EVENT

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will host a Business Breakfast with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Friday, Oct. 13, 7:45-9 a.m. at Holiday Inn, 10 Laura Boulevard, Norwich. Admission is $17 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. Advance registration is requested to avoid an additional $5 fee for unregistered walk-ins. RSVP and learn more at www.ChamberECT.com/events or call (860) 701-9113. This Business Breakfast is made possible through the support of Atlantic Broadband, Norwich Public Utilities, and We Work for Health Connecticut. 

WORKSHOPS

Score will hold the following workshops:

"How to Grow Your Business," Thursday, Oct. 5, 9:30-11 a.m., Chester Town Hall, 203 Middlesex Ave. Workshop presenter is Eric Munro. Sponsored by Essex Savings Bank. For more information, contact Ward Feirer at wfeirer@gmail.com.

"How to Start and Run a Successful Non-Profit Business," Tuesday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., The Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington St. For more information, contact Bob Potter at bobpottr@aol.com.

The Business of Doing Business: Structuring Your Business and Managing Your Money," Thursday, Oct. 12, 6–7:30 p.m, Dime Bank, 290 Salem Turnpike, Norwich. Mentors Michael Hinchliffe, Jackie Roy, Dave Mitchell, Arne Sjursen, and Jim Toner will address your questions about setting up a business, protecting your assets, where to look for financing, mitigate your tax liabilitiesFor more information, contact Jackie Roy at jackieroy2060@gmail.com.

Carol Miller, a Newport, R.I.-based Reverse Mortgage Specialist, will host a free seminar detailing ways that home equity can be used strategically to close the retirement income gap. The seminars will take place Nov. 7 and 9 at 6:30 p.m. at The Mystic Art Museum in Mystic. Advanced reservations by Nov. 3 are required; 401-406-1247 or cmiller@reversefunding.com.

NETWORKING

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT will host its next Business After Hours networking event at Naskart Indoor Karting & Trampoline Park, 1 Sachatello Industrial Drive, Oakdale, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT members, $25 for non-members. RSVP in advance to avoid an additional $5 walk-in fee at www.ChamberECT.com/events or call (860) 701-9113. This event is hosted in cooperation with the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

The North Stonington Business Association Get-Together will be held at Farmers Insurance, 240 Norwich-Westerly Road, Thursday, Oct. 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/nostobusiness/.

HONORS

Reliance Health, Inc. has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Hartford Courant. Reliance Health was recognized as the #2 Top Workplace amongst mid-size businesses in Connecticut, as well as special recognition for Direction. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection.

This is the 6th year Reliance Health has been recognized as a Top Workplace. Chief Executive Officer David Burnett attributes Reliance Health’s Top Workplace standing to the more than 250 employees of the non-profit community mental health center.

Chelsea Groton Bank has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Hartford Courant. The award is the second in a row, according to Anne Wilkinson, Director of Human Resources.

While Chelsea Groton offers traditional benefits for employees, the bank also provides employees the opportunity to partake in a variety of continual education programs, as well as a manager training program. The bank recently developed a program geared at reminding employees of the history of Chelsea Groton Bank, along with the bank’s core values and attributes. Employees are invited to participate in a wellness program.

For more information, visit www.chelseagroton.com.  

Advisor Jean Wilczynski, CFP, of Exencial Wealth Advisors in Old Lyme, has obtained the Certified Financial Planner certification. Exencial now houses 20 full-time financial advisors, with half holding the CFP certification. Wilczynski joined Exencial Wealth Advisors in 2014.

For more information, call 860-434-5999 or visit www.ExencialWealth.com.

NEW LOCATIONS 

Darrell Fox, CRPC, CFP, has moved his office to 500 Bridge St., Groton, known as the Shoreline Office Suites. He held a ribbon cutting with the Groton Business Association and Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce officiating on Sept. 27. For more info visit www.ameripriseadvisors.com/darrell.e.fox.

A resident of Mystic, he graduated with his B.A. in Chemistry from Rice University in 1985.

Overabove, a strategic marketing and communications firm based in Essex, has expanded its business footprint and enhanced its offerings with the opening of a Los Angeles office. The firm’s new office is located in Manhattan Beach on the Manhattan Beach Studios’ Media Campus, a facility where media arts, studio production, new technology and ideas converge.

Tara Walls has been appointed to lead the firm’s new office. Walls will draw upon nearly 25 years of experience in the Hollywood entertainment industry to connect brands with television shows, feature films and talent. A resident of Los Angeles, Walls joins the Overabove team after serving as executive vice president of brand integrations & entertainment partnerships at FRUKT and Rogers & Cowan. She previously worked as a product placement executive at two Hollywood film studios.

The firm was founded in 2002 by Ralph Guardiano of Madison and John Visgilio of Old Lyme.

Moe’s Southwest Grill will open at 704 Hartford Turnpike, Dayville, on Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. On Oct. 4, the Dayville Moe’s will be hosting a fundraiser from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with all proceeds donated to Killingly High School.

The Dayville Moe’s is owned by franchise partners Matt Rusconi and David Vorchheimer, who own and operate 13 additional locations in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The Dayville Moe’s will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call (860) 412-9063 or visit www.moes.com.

GIVING

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union has donated $10,000 to the USS Groton Sail Foundation, Inc. in support of building a public monument in Groton that will represent the community's rich maritime heritage and history of service. The monument will honor the generations who have dedicated their lives to the specialized tradition of designing, building and operating submarines.

The sail, fairwater planes, and rudder of the USS Groton have been saved and are being restored. Once restored the sail of the USS Groton submarine will be the focal point of a public park.

The USS Groton Sail Foundation is in the process of raising $2 million to secure a site in Groton and to build the monument. To make a donation email info@grotonsail.com or call Marian Galbraith at 860-460-8740.

The Young Professionals of Eastern CT are seeking volunteers to support the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern CT's Beach Blast fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 6, 4-8 p.m. at Ocean Beach Park, 98 Neptune Ave., New London. Help is needed for setup and decorating, selling raffle tickets, and other tasks. Advance registration at www.YPECT.com or call (860) 701-9113. YPECT is administered as a division of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT. Its sponsors include Atlantic Broadband and McCue Mortgage/Keith Turner.

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