Connecticut College has named six employees as winners of its 2024 Presidential Staff Recognition Awards.

Categories and the winners were:

● Citizenship Award: Lorraine McKinney ’09, Acquisitions & Collection Services Supervisor

● Inspiration Award: Justin Mendillo ’18, Director of Gender & Sexuality Programming

● Rising Star Award: Sean Elliot, Photographer

● Service Excellence Awards: John Nugent, Director of Institutional Research & Planning; Keleigh Wagner, Program Coordinator

● Special Commendation: Jeff Gada, Assistant Director of Media Services & Technology Planning

Opportunities

Chelsea Groton Bank is hosting a Career Expo for candidates interested in exploring potential careers in banking on Wednesday, June 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the bank’s new headquarters building, 904 Poquonnock Road, Groton.

Renee Simao, talent acquisition specialist, said she encourages people to ask questions and talk to other team members about their career pathways. Candidates are encouraged to bring a resume and to dress professionally as some on-the-spot interviews may occur. Open positions include opportunities with full-time, part-time and parent hours.

To review open positions in advance, visit www.chelseagroton.com/Careers. For questions, email rsimao@chelseagroton.com.

People & Places

Yale New Haven Health held a healthy food drive as part of the #GiveHealthy Movement. The goal was to provide fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy food items to help hunger organizations throughout the state and region during winter months when donations are fewer.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital collected 4,727 pounds of food equaling 3,939 meals and was donated to F.R.E.S.H. New London, a community group dedicated to building and sustaining a healthy and just food system to establish community food security in Connecticut.

Westerly Hospital collected 1,579 pounds of food equaling 1,316 meals and donated locally to the “Pantry of the lane” operated by the Joy Fellowship Church. In total, Yale New Haven Health collected over 22,550 pounds of food during three months of the #GetHealthy drive – which equates to 18,792 meals.

The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce recognized James Beard nominee David Standridge, executive chef of The Shipwright’s Daughter, in the latest installment of the Community Proud series, sponsored by CorePlus Credit Union.

Standridge is a board member of Eating with the Ecosystem and is a leader in the James Beard Smart Catch program, exhibiting his dedication to sustainable sourcing. By utilizing wild, abundant fish species caught by small fishermen, David has discovered a way to support his community and preserve the integrity of our ecosystem.

Standridge is a fierce advocate for his community and frequently organizes events that showcase local farmers and distinctive flavors of New England cuisine. At The Shipwright's Daughter, guests enjoy farm dinners that aim to protect small, biodiverse farms, attend showcase dinners that feature climate change fighting superfoods, such as New England sugar kelp, and even participate in fundraisers to support an employee in their recovery from cancer.

Ceiba Arbor in Salem is one of three Connecticut entities awarded grants from $5,000 to $20,000 by the BIPOC Community Composter Mini-Grant Program administered by the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Ceiba Arbor will be a farm cooperative that blends growing food, arts, education, and ceremony, serving as a model for other farmers of color who aspire to do the same. It will be an inter-generational retreat space, calling in people who want to learn how to be in a relationship with the land.

Plans call for an on-site composting system to process food scraps from the region, potentially in partnership with nearby businesses or schools through a pick-up program. Other plans include creating a workshop circuit exploring different compost methods in urban farming settings, especially in New London.

A total of $165,000 in grants were awarded to 10 groups in New England, including Common Ground Urban Farm/New Haven Ecology Project (New Haven) and Root Life LLC (New Haven).

The Connecticut Airport Authority, along with its business partner concessionaire Paradies Lagardère, have announced the opening of a brand-new dining location at Bradley International Airport.

Beercode Kitchen & Bar is now open in the Gates 21-30 concourse. This gastropub-style concept is the first sit-down restaurant in this specific concourse, which will open daily at 4 a.m. with breakfast and then serve lunch and dinner for travelers throughout the day.

Since July 2023, Paradies Lagardère has been in the process of modernizing its offerings at the airport. Among the first upgrades was the opening of the airport’s first Starbucks. Since then, Paradies Lagardère has also redesigned one of its New England Tavelmart locations, which reopened last fall as the Charter Oak Emporium. Paradies Lagardère also operates the iStore and Avanti Marketplace at BDL.

The Verizon-authorized retailer Wireless Zone has announced that its foundation has contributed $20,000 to local pet rescue organizations. This initiative took place on Saturday, May 11, during the annual Rescues Rock Pet Adoption Event. In addition to the grants, there will be a Pet Supply Drive throughout the month of May, and the company is looking for donations of.gently used towels and blankets, cat and dog toys, treats, collars, leashes, pet beds, and more.

Among the groups to be receiving donations are Wings of Freedom Animal Rescue in Groton (wofarinc@gmail.com); All Paws on Deck (Griswold); CT Animal House (c.lambkins@yahoo.com), and Stand Up for Animals.

For more information, visit www.wireless-zone.com.

New London Fire Department Assistant Chief Vernon R. Skau, a 21-year veteran of the department, will be promoted to chief during a ceremony on June 5 at the Science and Technology Magnet High School, Lecture Hall 20 Chester St., New London. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 pm

A free SCORE webinar, “Leadership Mastery: Delegation, Measurement, and Processes,” will be sponsored by M&T Bank from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, on Zoom.

This webinar with seasoned business leader Aaron Friedman is tailored for business leaders who aim to excel in managing organizational processes and optimizing business productivity. The webinar is intended to transform participants into strategic leaders who inspire and maintain high standards of operational excellence.

For information, email Anne Driscoll, anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.

Another SCORE event, “Making Connections: A SCORE Summer Social,” will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Lyman Orchards Golf Course, 72 Lyman Road, Middlefield.

The event is free, but registration is required at https://www.score.org/easternct.

The social will feature local entrepreneurs from different industries participating in a moderated panel. The panelists are Margeurite Alpert of The Flowered Press in Wethersfield (https://www.thefloweredpress.com/), Tom Larson of Just Dump It in Old Lyme (https://www.just-dumpit.com/), and Annmarie & Michael Francis of One Patient at a Time in Middletown (https://opaatct.com/).

For information, email eastern.ct@scorevolunteer.org/.

Chamber News

The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a four-part workshop titled “IT'S ABOUT TIME: Strategies to Streamline Productivity & Time Management” starting Thursday, May 30, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the chamber office in Norwich, 187 Main St.

This series will take place also on June 13, June 27, and Aug. 1. Attendance at all four parts is highly recommended to fully benefit from the series. To register, visit norwichchamber.com/events.

Lesely Ingves, productivity specialist and owner of Clear Pathway, will tackle the age-old question: "How am I ever going to get this all done?“ by showing how to effectively prioritize and streamline your tasks, empowering you to strike a balance between work and personal life and reclaiming control over your schedule.

Another GNACC event will be BizBlender Networking hosted at Bella Fiore Restaurant at 543 W. Thames St. from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 28.

BizBlenders allow participants to engage with fellow business owners and representatives in a structured format. Each participant will have two minutes to tell a story about their business. As you rotate through the room, you'll connect with everyone present, opening doors to potential collaborations and growth opportunities.

For questions, call 860-887-1647 or email angelaadams@norwichchamber.com.

State News

The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services is reminding New London County taxpayers that the extension due date to file Connecticut state income tax returns and certain business tax returns is approaching on June 17.

This extension was granted in recognition of the county’s FEMA designation after severe weather and flooding in January and applies to all individuals and businesses in the affected area, including the Mohegan Tribal Nation and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Additionally, taxpayers have the same deadline of June 17 to file their federal returns with the IRS.

For more information, visit the DRS website or call from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to 860-297-5962 (from anywhere); 800-382-9463 (within CT, outside greater Hartford area only); or 860-297-4911 (TTY, TDD and Text Telephone users only). Another option is to email DRS at DRS@ct.gov –but do not include any attachments or images in the body of the email.

State Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez has announced the opening of a Request For Information to expand the department’s approved list of firms to perform independent feasibility studies for applicants to its banking charters.

Requested information, among other items, includes a brief description of the firm, its presence in Connecticut, its employee composition as well as resume and background for individuals who would be assigned to conduct the study. In addition, firms are asked to provide their experience with Connecticut banking law and regulations and the disclosure of any lawsuits the firm may be involved with.

Interested firms may find the application on the Department of Administrative Services website located at https://portal.ct.gov/das/ctsource/bidboard?language=en_US; type DOB-1011 in the search field at the top of the page. .

Gov. Ned Lamont, AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam and West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor will be among the speakers outlining plans for new national service opportunities in the state and nationally at the first-ever Connecticut Service Symposium. The event will be held May 29 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the 1877 Club at the University of Hartford in West Hartford.

The event is co-hosted by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, GYL Financial Synergies, and More Perfect. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and free tickets can be procured on Eventbrite.com.

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.