Connecticut Public shows “Disrupted” with Khalilah Brown-Dean and “Audacious” with Chion Wolf have been awarded prestigious Gracie Awards by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.

“Disrupted” has been recognized in the Talk Show category, honoring “outstanding content that is unique, entertaining, and highly compelling.” Chion Wolf has been awarded in the Host/Anchor category, “demonstrating a keen understanding of the scope and the impact of the news, information and/or non-fiction stories delivered, and the skills to deliver those stories in a highly credible/compelling manner. "

The Gracie Awards celebrate outstanding programming created by women, for women, and about women across various media platforms.

“Disrupted” explores the myriad of disruptions shaping our world, from technology and economics to healthcare and racial inequalities. The show airs Wednesdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., or view at ctpublic.org/disrupted.

“Audacious” highlights the uncommon experiences of everyday people, with the idea of fostering understanding and empathy. The show airs Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 11 p.m.or view at ctpublic.org/audacious.

This is the third win for “Audacious,” which took home a Gracie Award in 2022 for the episode “I regret Becoming a Parent” and in 2021 for the episode “Going Flat, or Building New Breasts: Two Women’s Post-Mastectomy Stories.”

People & Places

Access Health CT Small Business has announced the second Connecticut Small Business Summit will take place Monday, April 22, at the Mystic Marriott Hotel in Groton from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In lieu of a registration fee, AHCT Small Business is asking attendees to make a donation of any size to Connecticut Foodshare. To register, visit CTSmallBusinessSummit.com. The event is presented by Access Health CT Small Business and the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT.

Keynote speakers include Congressman Joe Courtney and Women’s Business Development Council Chief Executive Officer Fran Pastore.

The summit will include two panel breakout sessions covering marketing and community impact; tax credits, grants and government programs; and health and wellness management. Breakfast and lunch will be served. The event will conclude with a speed networking vendor expo.

Kevin Lopes, director of strategy and marketing at Groton-based ThayerMahan, a leader in autonomous maritime surveillance solutions, was a featured speaker earlier this week at the 2024 Port of the Future Conference at the University of Houston.

Lopes’ topic, “Autonomous Perimeter Monitoring for Subsurface Threats,” focused on ThayerMahan’s ability to fuse data from multiple sources above and below the water and make it available in real time for increased port security from well offshore to a facility perimeter.

The three-day conference addressed the urgent and emerging issues facing ports of entry, regulators, and associated industries. Lopes also was invited to speak during the recent Blue Innovation Symposium in Middletown, R.I., where he was a panelist for the session on “Creating Opportunities in Blue Tech.”

During his 27-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard, Lopes held several positions, including command of a USCG cutter; Chief of Planning at Sector New Orleans; Chief of Response at Sector New Orleans; Incident Commander for oil spill and HAZMAT response; and Finance Section Chief for the Deepwater Horizon unified response.

The business advisory group SCORE will host a free Zoom seminar titled “Win Customers with Your Website" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25.

To register, email Anne Driscoll, anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.

This webinar with Joshua Toenyes, CEO of Cardsetter, will show you the key elements your website needs to succeed. Attendees will receive a free website planning workbook, as well as a link to an on-demand recording of the webinar and the presentation slide deck PDF.

Bank-rating firm BauerFinancial Inc. announced that Chelsea Groton Bank has again earned its highest, 5-Star rating, now for 120 consecutive quarters. Chelsea Groton, founded in 1854, also continues to hold the designation of a “Best of Bauer Bank,” an honor only awarded to banks who maintain the highest 5-Star rating for 25 years or longer.

The latest rating was assigned in March 2024 based on December 31, 2023, financial data and signifies that Chelsea Groton Bank, with $1.6 billion in assets, continues to be one of the strongest banks in the nation. Chelsea Groton Bank reportedly holds 20.10% of the deposit market share in New London County, more than any other financial institution with a physical location in the county’s footprint, including national and regional banks.

Frontier has announced its donation of high-speed fiber Internet to help expand STEM opportunities for students in Connecticut.

Frontier will donate high-speed fiber internet to DAE of New Haven through its Broadband for Good program. This donation will provide DAE with a fast, reliable connection to support its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education and development programs for underserved members of the community.

DAE is a non-profit prepares learners of all backgrounds with the digital and personal development skills they need to pursue higher education in STEM or entry-level, high-growth tech jobs, and it does so in a hands-on, learn-by-doing environment.

Jewett City Savings Bank is participating in America Saves Week, an annual national campaign that encourages and empowers individuals, families, employers, and communities to check-in on their finances. The 2024 theme for the campaign is “Saving for What Matters Most,” and takes place the week of April 8.

Among the offerings: Those opening a new savings account for a minor will receive a free piggy bank. New accounts can be opened at any Jewett City Savings Bank location and online at JCSBank.com.

The Yale New Haven Health Pharmacy at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital opened its doors to its first customers last week.

The pharmacy will be open seven days a week for patients being discharged from the hospital, as well as patients looking to refill prescriptions, residents who live in the area and need convenient access to a retail pharmacy, as well as hospital employees. In addition to retail pharmacy services, patients will have access to YNHHS’s network of Specialty and Home Infusion pharmacies.

The 1,700-square-foot state-of-the-art retail pharmacy is located on the first floor of the hospital. Curbside pickup for non-ambulatory patients and free delivery services in the local community are offered. Hours are 8-6 Monday to Friday and 9-4 on the weekend.

To encourage more women in the region to run for elected office or to become more involved in civic leadership, The Campaign School at Yale will hold a low-cost campaign training class Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in New London.

The Community Foundation of Eastern CT is sponsoring the training, which provides an overview on how to run for office, manage a campaign, or become an active participant in the public sphere. The school is party- and issue-neutral and trains members of all parties together to foster understanding and collaboration.

Those interested in running for office or running campaigns can register at www.TCSYale.org/CFECT. The session is also appropriate for young people just getting interested in public and political life. College and high school students are welcome. Register here for The Campaign School at Yale’s The Basics session. https://www.tcsyale.org/register/basics-4-13-24.

Cost to attendees is $25. Scholarships are available. The exact location will be provided upon registering. The deadline to register is Thursday, April 11. For more information about The Campaign School at Yale or the 1-day The Basics session, email info@TCSYale.org.

CONNSTEP, the Connecticut Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, has announced that President & CEO Beatriz Gutierrez will be recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame.

CONNSTEP is a manufacturing consultancy firm serving small-to-medium sized companies, implementing advanced business and technical solutions to help organizations grow, improve profitability, and create sustainable competitive advantages.

Grants & Donations

Secor Subaru of New London presented the Thames Valley Council for Community Action with a check for $20,000 for its Meals on Wheels program on March 22 as part of Subaru’s yearly Share the Love fundraising event.

The reception and ceremony, hosted at the Garde Arts Center in New London in conjunction with the Breezeline Winter Cinema Series’ final movie event, drew a crowd of over 200 who attended the on-stage check presentation prior to the film.

For more information about TVCCA’s Meals on Wheels program, contact Eugene Theroux, TVCCA’s Senior Nutrition Program Director, at 860-886-1720.

The Rockfall Foundation on March 18 presented the Town of Old Lyme with a grant for $1,700 to support a Coastal Forest and Marshland Conservation and Education program on the town’s Horseneck Creek Landing, to be administered by the Open Space Commission.

First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker and other town officials accepted a check from Rockfall Foundation representatives prior to a Board of Selectmen’s meeting.

The three-acre property contains coastal forest and salt marsh, both under serious threat. Horseneck Creek’s forest includes black, red and white oak, highbush blueberry, northern bayberry, black huckleberry, eastern red cedar, big-tooth aspen and big-leaf marsh elder, among other trees.

The area also offers osprey, egrets, cormorants, and great blue herons during the summer, and in colder months, brant and various ducks, including brightly colored hooded mergansers. Bald eagles may also be spotted, and the state reports that seaside sparrow and saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrows, state-listed birds, may be in the area.

The grant program will complement the existing trail with a virtual guide. A botanist or biologist will collaborate to highlight featured flora. In addition, an interpretative weather and vandal-proof color sign will be produced and installed for visitor information.

The Buzz is a weekly roundup of business news compiled by Business Editor Lee Howard. To get in The Buzz, email businessbriefs@theday.com. To easily access urls cited in print, go to www.theday.com and type “The Buzz” into the search bar.