Fairfield County and Westchester County Merge in Monthly Business Publication

For regular readers of the Fairfield County Business Journal, September ended with something new in the mailbox – a combined issue of that publication and the Westchester County Business Journal.  The monthly combined edition of the two weekly publications will occur the last week of each month, while the other three weeks will see a continuation of the separate publications covering the business news of the two neighboring counties in New York and Connecticut. As the publications stated, “the normally separate Fairfield and Westchester County Business Journals are combined this week in a glossy magazine format.  The look is new, but the journalism, ads and legal information remain true to our half-century tradition of excellence in publishing.”Westfair_Communications

Westfair Business Publications (Westfair), a privately held publishing firm located in White Plains, N.Y., publishes weekly business newspapers: the Westchester County Business Journal in combination with HV Biz (Hudson Valley Business) in New York state and the Fairfield County Business Journal in Connecticut.

With a weekly readership of more than 150,000, Westfair’s business publications reach business leaders and decision makers in seven counties (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Ulster in New York state, and Fairfield in Connecticut). The new monthly publication required a combining of the two mastheads, which was accomplished beginning with the premiere issue.issue

There is no question that the economic fates of the two counties are intertwined.  Earlier this month, the mayors of cities in both counties came together for a forum to explore common issues including economic development and transportation, concluding that they had “more similarities than differences,” according to published reports.

The Fairfield and Westchester Business Journals are nearly 50 years old and are the only weekly, countywide local business newspapers. They were founded by former Westchester resident David Moore, a grandson of celebrated New York publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and John Smith, a former Wall Street Journal editor.

WESTFAIRonline_logoAs the Westfair website describes, “In keeping with its founders’ principles, the newspapers focus on the local and regional business community with news and information that are helpful to business people. As a premier source of business information on matters of concern and interest …Westfair business publications and its website westfaironline.com, provide up-to-date news and information on issues important and pertinent to the regional business marketplace.”

With a staff of more than 30 industry professionals and several freelance writers and photographers and a highly informed insider network of business and community contacts in all the counties covered, Westfair brings timely business news and information in all its publications to its readers, the website points out. As is true of many business publications in Connecticut and across the country, Westfair also sponsors seminars, expos, conferences, roundtable discussions and debates, and the popular annual 40 Under 40 competition that highlights the region’s young business leaders.

Young Professionals Honored Across CT; Emerging Leaders Earn Plaudits in Many Fields

There appears to be no shortage of outstanding young professionals in Connecticut, as a glimpse at business publications this month clearly shows. Hartford Business Journal has named “the 40 best young professionals in Greater Hartford,” and Fairfield County Business Journal has honored its top choices, with their annual 40 Under 40 Awards recognizing emerging business leaders. Candidates are judged on their contributions to their specific industry or the position of authority they have achieved in their career.  Leaders in business and non-profits of all sizes and industries were considered, according to the publication.80 under 40

HBJ Managing Editor Brad Kane explains that “HBJ’s 40 Under Forty awards identifies young leaders who have already had success but who also have the potential to lead the professional world of tomorrow.  These individuals want to lead both in the board room and in life.”

The Fairfield County Business Journal’s 11th annual event, held recently, honored 40 people working in industries including law, real estate, medicine, nonprofits and others in Fairfield County. More than 300 people attended the event at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling congratulated the Fairfield County group at the awards ceremony, “You’re the rising stars of Connecticut, and we thank you for what you do,” Rilling said.

Hartford Business Journal reveals its selections from a sizable pool of candidates in the current issue, and will present its awards at an event to be held at the CT Convention Center in Hartford on September 30.

Greater Hartford’s 40 Under 40, as published by the Hartford Business Journal:hbj

Julianne Avallone, Ford & Paulekas

Stephanie Higgins Bealing, Replacement Lens Express

David Bittner, St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center

Anthony Byers, Hartford Youth Scholars

Michael Byrne, UBS Global Asset Management

Megan Carannante, Pullman & Comley

Rebekah Castagno, The Village for Families & Children

Aidan Charles, Charles Coaching & Nutrition Services

Dan Clark, Clark Insurance

Endia DeCordova, Manchester Community College

Jocelyn DeMaio, The Hartford Financial Services Group

Stephanie Dumont, Comcast

David Elder, ConnDOT

Stephen Frenkel, Cigna

Ryan T. Gardner, Fiduciary Investment Advisors

Jacquelynn Garofano, United Technologies Research Center

Tara Gerber, Travelers Championship

Daniel Gottfried, Hinckley Allen

Jaclynn Hart, Hartford Performs

Jennyfer Holmes, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

Elizabeth Johnson, Post University

Jonathan Kaplan, Pullman & Comley

Alex Koenigsberg, Creative Living Community of CT

Melissa Lambright, SIGHT Eye Health

Lori-Ann Marchese, Body Construct

Michelle McDade, The Hospital of Central Connecticut

Kristina Miner, Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance

Karraine Moody, Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity

Quentin Phipps, Charter Schools for Excellence

Kathryn Redican, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Todd R. Regan, Robinson+Cole

Natasha Roggi, Hartford Sweat

Jacquelyn Santiago, COMPASS Youth Collaborative

Kathryn Shafer, Partnership for Strong Communities

Anthony Shannon, Shipman & Goodwin

Steven C. Taylor, Webster Bank

Joseph Turbessi, Finished: What's Next?

Rebecca Wareing, Management Search

Robert Zanlungo, Primary Residential Mortgage

Mark S. Zatyrka, American Homecare Federation

 

Fairfield County 40 Under 40, as published by the Fairfield County Business Journal:fairfield

Joshua Aferzon, CEO, Orthozon Technologies

Megan Baroni, counsel, Robinson & Cole LLP

Eliot Bassin, partner, Bregman & Company PC

Assaf Z. Ben-Atar, associate counsel, Pullman & Comley LLC

Kelly Berwick, deputy assistant public defender, Division of Public Defender Services

Paul A. Bonomo, CFO and COO, Cannondale Generators Inc.

Peter M. Bryniczka, partner, Schoonmaker, George & Blomberg PC

James Calkins, executive chef and owner, Seasonal Sweets & Catering

Anthony A. Carpentieri, private wealth manager, Private Banking & Investment Group at Merrill Lynch

Nate Checketts, co-founder, Rhone Apparel

Joseph Cichowski, vice president of sales and marketing, Ash Creek Enterprises Inc.

Mario F. Coppola, Esq., partner and corporation counsel for the city of Norwalk, Berchem, Moses & Devlin PC

Jessica Curtis, senior managing director, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

Sergio DaSilveira, vice president, banking center manager, Webster Bank

Lara Devgan, plastic surgeon, Greenwich Hospital

Steven Fusco, sales consultant, Paychex Inc.

Emily Goldschmid, clinical director of children’s services, Kids in Crisis

Nicole Licata Grant, economic development specialist, UIL Holdings Corporation

Benjamin Healey, associate director, clean energy finance, Connecticut Green Bank

Jason Jaronko, senior program director, Westport Weston Family YMCA

Sean Keating, senior manager, McGladrey LLP

Bryan J. Kelsey, vice president, senior market manager, People’s United Bank

Christiane Kinseley, licensed clinical social worker, A Whole Recovery LLC

Dr. Daniel T. Ksepka, curator of science, Bruce Museum

John Lim, CEO, Life in Mobile

Patrick B. McKiernan, account executive, Abercrombie Burns McKiernan & Company Insurance Inc.

Katrina V. Melei, bariatric surgery program coordinator, Greenwich Hospital

Kathryn Scheinberg Meyer, staff attorney, education success project, Center for Children’s Advocacy

Nick Nguyen, portfolio manager, Cambridge Hanover

Carrie O’Connell, director of employment services, day services and transportation, Ability Beyond

Thomas P. O’Connor, partner, Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

Douglas Polistena, general manager, Amber Room Colonnade

David Sansone Jr., project manager, A.P. Construction

Paul Santos, director, information technology and operations, The Center for Family Justice Inc.

Lindsay Clauss Sheehy, sales associate, Houlihan Lawrence

Alison Smith, housekeeper, global messenger, Stern Village, The Kennedy Center, Special Olympics

Dave Stambone, vice president, senior mortgage banker, Total Mortgage Services LLC

Laurie Stefanowicz, vice president, managing partner, Catamount Wealth Management

Jamie Toole, general manager, Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball

Kristen L. Zaehringer, attorney, Murtha Cullina LLP