Business in brief

• The NAHB Student Chapter from Killingly High School recently attended the International Builder Show in Las Vegas, Nev., where the student team received numerous top national awards.

The students took part in a National Residential Construction Competition that involved 58 teams from across the United States.

The Killingly school team, part of the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut student chapters, took third place in the Residential Construction competition and also second place for Outstanding Chapter.

In addition, Devonte Banks received the Outstanding Student Achievement Award based on academic and chapter involvement and achievements, and Bonnie Beland received the Outstanding Educator Award, based on involvement in the construction industry and education efforts.

• Liberty Bank will present a free Homebuyer's Workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. March 9 at its New London office at 61 Bank St.

The workshop is open to prospective home buyers, especially first-time buyers, and will explain budgeting, credit, the importance of hiring a Realtor, and the mortgage process. A Liberty mortgage specialist will describe the types of affordable mortgages available and how to qualify. All attendees can make appointments to receive a free evaluation of their readiness for homeownership from a Liberty Bank mortgage specialist.

The seminar is free, but attendees must register in advance. To sign up or to obtain more information, call Antonio Gooding, Liberty Bank's community development officer, at (860) 440-2502.

• A Business After Hours hosted by the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Smith Insurance Inc. in Niantic.

Smith Insurance will present "Ways to Save Money on Your Insurance Premiums without Sacrificing Coverage."

Registrations can be made by calling the BAEC office at (860) 859-3518. The cost is $20 for BAEC members and $25 for non-members.

The Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut is a nonprofit professional trades organization serving the building industry and the public in New London and Windham counties.

• Mike Baker of Data Thought Consulting will discuss recent developments in computers and operating systems at the weekly meeting of the New London Nautilus chapter of BNI on Tuesday.

The chapter meets at 7 a.m. each Tuesday in the Harris Building on the campus of Connecticut College in New London.

The meetings are open to the public and include a free breakfast. Contact Christine Wagner at (860) 444-8011 or visit www.nautilusbni.com.

• The Dominion Foundation has presented United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut with a check for $1,600 to cover the balance of a bariatric hygiene table, which will be used in the adult day program the United Cerebral Palsy agency runs in Old Saybrook.

UCP of Eastern Connecticut is a nonprofit agency founded in 1947 serving individuals throughout eastern Connecticut.

The agency offers adult day programs, residential programs, an extended day program, access to local services, an adaptive toy library, a support group, and advocacy for people with physical or developmental disabilities.

• The Washington Trust Co. has announced several promotions at the bank, including Janell Hayes Bruno of Westerly, who has been promoted to vice president and mortgage officer.

Other promotions by the Westerly-based Washington Trust Co. include Lawrence W. Orlando of Westerly, who was promoted to vice president, buildings and facilities; Christy L. Birchell of Westerly, who was promoted to assistant vice president, marketing, and Beth K. Frenette of North Stonington, who was promoted to assistant vice president, cash management.

• The Westerly Community Credit Union is sponsoring an educational seminar on reverse mortgages from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the credit union's Granite Street branch. The seminar will be presented by Carol Miller, a reverse mortgage specialist with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Topics will include types of reverse mortgages, requirements, and loan process.

Refreshments will be served. For more information or reservations, call Nancy Martin at (401) 596-7000, extension 2142, or sign up online at www.westerlyccu.com.

• The Mystic BNI Chapter will hear a presentation on Thursday from Brian Beach of the Wireless Zone in Groton.

He will discuss the benefits Wireless Zone offers small businesses. Visitors are welcome. The chapter meets at the Mystic Hampton Inn on Hendel Drive at 7 a.m. Thursdays. For more information, call (860) 573-0580 or visit www.bnimystic.com.

• Custom Marine Canvas of Noank is one of the winners of the 2010 Marine Fabrication Excellence Awards Program held recently during the national convention of the Marine Fabricators Association in Orlando, Florida.

Custom Marine Canvas received an outstanding achievement in the Complete Interior Upholstery category, an outstanding achievement in the Exterior Upholstery category and an outstanding achievement in the Full Exterior Canvas Sailboat 27' and Up category.

The MFA Fabrication Excellence Awards Program recognizes the latest advances in technical fabric design and manufacturing in the marine textiles industry.

• Nory Oakes is the new owner and founder of Healthy Planet Fundraising.

The firm partners with those looking for an online fundraiser providing them with healthy and earth-friendly products to sell.

Schools and nonprofit groups can register at www.healthy-planet-fundraising.com, where they can also send their supporters to purchase the products online to help raise funds. The firm features safe, environmentally friendly cleaning products.

For more information about the new firm, call 1 (877) 838-6375 (1-877-8-FUND-PLANET) or visit its Web site at www.healthy-planet-fundraising.com. It can be reached via e-mail at healthyplanetct@gmail.com.

• The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut will feature a Webinar on the topic of giving a detailed, productive performance review, presented by Maria Fisher-Proulx of Future Directives LLC.

The Webinar will be held at noon on Thursday. Viewers can watch the webinar from their office or at the chamber office with a group. A roundtable discussion will follow for those participants at the chamber. Capacity at the chamber office is limited to 10.

Members can purchase Webinars for $35 at their computer or $20 at the chamber office. The non-member rate is $50 at a computer and $30 at the chamber office. To register, visit www.chamberect.com/chamber-activities or call (860) 701-9113.

• A Women's Business Network Luncheon hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut will discuss ways to save on your taxes this year.

The speakers are Wendy Richardson and Kim Wawrzynowicz of Premier Business Services Inc., who will discuss the top 10 ways to save in 2010.

The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday at the Spa at Norwich Inn. The cost to attend is $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers.

To register, visit www.chamberect.com/chamber-activities or call (860) 464-7373.

• The Savings Institute Bank & Trust Co. Employees' Caring & Giving Program recently awarded $4,400 to 13 charitable organizations.

Employees targeted organizations dedicated to aiding individual with disabilities or special needs. Local organizations receiving grants included ARC of New London County/Camp Harkness/Recreation Programs and Easter Seals in Norwich, as well as the VFW in Mystic.

The Caring & Giving program has been making quarterly grants since its inception in 1998. Bank employees created the program as a way of self-directing their yearly charitable contributions.

• Response Marketing of New Haven has been named the strategic marketing agency for The Westerly Hospital.

The firm was chosen over several other marketing agencies. The agency will work on several initiatives, including the branding and marketing of the hospital's new health center opening in North Stonington.

The health center will be located in the North Stonington Professional Center and is aimed at increasing accessibility for patients in the surrounding areas. Among the agency's clients are Logitech, McAfee, Assa Abloy, Pitney Bowes, Stanley-Bostitch and Yale University School of Medicine. For more information about Response Marketing, visit www.thepowertoprovoke.com or call (203) 776-2400, extension 304.