David Saia of Niantic, has joined Chelsea Groton Bank as vice president, commercial loan officer for the commercial lending department. In this role, David will develop new commercial loan relationships while maintaining a portfolio of loan customers in the bank’s market areas.

A graduate of Bentley College, Saia’s fervor for banking and building relationships first began at Wells Fargo, where he was a home mortgage consultant, and then a branch manager. He held multiple management and business banking positions at Citizens Bank before his most recent role as vice president at Centreville Bank.

People & Places

Kristin Urbach, executive director of the Connecticut Wind Collaborative, was a featured speaker at the Connecticut Power and Energy Society Fall Conference – The Future of Energy on Oct. 30 at the UConn Graduate Learning Center, Hartford.

Urbach was invited to participate on the Offshore Wind Panel along with CWC Board member Tony Appleton in his capacity as Offshore Wind Director at Burns & McDonnell.

Urbach and CWC Board Chairman Paul Lavoie last month hosted a delegation from the Netherlands at Connecticut’s offshore wind marshaling and assembly hub, State Pier, to highlight Connecticut’s leadership role in this new American industry. The visit also served to continue earlier discussions about transatlantic partnership opportunities.

Niantic philanthropists John R. and Ashley Ranelli have established an endowment launched with a $1 million gift to Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. The John and Ashley Ranelli Endowed Scholar in Cancer Innovation will seed innovative ideas and ensure that talented researchers and physicians have the resources needed to advance cancer research, diagnostics and treatment options.

Ranelli is the former CEO of Central Garden & Pet and Mikasa, and Chairman & CEO of Woolrich, Inc. and FGX (FosterGrant). He currently serves as a board member of Central Garden & Pet and Ortholite Inc. His late father Frank Ranelli’s experience as a patient of Ephraim Hochberg, MD, deputy clinical director of Mass General Cancer Center, inspired him to promote groundbreaking cancer research and eliminate barriers to funding. For more information, visit massgeneralbrigham.org.

Longtime Thames Valley Council for Community Action staff members Kerry Callaghan and Dawn Cwyner have been promoted. Callaghan is now senior director of quality assurance, overseeing the agency’s newest department, which is responsible for data collection and reporting as well as insuring that all TVCCA’s standards are met. Cwyner, previously executive assistant to the CEO, has been promoted to director of strategic administration. For more information on TVCCA’s programs, visit www.tvcca.org.

SCORE will host a free webinar, “Franchising 101: Exploring Ownership Models, Benefits, and Pitfalls” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19. To register, visit https://www.score.org/easternct. The webinar will feature franchise coach and consultant Ruth Terray giving practical advice about the world of franchising, a proven business model that offers tremendous opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Avalonia Land Conservancy is organizing an Advisory Council that will include at least one member from every municipality and tribal entity in the area covered by the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments. The Advisory Council will meet online three times a year to discuss how Avalonia can best meet the needs of local communities through our ecologically-responsible and targeted land preservation efforts. If interested, email info@avalonialc.org or call 860-884-3500.

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union’s marketing team and Annette Janovic, a member of its Board of Directors, received awards from the 2024 Credit Union League of Connecticut for outstanding contributions to their members and communities and the credit union movement.

Janovic was awarded the Credit Union Volunteer Recognition Award for her commitment to the credit union movement. Annette serves on the board at Charter Oak and was recently designated as a Credit Union Development Educator, after completing the National Credit Union Foundation’s Development Education program in June 2024. Annette also serves on the board of the League’s foundation and is active with the league’s financial reality fair program, volunteering to chair the committee to help ensure the programs are successful. Charter Oak’s marketing team was also awarded the Marketing Excellence Wild Card Entry Award for data modeling and community events.

John B. Stanton Elementary in Norwich is now seeking Norwich-area volunteers to become mentors to at-risk youth through its Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut mentoring programs.

Stanton Elementary’s program runs on Tuesdays from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Mentors offer one-to-one guidance by meeting weekly with at-risk children for staff-facilitated program sessions. Mentors engage in fun and educational activities with their mentees that facilitate character building and relationship development, including schoolwork help, arts & crafts, and field trips. For information, email program@nbbbs.org, visit www.nbbbs.org or call 877-675-5190,

The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut Foundation is seeking sponsorships, donations, and auction items/services for its 39th Annual Holiday Gala, on Friday, Dec. 13, 5:30 to 9 p.m., at the Uncas Ballroom, Mohegan Sun. This premiere event brings together nearly 500 community members in support of eastern Connecticut neighbors. Guests can anticipate a champagne tip-off reception, dinner and dessert buffets, with live music to follow by musicians by String of Pearls and an auction.

Dress code is black tie optional. Ticket, table, and sponsorship purchases can be made at chamberect.com/gala. Gala auction items/services can be donated using the online form or by contacting the Chamber at (860) 701-9113. For questions, email foundation@chamberect.com.

Jen Massengale, owner of Bespoke fitness studio in Stonington’s Velvet Mill, has been honored in the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce’s Community Proud series sponsored by CorePlus Credit Union.

Currently, Bespoke is expanding, and the studio sponsors several community events, including the Stonington Blessing of the Fleet 5K, the St. Michael’s School 5K, the Tour de Noank 5K, the CFA Oktoberfest 5K, and its collaboration collaborates with Beer’d Brewing for the Spin n’ Sip event, which raises money for the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation.

Massengale residents in Mystic with her husband, longtime Stonington High football coach A.J. Massengale, their three teenage children, and two English Labradors.

Atlantic Outboard has completed its acquisition of Old Harbor Marina in Clinton. The company now owns and operates five marinas, two new and used boat dealerships, and three service centers across Connecticut. For more information, visit AtlanticOutboard.com or call 860-399-6773.

The Connecticut Storytelling Center is starting a new year of literacy programming in New London preschools. Storytellers are visiting first graders at C.B. Jennings International Magnet School, thanks to a grant from the Liberty Bank Foundation. Teaching artists are also doing literacy building through storytelling at Northeast Arts Academy in Groton. For information, visit www.ConnStoryCenter.org.

State News

The Connecticut Airport Authority is now offering a new way for travelers to enroll in TSA PreCheck using CLEAR pods at Bradley International Airport. Working with the Transportation Security Administration, the airport will now serve as an authorized enrollment and renewal location for TSA PreCheck, which identifies travelers deemed low risk by the TSA.

Travelers can start the TSA PreCheck application process online and then complete the enrollment and verification process inside the terminal near the main TSA security checkpoint daily from 4 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.clearme.com/tsa-precheck.

The 13th Speziale Alternative Dispute Resolution Symposium, “Restorative Justice & Juvenile Justice, ”will bring together people who work both with at-risk youths who commit harm and with community stakeholders. The free event will be held in person at Quinnipiac University School of Law in North Haven, on Friday, Nov. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The symposium will focus on what is happening in Connecticut, as well as nationally and internationally, using restorative justice processes to transform youth justice systems and make communities safer and more connected. For more information and to register, visit https://www.ctbarfdn.org.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients are eligible to enroll in health insurance coverage through state-based marketplaces as of Nov. 1. This change in the law means DACA recipients living in Connecticut can enroll in health and dental insurance plans offered through Access Health CT.

DACA recipients who are pregnant may be eligible for HUSKY Health programs, including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. For free help dial 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday from 8 to 4. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call 1-855-805-4325 with a relay operator. To find a certified broker or enrollment specialist, visit the Get Help webpage at www.accesshealthct.com/get-help. Aid is also available at AccessHealthCT.com by clicking on the “Live Chat” icon.

Aquarion Water Company has launched an online inventory of service lines for its public water systems across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire service territories at www.aquarionwater.com. The initiative lists the known or unknown material type on both the Aquarion-owned and the customer-owned side of the water service line, including information about lead pipes.

Customers who have unknown material on the customer-owned side of their service line can verify and report the material by taking Aquarion’s service line survey at www.aquarionwater.com/leadsurvey. Although Aquarion’s distribution systems are not believed to contain lead, service line materials and customers' interior plumbing can impact lead concentrations in the home. Customers with questions can call 866-728-5023.

The state office of the U.S. Small Business Administration has announced historic volume through 1,058 approved SBA loans totaling over $383 million to small businesses during the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September. The 1,058 loans approved in FY24 represent an increase of 18.3% over the previous year.

Additionally, these results show an increase in small dollar loans, reflecting the agency’s program reforms in late FY23 that improved access to affordable capital and modernized lending criteria. In all, 1,058 small businesses were served during the year, with loan approvals ranging from $5,000 to $5 million. More information can be found on www.SBA.Gov/CT.

The Buzz is a free service of The Day. To submit, email businessbriefs@theday.com. For easy access to websites and emails listed here, go to www.theday.com and type “The Buzz” into the search bar.