Fairfield County Business Journal - 030413

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FCBJ this week

March 4, 2013 | VOL. 49, No. 9

DIGITAL SETBACK

FIVE NURSING HOMES run by HealthBridge Management were granted an expedited appeal in their lawsuit against 600 union employees … 2

» Digital, page 6

» Cost, page 6

LAYOFFS EXPECTED IN SALE OF PuBLISHER

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

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fter declaring bankruptcy twice in three years, the publisher of Connecticut Magazine and three Connecticut daily newspapers will be sold this spring with hundreds of jobs at risk of being permanently eliminated.

The demise of Journal Register Co., a Yardley, Pa., firm that publishes 18 daily newspapers nationwide, represents a cautionary tale for media companies rushing to transition from print to digital platforms, experts say.

Journal Register Co., which is managed by Digital First Media and owned by Alden Global Capital L.L.C., a New York City investment firm, filed for Chapter 11

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jbissell@westfairinc.com

bankruptcy protection Sept. 5, 2012, and subsequently announced plans to auction its assets.

Another Alden Global subsidiary, 21st CMH Acquisition Co., submitted the sole bid and on Dec. 19 announced it had reached a deal to acquire the assets of Journal Register for about $122.5 million.

With the bid awaiting court approval, Journal Register gave notice to the state Department of Labor late last month that the company would cease operations around April 17 and that all 285 of its Connecticut employees would be laid off upon the finalization of the sale.

“We have asked the buyer to operate the business using substantially all of our current employees,” the notice, required

A NEW REPORT shows businesses with fewer than five employees were the only source of job growth in Connecticut in 2010 … 11

MEDIA PARTNER

BY JENNIFER BISSELL

AT A TIME OF TIGHT budgets, government officials say cuts and streaming efforts are an absolute must.

But when it comes to one proposal to merge five state advocacy agencies into a Commission on Citizen Advocacy and a second proposal that would eliminate the state Commission on Aging, representatives say the costs would outweigh any savings.

“At this point I’m not sure what else we can do to be effective, other than be left alone,” said Teresa Younger, executive director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), one of the independent state agencies Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has proposed to consolidate in his budget for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years.

“We are one of the oldest, most effective commissions in the country,” Younger said. “We’ve been at the forefront of what other states look at.”

Under the proposal, PCSW, along with the commissions for Asian Pacific American Affairs, African American Affairs, Children, and Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs would be consolidated into the Commission on Citizen Advocacy.

The move would save $800,000 annually and is one of five government streaming efforts aimed at saving $11.2 million over the two years covered by the biennial budget proposal currently being debated by the Connecticut General Assembly.

The Commission on Citizen Advocacy would have about 17 full-time positions, absorbing some — but not all — of the current employees of the five agencies in question.

THE GOVERNOR was in Stamford to pitch his “Next Generation Connecticut” proposal to invest more than $1.5 billion in UConn over the next decade … 5

MARKET STUDIES show quick response code use among U.S. adults nearly quadrupled from 2011 to 2012 … 15

COST-CUTTING PROPOSALS UNDER FIRE

BIDEN, IN DANBURY, WARNS OF ‘MORAL PRICE’ OF INACTION ON GUN REGULATIONS

Federal court will hear HealthBridge appeal Long Ridge of Stamford, one of five nursing homes managed

by HealthBridge Management that has filed for bankruptcy.

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

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federal court has granted an expedited appeal to five Connecticut nursing homes managed by HealthBridge Management L.L.C. in the facilities’ lawsuit against 600 union workers who have been on strike since July.

The ruling follows a Feb. 24 bankruptcy filing by the five homes in Newington, Milford, Danbury, Stamford and Westport, which are seeking relief from existing collective bargaining agreements that they say are contributing to losses of about $1.3 million a month.

“The centers have a bright future if they can operate under labor agreements that reflect today’s financial realities, but the fact is the centers will not survive

unless we have relief from the crushing burden of unsustainable labor costs, especially the spiraling costs of pension and health care obligations,” HealthBridge spokeswoman Lisa Crutchfield said in a Feb. 25 statement.

So far, however, HealthBridge and the five health care facilities have been unsuccessful in overturning a Dec. 11 decision by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Chatigny of the District of Connecticut, who sided with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the union in requiring HealthBridge to bring back the striking employees and to restore benefits to about 75 union employees who worked through the strike.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn Chatigny’s ruling, and the striking employees, who are represented by the Service Employees International

Union (SEIU) District 1199, were scheduled to return to work March 3.

David Pickus, president of SEIU 1199, described the bankruptcy filings as “the latest in a long string of actions

by HealthBridge aimed at avoiding their legal obligations to more than 600 hardworking nursing home caregivers across Connecticut.”

HealthBridge, based in Parsippany, N.J., has disputed Pickus’ statements. It says the facilities it manages spend 225 percent more on pension benefits per resident-day than the statewide average for nursing homes, and that its daily benefit costs were 24 percent higher than other union nursing home facilities in Connecticut.

“We continue to firmly believe that the NLRB’s contention that the centers’ implementation of their ‘last, best and final’ offers in June 2012 after reaching impasse were unfair labor practices is unwarranted and without merit,” Crutchfield said, contending that the declaration of an impasse was appropriate given the nearly 18 months of failed negotiations.

Crutchfield said the five nursing homes that declared bankruptcy would continue to operate as usual with no service interruptions, and said HealthBridge is “pleased” with the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to expedite arguments in HealthBridge’s appeal of Chatigny’s ruling.

The labor dispute came to a head last June, when, after 18 months of negotiations over a new contract, the five nursing homes implemented their “last, best and final” offer that involved the termination of the union employees’ pensions and shifted health care premium costs to the workers, while also raising wages by 2.2 percent.

In response, the SEIU workers went on strike while HealthBridge hired replacement workers to staff the facilities, which include the Long Ridge of Stamford, Newington Health Care Center, Westport Health Care Center, West River Health Care Center and Danbury Health Care Center.

The NLRB responded within a week of the strike, filing charges against HealthBridge and the centers that the contract changes forced on union employees were illegal.

The five homes, which provide longterm nursing care and short-term rehabilitation services for the elderly, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.

The filings do not include other nonunion facilities in Connecticut that are managed by HealthBridge.

Opening briefs in the appeal before the Second Circuit are due March 15, and the appeal is to be heard the week of April 29.

Long-term care shifts to in-home setting

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

Providers of in-home health care across the state are rallying around the governor’s call to treat the elderly in their own homes and communities to free up space at hospitals and nursing homes.

In his budget proposal for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years, Gov. Dannel Malloy proposed a $13 million investment, in addition to $72.8 million in available federal funding, to rebalance long-term care services and support. Home health care providers say they’re happy to see the aggressive stance.

“We know people, by and large, want to age in their homes and their communities,” said Julia Evans Starr, executive director of the state Commission on Aging. “People have a right to do so and from the state government perspective it costs a lot less money.”

Keeping a person in stable health at

their home costs less than $300 a day, while a hospital stay can cost thousands of dollars a day, according to some estimates.

Medicaid is among the largest budget items, representing about 25 percent of the expenditures included in Malloy’s budget proposal.

While only 7 percent of residents eligible for Medicaid used long-term care services and supports in 2012, those services ate up 47 percent of the state’s Medicaid expenditures, totaling nearly $2.8 billion.

Advocates say the state’s Money Follows the Person program will be a key driver in rebalancing the long-term care system, which has already transitioned about 1,400 people out of nursing homes and into the community in the last three years.

The program directs the savings toward finding resources to help individuals live at home with the necessary supports. By 2015, the goal is to get 5,000 people back into the community.

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To reflect its commitment to the growing role of home health care, the Connecticut Association for Home Care and Hospice unveiled Feb. 28 its name change to the Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home (CCHH).

“Home health care providers are really excited about the opportunity to have care delivered at home,” said Deborah Hoyt, CCHH CEO. “There are options for care and there’s no better place than home.”

Hoyt said the association has been an active participant in the home health care industry, which has evolved from nurses checking in on home-based patients to reflect the now-growing capabilities technology improvements have allowed. Equipment, sensors and monitors can measure vitals, if a patient is out of bed and report back the information to primary care doctors.

“It’s not your mother’s home health care,” Hoyt said. “It’s all about wellness

and prevention and keeping people cued into what could go wrong. We’re changing the way we educate and work by collaborating with patients through the use of technology and working closer with primary care doctors.”

But both Hoyt and Starr said the rebalancing initiative isn’t without its challenges.

Hoyt said providers and doctors aren’t being reimbursed at high enough rates to cover their expenses. Last year, four home health care agencies, including one in Stamford, closed.

Plus, they said there’s the issue of finding enough qualified and trained employees to staff home health care agencies.

Over the next four years the state will need an additional 9,000 direct care workers to support the community, according to the Commission on Aging.

“I think we’re being very aggressive right now,” Hoyt said. “The focus on health is finally coming to home.”

Gunmakers, lawmakers at odds

Vice President Joseph R. Biden was among the speakers at a Feb. 21 conference on gun violence held at Western Connecticut State University. Credit: Peggy Stewart. Photo Courtesy of WCSU.

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

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epresentatives on both sides in the gun debate faced off last week, as Connecticut gunmakers responded to a Danbury speech by Vice President Joseph R. Biden with a video plea for a “meaningful discussion” of proposed regulatory changes.

Biden, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other state and federal lawmakers

spoke at a Feb. 21 conference at Western Connecticut State University, where they continued to lobby for quick action in Hartford and Washington.

“There’s a moral price to be paid for inaction,” Biden said at the conference, which also featured Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Sens.

Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy.

“No law-abiding citizen in the United States of America has any fear that their constitutional rights will be infringed in any way. None. Zero.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a gun rights advocacy group based in Newtown, countered with a video of interviews with Connecticut weapons industry representatives, who emphasized the value of the industry to the state’s economy.

In the NSSF video, Mark Malkowski, president of Stag Arms L.L.C. in New Britain, said, “I don’t want to think about leaving here. This is our home. This is where our families are.”

Joseph Bartozzi, senior vice president and general counsel for O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc. of North Haven — the nation’s

oldest family-run gun manufacturer — said, “Banning or limiting certain types of firearms would certainly have an effect” on a company like O.F. Mossberg.

“We’ve just invested in this facility over $4 million in new equipment,” Bartozzi said in the NSSF video. “We’ve hired 100 new people to operate these machines and assemble these new products that are being sent out to market. So the effect would be dramatic.”

Bartozzi called for a “meaningful discussion on the technical merits” of products like the modern sporting rifle, for which Malloy has sought a more comprehensive statewide ban.

Malloy introduced a five-step plan to reform the state’s gun regulations Feb. 21 in advance of the WCSU event, calling for universal background checks, a ban on the possession of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, a ban on semiautomatic weapons with any military-stile feature, broader gun storage requirements, and improved enforcement of existing laws.

“Two months ago, our state became the center of a national debate after a

tragedy we never imagined could happen here,” Malloy said at WCSU. “We have changed. And I believe it is now time for our laws to do the same.”

While the General Assembly has convened a 52-member bipartisan task force of legislatures to examine possible changes, Malloy demanded a speedy vote. “We have to vote on a bill that will make our state and our country safer.”

Last week, Sen. Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, said its members would soon take up debate on gun violence protection measures, including bills that would institute universal background checks and reinstate a national assault weapons ban.

Rep. Jim Himes, a Greenwich Democrat, said he was encouraged by the news from Leahy but expressed dismay that the House of Representatives has yet to broach new gun regulations.

“I’m actually quite optimistic that Connecticut will get a package of good reforms passed, but it’s not sufficient,” Himes said, arguing that federal action is critical.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013

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PERSPECTIVES

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY

BUSINESS JOURNAL

Setting the record straight

ne month ago, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy delivered his budget proposal for the state’s 2014 and 2015 fiscal years to the Connecticut General Assembly.

The budget, Malloy said, “keeps Connecticut moving forward” and “follows some of those simple principles we all agreed on two years ago: passing an honest, balanced budget; living within our means; making government smaller and more responsive; and sticking to our plan for growing Connecticut’s economy.”

But we must ask: Is the budget honest and balanced? Are we living within our means? Does the budget proposal really make government smaller and more responsive? And are we sticking to the plan to grow business? The answers likely depend on where one sits.

If shifting funds from one department to another can count as both a new investment and a spending cut, then yes, the budget is honest.

If refinancing millions of dollars in outstanding debt and borrowing even more to ensure revenues and expenditures match counts as balancing, then sure, check off that box too.

If increasing all-funds spending by 5.1 percent from the 2013 fiscal year to the 2014 fiscal year — an increase that is exactly three times the 2012 increase in the consumer price index (CPI) — is what it takes to make government run smoothly, then of course we’re living within our means.

If extending a tax on energy gen-

eration in a state where energy costs are considered to be prohibitively high for business helps the state economy grow, then our governor can declare a victory there as well.

John McKinney and Larry Cafero, the top Republicans in the state Senate and the state House of Representatives, respectively, called the Malloy budget “the most dishonest budget I’ve ever seen” and a “shell game.”

The word we would use is, “confusing,” for all of the reasons stated above: the proposal shifts funds around judiciously, thereby distorting any purported spending cuts or increases; it relies heavily on borrowing; and it ultimately increases government spending while providing little in the way of tax relief for businesses.

Republicans weren’t the only critics. In a Feb. 15 news conference organized by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, a group of mayors, including Democrats Bill Finch of Bridgeport, John DeStefano of New Haven and Neil O’Leary of Waterbury, criticized Malloy for balancing his budget on the backs of municipalities.

“This whole budget makes the tax structure more regressive, shrinks the tax base of the job-producing centers of the state (in the big cities) and makes their financial positions more urgent,” DeStefano said, according to published reports.

Perhaps our biggest gripe after having reviewed the Malloy budget is its claim that it shrinks the size of state gov-

THEY SAID IT “Never again will we accept the ideological posturing that the changes needed are too complex and too difficult to achieve. Never again will we look the other way. It is time to act.”

— Newtown First Selectwoman Patricia Llodra, speaking at a Feb. 21 conference on gun violence at Western Connecticut State University.

ernment and makes it more responsive.

From a handful of so-called efficiencies, Malloy’s budget would secure just more than $11 million in savings. To put that in perspective, the government reorganization would shave 0.02 percent off a general fund allocation of more than $41 billion for the two-year budget period.

How would those savings be achieved, one might ask?

In part, by shrinking, merging or eliminating already-understaffed advocacy groups like the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, the Commission on Aging, the Asian American Pacific Affairs Commission, the African American Affairs Commission, the Commission on Children, the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission and the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women — the latter of which wouldn’t be so permanent anymore.

In contrast, the state agency that drafted the Malloy budget, the Office of Policy and Management, would see its permanent full-time staff increase by 13 to 163 during the 2014 fiscal year.

The budget proposal also calls for the (aptly named) Office of Government Accountability to increase its permanent full-time staff by 2 to 88.

But in our estimation, the Malloy budget’s greatest irony can be found on a page detailing the proposed allocation for the Auditors of Public Accounts, a 117-person legislative agency responsible for auditing the books and accounts of each state agency and all institutions — public or quasi-public — supported by the state.

The budget does not propose to change full-time staff levels for its chief auditor. No, the irony is that its proposed 2014 fiscal year allocation of $11.79 million is more than the total savings from government reorganization that would be achieved by the Malloy budget.

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NYC METRO BuSINESS JOuRNALS

“I don’t think it’s just JPMorgan. …I think all banks will have too much capital in two and a half years. And they’re not going to know what to do with it.”

— JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO and Chairman Jamie Dimon at the bank’s Feb. 26 Investor Day in New York City.

“Although monetary policy is working to promote a more robust recovery, it cannot carry the entire burden of ensuring a speedier return to economic health. … The challenge for the Congress and the administration is to put the federal budget on a sustainable long-run path that promotes economic growth and stability without unnecessarily impeding the current recovery.”

— Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, in prepared testimony delivered Feb. 26 to the Senate committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

4 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

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Malloy: UConn investment means better hiring pool

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

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t a time when Connecticut’s job market remains stagnant, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said his proposal to invest $1.5 billion into the University of Connecticut over the next 10 years is an attempt to magnify one of the state’s important economic drivers. “(It’s) holding our feet to fire, concentrating on what’s important, addressing our weaknesses and building upon our strengths,” Malloy said at UConn’s Stamford Learning Accelerator Feb. 20.

“It’s the kind of thing that in our business courses we would teach our students to do.”

The Next Generation Connecticut investment calls for UConn to increase undergraduate enrollment by a third, construct new science and technology facilities, hire faculty and build student housing worth $10 million on the Stamford campus.

The plan would increase undergraduate enrollment in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields by 42 percent and school of engineering enrollment by 70 percent.

With jobs in STEM fields growing three times as fast as non-STEM jobs, Malloy and UConn officials say the investment would prepare students to meet the professional workforce needs and further establish the Stamford campus as a hub for business innovation.

Future graduates in digital media, risk management and international business — all new programs at the Stamford campus — would also increase to help meet the demand for jobs in those areas.

Between 2010 and 2012, there were roughly 700 active candidates for 2,500 Fairfield County job openings in digital media, according to data supplied by UConn. Likewise, about 400 candidates were vying for 1,600 open financial manager and analysts positions.

“I really think that most of the ambitious people that we create in this state will leave this state forever and if we don’t generate the big ideas, increase the wealth and open up opportunities to boost the culture of the state,” said UConn President Susan Herbst. “We’ll be left in the dust by states who are lesser than us.”

At a Feb. 27 meeting of the UConn board of trustees, the board was scheduled to vote on the creation of a digital

UConn President Susan Herbst speaks at the Stamford campus about the Next Generation Connecticut proposal.

Media and Design major, in addition to other items.

The Next Generation expansion would more than double undergraduate enrollment on the Stamford campus, adding 300 students per year.

Chris Bruhl, president and CEO of the Business Council of Fairfield County, said he supports the expansion, noting that the more students the area has, the “cooler” it will be. Thus, he said, it would be easier for businesses to attract and retain employees.

“Businesses in Connecticut compete on human capital, on what we know, what we can innovate, what we can do,” Bruhl said. “Therefore, higher education is the foundation of economic competitiveness.”

Under the Next Generation proposal, Connecticut would invest $1.5 billion over 10 years and UConn would contribute about $385 million, with $235 million of that coming from funds that would be diverted from the UConn 2000 initiative.

Bruhl said he believes the state can afford the year-by-year investment, especially given low interest rates.

“It’s an investment with a payoff, it’s not a borrowing for consumption,” he said.

Given the tight budgetary climate, however, Bruhl said the size of the project may need to be scaled down if necessary.

“The broader budget needs to be considered as an entire document,” he said.

“Don’t just save one item you love while the rest have to suffer.”

Citrin Cooperman Corner When is the last time you looked at your operating agreement?

BY WILLIAM CONRON, CPA CITRIN COOPERMAN Today the vast majority of businesses are formed as limited liability companies (LLCs). One of the most important documents of an LLC is its operating agreement.

The purpose of the operating agreement is to govern the internal operations of a business in a way that suits the specific needs of the business owners (members). Once it is signed by the members, it acts as an official contract binding them to its terms.

Why do you need an operating agreement?

1. To protect the business’ limited liability status: LLCs shield their members from personal liability. Without an operating agreement, your LLC can resemble a sole proprietorship or partnership, potentially exposing you to personal liability.

2. To clarify verbal agreements and formalize the economic understanding between the owners: Even if members have orally agreed to certain terms, misunderstandings can still arise. It is always best to have the terms of your partnership in writing so they can be referred to in the event of a conflict.

3. To protect your agreement in the eyes of your state: LLCs without an official operating agreement are governed by the default rules of the state. This means that allocations of profit and loss and other key provisions agreed to verbally could be overruled by state statutes.

What is included in an operating agreement?

Operating agreements include: • Percentage of members’ interest in the LLC • Members’ voting powers • Members’ rights and responsibilities • Allocation of profits and losses • Buyout and buy-sell rules There is no “one size fits all” template for operating agreements. LLC operating agreements range from simple 50/50 arrangements between two individuals to complex structures with multiple classes of ownership and provisions where the allocation of income and distribution of profits change based on the performance of the business and its management.

The document must be changed as the business grows. Here are some key areas for operating agreements that need ongoing review.

Capital Contributions How does the agreement address raising capital? Will the LLC mandate the ability to have a capital call on its current members or will it allow for investment of new members? Who will

make these decisions and how will the LLC account for tax effects of such?

Compensation A well-drafted operating agreement will detail how member compensation is computed. This includes outlining the subjective and objective guidelines and who has the responsibility and authority to act on behalf of the LLC. Is there a bonus plan?

Distributions Who has the right to declare distributions? Are distributions made at management’s discretion or are they limited to covering the tax liabilities generated from the profits of the business until it reaches a specific threshold?

Can a member request a cash distribution even though it might not be in the best interest of the business?

Restrictions on transfer of interest What happens if one of the members dies or retires? Does the agreement have a buyout clause? Can an exiting member force the remaining members to buy them out? How is the value of the interest determined? If the method for valuing the business is listed in the operating agreement, is it still reasonable? Is an exiting member required to sell to the remaining members of the business or can the members sell to anyone they want? What happens if one of the members goes through a divorce and is forced to split assets with an ex-spouse?

Management/Amendments Most agreements assign a manager to be responsible for decisions involving the operations of the company. What happens if the manager dies or leaves the business?

How are changes to the agreement decided upon? Does the agreement call for an elected board of directors or executive committee to make the high level business decisions that arise, or are owners’ votes weighted based on their percentage interests? Does a change to the agreement or other “destiny decision” require unanimous consent, a super majority or a simple majority of the board or ownership?

As the information above highlights, properly structuring an operating agreement is essential to growing and managing a successful business.

The next Citrin Cooperman Corner column focusing on State and Local Taxes will appear on this page on April 1, 2013.

William Conron is a Director based in Citrin Cooperman’s Norwalk office, where he provides tax consulting and compliance services to individuals and closely held businesses in a wide range of industries. He can be reached by phone at (203) 847-4068 or via email at: wconron@citrincooperman.com. Citrin Cooperman is a full-service accounting and business consulting firm with offices in White Plains, NY; Norwalk, CT; New York City; Livingston, NJ; and Philadelphia, PA.

A MESSAGE FROM CITRIN COOPERMAN FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013

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DIGITAL — » From page 1

under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act for all layoffs impacting 100 or more employees, stated. “We have expressed to the buyer that a competent and competitive employee population is critical to the company’s ongoing success.”

Journal Register publishes the New Haven Register, with a daily circulation of more than 81,000, The Middletown Press, with a daily circulation of just over 6,000, and The Register Citizen, based in Torrington, with a daily circulation of about 9,000, according to the company’s website.

Other Connecticut publications that will be impacted by the Journal Register sale include Connecticut Magazine, with a monthly circulation of almost 84,000, and the Fairfield Minuteman and Westport Minuteman, with a combined weekly circulation of nearly 32,000.

The company also publishes dailies in the Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland metropolitan areas, as well as in upstate New York and suburban Michigan.

Representatives of Digital First Media could not be reached for comment.

BETTING ON DIGITAL

John Paton was brought on as CEO of Digital First Media after Journal Register emerged from its previous bankruptcy in 2009.

With Paton at the helm, Journal

COST — » From page 1

Each of the five consolidated commissions, plus the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, which currently lacks its own advocacy commission, would have at least one representative on the new Commission on Citizen Advocacy.

“We’re in a situation where the state is facing a budget shortfall and it is fair on the part of the state’s function to look at which programs are the most essential and not being replicated,” said GianCarl Casa, undersecretary for legislative affairs at the Office of Policy and Management, which is the policy arm of the Malloy administration. “We think it will be fair to have a commission represent all these groups.”

Casa said there are several outside

Register invested heavily in its digital products, with digital expenses rising 151 percent from 2009 to September 2012.

Revenue growth followed. According to a Sept. 5, 2012, blog post by Paton, digital revenues grew 235 percent between 2009 and 2011, and Journal Register’s online audience more than doubled.

Through the first eight months of 2012, digital revenues were up 32.5 percent, Paton wrote.

However, he wrote, Journal Register continued to be burdened by high legacy costs and declining print revenues.

From 2009 to 2011, print advertising revenue — which represents more than half of Journal Register’s revenues — declined 19 percent, Paton wrote, adding that circulation revenues had fallen as well.

Despite debt reduction measures, Journal Register was servicing more than $160 million of debt as of its second bankruptcy filing, according to Paton, after exiting its 2009 bankruptcy with $225 million in debt and a legacy cost structure that included leases, defined benefit pensions and other liabilities.

Rick Edmonds, media business analyst for the Poynter Institute and an acquaintance of Paton’s, said the Digital First Media CEO may have overplayed his hand.

“Since Paton came aboard at the company he has been very aggressive and outspoken, saying, ‘Our feature is digital, we’re going to make this company digital-first. … We need to set about building new revenues in the digital era

Readers are resigned to the fact that digital platforms will eventually overtake print media, said Alma Derricks of Deloitte Consulting L.L.P. For publishers, she said the questions of when and how to make that transition are “less about the timing of consumers’ interest and more about how long you can afford to keep the lights on.”

“On the news gathering side, you’re talking about a constant stream of information, which is very different from putting the paper to bed every night,” said Derricks, a director in Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Strategy practice.

“When you’re talking about ads, you’re talking about platforms that have two

very different rate bases.”

Derricks said specialized and community-based publications will likely have an edge going forward.

“Outlets that are providing very specialized, time-sensitive (information) — they have very different prospects going forward than a general news weekly or daily that’s covering information that’s been covered from multiple angles all day long,” she said, noting that a unit of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway has been active in buying small community newspapers around the U.S. over the past two years.

From a circulation standpoint, publications are grappling with questions of how to add revenues, said Stuart R. Jordan, founder and managing director of Norwalk-based Stuart R. Jordan Consulting L.L.C., which advises magazines, newsletters, websites and other subscription-based services.

“Newspapers are, as a group … having to undo their own problems,” Jordan said. “Initially when they went digital, they were willing to let anybody read their information on their websites for free.”

While newspapers and other publications have figured out they must charge readers to maintain revenues, “the problem is, consumers were initially conditioned and there’s this general feeling now that everything on the Internet is free, and so getting people to value and be willing to pay for a subscription to a digital newspaper has been a real challenge,” Jordan said.

organizations and nonprofits that do similar work as the commissions and asserted the cuts would not come out as a loss to the state.

“While these functions may be valuable, it’s something that has to be changed,” he said.

Details on how the commission’s priorities would be set and the status of the commissions’ unpaid citizen boards remain unclear.

Younger says PCSW plays a vital role in advocating on the behalf of women and on issues like gender wage disparity, which was highlighted by Malloy as a key issue that needs correcting in conjunction with his Jan. 23 visit to the Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council headquarters in Stamford.

PCSW conducts legislative research, makes recommendations for state government and provides programming

for community education and outreach.

Four years ago, Younger’s staff was cut in half and she said she doesn’t believe the commission would still be effective with even fewer available resources.

“The research that we are able to provide to nonprofits and level of expertise that we’re able to leverage outweighs the cost of commission,” Younger said.

Similarly, representatives of the Commission on Aging, which would be entirely eliminated under the Malloy budget proposal, say that without the commission, the work they do simply wouldn’t get done.

In his proposal, Malloy calls for the creation of a state Department on Aging, which would merge the current Aging Services division of the state Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman, also of DSS. Officials argue the commission

would be redundant with the creation of the state Department on Aging.

But Julia Evans Starr, executive director for the Commission on Aging, said functions such as the production of legislative research and recommendations — which are currently performed by the Commission on Aging staff — would not be absorbed by the new department.

“You would have to a pay consultant,” Starr said. “They (state officials) pay big money to do the work we do.

Oftentimes you will get a study on anything aging related and they reference our work. I would imagine it’s at a greater cost.”

In response, Casa said the legislators can rely on the Office of Legislative Research and that there are several outside organizations such as AARP that advocate on the behalf of the elderly.

“There’s no way there’s going to be a void,” he said.

6 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

and expanding audiences and serving both advertisers and readers in new ways,’” Edmonds said.

Edmonds said Paton is “right about what we’ve got to do,” but added, “We’ve got to pay pretty close attention to the traditional print product, probably for some number of years, because that’s probably still where 85 percent of our advertising revenues come from.”

Poynter Institute, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., is a school dedicated to teaching journalists and media leaders.

Edmonds said he doesn’t expect any of the Journal Register publications to fold, but said the new owner could conceivably reduce newsroom staff and cut the size or frequency of the various newspapers.

CHANGING BUSINESS MODEL

Positive reviews, unanswered questions for energy plan

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

T

he Comprehensive Energy Strategy finalized Feb. 19 by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy seeks to more than double the number of Connecticut businesses with access to natural gas, while leaning heavily on utilities and consumers to foot the bill for any infrastructure.

The final version of the draft strategy that was published last fall also calls for upgrades to the state’s electric grid and an increased emphasis on alternative fuels, while centralizing information on the state’s energy efficiency programs on EnergizeCT.com and charging the state Office of Energy Efficient Businesses with helping firms find ways to cut their energy costs.

The strategy, which is to be updated by the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board every three years, aims for 75 percent of the state’s businesses to have access to natural gas by 2020.

Currently, 35 percent of the state’s businesses are able to switch to natural gas, said Dennis Schain, DEEP spokesman.

“The plan calls upon the gas utilities to submit detailed plans for building out the infrastructure,” Schain said. “It’s largely paid for with the gas companies financing the expansion and new customers starting to pay monthly bills, which then provides revenues to the gas companies.”

A representative of Yankee Gas Service Co., a Northeast Utilities subsidiary and one of three natural gas companies that operate in Connecticut, said the utility supports Malloy’s plan to increase access to natural gas.

“Expanding access to cheap, domestic natural gas, we believe, will lead to dramatic reductions in emissions, savings on the average family’s heating bills, and it will also stimulate local economic development and job creation,” said Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Yankee Gas, which is based in Berlin and serves customers in Stamford, Danbury and Norwalk, among other towns and cities across the state.

Gross said there are a number of details around the Comprehensive Energy Strategy that still need to be worked out by state officials, lawmakers and the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). He said it is too early to speculate on how consumers’ bills would be affected by any infrastructure changes.

“It would be premature to talk specifics at this point, but there are a lot of positives for customers — choice being the number one,” Gross said.

The Connecticut chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business voiced its support for the expansion of natural gas.

In Hartford, the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) was also supportive of the overall plan but a representative said fine-tuning is still needed.

“In terms of the overall focus of the strategy, I think it’s a really good starting point,” said Eric Brown, associate counsel for CBIA. “Now we have to do the hard work of figuring out how to implement it in the most cost-effective way and in a way where the benefits are experienced by the widest variety of ratepayers possible.”

Brown said the cost of expanding access to natural gas and of other electrical grid upgrades must be worked out at

the state level.

He said a proposed mandate that towns and cities score commercial and industrial buildings based on their energy consumption is a concern. Brown also reiterated CBIA’s position that a tax on energy generation set to expire in June not be renewed in the upcoming budget.

Malloy has called for an extension of the tax, which CBIA says could add more than $70 million to consumers’ energy bills.

Power comes from being understood.SM When you trust the advice you’re getting, you know your next move is the right one.

That’s what you can expect with McGladrey. That’s the power of being understood.

For more information on how we can help you manage your business risk, improve processes or maximize your technology investment, visit www.mcgladrey.com or contact Tony Ceci at 203 328 7101.

© 2013 McGladrey LLP. All Rights Reserved.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013

7

Advertisers weigh in on Super Bowl spots

GoDaddy.com’s “The Kiss,” shown during last month’s Super Bowl, drew a wide range of positive and negative feedback.

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

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8 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

W

hen only a few seconds of airtime cost millions of dollars, relevancy is the key to a successful advertisement, regional marketing executives said at a recent panel discussion.

That becomes especially true with the increased longevity of featured advertising spots resulting from the growth of services like YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, said panelists at the 10th annual “Best of the Super Bowl Ads” event, which was held Feb. 21 at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford Learning Center and hosted by the Fairfield County chapter of the American Marketing Association.

Among the most memorable — and divisive — ads that aired during Super Bowl XLVII was GoDaddy.com L.L.C.’s “The Kiss,” which features model Bar Refaeli and actor Jesse Heiman.

The ad spot attempts to convey that GoDaddy.com, which is among the world’s largest providers of Web domains, is the perfect blend of brains and beauty. But to the audience, the commercial was a grotesque use of stereotypes that neglected the fact that women are now the largest segment of the market buying domain names, panelists said.

“I have very violent feelings about this,” said Nancy Shenker, founder of Yonkers, N.Y., marketing firm ONswitch.

“I will, as a consumer, never again buy a domain name from GoDaddy because they objectified women, they didn’t speak to the target market and as a mother — my daughters are 20 and 24 — I don’t want them watching this. It was clearly an example of a young, hip ad guy, sitting in a room with his friends asking, ‘What’s hot?’ and losing all sense of marketing 101.”

In contrast, panelist Tom Sebok, for-

merly CEO of advertising agency Young & Rubicam, referenced a 2003 appliance commercial fostered by General Electric Co., which he said used the same concept but in a more tasteful way that was more relevant to the product.

That commercial featured the unlikely romance of model Yamila Diaz-Rahi and an actor portraying a nonotechnology professor. The concept was a marriage of beauty and brains to sell GE Profile appliances.

“There is zero brand differentiation here,” Sebok said comparing the GoDaddy commercial to the GE example. “(It’s) absolutely disgusting, painful to watch … and fundamentally irrelevant.”

Sebok, a Westport resident, has worked on accounts for Chevron, Dell, Ford Motor Co. and Virgin Atlantic.

As the lifespan of Super Bowl commercials increases with the prevalence of the Internet and social media, the panelists agreed the ads’ messages should aim to build a relationship with customers — and hopefully one that customers are happy about.

For the past couple of years, the onslaught has begun even before the Super Bowl. According to GoDaddy. com, the company’s “The Kiss” ad spot drew 4 million YouTube views before kickoff.

Social media users continued to weigh in on commercials during the game, discussing whether commercials such as “The Kiss” were inappropriate or whether a “Get Happy” ad fostered by Volkswagen was racist.

“Advertising today isn’t just your 30-second spot,” Shenker said. “It’s what you are doing on the Web.” Companies even seized on the 30-minute blackout that interrupted the Super Bowl just after the start of the third quarter.

During the game’s blackout, when half the stadium lights when out, brands like Oreo and Tide tweeted their own mini print ads, piggybacking off of the trending topic. Sebok even argued that Oreo’s “Don’t worry, you can still dunk in the dark” tweet was more successful than its real “Whisper Fight” commercial.

“They spent a lot of time and energy and probably overthought themselves to death to come up with a big dramatic commercial and yet within five seconds they came out with something far more deeply rooted in its brand,” Sebok said.

ASK ANDI

BY ANDI GRAY

Ready to partner up? Do due diligence WE’RE THINKING ABOUT JOINING FORCES WITH ANOTHER FIRM. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES COULD BE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM. WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THIS WORK? THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: Mergers are like courtships followed by marriage. Set up a system for getting to know each other now. Finding common ground is crucial. Get answers to key questions out on the table. Evaluate the outcome potential before tying the knot.

Pre-deal, spend time together at as many levels as possible, professionally and socially. You don’t have to tell employees that you’re thinking of a merger. Just find projects for them to work on together. Socially, try a picnic, a bowling party, etc. to see how people join up — or don’t.

Work styles, priorities and systems may be different and will have to be ironed out. Can people be flexible enough to pick the best from both companies? Or will it be “My way or the highway,” leading to factions and division?

Make a list of what is similar between the two companies. Figure out how common ground can be used to build a foundation for the new entity. How will the concept be introduced? What will happen to reward people for getting on board?

Make a list of strengths and weaknesses of each company. Are they complementary, redundant or do they have nothing to do with each other? Identify ways that one company’s needs are met through the resources of the other. Define how strengths will multiply and weaknesses will fade away.

When doing a merger, complementary differences can be healthy. Marry operational competence in one company with sales and marketing skills from the other. Voila, you have a company capable of expanding sales and meeting customer demands.

Play it out over time — what will the new company look like? Who will be in charge? How will customers be handled?

Who will contribute to sales? Run operations? Keep finance, IT and HR on track?

What will be the standards in each area?

Will customers object or applaud? Are their competitors served by the other company? Will they have access to more and better products? Will prices go up or down?

Cultural and leadership differences can be deadly. One company values tradition, the other innovation. One company looks to the future, the other protects the past. One company’s leadership style is

the direct opposite of the other. One company hires “A” players, the other settles for also-rans. This won’t work well in the shared environment of a merger. Think twice before proceeding.

Assess the leadership skills and learning styles of partners. Hash out structure and decision making process before you ink the deal. Post-merger make time and hire experts to teach people to work together.

Define your role in the new company.

Ask yourself if you can live with that.

Many business owners approach a merger thinking that stepping back into a subordinate role would be a relief — getting the monkey off their back. But, having had a taste of ownership can make it hard to swallow someone else’s directives.

Know why you’re doing the merger.

Revenue growth from additional customers and products, and/or leveraging research and development is key. Things like reducing costs through shared technology or overhead reductions typically yields only short term benefits. Make sure

the deal pays off short and long term.

Do due diligence pre-merger. Sign confidentiality agreements and open up the books. Make sure everything is as represented.

Write a plan to implement post-merger. Include timelines and accountabilities.

Make all future partners sign it.

Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., strategyleaders.com, a business consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial firms grow. She can be reached by phone at (877) 238-3535.

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To learn more about how you can partner with Corvias Campus Living, visit corvias.com.

Headquartered in Rhode Island, we are a private, vertically-integrated real estate group delivering the highest quality development, construction and management solutions to our clients. corvias.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013

9

BY DONALD ZINN

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Webster Business Credit Corporation is a subsidiary of Webster Bank, N.A. The Webster Symbol and Webster Business Credit are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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Email Hdebartolo@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com 10 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

A

Ready, set, hire

s the economy begins to heat up — at long last — we employers will once again be confronted with making more hires. The past four years have not been “normal” from a hiring perspective because we have been reluctant to add headcount, and our employees have been reluctant to leave their jobs — so there has been far less turnover as well as hiring activity.

Both variables will change as we move toward the “new normal” of our economy.

There has already been a substantial pickup in new hiring since the election and turnover rates will once again approach historical averages, as people feel more comfortable with the risk of moving to a new employer in order to move up in compensation or responsibility, or to search for a better working situation.

Face it, hiring is a sporadic activity and few are great at it. We aren’t equipped with great tools to guide us in making hiring decisions and we often lack a strategy that results in pursuit of the best people because we are not prepared to understand what “best” really means. Often that means we hire the first person who satisfies minimal qualifications rather than hold out for the best person we can find.

When developing an interview strategy, think about how you interview and use a simple set of business tools to guide your decision-making. While skills will always remain a must-have — if the candidate lacks the skills you require nothing will make them the right choice — don’t forget to look beyond the skills. We tend to fall in love with a resume and forget that we, our team and our clients, will be working with that new employee every day. Forgetting about fit can be a fatal error — so to make sure you consider fit, use this simple “Red Light, Green Light” test (pictured above) and it will help you to make better hires.

But measuring fit is hard, right? Not if you use the right business tool. This test will enable you to evaluate how the job candidate will fit with the three main constituencies every employee is engaged with.

Ask yourself the questions in the grid to the right and look at your answers carefully. If you get a green light at all six stops — then Mission Control will send you to lift off. If, however, you have a yellow light anywhere on the grid — proceed with caution and bring the candidate back for additional interviews — forcing the yellow light to move to either green or

red. And if you have a red light — even one — stop, do not pass go and do not hire the person, no matter how compelling their resume may be.

Most employers base their decisions on the candidate’s knowledge and then hope for fit. The result is turnover that is higher than you want it to be or worse, you are stuck with a sub-optimal hire that you don’t know how to dismiss.

Business tools are often process models and simple process models are more likely to make an impact because they can be followed by everyone. This sixstop, red-light, green-light model is an easy way to determine if you have interviewed sufficiently to make the right hiring decision, and if you should move forward with an offer or decide to pass.

Use this tool and you will not only make better hires, you will eliminate bad hires and improve business performance as a result. By putting fit foremost in the minds of interviewers, you will be more likely to build strong, loyal, effective teams that help grow your business year after year.

Donald J. Zinn is co-founder and managing partner of Exigent Search Partners Inc. He can be reached at dzinn@ Exigentsearch.com or (914)930-6846.

SBA: As state’s workforce contracted, small businesses hired 2010 NET JOB CHANGE BY FIRM SIZE FIRM SIZE: 8,000

1-4

5-9

10-19

20-99

100-499

500+

is pleased to announce

6,770

6,000

American Institute For Foreign Study

TOTAL NET NEW JOBS

4,000 2,000

-2,000 -4,000

CBRE

has leased 39,778 square feet

-911 -2,972

at

-6,000 -8,000

-7,879

-7,324

-8,117

*Data for Connecticut firms. Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

W

ith the slow economic recovery, the only source of job growth in Connecticut in 2010 came in firms with fewer than five employees, according to a new report from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Connecticut lost 20,433 jobs in 2010, according to the SBA report. But among firms with fewer than five employees, 6,770 new positions were added.

“When you put resources in the firms with one to three employees, you get a great response,” said Bernard Sweeney, director of the Connecticut SBA District office. “Most people going into business are going off of a career or life change.

They have the knowledge of the business, they’re just going off on their own. … You tend to have more activity in that area.”

Yet while jobs were being created in the smallest firms, the total number of small businesses still decreased 1.1 percent from 2009 to 2010 and 7.5 percent from 2000 to 2010.

Large businesses — ones with more than 500 employees — cut 8,117 jobs over the decade, while the quantity of businesses was little changed, according to the report.

“We need to focus on small businesses,” said Patrick J. Flaherty, an economist with the Connecticut Department of Labor. “They’re the ones that have the most ability to grow rapidly and where (government) policy can have the great-

est impact.”

Nationally, Flaherty said, small businesses are the primary source of economic growth. In contrast, Connecticut has historically depended more on larger companies, he said. Moving forward, Flaherty said he imagines the Connecticut economy will try to rebalance and to invest more in small businesses.

During the economic downturn, large employers have been successful in achieving efficiency gains and have found ways to do more with fewer employees, Flaherty said.

“From a business perspective, that’s a very good thing,” he said. “From the employment sector, that’s not something we want to be dependent on going forward.”

Despite the employment drop, Connecticut business owners’ net income was $18 billion in 2010 and $19 billion in 2011, according to the SBA. In 2000 it was $14.3 billion.

There’s now an opportunity to take steps to help businesses get started and grow, Flaherty said.

Currently, the state’s ratio of small to large companies is much lower than the national average. Flaherty said the problem with drafting policies to help businesses, however, is that the diverse nature of small businesses makes it harder to have a one-size fits all solution.

“When we have a stronger economy we’ll have a larger small business sector,” he said. “2010 was a year of transition. It will be interesting to see what the economy will look like when it’s strong again.”

1 High Ridge Park Stamford, CT

David Block, Paul Jacobs, Bob Caruso represented AIFS and Colin Reilly reprresented ownership of 1 High Ridge Park.

203 329 7900 www.cbre.com

George Comfort & Sons, Inc. www.gcomfort.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 11

SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS

W

BY BRUCE NEWMAN

Shooting themselves in the foot

ith hundreds of social media platforms already existing and new — and sometimes exciting — ones appearing seemingly on a daily basis, my favorite is still LinkedIn. In the six years I’ve been a LinkedIn member, I’ve met many people, become friends with some of them and done a significant amount of business. Not surprisingly, I’ve only met a handful of my 20,000-plus first-level connections in person. Yet, despite my long term and regular usage, I am increasingly puzzled by LinkedIn’s ability to continually shoot itself in the foot and needlessly upset many of its members.

Customer support — or nonsupport — is critical to the success of most companies, and LinkedIn has somehow managed to grow despite incredibly poor support that has infuriated many of its users. For more than a year, I’ve been unable to accept more than 60 percent of my invitations. I also can’t delete a contact or export contacts, the

latter being a significant problem since this function would double as a backup and a way of importing people into my CRM (contact management) system. (In general, it’s a good idea to regularly export your LinkedIn data to your hard drive for backup purposes.)

When technical support deigns to respond to my problem ticket — a rare occurrence — their response is that I have a known and common problem they are working on. After over a year of working on this common problem, you would hope they would fix it.

Some of their recent design decisions that affect all LinkedIn users are also disconcerting. The removal of the global question-and-answer feature was a major blow to the idea of being able to easily reach out to people. It was a feature that many people, myself included, used to meet new people and start great conversations. I’ve asked several LinkedIn experts about this removal and every one of them is dismayed and puzzled by LinkedIn’s decision.

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Since this decision follows another lamentable decision by LinkedIn to remove LinkedIn events, my guess is that LinkedIn is attempting to force its users down specific networking paths that unfortunately make the service less unique. The saving grace is that these paths can be quite powerful. One of my favorite features is the ability to follow people or have people follow you. Members with a lot of followers — usually as a result of great content — can enhance their expert credentials and more importantly, drive potential business to their website and facilitate meaningful conversations both within and outside of LinkedIn. Not all of LinkedIn’s recent modifications are worthwhile despite LinkedIn’s promotional intents. The worst addition is endorsements. I currently have 173 endorsements in just social media marketing alone, mostly from people who I don’t know and who don’t know me. This makes these endorsements worthless, and since they have so little value, having them in common with another person is also fairly useless.

Endorsements are also prone to spam which further reduces their value. If I want to contact a person, I will briefly review their profile before I send them a message or respond to their message.

Recommendations, however, are still very important. You should have at least nine quality recommendations that articulate your expertise and knowledge. This greatly enhances your

status as an industry expert. You should also have no more than 50 recommendations because that often indicates spamming. When people look at your profile, they often examine both the number and quality of your references.

If they are really impressed, they might follow you or even tag you in their connections for future conversations. This is where LinkedIn’s improved ability to add your content can be really effective.

One recent feature is the ability to incorporate video into different parts of your profile. This takes advantage of the rapid growth of video and provides another way of differentiating yourself from competitors. If you decide to use videos, make sure they do not exceed 30 seconds — the shorter the better. People online don’t have much patience.

Fortunately, the golden goose that is LinkedIn still retains its core strength – to provide a social platform to meet people, have interesting and often insightful discussions and be able to generate business. It’s still sufficiently versatile, interconnected and most importantly, regularly utilized by many interested and high-quality members to offer great value when used properly.

Bruce Newman is the president of wwWebevents.com, a division of The Productivity Institute L.L.C. in Carmel, N.Y. He is a social media guru and a specialist on webinar creation and promotion. He can be reached at bnewman@ prodinst.com.

EDUCATION IN BRIEF

HCC SECURES FINRA GRANT

www.adedgemarketing.com

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation and the American Library Association awarded a $100,000 grant to the Housatonic Community College Library, the Bridgeport school announced Feb. 25.

With the grant, which was awarded as part of FINRA and the American Library Association’s Smart investing@ your library initiative, Housatonic will partner with the Bridgeport Public Library to teach young adults about their personal finances.

Topics covered will include banking basics, introduction to credit, how to pay for college and maintain financial

aid, introduction to investing and how to avoid financial fraud.

SACRED HEART TAPS BOBBY V

Sacred Heart University last week introduced former New York Mets and Boston Red Sox manager and ESPN baseball analyst Bobby Valentine as executive director of intercollegiate athletics.

Valentine, a Stamford native, is known for his colorful and sometimes hard-nosed personality. He will replace outgoing Athletic Director C. Donald Cook.

The Fairfield college boasts 31 NCAA Division I varsity teams, including 17 women’s and 14 men’s squads, and has more than 700 student athletes.

— Patrick Gallagher

12 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

NEWS IN BRIEF

SIKORSKY AWARDS STARTUPS

EvoLux Transportation L.L.C., a helicopter-oriented tech-travel company based in Boca Raton, Fla., won Sikorsky Innovations’ second Entrepreneurial Challenge competition.

Sikorsky Innovations, the technology development arm of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., also recognized Rescale, a San Francisco technology developer, for its cloud simulation platform capable of accelerating design cycles and enhancing collaboration among engineers.

EvoLux won for its presentation of a social media platform that offers what Sikorsky described as “unprecedented connectivity in the urban VIP helicopter marketplace.”

As part of the award, EvoLux is entitled to rent-free space within Sikorsky’s incubator space at the Stamford Innovation Center. There, EvoLux’ founders will be mentored by Sikorsky staff and will take part in an education program designed to help mature and grow the business.

LOWE’S COMING TO NORWALK

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s has secured approval from the city of Norwalk Zoning Commission to build a store on Connecticut Avenue, just two miles from The Home Depot store.

Lowe’s Home Centers Inc. plans to build a 142,000-square-foot building and garden center, with construction starting later this year and concluding in the second half of 2015.

The store, which will be built at 80-100 Connecticut Ave., will reportedly employ 130 people.

ADVISORY FIRMS MERGE

Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. advisory firms B.T. Bowler & Associates of New Canaan and John Planell CFP of Pound Ridge, N.Y., announced Feb. 25 that they had merged practices.

The combined practice will operate under the name B.T. Bowler & Associates with its main office remaining at 199 Elm St. in New Canaan and a second office in Pound Ridge. The two offices are about 10 miles apart.

HEALTH EXCHANGE GETS $2.1M

Connecticut’s health insurance exchange, Access Health CT, has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund the state’s In Person Assistance program (IPA).

The IPA program will seek to edu-

cate and enroll Connecticut residents through Access Health CT beginning later this year when private health coverage becomes available through the exchange.

Access Health CT will partner with the state Office of the Healthcare Advocate to administer the IPA program, which represents one component of the state’s outreach efforts to consumers as required by the Affordable Care Act.

SANDY AID TOPS $50M

More than $50 million in federal aid has been approved for Connecticut residents and businesses hurt by Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

More than 12,300 claims for federal disaster assistance were filed by the Feb. 11 deadline, Malloy said.

To date, nearly $37 million in lowinterest disaster loans for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters

has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $11.7 million in housing assistance funds.

In all, about 6,340 inspections of damaged properties have been done statewide.

— Jennifer Bissell and Patrick Gallagher

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 13

THE LIST

IT Security Providers Listed alphabetically

Information Technology Service and Security Providers

Fairfield County Next list: March 11 Intellectual Property Attorneys

Listed alphabetically.

Name Address A+ Perfect Computers L.L.C. 2465 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield 06825 Advanced Computer Technologies Inc. 108 Main St., Norwalk 06851 Advanced Data Solutions 2490 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield 06825 The Allen Group Inc. 50 Washington St., Fifth floor, Norwalk 06854 AMSYS Inc. 900 Ethan Allen Highway, Ridgefield 06877 Anchor Solutions 1 Stamford Landing, 62 Southfield Ave., Stamford 06902 Ash Creek Enterprises Inc. 1110 Broadbridge Ave., Stratford 06615 Beyond IT Support 64 Wall St., Suite 301, Norwalk 06850 Business Technology L.L.C. 2000 Post Road, Suite 304, Fairfield 06824 Carlstone Consulting 31 Jennie Lane, Westport 06880 CMIT Solutions Central Fairfield County CMIT Solutions Danbury 06811 CMIT Solutions Stamford 06905 The Computer Company Inc. 15 Commerce Drive, Cromwell 06416 Computer Programming & Systems Inc. 45 Church St., Suite 201, Stamford 06906 Computer Systems Support & Design L.L.C. 172 Georgetown Road, Weston 06883 Computer Troubleshooters of Norwalk 4 Douglas Drive, Norwalk 06850 Computer Works 483C Monroe Turnpike St., Monroe 06468 Creative Computer Solutions of Connecticut L.L.C. 85 Padanaram Road, Danbury 06811 Crestview IT Solutions 4 Daniels Farm Road, Suite 322, Trumbull 06611 Dave's Computer Corner L.L.C. 335 Post Road West, Westport 06880 Denna Computer Services 774 Federal Road, Brookfield 06804 Diversified Network Systems L.L.C. 57 North St., Suite 321, Danbury 06810 Easyway Systems L.L.C. 125 Field Point Road, Greenwich 06830 Everything IT L.L.C. 304 Main St., Suite 350, Norwalk 06851 Fast-teks of CT 29 Possum Lane, Norwalk 06854 Flagship Networks Inc. 80 Ferry Blvd., Suite 220, Stratford 06615 Glenville Technologies 47 Glenville St., Greenwich 06831 Go2Nerds 1335 Brooklawn Ave., Fairfield 06825

Phone (203) unless otherwise noted Website 549-9761 aplusperfect.com 847-9433 actweb.com 650-2972 ads-technical.com 855-5777 theallengroup.com 431-1500 amsys.net 883-9235 anchor-solutions.com (866) 866-2487 ashcreek.com 252-2230 beyonditsupport.net 333-6940 bustechllc.com 226-0026 carlstone.com 539-6321 cmitsolutions.com (845) 592-2913 cmitsolutions.com 595-9091 cmitsolutions.com (860) 635-0500 computercompany.net 324-9203 cpsincorp.com 349-8047 cssdllc.com 840-1287 computertroubleshooters.com 445-9059 computer-works.biz 748-2669 ccs-ct.com 268-5947 crestviewit.com 682-4551 daviddelfiner.com 740-0821 dennapc.com 778-8880 dnetsys.com 661-1615 easywaysystems.com 858-3984 everythingit.biz (860) 621-3866 fastteks.com 416-5800 flagshipnetworks.com 813-3763 659-4352 go2nerds.com

14 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Name Address Hi-Link Technology Group 76 Progress Drive, Stamford 06902 Impact Business Technology 10 Turnberry Lane, Sandy Hook 06482 Info Plexus Inc. 4 Main St., New Milford 06776 JD Technology Group L.L.C. 46 Saint Charles Ave., Stamford 06907 Lentner Technology Integrators 239 Westport Road, Suite 88, Wilton 06897 LG Software Consulting L.L.C. 58 Chalk Hill Road, Monroe 06468 Monroe Business Associates L.L.C. 35 Corporate Drive, Suite 1035, Trumbull 06611 Netology L.L.C. 1200 Summer St., Suite 301, Stamford 06905 Network Nerds L.L.C. 21 Hamilton Drive, Suite 1, Danbury 06811 The Network Support Company 7 Kenosia Ave., Danbury 06810 Network Synergy Corp.

126 Monroe Turnpike, Trumbull 06611 The New England Computer Group Inc. 47 Miry Brook Road, Danbury 06810 Number Crunchers Unlimited 27 Marigold Lane, Trumbull 06611 Nutmeg Resources Ltd. 16 Nutmeg Lane, Wilton 06897 Outsourced Internet Solutions 523 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich 06830 PC Specialists 150 Main St., Monroe 06468 PCLinkZ.com 236 Cedar Lane, New Canaan 06840 Pragmatix Inc. 1266 E. Main St., Suite 700R, Stamford 06902 Pylon Technology 333 Ludlow St., Stamford 06902 RHFtech 50 September Lane, Weston 06883 SL Powers 16 River St., Norwalk 06850 SoftLink Resources 7365 Main St., Stratford 06615 Southridge Technology Group L.L.C. 90 Grove St., Ridgefield 06877 Transcend Business Solutions L.L.C. 30 Grassy Plain St., Unit 5A, Bethel 06801 Ultra Golden Software 35 Narrows Rocks Road, Westport 06880 Venture Technologies P.O. Box 103, Mohegan Lake, NY 10547 Virtua Inc. 73 Highland Road, Stamford 06902 Virtual Density L.L.C. 52 Federal Road, Suite 2G, Danbury 06810 Webs for Good L.L.C. 199 Elm St., New Canaan 06840

Phone (203) unless otherwise noted Website (800) 683-9535 hi-link.com 364-0052 impactbt.com (860) 354-0121 infoplexus.com 554-1596 jdtechgrp.com 434-2885 lentner.com 880-9019 lgsoftwareconsulting.com 452-8390 monroebusiness.com 975-9630 netologyllc.com 790-4335 networknerds.biz 744-2274 network-support.com 261-2201 netsynergy.com 431-9300 necgnet.com 452-1771 numbercrunch.com 762-5462 987-7000 w.mawebcenters.com/ois 880-9084 pcspecialists.net 536-9093 pclinkz.com 345-9444 pragmatix.com 930-3410 pylontechnology.com 221-7883 rhftech.com 866-0100 slpowers.com 377-2119 slrgroup.com 431-8324 southridgetech.com 790-5222 transcendbus.com 227-4009 ultragolden.com (800) 930-3218 vt-corp.com 404-4848 virtua.com 648-9906 virtualdensity.com 966-8308 websforgood.com

SPECIAL REPORT Business Tools

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER pgallagher@westfairinc.com

Q

CRACKING THE CODE

uick response barcodes — virtually nonexistent before 2010 — can now be found in thousands of magazines and newspapers, on bus stop billboards and on myriad business cards.

As businesses seek fresh new ways to reach consumers, the use of these square, black-and-white, maze-like barcodes has proliferated over the past several years, with consumers responding in kind, according to a new report by Pitney Bowes.

Once scanned with a mobile device, like a smartphone or tablet computer, a QR code can direct consumers to any website — ranging from YouTube or a company’s mobile platform to a social media page or even an online coupon.

Market studies conducted by Forrester Research show that QR code usage among U.S. adults who own a cellphone nearly quadrupled from 2011 to 2012.

In 2010, only 1 percent of U.S. adults with a mobile phone had used a two-dimensional barcode reader, according to Forrester Research data compiled in a Jan.

15 white paper by Stamford-based Pitney Bowes Inc. The proportion of U.S. QR code users rose to 5 percent in 2011 and 19 percent in 2012, according to the report, with 27 percent of North American and European consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 reporting the use of QR codes last year.

“A QR code, much like Facebook and Twitter and a website, is just another extension of your brand,” said Justin Amendola, vice president of digital strategy for Pitney Bowes.

While acknowledging that QR code use may not quadruple again from 2012 to 2013, Amendola said the use of the now-omnipresent barcodes by consumer-facing businesses will continue to rise.

“I think the biggest driver will be brands understanding what a good experience around QR codes is and conditioning consumers that they’re going to get a relevant, mobile-friendly experience whenever they scan a code,” he said.

QR codes placed in magazines were the most effective, according to the Pitney Bowes report.

Last year, 27 percent of QR code users in the U.S., U.K., Germany » Cracking, page 17

Leveraging technolo�y for pro�its

BY JENNIFER BISSELL jbissell@westfairinc.com

Technology plays a role in almost every company. But getting the most out of the productivity gains it can provide involves more than just firing up a desktop computer.

Frank Ballatore recently co-authored “The Tech Multiplier,” a book designed to help businesses better leverage technology to increase profits.

In an interview with the Business Journal, Ballatore, president of The New England Computer Group Inc. in Danbury, discussed his key technology recommendations for businesses and the importance of remaining up to date.

Business Journal: What are the key ways a business can increase its pro�its by investing in new technolo�y?

Ballatore: “New technology often provides more efficient and better ways of performing tasks. For example, a database application can allow a business to record and access data much faster than a spreadsheet or manual methods.

“Businesses often underestimate the productivity gains that can be achieved by installing new hardware to replace older, slower machines. In addition to the speed improvement, employee morale can be positively affected when they are given a new PC to work on.

“Additionally, through the use of laptops and other mobile devices with

remote access capability to the corporate network, sales professionals and other employees can get more work done, more efficiently, and on a timelier basis.

“Lastly, the move to cloud computing for some businesses can reduce maintenance costs and capital expenditures.

Cloud computing solutions can be a more cost effective way to provide a computing platform for users.”

What new platforms should businesses consider using right now?

“There are two cloud solutions that we recommend for virtually all small businesses: hosted email and backup (disaster) recovery. When you take into account all of the costs involved in hosting email in-house, along with the reli-

ability of hosted solutions, it’s a very easy decision to make. Not only does hosted email provide a cost benefit, but it’s available anytime, anywhere, from just about any computing device.

“Up until the past three or four years, true backup and disaster recovery solutions were cost-prohibitive for most small businesses. With the advancements made in backup software and the advent of lowcost secure cloud storage, true backup and disaster recovery solutions are in reach of every business. With the repeated power and Internet outages we’ve seen in the Northeast in the past two years, this has become an important component of many businesses’ technology strategies.” » Leveraging, page 17

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 15

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16 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

CRACKING — » From page 15

and France accessed a QR code present in a magazine. The next-most-popular venues for QR code use were posters, packages and mail.

Amendola said QR code use by a given company is likely determined by what industry that company operates in and not the size of its consumer base.

A business like Best Buy, for example, might use QR codes on in-store product displays to direct customers to websites that have more information on a given item, Amendola said.

“It’s very common to be in Best Buy or another big-box retail environment and to see QR codes on product labels,” he said. “It allows consumers to go online and instantly access more information on those products.”

At its simplest, Amendola said, a QR code could redirect customers to a video that shows the product in action, or a website that contains reviews of the product.

Amendola recounted recently walking into a bookstore in Mystic that advertised on shop windows that it was

“QR code-friendly.”

“They had QR codes linking to video interviews with the author on a lot of their products,” which he said enabled the bookstore “to engage their customers with killer video content.”

The biggest mistake when integrating QR codes into a marketing campaign is for a company to redirect consumers back to its website homepage, Amendola said.

“The number one reason why QR codes fail is they embed a simple Web address,” he said. “People don’t want to navigate a standard website on their mobile device.”

The first step, he said, “is you really have to understand what it is you want that customer to do. Is it a video I’m driving them to? Is it a mobile version of a website? Or is it a campaign landing page?”

Amendola said there are a number of websites that allow companies to generate QR codes, and that firms such as Pitney Bowes provide platforms that allow users to track QR code use by consumers.

The basic platform offered by Pitney Bowes starts at $8.99 a month, he said.

LEVERAGING — » From page 15

What are the risks in investing in new technolo�y?

“There are very few risks of investing in new technology. One of the risks is investing too early in new technology and being ahead of the curve. Typically, new technology needs a couple of cycles for bugs and glitches to be resolved. We recommend to our clients that they hold off on new technology investments until the solution is proven, which is usually three to six months after release.

“Another risk is investing in new technology simply for the sake of having the ‘latest and greatest.’ While it’s true that businesses today must keep pace with technology to run their businesses more efficiently, it has to be the right technology. The business requirements and needs must drive new technology implementation, not vice versa. The risk of not investing in new technology is falling behind more nimble and agile competitors, and losing or not attracting more demanding, educated customers.”

How can businesses avoid those risks?

“By hiring an experienced, educated

IT support consultant and business adviser. That’s not two people, it’s one. Many IT consultants today are well versed in technology solutions, but it takes a consultant with an understanding of your business to best advise you and your business on the right technology path to take. With the importance of technology in any business today, you should consider your IT consultant an extension of your management team, on a par with your accountant and your attorney.”

How should businesses determine when to upgrade hardware and systems?

“Many years ago the mindset was to use computers until they died. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Most computers and technology equipment are actually very robust and reliable. I still have a working IBM PC circa 1982. That can’t be the mindset today. As I said earlier, business requirements and needs must drive the implementation of new technology. A technology plan of regularly—and appropriately—investing in new technology should be determined and followed. Not just for the sake of getting new equipment, but for the benefits of increased productivity and reducing maintenance costs.”

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 17

A new home for a growing organization The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County announces that the organization has moved office operations to Norwalk’s Mathews Park. Now located in the historic LockwoodMathews Gate Lodge, directly off I-95 Exit 15, the Cultural Alliance has room to work and grow in a location central to its Fairfield County membership. Over the past year and a half, the Cultural Alliance has grown to more than 260 arts and culture organization, artist and creative business members.

As a result, the increased staff outgrew its former home in the Fairfield Theatre Company (FTC) building in downtown Fairfield. State Sen. Robert Duff and Cultural Alliance Board President Elisabeth Morton will officially open the new office location with a ribbon-cutting event March 28 at 9:15 a.m.

The Cultural Alliance has many friends in Norwalk and we have received a warm welcome from the Norwalk Arts Commission.

A home in one of Norwalk’s cultural hubs is a perfect place for our new office. Our Mathews Park neighbors—the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion—are all Cultural Alliance members. We are pleased to be sharing space in the Gate Lodge with the Western CT Convention & Visitors Bureau.

We are grateful for the support of the town of Fairfield, FTC and the former Fairfield Arts Council for offering office space to the Cultural Alliance in its early years. Now, with a staff of five, the one room there was no longer sufficient for our operations.

The first building to be constructed when building began on the estate was the Gate Lodge, which is a one-and-a-half-story Gothic Revival building at the original entrance of the estate.

While the mansion was being constructed, LeGrand Lockwood and his family occupied the Lodge. The interior rooms of the Gate Lodge feature ornate carvings, marble fireplaces, parquet floors and stenciled walls. When Charles Drelincourt Mathews purchased the estate in 1876, the Lodge was used as a residence for the superintendent of the estate. Following the 1938 death of Miss Florence Mathews, the last surviving daughter of Charles D. Mathews, the property was sold to the city of Norwalk for “park purposes” in 1941. The Lodge served as offices for the city, including the headquarters of the Civil Defense Office during World War II. The Gate Lodge is protected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Institute of Architects, the National Park Service and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County’s mission is to support cultural organizations, artists and creative businesses by providing information and services that build capacity; building partnerships that create financial benefits for members; promoting a unified arts and cultural brand for Fairfield County—FCBuzz.org; and creating a unified voice for the cultural sector. To become a member of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County or for more information, visit CulturalAllianceFC. org or stop by during office hours, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.

Ryan Odinak Executive Director Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County The mission of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is to support cultural organizations, artists and creative businesses by providing promotion, services and advocacy.

For more information, visit CulturalAllianceFC.org or email infoCulturalAllianceFC.org or call 256-2329.

For events lists, visit FCBuzz.org.

FCBUZZ ‘KATS’ OUT OF THE BAG AS THEATER TROUPE PITCHES BASEBALL COMEDY they should be teaching the kids how to The Stray Kats Theatre Company gets the win. Out of these conflicting philosophies, jump on America’s favorite pastime with the real issues of the play emerge: How Richard Dresser’s comedy “Rounding should we raise our children? Since we live Third,” a tribute to Little League coaches in such a ferociously competitive society, that’s at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown do we protect our children as long as March 1-17. possible? Or do we prepare them to be “Rounding Third” is the tumultuous tough enough to win? And what does it journey of two Little League coaches mean to be an American man? through an entire season, from their Despite their differences, Michael first tentative meeting to the climactic and Don form an uneasy alliance for the championship game. The audience is the benefit of the team. And over the course stand-in for the team, so the coaches speak directly to the audience about competition, Now batting – Stray Kats Theatre of exhilarating victories, heartbreaking defeats and interminable rainouts, the two character, punctuality and the importance Company in “Rounding Third.” men battle over how to lead the team. By of wearing the right equipment.

Don is the tough, blue-collar, win-at-all-costs veteran the end of the play, Don’s personal life has come crashing coach whose son is the star pitcher. Michael is a newcomer down around him and he’s forced to see both his son and both to the town and to baseball. He’s a corporate executive the team in a different light. And Michael must confront an who agrees to be Don’s assistant, because he wants a unfamiliar but powerful sensation: He really wants to win.

Performances at Edmond Town Hall’s Alexandria Room special activity with his son, who’s never played baseball before. Michael believes that the job of the coaches is to are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. shield the kids from the intense pressure of competition There’s no show March 10. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 while making sure everyone has a good time. Don thinks at the door. For more, visit straykatstheatrecompany.org.

FLOCKING TO FLACK Artist Audrey Flack knows what it’s like to be a trailblazer.

Her photorealist paintings launched her into the forefront of a major art movement. Lauded as a pioneer, Flack was the first photorealist painter whose work was purchased

by The Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection. Her artwork has also graced The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art and many major museums around the world.

On March 4 at 7:30 p.m., Flack will speak at Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts about her influential and singular career when she delivers the Samuel and Bettie Roberts Memorial Lecture in Jewish Art. Her talk, “Audrey Flack: Issues & Icons,” takes place in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

She will mainly discuss the work “World War II (Vanitas)” including the alarming reactions the painting provoked.

“I’ll be talking about how the painting was reviled when it was first shown, how it seemed to shock people and how criticized I was, personally, for making it,” Flack said of the work, which blends Holocaust imagery with the still-life symbolism of the Renaissance Christian vanitas genre. “Approximately 10 years later, the painting was included in an exhibit at the Jewish Museum and praised as a masterpiece.”

After the lecture, Flack will sign copies of the book, “Audrey Flack: Breaking the Rules.”

This free event is presented by Fairfield University’s Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies. For more, visit fairfield.edu/quick.

Visit FCBuzz.org for more information on events and how to get listed.

18 Week of March 4, 2013 • FairField County Business Journal

Presented by: Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

BUSINESS JOURNAL BUILDING PERMITS

COMMERCIAL Caldwell & Walsh Building, Sandy Hook, contractor for Gail and Carl Nielsen. Perform renovations at an existing commercial building, 396 Danbury Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $60,000. Filed Feb. 11.

Karp Associates Inc., Norwalk, contractor for Cody Real Estate L.L.C. Perform additions and alterations at an existing commercial building, 24 Gerrish Lane, New Canaan. Estimated cost: $17,200. Filed Feb. 12.

Laracca, Mario. Perform additions and alterations at an existing single-family residence, 25 Deepwood Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed Feb. 7.

Masciarelli, Robert, New Milford, contractor for Dwight Blaha. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 18 Walnut Grove Road, Ridgefield. Estimated cost: $45,000. Filed Feb. 20.

Mosolino Development L.L.C., New Canaan, contractor for Christopher Pappas. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 155 Main St., Ridgefield. Estimated cost: $120,000. Filed Feb. 20.

Warsaw Home Improvements, Bridgeport, contractor for Nicholas Liapunov. Perform renovations at an existing single-family residence, 23 Hauley Place, Ridgefield. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed Feb. 21.

COURT CASES

BRIDGEPORT DISTRICT COuRT

A.O. Smith Corp., et al. Filed by Nancy and Paul Lienhard, Natick, Mass. Plaintiff’s attorney: Christopher Meisenkothen, New Haven.

Action: The plaintiff has brought a suit against the defendants as he was Mr. Bath, New Fairfield, contractor exposed to asbestos-related products for David M. Maher. Perform inte- during his employment and was not Lucci Electric, Wilton, contractor rior renovations and additions at an provided with proper and adequate for SLR Properties. Perform reno- existing single-family residence, 67 warning related to the dangers of vations at an existing commercial Ritch Drive, Ridgefield. Estimated working with asbestos-related products. The plaintiff seeks monetary, building, 530 Danbury Road, Wil- cost: $19,500. Filed Feb. 19. punitive and statutory damages. ton. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed Filed Feb. 15. Case no. 6033221.

Feb. 14.

Peccerilli Construction Co. Inc., contractor for Lori Benning and Nicholas Harris. Construct an Alfa Laval Inc., et al. Filed by Roger RESIDENTIAL accessory building with a non- N. Taranto, Stamford. Plaintiff’s athabitable space at a single-family torney: Christopher Meisenkothen, Clark Construction of Ridgefield residence, 50 Thurton Drive, New New Haven. Action: The plaintiff has Inc., Ridgefield, contractor for Jef- Canaan. Estimated cost: $30,000. brought a suit against the defendants as he was exposed to asbestos-related frey Florio. Perform renovations at Filed Feb. 18. products during his employment and an existing single-family residence, was not provided with proper and 18 Clearview Terrace, Ridgefield. Estimated cost: $30,480. Filed Feb. 19. Piburo, Wilton, contractor for adequate warning related to the danMarie Frezzo. Perform additions gers of working with asbestos-related and alterations at an existing sin- products. The plaintiff seeks moneHess Construction, Wilton, con- gle-family residence, 132 Belden tary, punitive and statutory damages. tractor for Kyle and Marc Lauricella. Hill Road, Wilton. Estimated cost: Filed Feb. 15. Case no. 6033223.

Perform additions and alterations at $10,000. Filed Feb. 7. an existing single-family residence, All Phase Construction, Bridgeport.

4 Weeburn Lane, Wilton. Estimated Pratt Building and Remodeling, Filed by Fleetcor Technologies Opercost: $150,000. Filed Feb. 7.

Norwalk, contractor for Alison and ating Co. L.L.C., Norcross, Ga. PlainDouglas Campbell. Perform inte- tiff’s attorney: Steven A. Sugarmann, rior renovations and additions at New Haven. Action: The plaintiff has an existing single-family residence, brought a breach-of-contract suit Items appearing in the Fairfield 163 Pocconock Terrace, New Ca- against the defendant for failing to pay County Business Journal’s On The naan. Estimated cost: $35,000. Filed the balance due the plaintiff who alRecord section are compiled from Feb. 12. leges the defendant has been unjustly various sources, including public enriched to the detriment of the plainrecords made available to the media tiff. The plaintiff seeks monetary damby federal, state and municipal Ridgefield Professional Office. ages. Filed Feb. 15. Case no. 6033216. agencies and the court system.

Fit-out an existing commercial While every effort is made to ensure building for 901 Ethan Allen Highthe accuracy of this information, way, Ridgefield. Estimated cost: Audiodesign Inc., Fairfield. Filed no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal $400,000. Filed Feb. 14.

by Honeywell International Inc., action, the records cited are open Milford. Plaintiff’s attorney: John to public scrutiny and should be C. Drapp III, Bridgeport. Acinspected before any action is taken.

Rock Harbor Builders L.L.C., tion: The plaintiff has brought a Sherman, contractor for Deidre breach-of-contract suit against the Questions and comments regarding and Eric Poshley. Perform interior defendant alleging it has provided this section should be directed to: renovations and additions at an and delivered various products to Patrick Gallagher existing single-family residence, 48 the defendant on an open account c/o Westfair Communications Inc. Hobby Drive, Ridgefield. Estimated but the defendant has failed to pay 3 Gannett Drive, Suite G7 cost: $85,643. Filed Feb. 19.

White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 the amount due the plaintiff. The Phone: (914)694-3600 plaintiff claims damages. Filed Feb. Fax: (914)694-3680 19. Case no. 6033245.

Hersam Acorn Newspapers L.L.C., New Canaan. Filed by Michael J. Nowacki, New Canaan.

Plaintiff’s attorney: John R. Williams, New Haven. Action: The plaintiff has brought this suit against the defendant for defamation of character as a result of publishing personal details about the plaintiff in their newspaper. The plaintiff claims monetary damages in excess of $15,000. Filed Feb. 19.

Case no. 6033305.

Drywall Associates Inc., Newtown. Filed by Connecticut Interlock Risk Management Agency a/s/o Weston Board of Education, Weston. Plaintiff’s attorney: Heather J. Adams, West Hartford. Action: The plaintiff has brought a breach-of-contract suit against the defendant for failing to exercise reasonable care in the construction of the plaintiff’s roofing system. The plaintiff has suffered damages. Filed Feb. 21. Case no. 6011689.

Oak Street Design & Construction Inc., Ridgefield. Seller: Veerle M. Ausloo and Steve Martino, Newtown. Property: 16 Osborn Hill Road, Newtown. Amount: $120,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Santander Consumer USA Inc., Dallas, Texas and Skyline Recovery Services, Northampton, Mass.

Filed by Elsa Richardson, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Christopher D. Hite, Stratford. Action: The plaintiff has brought this suit against the defendant for attempting to repossess a vehicle and for gaining unlawful entry to the plaintiff’s premises. The plaintiff claims monetary damages. Filed Feb. 19.

Case no. 6033289.

STAMFORD DISTRICT COuRT

Shelter for the Homeless Inc., Stamford. Seller: William R. Davis, Stamford. Property: 23 Spruce St., Stamford. Amount: $315,000. Filed Feb. 13.

DANBuRY DISTRICT COuRT Aftokinito Properties Inc., Derry, N.H. Filed by Gold Ridge Micro Cap I L.L.C., Charleston, S.C. Plaintiff’s attorney: Joseph M. Pastore III and Michael A. Zamat, Stamford.

Action: The plaintiff has brought a breach-of-contract suit against the defendant alleging it advanced the defendant a sum of money in exchange for a loan and preferred stock. The defendant has failed to pay out any dividends in preferred stock nor has it made an attempt to repay the loan. The plaintiff demands compensatory damages and a preferred stock payment. Filed Feb. 21. Case no. 6011692.

Falling Waters Landscaping L.L.C., Westport. Filed by O&G Industries Inc., Torrington. Plaintiff’s attorney: Joseph M. Metzger, Torrington. Action: The plaintiff has brought a breach-of-contract suit against the defendant for failing to make payment after the plaintiff provided the defendant with a line of credit. Filed Feb. 19.

Case no. 6017231.

Oaktree Real Estate L.L.C., Greenwich. Seller: Deborah Daniels, Torrington. Property: 39 Beach View Drive, Stamford. Amount: $342,500. Filed Feb. 14.

Twenty Six Diaz Street L.L.C., Stamford. Seller: Marie and Joseph L. Conti, Stamford. Property: 26 Diaz St., Stamford. Amount: $315,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Winthrop Woods Developers L.L.C., Shelton. Seller: Joanne Mulvey, Stratford and John Mulvey, Naugatuck. Property: The Connecticut Light and Power 125 Cutspring Road, Stratford.

Co. Filed by Jerome Rapoport, Amount: $130,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorneys: David W. Rubin and Andrew J. Soltes Jr., Stamford. Action: The plaintiff QuIT CLAIM has brought this suit against the defendant for installing a streetlight 95/7 Enterprises L.L.C., Norwalk. contiguous to the plaintiff’s prem- Seller: 95/7 Ventures L.L.C., Norises and charging the plaintiff for walk. Property: Map 13508, Northe electricity supplied to the street- walk. Amount: $18 million. Filed light. The plaintiff claims monetary Feb. 19. damages from the defendant. Filed Feb. 19. Case no. 6017252.

Mount, Eric D., Norwalk. Seller: Wei Shi Tan, Norwalk. Property: TWP Management Group Inc., 16 Marlborough Road, Norwalk.

Filed by Labels by Pullizi Inc. Plain- Amount: $230,000. Filed Feb. 13. tiff’s attorney: Edward D. Jacobs, New Haven. Action: The plaintiff has brought a breach-of-contract Rakowski, Jadwiga, Stamford. suit against the defendant for fail- Seller: HSBC Mortgage Services ure to pay for goods sold and deliv- Inc., Brandon, Fla. Property: 72 Avered by the plaintiff. Filed Feb. 20. ery St., Unit 70, Stamford. Amount: Case no. 6017276. $180,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Creative Environment Home & Leisure Centre Inc., et al., Danbury. Filed by Lexington Mews Condominium Association Inc., Danbury. Plaintiff’s attorney: Steven G. Berg, Norwalk. Action: The DEEDS plaintiff has brought a breach-ofcontract suit against the defendant for resurfacing a community pool, COMMERCIAL which was of substandard condition. The plaintiff claims monetary damages in excess of $15,000. Filed Muy Properties-NE Ltd., San Antonio, Texas. Seller: Mystic Taco Feb. 21. Case no. 6011683.

Properties L.P., Carlstadt, N.J. Property: 1371 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $2.01 million. Filed Feb. 13.

RESIDENTIAL Allen, Helen L. and Mark B. Rayer, Cheshire. Seller: Denise and Wayne Vanderhoof, Bethel. Property: 15 Hidden Brook Trail, Bethel.

Amount: $480,000. Filed Feb. 21.

Alswanger, Richard A., Westport.

Seller: June-Ann Greeley and John J. Blossom, Westport. Property: 4 Merritt Lane, Westport. Amount: $587,500. Filed Feb. 19.

THE RECORDS SECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 19

on the record Amatuzzi, Anna Maria, Ridgefield. Seller: Rand A. Arrowitz, Ridgefield. Property: 35 Overlook Drive, Ridgefield. Amount: $450,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Cookson, Thomas, Greenwich.

Seller: Cosmo Iadanza, Stamford.

Property: 50 North St., Unit 203, Stamford. Amount: $110,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Bazarian, Gregory J., Ridgefield. Seller: John F. Parkinson, Ridgefield. Property: 431 Limestone Road, Ridgefield. Amount: $640,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Crawley, Jennifer and Kevin, Stamford. Seller: Amy P. and Jeffrey A. Bijas, Stamford. Property: 122 Gaymoor Drive, Stamford.

Amount: $429,900. Filed Feb. 15.

Bender, Michele J. and Scott R., Wilton. Seller: Heidi B. and Daniel J. Murphy, Wilton. Property: 57 Canterbury Lane, Wilton. Amount: $785,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Crowley, Jeremiah, Fairfield. Seller: Janet Beckley, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Property: 274B Running Brook Lane, Stratford. Amount: $175,000.

Filed Feb. 19.

Bosshart, Karen, Marlborough.

Seller: Stephanie S. and Michael Nils Trolle, Ridgefield. Property: 240 North St., Ridgefield. Amount: $527,500. Filed Feb. 15.

Czarnecki, Bethany B. and Joseph R., Westport. Seller: Joyce P. and George A. Steinhoff, Westport.

Property: 10 Lamplight Lane, Westport. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Feb. 12.

Ellis, Ashley G. and James Michael Forte, Brookfield. Seller: Amy and Christopher Coughlin, Brookfield.

Property: 86 Obtuse Road South, Brookfield. Amount: $525,000.

Filed Feb. 14.

Joseph, Jenny Y. and Michael H., Old Greenwich. Seller: Midbrook Lane L.L.C., Greenwich. Property: 15 Midbrook Lane, Greenwich.

Amount: $1.1 million. Filed Feb. 12.

McCarthy, Paul E., Brooklyn, N.Y. Seller: 223 Florida Road L.L.C., Ridgefield. Property: 223 Florida Road, Ridgefield. Amount: $515,000. Filed Feb. 6.

Fedor, Andrea M., Danbury. Seller: Cirmin Development L.L.C., North Bayville, N.Y. Property: 22 Old Oak Drive, Brookfield. Amount: $259,900. Filed Feb. 15.

Kim, Jennifer G. and Anthony M., Norwalk. Seller: Maureen Moran and Francis L. Forte, Norwalk. Property: 12 Riverwalk Lane, Norwalk. Amount: $653,000. Filed Feb. 12.

McCormack, Ashley and Travis, Norwalk. Seller: Stephanie F. and Bryan DeYoung, Norwalk. Property: 160 New Canaan Ave., Norwalk.

Amount: $415,000. Filed Feb. 19.

Fernandez, Beiry, Stratford. Seller: Linda Lesko, West Haven. Property: 174 Kenyon St., Stratford. Amount: $185,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Knight, Susan F. and G. William Jr., Old Greenwich. Seller: Sally M. and Ryan E. Schedler, Old Greenwich. Property: 3 Vista Ave., Old Greenwich. Amount: $3.3 million.

Filed Feb. 15.

Forte, Maureen and Francis, Norwalk. Seller: Paula Mueller and Evan S. Wasser, Stamford. Property: Kresic, Mary Jane W. and Mladen 209 Ocean Drive East, Stamford. D., Ridgefield. Seller: Matthew CrisAmount: $1.1 million. Filed Feb. 14. cuolo, Ridgefield. Property: 4 Island Hill Ave., Ridgefield. Amount: $360,000. Filed Feb. 11.

Burnell, Christopher K., DanGerman, Elna and Armando bury. Seller: Cirmin Development Davis, Dorothy S., Norwalk. Seller: Frank Barrese, Port Chester, L.L.C., North Bayville, N.Y. Prop- Federal Home Loan Mortgage N.Y. Seller: Susan S. and Keith T. Kumar, Leslie and Jaret Posmenerty: 26 Old Oak Drive, Brookfield. Corp., McLean, Va. Property: 4 Beniston, Norwalk. Property: 208 tier, Stamford. Seller: Sheri J. Rosen Amount: $324,900. Filed Feb. 19.

Hill Court Condo L.L.C., Unit 4A, Flax Hill Road, Unit 1, Norwalk. and Jeremie P. Kass, Edina, Minn.

Property: 11 Gilford St., Stamford.

Norwalk. Amount: $185,000. Filed Amount: $215,000. Filed Feb. 12.

Amount: $512,500. Filed Feb. 13.

Feb. 12.

Cancro, Erin Gensel and Christopher J., Westport. Seller: JeanGolovchenko, Xenia, Norwalk. nette N. Rosenbloom, Westport. Demarco, Suzanne and Michael, Seller: John A. Lanisso, Norwalk. Lampman, Anne, Stamford. Seller: Property: 7 Witch Lane, Westport. New Rochelle, N.Y. Seller: Leslie Property: 5 Blue Mountain Road, Xiomara Ortiz, Stamford. PropAmount: $687,500. Filed Feb. 12.

Davis Kohl, Ridgefield. Property: Norwalk. Amount: $659,900. Filed erty: 22 Glenbrook Road, Unit 206, Stamford. Amount: $110,000. Filed 12 Mallory Hill Road, Ridgefield. Feb. 14.

Feb. 15.

Amount: $243,500. Filed Feb. 5.

Caron, Elizabeth J. and Jason, Greenwich. Seller: Walter D. SimpGraham, Svetlana and Rycroft S., son, Stamford. Property: 208 Crys- deToledo, Jose Eduardo Hurley Stamford. Seller: Eastside Develop- Laporta, Johanna and Josh Paller, tal Lake Road, Stamford. Amount: Ferraz, Stamford. Seller: Palmer ment Associates L.L.C., Stamford. Fairfield. Seller: Nancy B. and Paul $459,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Hill Partners L.L.C., Stamford. Property: 850 E. Main St., Unit 518, M. Cauzelis, Sarasota, Fla. Property: Property: 77 Havemeyer Lane, Stamford. Amount: $390,000. Filed 3 Knickerbocker Ave., Norwalk.

Amount: $462,500. Filed Feb. 11.

Unit 201E, Stamford. Amount: Feb. 15.

Carroll, Meghan E. and David R. $658,451. Filed Feb. 13.

Dellinger, Westport. Seller: Martha Anne Harris and David A. Feeney, Grajko, Timothy, Stamford. Seller: Levenson, Nancy J. and Stanley Goshen. Property: 17 Vani Court, Dickerson, Connie and Jon Scott C. Gross, Stamford. Property: B. Thurley, Westport. Seller: DoWestport. Amount: $219,000. Filed Young, Wilton. Seller: Sarah 447 High Ridge Road, Stamford. lores L. and Francis O. Benevento, Fairfield. Property: 24 Park Lane, Feb. 19.

Wood Post, Wilton. Property: 58 Amount: $478,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Westport. Amount: $1.2 million.

Horseshoe Road, Wilton. Amount: Filed Feb. 14. $417,500. Filed Feb. 14.

Carroll, Samantha and Roy D. Iacobucci, Carmela and Mark, Duckworth IV, New Rochelle, N.Y. Stratford. Seller: Deutsche Bank Seller: Debra Wilson and Jamie A. Dinwoodie, Anita M. and Jason S., National Trust , Coppell, Texas. Lobrano, Barbara, Stamford.

Buzzeo, Stamford. Property: 6 Stan- Weston. Seller: Ian S. and Rosario Property: 139 Hollister St., Stratford. Seller: Doris L. Stevens, Westport.

Property: 35 Bridge St., Westport. wick Circle, Stamford. Amount: S. Swanson, Weston. Property: 129 Amount: $97,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Amount: $233,000. Filed Feb. 13. $502,550. Filed Feb. 14.

Lords Highway, Weston. Amount: $856,000. Filed Feb. 12.

Ibarrondo, Adrina Jr., Stratford.

Clarke, Mark N., Fairfield. Seller: Seller: John Bajda, Stratford. Prop- Marchiony, Dana J. and Brian J., Cornelia Chirila, Boca Raton, Fla. Donnely, Erin and William T., erty: 328 Henry Ave., Stratford. London, United Kingdon. Seller: Beth and Joseph J. Vaccaro, WestProperty: 487 Jackson Ave., Strat- Valley Stream, N.Y. Seller: Donna Amount: $210,500. Filed Feb. 22. port. Property: 18 Wheeler Gate, ford. Amount: $107,625. Filed M. Case, Ridgefield. Property: 20 Westport. Amount: $1.7 million.

Feb. 13.

Peaceable Ridge Road, Ridgefield.

Jacobsen, Helga and Masooma, Filed Feb. 19.

Amount: $728,000. Filed Feb. 4.

Weston. Seller: Kerry Ann and K. Claudio, Sandra V. Zarate and EdVincent Quimi Jr., Northbrook, ward, Stamford. Seller: Rachel and Dubin, Susan Hildreth and Law- Ill. Property: 5 Fanton Hill Road, Martinez, Seidy and Andres F., Anibal Rosado, Norwalk. Property: rence A., New Canaan. Seller: Weston. Amount: $1.2 million. Norwalk. Seller: Flora Gutierez and Victor Tomasto, Norwalk. Prop13 Girard St., Norwalk. Amount: Jeanne F. and Leon M. Hecht, Filed Feb. 13. erty: 59 Benedict St., Norwalk. $305,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Stamford. Property: 30 Doral Amount: $265,200. Filed Feb. 15.

Farm Road, Stamford. Amount: Jimenez, Jorge Luis, Stratford. Sell$647,500. Filed Feb. 11.

Cocchia, Joseph A., Norwalk. Seller: Christopher Michols, Ansonia. er: Emmanuel Almirakis, Norwalk.

Property: 259 Light St., Stratford. Mayer, Krista and James S. Anderson, Bethel. Seller: Margaret Property: 41 Wall St., Norwalk. Dunlop, Dana, Norwalk. Seller: Amount: $214,000. Filed Feb. 19.

E. Hummel, Bethel. Property: 14 Amount: $30,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Rayna L. Discullo, Norwalk. PropSouth St., Unit 3, Bethel. Amount: erty: 118 Rowayton Woods Drive, $147,000. Filed Feb. 19.

Norwalk. Amount: $342,000. Filed Feb. 13.

20 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Schoetz, Heike C. and Richard Carl, Chappaqua, N.Y. Seller: Catharine Sweeney and Jeffrey P. McGill, Newtown. Property: Lot 11, Map 5320, Newtown. Amount: $473,500. Filed Feb. 19.

Schrijvers, Edwin, Stamford. Seller: Louisa Martin and Desmond Whittall, Stamford. Property: 14 Smoke Hill Drive, Stamford.

Amount: $530,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Millaway, Elsie F. and Michael H. Laplante, Redding. Seller: Angela and Albert M. Shagory, Ridgefield.

Property: 520 Main St., Unit 9, Ridgefield. Amount: $865,000.

Filed Feb. 7.

Shapiro, Dean, Fairfield. Seller: Able Construction Inc., Norwalk.

Property: 157 Riverside Ave., Westport. Amount: $1.8 million. Filed Feb. 12.

Moritz, Cort and Ryan Wolf, New York City. Seller: Anne Marie Jonason, Stratford. Property: 96 Bronson Road, Stratford. Amount: $170,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Sheth, Haresh C., Monmouth Junction, N.J. Seller: Efstathios Maletos, North Montville, N.J. Property: 53 Sturges Highway, Westport. Amount: $1.6 million.

Filed Feb. 19.

Mundra, Narottam D., Norwalk.

Seller: Maria Eugenia and Luis Alberto Gallo, Norwalk. Property: 18 Tower Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $157,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Siriki, Rodhika and Roger N. Coron, Elmsford, N.Y. Seller: Mabel A. and Federico Balestra, Greenwich. Property: 37 Carrington Drive, Stamford. Amount: $985,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Murphy, Kelsey, Stamford. Seller: Carolyn Noel and Susan Hayo Traczyk, Stuart, Fla. Property: 94 Stevenson, Jennifer G.F. and Bouton St., Stamford. Amount: Christopher E., Brooklyn, N.Y. Seller: Margaret R. Yates, New Ca$333,000. Filed Feb. 14. naan. Property: 111 Ponus Ridge, New Canaan. Amount: $825,000.

Norris, Joseph P., Westport. Seller: Filed Feb. 4.

Anthony N. Banbury, Westport.

Property: 7 Long Lots Lane, Westport. Amount: $1.7 million. Filed Sun, Haihong and Zhihong Yang, Redding. Seller: New York ComFeb. 15. munity Bank, Cleveland, Ohio.

Property: 6 Little River Lane, RedNovotny, William L., Stratford. ding. Amount: $320,000. Filed Seller: Constance Hamrah, Los Feb. 20.

Gatos, Calif. Property: 785A North Trail, Stratford. Amount: $81,250.

Terrible, Cynthia, Stratford. Seller: Filed Feb. 13.

Mary Ellen and Richard L. Swanson, Stratford. Property: 161 KnollNussbaum, Tara E. and Evan M., wood Drive, Stratford. Amount: Ridgefield. Seller: Anne Marie and $275,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Richard C. Vollhardt, Ridgefield.

Property: 228 Keeler Drive, Ridgefield. Amount: $610,000. Filed Feb. Traslavina, Maria Aleida, Stamford. Seller: Monica Stone, Stam12. ford. Property: 36 Highview Ave., Unit 10, Stamford. Amount: Perschino, Gloria M. and Ralph J., $270,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Ridgefield. Seller: Antonia Dipanni, Wilton. Property: 139 Vista Road, Wilton. Amount: $632,500. Filed Wasicko, John, Brookfield. Seller: HSBC Mortgage Services Inc., Feb. 14.

Brandon, Fla. Property: Lot 51 and 52, Map 1926, Ridgefield. Amount: Rothkopf, Avi M., Stamford. Seller: $142,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Suzane Rixon and David Helman, Wilton. Property: 66 Oak Ledge Lane, Wilton. Amount: $570,000. Wasko, Brian G., Westport. Seller: Phyllis Rhodes, Redding. PropFiled Feb. 15. erty: 33 Giles Hill Road, Redding.

Amount: $795,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Schlanger, Raphael, Bethel. Seller: John Naim, Danbury. Property: 149 Grassy Plain St., Unit 3, Bethel. Widjaja, Tony E., Jersey City, N.J. Seller: Made 1 Inc., Hamden.

Amount: $170,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Property: 17 Crescent Park Road, Westport. Amount: $295,000.

Filed Feb. 13.

on the record CREDITS, CLIENTS AND AWARDS CAROLINE HOUSE, a nondenominational education center in Bridgeport, recently received a $15,000 donor-advised grant from the Fairfield County Community Foundation. The grant will be used to support English as a second language (ESL) and life-skill classes for women as part of the Mother and Child Literacy Program. The program provides free literacy education and support services to economically disadvantaged families in the Bridgeport area. More than 200 women and children are served per year.

NEWSMAKERS

JOHN J. RYAN recently joined the law firm of Russo & Associates L.L.C. in its new Darien office. A Darien resident, he retired in 2008 from the Connecticut General Assembly after serving seven terms as the state representative from the 141st District (Darien and Rowayton).

Ryan has more than 35 years’ experience practicing law in Connecticut and will head up the Darien office focusing primarily on real estate law and real estate financing, zoning and land-use regulation and litigation, foreclosure and property-tax litigation, business law, estate planning and probate as well as criminal and motor vehicle matters. He has a Juris Doctorate from Boston College Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame.

JAKE FAY, of Fairfield, was recently promoted to sales manager of William Raveis Real Estate, Darien office. Prior to joining William Raveis in August as an associate sales manager, Fay was a top-producing sales associate with Sotheby’s International Realty for more than four years. Fay also has a background in finance, having worked on Wall Street as an equity trader prior to moving in to real estate. Fay is a graduate of the Taft School and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Wesleyan University.

JOHNPATRICK C. O’BRIEN, of Southport, recently joined the law firm of Cohen and Wolf P.C. as of counsel in the firm’s Bridgeport office. Previously, O’Brien was a partner with Zeisler & Zeisler P.C. O’Brien’s practice includes a broad scope of personal injury matters, including automobile collisions, premises liability, wrongful death and medical malpractice.

He also represents clients in matters involving workers’ compensation injuries, family law and criminal law. He has a bachelor’s degree from Sacred Heart University, a master’s degree in public administration from Missouri State University and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

ON THE GO SATURDAY MARCH 2 Effective Business Writing workshop with communications training expert Victoria Amon. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3 Sylvan Road South, Westport. $495. Ten percent discount for groups of four or more from the same organization. For information, visit westportwritersworkshop.com or call 227-3250.

TUESDAY MARCH 5 Teresa Younger of The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) speaking at WBDC’s Stamford office. Two sessions, 3-4:40 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m., 184 Bedford St., Suite 201, Stamford. For information, email bdolan @ctwbdc.org or call 353-1750.

TUESDAY MARCH 5 LinkedIn: The Basics, Plus – Jobs 2013 Series Program at Fairfield Public Library. Rotary Room at the Main Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield. Free and open to the public. For information, visit fairfieldpubliclibrary.org or call 256-3160.

SNAPSHOT STAMFORD HOSPITAL recently named Milford resident Keith Gardner, pulmonary services coordinator from the respiratory care department, as its 2012 employee of the year. Gardner was recognized because he embodies the hospital’s values of teamwork, integrity, compassion, respect and accountability. He always puts the patient first and will go out of his way on a daily basis to ensure their experience is positive.

MARTIN J. ROSS III was recently appointed by Dempsey Partners, a forensic accounting, claims and risk consulting firm with an office in Wilton, as director of business development for the forensicanalysis practice. He is responsible for developing and leveraging executive-level relationships within the commercial insurance industry to drive engagements and strategic alignment within the fraud and cyber practice. Previously, Ross was vice president and publisher of Business Insurance (BI) magazine, where he was instrumental in growing the BI brand domestically and internationally. Ross is a graduate of St. John’s University.

Keith Gardner was honored as Stamford Hospital’s 2012 employee of the year at the hospital’s “Celebration of Achievement” event at the Stamford Marriott Hotel.

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

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SuBSCRIBE AT WESTFAIRONLINE.COM/HOME/BREAKING-NEWS/ FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 21

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2

BOB + BILL Just like the great acts of years past like Martin and Lewis – there’s now Scinto and RaveiS. to their friends, they’re just Bob and Bill – two longtime pals who reached the pinnacle in commercial and residential real estate in Fairfield county. on april 9, come hear them as they take to the stage without a script and recount their early days – days filled with trial and error, as well as some hilarious moments. they will leave you laughing … and you might even learn some of the secrets to their respective successes.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to find out what makes the Scinto and Raveis empires tick. the auditoRiuM enterprise corporate towers 3 corporate drive | First Floor Shelton 11:30 a.m. – Meet, greet, lunch | Noon – Program

Presented by

FairField County Business Journal and Wag Magazine

Register now. Space is limited. Email Alissa Frey at afrey@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com

22 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

on the record Woodruff, Samantha Greene and John Peter, Greenwich. Seller: 101 Brookside Drive L.L.C., Greenwich.

Property: 101 Brookside Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $4.4 million.

Filed Feb. 15.

Marquardt, Cathering G., et al., Creditor: PHH Mortgage Corp., Mount Laurel, N.J., 7 Carlisle Court, Brookfield. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 15.

Zabit, Gail and Raymond, Aydlett, N.C. Seller: Dolores A. Lussier, Newtown. Property: 17 Oakview Road, Newtown.

Amount: $230,000. Filed Feb. 15.

Zhao, Xing, New Canaan. Seller: The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Property: 38 Larkin Court, Stratford. Amount: $52,000. Filed Feb. 13.

FORECLOSURES Daniels, Yvonne J., et al., Creditor: Midfirst Bank, Oklahoma City, Okla. Property: 30 McGrath Court, Stratford. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 14.

Hehn, Marilyn L., et al., Creditor: OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 335 Cannon Drive, Stratford. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 21.

Izquierdo, Catalina, et al., Creditor: OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 300 Broad St., Unit 306, Stamford. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 14.

Kalmanidis, Voula and Christos, et al., Creditor: U.S Bank N.A., Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 13 Academy St., Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 15.

Leas, Elizabeth P., et al., Creditor: LPP Mortgage Ltd., Zurich, Ill. Property: 55 Magnolia Ave., Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 15.

Lopez, Carmen R., et al., Creditor: OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 12 Loundsbury Ave., Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 19.

Mangiardi, John R., et al., Creditor: CitiMortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 54 Doubling Road, Greenwich. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 12.

Dovolani, Arbana and Fisnik, Stratford, $1,837.80, in favor of Bridgeport Anesthesiology, Stratford, by Karen E. Lahey, Waterbury.

Property: 104 Ridge Road, Stratford. Filed Feb. 13.

Hernandez, Edwin A., Stamford, $5,169.80, in favor of Yankee Gas Services Company, Hartford, by Nair & Levin P.C., Bloomfield.

Property: 7 Warren St., Stamford.

Filed Feb. 15.

Morrison, Branda M. and Stanley Allen, Bethel, $2,580.04, in favor of Danbury Hospital, Danbury, by V. Michael Simko Jr., Shelton. Property: 4 Laura Lane, Unit 4A, Bethel.

Filed Feb. 19.

Osievskii, Maria and Anatolli, et al., Creditor: Chase Home Finance L.L.C., Jacksonville, Fla. Property: 61 Ohio Avenue Extension, Norwalk. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 19.

Duggan, James, Stamford, $1,220, in favor of Stamford Hospital, Stamford, by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 153 Weed Hill Ave., Stamford. Filed Feb. 14.

Howard, Julia and Robert, Ridgefield, $738.62, in favor of Superior Plus Energy Services, Winsted, by William G. Reveley, Vernon. Property: 14 Glen Road, Ridgefield.

Filed Feb. 4.

Murphy, Susan, Stratford, $1,551.53, in favor of Advanced Radiology Consultants L.L.C., Trumbull, by Richard Terry, Hamden.

Property: 162 Shanley St., Stratford.

Filed Feb. 14.

Westcott, Mable and Walter E., et al., Creditor: Financial Freedom Acquisition L.L.C., Mendota Heights, Minn. Property: 139 Mulberry St., Stamford. Judgment of foreclosure has passed. Filed Feb. 14.

Dumond, Emilio J. Jr., Newtown, $6,668.48, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Benjamin P. Mann, Enfield. Property: 1 Pocono Road, Newtown. Filed Feb. 19.

Hughes, Phyllis K., Stratford, $5,704.69, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 171 McGrath Court, Stratford. Filed Feb. 22.

Parra, Cesar A., Norwalk, $7,087.76, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Benjamin P. Mann, Enfield. Property: 43 Grandview Ave., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 19.

Hunt, Angie, Stamford, $1,119.30, in favor of Hoffman Fuel Co. of Bridgeport, Trumbull, by Susan Cornelis, Trumbull. Property: 22 Welsh Ave., Stamford. Filed Feb. 14.

Pazar, Alethea G., et al., Stratford, $883.85, in favor of Portfolio Recovery Associates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 70 Castle Drive, Stratford. Filed Feb. 19.

Farias, Luis D., Stamford, $4,598.28, in favor of Cavalry SPV I L.L.C., Valhalla, N.Y., by Joseph Amin, Mohammad A., Norwalk, M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 16 $5,772.23, in favor of RAB Perfor- Bilford St., Stamford. Filed Feb. 11. mance Recoveries L.L.C., Paramus, N.J., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford.

Property: 57 Bartlett Ave., Norwalk. Filippidis, Theodora, Norwalk, $4,925.10, in favor of Discover Filed Feb. 14.

Bank, Andover, Mass., by Nathan G. Johnson, Pawtucket, R.I. ProperBaltazar, Charmayn I., Bethel, ty: 101 Ponus Ave., Norwalk. Filed $29,484.78, in favor of FIA Card Feb. 14.

Services N.A., Wilmington, Del.,

by Julie B. Solomon, Albany, N.Y. Property: 63 Payne Road, Bethel. Garrido, Marlon A., Norwalk, $3,059.47, in favor of U.S. EquiFiled Feb. 19. ties Corp., South Salem, N.Y.,

by Linda Strumpf, New Canaan.

Camacho, Florentino, Stamford, Property: 1 Fulmar Lane, Nor$2,084.49, in favor of Stamford walk. Filed Feb. 12.

Hospital, Stamford, by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 42 Donata Geske, David, Greenwich, Lane, Stamford. Filed Feb. 15. $8,950.18, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond Va., by Holly NelChapska, Joanna, Stamford, en, East Hartford. Property: 22 Oak $747.90, in favor of Stamford Ra- Drive, Riverside. Filed Feb. 12. diological Association, Stamford,

by Karen E. Lahey, Waterbury.

Property: 80 Maple Tree Ave., Apt. Haley, Laura, Stratford, $1,274.05, in favor of Portfolio Recovery As11, Stamford. Filed Feb. 14. sociates L.L.C., Norfolk, Va., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. PropCollins, Ronald, Norwalk, $527.97, erty: 216 Albright Ave., Stratford. in favor of Chaning Perspective Filed Feb. 13.

L.L.C., Westport, by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 21 AuHaley, Stella L., Stratford, $1,375, tumn St., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 14. in favor of Main Street Acquisition Corp., Norcross, Ga., by Holly Cortese, Diane, Stamford, Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 104 $4,244.90, in favor of Stamford Feeley St., Stratford. Filed Feb. 13.

Radiological Association, Stamford, by Karen E. Lahey, Waterbury.

Property: 8 Jeanne Court, Stam- Hartwell, Juan A., Stratford, $14,128.43, in favor of FIA Card ford. Filed Feb. 14.

Services, N.A., Newark, Del., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. PropCote, Gordon, Stratford, $2,678.91, erty: 230 Everett St., Stratford. Filed in favor of Midland Funding L.L.C., Feb. 22.

San Diego, Calif., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Property: 40 High Park Ave., Stratford. Filed Feb. 14.

JUDGMENTS

J&C Building Renovations L.L.C. and Cezary Bartosiewicz, Stamford, $118,816.53, in favor of S&K Distributors L.L.C. d.b.a. New Castle Building Products, Norwalk, by Paul Fitzgerald, Hartford. Property: 1158 Stillwater Road, Stamford.

Filed Feb. 11.

J&C Building Renovations L.L.C. and Cezary Bartosiewicz, Stamford, $118,816.53, in favor of S&K Distributors L.L.C. d.b.a. New Castle Building Products, Norwalk, by Paul Fitzgerald, Hartford.

Property: 491 Den Road, Stamford. Filed Feb. 11.

Wallace, Beulah L., Stratford, $23,780.29, in favor of Cavalry SPV I L.L.C., Valhalla, N.Y., by Joseph M. Tobin, New Haven. Property: 104 William St., Stratford. Filed Feb. 19.

LIENS

FEDERAL TAX LIENSFILED MSKY L.L.C., 1895 Stratford Ave., Stratford, $21,550.96, payroll taxes.

Filed Feb. 19.

O’Brien, Denise I., 48 Linton St., Stratford, $32,646.32, tax debt on income earned. Filed Feb. 19.

Satin, Jane and Brian Rutter, 5 Wendy Lane, Westport, $29,309.09, tax debt on income earned. Filed Feb. 19.

FEDERAL TAX LIENS-

Quito, Isabel, Stamford, $1,584.34, in favor of Equable Ascent Finan- PARTIAL RELEASE cial L.L.C., Northbrook, Ill., by Sara M. Gould, Stamford. Property: Hernandez, Beatriz E. (only), 23 10 Washington Court, First floor, Avenue D, Norwalk, $16,576.76, Stamford. Filed Feb. 11. tax debt on income earned. Filed Feb. 13.

Rodriguez, Miguel A., Sandy Hook, $6,957.23, in favor of Discover Bank, New Albany, Ohio, by Benjamin P. Mann, Enfield. Property: 81 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook.

Filed Feb. 19.

FEDERAL TAX LIENSREFILE NOTICE

Smith, David R., 84 N. Salem Road, Ridgefield, $63,298.88, tax debt on Scofield, Nancy J., Bethel, income earned. Filed Feb. 4. $3,548.20, in favor of Target National Bank, Minneapolis, Minn., J&C Building Renovations L.L.C. by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. and Cezary Bartosiewicz, Nor- Property: 50 Old Hawleyville Road, FEDERAL TAX LIENSwalk, $118,816.53, in favor of S&K Bethel. Filed Feb. 19.

RELEASED Distributors L.L.C. d.b.a. New Castle Building Products, Norwalk, by Paul Fitzgerald, Hartford. Property: Stackhouse, James, Stratford, Brennan, Deborah, 86 Mitchell St., $814.90, in favor of Advanced Ra- Stamford, $64,241.01, tax debt on 7 Wall St., Norwalk. Filed Feb. 11. diology Consultants L.L.C., Trum- income earned. Filed Feb. 14. bull, by Richard Terry, Hamden.

Knick, Roger, Ridgefield, $1,256.69, Property: 685 Success Ave., Unit 27, Butler, Albert R. Jr., 77 Third St., in favor of Standard Oil of CT Inc., Stratford. Filed Feb. 14.

Apt. 110, Stamford, $193,960.60, Bridgeport, by Matthew J. Corcotax debt on income earned. Filed ran, Hamden. Property: 38 Ashbee Vargas, Bethzaida, Stratford, Feb. 14.

Lane, Ridgefield. Filed Feb. 6. $5,270.91, in favor of Capital One N.A., Richmond, Va., by Holly Lukanyuk, Roman, Ridgefield, Nelen, East Hartford. Property: Christie, Neil Jr., 257 Weaver St., $1,500, in favor of Danbury Hos- 188 Summer St., Stratford. Filed Apt. 4B, Greenwich, $95,787.45, tax debt on income earned. Filed pital, Bethel, by Holly Nelen, East Feb. 22.

Feb. 12.

Hartford. Property: 11 Sunset Lane, Ridgefield. Filed Feb. 4.

Vilbrun, Solange, Stamford, $16,323.60, in favor of Rosen- Curtis, Rita L., 32 Ken Court, Mitchell, Richard, Greenwich, berg and Press L.L.C., Stratford, Stamford, $1,433.52, tax debt on $5,243.11, in favor of Midland by Christopher D. Hite, Stratford. income earned. Filed Feb. 14.

Funding L.L.C., San Diego, Ca- Property: 212 West Ave., Stamford. lif., by Holly Nelen, East Hartford. Filed Feb. 13.

Dicosola, Leonard, 17 River Lane, Property: 47 Cognewaugh Road, Westport, $2,315.92, tax debt on inGreenwich. Filed Feb. 13. come earned. Filed Feb. 12.

THE RECORDS SECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 23

on the record Harding, Jennifer, 168 Taunton Hill Road, Newtown, $5,543.01, tax debt on income earned. Filed Feb. 19.

Leblanc, Roger, 22 Aiken St., Norwalk, $158,468.85, tax debt on income earned. Filed Feb. 14.

Tommasino, Elizabeth and Salvatore, Greenwich. Filed by O&G Industries Inc., Torrington, by Kenneth W. Merz. Property: 20 Desiree Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $8,228.07. Filed Feb. 13.

MECHANIC’S LIENSRELEASED

Lynne, Jennifer Beth and Jared D., 4 Blacksmith Ridge Road, Ridgefield, $24,502.10, tax debt on in- Banbury, Wendy and Anthony, come earned. Filed Feb. 4.

Westport. Filed by Cleanmark Services Inc., Westport, by Lilian Krause. Property: 7 Long Lots Lane, Valois, Marc, 20 Samuelson Road, Westport. Amount: $1,799. Filed Weston, $4,693, tax debt on income Feb. 15. earned. Filed Feb. 12.

LIS PENDENS

Wagners of Stamford Inc., 1111 High Ridge Road, Stamford, $44,632.74, payroll taxes and quar- Anaya, Kimberly and Stanley Loiseau, et al., Stamford. Filed by Karterly tax returns. Filed Feb. 14. en J. Lucien, Hartford, for OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. PropWagners of Stamford Inc., 1111 erty: 1633 Washington Blvd., Unit High Ridge Road, Stamford, 2D, Stamford. Action: to foreclose $6,088.18, payroll taxes. Filed Feb. 14. a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $142,000, dated June 2010. Filed Feb. 13.

Wagners of Stamford Inc., 1111 High Ridge Road, Stamford, $20,405.38, employers annual fed- Andan, Machristine, et al., Stameral tax return. Filed Feb. 14. ford. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for Hayes House Condominium Association Inc., Stamford. Property: 44 Strawberry Hill MECHANIC’S LIENSAve., Unit 12N, Stamford. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common FILED charges and assessments. Filed Feb. 14.

128 Warnckle Road L.L.C., Wilton. Filed by Gerald Quinn, Wilton. Property: 128 Warnckle Road, Avigdor, Nurit and Gabriel, et Wilton. Amount: $350,000. Filed al., Stamford. Filed by Erik Loftus, Feb. 12.

East Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 163 Weed Hill Ave., Stamford.

Adler, Julie M. and Brett D., Nor- Action: to foreclose a delinquent walk. Filed by CV Masonry L.L.C., mortgage in the original principal Bridgeport, by Reinaldo Decarv- amount of $280,000, dated August alho. Property: 17 Pequot Drive, 2003. Filed Feb. 11.

Norwalk. Amount: $15,620. Filed Feb. 12.

Bancel, Carroll and David C., et al., Ridgefield. Filed by Loren M. Angers, Kevin M., Norwalk. Filed Bisberg, Farmington, for HSBC

by Harbor Beach Co., Norwalk, by Bank USA N.A., Buffalo, N.Y. PropJohn P. Rivera. Property: 10 Chan- erty: 9 Cains Hill Road, Ridgefield. nel Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $5,770. Action: to foreclose a delinquent Filed Feb. 19. mortgage in the original principal amount of $622,500, dated SepGNA Associates, Stamford. Filed tember 2006. Filed Feb. 6.

by Connecticut Glass and Mirror, Stamford. Property: 51 Bank St., Bauer, Carl H. Jr., Stratford. Filed Stamford. Amount: $16,404.49. by Mark A. Piech, Farmington, for Filed Feb. 14.

Citimortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 78 Jesse Ave., Stratford.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent Filed by Reliable Truss and Com- mortgage in the original principal ponents Inc., Mannsfield, Mass., amount of $110,300, dated Sepby Manuel M. Pina. Property: tember 2003. Filed Feb. 14.

6900 Main St., Stratford. Amount: $224,187. Filed Feb. 19.

Birchenough, Anne and Don, et al., Greenwich. Filed by Pat LabTomb, Karen N. and Charles R., badia III, Clinton, for Persico New Canaan. Filed by The Rings Construction L.L.C., Greenwich.

End, Darien, by Kelvin Tyler. Prop- Property: 59 Burning Tree Road, erty: 22 Deep Valley Road, New Greenwich. Action: to foreclose on Canaan. Amount: $28,973.60. Filed a mechanic’s lien. Filed Feb. 15.

Feb. 6.

Brown, K. Lee, et al., Wilton. Filed

by Kevin M. Casini, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 54 Wilridge Road, Wilton. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $476,100, dated July 2006. Filed Feb. 15.

Buonocore, Tarja and Peter, Stamford. Filed by Loren M. Bisberg, Farmington, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 154 Cold Spring Road, Unit 72, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $308,000, dated September 2005. Filed Feb. 15.

Burke, Maria Shea and Stanley B. Scheinman, et al., Weston. Filed by James W. Donohue, Farmington, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 43 Bridge Road, Weston. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $650,000, dated June 2006. Filed Feb. 12.

Cameron, Jodi Anne and Glen James, Wilton. Filed by Paul A. DeGenaro, Stamford, for People’s United Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 127 Whipstick Road, Wilton.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $590,000, dated June 2005. Filed Feb. 13.

Christino, Nancy, et al., Stratford.

Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for Federal National Mortgage Association, Washington, D.C. Property: 80 Evergreen Drive, Stratford.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $217,475, dated March 2008. Filed Feb. 19.

Clemens, Ami S. and Gerald R., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 40 Ivy Place, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $160,000, dated February 2003.

Filed Feb. 14.

Casillo, Patricia and Sean C. Keenan, Redding. Filed by Matthew B. Woods, Norwalk, for Hudson City Savings Bank, Yonkers, N.Y. Property: 417 Rock House Road, Redding. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $983,200, dated June 2009. Filed Feb. 14.

Cevasco, Rut Sofia and Juan Carlos, et al., Stratford. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 501 to 503 King St., Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $340,000, dated October 2005. Filed Feb. 19.

24 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Fox, S. Blanche, et al., Brookfield.

Filed by Christopher K. Leonard, Danbury, for Newbury Crossing Condominium Association Inc., Brookfield. Property: 16 Bristol Path, Unit 23, Brookfield. Action: to foreclose a statutory lien on this unit. Filed Feb. 13.

Goode, Margaret A., administrix, Stratford. Filed by Jo-Ann R. Connors, Maureen E., et al., Strat- Sensale, Farmington, for Federal ford. Filed by Enrico R. Constan- National Mortgage Association, tini, Milford, for the town of Strat- Washington, D.C. Property: 105 to ford. Property: 3699 Broadbridge 107 Clover St., Stratford. Action: Ave., Unit 105, Stratford. Action: to to foreclose a delinquent mortgage foreclose tax liens levied by the city in the original principal amount of Stratford. Filed Feb. 14. of $295,200, dated June 2006. Filed Feb. 19.

Cummins, Kathleen and Brendan, Greenwich. Filed by Paul A. DeGenaro, Stamford, for People’s United Bank, Bridgeport. Property: 39 Nutmeg Drive, Greenwich.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $494,000, dated May 2005. Filed Feb. 12.

Das Flores, Maria A. and Luiz, et Carlisle, Theresa A. and Jeffrey al., Brookfield. Filed by Adrienne John, et al., Newtown. Filed by Roach, Hartford, for JPMorgan Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for JPMor- Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, gan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 12 Secor Road, Ohio. Property: 28 Ridge Road, Brookfield. Action: to foreclose a Newtown. Action: to foreclose a de- delinquent mortgage in the origilinquent mortgage dated May 2006. nal principal amount of $452,000, Filed Feb. 19. dated August 2007. Filed Feb. 19.

Cary, Juliet E. and William A., et al., Stratford. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio.

Property: 61 General St., Stratford.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $100,000, dated April 1988. Filed Feb. 19.

Finley, Marie, Stratford. Filed by Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for Central Mortgage Co., Little Rock, Ariz.

Property: 45 Powder Mill Road, Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $130,000, dated November 2006. Filed Feb. 19.

Delmazio, Emma and Phillip S., et al., New Canaan. Filed by Adrienne Roach, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Property: 874 to 1093 Summer St., New Canaan. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated April 2005. Filed Feb. 5.

Donovan, John J., et al., Stratford.

Filed by Mark A. Piech, Farmington, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 1519 N. Peters Lane, Stratford.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $392,000, dated June 2007. Filed Feb. 19.

Federal National Mortgage Association , Stamford. Filed by Mark A. Sank, Stamford, for Westgate Condominium Association Inc., Stamford. Property: 95 Liberty St., Unit D-8, Stamford. Action: to claim a foreclosure. Filed Feb. 11.

Graichen, Dawn M. and David H., Weston. Filed by Matthew B. Woods, Norwalk, for Hudson City Savings Bank, Yonkers, N.Y. Property: 24 Ledgewood Drive, Weston.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $1 million, dated June 2005. Filed Feb. 14.

Iannacone, Jeanette H. and Christopher T., Norwalk. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for The Bank of New York Mellon, trustee, New York City. Property: 57 Soundview Ave., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $325,000, dated July 2005. Filed Feb. 19.

James, Michael F., et al., Greenwich. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 361 Field Point Road, Greenwich.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $2.3 million, dated June 2006. Filed Feb. 14.

Johnson, Thomas C., Stratford.

Filed by Christopher J. Smedick, Milford, for the town of Stratford.

Property: 983 to 985 Huntington Road, Stratford. Action: to foreclose tax liens levied by the city of Stratford. Filed Feb. 19.

Kleiber, Alyson R. and James L.; Cynthia F. and William J. Vasale, Wilton. Filed by Steven G. Berg, Norwalk, for C. Graham Burton.

Property: 36 Catalpa Road, Wilton.

Action: to foreclose on a judgment lien against the defendant. Filed Feb. 12.

Lee, Sandra and Thomas Cummings, Norwalk. Filed by Karen Gulloso, Josette, et al., Stratford. J. Lucien, Hartford, for JPMorgan Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farm- Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. ington, for HSBC Bank USA N.A., Property: 7 Scott St., Norwalk.

Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 125 to 127 Action: to foreclose a delinquent Henry Ave., Stratford. Action: to mortgage in the original principal foreclose a delinquent mortgage in amount of $420,000, dated May the original principal amount of 2005. Filed Feb. 19. $280,160, dated April 2005. Filed Feb. 22.

Letersky, Darlene D., Westport.

Filed by Matthew B. Woods, NorHardesty, Susan and Lawrence J. walk, for Hudson City Savings Policastro, Norwalk. Filed by Mat- Bank, Yonkers, N.Y. Property: 75 thew B. Woods, Norwalk, for Hud- Old Hill Road, Westport. Action: son City Savings Bank, Yonkers, to foreclose a delinquent mortgage N.Y. Property: 24 Tuthill Road, in the original principal amount of Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a $1.5 million, dated November 2007. delinquent mortgage in the origi- Filed Feb. 14. nal principal amount of $845,000, dated February 2008. Filed Feb. 15.

Lloyd, Stacey A. and David G., et al., Newtown. Filed by Erik Loftus, Horowitz, Karen and Howard, et East Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase al., Weston. Filed by Erika L. Mas- Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Propcaro, Farmington, for Deutsche erty: 24 Pepperidge Road, NewBank National Trust, trustee, Los town. Action: to foreclose a delinAngeles, Calif. Property: 33 Birch quent mortgage dated March 2006.

Hill Road, Weston. Action: to fore- Filed Feb. 21. close a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $840,000, dated November 2005. Marchetti, Antonio Jr., et al., Stamford. Filed by Kevin M. CaFiled Feb. 14. sini, Hartford, for JPMorgan Acquisition Corp., New York City.

Hudson, Sharon and John L. Property: 935 Shippan Ave., No. Gaynor, et al., Newtown. Filed by 5, Stamford. Action: to foreclose a Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for JPM- delinquent mortgage in the origiorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, nal principal amount of $415,200, Ohio. Property: 12 Alberts Hill dated January 2007. Filed Feb. 11.

Road, Newtown. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated June 2007. Filed Feb. 19.

on the record Martinez, Alionka and Ronald, et al., Norwalk. Filed, for Fairview Avenue Condominium Association, Norwalk. Property: 32 Fairview Ave., Unit 6, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on unpaid common charges and assessments. Filed Feb. 14.

Mashaly, Mary Bradford and Moustafa, et al., Norwalk. Filed

by Robert A. Pacelli Jr., Bridgeport, for 2 to 4 Van Zant Street Condominium Association Inc., Norwalk.

Property: 4 Van Zant St., Unit B14, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose on an association lien. Filed Feb. 19.

Mathis, Kenneth, et al., New Canaan. Filed by Amy L. Harrison, Farmington, for HSBC Bank USA N.A., Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 179 Park St., Unit 12, New Canaan.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage dated January 2007. Filed Feb. 14.

Mills, Carol O. and John G., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for JPMC Specialty Mortgage L.L.C., San Diego, Calif.

Property: 6 Hunters Lane, Norwalk.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $336,000, dated November 2004. Filed Feb. 11.

Romano, Judy A. and Nick J., Norwalk. Filed by James W. Donohue, Farmington, for Bank of America N.A., Charlotte, N.C. Property: 7 Forbell Drive, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $171,000, dated September 2007.

Filed Feb. 14.

Mullane, Leonora A., et al., Stratford. Filed by Adam L. Avallone, Farmington, for Citimortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 56 Harborview Place, Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $300,000, dated February 2006.

Filed Feb. 19.

Rubino Brothers Inc., Stamford.

Filed by Gary S. Klein and Ryan W. Scully, Stamford, for Jeanne Mangino and James M. Rubino, Stamford.

Property: 556 Canal St., Stamford.

Action: to give an accounting of the value of occupancy and a partition of property. Filed Feb. 13.

Paniccia, Johanna and Leonardo, et al., Norwalk. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 10 Deerfield St., Norwalk.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $349,600, dated March McCabe, Christina and Thomas, 2009. Filed Feb. 19. et al., Stratford. Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Personna, Rose E., Norwalk. Filed Property: 520 Allyndale Drive, by Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for Stratford. Action: to foreclose a de- Nationstar Mortgage L.L.C., Lewlinquent mortgage in the original isville, Texas. Property: 10 Cossitt principal amount of $230,000, dat- Road, Norwalk. Action: to foreclose ed December 2006. Filed Feb. 15. a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $414,000, dated October 2007. Filed Feb. 13.

Medley, Marshall, co-administrator, Stamford. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hartford, for JPMorgan Pohorylo, Edward J., et al., Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Stratford. Filed by Kevin M. CaProperty: 1260 Hope St., Unit D, sini, Hartford, for JPMorgan Chase Stamford. Action: to foreclose a Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Propdelinquent mortgage in the origi- erty: 78 Hartland St., Stratford. nal principal amount of $221,500, Action: to foreclose a delinquent dated August 2007. Filed Feb. 11. mortgage in the original principal amount of $312,500, dated December 2005. Filed Feb. 13.

Mejia, Ana Maribel and Carlos Guevara, Norwalk. Filed by Matthew B. Woods, Norwalk, for Powell, Jane D., et al., Wilton. Filed Hudson City Savings Bank, Yon- by Christopher K. Leonard, Dankers, N.Y. Property: 2 Coolidge bury, for Village Walk CondominiSt., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a um Inc. Property: 43 Village Walk, delinquent mortgage in the origi- Unit 43, Wilton. Action: to foreclose nal principal amount of $360,000. a statutory lien on this unit. Filed Filed Feb. 15.

Feb. 14.

Michlin, Sally Ann, Westport.

Filed by Erik Loftus, East Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 206 Harvest Commons, Westport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $596,250, dated August 2006. Filed Feb. 19.

Pruzinsky, Justine and Jeffrey, Stratford. Filed by Amy L. Harrison, Farmington, for Bank of America N.A., Charlotte, N.C. Property: 77 Derby Place, Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $208,000, dated March 2007. Filed Feb. 19.

Seymour, M. Kristen, Westport.

Filed by Kristen Boyle, Hartford, for U.S Bank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 54 Long Lots Road, Westport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $664,000, dated September 2006.

Filed Feb. 19.

Skorvanek, Jacquelyn M., et al., Norwalk. Filed by Mark A. Sank, Stamford, for Ben Franklin Gardens Homeowners Association Inc., Norwalk. Property: 135 Flax Hill Road, Unit 24A, Norwalk. Action: to claim a foreclosure. Filed Feb. 15.

Starkie, William M., Stratford.

Filed by Mark A. Piech, Farmington, for JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 540 Harvard Ave., Stratford. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $256,800, dated February 2006.

Filed Feb. 19.

Tofel, Dana L., Westport. Filed by Nicole M. Fitzgerald, Farmington, for OneWest Bank F.S.B., Pasadena, Calif. Property: 17 High Gate Road, Westport. Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $417,000, dated February 2008. Filed Feb. 15.

Toro, Erika and Hugo, et al., Norwalk. Filed, for HSBC Bank USA N.A., Buffalo, N.Y. Property: 29 Van Buren Ave., Unit M7, Norwalk.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $237,600, dated July 2005. Filed Feb. 19.

Four Corners L.L.C., Redding, Construction

by Michael Greenberg. Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Ridgefield.

Property: 4 Old Mill Road, Red- 690 Lordship Associates L.L.C., ding. Amount: $300,000. Filed Sandy Hook, by Gary B. Lavin.

Lender: Fairfield County Bank, Feb. 19.

Ridgefield. Property: 690 Lordshiop Blvd., Stratford. Amount: LD Acquisition Co. 9 L.L.C., $550,000. Filed Feb. 22.

El Segundo, Calif., by Keith M. Drucker. Lender: Bank of America Trowbridge, Allan W., et al., Nor- N.A., Houston, Texas. Property: NEW BUSINESSES walk. Filed by Karen J. Lucien, Hart- 909 Washington Blvd., Stamford. ford, for Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Amount: $45 million. Filed Feb. 15. Ace’s Custom Creations, 25 SecFrederick, Md. Property: 2A Fourth ond St., Apt. B7, Stamford 06905, St., Norwalk. Action: to foreclose a c/o Adam Elgert. Filed Feb. 15.

Lentner Holdings L.L.C., Wilton, delinquent mortgage in the origiby Sean Lentner.

Lender: Wells nal principal amount of $615,000, dated October 2010. Filed Feb. 19. Fargo Bank N.A., Phoenix, Ariz. Adams Hill Partners, 228 SauProperty: 12 Godfrey Place, Unit gatuck Ave., Westport 06880, c/o 2A, Wilton. Amount: $250,000. Adams Hill Capital L.L.C. Filed Vasquez, Ronie, et al., Stratford. Filed Feb. 12.

Feb. 13.

Filed by Franklin G. Pillicy, Watertown, for Deerfield Woods Condominium Association Inc., Stratford. Marikap Properties L.L.C., Stam- Affordable Handyman of GreenProperty: 3699 Broadbridge Ave., ford, by Stuart R. Kaplan. Lender: wich L.L.C., 18 Pleasant St., Cos Unit 122, Stratford. Action: to fore- First Niagara Bank N.A., Buffalo, Cob 06807, c/o Alan Lucas Faria close on unpaid common charges. N.Y. Property: Parcel 179 and 217 and Johnson Chrisostamo Jr. Filed Ludlow and 42 Cedar streets, Map Feb. 14.

Filed Feb. 13.

14142, Stamford. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Feb. 14.

Walker, Donna, et al., Bethel. Filed Anmest Services, 37 Oak St.,

by Nicole M. Fitzgerald, FarmingStamford 06905, c/o Ana Maria ton, for JPMorgan Chase Bank Muy Properties-NE Ltd., San An- Arenas. Filed Feb. 4.

N.A., Columbus, Ohio. Property: tonio, Texas, by James H. Boden7 Juniper Road, Bethel. Action: to stadt. Lender: General Electric foreclose a delinquent mortgage in Capital Corp., Scottsdale, Ariz. Body & Balance L.L.C., 3 Seitz the original principal amount of Property: 1371 E. Putnam Ave., Lane, Cos Cob 06807, c/o Fanny $391,200, dated November 2007. Greenwich. Amount: $ 5 million. Carmona. Filed Feb. 13.

Filed Feb. 13.

Filed Feb. 21.

Charles Fields & Associates, 426 Whitmer, Rosemary and John Pocono Road Associates L.L.C., Westover Road, Stamford 06902, T., et al., Weston. Filed by Nicole Brookfield, by Rudy J. Kraus. Lend- c/o Carlton Tucker. Filed Feb. 13.

M. Fitzgerald, Farmington, for U.S er: Bank of America N.A., FarmBank N.A., trustee, Salt Lake City, ington. Property: 50 Pocono Road, Clementino Fuentes & Victor J. Utah. Property: 48 Eleven O’Clock Brookfield. Amount: $1.4 million. Roman, 225 Bedford St., Stamford Road, Weston. Action: to foreclose a Filed Feb. 15.

06901, c/o Victor J. Roman. Filed delinquent mortgage in the original Feb. 11. principal amount of $720,000, dat- Putney Associates L.L.C., Yonkers, ed September 2005. Filed Feb. 15.

N.Y., by Jason Friedland. Lender: First Niagara Bank N.A., Buffalo, Comite De Damas Hispanas Del Conado, 263 Oaklawn Ave., StamWorrell, Ivette D., et al., Newtown. N.Y. Property: 430 Sniffens Lane, ford 06905, c/o Judith E. Cerezo Filed by Kevin M. Casini, Hartford, Stratford. Amount: $1.2 million. and Carmen Parkington. Filed for Citibank N.A., Sioux Falls S.D. Filed Feb. 14.

Feb. 5.

Property: 5 Frontage Road, Newtown. Action: to foreclose a delin- Shelter for the Homeless Inc., quent mortgage dated April 2006. Stamford, by Rafael Pagan Jr. Lend- Comite De Dmas Hispanas Del Filed Feb. 19. er: Stamford Community Develop- Conado, 263 Oaklawn Ave., Stamment Program, Stamford. Property: ford 06905, c/o Karem E. Fox and 23 Spruce St., Stamford. Amount: Carmen Parkington. Filed Feb. 5.

MORTGAGES $360,000. Filed Feb. 13.

Crop Ups, 136 Lounsbury Road, Commercial T&T Associates L.L.C., Norwalk, Ridgefield 06877, c/o Blandina

by Richard Tavella. Lender: Peo- Brewster. Filed Feb. 15.

95/7 Enterprises L.L.C., Norwalk, ple’s United Bank N.A., Stamford.

by Clayton H. Fowler. Lender: Property: 26 Fitch St., Stamford. D.A. Metal Finishers, 25 Sterling Edgewood Mac V L.L.C., South- Amount: $500,000. Filed Feb. 14.

Place, Stamford 06907, c/o Daniel port. Property: Map 13508, NorA. Arango. Filed Feb. 7. walk. Amount: $17.5 million. Filed Temple Beth El Inc., Stamford, Feb. 19.

by Peter Kempner. Lender: Patriot D&M Tile, 169 Gaymoor Drive, National Bank, Stamford. Prop- Stamford 06907, c/o Duane Pribaerty: 356 Roxbury Road, Stamford. nanic. Filed Feb. 5.

Amount: $2 million. Filed Feb. 13.

Torres, Olga M. and Hector J., et al., Stamford. Filed by Nicole M. Fitzgerald, Farmington, for CitiMortgage Inc., O’Fallon, Mo. Property: 82 Warren St., Stamford.

Action: to foreclose a delinquent mortgage in the original principal amount of $368,000, dated June 2006. Filed Feb. 13.

THE RECORDS SECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE BY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION. Go to westfaironline.com/buy/records-section/ for more information and to view a sample.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 25

on the record Docio Service, 812 Pacific St., Kisby Sports, 4 Shadbush Lane, Smart Boy Enterprise L.L.C., 1729 Daly Commons Condominium Stamford 06902, c/o Eudocio Rioja. Westport 06880, c/o Atelier Inti- Bedford St., Stamford 06905, c/o Association Inc., Stamford, can be Filed Feb. 19.

Sammy Irizarry. Filed Feb. 13. obtained from Sequoia Managemates L.L.C. Filed Feb. 19. ment Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. 10549.

Dr. Paz Weight Loss Center & La Koketica NY, 41 Noble St., Sound Market Research L.L.C., 11 Filed Feb. 11.

Wellness, 111 High Ridge Road, Stamford 06902, c/o Jenny Reyes. Sniffen Road, Westport 06880, c/o Stamford 06905, c/o Dr. Grisell Paz. Filed Feb. 4.

William E. Gordon. Filed Feb. 13.

Filed Feb. 4.

Deerfield Woods Condominium Association Inc., Stratford, can be Link Us, 4122 Avalon Drinve East, Spectacles, 127 Main St., New Ca- obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., Dragon Tires & Wheels, 1245 New Canaan 06840, c/o Semerci naan 06840, c/o Optech Inc. Filed 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford Stratford Ave., Stratford 06615, c/o Yurdanur. Filed Feb. 7.

Feb. 1.

06105. Filed Feb. 19.

Lorenzo Lucero. Filed Feb. 19.

Duryea Entertainment, 8 Grove St., Unit C, Ridgefield 06877, c/o Richard Duryea. Filed Feb. 4.

E is for Elephant, 24 Meadow View Drive, Westport 06880, c/o Erica Weber. Filed Feb. 13.

Eat for a Better Life, 35 Tamarac Road, Westport 06880, c/o Maria Tormos. Filed Feb. 19.

Efficiency Matters, 15 Indian Rock Place, Wilton 06897, c/o Robin O. Roscillo. Filed Feb. 12.

Exzechiel Delivery, 850 E. Main St., Stamford 06902, c/o Ulrick Moneus. Filed Feb. 14.

Gibas Mariusz Construction, 82 Ludlow St., Apt. B, Stamford 06902, c/o Mariusz Gibas. Filed Feb. 14.

Greenwich Epoxy L.L.C., 75 College Lane, Millbrook N.Y. 12545, c/o Prok P. Lulgjuraj. Filed Feb. 13.

Little Hands, Busy Minds, 178 Stuart Painting Services, 24 BurWest Ave., Second floor, Stamford ley Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Wil06902, c/o Jacqueline Salazar de Lo- liam Diaz. Filed Feb. 4. pez. Filed Feb. 6.

Far Mill River Condominium Association Inc., Stratford, can be obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105.

Filed Feb. 13.

Studio Zuma L.L.C., 43 Twopence Longed For Massage, 76 Progress Road, Ridgefield 06877, c/o Lisa M. Drive, Suite 235Q, Stamford 06902, Cardinal. Filed Feb. 15.

Fox Hill Condominium Assoc/o Felix Valdez. Filed Feb. 15. ciation Inc. Section II, Ridgefield, Suburban Underground, 622 can be obtained from Imagineers Michael Fratello Landscaping, 16 Main St., Ridgefield 06877, c/o Tao L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 7.

Maiden Lane, Greenwich 06831, Connelly L.L.C. Filed Feb. 7. c/o Michael Fratello. Filed Feb. 13.

The Square Creamery, 7 Point Liberty Commons CondominMoja Café, 12 Wilton Road, West- Barnum Square, Bethel 06801, c/o ium, Stamford, can be obtained port 06880, c/o Linell Associates Segundo Sanchez and Wilson Her- from Sequoia Management Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., Unit 207, nandez. Filed Feb. 15.

L.L.C. Filed Feb. 14.

Mount Kisco, N.Y. 10549. Filed Feb. 11.

Natural Beauty by Tiana Starr, 37 Timbers Financial Strategies, Greenwich Ave., Units 1 to 3, Stam- 1266 E. Main St., Stamford 06902, Mallards Landing Condominium ford 06902, c/o Nicole Armstead. c/o Marilyn Timbers. Filed Feb. 6.

Association Inc., Norwalk, can be Filed Feb. 14. obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., Twenty Two Q, 4 Rockwell Road, 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford New First Nails & Spa Inc., 1021 Bethel 06801, c/o Jarrett Kellogg. 06105. Filed Feb. 12.

Post Road East, Westport 06880, c/o Filed Feb. 21.

Ai Li Shun. Filed Feb. 19.

Metropolitan Condominium AsWAVSYS, 34 E. Putnam Ave., sociation Inc., Stamford, can be Northeast Soccer Officials, 34 Greenwich 06830, c/o Jaime San- obtained from Sequoia Management Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., Langstroth Drive, Ridgefield 06877, chez. Filed Feb. 13.

Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. 10549. c/o John A. Collins. Filed Feb. 15.

Filed Feb. 11.

Health Media Network L.L.C., 1 Station Place, Stamford 06902, c/o Nutrition Inc. Now, 85 Camp Ave., Chris Culver and Paul Thiesen. Apt. 11K, Stamford 06907, c/o CellFiled Feb. 13. vite L.L.C. Filed Feb. 7.

Highlands Heating & Cooling, Osthiemer Communications, 273 50 Silver Lane, Stratford 06615, c/o Erskine Road, Stamford 06903, c/o Christopher Denitto. Filed Feb. 14. Lucas Ostheimer. Filed Feb. 6.

Hollywood Standard, 26 Saint Claire Ave., Old Greenwich 06870, c/o Mason Vik Amato.

Filed Feb. 13.

Petra Gas, 1240 Stratford Ave., Stratford 06615, c/o Jaafar M. Kafel and Stratford Avenue Ventures L.L.C. Filed Feb. 20.

ITG Mutimedia, 38 Ridgeway St., Stamford 06907, c/o Monica Hemingway. Filed Feb. 19.

Rene & Irene, 29 Dora St., Stamford 06902, c/o Rene Garrido and Irene Santa Cruz. Filed Feb. 11.

Jan Hansen Marine Construction, Ridolfi Construction L.L.C., 89 16 Pleasant St., Cos Cob 06807, c/o Knapp Lane, New Canaan 06840, Jan Hansen. Filed Feb. 19. c/o Dalton Ridolfi. Filed Feb. 13.

Juice Joy, 33 Pine Ridge Road, Shake Shack, 1849 Post Road East, Wilton 06897, c/o Joy Eller. Filed Westport 06880, c/o Shake Shack Feb. 13.

Westport L.L.C. Filed Feb. 19.

NOTICES

Mill River House Condominium Association Inc., Stamford, can be obtained from Sequoia Management Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., 70 Strawberry Hill Condomin- Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. 10549. ium Association Inc., Stamford, Filed Feb. 11. can be obtained from Sequoia Management Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. Norwest Condominium Association Inc., Norwalk, can be obtained 10549. Filed Feb. 11. from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Breakwater Key Association Inc., Feb. 12.

Stratford, can be obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 19. Oronoque Shores Condominium Association No. 1 Inc., Stratford, can be obtained from Imagineers Breakwater Key Docks, Stratford, L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartcan be obtained from Imagineers ford 06105. Filed Feb. 13.

L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 13.

Quail Ridge Condominium Association Inc., Ridgefield, can be obCarriage House Association, Nor- tained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 walk, can be obtained from Imagi- Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. neers L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Filed Feb. 11.

Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 12.

RESALE CERTIFICATES

Kee Design Studio, 6 Licata Terrace, Cos Cob 06807, c/o Kelly E. Eberly. Filed Feb. 19.

26 Week of March 4, 2013 • Fairfield County Business Journal

Quail Ridge II Condominium Association Inc., Ridgefield, can be obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 11.

Regency Towers Association Inc., Stamford, can be obtained from Sequoia Management Corp., 666 Lexington Ave., Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. 10549. Filed Feb. 11.

Cleaning-edge modification for improved cleaning blade life and reliability. Patent no. 8,380,116 issued to Bruce Thayer, Spencerport, N.Y.; Aaron Burry, Ontario, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Device for cleaning the IOWA roll on a duplexing marking system. Patent no. 8,375,855 issued to Mark A. Atwood, Rush, N.Y.; James Spence, Honeoye Falls, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Rollingwood Condominium Association I, Brookfield, can be obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Extended registration control of Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. a sheet in a media handling asFiled Feb. 13. sembly. Patent no. 8,376,358 issued to Joannes N. M. DeJong, Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Lloyd A. Williams, Rollingwood Condominium As- Mahopac, N.Y.; Marina L. Tharayil, sociation II, Brookfield, can be ob- Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox tained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 Corp., Norwalk.

Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105.

Filed Feb. 13.

High-productivity spreader/ transfix system for duplex media Rollingwood Condominium As- sheets in an inkjet printer. Patsociation III, Brookfield, can be ent no. 8,376,498 issued to Barry obtained from Imagineers L.L.C., P. Mandel, Fairport, N.Y.; Paul 635 Farmington Ave., Hartford J. McConville, Webster, N.Y.; and 06105. Filed Feb. 13.

Injae Choi. Webster, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Spring Hill Terrace Condominium Association Inc., Stamford, Method and apparatus for printcan be obtained from Sequoia ed media stack management in Management Corp., 666 Lexington an image production device. PatAve., Unit 207, Mount Kisco, N.Y. ent no. 8,376,361 issued to Charles 10549. Filed Feb. 11.

Raymond Brewer III, Farmington, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Stonewood Condominium at Norwalk.

Richards Avenue Association Inc., Norwalk, can be obtained from Method and system of inImagineers L.L.C., 635 Farmington document detection of weak Ave., Hartford 06105. Filed Feb. 19. or missing inkjets in an inkjet printer. Patent no. 8,376,503 isSunrise Hill Association Inc., sued to Wencheng Wu, Webster, Norwalk, can be obtained from N.Y.; Beilei Xu, Penfield, N.Y.; and Westford Real Estate Manage- David A. Mantell, Rochester, N.Y. ment L.L.C., c/o MaryJo Withee, Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

50 Founders Plaza, Suite 207, East Hartford 06108. Filed Feb. 12.

Method for reducing mechanical cross talk between array strucUnion Square Condominium As- tures on a substrate mounted to sociation Inc., Norwalk, can be ob- another substrate by an adhetained from Imagineers L.L.C., 635 sive. Patent no. 8,376,528 issued Farmington Ave., Hartford 06105. to James Stevenson, Tualatin, Ore.; Lisa Schmidt, Sherwood, Ore.; and Filed Feb. 12.

Jeffrey Flynn, Portland, Ore. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Winnipauk Village Condomin- ium, Norwalk, can be obtained from Westford Real Estate Manage- Method to retrieve a gamut-mapment L.L.C., c/o MaryJo Withee, ping strategy. Patent no. 8,379,267 50 Founders Plaza, Suite 207, East issued to Lalit Keshav Mestha, Fairport, N.Y.; and Alvaro Enrique Gil, Hartford 06108. Filed Feb. 12.

Rochester, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

PATENTS

Reflex printing . Patent no.

8,376,501 issued to Joannes N. DeApparatus and method for strip- Jong, Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; and per finger operation. Patent no. Lloyd A. Williams, Mahopac, N.Y. 8,380,118 issued to Augusto E. Bar- Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. ton, Webster, N.Y. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk.

Business ConneCtions HealtHcare 2014

Issues & PolIcIes

Healthcare Costs: It’s Time to Act

H

ealthcare costs continue to be one of the most distressing costs for Connecticut’s small businesses, not only due to rising premiums, but also because of the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The time to reduce healthcare costs is now, and here’s why: This year, because of the ACA, small businesses face additional administrative requirements and as a result, costs will likely continue to rise above and beyond already increasing premium dollars.

Also under the ACA, federal dollars will not subsidize any new health benefit mandates adopted by the legislature—instead, new mandates will require spending state dollars.

Connecticut already ranks high among other states in the number of health benefit mandates and also one of the highest in overall healthcare costs in the United States (8th highest in the U.S., 2012 Health Care Policy Cost Index of the Small Business Entrepreneurship Council, a ranking achieved in great part due to the state’s high mandate total).

Yet, legislative committees are considering even more mandates leading to further increased health insurance costs for small businesses and the state.

The ACA changed the conversation on mandates and policymakers must respond accordingly.

Currently, about half of Connecticut’s privately insured population receives insurance from fully insured plans regulated by the state (where the employer pays part of the premium) and the other half receives insurance through self-insured plans (where the employer assumes the financial risk).

The state regulated market is dominated by small businesses, since they typically do not have the financial means to self insure.

Simply put, the legislature has the power to help small businesses by reducing the number of existing mandates and rejecting any new mandates that would drive up the cost of premiums. ➤ Read more at gov.cbia.com

events

Gov. Malloy to Speak at Business Day

Scan to RegiSteR

G

overnor Dannel P. Malloy will be the featured speaker at Connecticut Business Day, Wednesday, March 6, at the Legislative Office Building (next to the State Capitol).

Hear Gov. Malloy talk about his plans for recharging Connecticut’s economy. Join hundreds of business leaders for the most important day for business at the Capitol.

Taking place right in the middle of the 2013 General Assembly session, Business Day offers business leaders, local chambers, and entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet and talk with their legislators and other public officials.

During the program (from 7:30 am to noon, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford), participants will get updates on the issues most affecting Connecticut’s business climate and economy.

Date

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Time

8:15 am–noon

Place

Legislative Office Building 300 Capitol Ave., Hartford

Cost

Free

Register cbia.com/events

Property Tax Measures Make Bad Situation Worse

O

ne consistent call in nearly every legislative session is for property tax reform. More than most states, Connecticut relies on the local property tax to fund local government, and municipalities, taxpayers and policymakers would like to see the system improved.

However, the property tax changes contained in several bills before the legislature’s Planning and Development Committee have been considered and rejected many times over the years because they would simply make a bad situation worse.

For example: f HB 6233 allows municipalities to create a “homestead exemption” for residential property. A homestead exemption reduces the assessed value of property for tax purposes. But the result is a reduction in the town’s grand list, followed by an increase in the mill rate—which raises taxes on other classes of property, particularly commercial and industrial real and personal property.

Such schemes have been rejected every time they have been considered because of the negative effect they have on job creation and retention in the state. f Similarly, SB 784 and SB 463 authorize municipalities to classify different types of property at different rates. These types of classification measures shift the tax burden between different classes of property and do nothing to minimize the overall tax load. Employers are very sensitive to property tax classification measures because many other states do not even place a tax on business personal property like Connecticut does. f The business community also opposes SB 783, which would allow any distressed municipality to create or amend boundaries of an underutilized development zone and tax underutilized property at a higher rate than developed property.

➤ Read more at gov.cbia.com

FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • Week of March 4, 2013 27

AW, C’MON: LET’S DEBATE SOCIAL MEDIA

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCATES TED MILLER AND KRIS RUBY ARE GOING TO BE STACKED UP AGAINST B.J. MENDELSON, AUTHOR OF “SOCIAL MEDIA IS BULLSHIT,” IN A NO-HOLDS-BARRED DEBATE.

MARCH

21

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT BRUCE NEWMAN AND MODERATOR ELIZABETH BRACKEN-THOMPSON WILL DUKE IT OUT THEMSELVES AS THEY CLOSE THE PROGRAM AND DECIDE THE WINNERS.

PRESENTED BY

THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL, FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL, HV BIZ AND WAG MAGAZINE.

610 Hartsdale Road, White Plains 11:30 a.m. – Meet, greet, lunch Noon – Program

Register now. Space is limited. Email Alissa Frey at afrey@westfairinc.com or go to westfaironline.com