FAIRFIELD COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL
YOUR only SOURCE FOR regional BUSINESS NEWS | westfaironline.com
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
15
Agabhumi celebrates 10 years
10
Affordable housing in Stamford
Two years in, uncertainty around Dodd-Frank rules remains BY JOHN ALAN JAMES
T
he Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010. In the ensuing two and a half years, the legislation has produced 129 rules that have been finalized. They cover more than a dozen different areas, are implemented by seven major regulatory organizations, including the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), affect the operations in another half dozen agencies and assign powerful oversight to a new Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). The major responsibility of the council, along with the Federal Reserve Bank, is to oversee the strategies and operations of “systemically important” banks and nonbanks. The impact on financial institutions, large and small, and in every sector of the economy has been an onslaught of thousands of pages of complex and detailed regulatory language and “allowing” affected organizations up to 60 days to comment on the proposed regulation. Financially strong organizations have been forced to expand internal staffs, create new recruitment and training programs and take on new compliance and regulatory costs in the millions of dollars. Less affluent organizations, especially community banks and small foreign bank operations in the U.S., have faced tough
in ICE levies fines against brief Connecticut employers
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency fined 12 Connecticut employers, including four in Fairfield County, for hiring unlawful employees following an investigation and audit of I-9 forms. The investigation is part of an agency initiative launched in 2009 to reduce illegal hires and protect job opportunities for legal workers. The companies were fined a total of $132,000. Companies that were fined include: • Acranom Masonry Inc. of Middlefield: $4,500 • Calabro Cheese Corp. of East Haven: $45,000 • Contour Landscaping Company Inc. of Stamford: $8,104 • Gourmet Heaven Inc. of New Haven:
decisions on how to cope with the regulations and harder yet to find the funds to support these new non-income-producing requirements. As we approach the third year with Dodd-Frank we are aware that an additional 137 rules, many of the legislative core reforms are yet to be completed. The level of uncertainty, currently high, can only increase as these new rules come into being, one by one, or in bunches. Combined with the lack of certainty as to the final requirements for stress tests and the level of assets needed to back loans and investment it is little wonder that the reluctance to make loans remains significant. Of perhaps greater importance is the indecision on resolving major issues such as the Volcker Rule, the “living will” and defining standards, definitions and rules governing derivatives. Paired in the Congressional decisionmaking process with the debates on how to “avoid going over the cliff,” it is likely that the level of uncertainty will increase. The remaining 137 rules will have to deal with legislative goals relating to “reforms” in key areas such as: financial stability, resolution planning, agency oversight, securitization, derivatives, investor protection, credit rating agencies, executive compensation, corporate governance, disclosure, capital requirements, regulation of foreign banks, consumer protection, mortgage origination
and servicing and more. Obtaining Congressional agreements on any of these remaining areas will be even more difficult. Even with the 129 rules that have been finalized, House committees have called agency chiefs to task over the effectiveness of their costbenefit analyses. These are more than stalling tactics as the courts have also complained about the inadequacies in this area so critical to businesses. One area of recent discussion that troubles me is the broadening of the oversight of systemic risk. Banks have made efforts to meet securitization goals, provided scenarios on major and potentially disastrous risks, and have paid huge fines for violations of what are illdefined regulations. Top bank officials have regular meetings with regulatory officials at all levels. They have found the expansion of systemic risks to include both counter-party risk and the stability of business customers to be an unrealistic overreach. I agree. No one believes more in the need for effective and efficient regulation than I. However, I wonder if the lack of understanding of what business management entails, or possibly a deeper distrust than their off-the-cuff derogatory remarks convey, may be leading our regulators to install a regulatory system so complex and costly that the important function of financial institutions – to raise and provide capital for the other
$5,891 • John J. Masi Company Inc. of Bridgeport: $3,276 • Kingswood Kitchens Company Inc. of Danbury: $12,000 • Leed-Himmel Industries Inc. of Hamden: $2,241.25 • Melissa & Doug L.L.C. of Wilton: $1,386 • Prostar Inc. of Farmington: $10,472 • Quality Sales L.L.C. of Hartford: $2,722 • Superior Plastics Extrusion Company Inc. of Putnam: $34,000 • Villa Brava Grocery L.L.C. of Hartford: $2,992
years and for the imposition of non-use fees after one year. “This bill bars absolutely draconian deadlines and abusive fees and charges that unfairly confiscate consumer gift card cash,” Blumenthal, a Democrat, said in a Nov. 26 statement. The Gift Card Consumer Protection Act would also prevent companies that file for bankruptcy from selling gift cards and would require them to accept and honor unredeemed cards.
Blumenthal unveils gift card bill
Sen. Richard Blumenthal last week unveiled a new bill that would prohibit the sale of gift cards with expiration dates or non-use fees. Currently, federal statute allows for the expiration of gift cards after five
2 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
CCRP third session
Pace University and the Association of International Bank Auditors announced an expanded Certified Compliance and Regulatory Professional (CCRP) certificate program session would begin Feb. 28, 2013. The session will be the third since the certificate program, which is administered by Pace’s Center for Global Governance, Reporting and Regulation,
two economic sectors (manufacturing and public) – is encumbered. The nation’s economy would suffer from an overburdening regulatory system inhibiting both investment and new jobs creation. Do you think this is only about banks? Think again. If you have a charge account with a customer or run a tab at your café or bar, the CFPB will be in your life, and, soon. There is no question that the subjects of compliance, internal controls and regulatory strategy are among the most important issues that any business, bank or nonbank, is facing and will continue to face as we finish the rollout of Dodd-Frank. Whether a financial institution facing the regulatory tsunami today or another organization line of business or sector – including public sector finance – each board and executive management needs to take a new look at their own strategic planning, risk management and compliance organizations. John Alan James is executive director of the Center for Global Governance, Reporting & Regulation at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business. He is also program director for Pace’s Certified Compliance and Regulatory Professional certificate program, organized in conjunction with the Association of International Bank Auditors.
was launched. The upcoming six-month session, which features 20 three-hour courses, will feature two new modules on securities law and consumer protection law.
- Jennifer Bissell and Patrick Gallagher
SAC under scrutiny as former employee faces charges BY PATRICK GALLAGHER
pgallagher@westfairinc.com
P
ressure is mounting at Stamford hedge fund giant SAC Capital Advisors L.P. after a former portfolio manager was arrested in what U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called “the most lucrative insider trading scheme ever charged.” While SAC and billionaire founder Steven A. Cohen have yet to be directly implicated by investigators as of Nov. 28, the hedge fund reportedly received a Wells Notice – which typically precedes enforcement actions – from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to published reports. Mathew Martoma, a former portfolio manager of SAC subsidiary CR Intrinsic Investors L.L.C., and Sidney Gilman were charged Nov. 20 by the SEC for their alleged roles in a $276 million insider trading scheme involving a clinical trial for an Alzheimer’s drug being jointly developed by Elan Corp. and Wyeth L.L.C. The SEC alleges that Martoma illegally obtained confidential details about a clinical trial of the drug from Gilman, who served as chairman of the safety monitoring committee overseeing the trial. According to the SEC, Gilman tipped Martoma with safety data and details about negative trial results about two weeks prior to their being made public in July 2008, which the SEC alleges resulted in Martoma causing several hedge funds to sell more than $960 million in Elan and Wyeth securities in just over a week’s time. SAC held a conference call with investors a week after the charges were filed, during which Tom Conheeney, the firm’s president, was reported to have reassured investors that the firm acted appropriately when it traded shares of Elan and Wyeth in 2008. An SAC spokesperson did not respond to calls for comment. Martoma has also been charged by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office with conspiracy to commit securities fraud. “As alleged, by cultivating and corrupting a doctor with access to secret drug data, Mathew Martoma and his hedge fund benefited from what might be the most lucrative inside tip of all
time,” Bharara said in a statement following the charges. Marci McCarthy, senior economic advisor for Delphin Investments, a small Stamford hedge fund that has no affiliation to SAC, said there is a fine line between regulation and over-regulation. “Without regulations, you’ve got this massive trust issue that would have to be overcome,” McCarthy said. “Without regulations, there would be no hedge fund industry, no financial services industry overall because people wouldn’t trust it. ... So regulators are doing this sort of tightrope dance where there’s a tension between the need to protect the consumer and the cost of those regulations.” McCarthy said the charges against CR Intrinsic Investors and Martoma show the system is working. “When I see a case like this, it says to me that the regulatory environment as it stands is actually working,” she said. She said it is important that the average investor feels the regulatory system is working. McCarthy’s comments echoed those of James Comey Jr., general counsel for Bridgewater Associates and a former deputy U.S. attorney general, who spoke Nov. 9 at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus. Speaking as part of a risk management symposium, Comey said, “You have to care what people think. You don’t need to know whether there is actually an explosion of corporate criminality.” “If People magazine thinks there’s ... something wrong with the system — think that in some way the rich white people get away with it — that matters a great deal to a federal prosecutor,” Comey said at the time. McCarthy said she believes the level of white collar crime has held steady over time, and that it often takes an event such as the financial crisis to expose criminal activity. “In the post-financial crisis era we can see in the political dialogue across the board that the average person is very distrustful of the financial industry right now,” McCarthy said. “If those savers of funds pull their money out of the system, that’s bad for everybody. ... Their perception is extremely important from that trust point of view.”
Robert D. Scinto Did your business survive the recent Storms? R.D. Scinto & CAPS can assist you before the next storm…
CAPS Data Centers/DR Sites: Location: One Enterprise and Two Enterprise at R.D. Scinto’s secure Enterprise Corporate Park in Shelton, Connecticut CAPS has been providing IT solutions to the disaster concerns of business owner’s large and small since 1995. Data and access to it are vital to today’s businesses, without it your out of business. CAPS provides secure data storage and the workspace to access it 24/7. Our data centers and workstation facilities are in a geographically safe area outside of the zones typically subject to natural disasters with massive redundant backup UPS/power generation systems. Both data centers provide services that fully meet any industry’s needs, such as real-time operations, cloud computing, colocation, server and storage hardware, private workstations, all serviced by a variety of major telecommunications carriers. Recently during super-storm Sandy CAPS on-site workstations were put to use by up to 60 clients at any given time. This large storm and resulting outages did not begin to test CAPS capacity with 300-plus workstations.
When Disaster Strikes CAPS will be There Stop worrying today and call CAPS – 203.925.3900 or R.D. Scinto – 203.929.6300 to discuss your requirements. info@capscenters.com www.capscenters.com Remember winter is just around the corner…
Robert D. Scinto, Inc. OWNER/DEVELOPER/BUILDER/MANAGER
www.scinto.com
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012
3
PERSPECTIVES
FAIRFIELD COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL
Governor’s energy plan good for business
By Joseph McGee
F
or Fairfield County, energy is a competitiveness issue: When a company is deciding where to locate or whether to expand, energy costs and reliability factor into their decision. The fact that Connecticut has high electric rates — and spends more per capita to power buildings than any other state in the country — is not a factor in our favor. To counter high power rates, companies want buildings that function efficiently. If energy is going to be expensive, they want to use less of it. The Comprehensive Energy Strategy that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is proposing makes sense. It includes financing options, innovations and incentives that will encourage widespread energy efficiency. These proposals that the governor is advancing are especially important for us here in the Stamford area, since we represent the secondlargest New England energy market after
Boston, and our power needs are growing faster than any other market in the region. One of the innovations that we believe holds great promise is the Connecticut Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) program. Under CPACE, commercial building owners who want to make major energy upgrades and save on power bills — by installing efficient boilers or lighting and control systems, for example — wouldn’t have to pay for the project up front. Instead, through CPACE’s lower-cost financing mechanism, they could pay for the upgrades over 20 years, adding that amount to their property tax bill. Some of the money the building saves over the years from lower energy costs could go toward gradually paying for the energy upgrade. And no taxpayer money is involved. We believe creative energy approaches like CPACE are key to Connecticut’s economic growth. In addition, the last three storms to hit the region have taught us one important lesson: Energy reliability is critical for business and residents. The governor’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy calls for microgrids that would support emergency management centers, hospitals, police and fire departments in the event of a power outage like the ones we’ve endured. Microgrids would allow essential services to continue and rescue and recovery efforts to press forward. Microgrids powered by advanced renewable technologies also increase security. The microgrid plan is a great first step toward ensuring grid resilience for all of Connecticut. We would strongly urge Fairfield County communities take the lead implementing municipal microgrids. This year, in the annual rankings
Or write to: Fairfield County Business Journal 3 Gannett Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 www.westfaironline.com
One of the innovations that we believe holds great promise is the Connecticut Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) program. Under CPACE, commercial building owners who want to make major energy upgrades and save on power bills — by installing efficient boilers or lighting and control systems, for example — wouldn’t have to pay for the project up front. from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Connecticut ranked as the state doing the sixth-best job to encourage energy efficiency. That’s not bad. But we are losing ground to other states — we were ranked third in 2009 — and given the business world’s growing appetite for energy efficiency and sustainability, that’s a threat to our competitiveness. The governor’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy will help us climb back up the rankings and emerge as a national leader on energy efficiency and innovation. That’s something the business community believes will be very good for our state’s economy and for all the people of Connecticut. We applaud Gov. Malloy’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy as an innovative and bold measure to insure Connecticut’s economic competitiveness.
Joseph McGee is vice president for public policy and programs of the Business Council of Fairfield County.
They said it:
We have to reduce the projected expenditures, that’s what we have to do and that’s what we’re going to do. We have close the year in balance.” – Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, speaking Nov. 20 at Fairfield University.
4 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
• Main office telephone. . . . . . . . (914) 694-3600 • Newsroom fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3680 • Sales fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3699 • Research fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (914) 694-3682 • Editorial e-mail pgallagher@westfairinc.com
Publisher • Dee DelBello Managing Editor • Bob Rozycki
News
Fairfield County Bureau Chief • Patrick Gallagher Editor, Digital Content • Jessica Mola Reporters • Jennifer Bissell • John Golden • Tarice Gray • Mary Shustack • Zoë Zellers
Advertising Sales
General Manager • Dennis Connaughton Advertising Director • Richard Free Account Managers • Konstantine Wells • Dan Vierno Publications Manager • Michael Berger Programs and Projects Coordinator • Beverly Visosky
Production
Senior Art Director • Caitlin Nurge Harrison Art Director • Dan Viteri
Audience Development
Director • Alissa Frey Director, Circulation • Holly Gallicchio Assistant Circulation Manager • Kristina Cook Circulation Representative • Marcia Rudy Research Reporter • Elizabeth Beneke Events Manager • Holly DeBartolo
Administration
Chief Operating Officer • Michael Gallicchio Office Manager • Sylvia Sikoutris
Fairfield County Business Journal (USPS# 5830) is published Weekly, 52 times a year by Westfair Communications, Inc., 3 Gannett Drive, White Plains, NY 10604. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage rates is pending at White Plains, NY, USA 10610. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Fairfield County Business Journal: Westfair Communications, Inc., 3 Gannett Drive, White Plains, NY 10604. More than 40 percent of the Business Journal is printed on recycled newsprint. © 2012 Westfair Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited
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 pgallagher@westfairinc.com. Submissions may appear in print and online.
Government details ACA rule proposals BY PATRICK GALLAGHER
pgallagher@westfairinc.com
T
he federal government took another step toward the implementation of the Affordable Care Act Nov. 20 when it released three proposed rules totaling more than 300 pages that outline essential health benefits, the cost structure for plans and market reforms. The CEO of Connecticut’s Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) said that at first glance, the proposals released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) contained no “huge surprises.” Kevin Counihan, who is responsible for ensuring the Connecticut HIX is up and running by Jan. 1, 2014, reiterated that the state remains on target in its preparations. “I think that we at the exchange are feeling quite prepared for next October,” Counihan said, noting that the state will begin marketing plans through the exchange to individuals and small businesses at that point. “Do I wish we were a little bit ahead? Sure. … But I think the staff is feeling very good about where we are,” he said. Included among the proposed rules released by HHS and CMS are provisions that would prohibit insurers from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions or any other factor and that outline 10 items and services that must be included in all coverage plans marketed after Jan. 1, 2014. HHS also outlined the required cost structure for any plans marketed after Jan. 1, 2014, with the proposal calling for plans to be classified as bronze, silver, gold or platinum based on the percentage of costs a consumer would be expected to pay. The department has said the classifications will allow consumers to better compare plans that have similar coverage levels. Plans classified as bronze would come at a higher cost to consumers, with anyone covered by a bronze-level plan expected to pay for about 40 percent of the cost of all covered benefits. On the other end of the spectrum, plans classified as platinum would come at a lower cost to consumers, with anyone covered under a platinum-level plan expected to pay for about 10 percent of the cost of all covered benefits.
The proposed rule detailing essential health benefits would require all plans – regardless of whether they are marketed through a state health exchange or on the open market – to cover items such as hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, preventative and wellness services and chronic disease management, and pediatric services, among other items. HHS also released a proposal outlining requirements for wellness programs. The proposals would increase the maximum permissible reward under a health-contingent wellness program from 20 percent to 30 percent of the cost of health coverage, and to as much as 50 percent for programs designed to prevent or reduce tobacco use. At a Nov. 15 luncheon hosted by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, Jewel Mullen, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, said that it is “critical” for employers to implement wellness programs despite difficulties in determining a return on investment. Last week, Katherine Sullivan of health and group benefits consultant Towers Watson said at a breakfast hosted by the Business Council of Fairfield County that there is literature that shows wellness programs can deliver as much as a three-to-one return on investment. “Depending on how you approach it, you could probably spend anything from $100 per employee per year up to $500,” Sullivan said. She said that, on average, companies can save more than $1,000 in health care costs per employee through the successful implementation of wellness programs.
Citrin Cooperman Corner
Are we headed toward the Fiscal Cliff? BY MATTHEW KUCHINSKY, CPA CITRIN COOPERMAN A widely spoken about subject over the last several months is the “Fiscal Cliff,” which, if it occurs, beginning on January 1, 2013, will impose automatic across-the-board government spending cuts and dramatic tax changes affecting individuals and estates. The extent of these tax changes would result in unprecedented tax increases for most taxpayers. The question of the hour is: “Will those in power actually allow us to go over the Fiscal Cliff?” While we can only speculate the answer to this question, it is critical that taxpayers understand the possible implications to them. If nothing is done to avoid it, here is what will happen effective January 1, 2013: In 2001, Congress passed the “Bush Tax Cuts,” officially called the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA). These tax cuts are set to expire at the end of 2012. As a result of the expiring Bush Tax Cuts, tax rates on income, capital gains, dividends, and estates will increase, and the alternative minimum tax will spread to millions more Americans. The top statutory tax rate on all ordinary income will rise to 39.6%, up from 35%, and the top rate on longterm capital gains will increase to 20%, up from 15%. In addition, the top qualified dividend tax rates will increase from 15% to 39.6%. At the same time, provisions of the 2010 Healthcare Tax Act, kicking into effect in 2013, will impose on higher income households an extra 0.9% Medicare payroll tax and a new 3.8% percent tax on net investment income, effectively increasing tax rates even more. Here is a current comparison of 2012 vs. 2013 tax rates: ORDINARY INCOME Joint 2012 Filer Rates
Single Filer $0 - $8,700 $8,700 - $ 35,350 $35,350 - $85,000 $85,000 – $178,650 $178,650 – $388,350 OVER $388,350
10% 15% 25% 28% 33% 35%
$0 - $17,400 $17,400 - $70,700 $70,700 - $142,700 $142,700 – $217,450 $217,450 – $388,350
10% 15% 25% 28% 33% 35%
2013 Rates 15% (bracket starts at $0) 28% 31% 36% 39.6%
LONG-TERM CAPITAL GAINS 2012 Rates 2013 Rates 0% 10% 0% 10% 15% 20% 15% 20% 15% 20% 15% 20%
In 2013, investors will no longer be able to pay 0% on their long-term capital gains because there will no longer be a 10% tax bracket. With long-term
capital gains rates set to increase to 20% in 2013, investors should consider whether to sell in 2012 rather than waiting until 2013. Qualified Dividend Taxes: Currently, qualified dividends are taxed at the more favorable long-term capital gains rates. In 2013, both qualified and ordinary dividends will be taxed at ordinary tax rates. For some investors, this could result in tax rates as high as 39.6%. Here again, investors should consider the role that dividendpaying stocks play in their portfolio. Medicare Surtax: For higher income taxpayers, an additional 3.8% Medicare investment tax will be due beginning in 2013. The tax is calculated by multiplying the 3.8% tax rate by the lower of the following two amounts: • Net investment income for the year; or • Modified adjusted gross income over a certain threshold amount Modified adjusted gross income thresholds for the additional Medicare tax are: • $250,000 for married filing joint filers and qualifying widows or widowers • $200,000 for single and head of household filers Additional Medicare Tax: An additional .9% Medicare tax will be imposed to single taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) over $200,000 and married taxpayers who file jointly with a MAGI over $250,000. In light of all of these looming changes, taxpayers should consider whether they should accelerate into tax year 2012, earned income that otherwise would fall into 2013, such as wage bonuses, commissions, etc. Currently, the future tax picture looks bleak. However, the next coming months will be very telling as to whether public outrage, market fears and other political pressure finally force our politicians into action to prevent a potentially harsh and somewhat unintended tax increase from being unleashed into an already weary economy. The next Citrin Cooperman Corner column will appear on this page Monday, January 7, 2013 outlining our articles for the New Year, which should help you manage your business more effectively and achieve greater profitability. About the Author: Matthew Kuchinsky, a partner in Citrin Cooperman’s White Plains office, has extensive experience working with service firms as well as real estate and manufacturing companies. Matt can be reached by phone at 914-949-2990 or via email at: mkuchinsky@citrincooperman.com. Citrin Cooperman is a full-service accounting and business consulting firm.
A MESSAGE FROM CITRIN COOPERMAN FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012
5
increase about 10 percent and for revenues to grow between zero and 2 percent, the company said Nov. 13 at its annual investor conference held in New York City. For the third quarter, which is the most recent period Xerox has released earnings, the company reported revenues fell 3 percent to $5.4 billion compared with the third quarter of 2011, while net earnings fell 12 percent to $288 million.
The company also said at its investors conference that it would take an estimated $100 million charge in the fourth quarter related to restructuring efforts focused on increasing efficiency in its services business. Xerox has confirmed it will lay off 2,500 employees during the fourth quarter, primarily from its services unit, out of a global workforce of about 146,000. Burns expressed confidence that Xerox’s global reach would help the company to distance itself from traditional competitors in the document printing and management sector, as well as new competitors in the business services arena. “Our traditional competitors in the hardware business are HP and Ricoh and Canon, but now we have, with this diversified portfolio we have a large number of smaller, less capitalized competitors mixed in with a few large competitors,” she told CNBC, noting that Xerox’s services business works in industries including transportation, health care and customer care, among others. “So this diversified portfolio has us competing against very many different providers, but we actually differentiate
ourselves because we are global, we have a very, very strong brand (and) we are large — so our scale gives comfort to our clients (and) we use innovation to change fundamentally the way the work gets done,” she said. As Xerox shifts increasing emphasis to its services business, analysts say IBM Corp. — which itself underwent a drastic evolution from the hardware business to services — is likely to emerge as a competitor. David Souder, a professor in the management department of the University of Connecticut School of Business, said the key for Xerox is to focus on what makes it unique. In the 1990s and 2000s, “The thing that really made it work for IBM was that they were installing their hardware for companies and they had to customize it and in customizing it they came to understand their clients’ needs very well, and so they can still do that customization piece and do it better than anyone else even though the hardware is coming from other vendors,” Souder said. Going forward for Xerox, Souder said, “the key to making that transition really successful is to have something really unique that nobody else can replicate. Other companies can make the hardware — IBM knew how to use it ... It’s about focusing on where you add value uniquely compared to your competition.”
Malloy said the gap was largely due to increases in Medicaid due to long-term unemployment. As of publication, Malloy is expected to unveil the week of Nov. 25, $150 million to $160 million in cuts with the state legislature, which is responsible for another $200 million in cuts. “We have to reduce the projected expenditures,” Malloy said. “That’s what we have to do and that’s what we’re going to do. We have to close the year in balance.” During the past budget cycle, Malloy closed the budget gap – while restructuring the state’s unfunded employee pension system and rainy day fund – through spending cuts and tax increases. This time around, however, Malloy insists there will be no new tax increases. “We’re trying to right this ship,” he said. “I’m trying my hardest.” Turning to the economy and unemployment, Malloy said much of what has been done has been a down payment on the state’s future. Malloy, along with a number of the panelists who spoke during the symposium, emphasized the need to invest in growing companies and support the state’s entrepreneurs as a strategy for creating jobs. The state’s First Five and Next Five
programs, which offer companies tax credits and other incentives, have garnered nine pledges from companies to relocate to or stay in Connecticut and create at least 200 jobs apiece within five years. Panelists also cited the state’s film tax credit — which several speakers said have helped create a vibrant entertainment industry — and the Connecticut Bioscience initiative, which speakers said is beginning to position the state as a leader in the emerging field. The University of Connecticut is also assisting with the latter two efforts by training its students for those fields specifically. “Government is really being much more strategic now and I think all of us in public policy are delighted to see that,” said panelist Matthew Nemerson, CEO of the Connecticut Technology Council. “Government can’t really create jobs but what it can do is create an environment where more capital can come in – where you can borrow more money.” Additionally, panelists discussed several new initiatives being spearheaded by Connecticut Innovations (CI) that have recently been launched to support the state’s budding entrepreneurs.
Formed by the state legislature in 1989, CI helps support emerging hightech companies with strategic capital. Through its investments, it has brought in over $510 million in Gross State Profit since its inception and contributed to the creation of thousands of full-time positions. In October, CI and the state Department of Economic and Community Development launched the Connecticut Ecosystem with $5 million in state grants to help entrepreneurs grow their companies by providing access to specialized tools and capital. One of the ecosystem’s four hubs will be located in Stamford and run from the Stamford Innovation Center, which officially launched in November. Within the Innovation Center’s first unofficial year, the startup incubator has helped jumpstart more than a dozen businesses through it collaborative workspace and programs. “If you start here you need to be able to stay here,” said Chris Bruhl, a panelist and CEO of the Business Council of Fairfield County, which will collaborate with the Innovation Center to oversee the Stamford hub. “The state needs you to grow.”
Xerox Corp.’s world headquarters in Norwalk.
XEROX — From page 1
fact that we are growing that portion of the business but because the market’s transitioning, our customers are transitioning,” Burns said Nov. 13 in an appearance on CNBC. “They want more from us than just a point solution – they want us to actually help them change the way they get business done.” Xerox expects 2013 earnings to
JOBS — From page 1
ing to the state Department of Labor. Business leaders and government officials convened Nov. 20 to discuss various programs and initiatives aimed at spurring job growth as part of a “State of the State” symposium held at Fairfield University. “At a time in our country’s history when 23 million jobs were created, 47 or 48 states shared in the creation of those jobs,” said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who delivered the keynote address. “Our state did not.” The event was hosted by the Connecticut Turnaround Management Association, a nonprofit dedicated to corporate renewal and turnaround management, in partnership with the Connecticut Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, Crossroads Venture Group and the Connecticut Technology Council. As the state continues to grapple with budgetary issues in the midst of a prolonged economic slowdown, Malloy said his top priority in 2013 is to boost job growth. Questioned about the $365 million projected deficit for the 2013 fiscal year,
Ursula Burns
6 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
CI invests in social app BY JENNIFER BISSELL
jbissell@westfairinc.com
C
onnecticut Innovations (CI), a quasi-public investment entity, recently invested three-quarters of a million dollars in deets Inc., a web-based technology company in Westport. The investment in seed funding is a part of a $1.5 million round of fundraising overseen by deets and represents the latest in a series of investments CI has made in Connecticut startups. The technology company is in the midst of developing a platform and mobile application that gives users more control over their social interactions. Using a customizable mobile dashboard, users can quickly create groups and manage multiple teams, projects and topics. “It’s a killer product that replaces group texting,” said Luke Scott, cofounder of deets. “And I’m not just saying that because we built it.” Scott is also a partner at the creative agency Madison Mott, which is helping
the platform create its product design and strategy. Scott described the app by comparing messages on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to cities, and messages between families or coworkers as villages. “There’s so many things for people to connect from,” Scott said. “We need to focus on the villages. People want small communal spaces and settings.” So while users will still be able to broadcast their thoughts to the general public on Facebook, they’ll also be able to seamlessly plan Thanksgiving dinner with their extended family or receive messages from their child’s little league coach from the same platform. In the future, deets plans to charge for extended information sharing, such as uploading files, primarily targeting businesses that use the platform. Linda Miller, deets co-founder and CEO, approached Scott on developing the product after working on several other successful websites. In addition to working for online travel companies Priceline.com and Hotwire.com, Miller
has also launched another web-based business, Style-Card.com. Now, her latest idea and project is deets. The phone app has been available through iTunes since August and the Android version is scheduled to come out in January. Fewer than 10,000 users have downloaded the app so far, but iTunes recently featured the app on its “What’s Hot” list. The CI funding will “lengthen the runway,” Scott said, and will go primarily toward product development and hiring. CI was formed by the Connecticut legislature in 1989 to help fund emerging companies with strategic capital. Today, CI funds all of its investments and various programs through returns to its current investments, without relying on any taxpayer dollars. Without CI’s investment, Scott said he didn’t know if the company would have stayed in Connecticut. Miller lives in Connecticut and California and could have easily brought the platform to the West Coast, Scott said. But with the grant, the platform’s Connecticut
address is now cemented. Additionally, CI will be represented on the company’s board of directors. “It’s nice to have this come out of Connecticut because we really have a lackluster presentation when it comes to tech products,” Scott said, mentioning most tech companies are headquartered in Boston or California. Scott is also a key leader in the Connecticut Creative Corridor movement, which is an effort to rewrite Fairfield County’s bedroom community reputation as a hotbed of creative talent. Though a version of the application is already on the market, Scott said users can expect major enhancements in the future like better file sharing tools and integration measures. The group also plans to create a desktop version of the application to give users flexibility wherever they are. “We’re focused on letting people create groups and share information with the right people,” Luke said. “We’re really trying to do something different that is breakthrough. It’s the definitive platform.”
My, what big ears we have. What you say matters. We believe that listening plus expertise equals understanding. At O'Connor Davies, we are dedicated to providing a deeper understanding of client needs within our complete range of accounting, auditing, management and tax advisory services. Here, partners and professionals utilize a hands-on approach to listening and leading efforts both domestically and internationally, thanks to our membership in the PKF International network. This approach results in a high level of client satisfaction and continues to fuel our growth.
For more information, please contact: Sanders Davies, Partner (203) 323-2400 www.odpkf.com An Independent Member of PKF International
AUDIT | TAX | CONSULTING
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012
7
Attorney talks employer responsibilities in Sandy’s wake BY PATRICK GALLAGHER
pgallagher@westfairinc.com
W
ith businesses and individuals still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, Bridgeport attorney Stuart M. Katz and the Business Journal recently discussed employers’ responsibilities in the event of major storms or natural disasters. The following is an excerpt of the conversation:
Business Journal: For businesses whose
F a i r F i e L D
c o u n t Y
2012 Real Estate Award HONORING JeFFreY Dunne oF
Thursday, December 6, 2012 The Hilton Stamford 7:00-8:00am Coffee/Networking 8:00-9:00am Breakfast/Program HONORARY SPEAKER: b o b b Y Va L e n t i n e to be com e a s p on s or/p u r c hase t ic k e t s:
(203) 692-5884 or kfox@marchofdimes.com J O IN TH E LA RG EST RE AL E STATE GAT H ERIN G WIT H OVER 800 GUE STS! C E L E B RATIN G OU R 17TH ANNUAL E VE NT! the mission of the march of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death. no one is working harder than the march of Dimes ® to find out why babies are born too soon. ®
8 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
operations and employees were impacted by Hurricane Sandy — or who are affected by any major storm, for that matter — what are the employer’s primary legal responsibilities with regard to their employees? Katz: “Connecticut employers must adhere to wage and hour laws at all times, even in the wake of natural disasters. These obligations become complicated when businesses are forced to close unexpectedly. Generally, if salaried employees worked any part of the week in question, and were available to work for the remainder of the week, they should be paid for the full week. If, on the other hand, the employee did no work during the week, the employer is not obligated to pay the weekly salary. Employees who are paid hourly only are entitled to be paid for hours that they actually work, so if the business is closed, paychecks need not be issued. Connecticut’s unemployment compensation system does provide some relief to workers in these situations, allowing employees to collect at least partial unemployment benefits in the event of a storm-related closing.” Other than the wage and hour laws, what factors should employers consider? “Employers must pay attention to their existing policies and procedures. If a company handbook addresses unexpected closings, the business must adhere to its own policy or risk the assertion of legal claims. Also, the impact on employee morale in extraordinary situations should not be ignored.” For employees who are unable to return to work immediately due to storm damage to their property or neighborhoods, are there allowances that need to be extended by the employer? “Unanticipated time out of the office may be treated in a variety of ways. Some
employers may grant a limited number of paid days off, without requiring employees to use vacation or other ‘paid time off.’ Some may require employees to utilize those days. Although an employer may be sympathetic to the employee’s challenges, absent a company policy imposing a contrary obligation, employees generally will have to use available time off in order to receive compensation in such circumstances.” Are there situations where an employee’s pay could be in jeopardy due to time out of the office that is the result of storm-related damage? “If an employee has exhausted all available paid time off, the employee may be forced to take additional time on an unpaid basis. I heard a news report after Hurricane Sandy that one of the Atlantic City casinos wasn’t even allowing employees to use vacation time for the forced days off; it was requiring that the days be taken without pay. Prolonged absences exceeding the employer’s allotment for paid or unpaid time off can lead to disciplinary measures and termination in some cases. Again, employers need to consider the impact on employee morale, but the letter of the law rarely requires this consideration.” Are employers responsible for making arrangements for their employees to work from home if need be? “Employers have no affirmative obligation to make such arrangements, although it may be something beneficial to both the company and the employee. The mixed blessings of modern technology make it easier than ever for certain employees to work from home, connecting to company computer networks and communicating with co-workers and customers via smartphone seamlessly. Typically, any time hourly employees spend working — including sending and receiving emails and text messages — is considered compensable time, for which employees must be paid. Recording employee work hours for work performed off site is complicated, both when it occurs on a regular basis and when it arises unexpectedly. Employers should proactively establish procedures for handling these situations, so that employee expectations can be addressed, and so that the employer can avoid running afoul of Connecticut’s applicable wage laws.”
Stuart M. Katz is a principal of the law firm Cohen and Wolf PC and chairs its Employment and Labor Group.
BY JENNIFER BISSELL
jbissell@westfairinc.com
L
ike most of her neighbors, Andree Kaminsky — who operates a small business out of her Stamford home — experienced significant damage following Hurricane Sandy, with the storm putting the basement and first floor of her home in shambles. Unlike many of her neighbors, however, Kaminsky has both structural and contents flood insurance policies through a New York City-based carrier. But while her primary insurance is covering some of the damage, she said she doesn’t anticipate much help from her flood insurance provider or the U.S. Small Business Administration. After Hurricane Irene swept through the region a year ago, Kaminsky said she was told by her insurer that her contents coverage policy was invalid because two of the walls of her home’s first floor are partially below ground, qualifying the space as a basement. “It makes me curious why someone sold me that and let me pay for that for all those years,” she said, adding that she has been paying premiums on the flood insurance policies for 20 years. Kaminsky, who runs the business SingerExpress.com out of her home, a website seeking to connect singers with producers, said the outages caused by Sandy forced her to send employees to coffee shops and libraries to maintain the website and its membership services in the days following the storm. She said she fought to get her insurer to cover the damage to her home after Irene but eventually gave up. However, feeling unsettled by the dispute, she said she decided to keep the policies, just in case of another storm. “I fought as hard as I could,” she said. “I just said ‘I can’t do this anymore’ and now I’m going through the same thing.” As insurance companies continue to process damage claims for Hurricane Sandy, there’s expected to be a significant gap between the total damage and what will be covered by insurers. Damage estimates have topped out at higher than $50 billion, while EQECAT, a risk management consulting firm, projects between $10 billion and $20 billion of the damage will be covered under policies. Law firms are preparing for claim disputes between insurance carriers and homeowners and business owners across the region, said attorney Finley T. Harckham of Anderson Kill & Olick P.C., which has an office in Stamford.
Picking up the pieces “That’s a huge amount not covered or subject to dispute,” Harckham said. “It’s clear what’s coming over this.” The primary reason why insurance companies are expected to cover less of the projected damage is because most home and business owners don’t have flood insurance, Harckham said. It’s also because most insurance policies don’t cover lost wages, power outages or extra expenses incurred during a disaster, unless a business has contingency business coverage.
In cases where insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of physical damage or economic losses, home and business owners can apply for long-term, low-interest SBA disaster loans of up to $2 million. As of Nov. 26, the SBA has received applications for roughly 279 home and 27 business loans and has approved 33 home and two business loans so far, according to Connecticut SBA District Director Bernard M. Sweeney. After Hurricane Irene, the SBA approved applications for 298 out of 811
home loans and 24 out of 99 businesses loans. Sweeney said applicants are typically denied if they don’t provide all the necessary documents or keep track of their financials properly. He said many applicants will apply for more damages than they’re qualified to seek relief for and will turn in incomplete applications. Still, Sweeney encouraged home and business owners to apply for physical property damage loans by Dec. 31 and economic injury loans by July 31, 2013.
Lots of advisors suit up, show up and keep up. But how many know when to speak up?
Team McGladrey Golfer Zach Johnson and his caddie, Damon Green.
Power comes from being understood.SM A strong strategic partner should know you and your organization well enough to know when to step up with insights, suggestions and fresh ideas. And when you trust the advice you’re getting, you know your next move is the right move. This is the power of being understood. This is McGladrey. Experience the power. Go to zachisunderstood.com. For more information, contact Connecticut Office Managing Partner Tony Ceci at 203.905.5000.
© 2012 McGladrey LLP. All Rights Reserved.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012
9
Affordable housing gets boost from new Stamford complex homes not just in Fairfield County, but throughout the state. It’s been an issue not only because of the quality of some homes, but their quantity, according to the Fairfield Housing Development Fund (HDF) Inc. Even before the economic downturn, people who earned low to moderate incomes found searching for affordable housing to be a chore, the Fairfield HDF said.
By Tarice L.S. Gray
Tgray@westfairinc.com
I
n Stamford, residents who’ve been in dire need of affordable housing are finally able to take advantage of a new residential complex that offers just that. Metro Green Residential opened just a few months ago, offering some relief for the problem of finding affordable
We’ve Been Helping Businesses Grow for Over 75 Years Offering our clients a wide variety of service in: Public and Municipal Law • Corporate/Business Law • Commercial Real Estate Land Use • Education • Estate Planning/Probate • Labor and Employment Litigation • Affordable Housing • Urban and Economic Development
75 Broad Street Milford, CT 06460 (203) 783-1200
27 Imperial Avenue Westport, CT 06880 (203) 227-9545
For more information visit www.bmdlaw.com
Need an office, fast? Acquire one in less than 24 hours
Find out how... sonocorp.com
“ WHERE SONO DOES BUSINESS” LOCATION
Executive Office Suites Corporate Office Center
VALUE
(203) 354-4550 info@sonocorp.com
Walk to train All inclusive price
POWER
24/7 Backup
sonocorp.com
SERVICE
A+ Rated
10 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
“There’s long been a mismatch between the affordability for low and moderate incomes versus what they can rent or own,” said Joan Carty, president and CEO of the Fairfield HDF, a nonprofit lender based in Stamford. “It’s a barrier for people, the lack of stock, there just aren’t the options,” Carty said. One of the issues is there has been little new development over the last 20 years, she said. The relative shortage of affordable housing complexes coupled with a dropping median income is troubling, she said, and an increase in home prices exacerbates the problem. Fairfield HDF’s 2011 annual report revealed that in Connecticut there are 112 towns where the median household income is not enough to afford the average home. State median household incomes dropped from $69,055 in 2009 to $65,686 in 2011 and many residents earn far less, the report notes. The median home values, according to the real estate research site Zillow, is $224,200 in the state, and $356,600 in Fairfield County. For those earning far less the dream of home ownership is unrealistic and even renting a decent home is hard to do. The push for developers to concentrate on building more affordable housing has been a difficult but steady grind. The Fairfield HDF invested $5.7 million in affordable multifamily housing in 2011. Some developers are concentrating on the Stamford metro area for more housing options. One reason is that Stamford has linkage ordinances that were initiated to set aside some money from commercial building permit fees collected by the city to help create or rehabilitate affordable housing. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was mayor of Stamford prior to his election as governor, was the city’s first mayor to embrace the linkage law. Malloy was on hand for the ribbon cutting when Metro Green opened. The complex, developed by Jonathan Rose Cos. and Malkin Properties, is a mixedincome housing complex with 40 units dedicated to incomes ranging from 25 percent to 60 percent of area median income. Ten units are at market rate. The 60,000-square-foot building cost $27 million to construct. It is coupled with Metro Green Apartments, 50 green affordable housing units within a mixeduse, transit-oriented development.
Metro Green Apartment complex in Stamford.
The Jonathan Rose Cos. found Stamford attractive as an area in which to build. “The city is forward-thinking and is incredibly supportive of mixedincome housing,” said Caroline Vary, director of the firm’s Connecticut office. As a developer, she acknowledged that Stamford’s zoning regulations make it a requirement for builders to include affordable housing as part of multifamily residential developments. Vary doesn’t believe it should be a deterrent, but it should “encourage the creation of new affordable housing.” That’s something Carty’s organization wants to continue to make happen. She explained its part of the mission of the Fairfield HDF is to continue to help that part of the population that requires more affordable housing, even without new developments. The nonprofit is starting a landlord entrepreneur program for 2013 that will help individuals finance the purchase of apartments, rather than renting. Additionally, Fairfield HDF is touting an energy loan program for weatherization of housing using solar and thermal options and insulation to reduce heat and electricity bills. The goal is not to just find people affordable housing, but also to position them to become financially sound.
Gold coastal property In brief
Greenwich Office Park to get $10M overhaul
Greenwich Office Park will receive a $10 million facelift starting in 2013, Clarion Partners L.L.C. and CBRE Group Inc. announced Nov. 26. The capital improvements will be focused around renovations to two of the complex’s nine buildings, the companies said. The office park’s Building 1 will receive a complete overhaul with a new brick façade and new lobbies, restrooms and full-height windows. The building will also receive mechanical upgrades, including a new core HVAC system, upgraded electrical service and new elevator controls. The entire 40,715-square-foot building is available and will be ready for occupancy during the third quarter of 2013, the companies said. Renovations to the complex’s 79,000-square-foot Building 5 will include an overhaul of various entryways, lobbies, rest rooms, corridors, signage, landscaping and the building’s café. Clarion Partners, which serves as asset manager for the 425,000-squarefoot, nine-building, 23-acre complex, collaborated with CBRE, Granoff Architects and Sun & Moon Marketing Communications to create the master plan for the renovations. “Our goal with this improvement program is to further enhance tenant and visitor experience by creating a relationship between modern infrastructure and the park’s natural setting,” Margaret L. Egan, senior vice president for asset management of Clarion Partners, said in a statement. Separately, a New York City-based real estate holding company bought a 35,800-square-foot office building at 450 Post Road East in Westport for $12.625 million, CBRE Group announced Nov. 27. EWKAI Post Road Properties L.L.C., a subsidiary of Earle W. Kazis Associates Inc., bought the property from Baywater TN 450 Post Road L.L.C., a joint venture of Baywater Properties L.L.C. and True North Management Group L.L.C. The building is fully leased and was recently renovated. The primary tenant, Wells Fargo Advisors L.L.C., occupies almost 80 percent of the building on a long-term lease. The purchase represents Earle W. Kazis Associates’ first foray into Fairfield County, with the company owning properties across the U.S.
The sellers Baywater and True North were represented by Jeffrey Dunne, Steven Bardsley and Patrick Carino of CBRE’s New York institutional group and Gene Pride of the company’s private capital group. Earle W. Kazis Associates was represented by Beth Chappel of CBRE’s brokerage division and was represented internally by Brad Phillips.
Coldwell Banker buys two Century 21 offices
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has acquired the assets of the Southbury and Oxford offices of Home Service L.L.C., which respectively do business as Century 21 Home Services Scalzo Group and Century 21 Home Services Richter Real Estate. The Southbury office, with 16 employees, will operate as Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, while the Oxford office, with four employees, will be fold-
ed into an existing Coldwell Banker location in Oxford. “This acquisition is part of our continued strategy to grow our presence in Connecticut and it further sustains our position as one of the region’s leading real estate firms,” Cathleen Smith, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y., said in a Nov. 27 statement. The company’s Connecticut and Westchester operations are headquartered in Ridgefield.
Angel Commercial announces transactions
New York City electrical contractor Corbel Installations Inc. leased a 7,705-square-foot flex space at 26-28 Hill St. in Bridgeport, Angel Commercial L.L.C. announced Nov. 27. Founded in 2003, Corbel recently acquired Omni Engineering Associates
L.L.C., which had been based in Milford. The Bridgeport location will be Corbel’s first in Connecticut. Separately, Angel Commercial, which is based in Fairfield, announced a medical doctor bought a 10,515-square-foot, two building, 1.84-acre medical complex at 30-32 Church Hill Road in Newtown for $1.15 million. The doctor, Alex Afshar, is a family physician with the Family Health Care Center in Newtown.
SAP renews in Norwalk
SAP America Inc. renewed its lease for 5,000 square feet of space at Norwalk’s MerrittView complex through 2016, Malkin Properties, the property’s asset manager, announced Nov. 20. The company has been a tenant at MerrittView since 2003 and provides enterprise software and business services.
– Patrick Gallagher
At First County Bank, we feel that the services we offer are just the beginning. Our job is to be an advisor you can trust to recommend what’s best for you, your family or business. Therefore, First County’s Trust and Investment Department has adopted a new name: First County Advisors. It is a more accurate description of how we are different from other trust, investment and wealth management departments. First County Advisors will provide you with thoughtful recommendations on: • Investment*, Retirement and Financial Planning • Estate Planning and Settlement • Investment Management and Trust Administration • Fiduciary and other services STA M FO R D
I
NORWALK
I
DARIEN
I
We welcome the opportunity to speak to you about First County Advisors. Call Dave Metzgar, Senior Vice President, Senior Trust Officer, at 203-462-4267 to discuss your goals and plans. And for the record, we can meet over a cup of coffee.
GREENWICH
I
NEW
CANAAN
I
WESTPORT
* Products and or services offered through First County Advisors (a division of First County Bank) are not FDIC insured; not insured by any government agency, not a deposit or other obligation of First County Bank, not guaranteed by First County Bank, and are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the principal. Investment advice, research, making recommendations, or soliciting transactions for accommodation trades are facilitated by a contracted vendor of First County Bank. ©2012 First County Bank. FIRST COUNTY BANK,
First County Bank, and the
FCB00496 FCBJ ad_TRUSTED ADVISOR_7.375x7.125.indd 1
logo are registered trademarks of First County Bank. 2:31 PM FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December10/16/12 03, 2012 11
ask andi by andi gray
One is the loneliest number when it comes to sales takes hold. An enthusiastic optimist bids a number of bids, it’s time to evaluate less in order to get the work. A qualified results. Are you winning anything? Or, firm offers an unusually low price to keep coming closer to winning? For example, cash flow going or to build its portfolio in are you moving from second runner-up a particular niche. An unqualified firm to first runner-up? Can your company do sneaks in and steals the show with a good the work at the winning bid’s price and bid. Over time, bid prices decline and make a profit? margins deteriorate. If you can answer “yes,” keep going There are advantages to pursuing with more bids. More than one “no” Thoughts of the day: Responding to bids work through bidding. Getting onto bid answer? Quickly change with your bidis highly competitive. Companies that lists can increase a company’s pipeline of ding process. Or, quit bidding — figure out want to grow margin learn how to get opportunity. Bidding can level the play- what, when, why you lose — then avoid additional business without being the low ing field, limiting a favored seller’s influ- those kinds of bids. Losing bids means bidder. The owner of a growing firm can’t ence. Publication of bid results can reveal wasted effort. Redirect energy into more be its only salesperson. information about competitors. productive sales activities. Assign someDDI-1062 DM CT DM CT 7.375x7.125-BW 12/21/11 3:33one PM toPage 1 a list of targets. In bidding, the7.375x7.125-BW:DDI-1062 greater fool theory Once your company has submitted working
There is no sales force. We’re not selling a product, we’re providing a bid service. I can crank out the bids with the help of my staff. Should there be more to sales or am I smart to keep things lean?
The art of making people smile. Delta Dental knows what it takes to keep you and your employees happy. At Delta Dental, we can help you create a dental plan that’s sure to paint a smile on your employees’ faces: • Expertise. We’re part of the most experienced dental benefits company in the country. • Flexibility. We can help you design a plan that meets your needs and budget—without compromising on value. • Network of Dentists. We offer access to the largest network of dentists in the U.S.—with 4 out of 5 dentists participating nationwide. • Simplicity. You can count on us for easy plan administration. • Customer Satisfaction. Add it all up: the largest network, unbeatable expertise, flexibility, value and cost savings, and it’s easy to see why Delta Dental is your best choice. Delta Dental. We’re committed to promoting oral health for all your employees. Call 1-860-633-9200 or visit www.deltadentalct.com. In CT, Delta Dental Insurance Company writes dental coverage on an insured basis and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs.
12 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Look for companies that don’t typically bid or that have a reputation for working with key suppliers. Seek out buyers with unique and constantly evolving requirements that, when met, eliminate most other suppliers. Invest in getting to know those buyers. Find out which ones will purchase without going through sealed bids. Lead the market rather than following it. Be a problem solver and get favorable sales treatment from forward-thinking prospects. Partner with buyers to develop custom solutions in exchange for preferred supplier status. Want to build exit value for your company? Commit to building a sales and marketing force. One reason most companies participate in a bidding process is because they don’t get enough work from other means. Break the cycle by thinking long term. It may take a year or more to build an effective sales and marketing team. The sooner you get to work ramping that up, the sooner you’ll see the results. And the less vulnerable your company will be, as it no longer depends on you, the owner, for the next sale. Think you can’t afford to invest in marketing and sales? Consider the margin your company leaves on the table through competitive bidding. Once you get through the ramp-up cycle, a sales and marketing force will pay for itself in multiple ways. Your new team should produce higher margins, greater volume and a better match with ideal customers who are less difficult to service. If you don’t want to manage or can’t afford to build a full-time sales force, consider a rep network. Look for people who are already selling to your target market. Get them training and tools to help them sell your offerings. Help them to increase their income by expanding their portfolio. Looking for a good book? Try “Building a Winning Sales Force: Power Strategies for Driving High Performance” by Andris A. Zoltners, Prebhakant Sinha, and Sally E. Lorimer. 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 email 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 her articles.
THE LIST
Fitness Centers FITNESS CENTERS
LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
FAIRFIELD COUNTY NEXT LIST: DECEMBER 10 FINE DINING
Owner/Manager Email address Year facility established
Approximate square footage of gym
Average monthly cost of membership $
corporate discounts
group exercise classes
on-site child care
on-site parking
on-site café
locker rooms
personal trainers
Penny Tavar penny@newfit.com 2007
30,000
45
a
a
0
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Joe Moretti Owner 1987
40,000 Fairfield NA Greenwich
29.99 Greenwich location 19.99 Other locations
a
a
5
a
a
a
a
a
a
Michael Buonocore General manager, Greenwich Michael Farewell General manager, Darien 1991
30,000 Darien NA Greenwich
164.84 Single club, Greenwich 149.95 Single club, Darien 194.62 All access fitness
a
a
0
a
a
a
a
a
a
Jo Rasmussen Owner fitnessworks93@yahoo.com 1993
NA
80
a
0
a
Juliet and Peter Harker julietharker@getinshapeforwomen.com 2009
NA
Call or check website for information
a
4
a
a
Brian Fletcher, Gunnar Glueck and Rocco DiPietro brianfletcher@getinshapeforwomen.com 2011
NA
Call or check website for information
a
4
a
a
NA 1984
NA
Rates vary; call for information
NA
89.95 Network membership 69.95 Single club, Greenwich
30,000
39 (Adult)
10,000
Call for information
Patrick Toth 2005
NA
Call or check website for information
John DeFilippo Director of tennis john@solarisclubs.com 1972
40,000
NA
Tom Pear info@sportsplexbethel.com 1980
NA
Call or check website for information
Glenn Colarossi Managing director donna@stamfordathletic.com 1993
35,000
WND
Mark Christo mark@unitedathleticcenters.com 2009
45,000
15.99
Ed Phillipp President and CEO 1916
NA
WND
Club NewFit 23 Commerce Road, Newtown 06470 426-8591 • newfit.com
The Edge Fitness Clubs 1333 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich 06870 500 Kings Highway Cutoff, Fairfield 06825 637-3906 • 255-2582• theedgefitnessclubs.com
Equinox 72 Heights Road, Darien 06820 16 Old Track Road, Greenwich 06830 655-2300 • 863-0070 • equinox.com
Fitness Works 275 Post Road East, Westport 06880 216-0033 • fitnessworks.us
Get in Shape For Women 85 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield 06824 873-0723 • getinshapeforwomen.com
Get in Shape For Women 146 Mason St., Greenwich 06830 992-1405 • getinshapeforwomen.com
LA Fitness 52 Sixth St., Stamford 353-8810 • lafitness.com
New York Sports Clubs 6 Liberty Way, Greenwich 869-1253 • mynewyorksportsclubs.com
Norwalk YMCA 370 West Ave., Norwalk 06870 866-4425 • norwalkymca.org
Peak Physique Inc.
Patricia Jeffries General manager patricia.jeffries@town-sports.com 1974 Mike Case CEO mcase@norwalkymca.org 1928
100 Route 37, New Fairfield 06812 312-0399 • primetimefitnessnf.com
Solaris Racquet Club 23 Radio Place, Stamford 06906 359-0601 • solarisclubs.com
Sportsplex 49 Brownhouse Road, Stamford 06902 358-0066 • sportsplex-ct.com
Stamford Athletic Club 75 Third St., Stamford 06905 357-7555 • sacnews.com
United Athletic Centers 1330 Honeyspot Road Extension, Stratford 06615 386-0449 • unitedathleticcenters.com
YMCA of Greenwich 50 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich 06830 869-1630 • greenwichymca.org
a
massages
a
a
a
a
nutrition/weight-loss program
tanning beds
racquetball courts
Amenities and programs offered
tennis courts
Number of other locations in county
swimming pool
both
men
women
Open to
a
a
a
a
a
2
a
a
3
a
a
a
a
a
0
a
a
a
a
0
a
a
0
a
a
0
a
0
a
a
1
a
a
2
a
WND
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Dominic Novak and Dana DeRespino-Novak
Owners 1993
50 Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich 625-9595 • peakphysique.biz
Prime Time Fitness
no
Sign up or initiation fee? yes
Name, address, telephone number Area code: 203 (unless otherwise noted) Website
group/family
Listed alphabetically.
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Questions or comments, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3005. Note: Information obtained from company websites and responding companies. NA Not available. • WND Would not disclose.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012 13
e n o D t i t e G
GRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHYPHOTOGRAPHY
HIC DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGN GRAPHIC
ETOUCHINGRETOUCHINGRETOUCHINGRETOUCHINGRETOUCHINGRETOUC
LARGE FORMAT GRAPHICS LARGE FORMAT GRAPHICS LARGE FORMAT G
NE ART GICLÉE FINE ART GICLÉE FINE ART GICLÉE FINE ART GICLÉE FINE ART PRINTING OFFSET & DIGITAL PRINTING OFFSET & DIGITAL PRINTING OFFSET
DISPLAYS DISPLAYS DISPLAYSDISPLAYS DISPLAYS DISPLAYS DISPLAYS DISPLAYS
SHOWS TRADE SHOWS TRADE SHOWS TRADE SHOWS TRADE SHOWS TRADE S
UBLISHING PUBLISHING PUBLISHING PUBLISHING PUBLISHING PUBLISHING
& FINISHING MOUNTING & FINISHING MOUNTING & FINISHING MOUNTING
DING SIGNAGE BUILDING SIGNAGE BUILDING SIGNAGE BUILDING SIGNAG
VEHICLE GRAPHICSVEHICLE GRAPHICS VEHICLE GRAPHICSVEHICLE GR
FULLFILLMENT SERVICESFULLFILLMENT SERVICESFULLFILLMENT SERVICES
168 Sawmill River Road • Hawthorne, NY 10532 • 914-769-8484 www.colorgroup.com • production@colorgroup.com • support@colorgroup.com 14 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
SPECIAL REPORT Retail
ZOË ZELLERS
zzellers@westfairinc.com
I
n Balinese, Agabhumi translates to “ancient firmament.” In Stamford, it has translated into a successful jewelry and accessories retail business for a local couple that has since expanded as far as California and Barbados. Husband and wife entrepreneurs Michael and Regina Kirshbaum are the business brains and fashion mavens behind Agabhumi The Best of Bali L.L.C., a hole-in-the-wall, 1,450-square-foot boutique located in Stamford’s south end celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The couple opened Agabhumi The Best of Bali in 2002 after falling in love with an array of unique, locally manufactured products on a vacation to the island of Bali, an Indonesian province that is home to most of the country’s Hindu minority. “Michael said, ‘We can bring Bali home and start a retail store,’ and I said, ‘I’ve had enough retail, I never want to do that,’” Regina said. “I had been at Bergdorf’s and Bloomingdale’s before so I thought he was
out of his mind. Not a chance. And by the time we got home, he talked me into it.” Agabhumi The Best of Bali has an agent in Bali and works with more than 40 groups of Balinese artisans to import products ranging from ornate jewelry to belts, handbags, sweaters and scarves to Stamford and the store’s other locations, Michael said. “The way we work is twofold,” he said. “One, we’ll buy things off people’s lines and we will also customize things people are doing. And then ... Regina will do sketches and designs and they’ll make prototypes from jewelry to clothing. Most of the clothing, though, is out of Regina’s head and then designed and created for us.” In Bali, “The people are all artistic, they’re all trained in something, as a dancer, a woodcutter, a stone mason and that just permeates the society,” Michael said. The Kirshbaums, who live nearby on Shippan Point, have since opened Agabhumi locations in New Haven, Santa Monica, Calif., and Barbados. They opened the first Agabhumi location in the Stamford’s south end despite
there being little in the way of luxury housing, retail and restaurants at the time, Regina said. “Opening up here, on paper, was ridiculous,” she acknowledged. In the 10 years since opening, Regina and Michael have worked to draw new customers to the area and to unite businesses around a common marketing campaign. At one point, they launched an initiative to designate a name for the area called “SOTO,” or South of Town, and with city approval, paid out-of-pocket to install signage in hopes of unifying local businesses. But all along, Regina said they were confident they could successfully market Balinese-made products to local shoppers out of the Stamford location. “We moved here from Manhattan 23 years ago and when we got here, it all felt very isolated fashion-wise. It all felt very cookie-cutter and so for me, it was intensely dull. I’ve always been a treasure hunt kind of shopper,” Regina said. “We knew that we could get (this merchandise) here and put a very fair
price tag on it and finally bring some value to this area,” she added. Regina and Michael both play a role in nurturing relationships with craftsmen and loyal customers as well as having a hand in their brand’s marketing campaigns, drawing on their joint backgrounds in retail and product development. “We approach life from kind of a silly standpoint. We like the whimsical,” Regina said. “And we think about headlines people will remember that are clever or silly like, ‘Sleigh bells bling, are you glistening?’” she said, referencing an Agabhumi holiday campaign. Beyond a shared sense of humor and style, the Kirshbaums share an active commitment to community involvement. Agabhumi donates between 30 and 40 percent of sales to scholarships, public schools, community service projects and southern Connecticut cancer centers, which was in part inspired by a sudden near-death liver transplant operation Michael underwent in 2007. “I call it ‘retailing with a conscience,’” Regina said.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012 15
Town Fair Tire honored by retail association
Assistant Manager Mike Geiger stands outside Town Fair Tire in Stamford.
BY JENNIFER BISSELL
jbissell@westfairinc.com
“Y
ou take care of the customer and the customer will take care of you.” The motto of Town Fair Tire continues to ring true, said Michael Barbaro, Town Fair Tire senior vice president. The Fairfield-based tire business has been named retailer of the year by the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association (CRMA). “Everything we’ve learned is through
our customers,” Barbaro said. “They want a good product and a good service. If you can do that, they’ll come back to you.” The annual retail award is given to Connecticut merchants that demonstrate strong retail skills and give back to the community. Currently CRMA has more than 500 members and represents more than 2,000 stores in the state. For 45 years Town Fair Tire has sold brand name tires at discount prices, starting with its first store in Fairfield. At that store, owner Neil Mellen had
16 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
decided he would only sell tires and related services from there on out. “Try to sell one thing as good as you possibly can,” Barbaro said, reciting Mellen’s philosophy. “Focus on that one item and be the best at it.” Since then, the company has grown by two or three stores a year, focusing on finding both the right location and employees. Employees are given medical and dental insurance, paid sick and vacation time, discounts and tuition reimbursement. Currently the company has stores across five states and in 2011 the company opened its 85th store. Barbaro said the company has built its reputation on not only offering competitive prices on its tires, but also for offering a number of additional services, many free of charge. “We truly want to take care of our customers,” Barbaro said. “Our programs are designed to give them some added value.” In addition to the stores’ lowest price guarantee, Town Fair Tire also offers free services such as lifetime tire rotations, 30-day test rides, flat tire repairs,
snow tire changeovers and nationwide warranties. “We give these awards because we want to acknowledge the work that these retailers do,” said Tim Phelan, CRMA president. “We should take some time to highlight and celebrate retailers when they deserve it.” Phelan said the CRMA chose Town Fair Tire for its strong reputation for its services, employee relations and humble commitment to the community. “With respect to community service, there is not one thing that they haven’t done,” Phelan said. “Rather, it is hard to get Town Fair to talk about what they do, because it is not in their nature to brag. They are a very humble company — very proud of what they do — but very humble.” One of the company’s major community service initiatives is sponsoring New Haven Home Recovery, which works to support women and children confronted with homelessness, HIV and AIDS, and behavioral health issues. More than 50 individual employees have adapted a family through the program. Currently Town Fair Tire is in the process of doing a food and toy drive.
HOLIDAY — From page 1
comes the weekend after Thanksgiving. After spending slowed significantly in 2008 and to a lesser extent in 2009 and 2010, “It appears that consumers like what they see and are ready to go out and shop,” Phelan said. Compared to 2011 sales, online transactions were up 17.4 percent on Thanksgiving Day, 20.7 percent on Black Friday and more than 30 percent on Cyber Monday, according to cloud-based analytics data generated by Armonk, N.Y.based IBM. In addition, mobile purchases rose significantly, IBM data shows. Through the end of the day Nov. 24, nearly a quarter of all consumers who visited a retailer’s website did so using a mobile device. Transactions made using a mobile device comprised 16 percent of all online sales, up from 9.8 percent a year ago, according to IBM. Global economic analysis firm IHS Global Insight projected online holiday season retail sales would increase 17 percent over last year, with overall holiday retail sales projected to increase 3.9 percent. In comparison, sales increased 5.5 percent from the 2010 holiday season to the 2011 season. Phelan said that while small businesses don’t have the same resources that are employed by national chains, many are creating or entering niche markets and capitalizing on relationships with their respective local customer bases. “They don’t have the same buying power or discounts available,” he acknowledged. More than 100 businesses were scheduled to participate in the fourth annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll, held Dec. 1-2, which along with the town’s fourth annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival is aimed at promoting the area’s small business retailers. Tammi Ketler, owner of TMK Sports & Entertainment L.L.C. in Greenwich, has organized the event since its inception. She said merchants participating in the festivities have reported a cumulative 20 to 25 percent increase in foot traffic for each of the past four years. Ketler said it is important for events such as the Holiday Stroll in order to even the playing field between downtown shopping districts and shopping malls. “It’s really critical that all the retailers do come together and participate and support the event because it’s all about them,” Ketler said. She added that 103 people are participating in the Holiday Stroll this year, after 49 participated the first year and 80 participated in 2011.
Technology applications surge
What will separate successful retailers from the rest is their use of various technologies to help attract customers and boost sales, said Robert M. Amster, principal of The Retail Technology Group, based in Stamford. Amster said stores are increasingly substituting cash register stations for mobile point-of-sale (POS) devices, such as smartphones, and paper receipts for digital receipts, which he said presents an opportunity for stores to acquire customer email addresses. “That has huge, huge implications for enhancing the customer experience,” he said. In addition, Amster said more retailers are outfitting their sales teams with tablets and other mobile devices that allow them to sell customers items that might not be in stock in the sought-after colors or sizes, and that many stores are already embracing — or will soon be faced with — the reality that they need to provide free, in-store wireless Internet access for customers. “So that way, I never let you walk out of the store without buying what you were looking for, even though I didn’t have it,” Amster said. Many of the technologies currently growing in popularity are affordable for any size retailer, Amster said, noting that mobile POS devices are often cheaper than registers and that companies looking to boost mobile sales can often use existing applications that can be easily tailored to individual retailers. In Greenwich, Ketler said many of the retailers participating in the Holiday Stroll are employing a mobile application called Shopper On The Go. “They do a lot more than just the Greenwich community, but the have an app (shoppers) can download for free that will then show you where all the great promotions are in the downtown Greenwich area for stores that have chosen to participate,” she said.
Thank You to our Sponsors Title Sponsors Alfred Weissman Real Estate, LLC Future Coatings Pavarini North East Construction Co. Inc. / Structure Tone Platinum Sponsor Jones Lang LaSalle Gold Sponsors
Ernst & Young Heyman Properties Newmark Grubb Knight Frank RPW Group Shleppers Moving and Storage/NAI Friedland
Silver Sponsors ARENSON/C&F Consulting Engineering
Malkin Properties
BioMed Realty
McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt, LLP
Cappelli Enterprises
National Realty & Development Corp.
CBRE, Inc.
Normandy Realty & Development Corp.
Cuddy & Feder, LLP
PG Genatt Group, LLC
De Clercq Office Group/Knoll
Reckson, a Division of SL Green
DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise
RXR
& Wiederkehr, LLP
Security Mutual Life Insurance Co.
George Comfort and Sons
Simone Development Companies
Griffin, Coogan, Blose, Sulzer, P.C.
Stillman Management Inc./Levitt-Fuirst
M&T Bank
Waldner's Business Environments/
Mack-Cali Realty Corporation
Steelcase, Inc.
Media Sponsor
Westchester County Business Journal
Breakfast Sponsor G&S Investors
Welcome to Westchester Sponsors Janover, LLC Newport Hospitality Group, Inc. TitleVest Agency, Inc.
Special thanks to our Fund the Mission donors; Alfred Weissman Real Estate, LLC, Cappelli Enterprises, DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP, Lashins Development Corp., RPW Group, Simone Development Companies
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012 17
Building on the past for a creative future
Three years after man landed on the moon, Stamford took a leap forward as well. Albeit with a glance to the past. That backward glance was to movie musicals of decades earlier when someone first shouted, “Hey kids, I have a barn. Let’s put on a show.” Stamford acquired the Sterling Farms property – including several old barns – in 1968, so one barn was chosen to be the permanent home for Stamford’s community theater. On July 14, 1972, The Sterling Barn Theatre (now known as The Kweskin Theatre) opened its doors with Arthur Miller’s “The Price.” Obviously, the price was right. Forty years later, hundreds of thousands of theater-goers (25,000 this year alone) have attended a performance on the property – the Sterling Farms Municipal Golf Course, where the nonprofit Curtain Call operates The Kweskin and The Dressing Room Theatre. We’ve seen several renovations/additions over the years but none so significant as the recently completed 5,000-square-foot expansion that includes much needed restroom facilities and greater lobby space for patrons, as well as dressing rooms, wing space (backstage area), rehearsal space and wardrobe storage. Since that hot summer of ’72, activity has really heated up. Curtain Call’s 22nd season features one full-scale production each month. Performances by and for members of the community have been the hallmark of activity here and continue through today. This year, the theaters will have been in use 340 days – 175 of those being performance days. Plus, there are rehearsals, educational workshops, classes and administrative activities, making these among the busiest arts facilities around. Besides The Kweskin and The Dressing Room Theatre – a 100-seat cabaret-style space – there’s a third stage that rises each summer out on the great lawn alongside the Royal Green Restaurant for outdoor productions of Shakespeare plays. Fairfield County residents have truly embraced live theater at Sterling Farms, and Curtain Call is proud to be a part of this legacy. It’s one that has provided first experiences for hundreds of thousands, including directors, authors, composers, technicians and actors. They’ve all gotten their “break” here, but almost more important, many have seen their first live theatrical productions here. As Stamford’s longest-running and only year-round producing theater, Curtain Hall invites you to join us for a show soon. Or just stop by and see the beautiful statue – “The Genius of Connecticut.” It’s there in recognition of Curtain Call receiving the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Culture and Tourism. For more, visit curtaincallinc.com Lou Ursone Executive director Curtain Call 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 Rowayton Arts Center – the gift that keeps on giving
The Rowayton Arts Center’s shell tree is nautical and nice.
Unique holiday gifts, decorations and collectibles by some of Fairfield County’s finest artists and artisans are featured in the 18th annual Holiday Gift Show at the Rowayton Arts Center (RAC), through Dec. 24. Chairwoman Pamela Riley-Abear says the annual gift show is a favorite with RAC members, “who help celebrate the holiday season by creating distinctive and unique pottery, jewelry, paintings, photography, prints, accessories, hostess gifts, ornaments, wreaths and small trees to delight the senses. Smart holiday shoppers will discover a wonderful world of gifts and decorations that are sure to delight and enchant people of all ages – and at very good prices. Artists introduce new items each week.” Among the newbies this year are hand-painted buoys, perfect for seafaring New Englanders. The gift show helps support the center, with the entire income from the sale of items donated by the “elves” and 25 percent of the proceeds from works by other center members benefiting educational programs, among others. Hours are noon-5 p.m. through Dec. 23 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 24. The center is at 145 Rowayton Ave. For more, visit rowaytonartscenter.org.
Holiday jambalaya The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University presents renowned jazz patriarch Ellis Marsalis and “A Very New Orleans Christmas,” Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. Marsalis is regarded by many as the premiere modern jazz pianist in New Orleans. Coming of musical age in the 1950s and ’60s, Ellis developed a lean and commanding approach to the piano trio and helped create a modern movement in New Orleans with his collective American Jazz Quintet and his own Quartet while also educating the next generation of jazz – Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Nicholas Payton, Harry Connick Jr., Peter Cincotti and, of course, all those Marsalis brothers. In 2011, Ellis and his sons were honored collectively with an NEA Jazz Master Award. As USA Today says, “For
Ellis Marsalis and all that jazz at Fairfield University’s Quick Center Dec. 12.
the past 20 years, the name Marsalis has been synonymous with jazz.” Tickets for “A Very New Orleans Christmas” are $45, $35 and $25 and may be obtained by calling 254-4010 or visiting quickcenter.com.
Visit FCBuzz.org for more information on events and how to get listed. 18 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Presented by: Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County
FAIRFIELD COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL Building Permits
Commercial
City of Norwalk. Add a pavilion at the south end of Cranbury Park, 300 Gruman Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $89,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Townline Center Associates Inc., Stamford. Fit-out an existing commercial building for pharmacy, 664 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Nov. 15.
3377 Post Road L.L.C., Fairfield. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Toscana Pizzeria, 3377 Post Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Nov. 19.
City of Norwalk. Add a pavilion at Flax Hill Park, 19 ½ Hollow Windward Development Inc., Tree Road, Norwalk. Estimated New Canaan, contractor for cost: $21,900. Filed Nov. 19. Cherry Street West L.L.C. Perform additions and alterations at an existing commercial buildCostco Wholesale, Norwalk. ing, 156 Cherry St., New Canaan. Perform renovations at an ex- Estimated cost: $191,200. Filed isting commercial building, Nov. 16. 779 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $224,405. Filed Nov. 19.
BHL Services Inc., St. Paul, Minn., contractor for T-C Crossing L.L.C. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Select Comfort, 340 Grasmere Ave., Fairfield. Estimated cost: $162,500. Filed Nov. 16.
Dean Moss Family Ltd., St. Petersburg, Fla. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Wall Street Research, First floor, 119 Rowayton Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Birchwood Corners L.L.C., Westport. Perform alterations to an existing commercial building, 420 Post Road West, Westport. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Nov. 13.
John Moriarty & Associates Inc., Farmington, contractor for Merritt 7 Venture L.L.C. Perform renovations at an existing commercial building, 301 Merritt 7, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $2.07 million. Filed Nov. 15.
Capital Equities West Ave. L.L.C., Norwalk. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Circle Care, Triange Community Center and Mid Fairfield Aids Project, 618 West Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $200,000. Filed Nov. 13.
LCP Construction Management L.L.C., Fairfield, contractor for Parish Properties L.L.C. Re-roof an existing commercial building, 1383 Kings Highway, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Nov. 19.
261 Main Ave. L.L.C., Stamford. Perform renovations at an existing commercial building, 261 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Nov. 13.
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
Residential
Marsh Development L.L.C., Westport. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 20 Ketchum St., Westport. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Nov. 14. Nathall 1220W L.L.C. Prepare a commercial space for new tenant, 12 Wilton Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Nov. 20. Old Westport Town Hall L.L.C., Westport. Fit-out an existing commercial building for Paper Source, 100 Post Road East, Westport. Estimated cost: $82,000. Filed Nov. 20.
3 Valley Heights L.L.C., contractor for Jason Little and R.O. Murray. Perform additions to a single-family residence, 2 Harbor Hill, Westport. Estimated cost: $850,000. Filed Nov. 14. Adams, Georgia and Charles. Repair storm damage, 51 Birch Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Bordan, Barbara and Edward. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 14 Harborview Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Nov. 15. Bradshaw, Robert, contractor for Rosalie Rinaldi. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 81 Newtown Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $29,739. Filed Nov. 15. Breese, Vanessa and Robert. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 33 Vanderbilt Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $26,000. Filed Nov. 15. Brosseau, Richard Jr. Perform alterations and renovations at an existing single-family residence, 153 N. Taylor Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $4,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Burke, Ryan, contractor for Ruth and Thomas Whelan. Repair water damage to a singlefamily residence, 25 Marine Ave., Westport. Estimated cost: ADR Builders L.L.C., Itasca, Ill., $51,000. Filed Nov. 15. contractor for Elissa and Ingram Roberts. Perform external addi- Byrne Woodworking Inc., tions at an existing single-family Bridgeport, contractor for Jenresidence, 350 Acorn Lane, Fair- nifer and Frank Byrne. Repair field. Estimated cost: $8,000. Filed storm damage, 733 Fairfield Nov. 19. Beach Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $9,100. Filed Nov. 20. American Integrity Restoration, Glastonbury, contractor for Coastal Properties ConstrucJohn Tomaszewski., Re-roof an tion, Westport, contractor for existing single-family residence, Glenn and Patrick Hoffman. Per70 Middlesex Road, Darien. Esti- form additions and alterations mated cost: $3,000. Filed Nov. 16. at an existing single-family residence, 217 Old Kings Highway Basli, James A., contractor for South, Darien. Estimated cost: Susanna and Matthew DeOreo. $500,000. Filed Nov. 13. Perform additions to a singlefamily residence, 8 Wakeman Cooke, Christopher, Wilton. Place, Westport. Estimated cost: Perform external renovations $250,000. Filed Nov. 7. at an existing single-family residence, 14 Sherman Place, NorBenchmark Builders L.L.C., walk. Estimated cost: $45,000. Bethel, contractor for Patricia and Filed Nov. 15. Eric Lobenfeld. Construct an accessory building, 34 Rocky Brook Road, New Canaan. Estimated cost: $150,000. Filed Nov. 15.
DiGiorgi Roofing & Siding, Beacon Falls, contractor for Alegria Santiago. Perform external renovations at an existing single-family residence, 5 Winterset Drive, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $13,375. Filed Nov. 14.
John Moriarty & Associates Inc., Farmington, contractor for Merritt 7 Venture L.L.C., Repair roof of an existing single-family residence, 401 Merritt 7, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $158,000. Filed Nov. 15.
Drosos, Ioannis. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 3 Pershing St., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Karnell, Glenna and Marc. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 295 Silvermine Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $26,800. Filed Nov. 13.
Estate of Alice Albertson. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 28 Howard Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Nov. 19.
King Devleopment L.L.C., Fairfield, contractor for Louise and Darron Antill. Lay foundation for a new single-family residence, 2225 Cross Highway, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $300,000. Filed Nov. 15.
Feld, Linda B. Repair storm damage, 21 Appletree Trail, Westport. Estimated cost: Lacancellera, Judith and James. Construct an accessory building, $65,000. Filed Nov. 20. and external addition to a singlefamily residence, 121 Catamount Gasparian, Renalo, contractor Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: for Nick Stoumpers. Perform ad- $75,000. Filed Nov. 16. ditions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 28 Stephanie Lane, Darien. Estimat- Langeveld, Nick. Construct a new single-family residence, 47 ed cost: $240,000. Filed Nov. 16. Nearwater Lane, Darien. Esti‘ mated cost: $1.1 million. Filed Golub, Aaron S., contractor for Nov. 16. Karen and Joseph Scordato. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 80 Maple LCP Construction ManageAvenue South, Westport. Estimat- ment L.L.C., Fairfield, contractor for Annette and Richard ed cost: $25,000. Filed Nov. 13. Jacobson. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-famGrella Family Invest Partner- ily residence, 571 Adley Road, ship. Repair storm damage, 2182 Fairfield. Estimated cost: $1,000. Fairfield Beach Road, Fairfield. Filed Nov. 15. Estimated cost: $22,200. Filed Nov. 20. LCP Construction Management L.L.C., Fairfield, contractor J Tallman Builders L.L.C., Fair- for Jill and Mark Kovacs. Perform field, contractor for Maria and external additions at an existing David Wildermuth. Repair storm single-family residence, 50 Echo damage, 883 Fairfield Beach Lane, Fairfield. Estimated cost: Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Nov. 16. $15,000. Filed Nov. 15. JJK Construction, Bellport, N.Y., contractor for Lena and Peter Mersmann. Repair storm damage, 33 Colony Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $35,000. Filed Nov. 14.
Lopez, Rosa and Carlos. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 44 Douglas Drive, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Nov. 15.
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 December 03, 2012 19
on the record Malasky, Daspina and Daniel. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 35 Bermuda Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed Nov. 13. McMorris, Carol. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 343 Hoyt St., Darien. Estimated cost: $275,000. Filed Nov. 15. Michelangnali, Helen and Stefano. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 7 Hilltop Road, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $48,000. Filed Nov. 19. MMR Construction Inc., Greenwich, contractor for Joanna and Gary Templeton. Perform additions to a single-family residence, 263 Spring Water Lane, New Canaan. Estimated cost: $80,000. Filed Nov. 14. Murphy Home Improvement, Norwalk, contractor for Robin and Carl Mason. Perform additions to a single-family residence, 93 Old Stamford Road, New Canaan. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Nov. 14. Onishuk, Joseph. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 116 Old Post Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Nov. 20. Power Home Remodeling, Stratford, contractor for Renee and Robert Lucarelli. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 30 Fillow St., Westport. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed Nov. 7. Quinn Contracting, Fairfield, contractor for Christopher Erblich, trustee. Perform additions to a single-family residence, 1 Rodgers Way, Westport. Estimated cost: $500,000. Filed Nov. 7. R and P Contracting L.L.C., Shelton, contractor for Patricia Kirmayer. Repair storm damage, 116 Fairfield Beach Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $108,000. Filed Nov. 19. RMB Designs Inc., Chicago, Ill., contractor for Dana Ann Griffin, trustee. Construct a new singlefamily residence, 8 Melon Patch Lane, Westport. Estimated cost: $1.7 million. Filed Nov. 13.
Roddy, Bryan, contractor for Terri Leopold. Perform interior renovations at an existing singlefamily residence, 146 Coleman Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $39,500. Filed Nov. 16.
Stumpf, Dana and James. Perform interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 5 Old Farm Place, Norwalk. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Nov. 14.
Salinas, Janvier. Add a secondstory addition to an existing structure, 1 Eclipse Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $38,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Sun-Wind Solutions L.L.C., Beacon Falls, contractor for Barbara and Thomas Camarro. Install Solar Panels at an existing single-family residence, 55 Reid St., Fairfield. Estimated cost: $24,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Sassone, Robert. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 3 Ar- Talucci, John. Perform additions gentine Way, Norwalk. Estimated and alterations at an existing sincost: $160,000. Filed Nov. 13. gle-family residence, 23 LaForge Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $290,000. Filed Nov. 16. Seul, Elizabeth and Kerry Reilly. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family Thomas Kane Building and residence, 69 Clinton Ave., West- Remodeling, Fairfield, contracport. Estimated cost: $400,000. tor for Honey Blank. Construct Filed Nov. 16. an accessory building, 43 Ann St., Fairfield. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed Nov. 20. Sir Development L.L.C., contractor for Sir 4 Peach Lot L.L.C. Construct a new single- Thompson, Juliann and Anfamily residence, 4 Peach Lot drew J. Perform interior renoPlace, Westport. Estimated cost: vations at an existing single$500,000. Filed Nov. 9. family residence, 5 Nutcracker Lane, Westport. Estimated cost: $60,000. Filed Nov. 20. Southport Construction L.L.C., Southport, contractor for Fairfield Beach Property L.L.C. Re- Thor’s Creations L.L.C., Fairpair storm damage, 795 Fairfield field, contractor for CLT Reef Beach Road, Fairfield. Estimated Road L.L.C. Repair storm damcost: $33,749. Filed Nov. 15. age, 1071 Reef Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $11,000. Filed Nov. 15. Southport Construction L.L.C., Southport, contractor for Eleanor and Peter Royston. Tsiropoulos, Elefterios. PerRepair storm damage, 1030 form alterations to an existReef Road, Fairfield. Estimated ing single-family residence, 12 cost: $39,184. Filed Nov. 16. Woodbury Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Nov. 19. Southport Construction L.L.C., Southport, contractor for Francis Dursi. Repair storm damage, 793 Fairfield Beach Road, Fairfield. Estimated cost: $72,535. Filed Nov. 16. Stickley, Michael, contractor for Leah and William Zisfein. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 39 Park Lane, Westport. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Nov. 14. Stonecrest Builders, Ridgefield, contractor for Jessica and Paul McCurdy. Perform alterations to an existing single-family residence, 274 Putnam Road, New Canaan. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Nov. 16.
West Constcorp Inc., contractor for Brian Rivel. Construct a new single-family residence, 10 Windy Hill Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $1.5 million. Filed Nov. 7.
Apaziadis, Athena and George, Norwalk. Seller: D. Charles L.L.C., Southport. Property: 290 Woodside Circle, Fairfield. Amount: $522,500. Filed Nov. 15.
Chambers, Carol, Norwalk. Seller: Richard D. Campbell, Weston. Property: 11 Merrill Road, Norwalk. Amount: $375,000. Filed Nov. 14.
Westchester Modular Homes, Bethel, contractor for Elizabeth Lugo. Construct a new twofamily residence, 12 Hawkins Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $245,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Baker, Keith W. and Kyle E. Wilson, Norwalk. Seller: Kathleen B. and Matthew True. Property: 34 Bettswood Road, Norwalk. Amount: $560,000. Filed Nov. 13.
Chan, Maggie P., Burlington, Vt. Seller: Barbara and John Banks, Inverness, Fla. Property: 388 Courtland Ave., Unit 3A, Stamford. Amount: $65,000. Filed Nov. 14.
Woodson, Anthony H. Repair storm damage, 7 Old Mill Road, Westport. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed Nov. 20.
Bayview Preservation Partners L.P., New York City. Seller: Cornerstone/Bayview Inc., New York City. Property: 667 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $13.5 million. Filed Nov. 15.
Deeds
Commercial Kleban Day Street L.L.C., Santa Ana, Calif. Seller: Day Street Development L.L.C., Greenwich. Property: 1015 Boston Post Road, Darien. Amount: $ 8.7 million. Filed Nov. 9. M C P Imperial Ave. L.L.C., Boston, Mass. Seller: Imperial Ave. L.L.C., Westport. Property: 33 Imperial Ave., Westport. Amount: $950,000. Filed Nov. 13. Old Field Properties L.L.C., Westport. Seller: Associated Properties L.L.C., Westport. Property: 876 to 878, 904 to 906 Oldfield Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1.675 million. Filed Nov. 15. Seiko L.L.C., Seller, Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif., Seller: 160 Long Lots Road, Westport. Amount: $590,000. Filed Nov. 19.
Umian Partners, New Canaan, contractor for Imian Meadows L.L.C. Construct a new singlefamily residence, 439 Brookside Road, New Canaan. Estimated 143 Old Road L.L.C., Westcost: $1.1 million. Filed Nov. 14. port. Seller: Judy A. and James A. Forbes, Westport. Property: Lot United Cleaning & Restora- 2, Map 3606, Westport. Amount: tion, Durham, contractor for $795,000. Filed Nov. 16. Erik Beider. Repair storm damage, 18 Inwood Road, Norwalk. Alves, Paula and Fernando MaEstimated cost: $13,000. Filed deira, Bronx, N.Y. Seller: Robert Nov. 9. A. Batterson, Norwalk. Property: 71 Silvermine Ave., Norwalk. Vellotti, Jean Paul., , Perform Amount: $315,000. Filed Nov. 15. interior renovations at an existing single-family residence, 30 Ever- Amacker, Barbara J. and Carl green Ave., Westport. Estimated M., Westport. Seller: Chery Nelcost: $50,000. Filed Nov. 16. son Ozar, Westport. Property: 229 Bayberry Lane, Westport. Amount: $1.35 million. Filed Nov. 16.
20 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Residential
Beal, Andrew A., Westport. Seller: Barbara and Carl Amacker, Westport. Property: 3 Elizabeth Drive, Westport. Amount: $1.61 million. Filed Nov. 15. Bellincampi, Lisa, Fairfield. Seller: Charlotte S. Cotton, Fairfield. Property: 50 Stone Ridge Way, Unit 2H, Fairfield. Amount: $435,000. Filed Nov. 13.
Chevalier, Susan C. and Ronen Attias, Stamford. Seller: Barbara and Stanley Nagot, Norwalk. Property: 334 Sunrise Hill Road, Unit 123, Norwalk. Amount: $295,000. Filed Nov. 6. Choi, Hannah and David. Seller, June A. Decker and Steven C. Solazzo. Property: 111 Nursery Road, New Canaan. Amount: $880,000. Filed Nov. 16. Coastal Construction Group L.L.C., Westport. Seller: Bridgestone Retail Operations L.L.C., Norwalk. Property: 370 Westport Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $775,000. Filed Nov. 9.
Belz, Andrzej, Norwalk. Seller: Malgorzata and Leszek Mroz, Norwalk. Property: 32 Kend- Cocco, Christopher D., Southall Court, Norwalk. Amount: port. Seller: Salley E. Van DeVanter, Westport. Property: 15 $313,330. Filed Nov. 13. Webb Road, Westport. Amount: $640,000. Filed Nov. 19. Bhattacharjee, Reshmi and Raja Banerjee, Stamford. Seller: Marcy S. and Peter D. Bratman, Cohen, Lee, Stamford. Seller: Fairfield. Property: 16 Fillow St., Roseanna P. Burgos and Barry Westport. Amount: $572,000. C. Ritch, Stamford. Property: 7 Piave St., Unit B-13, Stamford. Filed Nov. 15. Amount: $170,000. Filed Nov. 15. Bossone, Marzena and Joseph. Seller, Cecilia L. and Daniel S. Haggarty, Stamford. Property: 41 W. Rock Trail, Stamford. Amount: $1.1 million. Filed Nov. 9. Brunalli, Beth Ann and Luke T. Tashjian. Seller, Roberta B. Chapdelaine. Property: 399 Old Stamford Road, New Canaan. Amount: $483,000. Filed Nov. 15.
Curti, Julie M. and Michael J., Darien. Seller: Abigail and Jason Newport, Darien. Property: 22 Elm St., Darien. Amount: $1.95 million. Filed Nov. 7. Curtin, John Patrick II, Wilton. Seller: Restituto Santos, Norwalk. Property: 1 Walter Ave., Unit 23, Norwalk. Amount: $90,000. Filed Nov. 9.
Burdeshaw, Lis A. and Jeffrey, New York City. Seller: Aline M. Sullivan and William H. Pitt, Westport. Property: 51 Bayberry Lane, Westport. Amount: $1.13 million. Filed Nov. 16.
D. Charles L.L.C., Southport. Seller: Annmarie P. and Brian F. Briones, Fairfield. Property: 439 Wormwood Road, Fairfield. Amount: $310,000. Filed Nov. 13.
Cass, Mary Ann and Gilbert W. Seller, Helen M. and Michael J. Zavada, Fairfield. Property: 268 Shelter Rock Road, Fairfield. Amount: $490,000. Filed Nov. 16.
D’Amore, Caroline M. and Edward J., Purchase, N.Y. Seller: Lisa Nyegaard, Stamford. Property: Lot 22, Map 9736, Stamford. Amount: $908,000. Filed Nov. 13.
on the record Credits, Clients and Awards LORI WALLACE of New Milford was recently named Realtor of the Year by the Greater New Milford Board of Realtors. Wallace is a sales associate in Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s New Milford office. She is also vice president of the Greater New Milford Board of Realtors and will assume the responsibilities of board president in 2013. ST. VINCENT’S HEALTH SERVICES SYSTEM named four employees of the year at its annual Service Awards Dinner held at the Waterview in Monroe. SUSAN CAPASSO of Wallingford was named St. Vincent’s Employee of the Year. She is currently the college dean of academic affairs and chairwoman of general studies. Capasso received a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Hartford, a master’s degree in genetics from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology from the University of Vermont. LUCINDA IANNARONE AMES of Derby was named St. Vincent’s Medical Center Employee of the Year. She is senior marketing and communications associate for St. Vincent’s Medical Center and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Sacred Heart University.
UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT recently changed the name of its historic art gallery at the Arnold Bernhard Center to the Schelfhaudt Gallery in honor of Peter Schelfhaudt, chairman and CEO of advertising firm Creative Partners. The official renaming ceremony Oct. 25 included the opening of an exhibition by photographer Bob Poe that ran through Nov. 21.
THE STAMFORD INNOVATION CENTER, which held its grand opening Nov. 15, recently announced two appointments. The center is one of the four hubs of the statewide Connecticut Innovation Ecosystem recently announced by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. PETER PROPP was named vice president of marketing. PATTIE SIMON was named vice president of sales and operations.
On the Go: Business, Etc.
Newsmakers BEN MAINI of Monroe was recently appointed treasurer of the newly formed Southern Connecticut affiliate of the Cancer Support Community, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support to people affected by cancer. Maini is a partner with Reynolds & Rowella L.L.P., an accounting firm with offices in Ridgefield and New Canaan.
FRIDAY NOV. 30 Taming Time Management seminar, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ferguson Library-Harry Bennett Branch, 115 Vine Road, Stamford. Bring your own lunch, drinks and dessert provided. For information, call 961-0227 or email laura@prowaydevelopment.com.
TUESDAY DEC. 11 Temple Israel Networking Group for job seekers, 2 p.m., Temple Israel, 14 Coleytown Road, Westport. Free and open to public. For information, call 227-1293.
Snapshot OPERATION TURKEY: FEEDING FAMILIES IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY was hosted Nov. 17 by Ed’s Garage Doors in South Norwalk. The food drive, which benefited the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, helped more than 300 families in need this holiday season.
FRANCES HERNANDEZ of Seymour was named Special Needs Services Employee of the Year. She is currently administrator of adult day services.
DANIELLE GENTILE of Trumbull was named Behavioral Health Employee of the Year. She is currently a senior mental health worker at the college’s Westport campus. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut, Storrs and is pursuing a master’s degree in health education at Southern Connecticut State University.
Rich Cunningham, owner of Ed’s Garage Doors (top, third from left) is joined by Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia, state Sen. Bob Duff and many of Norwalk’s first responders during Operation Turkey in South Norwalk.
Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.
GET THE RECORDS EARLY.
Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample. FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012 21
on the record DeGling, Nelly and Alan, . Seller, Gina Pisano. Property: 29 Van Buren Ave., Unit I3, Norwalk. Amount: $183,000. Filed Nov. 6.
Gisondi, Jessica M. and Michael D., Harrison, N.Y. Seller: Ronald D. Thorpe, Norwalk. Property: 31 Strathmore Lane, No. 31, Norwalk. Amount: $365,000. Filed Nov. 8.
Delany, Frank J., Redding. Seller: Colleen Farrell and Christian Karolus, Stamford. Property: 70 Griffin, Kathleen A. Seller, Forest St., Unit D-2, Stamford. Palmer Hill Partners L.L.C., Amount: $165,000. Filed Nov. 16. Stamford. Property: 77 Havemeyer Lane, Unit 776, Stamford. Amount: $776,000. Filed Nov. 16. DeTullio, Elizabeth B. and Joseph, New Canaan. Seller: Cathleen L. and Richard A. Wyatt, New Hackett, Janienne and Patrick, Canaan. Property: 140 Richmond Wilton. Seller: Kelly and Cornell Hill Road, New Canaan. Amount: French, Darien. Property: 112 $1.1 million. Filed Nov. 16. Pear Tree Point Road, Darien. Amount: $6.9 million. Filed Nov. 7. Devnani, Kan K., New York City. Seller: Elena Laveris, Stamford. Property: 440 to 444 Bedford St., Hanson, Joseph, New Canaan. Unit 4M, Stamford. Amount: Seller: Susan Keane and George $140,000. Filed Nov. 16. W. Baker Jr., New Canaan. Property: 6 Kelley Green, New Canaan. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Diamond, Mica and Rus- Nov. 16. sell, Westport. Seller: Westport Cobble Hill L.L.C., Westport. Property: 6 Cobble Hill Road, Hartog, Stanley Jr., Norwalk. Westport. Amount: $2.79 mil- Seller: James M. Boyer, Norlion. Filed Nov. 16. walk. Property: 141 Rowayton Woods Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $270,000. Filed Nov. 7. Dooney, Kathleen, Darien. Seller: Lizette and Marc D’Amico. Property: 54 Maltbie Haydock, Caroline P. and W. Ave., Stamford. Amount: $1.1 Kent. Seller, Alexandra Rush million. Filed Nov. 13. Blackman, Darien. Property: 30 Sedgwick Drive, Darien. Amount: $685,000. Filed Nov. 14. Eckersley, Fiona, Fairfield. Seller: David Peter Builder L.L.C., Shelton. Property: 836 Reef Road, Headly, Lisa. Seller, Jamie B. and Fairfield. Amount: $774,000. James Brian Kyle, Fairfield. PropFiled Nov. 14. erty: 350 Quincy St., Fairfield. Amount: $269,625. Filed Nov. 16. Elwood, Mariko and Matthew, Westport. Seller: Elizabeth Hewitt Cotton, Westport. Property: 9 Elmwood Road, Westport. Amount: $1.4 million. Filed Nov. 16. Frankenfeld, Michael, New Canaan. Seller: Sven W. Englund, New Canaan. Property: 25 Village Drive, New Canaan. Amount: $805,000. Filed Nov. 16. Freedberg, Rhoda, Stamford. Seller: E*TRADE Bank, Coral Gables, Fla. Property: 162 Colonial Road, Unit 1, Stamford. Amount: $511,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Hosein, Hanifa and Garrett Oliver, Wilton. Seller: Positive Properties L.L.C., New Canaan. Property: 30 Vollmer Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $390,000. Filed Nov. 13. Hynes, Elise M. and Christopher S., Westport. Seller: Compo Enterprises L.L.C., Westport. Property: 144 Compo Road, Westport. Amount: $1.79 million. Filed Nov. 15.
Isanberg, Samantha M. and Jonathan D. Walker, White Plains, N.Y. Seller: Melissa Mercurio-Cortes and Efren Cortes, Fairfield. Property: 11 Cherry Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: Galvin, Kelly and Timothy. $422,000. Filed Nov. 14. Seller, Wendy Hokin, Darien and Robin B. Sokolow, Carmel Valley, Calif. Property: 6 Meadowbrook Jaikaran, Mandy and Andy LaRoad, Darien. Amount: $1.04 tchoo, Bronx, N.Y. Seller: JoAnn million. Filed Nov. 8. Wolff, Stamford. Property: 528 Fairfield Ave., Stamford. Amount: $293,500. Filed Nov. 9.
Kaplan, Katherine A. and Eric M. Seller, Tamara L. Mathis, Stamford. Property: 53 Gaymoor Drive, Stamford. Amount: $655,000. Filed Nov. 16. Kelly, Doreen T. and Wynn G. Blieberg, Stamford. Seller: Bridget M. and Peter G. Lyden, Stamford. Property: 263 Briar Brae Road, Stamford. Amount: $794,000. Filed Nov. 9.
Micadam L.L.C., Redding. Seller: Adela C. Mendez. Property: 17 Cottage St., Norwalk. Amount: $125,000. Filed Nov. 8. Moran, Michael. Seller: Southport Green Acquisition L.L.C., Portland, Maine. Property: 2 Elmwood Drive, Southport. Amount: $850,000. Filed Nov. 14.
Moses, Carol Ann. Seller: Palmer Hill Partners L.L.C., Stamford. Landry, Irla and Eugene, Wil- Property: 77 Havemeyer Lane, ton. Seller: Tara L. and Max C. Unit 50, Stamford. Amount: $1.2 Axler, Norwalk. Property: 7 million. Filed Nov. 13. Blue Mountain Court, Norwalk. Amount: $650,000. Filed Nov. 9. Mulhern, Jeanne Lorraine, Stamford. Seller: Maryalice R. and Lemcke, Stefanie and Marc, Daniel E. Ryan III. Property: 88 New York City. Seller: Amy M. Downs Ave., Stamford. Amount: Forte and Dwight F. Meyer, $742,500. Filed Nov. 16. Westport. Property: 66 North Ave., Westport. Amount: $1.6 Newport, Abigail and Jason, million. Filed Nov. 20. Darien. Seller: Tatiana and Peter Mullen, Norwalk. Property: Lemons, Brian S. and Joseph 22 Princes Pine Road, Norwalk. C. Stubbs, Brooklyn, N.Y. Seller: Amount: $730,000. Filed Nov. 14. Michael C. Sheehan, Fairfield. Property: 941 S. Pine Creek Road, Svetlana. Fairfield. Amount: $712,500. Novoseletskoya, Seller: Wilmington Trust Co. Filed Nov. 16. Property: 30 Glenbrook Road, Unit F-6, Stamford. Amount: Litchman, Charisse and Mark, $160,000. Filed Nov. 14. New Canaan. Seller: Michael Tarantino, Norwalk. Property: 68 Shorefront Park, Norwalk. Ochoa, Jayro J. Seller, Deutsche Amount: $725,000. Filed Nov. 14. Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif., Property: 146 Main St., Norwalk. Amount: Lopez, Alexander J. Seller: $208,000. Filed Nov. 6. Deborah L. Schmidel, Stamford. Property: 71 Strawberry Hill, Unit 919, Stamford. Amount: Papadopoulos, Stiliani. Seller: RMS East Avenue II L.L.C., $157,500. Filed Nov. 16. Stamford. Property: 59B Riverside Ave., Norwalk. Amount: Macri, Stacey, Stamford. Seller: $345,000. Filed Nov. 9. Shelagh Ann Ryan, Stamford. Property: 9 Hale St., aka 9 Willowbrook Court, Stamford. Pennell, Courtney L. Seller: LinAmount: $165,000. Filed Nov. 13. den H. Kieffer. Property: 11 Wayfaring Road, Norwalk. Amount: $250,000. Filed Nov. 16. Mathieu, Marie Lucia and Gerald, Norwalk. Seller: George Escobar, Bethel. Property: 15 Pirolo, Amanda Y. and Daniel, Madison St., Unit A13, Norwalk. Fairfield. Seller: Marianne and Amount: $135,000. Filed Nov. 13. Diana Adams, Greensboro, N.C. Property: 95 Wellington Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $950,000. McKinley, Naina P. and Charles Filed Nov. 13. J., Norwalk. Seller: Tracy Bleier, aka Tracy Reznikoff, Redding. Property: 7 Westview Lane, Nor- Pomeranz, Lisa E. and Miwalk. Amount: $354,100. Filed chael J. Nurzia, New Canaan. Seller: Maura P. Ritz, New CaNov. 13. naan. Property: 41 Conrad Road, New Canaan. Amount: McManus, Elizabeth P. and $1.1 million. Filed Nov. 15. Thomas J., Fairfield. Seller: Sharon A. Slade, Fairfield. Property: 310 Brett Road, Fairfield. Puk, Jessica L. and Jonathan P., Amount: $1.07 million. Filed Stamford. Seller: Dana and David R. Smith Jr., Norwalk. PropNov. 13. erty: 84 W. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Amount: $349,500. Filed Nov. 13.
22 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Qian, Xioamei, Greenwich. Seller: Cosmo Iadanza, Stamford. Property: 39 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3-L, Stamford. Amount: $113,200. Filed Nov. 15. Raymond, Priscilla A., Stamford. Seller: Bette J. Katzeff, Stamford. Property: 5 Hampshire Lane, Stamford. Amount: $485,000. Filed Nov. 13. Reardon, Kristin and Andrew, Sayosset, N.Y. Seller: Trudy Wade and Terrell Van Ingen, Darien. Property: 10 Echo Drive, Darien. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Nov. 13. Ritch, David G., Bridgeport. Seller: Frances J. and Stephen James Hargos, Fairfield. Property: 116 Youngstown Road, Fairfield. Amount: $300,000. Filed Nov. 13.
Solan, Amy, Los Angeles, Calif. Seller: Suzanne C. and Jeffrey C. Walker, New York City. Property: 81 Valley Road, New Canaan and 360 New Canaan Road, Wilton. Amount: $770,748. Filed Nov. 15. Tarrant, Kathleen and Matthew Moneyhon, Westport. Seller: Kelly Hadous-Ferry, Westport. Property: 10 Over Rock Lane, Westport. Amount: $1.79 million. Filed Nov. 14. Tejada, Evert. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 2 Cutrone Road, Norwalk. Amount: $240,500. Filed Nov. 7. Thompson, Gail E. and Christopher C., New Canaan. Seller: Kathleen Olsen, Port Washington, N.Y. Property: 32 Shorefront Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $780,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Ruggieri, Michael A., Norwalk. Seller: Francine F. Markey, Chicago, Ill. Property: 199 Tieri, Marie, New York City. Gregory Blvd., Unit I-4, Norwalk. Seller: Gregg M. Stewart, WebAmount: $260,000. Filed Nov. 7. ster, Mass. Property: 221 E. Rocks Road, Norwalk. Amount: $452,500. Filed Nov. 14. Sanderson, Catherine B., Norwalk. Seller: Gerald Goodness, Westport. Property: 11 Dr. Gil- True, Kathleen and Matthew lette Circle, Westport. Amount: D. Seller: Ronna M. and Weston Case Elliot Jr., Fairfield. Property: $482,000. Filed Nov. 14. 385 Brookside Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $490,000. Filed Nov. 15. Schulz, Kerry M., Fairfield. Seller: Anna Marie Howard, Fairfield. Property: 124 Robin Lane, Fair- Veihl, Claudia and Bernd field. Amount: $385,000. Filed Pfrommer, Stamford. Seller: Lani Jean and Joel P. Dehling, Nov. 16. Halladay, Utah. Property: 11 Nolen Lane, Darien. Amount: $2.6 Sedelnick, Patricia, Danbury. million. Filed Nov. 8. Seller: Karen M. and John C. Hunt Jr. Property: 22 Heron Road, Norwalk. Amount: $710,000. Filed Wadhawani, Tejal P., Stamford. Seller: Domingo Perez, StamNov. 6. ford. Property: 28 Powell Place, Stamford. Amount: $415,000. Sedlock, Daine H. and John Filed Nov. 15. Gregory, Darien. Seller: Mary B. and Paul C. Richardson, New Canaan. Property: 19 Allwood Road, Wolf, Karen E. and Joshua A. Darien. Amount: $2.09 million. Geraghty, Norwalk. Seller: Julia A. Gonzalez, Norwalk. Property: Filed Nov. 9. 31 Betts Place, Unit 11, Norwalk. Amount: $180,000. Filed Nov. 16. Singh, Samrat and Neetu. Seller: Marjorie T. Moehring, Norwalk. Property: 8 Boulder Circle, Wyant, Donna M. and Jeffrey Norwalk. Amount: $358,000. R. Seller: Thomas W. Manders, Stamford. Property: 470 High Filed Nov. 6. Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $715,000. Filed Nov. 9. Slipyy, Vasyl and Yuriy Sarak, . Seller: Jean A. Rustici. Property: 8 Northwoods Road, Stamford. Yan, Jason, Stamford. Seller: Amount: $250,000. Filed Nov. 14. Hannah Kim and David Y. Choi, Stamford. Property: 584 Hope St., Unit 9, Stamford. Amount: $462,000. Filed Nov. 14.
on the record Yellen, Rita and Abe. Seller: Celine Rioux and Donald A. Parsons, Stamford. Property: 162 Colonial Road, Unit 9, Stamford. Amount: $429,000. Filed Nov. 13.
Foreclosures
Garcia-Cabello, Esperanza and Omar Santocruz, Stamford. $20,767.82, in favor of Soundview Towers Association Inc., Stamford, by M.L. Bloomenthal, Stamford. Property: 50 Glenbrook Road, Unit 5J, Stamford. Filed Nov. 13.
Hernandez, Herman A., et al. Creditor: Beneficial Mortgage Company of Connecticut, Wallingford. Property: 23 Avenue D, Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Nov. 8.
Garcia, Maria and Jose Lucero, Norwalk. $10,195.04, in favor of Norwalk Hospital Association, Norwalk, by Christopher J. Jarboe, Norwalk. Property: 17 Grove St., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 19.
Russo, Victoria L. and Lorenzo. Creditor: Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 11 Tierney St., Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Nov. 15.
Jennings, Edward, Fairfield. $7,990, in favor of Columbia Credit Services Inc., Sacramento, Calif., by Janine M. Becker, Bridgeport. Property: 219 Oakwood Drive, Fairfield. Filed Nov. 13.
The Estate of Louise B. Clark, et al. Creditor: Retained Realty Inc., New York City. Property: Lot 51, Map 1924, Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Nov. 6.
Judgments Allways Transportation L.L.C., Norwalk. $28,664.08 in favor of Stamford Hospital, Stamford, by Stan R. Dombroski, New Haven. Property: 25 Deerfield St., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 7. Costillo, Joaquin F., Stamford. $1,608.61 in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell L. London, Newington. Property: 244 Hillandale Ave., Stamford. Filed Nov. 9. Florial, Cameltha, Norwalk. $1,309.77 in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 335 Ely Ave., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 14. Flynn, Shayla F. aka Shayla F. Smith, Norwalk. $8,556.86 in favor of U.S. Equities Corp., South Salem, N.Y., by Linda Strumpf, New Canaan. Property: 132 Newtown Ave., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 9.
Kingsley, Michele T., Stamford. $1,952, in favor of Yale New Haven Hospital Inc., New Haven, by Nair & Levin P.C., Bloomfield. Property: 49 Neposit St., Stamford. Filed Nov. 9. Lawlor, Donald J., Norwalk. $19,802.67, in favor of U.S. Equities Corp., South Salem, N.Y., by Linda Strumpf, New Canaan. Property: 48 Pine Hill Ave., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 16.
Sanchez, Angela, Fairfield. $7,897.40, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 47 Pierce St., Fairfield. Filed Nov. 13.
Pearson, Mike, 6 Fitch St., Nor- Milligan, Patricia A. and Thomwalk. $16,061.30, tax debt on in- as M., 29 Hermit Lane, Westport. come earned. Filed Nov. 14. $891,860.51, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 19.
Sinishtaj, Pietro, New Canaan. $10,849.82, in favor of American Express Bank F.S.B., Salt Lake City, Utah, by Benjamin P. Mann, Enfield. Property: 51 Cedar Lane, New Canaan. Filed Nov. 16.
Thompson, Joseph K., 35 W. Broad St., Unit 417, Stamford. Nixon, Jeffrey, 5 Town Crier $21,111.18, tax debt on income Lane, Westport. $15,428.52, tax earned. Filed Nov. 14. debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 13.
Rubendunst, Kristie, 199 Gregory Blvd., Apt. E-7, Norwalk. $34,647.13, tax debt on income Simoulidis, Cristos aka Chris- earned. Filed Nov. 14. tophe Simoulidis, Norwalk. $2,580.55, in favor of Equable Ascent Financial L.L.C., North- Sasloe, Kathleen A. and Stebrook, Ill., by Sara M. Gould, phen A., 14 E. Meadow Lane, Stamford. Property: 50 Winfield Norwalk. $8,843.22, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 14. St., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 15.
Pepperidge Farm Inc., Norwalk. Filed by Architectural Products Inc. and J and G Glass Inc., by Paula A. Blethen. Property: 595 Westport Ave., Unit 2, Norwalk. Amount: $27,661.64. Morin, Shawn J., 36 Saddle Filed Nov. 6. Road, Norwalk. $133,471.14, tax debt on income earned. Filed Stamford Grove Associates, Nov. 6. New York City. Filed by SNS Organization Ltd., Lindenhurst, by Murphy, Melinda B. and Rich- Michael Conrad. Property: 51 ard H., 215 Saxonwood Road, Grove St., Stamford. Amount: Fairfield. $13,965.84, tax debt on $3,741.18. Filed Nov. 13. income earned. Filed Nov. 15.
Federal Tax Liens - Released
Steel, Brittany and Jonathan, Westport. Filed by Delpoyi Construction, by Benjamin F. Delpolyi. Property: 39 W. Parish Road, Westport. Amount: $36,248. Filed Nov. 16.
Rice, Cameron E., 188 Flax Road, Apt. C1, Norwalk. Wagner, Lauren B. and An$15,426.05, tax debt on income drew, Westport. Filed by John earned. Filed Nov. 14. Findorak & Sons inc., for work done by Hybrid Homes L.L.C., Rice, Cameron E., 188 Flax by Aaron Nachbar. Property: Road, Apt. C1, Norwalk. 73 Beachside Ave., Westport. Amount: $15,708. Filed Nov. 16. Biro, Lillian L., Estate, 291 Vine $124,802.79, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 14. Road, Stamford. $70,851.13, U.S. income tax return for estate and Leases trusts. Filed Nov. 13. Rice, Cameron E., 188 Flax Road, Apt. C1, Norwalk. VM Soundview L.L.C., by Croughwell, Joseph F. III, 32 $33,635.10, tax debt on income Vincent Morel. Landlord: 23 Soundview Avenue Realty L.L.C. Chatfield St. Front, Stamford. earned. Filed Nov. 14. Property: 23 Soundview Ave., $15,110.98, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 13. TAG Properties L.L.C., 4 Holly Norwalk. Term: 10 years, comSt., Norwalk. $12,188.57, payroll mencing Sept. 10, 2012. Filed Nov. 14. Fleurimond, Erose, 70 Hol- taxes. Filed Nov. 6. comb Ave., Apt. 1, Stamford. William Pitt Real Estate L.L.C., $26,778.82, tax debt on income by Paul Breunich. Landlord: Five earned. Filed Nov. 13. Yale and Towne L.L.C., Stamford. Property: 119 to 121 Towne St., Giant Maple Farms Inc., 127 ErFirst floor, Stamford. Term: five skine Road, Stamford. $6,179.47, Augustus Manor Associates, years, two months, commencing payroll taxes. Filed Nov. 13. Rocky Hill. Filed by SNS Orga- Nov. 1, 2012. Filed Nov. 13. nization Ltd., Lindenhurst, by Greco, Albert B., 7107 Schafer Michael Conrad. Property: 101 St., Fairfield. $15,241.28, tax debt Main St., Stamford. Amount: on income earned. Filed Nov. 15. $37,019.19. Filed Nov. 13. Lis Pendens
Thigpen, Albertha, Norwalk. $2,998.28, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., B & G Marina Inc., P.O. Box 159, by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hart- Rowayton. $5,759.78, payroll taxford. Property: 82 Glenwood Ave., es. Filed Nov. 14. Norwalk. Filed Nov. 14. Williams, Keith, Norwalk. $3,089.90, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 21 Karen Drive, Norwalk. Filed Nov. 14.
Liens
Federal Tax Liens-Filed
Miller, Max III, Fairfield. $2,750.57, in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Calif., by Stephen A. Wiener, East Hartford. Property: 3719 Park Ave., BG Marina Inc., P.O. Box 159, Fairfield. Filed Nov. 13. Rowayton. $333.71, payroll taxes. Filed Nov. 14. Pereira, Alexandre F., Norwalk. $16,134.68, in favor of American Express Centurion Brasswell, Gary, 23 Sable St., Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, by Norwalk. $25,853.05, civil proBenjamin P. Mann, Enfield. ceedings. Filed Nov. 6. Property: 14 Nursery St., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 9. Diago North America Inc., 801 Main Ave., Norwalk. $134,174.50, Porter, Karen, Stamford. annual withholding tax return $948.15, in favor of Capital One for U.S. source income of foreign N.A., Richmond Va., by Russell persons and payroll taxes. Filed L. London, Newington. Proper- Nov. 6. ty: 5 Brown Ave., Stamford. Filed Nov. 9. Grassi, Michael P., 2 Morningside Place, Norwalk. $16,832.46, Saldivar, Carlos, Stamford. tax debt on income earned. Filed $892.23, in favor of Griffin Hos- Nov. 6. pital, Derby, by Karen E. Lahey, Waterbury. Property: 21 Chestnut Mendoza, Wilson I., 21½ High St., Stamford. Filed Nov. 16. St., Norwalk. $50,380.67, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 6.
Mechanic’s Liens-Filed
Hecker, Richard B., 20 Dover Road, Westport. $40,692.47, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 13. Ideal Stoneworks Inc., 375 Fairfield Ave., Stamford. $14,597.98, payroll taxes and quarterly tax returns. Filed Nov. 13. Lara, Juan P., 20 Cowan Ave., Stamford. $23,794.86, tax debt on income earned. Filed Nov. 15.
F. Monarca Masonry L.L.C., Middlefield. Filed by Kesco L.L.C., Milford, for work done at Stamford Hospitality L.P. Property: 2701 Summer St., Stamford. Amount: $51,154. Filed Nov. 14.
Albertielli, Dominick and Saba, et al., Stamford. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for Bank of America N.A., Charlotte, N.C. Property: 86 Shady Knoll Drive, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in JKT Construction Inc. Filed the original principal amount of by J&J Concrete Specialists Inc., $813,750, dated October 2005. Stratford, work done for 15 Grove Filed Nov. 14. Street L.L.C., by John A. Usdavin. Property: 15 Grove St., New Canaan. Amount: $40,317.83. Filed Nov. 8.
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 December 03, 2012 23
on the record BAC Home Loans Servicing L.P. Filed by Mark A. Sank, Stamford, for Second Fairlawn Condominium Association Inc., Stamford. Property: 178 Seaton Road, Unit 22-B-3, Stamford. Action: claim an interest in real property on a complaint. Filed Nov. 14.
Daly, Margaret A. and Edward J., Fairfield. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for New York Community Bank, Westbury, N.Y. Property: 115 Primrose Lane, Fairfield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated November 2004. Filed Nov. 14.
Blackwell, Pamela and Richard P., Norwalk. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for The Bank of New York Mellon, trustee, New York City. Property: 5 Hollow Spring Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $425,500, dated May 2003. Filed Nov. 8.
Defranco, David P., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Douglas Sauvé, Hartford, for Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 37 Hollow Tree Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $420,000, dated April 2006. Filed Nov. 13.
Boone, Barbara B. and Clarence, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 15 Christy St., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated July 2006. Filed Nov. 9.
Devingo, Lisa C. and Wayne A., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Anne R. Hoyt, Hartford, for Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 5 Upland Court, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $360,000, dated June 2005. Filed Nov. 15.
Brown, Janet Y. and Joyce, et al., Stamford. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bloomington, Minn. Property: 81 Elaine Drive, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated March 2007. Filed Nov. 9. Civil, Ginette and Adrien, Norwalk. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 21 Gilbert Hill Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $500,000, dated February 2008. Filed Nov. 13.
Edwards, Angela and Peggy, et al., Stamford. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 43 Deacon Hill Road, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated January 2008. Filed Nov. 9.
Estate of George Karahalios, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Amanda Tiernan, West Warwick, R.I., for Nationstar Mortgage d.b.a. Champion Mortgage Co., Lewisville, Texas. Property: 38 Ingleside Ave., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of Clauson, Agnes R. and David $544,185, dated May 2007. Filed A., Fairfield. Filed by Loren M. Nov. 16. Bisberg, Farmington, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: 194 Papermill Lane, Florenz, Luz M. and Celso E. Fairfield. Action: to foreclose a Barros, et al., Stamford. Filed by delinquent mortgage in the origi- Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, nal principal amount of dated for Bank of America N.A., CharJune 2007. Filed Nov. 15. lotte, N.C. Property: 40 Warren St., Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in Cornelio, Susan A. and Philip the original principal amount of Jr., et al., Stamford. Filed by Jef- $385,000, dated February 2008. frey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, Filed Nov. 15. for PHH Mortgage Corp., Mount Laurel, N.J. Property: 21 Brundage St., Stamford. Action: to fore- Friedberg,Terry, et al., Westclose a delinquent mortgage in port. Filed by Mario F. Coppola, the original principal amount of Westport, for the town of West$420,000, dated September 2005. port. Property: 118 Wilton Road, Filed Nov. 13. Westport. Action: to foreclose on municipal property tax liens. Filed Nov. 13.
Gleaton, Jane, et al., Stamford. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 36 Ann St., Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $240,000, dated November 2006. Filed Nov. 15. Gould, Suzanne Dache, Westport. Filed by Mario F. Coppola, Westport, for the town of Westport. Property: 17 Bluewater Hill, Westport. Action: to foreclose on municipal property tax liens. Filed Nov. 13. Hale, Mark M., et al., Stamford. Filed by Erika L. Mascaro, Farmington, for Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 83 Crystal Lake Road, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $280,000, dated August 2003. Filed Nov. 13. Haynes, Veronica L. and Hiroyuki Nagata, Norwalk. Filed by Erika L. Mascaro, Farmington, for Citimortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 152 New Canaan Ave., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $283,000, dated April 2011. Filed Nov. 15. Hyde, Dione and Devon, et al., Stamford. Filed by Erika L. Mascaro, Farmington, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 7 Piave St., Unit C-16, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $313,200, dated May 2006. Filed Nov. 14. Jones, Ellen L., et al., Westport. Filed by Erika L. Mascaro, Farmington, for HSBC Bank USA, Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 29 North Ave, Westport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $348,000, dated March 2007. Filed Nov. 13. Kausidis, Elisavet and Jimmy, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Kevin M. Casini, Hartford, for PNC Bank, Pittsburg, Pa. Property: 3 Baxter Drive, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $366,000, dated August 2009. Filed Nov. 6.
24 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Pickens, Dorothy W. and Stephen H., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Jessica L. Braus, Fairfield, for Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 55 Creeping Hemlock Drive, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $246,000, dated September 2004. Littell, Julie A. and David R., Filed Nov. 15. Darien. Filed by Erika L. Mascaro, Farmington, for Wells Fargo Bank, Frederick, Md. Property: Ray, Dennis C., Westport. Filed 2178 Boston Post Road, Darien. by Patrick J. Walsh, Ridgefield, Action: to foreclose a delinquent for Fairfield County Bank, Ridgemortgage dated September 2007. field. Property: 87 Turkey Hill Road South, Westport. Action: to Filed Nov. 7. foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount Long, Diane, et al., Norwalk. of $200,000, dated April 2008. Filed by John J. Ribas, Bridgeport, Filed Nov. 13. for Stonewood Condominium at Richards Ave Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 100 Richards Robalino, Maria and Jaime, et Ave., Unit 203, Norwalk. Action: al., Stamford. Filed by Karen J. to foreclose a statutory lien on this Lucien, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. unit. Filed Nov. 7. Property: 41 Tally Ho Lane, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinLovello, Carol W., et al., Stam- quent mortgage in the original ford. Filed by Mark A. Sank, principal amount of $624,000, Stamford, for Hamilton Green dated March 2005. Filed Nov. 13. Association Inc., Stamford. Property: 287 Hamilton Ave., Unit 58, Stamford. Action: claims an in- Roldan, Miguel, et al., Norwalk. terest in real property on a com- Filed by Douglas Sauvé, Hartford, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Fredplaint. Filed Nov. 14. erick, Md. Property: 28 Lincoln Ave., Norwalk. Action: to foreMann, Stephanie D., et al., Nor- close a delinquent mortgage in walk. Filed by Douglas Sauvé, the original principal amount of Hartford, for Wells Fargo Bank $391,500, dated July 2005. Filed N.A., Frederick, Md. Property: Nov. 7. 134 Washington St., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal Serra, Renee, et al., Norwalk. amount of $202,500, dated De- Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartcember 2005. Filed Nov. 7. ford, for Cenlar F.S.B., Trenton, N.J. Property: 44 Allvin Drive, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose McCormack, Pat S., et al., West- a delinquent mortgage dated port. Filed by Louis C. Zowine, March 2006. Filed Nov. 14. Bridgeport, for People’s United Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 45 Marion Road, Westport. Action: Solway, Bridget aka Bridget M. to foreclose a delinquent mort- Ray, et al., Westport. Filed by gage in the original principal Kevin M. Casini, Hartford, for amount of $50,000, dated May Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Freder2003. Filed Nov. 16. ick, Md. Property: 149 Riverside Ave., Westport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in Papic, Eddie and Lori Jan, et al., the original principal amount of Darien. Filed by Kevin M. Casini, $340,000, dated May 2008. Filed Hartford, for Cenlar FSB, Tren- Nov. 19. ton, N.J. Property: 58 Camp Ave., Darien. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated April Spinola, Alice M. and Sylvio L., 2005. Filed Nov. 14. et al., Norwalk. Filed by Robert G. Miller, Norwalk, for Falls at Silvermine, Norwalk. Property: 1 Perrotelli, Maura, et al., Nor- Wolfpit Ave., Unit 16, Norwalk. walk. Filed by Jessica L. Braus, Action: to foreclose on unpaid Fairfield, for Bank of America common charges. Filed Nov. 13. N.A., Charlotte, N.C. Property: 10 Thistle Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $480,000, dated September 2010. Filed Nov. 7. Kevin McGuigan Estate, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Simon Sumberg, Norwalk, for Highland Mews Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 31 Highland Mews Association Inc., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges. Filed Nov. 13.
Treschitta, Mary and John, Fairfield. Filed by Amanda Tiernan, West Warwick, R.I., for Deutsche Bank National Trust, trustee, Los Angeles, Calif. Property: 20 Waschuk Circle, Fairfield. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated January 2004. Filed Nov. 13. Turkesi, Ermal and Shawn Webb, Norwalk. Filed by Jeffrey M. Knickerboxer, Hartford, for AS Pandia L.L.C. Property: 25 Grand St., Unit 240, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $231,000, dated December 2005. Filed Nov. 14. Varias, Simon A., et al., Stamford. Filed by William W. Ward, Stamford, for Edgewater Association Inc., Stamford. Property: 7 Fourth St., Unit 1K, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a lien held by the Plaintiff, against real property. Filed Nov. 14. Veracchi, Barbara aka Barbara Vazquez, Norwalk. Filed by Alan P. Rosenberg, West Hartford, for Rowayton Woods Condominium Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 18 Rowayton Woods, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges. Filed Nov. 9. Victorino, Guadalupe and Fernando, Norwalk. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for HSBC Bank USA, Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 7 Ingals Ave., Unit 7B, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $308,000, dated May 2006. Filed Nov. 14. Vitteri, Luis, et al., Stamford. Filed by Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for Central Mortgage Co., Little Rock, Ariz. Property: 249 Long Ridge Road, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated September 2005. Filed Nov. 9.
on the record State & Main Streets L.L.C., S. Norwalk, by Mollie Passero. Lender: Faifield County Bank, Ridgefield. Property: 2 Post 23 Ryan Street L.L.C., Stamford, Road East, Westport. Amount: by Michael D’Elia. Lender: Stam- $500,000. Filed Nov. 16. ford First Bank, New Canaan. Property: 23 Ryan St., Stamford. Amount: $660,000. Filed Nov. 9.
Mortgages
Name Change
Alyssa Holdings L.L.C. and Martell Associates L.L.C., Bronx, N.Y., by Anthony Martello. Lender: Hudson Valley Bank, Yonkers, N.Y. Property: 770 Connecticut Ave. and 1055 Summer St., Norwalk. Amount: $11.5 million. Filed Nov. 9. Bayview Preservation Partners L.P., New York City, by Patrick J. Fry. Lender: Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Rocky Hill. Property: 667 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $17.7 million. Filed Nov. 15. Bayview Preservation Partners L.P., New York City, by Patrick J. Fry. Lender: Cornerstone/Bayview Inc., New York City. Property: 667 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $10.9 million. Filed Nov. 15. Bayview Preservation Partners L.P., New York City, by Patrick J. Fry. Lender: Cornerstone/Bayview Inc., New York City. Property: 667 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $500,000. Filed Nov. 15. Kleban Day street L.L.C., Santa Ana, Calif., by Mark A. Bullock. Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Ridgefield. Property: 1015 Boston Post Road, Darien. Amount: $2.3 million. Filed Nov. 9. Merlin Properties L.L.C., Westport, by Therese S. IgnozziLittle. Lender: Bank of America, Farmington. Property: 311 Post Road East, Westport. Amount: $500,000. Filed Nov. 14. Old Field Properties L.L.C., Westport, by Thomas Ryan. Lender: Connecticut Community Bank, Westport. Property: 876 to 878, and 904 to 906 Oldfield Road, Fairfield. Amount: $675,000. Filed Nov. 15.
Fairfield County Beat Magazine, P.O. Box 320311, Fairfield 06825, c/o Magmaker L.L.C. Filed Nov. 20.
New Tenants
Dean Moss Family Ltd., St. Petersburg, Fla. Fit-out an existing Fairfield Fury Red, 58 Noyes commercial building for Darien Road, Fairfield 06824, c/o Nicole Hospitality Group, First floor, 119 Rowayton Ave., Norwalk. EstiKane. Filed Nov. 9. mated cost: $1,000. Filed Nov. 16.
Battery cathodes. Patent no. 8,313,859 issued to Todd E. Bofinger, Nashua, N.H.; William L. Bowden, Nashua, N.H.; George Cintra, Holliston, Mass.; Kirakodu S. Nanjundaswamy, Sharon, Mass.; Rimma A. Sirotina, Ashland, Mass.; Dana Alexa Totir, Danbury, Conn.; and Fan Zhang, Norwood, Mass. Assigned to The Gillette Co., Boston, Mass.
Method and assembly for determining the temperature of a test sensor. Patent no. 8,313,951 issued to Jeffrey D. Blais, Walden, N.Y.; Steve Sun, Mount Kisco, N.Y.; Bern Harrison, Granger, Ind.; Narasinha C. Parasnis, Danbury; Serban F. Peteu, East Lansing, Mich.; Tony Nguyen, Valhalla, N.Y.; Paul Ripley, Nanuet, N.Y.; Xin Wang, Elmsford, N.Y.; Igor Gofman, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. Assigned to Bayer HealthColor management methods care L.L.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. and systems to adaptively tune colors for image marking devices. Patent no. 8,314,979 is- Optical component identifier. sued to Lalit Mestha, Fairport, Patent no. 8,319,501 issued to N.Y.; and Matthew F. Hoffmann, Larry Pham, Portland, Ore.; and Ontario, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Paul Pankratz, Sandy, Ore. AsCorp., Norwalk. signed to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.
Good Price Second Hand Store, 314A Westport Ave., Norwalk Dean Moss Family Ltd., St. Pe06851, c/o Thang Cam Dam. tersburg, Fla. Fit-out an existing commercial building for VanderFiled Nov. 15. bilt Associates, First floor, 119 Rowayton Ave., Norwalk. Estimated I Live for Kids Altagracia, 48 cost: $1,000. Filed Nov. 16. Summit Ave. Apt. A, Norwalk 06854, c/o Altagracia A. Pena. Dean Moss Family Ltd., St. PeFiled Nov. 19. tersburg, Fla. Fit-out an existing New Businesses commercial building for BaylJau Design, 296 Main St., West- iss, Second floor, 119 Rowayton Above Board Tech Suppoert, 7 port 06880, c/o Julie Utzler. Filed Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: Color registration strategy for preprinted forms. Patent no. Renzulli Road, Norwalk 06851, Nov. 15. $1,000. Filed Nov. 16. 8,319,202 issued to R. Enrique Vic/o Alber D. Torre Sr. and Anthoturro, Rochester, N.Y.; and Howny Joseph Talierco. Filed Nov. 15. Jay’s Home Services, 50 Nichols Dean Moss Family Ltd. Fit-out ard A. Mizes, Pittsford, N.Y. AsSt., Fairfield 06824, c/o Jay Dou- an existing commercial build- signed to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Andrea’s Eyelash and Brow berly. Filed Nov. 14. ing for Dualetic Capital, Second Boutique, 81 N. Main St., Norfloor, 119 Rowayton Ave., Nor- Corrugated pre-curler for mewalk 06851, c/o Andrea Joy Allan. walk. Estimated cost: $1,000. dia hold-down transport. PatKC Westport, 68 Church Lane, Filed Nov. 16. Westport 06880, c/o Charlie D. Filed Nov. 16. ent no. 8,317,315 issued to Linn Cole Inc. Filed Nov. 16. C. Hoover, Webster, N.Y.; Ruddy Anna B., 5 Chapel Hill Road, Castillo, Briarwood, N.Y.; Joannes Patents Westport 06880, c/o Anna Dejong, Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Mavericks Foam and CoatBilowus. Filed Nov. 14. and Ming Yang, Fairport, N.Y. ing, 16 Bayberry Road, Fairfield Adaptive cycle up convergence Assigned to Xerox Corp., Nor06825, c/o Christopher Roche. criteria. Patent no. 8,314,959 is- walk. sued to Eric M. Gross, Rochester, Barn Salon, 1200 Post Road, Filed Nov. 13. N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Fairfield 06824, c/o Stephanie D. Norwalk. Foote. Filed Nov. 20. Fuser member release layer Runtime Services Internahaving nano-size copper metal tional, 28 Wilson Ave., Norwalk particles. Patent no. 8,318,302 Blue Eagle Transport Inc., 66 06853, c/o Cloudline L.L.C. Filed Annular adhesive structure. issued to David Gervasi, PittsPatent no. 8,312,885 issued to ford, N.Y.; and Santokh Badesha, Riverside Ave., Westport 06880, Nov. 16. Michael J. Bettuchi, Middletown; Pittsford, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox c/o Jack N.S. Donmez. Filed David N. Fowler, Cheshire; Frank Nov. 15. The Beat, P.O. Box 320311, Fair- J. Viola, Sandy Hook; Christopher Corp., Norwalk. field 06825, c/o Magmaker L.L.C. J. Criscuolo, Branford; Danyel Budget Blinds of Stamford, 44 Filed Nov. 20. J. Tarinelli, Middletown; Robert Halftone independent device Bennett St., Fairfield 06825, c/o Capella, Shelton; Kevin Sniffin, characterization accounting Serkin Enterprises of ConnectiDanbury; and Ahmad Hadba, for colorant interactions. PatVerturo L.L.C., 320 Boston Post cut. Filed Nov. 15. Road, Darien 06820, c/o Venturo Wallingford. Assigned to Tyco ent no. 8,314,978 issued to Vishal Healthcare Group L.P., Mans- Monga, Webster, N.Y.; Shen-Ge L.L.C. Filed Nov. 13. field, Mass. Wang, Fairport, N.Y.; and Raja Chappa Communications, 24 Bala, Webster, N.Y. Assigned to Carlin St., Norwalk 06851, c/o Westport Oral and MaxillofaXerox Corp., Norwalk. Rachael Chappa. Filed Nov. 14. cial Surgery P.C., 33 Imperial Barrier fluoropolymer filmAve., Westport 06880, c/o New based liners and packaging Design Strategies, 39 Sherwood Canaan Oral and Maxillofacial comprising same. Patent no. Immersed high-surface area 8,313,821 issued to Hongwei Yan, heater for a solid-ink reservoir. Drive, Westport 06880, c/o Rob- Surgery P.C. Filed Nov. 13. Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Kevin T. Patent no. 8,313,183 issued to ert Rosenfield. Filed Nov. 15. O’Dougherty, Arden Hills, Minn. David Platt, Newberg, Ore.; Brent Assigned to Advanced Technol- Jones, Sherwood, Ore.; Edward ogy Material Inc., Danbury. F.C. Beat, P.O. Box 320311, FairBurress, West Linn, Ore.; and Jofield 06825, c/o Magmaker L.L.C. seph Broderick, Wilsonville, Ore. Filed Nov. 20. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. BFS Retail and Commercial Operations L.L.C., has changed its name to Bridgestone Retail Operations L.L.C., effective Oct. 5, 2012. Address: 370 Westport Ave., Norwalk. Filed Nov. 9.
Pass-through inverter. Patent no. 8,320,816 issued to Henry Bober, Fairport, N.Y.; and James Spence, Honeoye Falls, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Printing systems with progressive image transfer and progressive radiant energy exposure of images for multipass printing, printing apparatuses and corresponding methods. Patent no. 8,317,313 issued to Barry P. Mandel, Fairport, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Radial bed vessels having uniform flow distribution. Patent no. 8,313,561 issued to Cem E. Celik, Grand Island, N.Y.; and Mark W. Ackley, East Aurora, N.Y. Assigned to Praxair Technology Inc., Danbury. Synchronization of variation within components to reduce perceptible image quality defects. Patent no. 8,320,013 Michael C. Mongeon, Walworth, N.Y.; Mark Jackson, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Validating aggregate documents. Patent no. 8,321,382 issued to David Vandervort, Walworth, N.Y.; Venkatesh Rao, Arlington, Va.; and Jesse Silverstein, Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.
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 December 03, 2012 25
ENHANCE YOUR BRAND AND BOOST MORALE When your company is featured in the Business Journals spread the word with our professionally produced reprints and plaques.
Visit westfaironline.com or contact
Kristina Cook | (914) 694-3600, ext. 3033 | kcook@westfairinc.com
26 Week of December 03, 2012 • Fairfield County Business Journal
Business ConneCtions Human ResouRces
salaRies & Benefits
HR Hotline: Your Questions Answered
IRS Announces 2013 Pension Plan Limits
We have employees in two job categories subject to random drug testing: (a) Commercial Driver Licensed (CDL) drivers of vehicles covered by federal DOT standards and (b) “high-risk/safety-sensitive” jobs, as designated by the Connecticut Department of Labor. If any of these employees tests positive for marijuana but also has a registration certificate from the state Department of Consumer Protection for use of medical marijuana, does Connecticut’s new medical marijuana law prevent us from taking that employee out of service and/or discharging him or her? The law specifically permits employers to apply a drug-free workplace standard to employees in jobs governed by federal law requirements such as CDL drivers—which could lead to refusing to hire an applicant or reassigning or discharging an employee who is using medicinal marijuana. However, the law does not similarly acknowledge the highrisk/safety-sensitive job designation under the Connecticut drug testing law that permits random testing. Such jobs are defined by state law as “an occupation which presents a clearly significant life-threatening danger to the employee, his fellow employees, or the general public; and requires the exercise of discriminating judgment or high degree of care and caution; and is separate from the ability to discern impaired or enhanced performance by direct supervision.” One section of the new medical marijuana law states that the protections against workplace discrimination for those using medicinal marijuana will not apply to “any palliative use of marijuana that endangers the health or well-being
of a person other than the qualifying patient or the primary caregiver.” Although it seems this may offer a basis on which an employer may refuse to employ or assign a worker to a high-risk/safety-sensitive job if that person is also using medicinal marijuana, you should keep in mind that urinalysis, the most common form of drug test, does not measure impairment but rather recent ingestion of an illicit substance. Consequently, a worker assigned to a highrisk/safety-sensitive job who uses medicinal marijuana may fail a drug test, even if sufficient time has passed since such use so that the worker shows no signs of impairment and may actually not be impaired. So it may be difficult to assert that a high-risk/safety-sensitive worker failing a drug test due to the palliative use of marijuana may “endanger the health or well-being” of people at work. One of our employees just gave his two weeks’ notice, but we’d rather not have him around for the next two weeks. Can we tell him to leave now? If so, must we pay him for the two weeks? Yes to the first question, no to the second. There is no state or federal law requiring you to accept the notice and let the employee stay on the job for the next two weeks or to pay him in lieu of accepting the notice. If you tell him to leave, however, and he files for unemployment compensation, it will be treated as a discharge rather than a resignation—and he may be eligible for benefits. Paying him for the two weeks’ notice period would preserve the resignation and probably make him ineligible for benefits. ➤ CBIA’s HR Hotline is a free member service. Call 860.244.1900.
events
Economic Summit & Outlook 2013
Scan & register!
Sponsored by Webster Bank | Presented by CBIA and the MetroHartford Alliance
f What’s in store for the state and national economies? f Is Connecticut’s economic recovery at risk? f Are jobs returning to our state? If not now, when?
Featured Economist: Nicholas S. Perna, Ph.D., Economic Advisor to Webster Bank
Hear from top business leaders and economists at southern New England’s largest economic conference.
Date
Friday, Jan. 4, 2013
Time
8:15 am–noon
Keynote Speaker: Christine Cumming, 1st Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Place Marriott Hartford Downtown 200 Columbus Blvd., Hartford
Featured Speaker: Joan K. Woodward, Executive Vice President, Public Policy and President, The Travelers Institute
Cost
CBIA members, $95; nonmembers, $130; tables of 10, $850
➤ Register at cbia.com
T
he Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2013. In general, many of the pension plan limitations will change for 2013 because the increase in the cost-of-living index met the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment; other limitations will remain unchanged because the increase in the index did not meet the statutory thresholds. Highlights include: f The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is increased from $17,000 to $17,500. f The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains unchanged at $5,500. f The limit on annual contributions to an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) rises to $5,500, up from $5,000 in prior years. f The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA is phased out for singles and heads of household who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (AGI) between $59,000 and $69,000, up from $58,000 and $68,000 in 2012. For married couples filing jointly, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range is $95,000 to $115,000, up from $92,000 to $112,000. For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out if the couple’s income is between $178,000 and $188,000, up from $173,000 and $183,000. f The AGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $178,000 to $188,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $173,000 to $183,000 in 2012. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $112,000 to $127,000, up from $110,000 to $125,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-out range remains $0 to $10,000. ➤ Read more at cbia.com/hr
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of December 03, 2012 27
POWERFUL WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS THE BUSINESS JOURNALS AND WAG WILL PRESENT a discussion by some of the most fascinating women in the communications field. Titled “Powerful Women in Communications,” the event at The College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, launches the journals’ 2013 monthly programs, which will vary in format from month to month. More than 350 gue sts are expe cte d to atte nd to se e and he ar ne twork TV and He arst publication stars. Here’s where you should promote your business, display your products or services and generate new relationships. PleasecontactHollyDeBartolo (914)694-3600oremailHdebartolo@westfairinc.com. VALERIE SALEMBIER, senior vice president, publisher and chief revenue officer at Town & Country. JEAN CHATZKY, the financial editor for NBC’s TODAY show. ELIZABETH BRACKEN-THOMPSON, partner at Thompson & Bender.
SPONSORS
Register now. Space is limited. Email Alissa Frey at afrey@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com
Biz
WCBJ ®
INSIDE
17 January
WESTCHESTER COUNTY
BUSINESS JOURNAL
magazine