FAIRFIELD COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL
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sees growth in business services BY PATRICK GALLAGHER
pgallagher@westfairinc.com
As Xerox Corp. seeks to distance itself from
competitors Canon Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Ricoh Co., the Norwalk company best known for its printers and copiers is projecting strong 2013 earnings as it continues to emphasize its services business. Today, Xerox’s business services unit accounts for more than half of its revenues, with CEO and Chairman Ursula Burns projecting that arm of the company will account for two-thirds of all Xerox revenues by 2017. The shift is “not only driven by the
Sinead Deane
Xerox
December 3, 2012 | VOL. 48, No. 49
Jobs top Malloy’s 2013 agenda
Online, mobile purchases drive Thanksgiving weekend sales surge BY PATRICK GALLAGHER AND JENNIFER BISSELL
pgallagher@westfairinc.com jbissell@westfairinc.com
R
Xerox, page 6
FCBJ TODAY SAC is under scrutiny as a former employee faces insider trading charges …3 For Fairfield County, energy is a competitiveness issue, writes The Business Council of Fairfield County’s Joseph McGee …4 Connecticut Innovations invests $750,000 in deets Inc. … 7 Q&A with Bridgeport attorney Stuart M. Katz … 8 Picking up the pieces after Hurricane Sandy … 9
At State of the State event, business leaders, officials say government needs to play a role in job creation and business development BY JENNIFER BISSELL
jbissell@westfairinc.com
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and business lead-
MEDIA PARTNER
Holiday sales start strong
ers are hoping to turn Connecticut’s spotty jobs record into a steady growth trajectory. Through October, Connecticut has recovered some 30,200, or 25.7 percent, of the 117,500 jobs lost from March
2008 to February 2010, and over the first 10 months of this year, Connecticut employers have created 1,400 net positions compared to 12,000 that were created over the first 10 months of 2011. Seasonally-adjusted employment data show there are about 30,000 fewer Connecticut residents employed as of October than there were in 1989, accord-
etailers jump-started the holiday season, as Black Friday began on Thanksgiving for many retailers and Cyber Monday featured record nationwide sales that were bolstered by a major uptick in mobile transactions. IBM Corp. reported online sales generated on Cyber Monday were up 30 percent compared to a year ago, while economists projected total holiday season sales are likely to end up about 4 percent over the 2011 mark. Initial reports from Connecticut merchants and retailers have been encouraging, said Timothy Phelan, president of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association. “We’re off to a great start,” said Phelan, whose organization represents about 500 merchants with a combined 2,000 Connecticut locations. “Now we just have to keep that momentum going.” Phelan said the national retailers with locations in Connecticut reported “very good” Thanksgiving weekend sales, adding that small business owners have also indicated positive results. He added, though, that the real test Holiday, page 17
Jobs, page 6
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