2 | WAGE INEQUALITY September 04, 2017 | VOL. 53, No. 36
5 | XEROX TARGETS MARKET
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SHU’s president leads change, but maintains school’s core values BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com
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ing participating businesses. Participants will include restaurants, retail stores and recreational and entertainment venues. Named after the city’s free monthly promotional newsletter, Norwalk Now is the brainchild of Kathryn Hebert, director of the Norwalk Parking Authority, who said that unlike similar efforts, the new organization is designed to be “in it for the long haul.” “There have been a number of attempts over the years to provide support for our businesses, but they were usually one-offs due to a lack of collaboration, time and mostly
o one can accuse Sacred Heart University President John J. Petillo of sitting back and overseeing a static school. Since June 2016, the university has had a stellar year, adding four master’s programs, establishing a school of computing, taking over Bridgeport’s St. Vincent’s College, partnering with Newark-based Seton Hall University School of Law on a new program aimed at prospective law students, launching an online certificate program in digital marketing and moving into General Electric’s former headquarters in Fairfield. And when asked what he plans to do for an encore, Petillo responded with a loud laugh and the proclamation, “Relax!” But that might be easier said than done. Not far from his office, Petillo can view the construction of a student housing complex on the 15.6 acres of land that Sacred Heart bought from neighboring Jewish Senior Services in 2014. And this new building phase could not have come at a better time. “We are going to be about 9,000 students for the fall,” he said. “Six years ago, we were at 5,100.” Petillo, who became president in March 2011 after serving as interim president since October 2010 and dean of the university’s Jack Welch College of Business since March 2009, was not eager to see Sacred Heart grow into a mega school. “We’re not looking to be much larger than we are,” he said, adding that an increased population has not changed the basic character of the campus.
» NORWALK NOW, page 6
» SHU, page 6
Sacred Heart University President John J. Petillo. Photo by Phil Hall.
Norwalk Now launches to promote city’s businesses BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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marketing organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the businesses that make up Norwalk’s “urban core” districts is being
launched this summer. Norwalk Now is designed to be a fully integrated marketing, public relations, event management, and social media company that will manage a comprehensive website, interactive social media platforms, an active event calendar, email marketing and a news outlet highlight-