Fairfield County Business Journal 020419

FEBRUARY 4, 2019 VOL. 55, No. 5

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Linda Skolnick in the conference room at her Westport office. Photo by Phil Hall.

Go ask Linda

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FOURTH-QUARTER MARKET

WESTPORT REALTOR LINDA SKOLNICK GAINS SALES AND HONORS

BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

L

inda Skolnick’s career as a Westportbased Realtor with Coldwell Banker has generated a number of corporate sales-related honors, including her induction into the International Presidents Elite (top 2 percent), President’s Circle (top 4 percent), the Leading Edge Society (top 5 percent) and the Chairman’s Circle Gold

(top 2 percent).

And what is the secret of Skolnick’s success? She responded with a generous laugh followed by a near-whispered admission that there was no secret.

“It really seems so obvious and easy: I return every phone call,” she said. “When you ask me a question, I answer it. There are so many Realtors that I can’t get on the phone — how am I going to make an appointment with them and show their

State Rep. Steve Stafstrom.

listings if I can’t get them on the phone? If it takes them a day or two to call me back my clients are gone by then.”

Skolnick added that she strived to take customer service to a higher level. “It makes every one of my clients feel like they’re my only client,” she stated. “It makes everyone feel special. I make these crazy good brownies and every year during the holidays I drop them off in the clients’ mailboxes. And kids point out to me in the street or in a store and say, ‘That’s the brownie lady!’ ” Skolnick came to real estate 26 years ago after she was finishing a maternity leave from her job as a buyer for Bloomingdale’s » LINDA

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Connecticut may be close to legalizing recreational pot

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com THE ISSUE OF LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA has been bouncing around the Connecticut Legislature for several years, but lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle believe it may become a reality in 2019.

“I expect we will have a very different debate and discussion this year than we have in years past,” said state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, a Democrat representing Bridgeport. As the House chair of the Judiciary

Committee this year — he replaced Rep. William Tong of Stamford, who ran successfully for state attorney general — Stafstrom’s will be a key voice in the discussions.

“I expect a robust debate on the issue — not just should it or should it not be legal, but about the framework of how we (legalize) it in a responsible way,” he said.

Stafstrom is one of 40 House members to sponsor HB 5595, which would authorize and regulate » POT

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Save the Children marks 100 years of humanitarian efforts

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

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t’s hard to imagine a better time to become board chair of Save the Children (STC), the international humanitarian organization whose U.S. headquarters is located in Fairfield, according to Brad Irwin.

“The organization is really healthy,” the New Canaan resident, whose election was announced on Jan. 2, said. “We’re just wrapping up our final numbers for 2018 and it looks like we’re going to see double-digit revenue growth.”

While he declined to specify what those digits might be, the fact is STC finished 2017 with $807.4 million in revenue — a 16 percent increase over 2016’s $696.3 million.

Assuming a 10 percent growth over ’17, if the group’s projections are correct, that would mean total 2018 revenue of $888 million.

According to the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes data and trends about charitable giving around the country, such giving

by American individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations to U.S. charities totaled $410 billion in 2017, a 5.2 percent increase over 2016 and the first time such contributions topped $400 billion in a single year.

In addition to being able to capitalize on that trend, Irwin credited STC’s leadership team, including President and CEO Carolyn Miles, for maximizing the group’s fund-raising efforts.

The timing of Irwin’s appointment is also auspicious because STC is observing its 100th anniversary this year. Founded in London on April 15, 1919, by sisters Eglantyne Jebb and Dorothy Buxton to address the issue of child starvation in Germany and Austria-Hungary during the Allied blockade of World War I and its aftermath, the organization has since expanded its operations to over 120 countries. In 2017, its mission to promote children’s rights — including providing relief and other areas of support for those in need — reached more than 155 million children.

STC’s U.S. operations began in 1932 in Manhattan. It moved to Norwalk in the 1960s and to Westport in 1974 before taking its current space at 501 Kings Highway East in Fairfield in 2014.

A longtime STC board member, Irwin’s resume includes being

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FCBJ

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Newly elected Save the Children Board Chair Brad Irwin. Photo credit: Austin Albert/Save the Children.

CEO at packaged goods company Welch’s for nearly 10 years before his retirement last year. Prior to that he was president of Cadbury North America, preceded by a stint as president of Mott’s Inc. It was during his time at Mott’s that the company decided to become formally involved with a child-focused humanitarian organization. After asking employees to vote on a handful of candidates, “Save the Children won in a landslide,” Irwin said.

Irwin has visited STC’s early learning programs in rural Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina and West Virginia as well as child health and nutrition programs in rural Guatemala and the agency’s programs to discourage and prevent child marriage in India.

“Continuing to grow and evolve as a U.S. and international

organization is the priority right now,” he said. “We want to focus on how we can be even more efficient and effective in the implementation of our programs that are happening overseas.”

Irwin identified three main areas of focus for the next several years: improving the worldwide child mortality rate, which he said has been reduced by half since 1990; increasing children’s access to education, including those living in refugee camps in such locations as Syria (more than 90 percent of children in the developing world are enrolled in school, according to the organization); and increasingly protecting children living in dangerous areas, particularly where conflicts are taking place, such as in Syria and Bangladesh.

The organization faced a serious challenge last year when hack-

ers gained entry into an employee’s email account, allowing them to issue fake invoices and undertake other means to direct about $1 million to a fraudulent entity based in Japan.

“We have taken the appropriate steps to train our colleagues and tighten up our cybersecurity efforts,” Irwin said. “What has been underreported is the fact that we received almost all of that money back through our insurance coverage.”

As for the anniversary, Irwin promised a series of events this year, including a gala dinner to be held in New York City on Sept. 12.

And there is the fund-raising.

“Given that it’s our 100th year, we thought it appropriate to set a special goal this year of raising $100 million,” Irwin said. “And I’m happy to say that we’re already halfway there.”

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Tom Sharkis turns aquarium hobby into tank-cleaning business

BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

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s a kid growing up I’ve always been into fish,” recalled Tom Sharkis as he tended the 125-gallon aquarium in his Danbury home. “I always had a tank. It is pretty soothing and chill. I think everybody should have a fish tank.”

And while Sharkis would grow up to pursue a career as a corporate chef, his love for aquariums never abated. “I used to breed fish,” he added. “I had 10 tanks in my condo for that.”

Sharkis gave up fish breeding but five years ago he refocused to launch a business designed to help people who shared his love of aquatic creatures. “I’ve always been into it, so I thought why not start up a business and get compensated for it while helping people out,” he said.

Sharkis’ Shark Attack Aquarium Maintenance LLC serves a Fairfield County customer base of aquarium owners who need help maintaining their residential fish tanks. Sharkis views himself as more of a teacher than a piscine janitor.

“I like to help people out and show them the potential of what their aquarium could be,” he said.

Sharkis explained that saltwater tanks require more maintenance than freshwater tanks, and he remembered one client who would always unplug the filters from her saltwater tank because she felt they were making too much noise.

“She wasn’t really on top of her game with her maintenance,” he lamented. “I was like, ‘You can’t play games, you can’t just unplug wires.’ So, I changed her setup. She had sand in her tank and it kept screwing up her filters. We had to pull that out and I redid her whole set-up. She’s now doing the freshwater and she’s totally digging it.”

He noted that both saltwater and freshwater tanks require time, patience and money to ensure everything goes (pardon the pun) swimmingly.

“It is an expensive hobby,” he said, noting the need to keep temperature levels and the water currents consistent. “You need to have things moving and grooving — there’s a whole mess of gizmos on there. It’s like building a Mustang. There are so many addons you can put on these tanks.”

There is also the problem of cleaning an aquarium too much. With freshwater tanks, Sharkis advised that “you want to siphon off the gravel, because all of the waste and what-not goes to the bottom. But you don’t want to do too much, because there is beneficial bacteria that grows and if you remove too much you’re going to have issues.”

The biggest problem Sharkis encounters in his work are aquarium owners who are too generous with their meals.

“The greatest mistake I see is overfeeding,” he said. “The fish can go for a couple

of days without food. And with certain fish you have to be careful. If you increase the temperature, it speeds up the metabolism of the fish so they can grow faster. But it also breaks everything down faster — warmer water means less oxygen.”

Part of the services offered include consulting on which fish are best paired together for temperament and the aquarium owner’s budget. “Certain fish are a roll of the dice — they can be pricey,” Sharkis said, noting he lost $150 within three days on two fish whose life expectancy turned out to be more abbreviated than anticipated.

The company initially included pond maintenance as part of its service offering with most of those duties involving koi fish ponds. But Sharkis opted to drop that service due to the intensity of the labor.

“Ponds are no joke,” he warned. “I attempted to do one for a woman in Salem, New York. She was like, ‘I have a pond.’ She had a lake — it was about three car lengths wide and maybe about six long and about 12 feet deep. And she had a weed problem and wanted me to pull them out. I suggested that she call the Candlewood Lake diving group to pull out the weeds.”

Sharkis charges $85 an hour for his work with a one-hour minimum charge.

He had a website but opted to jettison it in favor of a Facebook page that gave him more online traffic and a better opportunity to post videos and interact with potential clients. He also uses Thumbtack to promote his business and he attracted inquiries from as far away as Brooklyn and New Jersey but turned them down because

he felt the commute from Danbury for a one-hour job was too far.

Sharkis handles his calls on weekends — he has no plans to hang up his corporate chef job — and he uses his home as his business base. “I have no overhead,” he observed.

Perhaps the best tribute to his enthusiasm for aquarium care involved a doctor whose tank Sharkis maintained for a year. The doctor went from being a passive observer of Sharkis’ work to a curious student and then a do-it-yourself enthusiast who took over maintenance duty. But Sharkis had no ill feelings for the client’s departure.

“He was definitely into it, like myself, and sometimes you want to get your hands into it,” he said.

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FCBJ

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

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Pain of 2018 stock shock arriving in a mailbox near you

BY GLENN J. KALINOSKI gkalinoski@westfairinc.com

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he January uptick on Wall Street is giving way to a reminder of last year’s decline as investors have received their fourth-quarter retirement and investment account statements.

But experts warn against an overreaction by people shocked and dismayed by the magnitude of their personal losses in the market.

“Don’t panic, and for most people, stay put,” advised Pete Gioia, an economist who has served as economic adviser to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) in Hartford. “We know that consumer spending and consumer confidence in the [holiday] shopping season was great.”

He cautioned that investors should expect market volatility.

“There is concern that the Chinese tariffs will continue and lead to a perpetual trade war,” Gioia said. “I think that is overblown.”

Manufacturing activity in China has reached a twoyear low.

“There is a lot of pressure on the Chinese leadership,” he said. “The Chinese need to find a way to do what Trump wants and save face. They don’t want to antagonize their biggest trading partner.”

Last year was the first time since 1978 that the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell after gaining during the first three quarters. It was the second time in the Nasdaq’s history it failed to defend January-toSeptember increases.

The S&P 500 and Dow lost 6.2 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, in 2018.

They posted their largest yearly declines since 2008, when they plummeted 38.5 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively. The Nasdaq shed 3.9 percent.

The S&P 500 and Dow declined for the first time in three years as the Nasdaq ended a six-year winning streak.

The Russell 2000 fell 12 percent.

And for investors who didn’t live through Black

Monday, the recent turmoil should be viewed through the perspective of history.

On Oct. 19, 1987, the Dow crashed as it lost 508 points, reaching 1,738.74. The decline was 22.61 percent.

“If you are withdrawing money from your 401(k) you won’t be happy,” Gioia said.

“People will say this is a buying opportunity as stocks are cheaper now.”

A Westchester-based financial adviser is telling clients that if they have at least a five-year time horizon the prudent thing is to make sure the investments they own are suitable based on an investor’s age and time frame to retirement.

The adviser, who predicts a flat market for 2019, said that since people are living longer they will need to own equities to outpace inflation, and made the point that for those who sold stocks between the end of 2008 and the start of 2009 they lost a significant amount of money.

“Betting on the end of the world is a really bad bet,” the adviser said.

Volatility returns to the market; opportunities exist

BY LISA SANTO

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t’s back.

Recent history suggests that we have returned to a period of stock market volatility. But that means it is critical not to allow emotion to dictate investment decisions.

Investors can make money in an uncertain market. Depending on individual goals and expectations, some investors can adjust to the volatility by just holding firm and not panicking over short-term losses.

Others may find reduced prices in solid securities, resulting in strong buying opportunities.

Why have the markets been so volatile? There are a range of explanations over the returned volatility.

Regardless, market volatility is becoming a norm.

But perhaps the most

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telling indicator is the fact that each time there is a major sell-off, it has been offset by a strong rebound.

I believe this most likely has to do with the overall state of the economy, which is solid and growing better than it has in decades.

So, what is an investor’s best course of action?

One critical step, perhaps the most important one, is consideration of goals of the individual investor. Are you saving for retirement? For a second home? Children’s education? Are you nearing retirement or do you have some time?

Goals-based investing is the key. If you have set financial goals stick to your objectives, but be mindful of potential changes in the performance of individual equities in your portfolio.

If you are just starting out, make a plan for yourself.

FCBJ

Think about what you want to achieve and then stick with it.

Typically, with any equity, if the balance sheets and earnings reports are solid and the firm in question is moving forward even in the most volatile of periods, it is reasonable to expect that it will emerge on solid footing in more predictable times. Of course, no one has a crystal ball and past performance in both increasing and decreasing markets is not a reliable predictor of future results.

However, particularly during volatile times, you may even have the opportunity to scoop up more shares of your favorite company at lower prices, with some degree of comfort that profits seem reasonable down the road.

Research remains important. What are analysts saying

about the company you follow? Do institutions own stock in your favorite company?

Have insiders been buying or selling? What’s the dividend history?

With the proper research done in advance, it becomes far easier to make decisions to take advantage of significant changes in the price of equities in your portfolio.

We must be aware that high volatility makes everything happen far more quickly than in more stable times and we must adjust our awareness and potential for action accordingly. High volatility certainly can provide the opportunity for increased profits, but it also carries with it much higher risk.

While some analysts suggest that the market may have additional declines in the future, at the same time they are

suggesting that utilities and consumer staples may be worthy of consideration. For those with a longer-term horizon, perhaps those saving for a youngster’s college education or couples with quite a number of years before retirement, these dips may well offer buying opportunities.

Nevertheless, investors shouldn’t confuse increased risk with unnecessary risk.

As long as we understand the level of risk we are dealing with and are prepared to deal with it accordingly, volatility can work for us rather than against us.

We all just need to keep our goals in mind, whatever they may be and however they may change over the years.

Editor’s note: The information contained in this column is not a solicitation to purchase or sell investments.

Any information presented is general in nature and not intended to provide individually tailored investment advice. The strategies and/ or investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strate�y will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Investing involves risks and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest. The views expressed herein are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or its affiliates.

Lisa Santo is a financial advisor with the Wealth Management Division of Morgan Stanley in Manhattan and can be reached at 212-883-7707. She is a resident of Sleepy Hollow, New York.

School’s in for Norwalk’s Framework TV

Citrin Cooperman Corner Succession of a Family Business in the Millennial Age

BY HEATHER GREEN-KIRK, TAX DIRECTOR requirements and promotions should be formal and written and meetings with trusted advisors should include all of those impacted.

HEATHER GREEN-KIRK

Framework’s studio opened on Jan. 2.

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

F

ramework Television, a new “post-cable” video network focused on teaching digital skills, is aimed at filling a perceived void in the county’s media landscape.

“We’re doing something that I don’t think has been done here before,” said Framework Founder and President Mark Lassoff.

“Teaching digital skills on television at a price point that people can afford, with a schedule that’s flexible enough that our members can become technically sufficient and compete for jobs.”

Speaking at Framework’s Norwalk studio, which officially opened on Jan. 2 at the Palace Production Center at 29 N. Main St., Lassoff said that the network is designed to teach such skills as coding, design and game development, filling a growing need for such talent. Programming will originate from the Norwalk studio and be available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Vizio Television and various other streaming destinations.

“We really start from a basic level,” Lassoff said.

“We try to demystify the process and show how anybody can do this.” Courses like learning basic HTML are free, with higher-level courses coming at a higher price.

The complete professional

development program costs $3,999.

“That’s still less than what they charge at universities and colleges,” Lassoff said.

Lassoff’s background includes numerous digital/educational ventures, including Austin, Texasbased Internet Broadcasting Group, centered around selling branded internet radio stations. Growing up in Trumbull and Westport, he returned to Connecticut about 10 years ago to launch LearnToProgram, an online media company focused on programming.

Although LearnToProgram remains as an umbrella title for Framework, Lassoff said he weaned the company away from that area because “we’d done everything we could. There’s such a low barrier to entry in programming now.”

Lassoff said the move to Norwalk from New Haven was made “because it’s near the train and is perfectly situated between Boston and New York, where there’s all kind of tech talent and interest to draw from.”

For Framework, Lassoff has assembled an array of experts to lead its courses.

“These aren’t necessarily the most extroverted people around, so finding someone with the knowledge and know-how who doesn’t keel over on camera can be a challenge,” he joked.

The board of advisors includes Heidi Diamond, the former president of Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and Mike Schreibman, a onetime NBC News executive who now runs Hudson River CIO Advisors in Hawthorne, New York.

An important distinction from similar companies promising quick and affordable digital training, Lassoff said, is that Framework offers certifications for a number of professions. “We also help them build real portfolios, so that they can show employers that, yeah, they can really do this,” he said. “The market is more apt to accept people who have those kinds of materials to back them up.”

Many of LTP’s students have made the move to Framework, according to Lassoff, who said its total membership stands at around 12,000 from over 150 countries. “We don’t have a lot of millennials,” he said. “What we seem to get most of are people looking to make a career change — we have as many people over 40 as under 40. And we even have someone who’s in his 80s.

“Our typical member, if there is such a thing, is probably someone who’s ex-military and trying to gain expertise in a non-military sector where there’s plenty of opportunity for growth,” he added.

Businesses use succession planning to ensure that the key roles within the company remain filled throughout the life cycle of the organization. The goal of succession planning is to recruit, retain and develop the skills and knowledge of high quality employees in order to prepare for advancement into higher roles within the organization. Strong succession plans require active, ongoing planning to ensure that there are quality employees available to fill each level as the successors progress up through the chain of commands. Succession planning can be a labyrinth with constant challenges along the path such as turnover, changes in the economy, advancement in technology, etc. As difficult as it has always been to create a fruitful and well-fitted succession plan for a family business, there is a new challenge facing family businesses – millennial successors.

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, were born somewhere between the early 1980s and the middle to late 1990s. Studies have found that when it comes to work, millennials will put their personal values and the need to be their authentic selves above such things as independence or prestige. Every generation has its own approach to life, family and work.

To ignore the extensive differences between millennial successors and baby boomers currently in charge would be a detriment to everyone involved with trying to plan for future growth and the continuity of the organization.

FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING Succession statistics show that only a few percent of all family businesses make it through more than one generational shift. To help increase the odds of keeping the family business in the family, special consideration when drafting the operating agreement should be made. A basic operating agreement will include the rights and responsibilities of members and officers, ownership percentages, details on how to distribute profits and losses and how to change owners. Additional items a family business may want to consider addressing in their operating agreement include the roles in which family and non-family members will be a part of decision-making processes of the company and an outline for how management and family members will be expected to communicate with each other. While some may object to putting parameters around things like how to deal with family conflicts in a written agreement, addressing these potential issues can help keep the business running smoothly should a conflict arise.

In addition to a family business oriented operating agreement, the family should discuss openly and plan for areas that tend to result in the most concern for those putting their eggs all in the family basket. Sound financial planning will require not only the current needs of owners (such as cash flow and tax minimization strategies) but also future needs (including how different techniques to transfer ownership can help with both estate planning and minimize business interruptions). Company policies around compensation, working capital

BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP Considerations specific to a family business when planning for succession become even more complex when the family business successors are from a different generation. As beliefs, values and goals evolve, generational differences can become a major factor as to why family businesses do not survive. Knowing that all individuals and family dynamics are different there are things that business owners can do to help bridge the gaps to help for a smoother transition to the next generation of owners.

• Be transparent about succession plans.

Millennials are the first generation completely immersed in technology from birth and social media is the way of life. With information immediately available at the touch of a fingertip waiting to see how the future of the company, (and their careers), are going to evolve will not be acceptable. Ongoing dialogues can keep successors engaged and excited about how they can influence what happens next.

• Do not mistake a desire for flexibility for a poor work ethic. Reaching the conclusion that a potential successor is not fit for duty because they strategize how to get work done differently should be re-evaluated. Technology has allowed personal lives to intersect with work like never before. Families no longer own weeknights and weekends as technology allows us to get work done whenever and wherever needed. Answering client emails during a child’s sporting event is as common as texting a loved one from the office. The blurring of lines between work and leisure time demands more flexibility and studies have found that by providing flexibility, a characteristic held sacred by the millennial generation, the workplace will be more productive.

• Focus on training and mentoring.

Economic uncertainty is a common feeling for many millennials. Because of the high amount of educational debts coupled with the lack of opportunities available upon graduation, millennials are more likely to invest in themselves rather than show a loyalty to any one organization. A focus on training and a solid mentor program will help millennials feel as though they are investing in themselves while learning the ins and outs of the family business. While it may be wise to let family members learn from their own mistakes, a good balance is required to ensure that the family business employees, who may have worked in the organization since their successor boss was a child, accept future millennial bosses.

A training program will boost the capability of the successor and the confidence of the employees with respect to transitions within the organization.

• Create variation and be open to innovation.

In both work and life, self-expression for millennials is a high priority. Put the entrepreneurial drive of millennial successors to good use by finding the right way for them to diversify the business and utilize their ideas to help think outside the current core business.

For many millennials, finding a way to make a positive impact in a very connected world is imperative. Finding shared interests, whether it be a social purpose their family can support or how their family can build an environmentally responsible business model, can help sustain the family business whilst focusing beyond the business itself.

Generation gaps are challenging. With a better understanding, core differences can be transformed into opportunities if both sides are willing to take advantage of the changes that are sure to come along with each new generation.

A MESSAGE FROM CITRIN COOPERMAN

FCBJ

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

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Linda—

in Manhattan. Not eager to return to a lengthy commute that would keep her away from her newborn, she recalled the unsatisfactory aspects of her then-recent home purchase in Westport and how her agent was often less than helpful.

Skolnick and her husband had to follow-up on their own after visiting the open house that ultimately became their residence. Although she had no experience in real estate sales she felt that she could do well in the profession.

“Years ago, it was one of the few jobs that you could do and still look after your kids and get real income,” she said. “I remember my boss at the time saying, ‘Oh my God, you know how to use a computer. You’re going to be so good.’ ” But the sales volume and the corporate honors did not come immediately. Skolnick acknowledged that during her first year as a Realtor, “the lady who was bagging my groceries was making more than me.” And she quickly learned that her work did not pause on Fridays at 5 p.m. and resume on

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Pot—

the retail sale and adult use of marijuana in the state. The legislation includes: a requirement that consumers transport the product in a sealed container; the prohibition of any type of marketing and advertising of the sale of recreational marijuana; and the elimination of marijuana possession offenses from anyone previously convicted for such possession.

The bill would require roadside testing of impaired drivers. If a driver is found with at least five nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis) per milliliter in his or her blood, or to have consumed marijuana in the previous two hours, under the influence laws would be applied.

A nanogram is one-billionth of a gram.

A consistent DUI test for cannabis use is also being sought by Rep. Gail Lavielle, a Republican representing Wilton, who has submitted HB 5152, calling upon the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to conduct a study to determine a way to detect if a person’s driving is impaired by marijuana usage.

“It’s neither a pro- or an anti-marijuana bill,” said Lavielle.

“I personally don’t happen to like drugs, but if it’s going to be legal we

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FCBJ

Linda Skolnick. Photo by Phil Hall.

need to know when that line has been crossed, when it’s not safe to use it, like when you’re driving or operating heavy machinery.”

She was “very surprised” that none of her fellow legislators had brought up the issue before her.

“It seems like a natural question to me,” she said. “How do we establish a level, like the blood/ alcohol level, to determine that someone is too stoned to be driving legally?”

Lavielle’s concerns would appear to have merit. A 2017 survey by the Colorado Department of Transportation found that almost 70 percent of cannabis consumers drove high at least once in the past year and that 27 percent said they drove high almost every day.

A report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute last fall found that states with legalized recreational marijuana, specifically Colorado, Oregon and Washington, had a combined 5.2 percent increase of car crashes per million vehicle registrations between 2012 and 2016 compared with neighboring states that hadn’t legalized marijuana.

Lavielle wondered if a Breathalyzer test like that promoted by Oakland, California-based Hound Labs Inc. could be effective.

The company claims on its website that it can accurately

Mondays at 9 a.m. “On Sundays my husband would take my kids to the beach and I would have to go to an open house,” she said with a mock grumble.

Skolnick gained a reputation among her clients as the go-to person for information on local vendors, real estate-related questions and even driving directions. She sought to parlay her knowledge base into an online site that she called Go Ask Linda.

“I bought the domain and put in a client password-protected page with all answers,” she said.

“I want to be their resource. To me once you buy a house you’re not done.”

Skolnick is dealing with a housing market where supply overwhelms demand.

“The state of Connecticut is tough,” she said. “We have a lot of inventory. In Westport we have 293 active houses and sold 12 in January. Last year we sold 421 houses and 28 condos. We’d like to have six-month inventory and right now we have a 24-month inventory. That’s considerably larger.”

Skolnick is witnessing interest from potential buyers migrating out of Manhattan and Brooklyn while Westchester residents are crossing the border in search of financial relief. “The taxes are so much higher in Westchester but it used to not matter because you could write them off,” she added.

“But now you can’t following changes to the federal tax law regarding state and local deductions.”

But Skolnick noted that today’s buyers are different from those at the beginning of her career who were looking for large properties and lots of privacy. “Now, they don’t want a lot of land — it costs money to take care of it,” she said. “They want to be near the train and the town. If they can walk someplace, terrific.”

And even though Skolnick still comes across deals that fail to come to fruition, she remains optimistic that her clients will ultimately find their dream home. “Almost every time that a client didn’t get something, they wind up getting something better,” she observed.

is a less addictive and less harmful substance to buy than alcohol, tobacco, and even some prescription narcotics, all of which are legal and we have a regulatory framework for,” he said.

He also noted that several nearby states have legalized cannabis, like Massachusetts and Vermont, while lawmakers in Rhode Island and New York — including the latter’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo — have expressed interest in pushing for legalization this year.

Currently 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, although Vermont was the only one to do so

legislatively. The others did so by referendum.

“The ‘War on Drugs’ has not worked out,” Stafstrom declared.

“All it’s done is have a disruptive, adverse effect, particularly in our cities and our minority communities. We need to stop directing resources to fund prohibition which creates a black market for cannabis.”

Stafstrom noted that Gov. Ned Lamont has expressed interest in legalized marijuana as a revenue driver, and that the state’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis has estimated Connecticut could reap somewhere in the neighborhood of $61 million a year from the regulated sale of recreational cannabis.

“I don’t think doing it just for the revenue is the right reason,” Lavielle countered. “There has to be more to it than that.”

Three other marijuana-related bills have been introduced in the Legislature. HB 5442 would expand the pool of individuals eligible for medical cannabis by allowing physicians to recommend it to those with generalized chronic pain. HB 5197, introduced by Republican Tom O’Dea of New Canaan and Wilton, would require medical marijuana to be included in the state’s prescription drug monitoring fund. HB 5134 would establish a fund for school districts to use to test vaping devices for evidence of THC.

Gail Lavielle and Tom O’Dea.

identify recent marijuana use by measuring THC in breath, and that its Breathalyzer “is 1 billion times more sensitive than today’s alcohol breathalyzers.”

Lavielle said she wasn’t sure if she would vote in favor of legislation legalizing marijuana without such a test appended to it. “I’m not dead set against it or dead set for it,” she said. “It depends on what else is involved.”

Stafstrom said there is “cautious optimism” among supporters of legalizing marijuana that it will become a reality this year. “I think we’ve gotten to the point where society has realized that cannabis

Mike Roer and the start-up financing conundrum

BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

S

tart-up small businesses trying to obtain financing to fuel their new operations are often caught in a Catch22 predicament: they need seed money to grow their endeavor, but most investors want them to be making money first before they can provide financing.

Mike Roer, president of the Fairfieldbased Entrepreneurship Foundation, noted that some start-ups also need to fit specific parameters to be considered a small business.

“First, you have to define how small ‘small’ is,” he explained. “To the Small Business Administration, small is anything under a half-million dollars in sales.

But even a half-million in sales takes a long time and a lot of mistakes to get to.”

Roer, who also served as the executive director of the Connecticut Venture Group and owns Academy Books and Records in downtown Bridgeport, added that many venture capital and angel investor firms are “looking for companies with $5 million to $20 million in sales.”

The problem, he added, is that many investors are too focused on dollar figures and miss the bigger picture about small business viability.

“Ten million-dollar companies come from $1 million companies that come from pure start-ups,” he said.

“If you are at that half million-dollar SBA range, it is not that difficult to show that you have a proven company — most of your mistakes are behind you, you have consistent sales and you are profitable.”

However, Roer acknowledged that start-ups hoping to attract significant funding are far less attractive today than they were two decades ago in the build-up to the dot-com frenzy, and the chance of history repeating itself with venture capitalists pouring in money for the vague promise of future revenue is slim to nil.

26th Annual

26th Annual Culinary Extravaganza Thursday, February 28th Mike Roer, president of the Entrepreneurship Foundation. Photo by Phil Hall.

“Start-ups are very high risk,” he said. “I’m seeing a transition in venture capital.

The equity investors have become a lot more conservative. They are not the wildcatters of old — they will not invest in an idea anymore.

They’re not just looking for a proven sales track record, but they want to see profitability. It’s great for the venture capitalists, but it is difficult for the entrepreneurs trying to raise money.”

The use of crowdfunding to raise money for startups is an option, Roer stated, but he also pointed out that some entrepreneurs taking this route inadvertently expose themselves as not being ready for prime time.

“The caveat is too often an entrepreneur will jump into that without having to really flesh out the idea,” he explained. “For example, you can build one product, take a picture of it and post it on Kickstarter without having the foggiest idea of how you are going to mass produce it. That’s a lot different than carving it out of soap.”

Roer noted that the Connecticut state government through its CTNext program offers some financial encouragement via the Entrepreneur Innovation Awards, and this competition does not require startups to demonstrate a proven track record of success.

“Judges write four $10,000 checks to the most

promising ideas,” he said.

“Just ideas — they don’t have to be proven to the standards of venture capitalists.

It is sort of a leap of faith by the public sector. They are grants to help those companies get to the point where they would be investable to the standards of an angel investor.”

Roer’s Entrepreneurship Foundation coordinates programs, including the annual Startup Summer Camp and the Connecticut New Venture Competition to expand the focus of startup entrepreneurs beginning to seek out financing. He is also working to create a new structure that would link entrepreneurs with local universities that can help in determining the feasibility of a start-up’s potential.

“I am trying to arrange a process where I can give vouchers to an entrepreneur for things like market research, which he could take to a participating university where students who understand market research under the guidance of a professor could do the market research for that company,” he said. “We can squeeze some of the risk out of the process, not only for investors but also for the entrepreneur. So, you may have two or three ideas, you can find out if people would want to buy those before you invest your time and all of your savings.”

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7

THE LIST: Colleges and Universities

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Ranked by student enrollment.

Name, address, phone number Area code: 203, unless otherwise noted Website

President Admissions director(s) Email address Year college established

Student Number of Full-time/ Full-time tuition/ enrollment campuses part-time nonboarding semester during 2018 in the faculty county

1

University of Connecticut *

Susan Herbst Nathan Fuerst 1881

32,257

2

1,540 201

$13,698 nonboarding for Conn. residents

$2.4 billion Public university

2

Norwalk Community College

David L. Levinson William Chagnon admissions@norwalk.edu 1961

13,000

1

95 305

$4,276, annually; $569 per three-credit course

$53.2 million

Public two-year college offering more than 50 associate degrees and more than 20 certificate programs

3

Sacred Heart University

John J. Petrillo James M. Barquinero enroll@sacredheart.edu 1963

8,958

1

280 526

$20,575 per year; $625 per undergraduate credit

$214 million

Private nonprofit, Catholic university

4

University of Bridgeport

1

147 379

$30,150 full-time annual tuition; $16,125, full-time tuition and fees per semester; $320-$1,005 per credit

$103.15 million

Private, nonprofit, independent, nonsectarian university

5

Fairfield University

$47,650 per year; room and board is an additional $12,330 to $14,710; $725 per credit

N/A

Private, nonprofit, Jesuit university with 45 undergraduate minors

6 7

1 University Place, Stamford 06901 251-8400 • stamford.uconn.edu

188 Richards Ave., Norwalk 06854 857-7060 • norwalk.edu

5151 Park Ave., Fairfield 06825 371-7999 • sacredheart.edu

126 Park Ave., Bridgeport 06604 576-4000 • bridgeport.edu

1073 N. Benson Road, Fairfield 06824 254-4000 • fairfield.edu

Western Connecticut State University 181 White St., Danbury 06810 837-9000 • wcsu.edu

Housatonic Community College 900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport 06604 332-5100 • housatonic.edu

Albertus Magnus College 700 Prospect St., New Haven 06511 800-578-9160 • nd.albertus.edu

Post University

800 Country Club Road, Waterbury 06723 800-345-2562 • post.edu

Quinnipiac University

Not ranked

275 Mount Carmel Ave., Hamden 06518 582-8200 • qu.edu

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 275 Windsor St., Hartford 06120 860-548-2400 • ewp.rpi.edu

Southern Connecticut State University 501 Crescent St., New Haven 06515 392-7278 • southernct.edu

University of Hartford

200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford 06117 860-768-4100 • hartford.edu

University of New Haven

300 Boston Post Road, West Haven 06516 800-342-5864 • newhaven.edu

Laura Skandera Trombley Karissa Peckham admit@bridgeport.edu 1927

5,430

School's operating budget

Mark R. Nemec Corry Unis pnicsaji@fairfield.edu 1942

4,732

1

271 326

John B. Clark Jay Murray murrayj@wcsu.edu 1903

4,181

2

223 391

$10,857 per year for Conn. residents; $23,367 per N/A year for nonresidents

Public university with 41 undergraduate programs

Paul Broadie II Earl Graham 1,769 egraham@hcc.commnet.edu 1966

1

74 295

$3,912 annual full-time tuiion for Conn. residents; $11,736 annual full-time N/A tuition for nonresidents; $163 per credit

Community college

Marc M. Camille Anthony Reich admissions@albertus.edu 1925

475

0

48 140

$21,570 annually, nonboarding; $41,870 annually, boarding

N/A

Independent, coeducational, liberal arts college. Catholic college in Dominican tradition

John L. Hopkins Bobby Reese bsembiante@post.edu 1890

7,844

1

60 443

$29,550 undergraduate, traditional, main campus; $13,880 online

N/A

Private, proprietary institution offered online in all 50 states

Judy D.Olian Gregory F. Eichhorn admissions@qu.edu 1929

10,290

0 (3 in New Haven County)

370 623

$61,930 per year, annually; $46,790 nonboarding

N/A

Private, coeducational university offering 110 degree programs

Shirley Ann Jackson Admissions committee info@ewp.rpi.edu 1824

7,633

0

484 N/A

$52,550 annually; $1,640 per credit hour

N/A

Technological research university offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees

Joe Bertolino Tony Pace N/A 1893

6,877

1

417 570

$10,954 for Conn. residents; $1,765 per $227.2 course for Conn. residents million (undergraduate)

Public university offering 117 undergraduate and graduate programs in five schools, as well as sixth-year certificates

$37,802 annually for nonboarding; $9,408 room

N/A

independent, nonsectarian, coeducational school offering 96 undergraduate majors and 62 graduate-level degree programs

$36,770 annually for nonboarding

$250 million

Private university

Gregory S. Woodward Richard Zeiser uofhart@hartford.edu 1957

5,019

0

363 473

Steven H. Kaplan Walter F. Caffey III admissions@newhaven.edu 1920

5,901

0

263 N/A

This list is a sampling of colleges and universities that are located in the region or serve students from the local region.

If you would like to include your school in our next list, please contact Peter Katz at pkatz@westfairinc.com.

Notes: Institutions listed as "not ranked" do not have campuses in Fairfield County, but are within close proximity to the region. * Location listed does not include main campus address, but does include university-wide statistics.

N/A = Not available. Information reflects the most recent responses to our surveys and/or data released by the institutions.

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019

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Type of institution

State Sen. Tony Hwang: Connecticut must deal with ‘hard decisions’ this year

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

R

epublican State Sen. Tony Hwang says he’s ready to get to work — even if Connecticut’s towering $1.7 billion deficit will lead to “some hard decisions” during the newly begun legislative session.

“We didn’t get into this trouble overnight, and we’re not going to solve it overnight,” said the 54-year-old senator, whose district includes parts of Fairfield, Westport, Weston, Easton and Newtown. “But our time is running out to fix it.”

Hwang, re-elected in November to his second term in the state Senate after three terms in the state House, maintains a fairly moderate position when it comes to most topics. While state Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano and House Minority Leader Themis Klarides have rejected — sometimes vehemently — the idea of bringing electronic tolls to the state’s highways, Hwang, who sits on the Senate Transportation Committee, said, “I’m open to every discussion. I’m not a pure ‘no’ on something like that.”

The Fairfield resident also opined that money should be spent on modernizing the DMV. “It’s all a part of addressing how we can create a better, more efficient delivery of government services,” Hwang said. “I hope we (the legislature) can take a pragmatic and cautious approach” to that and other issues.

Although he’s personally against gambling, Hwang declared that he accepts the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of legalized sports gambling being allowed in every state.

Hwang wants to push through legislation that would create a state cybersecurity czar who would report to the Connecticut Department of Public Safety. “That person would be responsible for working with Homeland Security, helping corporations and other businesses fight against espionage and attacks on customer databases, and educating the public about the risks they may not even know they’re facing.”

Hwang said that even though he’s rarely without his laptop or mobile device, he remains concerned that device makers like T-Mobile and Verizon, as well as platforms like Facebook, “continue to use our data in an invasive manner.”

He declined to say if he had anyone in mind for the czar position but said he “has confidence” that Gov. Ned Lamont understands the situation.

Hwang is the minority leader on the Housing and Higher Education & Employment committees. Of the former, he said he wants to address the shortage of affordable housing throughout the state as well as “the incredibly high cost of housing in southwest Connecticut.

I hope we can talk about housing solutions that can be a catalyst for reinvigorating not just our urban but also our suburban centers to attract more and more young people to our area.”

As for education, Hwang said he hoped the state would renew its efforts to promote

Tony Hwang serving a meal at a soup kitchen.

not only the University of Connecticut and other state schools, as well as private institutions like Yale and Trinity College, “but our vocational and technical schools as well.

Those need a new, fresh look. There is an ongoing need for delivering a population that is not always interested in a four-year school, who can learn a trade alongside a craftsman.

The skills we need are not always acquired in the towers of higher education.”

Hwang said he was confident that he and his fellow Republicans can find common ground with Lamont.

“I’ve met him a few times and he’s always been a gentleman,” he said. “He’s a genuinely likable person and truly seems to be taking a collaborative approach. I’m encouraged.

I want him to succeed, just like I want the legislature to succeed and our businesses and constituents to succeed.”

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ASK ANDI Building a strong team I have several good, strong managers. They all have opinions about what we should be doing and often their opinions conflict. Strong personalities get in the way of effective cooperation. I’m tired of wasting energy trying to pull everyone together. Need some fresh ideas on how best to unify the group to get the most out of them and how to increase their sense of satisfaction by doing that.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: Strong, capable leaders are essential for any privately held company that’s committed to growing. Unify the team with goals. Organize functions to eliminate duplication and conflict. Hold regular planning meetings to gather input. Slow down enough to give people time to get on board. Use incentives to get the point across that collaboration is essential.

As the business grows you as the business owner

can’t do it all. You need people around you who are willing to make decisions, take actions and be accountable.

You also need to bring all of those strong players together and get them on the same page. Do that by providing them with overall direction on where you want things to go but let them work through the details.

Gather input from everyone on the management team as to what the company’s overall goals should be.

Focus on growth of revenue, expansion of client opportunities, increasing awareness of the company’s products and services, providing clients with a great price-tovalue quality proposition and ensuring that the company’s employees are well cared for and rewarded for outstanding performance.

Ask your managers to define more specifically what each of those goals means to your company. Allow some debate, then decide on the goals, put them in writing and ask the team to get to work on how best to implement those goals.

Divide up jobs so that your managers aren’t stepping on each other’s toes.

You can organize by function — for example, sales and operations. You can organize geographically if you’re in more than one location. Keep

in mind that going with the geographic option may result in less uniformity in terms of policies companywide as different managers choose different routes to take to get to the end goals.

Bring your managers together regularly to plan and share information. Ask for updates on what’s working, what’s not working and what’s coming up next. Think of yourself as the orchestra director, getting the various parts of the orchestra to play together by speeding people up, slowing people down and asking people to speak up or tone it down.

Instead of making spurof-the-moment decisions, take the time to discuss next steps, debate best methods and allow managers to adjust to new suggestions. Getting multiple points of view usually adds to the quality of decisions

being made, but runs counter to the entrepreneurial mindset of getting stuff done quickly. It’s an adjustment that every business owner benefits from making. Make sure that team members are held accountable for showing appreciation for each other, respecting that differences are valuable and for allowing each other to contribute.

Unify your team by laying out a bonus plan that rewards everyone for achieving the overall goals.

Eliminate geographic or vertical conflict that comes because individual managers get rewarded for individual performance without regard for how the company is doing as a whole. Set up a bonus pool. Make one set of goals and divide up the pool based on overall contribution to achieving those goals. Not sure how to do

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FOCUS ON

REAL ESTATE FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Summit Development’s Felix Charney: ‘We’re as busy as we’ve ever been’

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

I

t’s a great time right now to be developing property in Connecticut — we’re definitely keeping busy.”

So says Southport-based Summit Development Founder, CEO, President and Principal Felix Charney. The developer seems to always have a number of deals cooking, the most recent of which is the acquisition of a long-vacant IGA supermar-

ket property in Fairfield, announced Jan. 24. The company has signed a lease with preschool franchise The Goddard School, with plans to have it ready for the 2019-20 school year.

The Goddard School, which provides a playbased curriculum for children 6 weeks to 6 years old, signed a 15-year lease with Summit for the former retail property at 1280 Stratfield Road — one of the major thoroughfares in the Stratfield Village neighborhood.

Goddard plans to con-

vert the 9,700-square-foot, free-standing building into its newest location, with an eye on opening Sept. 1.

For more than 50 years the newest Goddard location, which is zoned for childcare use, was home to the Stratfield IGA Market.

Since closing in 2006 the nearly one-acre property at the corner of Fairfield Woods Road has remained vacant. A Walgreens was proposed for the site but it was ultimately rejected by the town.

Fairfield Director of The building at 1280 Stratfield Road.

» CHARNEY

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019

14

13

FOCUS ON REAL ESTATE 13

Charney—

Economic Development Mark Barnhart said that over the years attempts to find a new grocery user were unsuccessful. At one point responding to another proposal, the Town Planning and Zoning Commission amended the permitted uses to include childcare. While that plan never moved forward, the use is now permitted.

Charney said the building has been “just a shell” for a number of years. “We will build out the exterior and interior, do landscaping, and build a playground,” he said.

The developer said the connection with Goddard came about after Summit purchased Danbury’s Matrix Corporate Center — where Goddard has a school — for $17 million in October. That school had been looking to move out of the Matrix — now called The Ridge at Danbury — but will remain there as Summit begins renovations to that property.

Charney said his company and the school will work closely with the town,

which recently received a $650,000 grant for streetscape improvements to enhance the area. Charney added that he will also be working with the Stratford Village Neighborhood Association as the design for the school is developed.

James McCusker, a leader of the association, said the organization is pleased that a new use has been found and that the redesign of the building is a welcome step. “The Four Corners, as the location is known, is at the heart of the neighborhood,” he said.

“The property has deteriorated and become a blight on our entire neighborhood.”

As for The Ridge at Danbury — one of Summit’s most notable acquisitions, not to mention one of the biggest deals in the county of the past year — Charney said the firm is “well on our way to getting the approvals we need to institute our renovation plans.”

The site at 39 Old Ridgebury Road consists of 100 acres, 25 of which are to be zoned for residential development.

Summit plans to repurpose the building

by subdividing it into 700,000 square feet of Class A office space, 400,000 square feet of residential apartments, 100,000 square feet of conference and event space and 100,000 square feet of core services and amenities.

Charney said that Christian nonprofit Guideposts, which had been threatening to relocate before Summit’s acquisition, recently signed a seven-year lease renewal for its approximately 30,000 square feet.

“They had been looking at other locations in Connecticut and even New York,” he noted, adding that leases with another six commercial tenants are pending.

Approval for the redevelopment could be secured within 30 to 45 days, he said.

“It’s a very good location, but it’s been extremely neglected. We’re in ongoing discussions with the city about how to position and rightsize the building and to maximize the return to them from an income standpoint.”

Although the project “has kept us really busy,” Charney noted another pair of recent

acquisitions. One of those — 220 Carter Henry Drive in Fairfield, a 3,850-squarefoot, free-standing, two-story office/retail property — was built in 1963. Located downtown near Fairfield’s train station, the building — formerly the home of the Fairfield Citizen newspaper — will be fully renovated.

The other, 81 Newtown Road in Danbury, is a 3,050-square-foot Friendly’s restaurant on a 1.37-acre site with 75 parking spaces. “It’s uncertain whether Friendly’s will stay” in the space, which was built in 1980, Charney said. “If they don’t, we can repurpose it as a restaurant space or maybe make it suitable for a financial institution.”

Charney said Summit would be announcing “a few more” major deals this year.

“The state seems to have a black cloud over it,” he mused, “but from a real estate perspective there are lots of interesting things happening. We’re as busy as we’ve ever been. We’re not struggling to find things to do.”

Colliers: Fairfield County’s office market uneven in 4th quarter

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

I

t’s been a case of “two steps forward, one step back” for Fairfield County’s office market over the past several quarters, according to Sean Cullen, director of research at Colliers International’s Stamford office.

According to the firm’s fourth-quarter report, after recording moderate gains in each quarter of 2017, the county’s office market gradually gave back those advances in 2018. The availability rate’s most recent low of 23.2 percent was reached at the end of 2017, but was up to 24.7 percent at the end of 2018. That increase came despite leasing activity rebounding 33.8 percent from a sluggish third quarter, reaching 890,432 square feet against the third quarter’s 665,659 square feet.

The fourth-quarter 2018 figure pales against the final quarter of 2017’s 1,465,232 square feet, but Jeffrey Williams, executive managing director at Colliers’ Stamford office, explained that much of that difference came down to a single factor: Charter Communications’ October 2017 announcement that it was building a new 500,000-square-foot headquarters in Stamford.

“Our market is not that big, like New York City is,” Williams said. “One deal like the Charter deal can skew the numbers greatly, while a 500,000-square-foot deal in New York wouldn’t have nearly the same impact.”

Colliers divides its Fairfield County data into five subsectors: Eastern, Central, Greenwich, Stamford and Northern. “Eastern

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is one of the stronger ones,” Cullen said.

“Even though it’s one of the smaller ones, it’s encouraging to see that it’s continued to grow slowly and steadily.”

The Eastern submarket continued to have the lowest availability rate in the county for the fourth consecutive quarter. Plans to convert the vacant 250,000-square-foot office building at 48 Monroe Turnpike in Trumbull are still pending, but Cullen said that if approved the project will likely help the Eastern submarket to continue to improve.

The Central submarket’s availability rate dropped from an all-time high of 27.3 percent in the third quarter of 2018 to 26.8 percent.

Leasing activity reached its highest point since 2013, in part due to Reed Exhibition subletting 93,899 square feet from GE Capital Group at 201 Merritt 7 in Norwalk.

However, Cullen noted, as that space was never formally marketed, any positive impact on Central’s availability rate was negated.

“Norwalk continues to do well,” he said, “especially in its downtown. But the towns on the periphery are still having a difficult time.

There’s a lot of available space still, but it’s the biggest market in the county. We think (a positive turnaround) will happen soon.”

Greenwich continues to outperform, with leasing activity 27.5 percent higher than its trailing five-year quarterly average.

As a result the submarket recorded its eighth consecutive drop in availability rate to 14.7 percent, a low not seen since the start of 2009.

Colliers breaks Stamford into central business district (CBD) and non-CBD sectors.

201 Merritt 7 in Norwalk.

The CBD was essentially flat from the third quarter of 2018 as its availability rate rose to 32.6 percent. Announcements like the ones

by Charter and jobs site Indeed — which in December said it would be adding 500 jobs to its Stamford location at 177 Broad St. — bode well for the future, Williams said.

Healthier leasing activity, along with approved plans to convert a portion of 201 High Ridge Road to senior housing, combined to push down the Stamford non-CBD’s availability rate to 27.8 percent. Nevertheless, Cullen said his firm remains less bullish on the city’s non-CBD than its CBD. “It’s still true that the further you get from (Stamford’s) train station, the more difficult it can be to attract businesses and people,” he said.

With Summit Development’s $17 million acquisition of the 1.4 million-squarefoot Matrix Corporate Center at 39 Old Ridgebury Road in Danbury last October, the northern submarket may be on the verge of great things.

“That property alone accounts for about a quarter of total inventory in the northern subsector,” Cullen said. However, Williams added, Summit’s plans to convert nearly half of the property, now named The Ridge at Danbury, into residential units could affect availability numbers in the future. The approximately 750,000 square feet of commercial space that remains is being marketed as Class A office, which has pushed the availability rate from 15.9 percent to 29.3 percent.

Life, elevated.

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GOOD THINGS SCRUM50 NAMED TO AD AGE’S BEST PLACES TO WORK LIST Scrum50, an agile marketing agency in South Norwalk, was recently awarded a place as No. 14 within its company size category on the Ad Age Best Places to Work list.

Based on actual employee and employer feedback compiled by a third party, the Ad Age list takes into account the happiness of employees along with key factors, including benefits, inclusion and employee development to identify the companies that stand out ahead of the pack from their agency counterparts.

“Getting on this list proves that we haven’t just built a company, but a culture that lets our employees feel free to show off their unique talents, make an impact and go to work in a great space with great people,” said Michael LeBeau, managing partner and founder of Scrum50. “We’re truly honored by this award and eager to continue to grow our team of fulfilled employees working with high-class, national brands like Subway, NHL, DS Services, Mondelēz International and others.”

For its 2019 awards, Ad Age designed an all-new awards system with its partner, Latitude Research, looking at companies and agencies with just 10 employees up to 1,000-plus deep. Along with identifying the top agencies in their class, Ad Age was also able to pull out data findings of what truly matters to employees in their work satisfaction and the factors and best practices that go into making a business a great place to work.

FAMILY CENTERS HOSTS YANKEES’ BRIAN CASHMAN On Friday, Feb. 8, Family Centers will welcome New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman for a candid discussion in advance of the start of the 2019 Major League Baseball season.

Held at a private home in Darien, the breakfast event begins at 7:30 a.m. and will directly support Family Centers’ network of health, education and human service programs that assist more than 21,000 Fairfield County children and families each year.

A very limited number of tickets are available to this intimate event. During his remarks, Cashman is expected to offer his outlook on the Yankees’ 2019 campaign, provide first-hand perspective on the team’s off-season moves and share stories of classic games and his interactions with Yankee greats.

Visit familycenters.org/product/Cashman for more information or to purchase tickets. The venue location will be disclosed at the time of ticket purchase.

BURIED TREASURES OF THE SILK ROAD

From left: Lokapala, Courtier and Caravan Came. Chinese tomb sculptures, Tang Dynasty, gifts from Jane and Fred Brooks to the Bruce Museum Collection.

Photos by Paul Mutino.

A new exhibition opens at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich on Saturday, Feb. 9, that showcases the extraordinary collection of Chinese tomb sculpture in the Jane and Fred Brooks Collection of the Bruce Museum. Featuring dozens of rare and delicate terra-cotta figurines, painted and glazed ceramics and other antiquities, Buried Treasures of the Silk Road will be on view in the Museum’s Arcade Gallery through June 2.

During the period of peace and prosperity of the Han Dynasty, considered the Golden Age of China, emissaries ventured from China into Eurasia. Merchants soon followed, laden with polychrome, patterned silk — a luxury never seen outside of China.

In time, these merchants transported other exotic goods, including lapis lazuli and other precious metals, furs and ivory on the backs of camels, donkeys and horses to ever-more distant markets, extending the range of trading partners along the way.

Evolving into a network of overland and water routes that stretched thousands of

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of music, dance, fashion and artistic expression. Traditional Chinese rites and customs evolved.

Buried Treasures celebrates the artistic achievements of anonymous Chinese artists supported by the riches earned on the Silk Road. The exhibition will also feature art objects from the museum’s permanent collection exchanged on the Silk Road.

“When we in the Western world think of ancient art, we tend to focus on Greek and Roman culture,” said Fred Brooks, a longtime Greenwich resident who, with his wife Jane, has spent decades collecting Chinese ceramics, notably ancient tomb art. “But all through that period of time, the Han Dynasty also had a great empire and art was central to their lives — and more important to the leaders, their afterlife.”

To complement this exhibition, the Bruce will present a series of docent tours and related programs. For information about the programs, call the Bruce Museum at 203869-0376 or visit brucemuseum.org.

SPLASH CAR WASH RAISES $4,000 FOR FAMILIES FACING HOMELESSNESS Splash customers made a big difference with a small action this past holiday season.

They took a tag from a tree at Splash Car Wash locations in Shelton, Fairfield, Norwalk, Wilton, Stamford and Cos Cob and then donated $25 to gift a Paddington plush bear, book or blanket to a child in a shelter.

Money raised for bears and books are part of “Be Homeful,” the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness holidays promotion.

The customer donations and support from the Connecticut Realtors Foundation, Citizens Bank and United Way are the foundation of Be Homeful funds, which provide emergency assistance that can help local families remain in their homes rather than enter the shelter system. More than 750 children in Connecticut have remained housed thanks to Be Homeful funds. xxxx

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miles across China and Central Asia to Eastern Europe, the Silk Road introduced and formalized the practice of international trade.

Han administrators established military garrisons housed in watch towers along the land route, imposed strict travel and trade regulations and collected taxes.

The invention of paper provided portable, reliable maps and indelible ink trade contracts. Trade centers grew to become bustling, cosmopolitan cities where markets supported a multicultural exchange of ideas, inventions and commodities. The Han Dynasty maintained control of trade over the Silk Road for 400 years.

China’s second great empire, the Tang Dynasty, is considered the Golden Age of Chinese Cosmopolitanism, an era when foreign ideas, products and religions were welcomed. Tang emperors reestablished the Han model of control over taxes and tolls along the network of Silk Road markets.

Prosperity supported the arts and multicultural influences created interest in new forms

From left: Ryan Beach of Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Debbie Cruz and Gina Colley of Splash Car Wash.

Cindy Panioto and Ashley T. Spring

CONNECTICUT CPA SOCIETY ANNOUNCES STAFF APPOINTMENTS The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA) has announced two staff appointments, effective immediately.

Cindy Panioto of Canton has been promoted to director of membership and business development. Previously she was business development and events manager. In her new position she will oversee the continued growth and retention of CTCPA membership; coordinate select committees; and develop new member benefit programs and resources. Panioto is a 20year veteran with the United States Army Reserves as a logistician and a graduate of Purdue University.

Ashley T. Spring of Wethersfield was named to the newly created position of professional development manager, where she will oversee the CTCPA professional development conferences from inception to completion. She is the former director of events with Event Management LLC and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire.

“I’m pleased and proud to announce these appointments to our great CTCPA team, as we further our mission to advance and protect Connecticut’s CPA profession and the public it serves in this new year and every year,” said CTCPA Executive Director Bonnie Stewart.

The Connecticut Society of CPAs is celebrating more than a century of service to membership and community alike. It has a current membership of more than 5,000 individuals in public practice, business and industry, government and education, with a function to advocate on behalf of the accounting profession, foster a professional community among CPAs and provide professional development opportunities for CPAs in Connecticut.

SILVER HILL HOSPITAL HOSTS TIBETAN BUDDHIST MONKS

The Labrang Tashi Kyil monks made their third visit to Silver Hill.

John Paul O’Grodnick, one of the artists exhibiting work in Make Your Mark.

‘MAKE YOUR MARK’ EXHIBIT AT FAIRFIELD MUSEUM The Fairfield Museum and History Center’s current exhibition, “Make Your Mark,” will open Feb. 14 with a free reception open to the public from 5 to 7 p.m. complete with entertainment, henna tattoos by Fairfield artist Priyanka Jain, specialty cocktails and local fare. It promises to be a perfect stop for a night out before your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Featuring innovative local artists and items from the museum’s collections, Make Your Mark explores both the abstract and physical relationships between making your mark and markmaking. How do artists, artisans, leaders and others leave their creative marks on their communities? The showcased artists include vibrant street muralist John Paul O’Grodnick, Bridgeport’s Liz Squillace (whose public art reaches new heights) and Frankie Frieri of Three Roses tattoo studio. All of the exhibiting artists will be at the Feb. 14 event.

In addition, visitors can take an upclose look into artists’ legacies from the museum’s collections, as well as contemporary public art initiatives. which can transform communities. From graffiti and tattoo artists, to quilters and silversmiths, people demonstrate and use their talents to serve and connect, exhibit pride and to leave a personal and lasting impression.

The exhibition will remain on display in the Spaght Gallery, 370 Beach Road, Fairfield, through July 14.

Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.

Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan once again hosted the Labrang Tashi Kyil monks for a highly visual and experiential cultural event as part of the monks’ 2019 USA Tour.

The four-day event — aimed at educating the public about the culture and religion of Tibet, the teachings of the Dharma and raising funds for the monks’ monastery — took place from Jan. 25 to Jan. 28 with a special presentation for the public Jan. 26.

This is the third visit by the monks to Silver Hill with previous visits taking place in 2016 and 2013.

“We are both thrilled and privileged to host the Tashi Kyil monks again and to share their culture and teachings with patients, staff and our community neighbors,” said Andrew J. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D, president and medical director of Silver Hill Hospital.

“Their visit provides an opportunity for all of us to step away from our fast-paced world in which we rarely have time to think about

relationships, our wider goals and purpose, or devote time to meaning and personal narratives.”

The Jan. 26 public event featured six Tashi Kyil monks who performed a Tashi Sholpa dance, created to welcome the Dalai Lama during visits to Tibetan monasteries; chanting and Chod Meditation — a ceremony to cut off attachments, accompanied by a sacred Buddhist dance called Cham; a teaching on the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths; and a debate demonstration.

Gerber added, “This special visit aligns with Silver Hill’s mission by providing a creative and compelling way to support healthy minds. It’s also beneficial in that it will generate awareness about respecting and appreciating other cultures and bridging the gap between differences — something we can all gain value from.”

During their four-day visit to Silver Hill, the monks taught a variety of courses and

classes to patients and staff, and involved them in their teachings through hands-on activities, including a Mandala Closing Ceremony during which the colored sands of the Mandala are swept up to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists — while a portion of the sand was given to guests and the remainder carried in a procession by the monks to a flowing body of water.

The sand was then poured into the water to disperse the healing energies of the Mandala throughout the world.

Silver Hill Hospital, which was established in 1931 and is located on 44 acres in New Canaan, admits more than 3,500 adolescents and adults annually for disorders that include addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, personality disorders and schizophrenia among others.

The hospital is especially known for its expertise in treating complex conditions and co-occurring disorders.

APPOINTMENTS AT THE FIRST BANK OF GREENWICH AND NEW BRANCH First Bank of Greenwich has appointed Ronald J. Moccio as senior vice president and chief financial officer and Klara McClurkan, who will serve as vice president and controller for the bank, reporting to Moccio, senior management and the board of directors.

Moccio is a certified public accountant with 15 years of banking experience. He holds a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, both from Western New England University. He also graduated from the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking and earned a leadership certificate from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. In his new role, Moccio will function as part of the senior management team and work closely with the board of directors while serving as the chief financial spokesperson for the bank.

McClurkan holds a master’s degree

Supporters and bank officials join Port Chester Mayor Richard Falanka (center, with scissors) at the opening of the First Bank of Greenwich branch in Port Chester.

in finance and accounting as well as a master’s degree in law. She is a CPA and has more than 19 years of accounting advisory experience to many Fortune 500 companies in the financial service industry. She will oversee the accounting department and be hands-on in safeguarding assets, while assuring accurate

and timely recording of all transactions by implementing disciplines of internal audits, controls and checks.

The new bank branch at 500 Westchester Ave. in Port Chester, New York, was welcomed to the city with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Mayor Richard Falanka last Dec.19.

HOUSATONIC HABITAT HOSTS SOCIAL MEDIA LUNCH & LEARN Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, in collaboration with three local boards of Realtors, is offering the second workshop in a three-part series on social media marketing from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at its ReStore, 51 Austin St., Danbury.

The workshop will be presented by Don T. Troiano, president of Market Pros Digital of Danbury. Participating Realtors groups include Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors, the Ridgefield Board of Realtors and the New Milford Board of Realtors. The program is free for Realtors and includes a buffet luncheon. The public is invited for a suggested donation of $15.

The third workshop in the series, “Choosing and Using a Digital Camera,” takes place March 13.

Visit facebook.com/DanburyReStore and click on events to register to attend or send an email to info@housatonichabitat.org with your name and phone number.

Housatonic Habitat for Humanity is both a builder and a bank, building affordable homes for working families who might not qualify for a traditional mortgage. In addition, Housatonic Habitat provides home repairs for homeowners who are aging in place.

For more, visit housatonichabitat.org or call 203-744-1340.

XPO LOGISTICS EARNS TOP HONORS FROM POLARIS LABORATORIES XPO Logistics Inc. in Greenwich, a leading global provider of transportation and logistics solutions, has been named the 2018 Fluid Analysis Program Champion by Polaris Laboratories. A provider of oil, diesel and coolant testing services, Polaris also recognized XPO for the uptime performance of its less-than-truckload (LTL) fleet.

XPO enlisted Polaris for fluid testing as a way to continuously improve maintenance practices for its LTL tractors. Based on the initial results, XPO implemented a fluid-analysis program, sending engine oil samples to Polaris four times a year to test for coolant and other contaminants. The testing, which is mandatory for XPO’s approximately 8,500 LTL tractors in North America, has reduced the company’s fleet-service costs by an estimated $10 million in the first 12 months.

Troy Cooper, president of XPO Logistics, said, “I commend our fleet maintenance team for taking a proactive approach to efficiency and asset protection. The fluid analysis program has already forestalled millions of dollars of repairs by flagging potential engine failures before they happen. Most important, it helps keep our trucks operating at peak performance for our customers’ freight.”

XPO was selected for the award from among the more than 500 companies that participated in the Polaris Laboratories Fluid Analysis Program in 2018 around the globe.

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Facts & Figures BUILDING PERMITS Commercial KBE Building Corp., Darien, contractor for Ox Ridge Hunt Club.

Build a club house at 512 Middlesex Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $5,000,000. Filed Dec. 17.

Able Construction, Darien, contractor for 17 Charles Street LLC. Prepare a foundation at 25 Scofield Farms, Darien. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed Dec. 19.

Amec Carting, Darien, contractor for Darien Land Trust. Demolish dwelling at 703 Hollow Tree Ridge, Darien. Estimated cost: $20,000.

Filed Dec. 20.

Clark Construction, Darien, contractor for Wee Burn Country Club.

Renovate club house at 410 Hollow Tree Ridge, Darien. Estimated cost: $550,000. Filed Dec. 19.

Connecticut Chimney & Vent, Darien, contractor for Sartori. Clean chimney liner at 161 Old Kings Highway South, Darien. Estimated cost: $4,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Elwart Construction, Darien, contractor for Mananna and Michael Avalos. Add and alter interior at 38 Fairview Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $490,000. Filed Dec. 21.

Forestone Management, Darien, contractor for 320 BPR Holdings.

Build core upgrades at 320 Post Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $750,000. Filed Dec. 20.

Forestone Management, Darien, contractor for 320 BPR Holdings.

Build canopy at 330 Boston Post Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $180,000. Filed Dec. 20.

Fox Hill Builders, Darien, contractor for Scanlan-Imbriglia. Prepare foundation at 20 Sunswyck Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $100,000.

Filed Dec. 20.

Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken.

Fox Hill Builders, Darien, contractor for Brooke and George Antonopoulos. Construct dwelling at 44 Holly Lane, Darien. Estimated cost: $1,460,000. Filed Dec. 21.

Double Damond Construction, Darien, contractor for Joshua Smith.

Demolish dwelling at 112 Raymond St., Darien. Estimated cost: $20,000.

Filed Dec. 18.

T.M. Faucher, Darien, contractor for Heather and Bart Debie. Remodel kitchen and mudroom at 95 Pembroke Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $140,000. Filed Dec. 26.

Eckert, James P., Darien, contractor for James P. Eckert. Build access door and stairs at 165 Long Neck Point, Darien. Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Dec. 28.

Residential

Emeraldisle Construction, Darien, contractor for Amy Howe.

Remodel bathroom at 21 Lynn Court, Darien. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Dec. 18.

Baywater, Darien, contractor for Baywater. Perform alterations for tenant at 17 Old Kings Highway South, Darien. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Dec. 31.

Bennett, John, Darien, contractor for Joan Ellis. Remodel at 10 Roland Drive, Darien. Estimated cost: $200,000. Filed Dec. 14.

Boltan Construction, Darien, contractor for David Bondo and Christina Bondo. Perform alterations and additions in the kitchen at 4 Kona Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $800. Filed Dec. 28.

Bradford Estates, Darien, contractor for Karl and Lynne Andrew.

Build pool pavilion at 13 Parsons Walk, Darien. Estimated cost: $200,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Brayden Construction Darien, contractor for Caroline and Todd Schwartz. Alter interior at 8 Webster Valley Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Brennan, Gaynor, Darien, contractor for Paul Bigler. Perform a reroof at 19 Sunswyck Road, Darien.

Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed Dec. 17.

Builder’s Contractor LLC., Darien, contractor for Mr. and Mrs. Daly. Separate garage at 15 Queens Lane, Darien. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Builder’s Contractor LLC., Darien, contractor for Arpita and Vaildnax Muchhal. Separate garage at 369 Middlesex Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $135,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Darien Construction, Darien, contractor for Abercrombe Burns McKienan. Renovate interior at 484 Boston Post Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $165,000. Filed Dec. 13.

Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Bob Rozycki c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019

ON THE RECORD

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Flagship Construction, Darien, contractor for Dina Rient and Spragne Rient. Remodel kitchen at 35 Relihan Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $38,000. Filed Dec. 28.

Fox Hill Builders, Darien, contractor for Todd and Katie Boehly.

Remodel bedroom and bathroom at 865 Hollow Tree Ridge Darien.

Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Dec. 14.

Fox Hill Builders, Darien, contractor for Elizabeth Becker. Build pool house at 294 Mansfield Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $250,000.

Filed Dec. 18.

Front Row Kitchen, Darien, contractor for Michelle and John Gottfried. Remodel kitchen at 27 Nickerson Lane, Darien. Estimated cost: $185,000. Filed Dec. 28.

Giannattasio Builders, Darien, contractor for Emily and Luke Thomas. Finish basement at 54 Relihan Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $48,000. Filed Dec. 11.

Jarlaites Carbin, Darien, contractor for Greif Su. Remodel kitchen at 8 Brushy Hill Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $46,000. Filed Dec. 27.

JM Roofing, Darien, contractor for David Harris. Re-roof 1749 Boston Post Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $18,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Johnson, Peter, Darien, contractor for Michael Kilmartin. Add a family room at 23 Birch Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $62,000. Filed Dec. 17.

Karosky Construction, Darien, contractor for Cameron Law. Remodel bathroom and kitchen at 2 Oak Park Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed Dec. 21.

Kelly, Kernie, Darien, contractor for Kernie Kelly. Replace water tub at 49 Relihan Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Dec. 18.

Kenneth DeLeo, Darien, contractor for Lindsey and Patrick Rogers.

Alter kitchen at 9 Old Store Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $65,000.

Filed Dec. 7.

L&L Builders, Darien, contractor for Ted Huffman. Build a pool house at 8 Highfield Lane, Darien. Estimated cost: $110,000. Filed Dec. 11.

Maduri, Chris and Lyla Maduri, Darien, contractor for Lyla Maduri.

Perform alterations and additions at 14 Revere Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $188,000. Filed Dec. 19.

Meyer, Loren, Darien, contractor for Loren Meyer. Perform additions and alterations at 38 Goodwives River, Darien. Estimated cost: $1,132,000. Filed Dec. 21.

Giannattasio Builders, Darien, contractor for Kim Cino and Jeffrey Cino. Alter and remodel kitchen, two bathrooms and deck at 8 Duffy’s Lane, Darien. Estimated cost: $120,000. Filed Dec. 11.

New Ridge Builders, Darien, contractor for Anita Clarendon and Dan Ledsinger. Repair barn at 70 Brookside Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed Dec. 27.

Giannattasio Builders, Darien, contractor for Pedro Comerford.

Demolish old garage at 10 Hillside Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed Dec. 12.

Paparis, George, Darien, contractor for George Paparis. Remodel and alter first floor at 248 West Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $10,000.

Filed Dec. 14.

Hersan, Russell, Darien, contractor for Russell Hersan. Prepare a foundation at 7 Stony Brook Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $100,000.

Filed Dec. 18.

Schnoder Home Improvements, Darien, contractor for Robert Barton. Re-roof 91 Raymond St., Darien. Estimated cost: $6,000.

Filed Dec. 18.

Hyde, John, Darien, contractor for John Hyde. Repair roof of detached garage at 16 Williams St., Darien. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed Dec. 31.

Smart Solution, Darien, contractor for Andrea and Craig McCracken. Perform alterations and additions at 60 Long Neck Point Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $300,000.

Filed Dec. 31.

Stadler, Michael, Darien, contractor for Sawraton and Shailza Gupta.

Demolish dwelling at 73 Holmes Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $15,000. Filed Dec. 10.

T.M. Faucher, Darien, contractor for Valerie Cohen. Remodel kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms at 84 Christie Hill, Darien. Estimated cost: $160,000. Filed Dec. 27 The Home Depot, Norwalk, contractor for Frank Elmasy. Replace one window at 885 Boston Post Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed Dec. 17.

The Home Depot, Norwalk, contractor for Julia Goodrich. Replace three windows at 216 Old Kings Highway South, Darien. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Dec. 21.

Voytarych, Dimytro, Darien, contractor for Dimytro Voytarych. Perform alterations and additions at 6 Prospect Ave., Darien. Estimated cost: $787,000. Filed Dec. 11.

Westcott, Jeff and Margaret Westcott, Darien, contractor for Jeff Westcott. Alter interior and add porch at 12 Wildcat Road, Darien.

Estimated cost: $19,000. Filed Dec. 31.

Wilson, John, Darien, contractor for First Congregational Church.

Finish nursery school and sidewalk at 14 Brookside Road, Darien. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed Dec. 17.

COURT CASES Bridgeport Superior Court Avalon Norden Place LLC, East Hartford. Filed by Jay Taylor, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cooper Sevillano LLC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered an accident in a scooter when it encountered the raised and uneven blocks upon the roadway of the defendant’s property. As a result of the defect in the roadway, the plaintiff suffered severe injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Case no. FBT-CV-196082400-S. Filed Jan. 14.

Barreira, Elisen, Bridgeport. Filed

by Rafael Vizcarrondo, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Ventura Law, Danbury. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-186080906-S. Filed Nov. 19.

Garcon, Emile, et al., Bridgeport.

Filed by Rivera, Iris, et al., Bridgeport. Plaintiffs’ attorney: Delucia & Levine LLC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiffs suffered a collision caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no.

FBT-CV-18-6081712-S. Filed Dec. 14.

Jones, Alex Emric, et al., Austin, Texas. Filed by William Sherlach, et al., Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiffs had relatives involved in the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The defendants, on their radio show, worked together to create and propagate false narratives about the Sandy Hook shooting and its victims. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages and punitive damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no.

FBT-CV-18-6081366-S. Filed Dec. 5.

Town of Trumbull, et al., Trumbull. Filed by Jane Doe. Plaintiff’s attorney: Tremont Sheldon Robinson Mahoney PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff, a minor, was a member of the Police Explorer Program and was allegedly sexually assaulted, thereby causing her injury and damage. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no.

FBT-CV-19-5039311-S. Filed Jan. 18.

Facts & Figures Danbury Superior Court Bonacci, Tania, et al., Bethel.

Filed by Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Albert Lea, Minnesota. Plaintiff’s attorney: Bendett & Mchugh PC, Farmington. Action: The plaintiff was assigned the defendants’ mortgage. The defendants defaulted on the terms of the agreement and have failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of the mortgage, possession of the mortgage premises, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-186029103-S. Filed Nov. 1.

Custodio, Daniel A., Danbury.

Filed by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Albert Lea, Minnesota. Plaintiff’s attorney: Bendett & Mchugh PC, Farmington. Action: The plaintiff was assigned the defendant’s mortgage. The defendant defaulted on the terms of the agreement and has failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of the mortgage, possession of the mortgage premises, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-18-6029102-S. Filed Nov. 1.

Kates, Tara, Ridgefield. Filed by Midland Funding LLC, San Diego, California. Plaintiff’s attorney: London & London, Newington. Action: The plaintiff was assigned the defendant’s debt. The defendant was the holder and user of a credit card and defaulted in making payments.

The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Case no. DBDCV-18-6029194-S. Filed Nov. 9.

Mann, Edward M., Danbury. Filed

by TD Auto Finance LLC., Albany, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: Deily & Glastetter LLP, Albany, New York.

Action: The plaintiff was assigned a vehicle debt of the defendant. The defendant defaulted on the terms of the agreement and has failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages, less than $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-186024306-S. Filed Dec. 8.

Santiago, Ronald, et al., Danbury.

Filed by CC1 CT, LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina. Plaintiff’s attorney: Marcus Law Firm, North Branford.

Action: The plaintiff is the current owner of the liens and defendants’ real property for which taxes were assessed and unpaid. As a result, the plaintiff was assigned the owners and holders of the liens. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of liens, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-18-6029131-S. Filed Nov. 5.

Stamford Superior Court Altman, Robert M., Yonkers, New York. Filed by Kevin Krauland, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Shelton. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no.

FST-CV-19-6039505-S. Filed Jan. 3.

Escalante, Manuel, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Ebony Gordon, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: Kernan Scully & McDonald LLP, Waterbury.

Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate.

Case no. FST-CV-19-6039313-S. Filed Dec. 18.

Jovin, Wisler, et al., Stamford.

Filed by Fanfan Charles, Stamford.

Plaintiff’s attorney: The Pickel Law Firm LLC, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate. Case no.

FST-CV-19-6039563-S. Filed Jan. 9.

Mcconnell, Gregory, Darien.

Filed by Daniel D. Metter, Greenwich. Plaintiff’s attorney: Philip Russell LLC, Cos Cob. Action: The plaintiff was driving his car, when the defendant crossed the road directly into the path of the plaintiff’s vehicle, nearly causing an accident.

The defendant followed the plaintiff till the car was stopped and forcefully pushed the plaintiff onto the ground. The plaintiff and defendant grabbed each other for several seconds before letting go. As a result, the plaintiff suffered injuries and had medical expenses. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief as the court deems appropriate.

Case no. FST-CV-19-6039534-S. Filed Jan. 7.

Rentas, Jenina, Norwalk. Filed by American Express National Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah. Plaintiff’s attorney: Zwicker and Associates PC, Enfield. Action: The plaintiff issued a credit account and extended credit in the name of the defendant. The defendant defaulted on the terms of the agreement. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages of $1,289, exclusive of interest and costs. Case no.

FST-CV-19-6039506-S. Filed Jan. 3.

Federal District Court Aldi, Jon, New Haven. Filed by Wayne Rogers, Suffield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Wayne Rogers, Suffield.

Defendant failed to notify the court of change of address, resulting in the dismissal of the case. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, punitive and exemplary charges and such other relief as the court may deem proper. Case No. 3:18-cv-01961-JCH. Filed Dec. 3.

DEEDS Commercial 111 Clearview Drive LLC., Bridgeport. Seller: Michelle Holland, West Haven. Property: 111 Clearview Drive, Bridgeport. Amount: $0 Filed Dec. 19.

143 Columbus Place LLC., Stamford. Seller: Tracy C. Hammer, Stamford. Property: 143 Columbus Place, Unit 1, Stamford. Amount: $140,000.

Filed Jan. 7.

1841 E. Main LLC, Bridgeport. Seller: David and Lawrence D’Addario, Trumbull. Property: 1841,1859,1861 and 1871 E. Main St., Bridgeport.

Amount: $800,000. Filed Dec. 7.

Better Properties LLC, Bridgeport. Seller: Gary Henson, Tarkio, Missouri. Property: Lot 36, Lake Forest, Bridgeport. Amount: $151,000.

Filed Dec. 20.

Reed, Alan W., Encino, California. Seller: Sharon Viader, Fairfield.

Property: 45 Douglas St., Bridgeport. Amount: $150,000. Filed Jan. 22.

City Bank N.A., Pasadena, California. Seller: John L. Vecchiolla, Greenwich. Property: 27 Ettl Lane, Greenwich. Amount: $1. Filed Aug. 15.

Zarra, James Carl, Stamford. Seller: Donna L. Esposito, Stamford.

Property: Chesterfield Condominium, Building 9, Unit 5, Stamford.

Amount: $118,500. Filed Dec. 4.

MTGLO Investors LP, Houston, Texas. Seller: Alan Jay Rich, Stamford. Property: 2437 Bedford St., Unit B-9, Stamford. Amount: $1.

Filed Dec. 17.

New England Properties 1 LLC, Stamford. Seller: Elidon Amiti, Stamford. Property: 51 Lindale St., Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Nov. 28.

River Road Yacht Slips LLC, Riverside. Seller: Ruthanne Ruzika, Riverside. Property: River Club of Greenwich, Units E-15, E-16, F-2, F-13 and F-14, Greenwich. Amount: $0.

Filed May. 7.

Rosehill Land Company LLC., Greenwich. Seller: Mary L. Bryant, Greenwich. Property: 118 Havemeyer Place, Greenwich. Amount: $953,750. Filed Sep. 24.

U.S. Bank National Association, Irvine, California, Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association, Plano, Texas. Property: 102 Givens Ave., Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Nov. 29.

Residential Thompson, Deborah, Bridgeport.

Seller: Kenneth E. Tucker et al., Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Property: 1492 North Ave., Unit 108, Bridgeport. Amount: $70,000. Filed Dec. 3.

Herron, Jeanette, Bridgeport.

Seller: Joseph Cachina, Bridgeport.

Property: 202 Arlington St. Bridgeport. Amount: $220,000. Filed Dec. 4.

Cruz Pena, Ricardo J. and Gisella A. Cruz, Bridgeport. Seller: Diane Cisero, Monroe. Property: Lots Nos. 42, 43 and 44 of Sylvan St., Bridgeport. Amount: $225,000. Filed Dec. 5.

Swaby, Marleen Sandra, Bridgeport. Seller: William M. Banick Sr., Bridgeport. Property: 495 Hart St., Bridgeport. Amount: $142,000.

Filed Dec. 19.

Gordillo, Nelson, Bridgeport. Seller: Michael E. DelGais, et al., Bridgeport. Property: 306 Alexander Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $165,000.

Filed Jan. 3.

Razhanskiy, Vitaly Stamford.

Seller: Claire F. Salvatore, et al., New Canaan. Property: 700 Summer St., Unit 3D, Stamford. Amount: $167, 500. Filed Dec. 4.

Contillo, Alice, et al., Stamford.

Seller: Laura Taubes, Stamford.

Property: 39 Flying Cloud Road, Stamford. Amount: $1,125,000. Filed Dec. 31.

Rudawitz, Edward and Mae Rudawitz, Stamford. Seller: Cynthia A. Schroeder, Stamford. Property: 85 Katydid Lane, Stamford.

Amount: $675,000. Filed Jan. 2.

Davis, Russell, Stamford. Seller: Kathleen T. Agonito and Maureen T. Fitzgerald, Stamford. Property: 1022 Shippan Ave., Stamford. Amount: $560,000. Filed Jan. 3.

Morales, Jay, Stamford. Seller: Robert D. Flanagan and James D. Funnell Stamford. Property: Lots B and D at Elbert L. Lockwood, Stamford.

Amount: $777,000. Filed Jan. 15.

Kraljevic, Michael I., Stamford. Seller: Casey M. O’Donnell, Greenwich. Property: Lot 2, Map No.6131 High Ridge Road, Stamford.

Amount: $1. Filed Dec. 21.

Smart, Audrey and Robert Vulaj, Stamford. Seller: Robert F. Miller, Norwalk. Property: 133 Fifth St., Stamford. Amount: $520,000. Filed Nov. 30.

FORECLOSURES Alexander, Sarita, et al., Creditor: The Bank of New York Mellon. Property: 37 Dover St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

Aponte, Jamie Lee. Creditor: MTGLQ Investors LP. Property: 55-57 Dekalb Ave., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 7.

Burghardt, Brian S. et al. Creditor: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Property: 39 Emerald St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 10.

Burgos, Robert A., et al. Creditor: Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. Property: 356 Charles St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 10.

Buzatu, Cornel, et al. Creditor: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company. Property: 95 Edward St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 11.

Carter, Patricia D., et al., Creditor: U.S. Bank Association. Property: 168 Pixlee Place, Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

DaSilva, Marcos F., Creditor: Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Property: 220 Thorme St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 3.

Mike, Warren and Anacleta Velasco, Stamford. Seller: Angela M. Socci, Stamford. Property: Lot 16, Map No. 1274 Roosevelt Ave., Stamford. Amount: $360,000. Filed Nov. 28.

Dennis, Dorothea, et al., Creditor: The Bank of New York. Property: 152 Deacon St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

Daley, Stokely C., Stamford. Seller: Margaret Francis, Stamford. Property: 15 Renwick St., Apartment 12, Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Nov. 26.

Genesis Housing Group LLC. Creditor: Cazenovia Creek Funding 1 LLC. Property: 144-146 Ogden St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

Larmon, Elvera, Stamford. Seller: Daniel S. and Elvera Larmon, Stamford. Property: 56 Buckingham Drive, Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Nov. 29.

Guzman, Denisse, et al. Creditor: U.S. Bank National Association.

Property: 112 Chalmers Ave., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 11.

Aldridge, Lisa M., Palm Beach, Florida. Seller: Nancy S. Lasher, Hobe Sound, Florida. Property: 470A and 470B June Road, Stamford. Amount: $1. Filed Nov. 30.

Richman, Douglas, Stamford.

Seller: Anita Crotone, Stamford.

Property: 41 Snow Crystal Lane, Stamford. Amount: $370,000. Filed Nov. 30.

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Johnston IV, Frederick S., et al. Creditor: U.S. Bank Trust N.A. Property: 3235 Madison Ave. Unit 3.

Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 5.

Moise, William A., et al., Creditor: U.S. Bank Trust N.A. Property: 110112 Herkimer St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 3.

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Facts & Figures Paul, Paul J. and Teresa Paul, Creditor: Cazenovia Creek Funding I, LLC. Property: Nob Hill Condominium, Unit 272, Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

Reed, Sherri. Creditor: CitiMortgage Inc. Property: 1184 Lindley St., Bridgeport. Mortgage default. Filed Dec. 4.

JUDGMENTS Pinheiro, Carlos and Lisa D. Pinheiro, Bridgeport. $14,936, in favor of U.S. Bank, National Association, Bridgeport, by Jennings, J., Bridgeport. Property: 309-311 Pequannock St., Bridgeport. Filed Dec. 5.

Donefer, Amanda E., Fairlield. $14,314, in favor of American Express National Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, by Zwicker & Associates PC, Enfield. Property: 927 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield. Filed Oct. 9.

Dragone & Son’s, LLC., Bridgeport. $660,265, in favor of Connecticut Community Bank N.A., Bridgeport, by Anthony Truglia, Bridgeport. Property: 2097-2101 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. Filed Jan. 4.

Jack, Karin S. and Bradley H. Jack, Fairfield. $27,085, in favor of Great Northern Insurance Co., Warren, New Jersey, by Howard Evan Ignal, Bridgeport. Property: 1143-1155 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield.

Filed Sep. 4.

Mello, Robert L., Norwalk. $9,645, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Jeffrey A. Schreiber, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 131 Harwich Road, Fairfield. Filed Sep. 26.

Moffa, Daryn D., Fairfield. $13,884, in favor of American Express National Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, by Zwicker & Associates P.C., Enfield.

Property: 92 Ann St., Fairfield. Filed Oct. 9.

Nixon, Kenneth, Fairfield. $10,973, in favor of The Milford Hospital Inc., Milford, by Leslie Marcarelli-Naizby, Madison. Property: 1234 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield. Filed Sep. 7.

Reed, Michael M., Fairfield. $9,249, in favor of Capital One Bank (USA) N.A., Richmond, Virginia, by Toby J. Rhine Smith, Newington.

Property: 621 Center St., Fairfield.

Filed Sep. 18.

Rosier, Kathleen, Greenwich. $1,693, in favor of Deerfield Lane Association, Greenwich, by Henry A. Orphys, Greenwich. Property: 4 Deerfield Lane, Greenwich. Filed Jan. 14.

Ryan, Rebecca, Fairfield. $1,630, in favor of Griffin Hospital, Derby,

by Philip H. Monagan, Waterbury.

Property: 149 Brookview Ave., Fairfield. Filed Oct. 2.

Santos, Maria Z., Fairfield. $4,970, in favor of Discover Bank, Bridgeport, by Jeffrey A. Schreiber, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 189 Wilson St., Fairfield. Filed Sep. 11.

Klein, Sam, Greenwich. $288,604, in favor of Zisholtz & Zizholtz LLC., Mineola, New York, by Maureen O’Connell, Mineola, New York.

Property: 131 Pecks land Road, Greenwich. Filed Jan. 4.

Lissauer, Jared, Greenwich. $14,601, in favor of Burning Tree Country Club Inc., Greenwich, by Kristen A. Mazur, Greenwich. Property: 15 Londonderry Drive, Greenwich. Filed Aug. 23 McGuinness, Peter J., Fairfield. $41,538, in favor of T.D. Bank N.A., Jacksonville, Florida, by Kenneth M. Rozich, New Haven. Property: 6 Sherman Court, Fairfield. Filed Sep. 20.

Mello, Robert L., Norwalk. $31,695, in favor of Cavalry SPV I LLC., Valhalla, New York, by Jeffrey A. Schreiber, Salem, New Hampshire. Property: 131 Harwich Road, Fairfield. Filed Sep. 26.

LIENS Federal Tax Liens Filed AMP 1405 LLC. and The Aquarium Water Co., 1405 Mill Hill Terrace, Southport. $540, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct. 11.

Arsenault, Jeffrey and Kim Nathanson, 14 Highview Ave., Old Greenwich. $687, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 26.

Bianco, Richard and Joann Bianco, 145 Round Hill Road, Greenwich. $18,385, civil proceeding tax.

Filed Nov. 5.

Bishop, Teresa, 647 Bronson Road, Southport. $4,358, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan 8.

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Brothas LLC. and The Aquarium Water Co., 39 Bradford St., Fairfield. $213, civil proceeding tax.

Filed Oct. 11.

Clarke, Christopher and Kimberly Clarke, 17141 Collins Ave., N. Miami Beach, Florida. $909,559, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 1.

Cornerstone Contracting Corp., 200 Pemberwick Road, Greenwich. $240,053, civil proceeding tax.

Filed Nov. 5.

Cugno, Kara T., 40 W. Elm St., Greenwich. $31,318, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 5.

Dominguez, Miguel A., 234 Byram Road, Greenwich. $18,076, civil proceeding tax. Filed Dec. 4.

Frattaroli, Nello and Mary Frattaroli, 5 Brook Drive, Greenwich. $35,465, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 27.

Fronzi, Theresa, 175 Farist St., Fairfield. $7,062, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan 3.

Giannone, Keith J. and The Aquarium Water Co., 115-117 Pope St., Fairfield. $665, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct.11.

Hines, Eric, 293 Fairfield Ave. Stamford. $500, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan. 17.

Jason Antonik Landscaping LLC., 111 Mill St., Greenwich. $4,701, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 20.

Johnson, Stephen S., 58 Husted Lane, Greenwich. $95,847, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 27.

Johnson, Stephen S., 58 Husted Lane, Greenwich. $55,386, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 27.

Magi, Catherine J., and The Aquarium Water Co., 30 Wellington Drive, Fairfield. $297, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct. 11.

Minnick, Fordyce W. and Sue K. Song, 10 Mortimer Drive, Old Greenwich. $12,581, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 27.

Morrow, Craig R. and The Aquarium Water Co., 133 Rosemere Ave., Fairfield. $154, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct. 11.

Narea, Hernan T., 4 Banksville Road, Greenwich. $18,225, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 20.

Odice, Linda, 114 Pope St., Fairfield. $8,625, civil proceeding tax. Filed Dec. 12.

Paolini, Marsha, 205 Roseville Terrace, Fairfield. $6,230, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 29.

Portugal, Jorge L. and Lorena M. Spada, 30 Split Timber Place, Riverside. $40,713, civil proceeding tax.

Filed Nov. 27.

Stevens, Christopher J. and The Aquarium Water Co., 130 Shrub Oak Lane, Fairfield. $702, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct. 11.

Upright, Carol L., 230 Winton Road, Fairfield. $273, civil proceeding tax. Filed Oct. 3.

Wardell, Bruce, 43 Rockmere Ave., Old Greenwich. $18.460, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 19.

Winckler, Nicole, 44 Second St., Fairfield. $3,866, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 8.

Federal Tax Liens-released 1194 King Street LLC., 1194 King St., Greenwich. $43,404, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 9.

Corner North Water Street LLC., 10 N. Water St., Greenwich. $8,549, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 7.

Glew, Robert and Linda Glew, 10 N. Water St., Greenwich. $480, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 7.

Habba, Fuad and Saad Habba, 20 Church St., Greenwich. $3,102, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 2.

Hegeman, Frank M. and Martha F. Hegeman, 339 Stanwich Road, Greenwich. $14,115, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 9.

Parker, Maria A., 19 Gerry St., Greenwich. $1,454, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 14.

Todd, Dianis and Chelsea Thomas, 12 Hartford Ave., Greenwich. $8, civil proceeding tax. Filed Nov. 6.

LIS PENDENS Berger, Joel Paul, et al., Greenwich. Filed by Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP. The Connecticut Light and Power Co. Property: 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich.

Action is brought to assess damages arising from the petitioners. Filed Dec. 24.

Bothwell, Michael F., et al., Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC. U.S. Bank National Association. Property: 131 Byram Road, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose a mortgage from the defendant. Filed Nov. 19.

Chambers, Joanna E. et al., Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC. U.S. Bank Trust, N.A. Property: 29 Buena Vista Drive, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose a mortgage from the defendant. Filed Nov. 19.

Coughlin, Sandra, et al., Greenwich. Filed by Bendett & McHugh, P C, Farmington. Bank of America, N.A. Property: 9 Chesnutt St., Greenwich. Action is brought to foreclose a mortgage to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. Filed Nov. 13.

Duque, Juan M., et al., Greenwich.

Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC. Federal National Mortgage Association. Property: 23 Rockmere Ave., Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose a mortgage from the defendant. Filed Dec. 14.

Gregory, Raymond, et al., Greenwich. Filed by Bendett & McHugh PC, Farmington. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association. Property: 17 Chesnut St., Greenwich. Action is brought to foreclose a Mortgage to JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Filed Dec. 6.

Hogan, Wade Tayler, et al., Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association.

Property: 25 Pleasant St., Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose a mortgage from the defendant. Filed Dec. 17.

Lindholm, Magnus, et al., Greenwich. Filed by Bendett & McHugh, P C, Farmington. Bank of America N.A. Property: 25 Buckfield Lane, Greenwich. Action is brought to foreclose a Mortgage to Merrill Lynch Credit Corp. from SHF Farm Inc. Filed Nov. 16.

Meehan, Robert, Greenwich.

Filed by Conlon & McGlynn LLC. Maribel Morales. Property: 50 Havemeyer Lane, Greenwich. Action is brought claiming a dissolution of the parties’ marriage by the plaintiff’s writ. Filed Nov. 30.

Olmstead, Regina B., Greenwich.

Filed by Pullman & Comley, LLC. Dennis J. Olmstead property: 9 Ridgeview Ave., Greenwich. Action is brought claiming a dissolution of the marriage by writ dated Oct. 23, 2018. Filed Nov. 16.

Porco, Pasquale Dino, et al., Greenwich. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC. PHH Mortgage Corp. Property: 9 Highland Place, Greenwich. Action is brought, inter alia, to foreclose a mortgage from the defendant. Filed Dec. 20.

Tilly, Anitta K., et al., Cos Cob. Filed by Bendett & McHugh, P C, Farmington. New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust 2018-3. Property: 182 Bible St., Cos Cob. Action is brought to foreclose a mortgage to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. Filed Dec. 4.

Wilson, Gary W. et al., Old Greenwich. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island. U.S. Bank National Association. Property: 12 Irvine Road, Old Greenwich.

Action is brought claiming a foreclosure of a mortgage from defendants to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. Filed Dec. 31.

LEASES Chanthinith, Phoungeun, by Marylou Weeks. Landlord: Success Village Apartments Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Building 46, Apt. 321, Bridgeport. Term: 36 years, commenced Dec. 14, 2018. Filed Dec. 17.

Cotto, Agustin, by Marylou Weeks. Landlord: Success Village Apartments Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Building 13, Apt. 245, Bridgeport. Term: 36 years, commenced Dec. 20, 2018. Filed Dec. 26.

Hung Tat and Huy A. Trinh, by Marylou Weeks. Landlord: Success Village Apartments Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Building 40, Apt. 70, Bridgeport. Term: 13 years, commenced Dec. 21, 2018. Filed Dec. 26.

Martinez, Elma and Jose Martinez, by Marylou Weeks. Landlord: Success Village Apartments Inc., Bridgeport. Property: Building 97, Apt.14, Bridgeport. Term: 36 years, commenced January 2019. Filed Jan. 7.

CELEBRATING MORE THAN A DECADE OF RISING STARS Nominate a candidate (perhaps yourself!) who fits the description of a young (25 or over and under 40), dynamic industry leader who is part of the county’s business growth. Candidate MUST work in Fairfield County and have not previously won the competition.

NOMINATE: westfaironline.com/events DEADLINE: April 3 For information, contact: Tracey Vitale at tvitale@westfairinc.com.

For sponsorships, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545.

PRESENTED BY:

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Facts & Figures MORTGAGES Blaber, Justin and Jacquelyn Blaber, Southport, by James T. Maye. Lender: Citizens Bank N.A., 1 Citizens Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island. Property: 840 Flintlock Road, Southport. Amount: $706,875. Filed Oct. 30.

Casano, John and Meghan Casano, Fairfield, by Adam Hirsch.

Lender: First World Mortgage Corp., 127 Prospect Ave., West Hartford.

Property: 91 Labbance Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $720,000. Filed Oct. 30.

Cipolla, Louis and Celine McDonald, Fairfield, by Commissioner of the Supreme Court. Lender: People’s United Bank, National Association. 850 Main St., Bridgeport. Property: 155 Rose Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,175,000. Filed Nov. 26.

Huhtanen, Mary Anne, Fairfield, by Jennifer L. Nastri. Lender: Sikorsky Financial Credit Union, 1000 Oronoque Lane, Stratford.

Property: 249 Nichols St., Fairfield.

Amount: $15,000. Filed Nov. 26.

Marsland, Scott, Fairfield, by Magdalena E. Hunter. Lender: TD Bank N.A., 1Portland Square, Portland, Maine. Property: 15 Milandale Road, Fairfield. Amount: $56,000. Filed Oct. 30.

McQuillan, Claire, Fairfield, by Elizabeth A. Edwards. Lender: Kathleen McQuillan, 20 Howard St., Fairfield Property: 59 Howard St., Fairfield. Amount $10,000. Filed Dec. 24.

Moitoso, Lenny and Amanda Moitiso, Fairfield, by Casey R. Stevens. Lender: Bethpage Federal Credit Union, 899 South Oyster Bay Road, Bethpage, New York. Property: 17 Tahmore Place Fairfield.

Amount: $75,000. Filed Nov. 29.

Papageorge, Mary J., Fairfield, by Natasha H. Georgette. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 101 N. Phillips Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota Property: 196 Queens Grant Road, Fairfield.

Amount: $735,400. Filed Nov. 29.

Pierce, Erika, Fairfield, by Bevon E. McLean. Lender: M&T Bank, A Corp., 1 M&T Plaza, Buffalo, New York. Property: 20-22 Alyssa Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $460,750. Filed Nov. 26.

NEW BUSINESSES Blaber, Justin and Jacquelyn Blaber, Southport, by James T. Maye. Lender: Citizens Bank N.A., 1 Citizens Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island. Property: 840 Flintlock Road, Southport. Amount: $706,875. Filed Oct. 30.

Casano, John and Meghan Casano, Fairfield, by Adam Hirsch.

Lender: First World Mortgage Corp., 127 Prospect Ave., West Hartford.

Property: 91 Labbance Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $720,000. Filed Oct. 30.

Cipolla, Louis and Celine McDonald, Fairfield, by Commissioner of the Supreme Court. Lender: People’s United Bank, National Association. 850 Main St., Bridgeport. Property: 155 Rose Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,175,000. Filed Nov. 26.

Huhtanen, Mary Anne, Fairfield, by Jennifer L. Nastri. Lender: Sikorsky Financial Credit Union, 1000 Oronoque Lane, Stratford.

Property: 249 Nichols St., Fairfield.

Amount: $15,000. Filed Nov. 26.

Joliet, Jerome and Sadhana D. Joliet, Southport, by Douglas I. Bayer. Lender: USAA Federal Savings Bank, 10750 McDermott Freeway, San Antonio, Texas. Property: 78 Osborne Lane, Southport. Amount: $523,968. Filed Dec. 24.

Rorke, Alexis, Southport, by Maria C. Miller. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 280 Mill Hill Road, Southport. Amount: $131,500.

Filed Nov. 26.

Joliet, Jerome and Sadhana D. Joliet, Southport, by Douglas I. Bayer. Lender: USAA Federal Savings Bank, 10750 McDermott Freeway, San Antonio, Texas. Property: 78 Osborne Lane, Southport. Amount: $523,968. Filed Dec. 24.

Kane, Brian C., Fairfield, by Matthew L. Corrente. Lender: Mutual Services Bank, 117 Prospect St., Stamford. Property: 328 Barberry Road, Fairfield. Amount: $560,000.

Filed Oct. 30.

Ross, Robert F. and Mary Morrissey, Fairfield, by Commissioner of the Supreme Court. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 396 Meadowbrook Road, Fairfield.

Amount: $277,507. Filed Nov. 26.

Kane, Brian C., Fairfield, by Matthew L. Corrente. Lender: Mutual Services Bank, 117 Prospect St., Stamford. Property: 328 Barberry Road, Fairfield. Amount: $560,000.

Filed Oct. 30.

Trofa Property Development LLC., Wilton, by Charles A. Fiore.

Lender: Bankwell Bank, 28 Elm St., New Canaan. Property: 926 Reef Road, Fairfield. Amount: $10. Filed Oct. 30.

Lenox Properties LLC, Suffield,

by Anthony A. Hannoush, Suffield. Lender: Bank Rhode Island, 1 Turks Head Place, Providence, Rhode Island. Property: 2500 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield. Amount: $2,542,500. Filed Nov. 29.

Lenox Properties LLC, Suffield,

by Anthony A. Hannoush, Suffield. Lender: Bank Rhode Island, 1 Turks Head Place, Providence, Rhode Island. Property: 2500Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield. Amount: $2,542,500. Filed Nov. 29.

Digital Solutions Specialist (Nestlé Regional Globe Office North America, Inc. – Stamford, CT) Prvd bus procss & solutns exprts in Cstmr Srvc, CRM, eCommrc, Usr & Cstmr Exp, Mkt’g & Dgtl Innov to N. Am. Mkts. F/T. Reqs Bach’s dgr (or frgn equiv) in Int’l Bus, Comp Sci, Info Sys, Eng or rel fld & 3 yrs exp in job offrd or w/ proj mgmt incl implmnt’g lrg scl proj in tech. In lieu of Bach’s in stated fld & 3 yrs exp as stated, will acpt Bach’s dgr in any othr fld w/ 1 add yr of exp as stated. Must hv 1 yr exp in fllow’g: eCmmrc pltfrms; SAP Hybris, Microsoft Office incl MS Proj; proj mgmt lifecycle procss; wrk’g w/ Cstmr Srvc cmpliance guidlns & KPIs; cmmunict’g cmplx tech cncpts & solutns in bus trms to stkhldrs; bus procss anlysis & map’g. Exp may be gained cncrrntly. Resumes: J. Buenrostro, Nestlé USA, Inc., 1812 N Moore St, Arlington, VA 22209. Job ID: DDS-CRO.

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Marsland, Scott, Fairfield, by Magdalena E. Hunter. Lender: TD Bank N.A., 1 Portland Square, Portland, Maine. Property: 15 Milandale Road, Fairfield. Amount: $56,000. Filed Oct. 30.

McQuillan, Claire, Fairfield, by Elizabeth A. Edwards. Lender: Kathleen McQuillan, 20 Howard St., Fairfield Property: 59 Howard St., Fairfield. Amount $10,000. Filed Dec. 24.

Moitoso, Lenny and Amanda Moitiso, Fairfield, by Casey R. Stevens. Lender: Bethpage Federal Credit Union, 899 South Oyster Bay Road, Bethpage, New York. Property: 17 Tahmore Place Fairfield.

Amount: $75,000. Filed Nov. 29.

Baffle for line-array loudspeaker. Patent no. 10,194,238 issued to Douglas J. Button, Simi Valley, California; Richard D. Kamlet, Valencia, California. Assigned to Harman International Industries Inc., Stamford.

Papageorge, Mary J., Fairfield, by Natasha H. Georgette. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank N.A., 101 N. Phillips Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota Property: 196 Queens Grant Road, Fairfield.

Amount: $735,400. Filed Nov. 29.

Circuit boards for LED-based light fixtures. Patent no. 10,190,759 issued to Pritam Yadav, Greenville, South Carolina; T. Warren Weeks Jr., Simpsonville, South Carolina; E. Thomas Hill III, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton.

Pierce, Erika, Fairfield, by Bevon E. McLean. Lender: M&T Bank, A Corp., 1 M&T Plaza, Buffalo, New York. Property: 20-22 Alyssa Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $460,750. Filed Nov. 26.

Rorke, Alexis, Southport, by Maria C. Miller. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 280 Mill Hill Road, Southport. Amount: $131,500.

Filed Nov. 26.

Ross, Robert F. and Mary Morrissey, Fairfield, by the Commissioner of the Supreme Court. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio.

Property: 396 Meadowbrook Road, Fairfield. Amount: $277,507. Filed Nov. 26.

Trofa Property Development LLC., Wilton, by Charles A. Fiore.

Lender: Bankwell Bank, 28 Elm St., New Canaan. Property: 926 Reef Road, Fairfield. Amount: $10. Filed Oct. 30.

PATENTS Argon condensation system and method. Patent no. 10,190,819 issued to Steven R. Falta, Honeoye Falls, New York; Brian S. Powell, Williamsville, New York; Henry E. Howard, Grand Island, New York; Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Williamsville, New York; Maulik R. Shelat, Williamsville, New York.

Assigned to Praxair Technology Inc., Danbury.

Audio bus-lighting control. Patent no. 10,194,505 issued to Colombathanthrige Sanda Viraga Perera, Royal Oak, Michigan. Assigned to Harman International Industries Inc., Stamford.

Diagnosis of drive shaft disc couplings. Patent no. 10,190,942 issued to Jeremy Sheldon, Henrietta, New York; Matthew James Watson, Butler, Pennsylvania; David Kasper, Shelton; Avinash Sarlashkar, Pittsford, New York; Jeffrey Steele, Pittsford, New York; Mark W. Davis, Southbury. Assigned to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford.

Earphones and earbuds with physiologic sensors. Patent no.

10,194,233 issued to Seth D. Burgett, Glen Carbon, Illinois; Aaron Gorga, St. Louis, Missouri; Effrosini A. Karayiannis, St. Louis, Missouri. Assigned to Harman International Industries Inc., Stamford.

Electrostatic charging member.

Patent no. 10,191,405 issued to Jin Wu, Pittsford, New York; Lin Ma, Pittsford, New York. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Enclosure system and method for facilitating installation of electrical equipment. Patent no.

10,192,667 issued to Joseph P. Gerovac, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

Assigned to Hubbell Inc., Shelton.

Headband with a 360-degree elastic outside portion joined with a 360-degree velvet inside lining. Patent no. 10,188,188 issued to Dari Passarello, New York, New York. Assigned to Sparkly Soul Inc., Westport.

Mechanisms to enable FIFO behavior for selected workflow tasks in multidocument jobs.

Patent no. 10,191,705 issued to Francisco M. Valeriano, Torrance, California; Sherry Siu-Ling Tan, Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Nonloaded manual blade-fold assembly. Patent no. 10,189,564 issued to David A. Darrow Jr., Stratford; Frank P. D’Anna, Seymour. Assigned to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford.

Power sources and systems utilizing a common ultra-capacitor and battery hybrid energy storage system for both uninterruptible power supply and generator start-up functions.

Patent no. 10,193,380 issued to Subrata K. Mondal, South Windsor; Jakob Carnemark, Fairfield. Assigned to Inertech IP LLC, Danbury.

Rotor speed control using a feed-forward rotor speed command. Patent no. 10,189,559 issued to Derek Geiger, Wilton; Ole Wulff, Ansonia; Jonathan Aaron Litwin, West Haven; Aaron L. Greenfield, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Assigned to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford.

Signal quality-based enhancement and compensation of compressed audio signals. Patent no.

10,192,564 issued to Kevin Eric Heber, Carmel, Indiana; Gilbert Arthur Joseph Soulodre, Kanata, Canada.

Assigned to Harman International Industries Inc., Stamford.

System and method for controlling a duel-fuel engine. Patent no. 10,190,509 issued to Thomas Michael Lavertu, Clifton Park, New York; Roy James Primus, Niskayuna, New York; Adam Egar Klingbeil, Ballston Lake, New York; James Robert Mischler, Girard, Pennsylvania. Assigned to GE Global Sourcing LLC, Norwalk.

System and method for extracting a periodic signal from video.

Patent no. 10,192,307 issued to Prathosh A. Prasad, Karnataka, India; Sanjay Bharadwaj, Karnataka, India; Pragathi Praveena, Karnataka, India; Tejaskumar Dipaklal Bengali, Karnataka, India; Satish Prasad Rath, Karnataka, India; Himanshu Jayantkumar Madhu, Maharashtra, India. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

System for trading commodities and the like. Patent no. 10,192,267 issued to Vincent P. Annunziata, Greenwich. Assigned to Tradecapture OTC Corp., Stamford.

Vacuum media transport system with reduced pressure variations in inter-copy gaps.

Patent no. 10,189,283 issued to Francisco Zirilli, Webster, New York.

Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019

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JOIN US IN 2019 Each year, Westfair Communications hosts these must-attend events, providing a forum for industry leaders to have innovative and thoughtprovoking dialogues while making meaningful connections.

Mark your calendar so you don’t miss out!

MARCH 5 Family-Owned Business Awards 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains MARCH 26 Celebration and Launch 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

W

APRIL 4 Women’s Wealth, Health and Wellbeing 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

APRIL 30 Real Estate 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

MAY 9 Top Wealth Advisors 2019 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Fairfield County

DOCTORS of DISTINCTION 2019

MAY 21 Fairfield County Doctors of Distinction 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

JUNE 2019 40 Under 40 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 24 Westchester County Doctors of Distinction 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

OCTOBER 29 Brand Building 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

NOVEMBER 21 Millennial Awards 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit westfaironline.com/events-2019/ For event information, contact: Tracey Vitale at tvitale@westfairinc.com.

For sponsorship inquiries, contact: Marcia Pflug at mpflug@wfpromote.com or 203-733-4545.