Now that 2019 has come to an end and 2020 is upon us, I would like to wish everyone in Middlesex County and throughout the great state of Connecticut a very Happy New Year.
The beginning of a new year always brings optimism and the chance for a fresh start. The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is excited about the year ahead. We look forward to continuing our work on behalf of the business community in Middlesex County on a number of fronts. We will continue to develop our divisions and committees so that members can engage with state and local officials and address issues of importance to their region or their industry sector. We will continue to host large scale Member Breakfast Meetings with terrific speakers, and outstanding networking events that benefit our members. We will continue to reach out to non-member businesses and organizations and invite them to come aboard. We will continue to implement vital workforce development and educational training programs that are helping to develop the community and create and retain jobs. We will continue to develop an innovation eco-system in Middletown and throughout Middlesex County. Finally, we will expand on our efforts to promote Middlesex County and as a key tourism hub in the northeast, and will work with manufacturers and our educational institutions to develop what is a critical workforce pipeline. I am very optimistic about 2020, and you can bet that the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce will be on the move in the new year.
The new year gets off to a fast start in the month of January starting with next Wednesday evening, Jan. 8, when the chamber’s first Business After Work networking reception of the year will be held at Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort in Middlefield. In addition to the best networking around, this event will feature free beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and a great spread of food courtesy of Sean Hayes and his team. I thank Sean not only for hosting this event for our chamber, but for his commitment to Middlefield, to Portland through Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park, and to the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. This exciting Business After Work event will also serve as the official kick off of the fifth annual “Taste of Middlesex County” Restaurant Week, brought to you by Comcast Business, which is back by popular demand in 2020. Immediately prior to the BAW, a “Restaurant Showdown” will take place featuring a number of our participating restaurants. Taste of Middlesex County is scheduled for Jan. 13-19 at delicious dining locations throughout our region. The goal of this initiative is to highlight the numerous and diverse dining experiences within the greater Middlesex region. From the beautiful shores of Westbrook to the home of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, there is something for everyone. Restaurants offer a pre-fixed menu to give diners the opportunity to experience the area’s fine dining landscape without breaking the bank. This year, there will be two dining options both with a prix fixe 3-course meal, one for $20.20, and the other for $30.20 (does not include beverages, tax or gratuity). I want to once again thank Comcast Business for its strong support of Taste of Middlesex County, which is an exciting week for our chamber and for our region. Please visit the Taste of Middlesex County tab on the chamber’s website for a list of participating restaurants for the taste. We will be sure to keep everyone updated in the chamber column and through other promotional means. Bon Appetit.
Switching gears a bit, I am happy to report that the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce will continue the very successful KeyBank Workshop Series in the new year. Our first session, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the chamber office. The definition of sexual harassment, liability, and the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace will be discussed. Attorneys from the law firm Jackson Lewis, LLP will demonstrate how to limit your company’s exposure to charges of sexual harassment. This session meets state of Connecticut requirements for employers. Please contact the chamber for registration information. This important chamber Workshop Series is sponsored by KeyBank, and I want to again thank their entire team for its strong support of this important chamber initiative. The sexual harassment prevention training in January will be followed by a February session on search engine optimization, and in March, best practices surrounding hiring and firing.
Chamber divisions and committees start up again next week at different locations throughout Middlesex County, and our team is working hard to develop the overall chamber calendar for the coming weeks and months. Two dates that should definitely be saved, however, include our February Business After Work Networking Reception at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in Rocky Hill on Tuesday, Feb. 25, and our 2020 Legislative Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell. As always, the Business After Work event will feature a great spread of food and drink for our members and their guests along with outstanding networking opportunities, and the Legislative Breakfast, sponsored by Comcast, will feature legislators that represent the 15 Middlesex County towns in the State Senate and in the House of Representatives. I will have much more on these important events as we get closer, but please be sure to save the dates.
While the chamber is on the move and optimism about the new year strong, it is with a heavy heart that I must close this week’s chamber column on a sad note after the recent passing of Robert “Red” McKinney, a well-respected friend to many people and organizations in Middlesex County.
A life-long resident of East Hampton, Red lived in the village of Middle Haddam for the past 45 years. Throughout his entire adult life, Red was heavily involved in many charitable initiatives that benefit a variety of community organizations. A partial list of the organizations that Red supported over the years includes: The East Hampton Rotary and Lions Clubs, the East Hampton Old Home Day Association, the Food/Fuel Bank, the Connecticut Make-A-Wish Foundation, Hospital for Special Care, Middlesex Health and the Middlesex Cancer Center, the East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance Association, the Middle Haddam Library, and the Saint Patrick Church where Red was an active parishioner for many years. He was also involved in local politics and was held in high regard by both political parties and by individuals from all over the political spectrum. Finally, Red was a businessman, who along with his wife Anne, managed commercial and residential properties through their business, Hill Top Associates. The chamber was proud to present Red with our Distinguished Citizen Award in 2009, and I am so glad we did. More important than all of this however, was Red’s devotion to his wonderful family. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Anne, his daughters Shannon, Taren, who was an outstanding chamber employee for four years, and Kirsten, his son Ryan, his beloved grandchildren, and his entire family at this difficult time. May they take comfort in the fact that Red led a life well lived, and that he will be remembered fondly. Robert “Red” McKinney will be missed.
On another sad note, we recently learned that Peter Derita Sr. also passed away. I will have a lot more on Pete’s passing in next week’s column, but our thoughts and prayers are with his family as well at this difficult time.