last percent due or who otherwise try to break the terms of your agreement. No matter how big the customer, if they don’t pay they’re not that valuable.

Check references before starting work.

Find out if other vendors are getting paid on time, in full. If there’s any question, set up a back-up financial instrument such as a credit card or third party leasing.

Let the professionals handle the problem accounts.

Looking for a good book? Try “Collections Made Easy: Fast, Efficient, Proven Techniques to Get Cash From Your Customers” by Carol S. Frischer.

Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., strategyleaders.com, a business-consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial firms grow. She can be reached by phone at (877) 238-3535. Do you have a question for Andi? Please send it to her, via e-mail at AskAndi@StrategyLeaders.com or by mail to Andi Gray, Strategy Leaders Inc., 5 Crossways, Chappaqua, NY 10514. Visit AskAndi.com for an entire library of Ask Andi articles.

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 17

To make a long story short …

“Every well-told story changes not only the storyteller but the listener.”

Storytelling exchanges experiences, teaches and sometimes provides an opportunity to bridge divides. Engaged listeners encounter alternative ideas and expand their perspective as they discover possibilities. MouseMuse Productions seeks to do just that.

After an invitation in 2009 to see a successful nonactor storytelling program – for possible implementation in Fairfield County – I tested the timed stories told by amateurs at the Fairfield Theatre Company. The program needed tweaking, but it started a groundswell.

In March 2011, one of the best storytellers of the group, Bill Bosch, joined me in the launch of MouseMuse Productions at Westport Arts Center. Today, our programming consists of six storytellers telling 10-minute tales based on one common theme: no scripts. The storytellers are your friends and neighbors and the stories they tell are from the heart – just as they want to tell them.

MouseMuse’s success builds upon my career in the newspaper and magazine field. While I hold prizes for journalism and awards for literary magazine and newspaper editing, having a background in the media industry taught me a thing or two about how to tell a good story.

Come out and see a show. Upcoming performances include May 17 at Landmark Academy in Westport and June 12 at Two Boots in Bridgeport. All of our shows are aired at a later date on WPKN 89.5 FM and are streamed on wpkn.org every fourth Monday at 11 p.m.

We have grown beyond our mouse dreams, tapping into the core of different communities.

Our full calendar and how to reach us is listed on our website, mousemuse.com.

Ina B. Chadwick Founder, MouseMuse Productions Member, Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

The mission of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is to support cultural organizations, artists and creative businesses by providing promotion, services and advocacy.

For more information, visit CulturalAllianceFC.org or email infoCulturalAllianceFC.org or call 256-2329.

For events lists, visit FCBuzz.org.

FCBUZZ

Arts & Culture of Fairfield County

STRING TIME IN WESTPORT The Westport Arts Center (WAC) presents acclaimed young artists violinist Jesse Mills, cellist Raman Ramakrishnan and violist Masumi Per Rostad in the final season concert in its chamber music series at 4 p.m., May 20, in the WAC Gallery, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport.

Mills and Ramakrishnan are members of the Horszowski (piano) Trio. Per Rostad is a member of the Pacifica Quartet, the ensemble-in-residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Gavin Trio will perform masterworks by Schubert, Carter, Dohnanyi and Mozart.

“This concert is all about youth and virtuosity,” says Russell Platt, chamber music curator for the WAC. “But as with nearly all of my concerts, there will be a little variety.”

Mills earned Grammy Award nominations for his performances of Arnold Schoenberg’s music, released by NAXOS in 2005 and 2010. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School in 2001.

Ramakrishnan, as a former member of the Daedalus Quartet, won the 2001 Banff International String Quartet Competition. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Harvard University and a master’s of music degree from The Juilliard School.

Per Rostad, a member of the Pacifica Quartet, won a 2009 Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance as well as the Cleveland Quartet Award, in addition to being named Music America’s 2009 Ensemble of the Year. He received his bachelor and master of music

Raman Ramakrishnan

degrees from The Juilliard School.

Tickets are $25 and $10 for college students and younger. For more information and tickets, contact Westport Arts Center at 222-7070 or visit westportartscenter.org.

HISTORY AND ART CAMP AT GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Greenwich Historical Society History and Art Summer Camp has a limited number of openings for both the two-week and single-week sessions that start June 29 and July 9. The program is based at Bush-Holley House Historic Site, the historical society’s headquarters. Each session offers a highly interactive experience designed to utilize the artifacts and original art in Bush-Holley House, Greenwich’s only National Historic Landmark. As a dual interpretation museum, the house illustrates two distinct time periods: the new nation era, 1790 to 1825, and the period from the late 1800s to early 1900s when the site was

home to America’s first art colony. While at the site, which also features period gardens, campers focus on Colonial history for their first week and study art during the second. Sessions are fun, challenging and age-appropriate.

The professional staff includes museum educators and counselors who have a special interest in art and history. Activities vary by age group but may include baking, soap and candle making, weaving, acting and role playing.

For more information, visit greenwichhistory.org or call 869-6899, ext. 31.

Visit FCBuzz.org for more information on events and how to get listed.

18 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Presented by: Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

on the record Attachments Direct Trading Corp. and Costas Nioulikos, Danbury. $40,000 in favor of Patriot Flooring Supply Inc., Vero Beach, Fla. Property: 10 Driftway Road, Danbury. Filed April 17.

Green Star Energy Solutions and Joseph Novella Jr., Danbury. $75,000 in favor of Kamco Supply Corporation of New England, Danbury. Property: 33 Valerie Lane, Danbury. Filed April 10.

ILO Enterprises L.L.C and Aiello, George, Danbury. $43,000 in favor of The Ring’s End Inc., Darien.

Property: vicinity of Bells Lane and Road Street, Danbury. Filed April 16.

Tiago’s Restaurant and Bar L.L.C. and Jose Tiago, Bridgeport. $42,500 in favor of Joseph Kustra, Bridgeport. Property: 2445 Park Ave., Unit 50, Bridgeport. Filed April 19.

Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system.

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken.

Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Bob Rozycki c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 3 Gannett Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: (914)694-3600 Fax: (914)694-3680

Bankruptcies

Building Permits

The following petitions were filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Bridgeport. Chapter 11 indicates the filer intends to submit a plan of reorganization to the court. Chapter 7 inBlack & Veatch, Overland Park, dicates a liquidation of assets.

Kan., contractor for United Illuminating. Construct an addition at an Farlap Development Corp., 2 existing commercial building, 61 Cowdray Park Drive, Greenwich. Poland St., Bridgeport. Estimated Chapter 11, filed April 18, case no. cost: $792,505. Filed March 28.

12-50710. Assets: less than $50,000.

Liabilities: $10 million to $100 million. Creditors: Millennium BLT Management L.L.C., NorPar Holdings, $18 million; D&M walk, contractor for Waterfront Construction, $150,000; Brian Laf- Magee L.L.C. Construct the founferty, $129,712; Corey Kupersmith, dation only for a new commercial $51,000; Brickstone Construction, building at 205 Magee Ave., Stam$40,645; Cucharme & Dillis Engi- ford. Estimated cost: $850,000. neers, $24,227. Type of business: Filed April 26. corporation. Debtor’s attorney: Matthew K. Beatman, Zeisler & BLT Management L.L.C., NorZeisler P.C., Bridgeport. walk, contractor for Waterfront Office Building L.P. Fit out an exSTEP Plan Services Inc., 300 First isting commercial space for tenant Stamford Place, Suite 201, Stam- Adamanthos Shipping at 46 Southford. Chapter 11, filed April 16, case field Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: no. 12-50695. Assets: $1 million to $136,070. Filed April 26. $10 million. Liabilities: $10 million to $100 million. Creditors: Benis- City of Bridgeport. Perform extar 419 Plan & Trust, $9.4 million; terior renovations at an existing STEP Plan & Trust, $6.6 million; commercial building, 91 Seaview STEP Plan Litigation Trust, $4.9 Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: million; Phoenix Capital Manage- $122,000. Filed March 28. ment, $2.2 million; Smith Gambrell & Russell L.L.P., $750,000; Ballard Spahr L.L.P., $450,000; Thorp Reed GTL Construction, White Plains, & Armstrong L.L.P., $155,000. Type N.Y., contractor for Boston HP of business: corporation. Debtor’s L.L.C. Perform exterior renovaattorney: Jeffrey M. Sklarz, Zeisler tions at an existing commercial building, 1281 E. Main St., Stam& Zeisler P.C., Bridgeport. ford. Estimated cost: $160,000.

Filed April 23.

T-Green Carting L.L.C., 81 Strickland Road, Cos Cob. Chapter 11, filed April 15, case no. 12-50689. Menemsha Development Group, Assets: $100,000 to $500,000. Li- Los Angeles, Calif., contractor for abilities: $1 million to $10 million. Nine Sixty Nine Associates. Fit out Type of business: limited liability an existing commercial space for company. Debtor’s attorney: Wil- tenant Citibank at 1031 High Ridge liam E. Carter, Law Office of Wil- Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $510,000. Filed April 23. liam E. Carter L.L.C., East Berlin.

Commercial

Orlando Annulli & Sons Inc., Manchester, contractor for Ryder Truck Rental Inc. Perform interior alterations at an existing commercial building, 410 Howard Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $165,919. Filed April 12.

Aqua Pool and Patio, East Windsor, contractor for Noemi and Greg Behar. Install an in-ground pool and enclosure at an existing singlefamily residence, 284 Sturges Ridge Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed March 29.

JKT Construction, South Salem, N.Y., contractor for Wilton Realty & Development. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 3 Godfrey Place, Wilton. Estimated cost: $105,000. Filed April 13.

Pavarini Construction, Stamford, contractor for Stamford Exit 9 III L.L.C. Fit out an existing commercial space for tenant NBC at 1 Blachley Road, Stamford. Estimated cost: $18.3 million. Filed April 17.

Bouchard, James, New Canaan, contractor for Kara and James Babashak. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 12 Deforest Lane, Wilton. Estimated cost: $65,000. Filed March 26.

Krown Construction, Stamford, contractor for Michelle Poris and David Bowbeer. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 101 Prudence Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $85,000.

Filed April 24.

Saugatuck Construction Group, Stamford, contractor for Wilton 372 Associates. Perform interior alterations at an existing commercial building, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $90,000. Filed April 20.

Canaan Construction, Wilton, contractor for Dina Levi. Construct a new single-family residence at 135 Olmstead Hill Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $1 million.

Filed March 22.

Little Hill House L.L.C. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 8 Cleveland St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $53,790. Filed April 19.

Cinguina, Julita and Michael Cinguina. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 26 Springbrook Lane, Wilton. Estimated cost: $120,000. Filed April 10.

McKenzie Home Improvement, Stamford, contractor for Kareen Jean-Pierre. Perform interior renovations at an existing singlefamily residence, 35 Richardson St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $65,000. Filed March 30.

Starcko, William, Fall River, Mass., contractor for United Investments.

Fit out an existing commercial space for tenant CVS Pharmacy at 3710 Main St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed April 16.

Tarzia Construction Inc., Hingham, Mass., contractor for 737 Canal L.L.C. Fit out an existing commercial space for tenant Haute Nails at 711 Canal St., Stamford.

Estimated cost: $91,000. Filed April 20.

Diaz, Jose. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 192 New Canaan Road, Wilton.

Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed March 29.

Dumser, Robert. Construct additions and perform alterations at an Viking Construction, Bridgeport, existing single-family residence, 13 contractor for Baldwin Hold- Deerfield Road, Wilton. Estimated ings. Construct a new three-story cost: $60,000. Filed March 29. medical building at 36 Albion St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $3.7 Haggerty Pools, Stamford, conmillion. Filed April 18. tractor for Kara and Daniel Updike.

Install an in-ground pool and enclosure at an existing single-family residence, 44 Smoke Hill Drive, Stamford. Estimated cost: $73,508.

Altamura, Phyllis. Construct a Filed April 17. new single-family residence at 1156 Newfield Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $1 million. Filed April 16.

Residential

Morain Carpentry, Naugatuck, contractor for Seth Ursell. Perform interior alterations at an existing single-family residence, 1552 Hope St., Stamford. Estimated cost: $84,350. Filed April 26.

Patrick Farrell Construction, New Milford, contractor for Jennifer and David Hough. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 140 Highfield Road, Wilton.

Estimated cost: $350,000. Filed April 16.

Pirone, Jeffrey, Wilton, contractor for Kate and Peter Denious.

Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing singlefamily residence, 39 School Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $250,000.

Filed April 10.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 19

on the record Rocksolid Construction L.L.C., Stamford, contractor for Debra and Eric Hines. Construct a new two-family residence at 16 Orlando Ave., Stamford. Estimated cost: $329,000. Filed April 23.

Saucier, Thomas, Fairfield, contractor for Andy DeBernardis.

Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing singlefamily residence, 16 Nutmeg Lane, Wilton. Estimated cost: $60,000.

Filed March 22.

Vignos, Brian, Trumbull, contractor for Marie Giangrande. Construct additions and perform alterations at an existing single-family residence, 525 Nod Hill Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $85,000. Filed March 27.

Bank of America N.A., et al., Charlotte, N.C., et al. Filed by Lynn Meady, Seymour. Plaintiff’s attorney: Quatrella & Rizio L.L.C., Fairfield. Action: The plaintiff alleges that the defendants failed to provide a timely release of her mortgage within 60 days subsequent to repayment and that she is therefore eligible to receive the statutory penalty of up to $5,000 that applies in such cases. The plaintiff seeks a court order awarding her the statutory penalty of up to $5,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 19.

Case no. CV126026054.

Flykap Holdings L.L.C., Shelton.

Filed by Newtown Savings Bank, Trumbull. Plaintiff’s attorney: Green & Gross P.C., Bridgeport.

Action: The plaintiff alleges that it is the owner of the defendant’s Village Square Properties, Wil- November 2005 promissory note ton, contractor for Christine and and that $83,851 relating to that Michael Oliver. Construct addi- note remains outstanding and past tions and perform alterations at due from the defendant despite rean existing single-family residence, peated requests for payment by the 77 Forest Lane, Wilton. Estimated plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks repayment of all outstanding amounts cost: $600,000. Filed April 13. plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 16.

Case no. CV126026037.

Court Cases

Bridgeport Superior Court Air & Liquid Systems Corp., et al., Harrisburg, Pa., et al. Filed by Janet and Peter Misak, North Windham.

Plaintiff’s attorney: Early Lucarelli Sweeney & Meisenkothen L.L.C., New Haven. Action: The plaintiff alleges that the defendants negligently exposed the plaintiff Peter to asbestos in the workplace despite extensive evidence of the dangers of such exposure and that, as a result of this exposure he suffered serious and painful disorders and incurred substantial medical expenses. The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 19. Case no. CV126026052.

Georgia-Pacific L.L.C., et al., Hartford, et al. Filed by the estate of Sylvia Schlossberg, Bloomfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Embry & Neusner, Groton. Action: The plaintiff alleges that the defendants negligently exposed her to asbestos in the workplace and at school despite extensive evidence of the dangers of such exposure and that, as a result of this exposure she suffered serious and painful disorders and incurred substantial medical expenses. The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 16.

Case no. CV126026036.

Gilbertie’s Herb Garden Inc., Easton. Filed by Blum Shapiro & Company P.C., Shelton. Plaintiff’s attorney: Kenny Brimmer & Mahoney L.L.C., Wethersfield. Action: The plaintiff alleges that prior to the Alex Food Inc., Bridgeport. Filed date of this action it delivered goods

by JSI Store Fixture Acquisition and/or services to the defendant Corp., Milo, Maine. Plaintiff’s at- and that $27,458 relating to those torney: Grady & Riley L.L.P., Wa- deliveries remains outstanding terbury. Action: The plaintiff alleges and past due from the defendant that in August 2011 it received a despite repeated requests for payjudgment in its favor against the de- ment by the plaintiff. The plaintiff fendant and that $14,905 relating to seeks repayment of all outstanding that judgment remains outstanding amounts plus interest, costs and and past due from the defendant reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed despite repeated requests for pay- March 16. Case no. CV126026039. ment by the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks repayment of all outstanding amounts plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 19. Case no. CV126026060.

Branhaven River & Farm Properties L.L.C., et al., Hartford, et al.

Filed by Federal Restaurant Brookfield L.L.C., Roxbury. Plaintiff’s attorney: Secor Cassidy & McPartland P.C., Waterbury. Action: The plaintiff alleges that the defendants failed to observe terms of an August 1998 lease agreement, specifically in that negligent operating procedures during construction work caused fire damage to the plaintiff’s premises and effects, which caused it to incur a substantial financial loss and to suffer long-term operating problems. The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed April 11.

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Case no. CV126009160.

Company L.L.C., Hartford. Filed

by Pam Kelly, Monroe. Plaintiff’s attorney: Jacobs & Dow L.L.C., Fifteen Thorpe Street L.L.C., New Haven. Action: The plaintiff Danbury. Filed by Savings Bank alleges that she fell while a business of Danbury, Danbury. Plaintiff’s invitee on the defendant’s premises attorney: Christopher G. Winans, as the result of an unsafe condition Danbury. Action: The plaintiff arising from negligence on the part alleges that it is the owner of a of the defendant, its agents and em- $415,000 mortgage note issued ployees, which caused her to suffer by the defendant in January 2008 serious, painful injuries and to in- and that $391,191 relating to that cur substantial medical expenses. note remains outstanding and past The plaintiff seeks damages in ex- due from the defendant despite cess of $15,000 plus applicable costs repeated requests for payment by and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks reMarch 16. Case no. CV126026034. payment of all outstanding amounts plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees, including without UGL Unicco, Auburndale, Mass. limitation by means of foreclosure Filed by Rahsaan Wiggins, Man- on the defendant’s property securing chester. Plaintiff’s attorney: Robert the note subject to interests of senior V. Scalise, Glastonbury. Action: The secured creditors. Filed April 18. plaintiff alleges that he was harassed Case no. CV126009233. and eventually wrongfully terminated from his employment with the defendant as a result of racial G. Ziegler Custom Carpet Cleandiscrimination, which caused him ing Inc., et al., Danbury. Filed by to incur a financial loss and to suf- Donald Young, co-trustee, Jupiter, fer emotional stress. The plaintiff Fla. Plaintiff’s attorney: Michael seeks damages in excess of $15,000 S. Scott, Wethersfield. Action: The plus applicable costs and reason- plaintiff alleges that the defendant able attorneys’ fees. Filed March 16. G. Ziegler Custom Carpet Cleaning executed a lease agreement in Case no. CV126026028. his favor, for which payment was guaranteed by a co-defendant, and that $9,563 relating to that agreement remains outstanding and past due from the defendants despite repeated requests for payment by the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks repayAshforth Properties Construc- ment of all outstanding amounts tion Inc., et al., Old Greenwich, plus interest, costs and reasonet al. Filed by the estate of Javier able attorneys’ fees. Filed April 11.

Salinas, et al., Danbury. Plaintiff’s Case no. CV126009166. attorney: The Berkowitz Law Firm L.L.C., Stamford. Action: The plaintiffs allege that the decedent JJCNS Inc., Brookfield. Filed Javier Salinas fell from the roof at by Sheridan Commons L.L.C., premises owned or otherwise un- Brookfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: der control of the defendants as Chipman Mazzucco Land & Pennthe result of an unsafe condition arola L.L.C., Danbury. Action: arising from negligence on the The plaintiff alleges that it paid part of the defendants, their agents the defendant a $25,000 deposit and employees, which caused him in connection with a March 2008 to suffer serious, painful injuries contract for property purchase that and, ultimately, premature death was not closed and that the defenwhile incurring substantial medi- dant refuses to return its deposit cal expenses. The plaintiffs seek although such return is mandated damages in excess of $15,000 plus by the contract. The plaintiff seeks applicable costs and reasonable at- the return of its $25,000 deposit torneys’ fees. Filed Dec. 13, 2011. plus interest, costs and reasonCase no. CV126009217. able attorneys’ fees. Filed April 13.

Case no. CV126009196.

Putnam Kitchens Inc., Cos Cob. Filed by Bamco Custom Woodworking Inc., Canada. Plaintiff’s attorney: Salon Marrow Dyckman & Newman L.L.P., New York City. Action: The plaintiff alleges that prior to the date of this action it delivered goods and/or services to the defendant and that $15,141 relating to those deliveries remains outstanding and past due from the defendant despite repeated requests for payment by the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks repayment of all outstanding amounts plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 15. Case no. CV126026008.

Danbury Superior Court

Stamford Superior Court Barcelona Restaurants L.L.C., et al., Hartford, et al. Filed by Justine Schettino, et al., Greenwich.

Plaintiff’s attorney: Berchem Moses & Devlin P.C., Milford. Action: The plaintiff alleges that she was attacked by intoxicated patrons while a business invitee on premises owned or otherwise under control of the defendants as the result of an unsafe condition arising from negligence on the part of the defendants, their agents and employees, which caused her to suffer serious, painful injuries and to incur substantial medical expenses. The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 29. Case no. CV126013450.

Tank Masters L.L.C., Chester, N.Y. Filed by M. H. Cohen Realty L.L.C., Greenwich. Plaintiff’s attorney: Samuel D. Bush, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff alleges that the defendant’s negligent demolition procedures in connection with removal of underground storage tanks caused friable asbestos pollution throughout the plaintiff’s property, which it was obliged to remediate.

The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed April 2. Case no. CV126013476.

Xhema Inc., Greenwich. Filed by Edward Bryant, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Zeldes Needle & Cooper, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff alleges that he was assaulted on premises under control of the defendant while its subcontractor employee as the result of an unsafe condition arising from negligence on the part of the defendant, HSBC Mortgage Corporation its agents and employees, which (USA), Hartford. Filed by Anthony caused him to suffer serious, painBoskello, Greenwich. Plaintiff’s at- ful injuries and to incur substantorney: Mark F. Katz, Stamford. tial medical expenses. The plaintiff Action: The plaintiff alleges that the seeks damages in excess of $15,000 defendant made false representa- plus applicable costs and reasontions regarding its ownership and able attorneys’ fees. Filed March 26. conducted an illegal sale of proper- Case no. CV126013405. ty to the plaintiff, which caused him to suffer a substantial financial loss.

The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 30. Case no. CV126013456.

U.S. District Court

L&L Evergreen Inc., Norwalk.

Filed by Russell’s Nursery Inc., Aurora, Ore. Plaintiff’s attorney: Weinstein Weiner Ignal Vogel & Shapiro P.C., Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff alleges that prior to the date of this action it delivered goods and/or services to the defendant and that $11,139 relating to those deliveries remains outstanding and past due from the defendant despite repeated requests for payment by the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks repayment of all outstanding amounts plus interest, costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 29. Case no. CV126013448.

Ocwen Financial Corp., et al., Atlanta, Ga., et al. Filed by Robin and Edward Hill, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Michael B. Thomas, Stamford. Action: The plaintiffs allege that the defendants illegally foreclosed on their premises, forcibly removing them and causing extensive damage to their personal effects with a substantial resulting financial loss. The plaintiffs seek damages in excess of $15,000 plus applicable costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Filed March 26.

Case no. CV126013409.

20 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Air & Liquid Systems Corp., et al. Filed by Janet and Peter Misak.

Plaintiff’s attorney: Christopher Meisenkothen. Action: claim filed for a petition for removal of an existing action to an alternative venue.

Filed April 17. Case no. 12CV00576.

Authentic Fire Protection Systems Inc. Filed by National Automatic Sprinkler Industry Apprentice and Training Fund.

Plaintiff’s attorney: Stacie B. Collier. Action: claim filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Filed April 16.

Case no. 12CV00566.

The Bergquist Torrington Co., Filed by S. A. Armstrong Ltd. Plaintiff’s attorney: Edward W. Dunham.

Action: claim filed in connection with a citizenship question. Filed April 19. Case no. 12CV00587.

B-VII New England L.L.C., et al.

Filed by Mark Aceto. Plaintiff’s attorney: Irving J. Pinsky. Action: claim filed in connection with medical malpractice. Filed April 25.

Case no. 12CV00617.

Chubb & Son Inc. Filed by Garrett Graves. Plaintiff’s attorney: Robert M. Fortgang. Action: claim filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Filed April 16. Case no. 12CV00568.

on the record Credits, Clients and Awards

Thursday, May 24

Newsmakers

Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours,” 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Meigas Restaurant, 10 Wall St., Norwalk.

First Niagara has announced the promotion of the follow- TFI Envision Inc. in Shelton has been selected by Energizer to $45 nonmembers, $25 members. For information, call 866-2521. ing branch managers to assistant vice presidents of small-business redesign its Wet Ones Big Ones packaging and shelf tray. TFI Envibanking for Connecticut and western Massachusetts. sion Inc. is a full-service graphic communications firm.

JORGE DE LA ROSA of New Haven.

BILL HICE of Hamden.

Heather Trotta in Stamford has been Snapshot named director, sales development for OpGus Kasparis of Fairfield erationsInc. Trotta brings more than 13 years Mayra Santiago of New Britain. experience in human resources learning and Robert Torres of Middletown. development. Most recently, she served as a leader of global sales training and developDavid Williams of Newington. ment for MasterCard Worldwide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Joan Clemmings-Davis of Waterbury University of Connecticut. has been named the March 2012 CAREGiver of the Month by Home Instead Senior Care (HISC) in Trumbull and Sandy Hook.

Clemmings-Davis has been with Home InOn the Go: Business, Etc. stead Senior Care since July 2011.

Thursday, May 17 Stamford Chamber of Commerce’s 22nd annual MemberGuest Golf Tournament, 7:45 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. shotgun starts, Matrix Corporate Center in Danbury has donated 6:30 p.m. cocktails and dinner; Sterling Farms Golf Course, 1349 Preview of life in a law firm $50,000 to the March of Dimes. The check was presented at the Newfield Ave., Stamford. $225 for 1:30 p.m. shotgun start; $150 for Area high school students from Stamford High School, Westhill 7:45 a.m. shotgun start; $60 cocktails and dinner only.

For informaMarch of Dimes’ fundraising walk, March for Babies.

High School and the Academy of Information Technology & Engition, call 359-4761. neering recently gathered to learn firsthand about life in a law firm at Shipman & Goodwin L.L.P.’s annual Law Day event at its StamWednesday, May 23 ford office.

“Payroll Law 2012,” a one-day seminar, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hyatt Summerfield Suites, 101 Corporate Park Drive, White Plains. $199.

For information, visit pryor.com.

Stamford Chamber of Commerce “May Business After Hours,” 5 to 7:30 p.m.; Station Eats, 3 Landmark Square, Stamford. $25 nonmembers, $20 members, $15 members pre-registered. For information, call 359-4761.

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

Aaron Smiles leasing director for Matrix Corporate Center, presents a check to Gregory Plage, executive director of March of Dimes Photo by Michael Greene.

A publication of Westfair Business Publications •

2012 BOOK OF BUSINESS LISTS

FAIRFIELD COUNTY COUNTY Y

BUSINESS JOURNAL Your only source www.fcbizj.biz for local business news

February 13, 2012 • Vol 48, No. 7

FROM SKY BLUE TO BIG BLUE?

BY ALEXANDER SOULE casoule@westfairinc.com

YOUR WEEKLY WAKE-UP CALL To subscribe, call (800) 784-4564

iCenter, page 2

HVBIZ

INSID INSIDE DE

In time, Barry Schwimmer and his cohorts might enable military aircraft to change color at the push of a button or a dotcom to support a “community of drink explorers.”

In time, the Stamford Innovation Center hopes to be the ultimate enabler – for entre-

preneurs, anyway.

The Stamford iCenter commenced operations in Stamford’s Old Town Hall with a half-dozen startups already enrolled, ranging from Arsanis Biosciences GmbH, an Austrian company hoping to develop treatments for cancer Dotting, page 2

embrace off-site data backup

BY ALEXANDER SOULE casoule@westfairinc.com

C

hris Tella made it through the October nor’easter and Tropical Storm Irene relatively intact – but not in the nor’easter of March 2010 when a 65-foot tree toppled onto his Greenwich house.

Through it all, the roof never caved in on his cloud-services provider UFlexData and parent company Mandragore, with Tella able to access all his company’s critical data and software from mobile devices.

As small businesses get increasingly comfortable with the idea of running their information technology out of the cloud – housing applications and data on remote servers run by others – a building formation of relatively small cloud service providers like UFlexData is selling those services locally.

A functional cloud system for many small-business needs comes in at half the cost of many mobile phone plans, according to Tella, CEO of UFlexData. Yet many businesses still associate the cloud with a sky-high bill up front and going forward.

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS | westfaironline.com

Good news

In keeping with the state of New York’s focus on regional economic development, this issue of the Westchester County Business Journal marks the debut of its sister publication, HV Biz, within its pages. We bring together the counties that make up the Hudson Valley, with its twomillion population, and provide business and economic news helpful to shaping a powerful regional identity. HV Biz news will appear biweekly, broadening the reach of all local businesses while strengthening knowledge and marketing opportunities.

We offer you a special 1-year (52 issues) rate of $52 and the Book of Business Lists 2012 Marc Lotti and Chris Tella are helping area small businesses elevate their IT into the cloud.

Clouds, page 2

2010 2011

Lead Director

Women of Power

Audit Committee Chair

Entrepreneurship is blossoming 15

Compensation Committee Chair

Nominating/Governance Committee Chair

0

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

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90%

100%

ArchrivAls feud And sue At Archie comics

BY JOHN GOLDEN jgolden@westfairinc.com

A

rchie and Jughead, Veronica and Betty and their forever-young comicbook gang at Riverdale High might blush at the storylines written in lawsuits by their creators’ clashing heirs at Archie Comic Publications Inc. in Mamaroneck.

The real-world scripts, contained in state Supreme Court filings in Manhattan and Westchester County, include several employees’ claims last year that they were sexually harassed and threatened by Nancy Silberkleit, co-CEO of the comics publishing company since 2009 and widow of Michael Silberkleit, the former chairman and publisher of Archie

BUSINESS

February 13, 2012 | VOL. 48, No. 7

Archie, page 9

LISTS HV BIZ • FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Comics. The company last summer asked a state judge to prevent Silberkleit from working at the company’s offices at 325 Fayette Ave. in Mamaroneck and to bar her from contacting company employees and vendors.

In January, Jonathan Goldwater, who shares the co-CEO title and company director duties with Silberkleit and is the brother of Michael Silberkleit’s late business partner and co-publisher, filed a second lawsuit in Manhattan seeking her removal as company director and officer. If she stays, Goldwater said, the “iconic American company” is in danger of failing and being liquidated.

Silberkleit, a Rye resident, that same Infighting and lawsuits between co-CEOs have shaken week went to state Supreme Court in White Archie Comics since the death of its former publisher

NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

PUBLICATION SPONSORS

and chairman Michael Silberkleit, shown here in 2007 at company headquarters in Mamaroneck.

State comptroller warns of weak job market

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

WOMEN’S SHARE OF BOARD LEADERSHIP Board Chair

2012 BOOK OF

WESTCHESTER COUNTY W

WCBJ BBUSINESS WC JJOURNAL

Dotting the ‘i’

Cloud covered Small businesses learning to

ryan doran

lancing up at a massive, aging skylight, Chris Van Buiten declared there would be no helicopter landing pad on top of the century-old, Old Town Hall in Stamford.

Sky’s the limit after that, the Sikorsky Innovations head suggested.

January with IBM Corp. managers, without specifying the purpose of that meeting to include whether any deal is in the works to get the Armonk, N.Y.-based company to expand in Connecticut.

In one fell swoop initially engineered by Malloy aide Kip Bergstrom, Stamford finds itself with what it thinks will be a vibrant entrepreneur “hotel,” while

HV BIZ • FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

G

In a stealth operation worthy of its newest secret helicopters, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. swooped in to embed a high-tech incubator at the new Stamford Innovation Center, with the Stamford iCenter itself launching with a half-dozen startups in house, while hosting a Stamford Startup Weekend March 30 and April 1.

At the same time, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy confirmed he met in late

A day before the U.S. Commerce Department revealed that the economy added 243,000 jobs in January, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli warned that hiring in New York and the Hudson Valley has lagged over the past six months.

Between December 2009 and December 2011, the state’s private sector regained 183,600 – or 58 percent – of the jobs that were lost during the recession.

During that same period the state as a whole saw the return of 46 percent of all jobs that were lost, well above the national average of 34 percent, DiNapoli noted in his

Feb. 2 report.

However, the state’s private-sector employers posted a net loss of 11,200 jobs since last July, triggering what DiNapoli described as a noticeable slowdown.

“After a strong first half of 2011, job growth in New York was markedly weaker during the second half of the year, raising concerns about the pace of the recovery in 2012,” DiNapoli wrote.

The region that includes Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties ranked among the lowest of the state’s metropolitan areas in the proportion of jobs recovered since the recession.

After losing 28,800 jobs between July 2008 and December 2009, the lower Hudson

HV

Valley added a net 4,000 jobs in the two years since, with the region’s job recovery rate of 13.8 percent ranking far behind the state and

The region that includes Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties ranked among the lowest of the state’s metropolitan areas in the proportion of jobs recovered since the recession.

New York City, which recovered jobs that were lost during the recession at rates of 46.3

Back to the drawing Board • 18

percent and 51.6 percent, respectively.

In the three-county region, “Gains in education, health services and tourism have been partially offset by sizable losses in government, construction and manufacturing,” DiNapoli wrote.

Unemployment in the region fell to 6.4 percent last December from 7.2 percent in December 2009; however, the report noted that much of that decline was due to a drop in the state’s labor force rather than employment increases.

Compounding the slow recovery, the financial securities industry, which DiNapoli called “the state’s economic engine” and which accounts for a third of the state’s gross

For more lists, get our jam-packed premier digital edition.

See page 3

State, page 9

good things • 40

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 21

on the record Crown Equipment Corp., et al.

Filed by Scott Shanks. Plaintiff’s attorney: Jonathan Perkins. Action: claim filed in connection with a petition for removal of an existing product liability suit to an alternative venue. Filed April 24.

Case no. 12CV00606.

MRS Associates Inc., et al. Filed

by Gerald Nowotny. Plaintiff’s attorney: Sergei Lemberg. Action: claim filed under the Fair Debt Collection Act. Filed April 19.

Case no. 12CV00586.

Northrop Grumman Corp., et al.

Filed by Katrina Zilberman. PlainCumberland Farms Inc. Filed tiff’s attorney: James W. Walsh.

by Sarah D’Alessandro. Plaintiff’s Action: claim filed for notice of attorney: Garrett M. Moore. Ac- removal of an existing action to tion: claim filed in connection an alternative venue. Filed 04/26. with personal injury. Filed April 23. Case no. 12CV00621.

Case no. 12CV00600.

Domino’s Pizza L.L.C. Filed by Christopher Carroll. Plaintiff’s attorney: James V. Sabatini. Action: claim filed for a petition for removal of an existing job discrimination suit to an alternative venue. Filed April 26. Case no. 12CV00625.

Paul Miller Nissan L.L.C., et al.

Filed by Brian Battles. Plaintiff’s attorney: Daniel S. Blinn. Action: claim filed under the Truth in Lending Act. Filed April 16.

Case no. 12CV00565.

Rossignol, et al. Filed by MSC Industrial Direct Company Inc. GBC Metals L.L.C. Filed by Ro- Plaintiff’s attorney: A. Robert berto de la Torre. Plaintiff’s at- Fischer and Kristin L. Plude. Actorney: Justin E. Theriault. Ac- tion: claim filed in connection with tion: claim filed under the Fair breach of contract. Filed April 18.

Labor Standards Act. Filed April 13. Case no. 12CV00584.

Case no. 12CV00562.

Greenwich Hospital, et al. Filed

by Sally and John Sherman. Plaintiff’s attorney: William G. Greenberg. Action: claim filed in connection with medical malpractice. Filed April 16. Case no. 12CV00567.

TransAm Trucking, et al. Filed

by Marines Torres. Plaintiff’s attorney: David J. Skolnick. Action: claim filed for a petition in connection with removal of an existing auto negligence suit to an alternative venue. Filed April 20.

Case no. 12CV00596.

Guilford Mooring L.L.C. Filed

by Broadcast Music Inc., et al.

Plaintiff’s attorney: Chad Dever and Michael J., Rye. Action: claim filed in connection with copyright infringement. Filed April 17.

Case no. 12CV00574.

Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Filed by Martin Ruggieri. Plaintiff’s attorney: John R. Williams. Action: claim filed in connection with fraud. Filed April 19.

Case no. 12CV00589.

Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co. Filed by Gary Charbonneau. Plaintiff’s attorney: Dale J. Morgado. Action: claim filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Filed April 24. Case no. 12CV00602.

Yale University, et al. Filed by Larry Daniels. Plaintiff’s attorney: Larry Daniels pro se. Action: claim filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Filed April 16.

Case no. 12CV00570.

Deeds JGS Properties L.L.C., et al. Filed

by Charles Gibson Jr. Plaintiff’s attorney: Charles Gibson Jr. pro se.

Action: claim filed in connection with a petition for removal of an existing breach of contract suit to 12 Fairfield Avenue L.L.C., Wilan alternative venue. Filed April 17. ton. Seller: Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Case no. 12CV00583. trustee, Coppell, Texas. Property: 24 Lowe St., Norwalk. Amount: Metro North Commuter Rail- $166,000. Filed April 4. road. Filed by Abdus-Sabur Muhammad. Plaintiff’s attorney: 25 Orchard Street L.L.C., MonMarc T. Wietzke. Action: claim roe. Seller: Sergio Veliz, Bridgefiled under the Federal Employ- port. Property: 30 Tremont Ave., er’s Liability Act. Filed April 18. Bridgeport. Amount: $110,000.

Case no. 12CV00578.

Filed April 23.

Commercial

Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Co. Filed by Nancy Fulton. Plaintiff’s attorney: John F. Buckley Jr. Action: claim filed in connection with a citizenship question. Filed April 17.

Case no. 12CV00575.

Acorn II L.L.C., Guilford. Seller: 62 Sound Apartments L.L.C., Trumbull. Property: 62 Chestnut St., Danbury. Amount: $8.4 million.

Filed April 16.

HFH L.L.C., Greenwich. Seller: Josefina and Esperanza Guzman, Tarrytown, N.Y. Property: 301 Beechwood Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $135,500. Filed April 23.

LaFerrier, Dennis, Bridgeport.

Seller: Peter Zaboretzky, BridgeForeclosures port. Property: 2089 North Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $300,000.

Brissett, Jacqueline, et al. CrediFiled April 19. tor: the Water Pollution Control Authority of the city of Bridgeport.

RK Manufacturing Corp. of Meehan, Terence, Norwalk. Seller: Property: 330 Bond St., Bridgeport.

Connecticut Inc., Danbury. Seller: Faith Gray, Norwalk. Property: 21 Delinquent municipal water and Lawrence Brooks, Danbury. Prop- Craw Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $1.3 sewer fees. Filed April 23. erty: 1804 Pinnacle Way, Danbury. million. Filed April 3.

Amount: $295,000. Filed April 11.

Falls, Walter, et al. Creditor: LNV Mehta, Sneh and Subash Mehta, Corp. Property: 1 Maple Lane, Standard Oil of Connecticut Danbury. Seller: Ellen and Neil Za- Danbury. Mortgage default. Filed Inc., Bridgeport. Seller: Joyce mansky, Waumakee, Wis. Property: April 12.

Millo, trustee, Monroe. Property: 27 Tucker St., Danbury. Amount: 56 East Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $390,000. Filed April 16.

Francia III, Dominic, et al. Credi$100,000. Filed April 24. tor: Wells Fargo Bank N.A. PropMiriyappali, Rama and Vin- erty: 11 Briscall Court, Danbury. do Pilla, Wilton. Seller: Linda Mortgage default. Filed April 17.

Southworth, Wilton. Property: 26 Mountain Road, Wilton. Amount: Graham-Gaillard, Lachelle, et al.

Albanese, Rachel and Russell $516,000. Filed April 12.

Creditor: Citimortgage Inc. PropAlbanese, Greenwich. Seller: Elizaerty: 1773 Central Ave., Bridgeport. beth Roginska and Dariusz Roginski, Wilton. Property: 73 Vista Road, Paolini, Gregg and Sara Paolini, Mortgage default. Filed April 23.

Wilton. Amount: $1.2 million. Stamford. Seller: 25 Walter Avenue L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: Filed March 27.

25 Walter Ave., Norwalk. Amount: Otenio, Jackeline, et al. Creditor: The Bank of New York, trust$359,900. Filed April 2. ee. Property: 39 Westville Ave., Baker, Patrick, Norwalk. Seller: Danbury. Mortgage default. Filed RMS East Avenue L.L.C., Stamford. Property: Unit 102B, Marquis Rosa, Bianca, Danbury. Seller: April 12. on the River, Norwalk. Amount: Hnin Hnin Khine and Tin Min Htut, Danbury. Property: 14 Col$330,000. Filed April 2. lege Park Drive, Danbury. Amount: Silvestri, Jonathan, et al. Creditor: Citimortgage Inc. Property: 10 $280,000. Filed April 16.

E. Franklin St., Unit A1, Danbury.

Barber, Nicole and Thomas BarMortgage default. Filed April 12. ber, Wilton. Seller: Ashlynn Gouveia, Wilton. Property: 229 Westport Sirin, David, Hartford. Seller: Road, Wilton. Amount: $492,500. Cheryl and Craig Bohrman, Dan- Udeokoro, Florian, et al. Creditor: bury. Property: 7 Harwood Drive, Filed April 16.

Danbury. Amount: $445,000. Filed GMAC Mortgage L.L.C. Property: 263 Charles St., Bridgeport. MortApril 16. gage default. Filed April 23.

Cort, Scott, Holmdel, N.J. Seller: Joann and Joseph Alfredo, Danbury. Property: 26 Pocono Point Smith, James, Greenwich. Seller: Judgments Road, Danbury. Amount: $1 mil- the estate of Dorothea Weyer, Norwalk. Property: 81 Toilsome Ave., lion. Filed April 17.

Norwalk. Amount: $385,000. Filed Almonte, Gladys, Danbury.

April 4. $627 in favor of Ivette Diaz M.D., Crossen, Kerry and James CrosBrookfield, by Robert L. Peat. sen, Stamford. Seller: Amy BarProperty: 54 Abbot Ave., Danbury.

Song, Jieting and Derreck Lilly, tram, Wilton. Property: 50 ErdFiled April 17.

Wilton.

Seller: Kathleen Megrue, mann Lane, Wilton. Amount: Wilton.

Property: 17 Turner Lane, $673,124. Filed April 9.

Wilton. Amount: $592,500. Filed Armstrong, Michael, Danbury.

March 30. $391 in favor of the Danbury Office Fankhanel, Renz, Milford. Seller: of Physicians Services P.C., DanHelen Hoart and Bailey Sterrett, bury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: Tamayo, Sandra and Todd McKinWilton. Property: 67 Canterbury 6 Lower Lake Road, Danbury. Filed lay, Westport.

Seller: Mohan and Lane, Wilton. Amount: $817,000.

April 17.

David Tracy, Norwalk.

Property: Filed April 4.

581 Belden Hill Road, Norwalk.

Amount: $425,500. Filed April 4.

Baker, Pamela, Danbury. $1,324 in Goobic, Edward, Norwalk. Seller: favor of the Danbury Office of Phythe estate of Mary McCarthy, Norsicians Services P.C., Danbury, by Umerley, Raymond, Metuchen, walk. Property: 6 Bayberry Lane, Robert L. Peat. Property: 13 Belair N.J. Seller: Margarita and John Norwalk. Amount: $250,000. Filed Blessing, Wilton. Property: 5 Mail Drive, Danbury. Filed April 17.

April 3.

Coach Court, Wilton. Amount: $525,000. Filed April 11.

Bartholomew, Herman, Jamaica, Hough, Jennifer and David N.Y. $14,868 in favor of Southern Hough, Wilton. Seller: MargaConnecticut Gas Co., Bridgeport, Vangeyzel, Jerry and Barbara ret Mason, Wilton. Property: 140

by Robert W. Lynch. Property: 232 Vangeyzel, Weston.

Seller: the Highfield Road, Wilton. Amount: estate of Mildred Smith, Wilton. Pearl Harbor St., Bridgeport. Filed $750,000. Filed March 29.

Property: Parcel B, Wilton town April 23. map 5117, Wilton. Amount: Iacino, Mario, New Rochelle, N.Y. $740,000. Filed March 30.

Breece, Victoria, Danbury. $2,220 Seller: Toll CT III L.P., Newtown. in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., Property: 39 Mill Road, Danbury.

San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Vogel, Christina, Mahopac, N.Y. Amount: $522,632. Filed April 16.

Seller: Toll CT III L.P., Newtown. Wiener. Property: 22 Homestead Property: 40 Warrington Round, Ave., Danbury. Filed April 18.

Danbury. Amount: $329,678. Filed April 12.

Residential

22 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Buonaiuto, Janette, Danbury. $1,480 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Stephen A. Wiener. Property: 68 Hayestown Road, Danbury. Filed April 16.

Czap, Jacqueline, Danbury. $455 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: Musnug Road, Danbury. Filed April 16.

Daniele, Frank, Norwalk. $103,159 in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., New Haven,

by Keith R. Ainsworth. Property: 5B Fremont Place, Norwalk. Filed April 3.

Dasilva, Felicio, Danbury. $2,171 in favor of the Danbury Office of Physicians Services P.C., Danbury,

by Robert L. Peat. Property: 54 Taylor St., Danbury. Filed April 17.

Dettmering, Eric, Danbury. $1,157 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat.

Property: 41 Blackberry Road, Danbury. Filed April 18.

Dickens, William, Danbury. $665 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 32 Concord Road, Danbury. Filed April 18.

Esposito, Lillian, Danbury. $440 in favor of the Danbury Office of Physicians Services P.C., Danbury,

by Robert L. Peat. Property: 16 Virginia Ave., Danbury. Filed April 17.

Gardner, Dallas, Danbury. $604 in favor of the Danbury Office of Physicians Services P.C., Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 24 Rowan St., Danbury. Filed April 17.

Goncalves, Arnaldo, Danbury. $2,424 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat.

Property: 9 Parkway Road, Danbury. Filed April 17.

Herrera, Sissi, Danbury. $491 in favor of Danbury Diagnostic Imaging, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat.

Property: 17 Olive St., Danbury.

Filed April 18.

Honeycutt, Mark, Wilton. $1,799 in favor of Santa Buckley Energy Ltd., Bridgeport, by Janine M. Becker. Property: 34 Boulder Brook Road, Wilton. Filed April 9.

Lashley, Sally, Danbury. $1,602 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 114 Carol St., Danbury. Filed April 16.

McClelland, Linda, Danbury. $308 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Stephen A. Wiener.

Property: 69 Davis St., Danbury.

Filed April 18.

on the record Ocampos, Juan, Danbury. $2,279 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by Stephen A. Wiener. Property: 81 Park Ave., Danbury. Filed April 16.

Paca, Osvaldo, Danbury. $1,848 in favor of the Danbury Office of Physicians Services P.C., Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 42 Miry Brook Road, No. 34, Danbury. Filed April 16.

Paynter, Jesse, Norwalk. $1,055 in favor of Robert Russo M.D. and Associates, Norwalk, by Joseph P. Latino. Property: 52 Wilson Ave., Norwalk. Filed April 3.

Inertech L.L.C., by Earl Keisling.

Landlord: DXR Corp. Property: Lis Pendens 60 Backus Ave., Danbury. Term: five years, commencing March 23, The following filings indicate a legal 2012. Filed April 12. action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to Liens the property listed.

1225 Connecticut Avenue L.L.C., et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., BridgeHard Corps Iron Works L.L.C., port. Property: 1225 Connecticut 86 Euerle St., Stratford. $5,827, Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreFederal unemployment tax, FICA close on the property to recover deand employee withholding tax. linquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed Filed April 24.

April 24.

Federal Tax Liens – filed

Hard Corps Iron Works L.L.C., 86 Euerle St., Stratford. $9,809, 15 Thorpe Street L.L.C., et al., FICA and employee withholding Danbury, et al. Filed by Christopher G, Winans, Danbury, for Savtax. Filed April 24. ings Bank of Danbury, Danbury.

Property: 15 Thorpe St., Danbury.

Libertas L.L.C., 25 Van Zant St., Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal Sabbagh, Mary, Danbury. $1,291 Norwalk. $120,230, FICA and amount of $415,000 dated January in favor of Danbury Hospital, employee withholding tax. Filed 2008. Filed April 16.

Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Prop- April 2. erty: 10 Royal Road, Danbury. Filed April 18.

Naultz Construction Inc., 15 Wil- Andriolas, Maria, et al., Bridgeton Acres, Wilton. $4,073, FICA port, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Sciacca, Thomas, Danbury. $410 and employee withholding tax. Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: Filed April 16. in favor of Danbury Hospital, Dan375 Park Ave., Bridgeport. Action: bury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: to foreclose on the property to re12 Scuppo Road, No. G38, Dan- Totally Tan Too L.L.C., 35 Lake Av- cover delinquent municipal taxes bury. Filed April 17. enue Extension, Danbury. $10,455, assigned to the plaintiff for collecFederal excise tax. Filed April 9. tion. Filed April 24.

Velasquez, Carlos, Norwalk. $4,220 in favor of FIA Card Services Aponte, Rafael, et al., Bridgeport, N.A., Newark, Del., by Julie B. Soloet al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobmon. Property: 7 Clarmore Drive, son P.C., Hartford, for PNC Bank Apt. 1B, Norwalk. Filed April 3.

N.A., Pittsburgh, Pa. Property: 275 Alexander Ave., Bridgeport. Action: Parkway Assembly of God, Wilson, Loyce, Danbury. $961 260 New Canaan Ave., Norwalk. to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in favor of the Danbury Office $18,573, FICA and employee with- in the original principal amount of $324,901 dated July 2008. Filed of Physicians Services P.C., Dan- holding tax. Filed April 2.

April 19. bury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 18 Michaud Road, Danbury. Filed Mechanic’s Liens-filed April 16.

Arrington, Theresa, et al., BridgeBerkshire Shopping Center port, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Woodhouse, Carol, Danbury. L.L.C., Danbury. Filed by Infra- Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for PNC $892 in favor of Danbury Hospital, Metals Co., Wallingford, by Da- Bank N.A., Pittsburgh, Pa. PropDanbury, by Robert L. Peat. Prop- vid Whitehead. Property: Berk- erty: 10 Tesiny Circle, Bridgeport. erty: 28 Hillside Ave., Danbury. shire Shopping Center, Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal Amount: $56,502. Filed April 12.

Filed April 16. amount of $298,950 dated November 2003. Filed April 19.

Danbury Mall L.L.C., Danbury.

Leases Filed by Rimrock Design Inc., Lake City, Fla., by Salina Morales. Babatunde, Benjamin, et al., Earthscape Landscape Manage- Property: 7 Backus Ave., Danbury. Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for ment & Development Inc., by Amount: $29,046. Filed April 17.

Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport.

James Waters. Landlord: 743 DanProperty: 283 Hanover St., Bridgebury Road L.L.C. Property: 743 Danbury Road, Wilton. Term: six Norwalk ALF Property L.L.C., port. Action: to foreclose on the Chicago, Ill. Filed by Terzian Truckproperty to recover delinquent muyears, commencing March 1, 2012. ing Company Inc., Norwalk, by nicipal taxes assigned to the plainFiled March 28.

Bryan Terzian. Property: 73 Straw- tiff for collection. Filed April 24. berry Hill Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $31,653. Filed April 3.

Radko, Dawn, Danbury. $1,054 in favor of Danbury Emergency Medical Services, Danbury, by Robert L. Peat. Property: 3 Carlyle Drive, Danbury. Filed April 17.

Federal Tax Liens-released

The Bank of New York, trustee, et al., New York City, et al. Filed

by Ronald M. Bender, Hamden, for Federal Arms Condominiums Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Unit 103, Federal Arms Condominium, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the unit to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 19.

Gagstetter, Robert, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 54 DeForest Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed April 24.

Moss, Dorothy, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 181 Beardsley St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed April 24.

Boyd, Tikitwana, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Capitol Commons Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: 955K Capitol Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the unit to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 23.

Garcia, Carmen, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Bendett & McHugh P.C., Farmington, for The Bank of New York Mellon, trustee, New York City. Property: 1185 Sylvan Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $168,000 dated January 2007. Filed April 19.

Nieves III, John, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Lexington Mews Condominium Association Inc., Danbury.

Property: Unit 1903, Lexington Mews Condominium, Danbury.

Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 9.

Casiano, Aida, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 145 Deacon St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection.

Filed April 24.

Kelley, Susan, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for Citimortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 34 Brittania Drive, Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $243,000 dated April 2006. Filed April 12.

Pasato, Barbara, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by O’Connell Flaherty & Attmore L.L.C., Hartford, for U.S. Bank N.A., trustee, Minneapolis, Minn. Property: 55 Mill Plain Road, Unit 29-7, Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $202,000 dated April 2006. Filed April 11.

Chu, Weiyih, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Gregg A. Brauneisen, Danbury, for The Lions Condominium Association Inc., Danbury.

Property: Unit 48, Building B, Lions Condominium, Danbury. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 18.

Lickver, Sean, et al., Danbury, et al.

Filed by Gregg A. Brauneisen, Danbury, for Covered Bridge Condominium Association Inc., Danbury.

Property: Unit 26, Covered Bridge Condominium, Danbury. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 12.

DeJesus, Victor, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 40 Hudson St., Unit 2, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed April 24.

Lilley, Diane, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 175 Alexander Drive, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed April 24.

Ducran, Adriana, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Karen E. McArthur, Armonk, N.Y., for The Bank of New York Mellon, New York City. Property: 1515 Park Ave., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $250,000 dated May 2005. Filed April 19.

Maynard, Hezron, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Janine M. Becker, Bridgeport, for People’s United Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 345 Success Ave., Court A, Building 24, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $54,000 dated October 2003. Filed April 23.

Forest, Trishana, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by O’Connell Flaherty & Attmore L.L.C., Hartford, for Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., trustee, Los Angeles, Calif.

Property: 40 Kent Ave., Bridgeport.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $136,800 dated September 2006. Filed April 19.

McCarthy, Deborah, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for Bayview Loan Servicing L.L.C., Boca Raton, Fla. Property: 1 Cel Bret Drive, Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $225,000 dated June 2004. Filed April 17.

Reyes, Lizbeth, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for The Bank of New York Mellon, trustee, New York City. Property: 30 Knoll Place, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $256,000 dated October 2005. Filed April 24.

Rivera, Carmen, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by O’Connell Flaherty & Attmore L.L.C., Hartford, for Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 612 Goldenrod Ave., Bridgeport.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $168,000 dated July 2002. Filed April 19.

Rivera, Maria, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for Ocwen Loan Servicing L.L.C., Atlanta, Ga. Property: 140 Jennings St., Bridgeport.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $256,000 dated September 2008. Filed April 19.

Robinson, Troy, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for FNF Servicing Inc., Virginia Beach, Va. Property: 50 Luther St., Bridgeport.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $253,624 dated September 2008. Filed April 19.

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

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 23

on the record Rodriguez, Jose, et al., Norwalk, et al. Filed by Juda J. Epstein, Bridgeport, for Stonewood Condominium at Richards Avenue Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: Unit 301, Stonewood Condominium, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on the unit to recover delinquent common charges due the association.

Filed April 3.

Russ, Estate of Alethia, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Bendett & McHugh P.C., Farmington, for Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Rocky Hill. Property: 57 Lansing Place, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $65,100 dated March 2000. Filed April 19.

Salvucci, Estate of Valerie, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport.

Property: 240 Wells St., Bridgeport.

Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection. Filed April 24.

Scott, Cynthia, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for The Bank of New York Mellon, trustee, New York City. Property: 20 Oakland Ave., Apt. 3B, Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $120,000 dated September 2006.

Filed April 17.

Scott, Elnora, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Capitol Commons Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport.

Property: 200F Beechwood Ave., Building 3, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the unit to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 23.

Silva, Geraldo, et al., Danbury, et al. Filed by Hunt Leibert Jacobson P.C., Hartford, for Citimortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 16 Whaley St., Danbury. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $221,270 dated July 2003. Filed April 10.

Smith, Marion, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 166 Fourth St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection.

Filed April 24.

Vittorio, Joseph, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Marc A. Krasnow, Bridgeport, for Foxledge Condominium Association Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Unit 75, Foxledge Condominium, Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the unit to recover delinquent common charges due the association. Filed April 23.

Weber, Harold, et al., Bridgeport, et al. Filed by Walter M. Spader Jr., North Branford, for Tower Lien L.L.C., Bridgeport. Property: 175 Harriet St., Bridgeport. Action: to foreclose on the property to recover delinquent municipal taxes assigned to the plaintiff for collection.

Filed April 24.

Mortgages 743 Danbury Road L.L.C., Wilton,

by Barbara Waters. Lender: Connecticut Community Investment Corp., Hamden. Property: 743 Danbury Road, Wilton. Amount: $404,000. Filed March 28.

New Businesses

Connecticut Sportscards, 28 Lund Ave., Stamford 06907, c/o Philip Garmun. Filed March 7.

The Business Journal is not responsible for typographical errors con- Costa Flooring L.L.C., 12 Ochsner Place, Bridgeport 06606, c/o Juraci tained in the original filings.

Costa. Filed April 24.

A&I Brothers Clothing Store, 562 Boston Ave., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Awal Amodou. Filed April 12.

Advantage Realty Group Advisors, 482 Summer St., Stamford 06901, c/o Raul Villacis. Filed March 12.

Funny Anatoly, 114 Morgan Mi Pueblo Restaurant and BakStreet, Apt. 128A, Stamford 06905, ery, 3837 Main St., Bridgeport c/o Anatolie Vatosu. Filed March 5. 06606, c/o Alexandre Lugo. Filed April 12.

Greenday Development, 137 Culloden Road, Stamford 06902, Morales Construction L.L.C., c/o Carlos Alvarez. Filed March 12. 235 Huntington Road, Bridgeport 06608, c/o Eliseo Morales-Perez.

Filed April 17.

CT Prison Shuttle, P.O. Box 5363, Heavenly Grace Greetings, 201 Bridgeport 06610, c/o Shirley Wil- Holly St., Bridgeport 06607, c/o liams. Filed April 23.

Rodney Osiecki. Filed April 16.

New Golden Empire Restaurant, 2182 Madison Ave., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Qiang Li. Filed April 19.

D and A Social Networking Club, Hibernian Golf Association, 1512 Stratford Ave., Bridgeport 59 Crane Road North, Stamford 06607, c/o Andrea Medley. Filed 06902, c/o Terry Grossman. Filed New York Pizza House, 1700 BarApril 23.

March 8. num Ave., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Kadir Varal. Filed April 17.

Alfredo Painting, 9 Berges Ave., Stamford 06905, c/o Jose Rodri- D and C Trucking, 3250 Main St., I’m Possible Outreach Program, Bridgeport 06606, c/o Dave Spen- 11A Arlington Road, Stamford 881 Laff L.L.C., Bridgeport, by guez. Filed March 5. cer. Filed April 23.

06902, c/o Andre McNamee. Filed Ferdinand Frassinelli. Lender: New March 5.

England Bank, Enfield. Property: 881 Lafayette Blvd., Units C1 and Arcadia Home Care and Staffing, C2, Bridgeport. Amount: $140,000. 4639 Main St., Suite 6, Bridgeport Danbury Video, 8 Coach Road, 06606, c/o Cathy Sparling. Filed Danbury 06811, c/o John Neu- Independent Beauty Consultant, Filed April 19. muller. Filed April 16.

12 Reed Place, Stamford 06905, c/o April 25.

Heather Madden. Filed March 8.

Acorn II L.L.C., Guilford, by John Digital Frogs, 123 Range Road, Williams. Lender: People’s United The Art of Shaving, 100 Greyrock Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 62 Place, Stamford 06901, c/o Alexan- Wilton 06897, c/o Mark McGehee. J&L Residential and Stone Work, Filed April 9.

798 High Ridge Road, Stamford Chestnut St., Danbury. Amount: der Davison. Filed March 1.

06905, c/o Jorge Castro. Filed $7.4 million. Filed April 16.

March 5.

The Austrie Group, 22 Cook District 2 Blue Lodge Council, Huge Crib L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Road, Stamford 06902, c/o Vincent 337 Main St., Danbury 06810, c/o Charles Pomeroy III. Filed April 16. Jenny’s Painting, 84 Jewett Ave., Christopher Larson. Lender: Fair- Austrie. Filed March 2.

Bridgeport 06604, c/o Maria Ferfield County Bank, Ridgefield. Property: 195 Brooklawn Ave., Bridgeport. Bautista Construction L.L.C., DR Market Retail Centre, 732 reira. Filed April 16.

Amount: $325,000. Filed April 23.

541 Capital Ave., Bridgeport 06606, Maplewood Ave., Bridgeport c/o Ricardo Bautista-Marisa. Filed 06605, c/o Slisa Yongyod. Filed Jerry’s Home Improvement April 12.

L.L.C., 125 Ralph St., Bridgeport Huge Crib L.L.C., Bridgeport, April 17.

06606, c/o Gerardo Serrano. Filed

by Christopher Larson. Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Ridgefield. Best Nail, 3139 Main St., Bridge- Dream Creators, 97 Virgil St., No. April 19.

Property: 195 Brooklawn Ave., port 06606, c/o Hanh Pham. Filed 4, Stamford 06902, c/o Latarsha Bridgeport. Amount: $450,000. April 16.

Bines. Filed March 12.

JLM Cleaning, 371 Poplar St., Filed April 23.

Bridgeport 06605, c/o Juana Ramirez. Filed April 23.

Bones & Son, 251 Court D, Bridge- Elias Landscaping, 56 Smith St., KLM Performance Inc., Wilton, port 06610, c/o Gamaliel Bones. Third floor, Stamford 06902, c/o

by Kevin Kelly. Lender: Webster Filed April 12.

Elias Aguilar. Filed March 9.

Junco & Son Meat Market L.L.C., Bank N.A., New Britain. Property: 616 Williams St., Bridgeport 06608, 40 Range Road, Wilton. Amount: c/o Franklin Morel. Filed April 16. $150,000. Filed April 4.

Elite Motors, 225 Greenwich Ave., Boston Fish and Chips, 794 Boston Ave., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Ma- Stamford 06902, c/o Christopher Torkamani. Filed March 7.

Karie Peterson Photography, hamadou Sacko. Filed April 17.

Precious Memories Child Care 16A Fairfield Ave., Danbury 06810, L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Sheree Higc/o Karie Peterson. Filed April 12. gins. Lender: TD Bank N.A., Cher- Botánica Yemaya, 50 Elm St., EndocrinolgyDiabetesKids, 1515 ry Hill, N.J. Property: 3600 Main Danbury 06810, c/o Maria Rivera. Summer Street, Suite 101, Stamford St., Bridgeport. Amount: $130,000. Filed April 18.

06905, c/o Patricia Delman. Filed Kijek Team, The, 1022 Long Ridge Filed April 19.

March 5.

Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Thomas Kijek. Filed March 8.

Caggiano Landscaping Services, SLCONN L.L.C., Brookfield, by 21 Park St., No. 2, Stamford 06902, Fine Art Finders, 3300 Park Ave., John Sweeney. Lender: Union Sav- c/o Jamie Lipsher. Filed March 6.

Bridgeport 06604, c/o Florence Zo- Kindred Soul Relations L.L.C., ings Bank, Danbury. Property: 2 lan. Filed April 23.

71 Washington Terrace, BridgeSunrise Road, Danbury. Amount: port 06604, c/o Gina Ryan. Filed Center for Women’s Care, 999 $135,000. Filed April 16.

April 17.

Summer St., Suite 302, Stamford Foodstudio, 945 Summer St., Stamford 06905, c/o Atsuko Boyd.

06905, c/o Michael Marks M.D. White Fences, Wilton, by Nancy Filed March 2.

Filed March 7.

Kittens on a Cloud L.L.C., 1001 Facsy and A. Robert Facsy Jr. LendMain St., Bridgeport 06604, c/o er: Webster Bank N.A., Waterbury.

Miguel Soto. Filed April 19.

Property: 523 Danbury Road, Unit Club LDU, 38 Standish Road, Free Form Resumes L.L.C., 74 1, Wilton. Amount: $370,000. Filed Stamford 06902, c/o Luis Barahona. Soundview Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Ericka Fleming. Filed March 5. Lak Auto Repair, 1905 Barnum Filed March 12.

March 28.

Ave., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Paul Patterson. Filed April 19.

Fresh Vegetables and Produce, Wilton Retirement Housing Colbert Firm, The, 32 Scarlet Oak L.L.C., Bedford Heights, Ohio, by Drive, Wilton 06897, c/o Joseph 556 Kossuth St., Bridgeport 06608, c/o Flavio Sanchez. Filed April 17.

Leena’s Pizza, 1176 Fairfield AvFred Rzepka. Lender: PNC Bank Colbert. Filed April 3. enue, Unit A, Bridgeport 06605, c/o N.A., Cleveland, Ohio. PropKathir Eldush. Filed April 16. erty: 435 Danbury Road, Wilton.

Amount: $18.1 million. Filed March 29.

24 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Nextgenhr, 95 Intervale Road, Apt. 3, Stamford 06905, c/o Gloria Zweibel. Filed March 12.

O. Damasceno Landscaping, 3880 Main St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Onofre Damasceno. Filed April 19.

Papa Mow Mow BBQ, 8 Sherwood Road, Stamford 06905, c/o Michael Kyek. Filed March 2.

Pat Ron’s Delivery Service L.L.C., 330 Ezra St., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Everoe Hall-Campbell.

Filed April 12.

Pequonnock Deli Market, 477 Pequonnock St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Rachid Amezzou. Filed April 17.

Pit Stop Performance, 58 Norman St., Bridgeport 06605, c/o Eric Rentas. Filed April 12.

Pride Enterprises, 53 Durant St., Stamford 06902, c/o Howard Price.

Filed March 8.

Quality Painting, 117 Myrtle Avenue, 2nd Floor, Stamford 06902, c/o Santos Joj. Filed March 7.

Reliable Test Prep, 29 Glen Ridge, Wilton 06897, c/o Stephen Bell.

Filed April 23.

Ricardo Medina Handy Man, 161 Milne St., Bridgeport 06604, c/o Ricardo Medina. Filed April 23.

Sccanarraro Painting L.L.C., 108 Woodmont Ave., Bridgeport 06606, c/o Milton Campos. Filed April 23.

Second Life, 2085 E. Main St., Bridgeport 06610, c/o David Sawyer. Filed April 17.

Soul Purpose, 300 Tresser Boulevard, Apt. 9, Stamford 06901, c/o Betty Douglas. Filed March 6.

on the record Spice Island Entertainment, 12 Minor Place, Unit B, Stamford 06902, c/o Nolander Lazarus. Filed March 7.

Anastomosis composite gasket.

Patent no. 8,167,895 issued to William L. D’Agostino, Mt. Carmel and Michael Bettuchi, Middletown. Assigned to Tyco Healthcare Group L.P., Norwalk.

Stamford Beginners’ Group, 241 Courtland Ave., Stamford 06906, c/o Sally Gehring. Filed March 9.

Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of controlling a temperature of a surface in Steve Sherwood Voice Talent, 976 apparatuses useful for printWood Ave., Bridgeport 06604, c/o ing. Patent no. 8,170,436 issued to: Steve Sherwood Jr. Filed April 24.

Augusto E. Barton, Webster, N.Y.; Faming Li, Penfield, N.Y.; and AnTK Custom Prints, 16 Plymouth thony S. Condello, Webster, N.Y. Road, Stamford 06902, c/o Mar- Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. shayne Winfield. Filed March 1.

Bonding silicon silicon carbide Tortos and Tacos La Trigueña, to glass ceramics. Patent no.

607 Brewster St., Bridgeport 06606, 8,168,017 issued to: : Matthew Lipc/o Pedro Escalante. Filed April 23. son, Stamford; Robert D. Harned, Redding; Geoffrey O’Connor, Easton; and Timothy O’Neil, New Toyzone, 100 Greyrock Place, Milford. Assigned to ASML HoldStamford 06901, c/o Joe Rios. Filed ing N.V., the Netherlands.

March 9.

Two Cousins Landscaping, 33 W. Washington Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Carlos Arboleda. Filed March 12.

U.S. Homeowners’ Association, 10 Woodway Lane, Wilton 06897, c/o Laurence Steinman. Filed March 20.

Union Enterprises Inc., 805 Newfield Ave., Stamford 06905, c/o Latricia Decausey. Filed March 1.

Urban Roots, 113 Atlantic St., Bridgeport 06607, c/o Kim Versyres-Martin. Filed April 19.

Venus Nails, 2285 E. Main St., Bridgeport 06610, c/o Mike Phan.

Filed April 24.

White Willow Kitchen & Home, P.O. Box 451, Wilton 06897, c/o Stacie Evers. Filed April 13.

Patents Alkaline battery having a protective layer. Patent no. 8,168,321 issued to Alexander B. Shelekhin, Ridgefield and Daniel W. Gibbons, Southbury. Assigned to The Gillette Co., Boston, Mass.

Analgesic combination of tramadol and meloxicam. Patent no. 8,168,629 issued to: Ronald M. Burch, Wilton; Paul D. Goldenheim, Wilton; and Richard S. Sackler, Greenwich. Assigned to Purdue Pharma L.P., Stamford.

Degradation of polypropylene with hydroxylamine ester compositions. Patent no. 8,168,725 issued to: Michael Roth, Germany; Peter Nesvadba, Switzerland; and David E. Horst, Danbury. Assigned to BASF SE, Germany.

Electric toothbrush head. Patent no. 8,166,601 issued to: William R. Brown Jr., Peabody, Mass.; Thomas Christman, Lexington, Mass.; Georges Driesen, Germany; Thomas Fritsch, Germany; Michael Roberts, Brookfield; and Armin Schwarz-Hartmann, Germany. Assigned to Braun G.m.b.H., Germany.

High performance stress-enhanced MOSFETS using Si:C and SiGe epitaxial source/drain and method of manufacture.Patent no. 8,168,489 issued to: Huajie Chen, Danbury; Dureseti Chidambarrao, Weston; and Omer H. Dokumaci, Wappingers Falls, N.Y. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, N.Y. Identification labels and methods of using the same. Patent no.

8,167,336 issued to Rick Minor, Canada and Robert Leonard, Canada. Assigned to Moore Wallace North America Inc., Stamford.

Illumination system coherence remover with two sets of stepped mirrors. Patent no. 8,164,740 issued to: Huibert Visser, the Netherlands; Jacob Fredrik Friso Klinkhamer, the Netherlands; Lev Ryzhikov, Norwalk; Scott D. Coston, New Milford; Adel Joobeur, Electrocomposite coatings for Milford; Rob Vink, the NetherCerCan: an energy supplement hard chrome replacement. Pat- lands; and Yevgeniy Shmarev, product for boosting the im- ent no. 8,168,056 issued to Ami- LaGrangeville, N.Y. Assigned to mune system. Patent no. 8,168,173 tava Datta, East Greenwich, R.I. ASML Holding N.V., the Nethissued to: Ioan G. Crihan, New York and John D. Carpenter, Trumbull. erlands and ASML Netherlands City; Geoffrey G. Woods, Fairfield; Assigned to USC L.L.C., Stratford. B.V., the Netherlands. and Jerrold E. Hyams, New York City.

Fabric softening composition Introducer for inserting a concomprising a polymeric viscos- necting rod into a spine. PatClient account and information ity modifier. Patent no. 8,168,582 ent no. 8,167,887 issued to Scott management system and meth- issued to: Paul William Blanco, McLean, Waterbury. Assigned to od. Patent no. 8,170,948 issued to: Great Britain; Allen Mark Carrier, Spine Wave Inc., Shelton.

Joseph Samuel Brattain, Austin, Hixson, Tenn.; Michael Douglas Texas; Enrique Rodriguez, New Eason, Great Britain; Christopher Fairfield; Terry Varon Washington, Gerald Gore, Cartersville, Ga.; In-vitro measurement of cataSilver Spring, Md.; and Sandra Sue Sarah Louise Roberts, Great Brit- menial tampon systems. Patent Shore, Brookfield. Assigned to In- ain; Stephane Patrick Roth, Great no. 8,166,834 issued to: Eugene ternational Business Machines Britain; and Joseph Steven Maxim Dougherty Jr., Camden-Wyoming, Corp., Armonk, N.Y. Jr., Hixson, Tenn. Assigned to The Del.; Keith Edgett, Middletown, Sun Products Corp., Wilton.

Del.; Scott Salmon, Tenafly, N.J.; Mario Turchi, Tenafly, N.J.; Phillip Contactless system and method Ebert, Camden-Wyoming, Del.; for electrostatic sensing with Foot operated lever-lift vertical Robert Jorgensen, Middletown, a high spatial resolution. Pat- reel unroller assembly. Patent no. Del.; and Steven O. Bordley, Dover, ent no. 8,169,210 issued to Johann 8,167,227 issued to Bruce Malkin, Del. Assigned to Playtex Products Junginger, Canada and Markus R. Newtown. Assigned to American L.L.C., Shelton.

Silvestri, Fairport, N.Y. Assigned to Products L.L.C., Strafford, Mo. Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Knock-down chair with interFuser member. Patent no. mediate support and compound CTRS cannula. Patent no. 8,168,287 issued to Kock-Yee Law, leg. Patent no. 8,167,377 issued to D658,758 issued to: Jorge L. Orbay, Penfield, N.Y. and Hong Zhao, John G. Kovach, Greenwich.

Miami, Fla.; Alejandro Espinosa, Webster, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Miami, Fla.; and Ronald G. Litke Jr., Corp., Norwalk.

Sandy Hook. Assigned to Skeletal Method and apparatus for atDynamics L.L.C., Miami, Fla. tempted secure print job release Gaming token having a variable notification. Patent no. 8,169,633 value. Patent no. 8,167,705 issued issued to Andrew J. Aikens, WebCurable toner compositions and to: James A. Jorasch, Stamford; ster, N.Y. and Zhun Huang, Webprocesses. Patent no. 8,168,361 is- Magdalena Mik, Greenwich; Scott ster, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., sued to: Ke Zhou, Canada; Daryl Wolinsky, Danbury; William B. Norwalk.

W. Vanbesien, Canada; Edward Van Vooren, Norwalk; Nathaniel G. Zwartz, Canada; Guerino G. Levin, Rye, N.Y.; and Andrew P. Sacripante, Canada; and Karen A. Golden, New York City. Assigned to Multi-mode system for dispensMoffat, Canada. Assigned to Xerox International Game Technology, ing adhesive-backed labels.

Corp., Norwalk.

Reno, Nev. Patent no. 8,167,017 issued to: Benjamin J. Kolp, Derby; David A. Beckstrom, Milford; and Mark E. Sievel, Newtown. Assigned to Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford.

Electrical connector with collapsible coupler. Patent no.

8,167,665 issued to Robert V. De France, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton.

Method and apparatus for corotron cleaning management in an image production device.

Patent no. 8,170,440 issued to: David Sekovski, Rochester, N.Y.; Evan Kastner, Rochester, N.Y.; Robert Arnold Gross, Penfield, N.Y.; David Kenneth Ahl, Rochester, N.Y.; Alfred Claflin, Ontario, N.Y.; Douglas McKeown, Geneseo, N.Y.; and John Chinnici, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Methods and systems for cooling a chromatographic column.

Patent no. 8,167,987 issued to Andrew Tipler, Trumbull. Assigned to PerkinElmer LAS Inc., Boston, Mass.

Object detection system based on a pool of adaptive features. Patent no. 8,170,276 issued to: Rogerio S. Feris, White Plains, N.Y.; Arun Hampapur, Norwalk; and Ying-Li Tian, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. AsMethod and apparatus for pro- signed to International Business viding credits for game play. Machines Corp., Armonk, N.Y. Patent no. 8,167,708 issued to: Jay S. Walker, Ridgefield; James A. Jorasch, Stamford; Scott T. Friesen, Opto-electronic video compresStamford; Geoffrey M. Gelman, sion system. Patent no. 8,170,098 Stamford; Norman A. Goldstein, issued to: Joel A. Rosiene, ColchesScarsdale, N.Y.; and Dean P. Alde- ter; Barry E. Mapen, Newtown; rucci, Stamford. Assigned to In- James B. Perkins, Farmington; and ternational Game Technology, Alexander B. Lerman, Newtown.

Assigned to General Dynamics Reno, Nev. Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Va. Method and system for assessing, quantifying, coding and communicating a patient’s health Ostomy suction system. Patent and perioperative risk. Patent no. no. 8,167,857 issued to Margarita 8,170,888 issued to David G. Silver- James, Danbury. man, West Redding.

Package generation system. PatMethod and system for improv- ent no. 8,170,706 issued to: Barry ing image on paper registration Glynn Gombert, Rochester, N.Y.; in an image printing system. Pat- Philip Crane Rose, Sodus, N.Y.; ent no. 8,170,456 issued to Herman John Oliver Walker, Rochester, N.Y.; Young, Williamson, N.Y. Assigned Jennifer C. Perotti, Pittsford, N.Y.; and Robert Roy Buckley, Rochesto Xerox Corp., Norwalk. ter, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Method for treating bronchial diseases. Patent no. 8,168,674 issued to Andrew Abrams, Westport. Personal product bar composiAssigned to Microdose Thera- tions comprising crystalline wax peuTexas Inc., Monmouth Junc- structured premix or delivery vehicle. Patent no. 8,168,682 istion, N.J. sued to: Stephen M. O’Connor, New York City; Birnur Aral, West Method of feeding solid ink New York, N.J.; John Richard Nichsticks into an ink loader of a olson, Ramsey, N.J.; Quynh Pham, phase change ink printer. Pat- Murray Hill, N.J.; John R. Glynn ent no. 8,167,418 issued to Brent Jr., Westfield, N.J.; and Alexander Rodney Jones, Sherwood, Ore. As- Lips, Edgewater, N.J. Assigned to signed to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Unilever Home & Personal Care U.S.A. Division of Conopco Inc., Greenwich.

Method of minimizing beam bending of MEMS device by reducing the interfacial bond- Pharmaceutically accepting strength between sacrificial able salt of 6-carboxy-2-(3,5 layer and MEMS structure. Pat- dichlorophenyl)-benzoxazole, ent no. 8,163,584 issued to: Min- and a pharmaceutical composihua Lu, Mohegan Lake, N.Y.; Nils tion comprising the salt thereof.

D. Hoivik, Norway; Christopher Patent no. 8,168,663 issued to: JefJahnes, Upper Saddle River, N.J.; fery W. Kelly, La Jolla, Calif.; Evan T. John M. Cotte, New Fairfield; and Powers, La Jolla, Calif.; and Hossein Hongqing Zhang, Bethlehem, Pa. Razavi, Danbury. Assigned to The Assigned to International Busi- Scripps Research Institute, La ness Machines Corp., Armonk, Jolla, Calif.

N.Y.

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

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 25

on the record Polyfluorinated core shell photoconductors. Patent no. 8,168,357 issued to: Jin Wu, Webster, N.Y.; Kenny-Tuan T. Dinh, Webster, N.Y.; Linda L. Ferrarese, Rochester, N.Y.; Marc J Livecchi, Rochester, N.Y.; Edward C Savage, Webster, N.Y.; and Michael E Zak, Canandaigua, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Purified hydrogen peroxide gas microbial control methods and devices. Patent no. 8,168,122 issued to James D. Lee, Cincinnati, Ohio. Assigned to Lee Antimicrobial Solutions L.L.C., Stamford.

Structurally simplified flexible imaging members. Patent no.

8,168,356 issued to: Robert C. U. Yu, Webster, N.Y.; Stephen T. Avery, Rochester, N.Y.; Yuhua Tong, Webster, N.Y.; Michael Roetker, Webster, N.Y.; Edward F. Grabowski, Webster, N.Y.; and Jimmy E. Kelly, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Registration method using sensed image marks and digital realignment. Patent no. 8,169,657 issued to Shen-Ge Wang, Fairport, Polysulfone containing photo- N.Y. and Robert P. Loce, Webster, Supply units having an associatconductors. Patent no. 8,168,358 N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., ed electronically readable memissued to Jin Wu, Webster, N.Y. As- Norwalk. ory device. Patent no. 8,167,421 signed to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. issued to: Alberto Rodriguez, Webster, N.Y.; Heiko Rommelmann, Solvent-assisted continuous Penfield, N.Y.; William H. Phipps, Precursors for CVD/ALD of emulsification processes for pro- Fairport, N.Y.; Scott J. Bell, Rochmetal-containing films. Patent ducing polyester latexes. Patent ester, N.Y.; Jerry Money, Charlesno. 8,168,811 issued to: Thomas no. 8,168,699 issued to: Timothy ton, S.C.; and; Ronald P. Boucher, M. Cameron, Newtown; Chongy- L. Lincoln, Rochester, N.Y.; John Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox ing Xu, New Milford; and Tian- L. Pawlak, Rochester, N.Y.; Brian Corp., Norwalk. niu Chen, Rocky Hill. Assigned to J. Andaya, Ontario, N.Y.; Joo T. Advanced Technology Materials Chung, Webster, N.Y.; Joseph L. Inc., Danbury.

Leonardo, Penfield, N.Y.; Santiago Surgical stapling device. Patent Faucher, Canada; and Shigang Qiu, no. 8,167,186 issued to: David C. Canada. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Racenet, Litchfield; Ralph Stearns, Pseudomorphic Si/SiGe/Si body Norwalk.

Bozrah; John W. Beardsley, Hamdevice with embedded SiGe den; Philip Roy, Hamden; and Lee source/drain. Patent no. 8,168,971 Ann Olson, Wallingford. Assigned issued to: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Staggered head stitch shifts in a to Tyco Healthcare Group L.P., Weston; Anda C. Mocuta, LaGran- continuous feed-direct marking Norwalk. geville, N.Y.; Dan M. Mocuta, La- printer. Patent no. 8,167,404 issued Grangeville, N.Y.; and Carl Radens, to David A. Mantell, Rochester, LaGrangeville, N.Y. Assigned to In- N.Y. and Jeffrey J. Folkins, Rochesternational Business Machines ter, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Corp., Armonk, N.Y. Norwalk.

System and method for information seeking in a multimedia collection. Patent no. 8,171,049 issued to: Julien Ah-Pine, France; Jean-Michel Renders, France; and Marie-Luce Viaud, Paris, France.

Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

System and method for producing and checking validation certificates. Patent no. 8,171,296 issued to Jean-Yves Vion-Dury, France. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

System and method for reducing print delays for print jobs. Patent no. 8,169,662 issued to: Jean-Pierre R. N. Van De Capelle, Rochester, N.Y.; Lee C. Moore, Penfield, N.Y.; and Barry G. Gombert, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Systems and methods for reducing a trade-off between image quality and marking speed. Patent no. 8,169,659 issued to David A. Mantell, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

T cell proteins and nucleotides encoding the same. Patent no.

8,168,752 issued to: Jianfei Yang, Sandy Hook; Frank James King, New Milford; Jun Li, Danbury; Zhenhao Qi, Sandy Hook; and Ming Xue, Newtown. Assigned to Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical Inc., Ridgefield.

Wireless transaction fobs and methods of using the same. Patent no. 8,157,181 issued to: Peter Kirwan Bates, Framingham, Mass.; David S. Bonalle, New Rochelle, N.Y.; Gail A. Francolini, Fairfield; Samantha S. Ing, New York City; Danielle L. Kunian, New York City; Leigh R. Malnati, Mountain Lakes, N.J.; Danielle R. Nulle, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.; Lisa E. SkillingTwo-petal teether. Patent no. Belmond, New York City; Lisa A. D658,773 issued to: Jennifer Chin, Webb, Darien; and Kevin Young, Bridgeport; Diana Sierra, North South Boston, Mass. Assigned to Bergen, N.J.; and Marisol Rodri- American Express Travel Related guez, Brooklyn, N.Y. Assigned to Services Company Inc., New York Playtex Products L.L.C., Shelton. City.

Using buffers to support uncertainties in marking engine execution. Patent no. 8,169,626 issued to: Robert M. Lofthus, Webster, N.Y.; Minh Binh Do, Mountain View, Calif.; and Rong Zhou, San Jose, Calif. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Water-based silicone dispersion containing low level of silicone oils. Patent no. 8,168,578 issued to Ashot K. Serobian, Martinez, Calif.

Assigned to The Armor AII/STP Products Co., Danbury.

26 Week of May 14, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal a division of Westfair Business Publications • www.westfaironline.com

Business ConneCtions IssuEs & PolIcIEs

EvEnts

State Budget Deficit Deepens

T

he state’s $20.14 billion budget for this fiscal year is now heading toward a deficit of $284.6 million, according to consensus revenue figures from the Office of Policy and Management and the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

Revenues have dipped by $112.8 million, and spending has increased by $47.4 million.

OPM Secretary Benjamin Barnes vowed, however, that the administration remains “committed to balancing the budget.”

Since the projected deficit is at least 1% of this year’s bottom line, the administration will have to submit a deficit-mitigating plan to the legislature. Barnes indicated the plan will include $222 million diverted from an account set aside to pay down state borrowing to cover a deficit in 2009.

The budget difficulty underscores the urgent need to continue to find cost savings in state government.

Controlling state spending and improving efficiency in many aspects of government will help maintain vital public services in a sustainable way and avoid additional tax increases that hurt our economy.

One of those cost savings this year is the millions in budgeted dollars pegged to ideas from state employee unions’ suggestions—savings that were part of the agreement ensuring no additional state union-job layoffs. These cost-saving ideas are a critical component in balancing the budget.

The state should also intensely pursue its goal of rebalancing long-term healthcare to arrange for more people to be cared for at home versus institutional settings. While this is a long-term process, the potential savings are enormous and some progress could be made early next fiscal year.

Connecticut’s economy continues to struggle to create jobs. While the state unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in years, much of that is due to discouraged workers leaving the labor force.

Those factors are directly impacting the stream of state tax receipts. Achieving the state’s priorities and keeping state spending under control are critical issues impacting jobs and Connecticut’s competitiveness.

CBIA’s 2012 Connecticut Tax Conference A must for finance/accounting professionals, sole practitioners, managing partners, business owners, and others serving the tax needs of their businesses and clients. This half-day conference qualifies for three CPE credits and includes a legislative update, a plenary session on state income and & register! employment taxes, and in-depth breakout sessions on sales and use taxes governing manufacturing, construction, and service.

Scan

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IssuEs & PolIcIEs

Legislature Creates Manufacturing Caucus

M

anufacturing is not only a major part of Connecticut’s heritage, it remains a powerful source of economic activity in the state.

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers have formed a Manufacturing Caucus in the legislature to make sure public policy promotes the vitality and value of manufacturing in the state.

Making the announcement, Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Gary LeBeau (D-East Hartford) said the group will “provide

resources so that the legislature can learn about the challenges and opportunities facing Connecticut’s various manufacturing sectors.”

He said the group aims to “examine every bill that we see through the lens of its impact on manufacturing.”

The effort is also an outgrowth of discussions within a National Governors’ Association working group examining advanced manufacturing in Connecticut.

Among those joining LeBeau at the announcement were caucus co-chairs Sen. Tony Guglielmo (R-Stafford Springs), Rep. Zeke Zalaski (D-Southington), Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford), and LeBeau’s Commerce Committee co-chair Rep. Jeffrey Berger (D-Waterbury). ➤ Read more at gov.cbia.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of May 14, 2012 27

SOCIAL MEDIA: LOvE Or hAtE It PANEL:

DAvID MEnkEn

Partner, McCarthy Fingar LLC

krIS ruby

Founder & CEO of Ruby Media Group

ChrIS DESSI

CEO of Silverback Social

JaCk Serpa

Executive Vice President for Engage 121

Jonathan kinSler

Principal at American Interactive Marketing LLC

MODERATOR:

bruCE nEwMAn

Vice President The Productivity Institute

Here are some questions the panel of experts will address.

• Is social media causing us to lose the ability to engage with others?

• How can you make money from it?

• How can your social media site be heard amid all the noise in the sales space?

• Where does social media fit in marketing and communications?

• How do you develop a social media strategy?

• How can your business stay on the legal side of federal and state privacy requirements?

• How can your business protect itself against social media mishaps?

So many more questions, plus your own – all part of this exciting program.

THURSDAY, MAY 31 11:30 A.M. complimentary served lunch at

VALBELLA

1309 E. Putnam Ave., Riverside, Conn.

NOON PROGRAM

A roundtable conversation sponsored by Register now. Space is limited.

Westfair Communications Inc. Email Beverly Visosky Westchester County Business Journal Fairfield County Business Journal • HV Biz • WAG

at bvisosky@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com//social-media/

next roundtable • are CFoS thE rEAL CEOS? • June 28