PIZZA

& BREW FEST

Connoisseur Media in Bridgeport with New Haven Pizza School have partnered to present a first-of-its-kind Pizza & Brew Fest this summer. Connecticut's pizza culture is renowned for being one of the best in the country, and the Connecticut Pizza and Brew Fest will honor that passion. The fest will be hosted at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater on July 16, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Pizza lovers are encouraged to attend a day of pizza, craft brews, music and fun. Well-known establishments such as Frank Pepe Pizzeria, Sally’s Apizza and Zuppardi’s Apizza will all be represented.

In addition to pizza and brew, attendees can also look forward to dough throwing contests, craft brew samples, free pizza panel discussions, live music from Last Man Standing Band, Residual Groove, The Pop Rocks, JULAI and the Serotones.

"Connecticut Pizza & Brew Fest is a celebration of Connecticut's rich pizza culture and we're thrilled to be able to bring it to the state where it all start- ed," said Frank Zabski of the New Haven Pizza School, one of the organizers of the event. "We invite everyone to come out, enjoy some delicious pizza and beer, learn about New Haven pizza and have a great time with family and friends." More than 40 vendors serving up their signature pizzas will be participating.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and chat with owners of some of the most iconic New Haven pizzerias.

Tickets options include VIP hour with a limited number of tickets available from 11 a.m. – noon, which allows guests to indulge in all-you-can-eat pizza samples for $50 per person, $25 for kids under 12; or General Admission from 12pm3pm, for $15 for adults and $5 for kids under 12, with $3 slices and many other options available. Tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. There will be a limited number of tickets available at the door.

For more information about the event visit ctpizzaandbrewfest.com or follow Connecticut Pizza and Brew Fest on social media @ctpizzaandbrewfest.

Lshv Expanding Diversity Among Board Members

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) in White Plains recently announced the appointment of new board officers and board members.

“In early 2022, LSHV published its revised mission to help create a society where all individuals have equal access to justice by pursuing equity through dismantling systemic oppression,” said Rachel Halperin, LSHV CEO. It is exciting to further our mission with the edition of diverse talent from unique backgrounds. I welcome their expertise, dedication and voices as we move into uncharted territory to ensure that the needs of all people are met.” The new members are:

• Jane Sovern, the incoming board president, is a member of the Higher

Spirit Of Cooperation

Putnam County Business Council (PCBC) Board members John Kraus, Bill Nulk, Candice Sciarrillo and Nat Prentice, president, Putnam County Business Council attended a Small-Business Roundtable on June 28 hosted by New York State Assemblyman Matt Slater. Joined by U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler and Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne, the event provided an open platform for business owners and representatives of nonprofit organizations to candidly address the challenges they face.

Two issues emerged as recurring themes: 1. the need to address the decline in youth employment and 2. the impact of competition from businesses in nearby Connecticut. Attendees expressed growing concerns over the decreasing number of young applicants for entry-level positions, which has become a significant hurdle for sustaining their operations. Additionally, the rising minimum wage has placed a considerable burden on smaller businesses, hindering their growth and progress. Addressing competition from Connecticut, the business owners pointed to the disparity in regulatory burden between the two states: New York more and Connecticut less.

Kraus, senior vice president for Tompkins Financial, introduced a delegation of six representatives from the bank. Dedicated exclusively to serving Putnam County businesses, these individuals repeatedly mentioned the negative impact that higher interest rates are having on their customers.

“I am pleased to join my partners in government for a roundtable with small-business owners from across Putnam County. I appreciated hearing their stories and the challenges they are facing. Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our community and here in New York especially, they are facing a myriad of challenges just to stay afloat. It is incumbent on us at the federal, state and local levels to partner with our business communities to help create an environment where they are able to grow and thrive,” said Lawler.

County Executive Byrne added “small businesses employ nearly 70% of Americans, and it was inspiring to hear firsthand about the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they have implemented. As county executive, I am committed to supporting and advocating for our local small businesses, as they

Education Practice Group of Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC and has been a part of the LSHV board since 2019.

• Vicki Walcott-Edim, senior managing counsel of global employment law at Mastercard, will be filling the vice president position. She is the first person of color to hold this role.

• Alejandro Cruz, partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, has become the board secretary.

The newest members of the board of directors are: play a vital role in driving our economy and creating job opportunities. And, a big thank you to Putnam’s largest employer, Ace Endico, for being such a gracious host for this event.”

• Nicholas Groombridge, founding partner, Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP.

• Lorraine Lopez, client board member.

• John T. Rose, dean for diversity and compliance, Hunter College. LSHV is the only provider of free, comprehensive civil (noncriminal) legal services to low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake, including urgent legal needs. Founded more than 50 years ago, LSHV serves the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley – Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan – maintaining a staff of approximately 200 individuals working across 10 offices throughout its service area. In 2022, 12,992 cases were handled, and 30,412 individuals were impacted across all practice areas.

My fellow PCBC Board members and I were very impressed with the content and conduct of this meeting. Not only was the roundtable discussion useful in providing a well-articulated list of issues that concern local businesspeople. It was also hopeful that the spirit of cooperation between the various levels of government demonstrated by Congressman Lawler, Assemblyman Slater and County Executive Byrne will lead to the resolution of many of these issues. The Putnam County Business Council is committed to actively participating in this resolution process,” he said.

Bank Foundation Awards Scholarships

First County Bank Foundation recently announced the 2023 recipients of the Richard E. Taber Citizenship Award scholarships, its annual award program honoring Fairfield County high school students who consistently demonstrate good citizenship at school, at home and in the community.

The program is designed to recognize and encourage young people who are honest, hardworking and helpful. Each year the Bank Foundation accepts student applications from January to the end of April. The award, named after Richard E. Taber who retired as chairman and CEO of First County Bank in March 2011, is in recognition of Taber’s 40-plusyear career at the bank and innumerable contributions to the community.

Each of the following students were chosen to receive the $5,000 Richard E. Taber Citizenship Award scholar- ship: Stephanie Chang of Riverside and Greenwich High School will attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in computation and cognition; Eleanor Jacobs of Fairfield and Fairfield Warde High School will attend New York University, majoring in English; and Anastasios Panagiotidis of Norwalk attended Norwalk High School and will attend the University of Connecticut, majoring in business.

“This year, we were especially impressed by the level of academics, leadership and community volunteerism of the Richard E. Taber Citizenship Award applicants,” said Robert J. Granata, chairman and CEO, First County Bank and President, First County Bank Foundation.

Established in 2001 in honor of the bank’s 150th anniversary, First County Bank Foundation was created to distribute funds annually to nonprofit organizations that support community and economic development, affordable housing and programs that support quality of life and educational enrichment for children and families.