Home Ownership in CT: Not Best, But Not Worst

When it comes to home ownership, Connecticut is in the middle of the pack among the nation’s 50 states.  A new report ranks the state at number 30, in the lower echelons of the states.  And when the report, by financial website ValuePenguin, identified optimal factors when considering homeownership, Connecticut faired more poorly in some key factors. Connecticut ranked 48th in affordability, followed only by California (49) and Florida (50).  New Jersey and Massachusetts were just ahead of Connecticut.  The best states for affordability were South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho.

Ten factors, organized into three key categories were used to measure and rank the states. The three key categories of focus were: Housing Market Strength, Residual Costs, and Living Factors.

Factors that weakened a state’s position included propensity for crime, weak housing markets, and heavy burdens of costs to maintain a home – for instance the likelihood of property damage caused by storms and other calamities. Attributes that strengthened a state’s position included homeownership affordability, low mortgage rates, and low risk of calamities.

The 10 worst states to be a homeowner, according to the report, are Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Alabama.  The best states, according to the analysis, are Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Maine and Minnesota.

In terms of livability, the top states in the nation are the New England states of New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.

Best Small Cities to Start A Business? CT Has Only One - Danbury - Among Top 700 in USA

Only one Connecticut community is ranked in the top 700 “best small cities to start a business” in a new survey of 1,260 cities across the nation.  Danbury, ranked at number 170, was the sole Connecticut city to earn a slot among the nation’s business-friendly small cities.  The next Connecticut municipalities on the list were Torrington, ranked at number 749, and East Hartford, at number 775. To determine the best small cities in which to start a business, the financial website WalletHub’s analysts compared across three key dimensions: 1) business environment, 2) access to resources and 3) business costs. Included were cities with a population of between 25,000 and 100,000 residents.

Among Connecticut municipalities, also reaching the top 1,000 nationwide were East Hartford (775), Bristol (836), Westport (861), West Hartford (876), and Shelton (919).

The Danbury city website highlights that “assets and resources include a pro-business climate, a creative, educated and talented workforce, an excellent education system, transportation advantages, a superior quality of life and much more.”  The website highlights a Danbury business each week.

"We analyzed 21 Connecticut cities and out of these, Danbury ranked the highest at 170," said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. "Although it offers a strong business environment, the city has high business costs overall. Most of the cities (14 of them) ranked below the 1,000 rank because these fail to offer a thriving business environment, with little access to the resources needed to start a business as well as restrictive labor costs."

The analysis evaluated each of the three key dimensions using 16 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for launching a business. “ A city with a smaller population can offer a greater chance of success, depending on an entrepreneur’s type of business and personal preferences,” WalletHub points out.

The business environment category (50 points) includes average length of work week, average growth in number of small businesses, number of startups per capita, average revenue per business, average growth of business revenues and industry variety.  The access to resources category (25 points) includes financing accessibility, human resource availability, higher education assets, working age population growth and workforce educational attainment.  The business costs category includes office space affordability, labor costs, corporate taxes, and cost of living.

Also earning a slot on the “Best Small Cities to Start a Business” list were East Haven (1,004), Norwich (1,014), New London (1,015), New Britain (1,022), West Haven (1,026), Wethersfield (1,028), Newington (1,032), Milford (1,053), Stratford (1,060), Norwalk (1,063), Meriden (1,079), Middletown (1,117), Naugatuck (1,185) and Trumbull (1,239).

Data used to create the ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, AreaVibes, Yelp, Indeed, U.S. News & World Report, Tax Foundation and LoopNet, according to WalletHub.

The top small cities for business in the U.S., according to the analysis, were Holland, MI; Carbondale, IL; Springville, UT; East Chicago, IN; Jefferson City, MO; Wilson, NC; Enid, OK, Rio Rancho, NM; Clearfield, UT and Cheyenne, WY.  The top ranked city in New England was East Providence, RI, ranked at number 38.

Accent on Exports in Connecticut; State Supports Business Outreach Overseas

If Connecticut were a country, it would be the sixth-most productive in the world, according to the state’s annual report by the department of Economic and Community Development. A critical building block for economic productivity is exports, and a look at the data reveals some surprisingly positive statistics. The backdrop is offered by more than 700 global companies that have subsidiaries here, employing more than 100,000 people, the Organization for International Investment points out.  The state’s convenient access to a variety of transportation options all provides access; there were 4.6 million tons of cargo carried on Connecticut rails in 2015, for example, and 11.4 million tons of freight shipped through Connecticut ports in 2013.

The U.S. Commercial Service and the Connecticut District Export Council have teamed up to create a series of events throughout Connecticut marking the annual Connecticut Export Week. These events will take place during  April 24-28. Connecticut Export Week 2017 will educate businesses on initiating and or expanding their global market. Officials describe Connecticut  Export Week 2017 as the only free event of it’s kind in the nation.  A series of free events and webinars will be offered at locations around the state.  Topics include exporting to China, expanding to new markets, initial market research, how to develop and maintain an export network, and export logistics.

“The ease of global travel and freight movement by rail and highway makes Connecticut a prime location for domestic and international trade,” the report points out.  Leading exports include: Aerospace/Transportation Equipment, Non-Electrical Machinery, Computers and Electronics, Chemicals, Electrical Equipment, Fabricated Metals Production, and Primary Metal Manufacturing.

The top three trading partners for the state are Germany (10.8% of state exports), Canada (10.7%), France 12.7%, United Arab Emirates (10.4%) and Mexico (8.7%).

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) recently called on companies to apply for grants of up to $7,000 for a wide range of export-related activities. Funding is from the Small Business Administration (SBA), which awarded Connecticut a $244,000 grant to help increase state exports and the number of small businesses that export. The Department has provided more than 350 grant awards allowing Connecticut companies to participate in Medica, the leading international medical device trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany; Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology trade show in Hannover, Germany; and the international air shows in Farnborough, U.K. and Paris. Additionally, companies can request reimbursement for trade shows, trade missions and other export activities specific to their industry.

“These investments are helping Connecticut’s small businesses compete in the global economy,” said DECD commissioner Catherine Smith. “For example, grants have been provided to companies to help offset the costs of attending the Farnborough Air Show, one of the most important air shows in the world. Without these grants many of the suppliers and component manufacturers in Connecticut’s supply chain could not attend, missing a key opportunity to establish important contacts and build relationships with the leading aerospace contractors across the globe.”

Hartford Baseball Being Broadcast in Spanish, English

The Hartford Yard Goats minor league baseball team has played the first of 70 home games at Dunkin' Donuts Park. The broadcasts, like the season, have begun with new homes. All 140 games will be broadcast on the Yard Goats Radio Network, which can also be heard on-line at yardgoats.com and on smart phone devices through the iheartradio app.  The Yard Goats will also have all home games broadcast in Spanish through a partnership with iHeartMedia and WPRX 1120AM. At part of the team’s outreach to the region’s Spanish-speaking population, pocket schedules in Spanish that will be distributed throughout the Greater Hartford area.  According to the 200 U.S. Census, 43 percent of Hartford's population is Hispanic.  

Jeff Dooley is set to begin his first season as the "Voice of the Yard Goats" after calling New Britain Rock Cats broadcasts for the past 18 years. He is the lead play-by-play announcer for all games on radio and television and hosts complete coverage of the Pre-game and Post Game shows for all games, home and road. His broadcasts can be heard on i-Heart Media Hartford affiliate, News Radio 1410 AM (WPOP), AM 1150 (WMRD), AM 1420 (WLIS). Home games are streamed on MiLB.TV.

Dan Lovallo also returns to the Yard Goats broadcast booth. He broadcast the team’s games on radio from 2000 through 2008 and worked on select broadcasts the last two seasons. He has an extensive background in broadcasting professional baseball and sports in general.  In 1983, Lovallo began broadcasting games for the Kinston, NC Blue Jays, then affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. Lovallo moved on to the Richmond, VA Braves in 1985, then the top farm club of the Atlanta Braves.

Dooley was behind the microphone for some of the most memorable moments in Rock Cats history, including three Eastern League Playoff Series, a major league exhibition game with the Minnesota Twins, and the only two no-hitters in franchise history. He was the television play-by-play broadcaster for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game and called the 2003 EL All-Star game on radio. Additionally, Dooley was the master of ceremonies at the All-Star Luncheon at the ESPN headquarters in Bristol. Additionally, Dooley is the play-by-play voice of the University of Hartford Men's Basketball Team.

In 1990, Lovallo returned to his home state of Connecticut and eventually joined WDRC radio in Hartford to become news and sports director. He now joins Brad Davis on mornings on the Talk of Connecticut network. His assignments included broadcasting women's and men's professional basketball, college basketball for the University of Hartford.  In addition to Yard Goats broadcasts, Lovallo continues to serve as radio "Voice of the Manchester Road Race," and broadcasts high school football games on WAPJ radio. He is also the publisher and editor of two baseball-related websites, Your Baseball Buzz and Baseball on the Fly.

The team’s 70 home games broadcast in Spanish on 1120-AM WPRX in Hartford, will have the father-son duo of Danny and Derek Rodriguez at the microphone.

"We are extremely excited to partner with WPRX and bring Yard Goats Baseball to a new radio audience," said Yard Goats owner Josh Solomon.  "It is really important to our organization to have our broadcasts also available in Spanish, knowing how much the Hispanic community loves baseball, and we feel this is a wonderful way to reach the Latino community."

WPRX AM 1120 is a community based radio station with local programming such as news, traffic, and weather.  WPRX, which transmits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has live on air talent from its studio and also is very involved with local community events making it a natural fit with the Yard Goats.

"We are thrilled to be to partnering with the Hartford Yard Goats and having their home games broadcast in Spanish on our radio station," said WPRX owner Oscar Nieves.  "So many of our loyal listeners love the game of baseball and are excited about the new Yard Goats brand.  We know that this is going to be a home run."

Stamford Ranks #7 Among Small Cities of the Future in the Americas

Stamford is a "City of the Future," ranking seventh among small cities in the America’s for economic growth, according to a new report.  The city ranks behind Sunnyvale, Irvine and Fremont, CA; Bellevue, WA; Ann Arbor, MI, and Fort Lauderdale. Also ranking in the top 10 are Cary, NC; Plano, TX; and Guelph, Ontario.  It was one of three top-ten showings for Connecticut's third largest city. In addition to its overall position among just over 200 cities with populations between 100,000 and 350,000, Stamford placed second among small cities for connectivity, just behind Jersey (New Jersey) and ahead of Newark, Yonkers, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Sunnyvale, Hayward, Fremont and Vallejo in California.

The city also placed ninth for economic potential in the analysis and report released this week by a division of the Financial Times.  The top cities in that category included Sunnyvale, Bellevue, Fremont, Irvine, Cary, Ann Arbor, Waterloo (Ontario), Plano and Chattanooga.

The 2017-18 rankings for the American Cities of the Future were developed by the Financial Times’ FDI unit, which studies foreign direct investment.  In total, 421 locations were analyzed for the study. Data was then collected under five categories: Economic Potential, Business Friendliness, Human Capital and Lifestyle, Cost Effectiveness and Connectivity. ‘Small’ locations (209 locations) had immediate city populations of between 100,000 and 350,000, according to the study’s methodology.

“This is really good news for Stamford,” Joe McGee, vice president of public policy for The Business Council of Fairfield County, told the Stamford Advocate. “This index is closely watched by people who look at the hot places to invest, and clearly Stamford is one of those places. That connection to New York is really advantageous to Stamford.”

Among larger cities, the top 10 in the Americas are New York, San Francisco, Houston, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Boston, Atlanta, and Sao Paulo.

A year ago, Stamford  launched the City’s new business portal,  Stamfordbusinessportal.org, created "to eliminate red tape and streamline the process for planning and starting a small business in Stamford," according to officials.  The multilingual website was designed and created by six interns during the summer of 2015, including four from the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. The website includes links for permitting and licensing, starting a business and business incentives.

Stamford was the only Connecticut city to earn a spot on the lists.

Strong Defense: Where CT's Jobs Will Be

“As a convergence of technological advancements, changing military demand and shifting workforce demographics force a major period of transformation across the (defense) industry, Connecticut must adjust its approach to workforce development and retention, or risk losing its competitive edge to other regions.” That’s the conclusion of a 23-page policy brief issued by CT21 which analyzed the pitfalls and potential of the aerospace and defense industries - a “significant pillar of Connecticut’s economy” - and the state’s workforce, on the brink of what the report describes as “an inflection point” for the state.

“With a workforce that is aging into retirement faster than the current pipeline of workers can fill the gap, existing training programs are being strained to both produce higher numbers of qualified graduates and keep their programs current with the skills industry needs,” the report indicated.

To solve this multi-faceted challenge, CT21 calls on state officials to:

• Expand existing training programs and launch new ones
• Increase industry input into training program development
• Expand the workforce applicant pool
• Incentivize the retention of retiring industry expertise

“The full ecosystem around the defense industry in the state must come together to address these overlapping trends – and many of these collaborative initiatives are already producing significant results – but state government still has a unique role to play in bringing the right ideas to the table,” the report explains.

The report notes that the 2016 Aerospace and Defense Workforce Study conducted by Aviation Week and Space Technology found over a quarter of the nation’s A&D workforce is over the age of 55. To highlight the local impact, 35% of Electric Boat’s workforce is within ten years of retirement. Over 7,800 workers have 20 or more years of service, and nearly 950 have 40 or more.

By way of illustration, the report devoted attention to United Technologies’ Pratt and Whitney.

“Based on projections for deliveries of military and commercial engines, Pratt expects to double production by 2020 and again by 2027. As of last September, the company expected to hire nearly 8,000 new workers in Connecticut over the next decade, including 1,000 engineers and 1,000 manufacturers in the next year. Pratt operates a business model that also relies heavily on the supply chain, with 85% of its engine parts being manufactured elsewhere.”

The report calls on state government to take a range of actions, including:

1. Expand existing training programs and launch new ones
2. Increase industry input into training program development
3. Expand the workforce applicant pool
4. Incentivize the retention of retiring industry expertise
5. Create additional professional growth opportunities
6. Take steps to improve the quality of life – both real and perceived
7. Expand existing training programs and launch new ones
8. Increase industry input into training program development
9. Expand the workforce applicant pool
10. Incentivize the retention of retiring industry expertise

Among the challenges the report cites are increasing competition from other industries and variable quality of life across the state. To respond, CT21 urges that state to create additional professional growth opportunities and improve quality of life statewide. CT21 stresses that the state must “leverage the opportunity before us to truly put Connecticut on a path towards a prosperous future.”

The Connecticut Institute for the 21st Century provides continuing opportunities for its members and other organizations to understand and discuss economic activity in the state and obstacles to its success. For more information, visit www.CT21.org

Pay Equity Gap Persists in CT, Nationwide

In Connecticut, median annual pay for a woman who holds a full-time, year-round job is $50,802 while median annual pay for a man who holds a full-time, year-round job is $61,666. This means that women in Connecticut are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual wage gap of $10,864.  Connecticut’s gap ranks as the 37^th highest among the states. That’s according to the National Partnership for Women & Families, which released state-b-state pay gap data for Equal Pay Day on Tuesday that reveals the size of the gender wage gap and its detrimental effects on women’s spending power in all 50 states.

The gap varies by state, but the largest cents-on-the-dollar differences are in Wyoming (36 cents), Louisiana, West Virginia, Utah and North Dakota. The smallest cents-on-the-dollar differences are in New York (11 cents) and Delaware.

The data for Connecticut also indicate that the wage gap is even larger for women of color. Among Connecticut women who hold full-time, year-round jobs, Black women are paid 58 cents, Latinas are paid 47 cents and Asian women are paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.

On average, Connecticut women who are employed full time lose a combined total of nearly $15 billion every year due to the wage gap, the National Partnership reported. “These lost wages mean women and their families have less money to support themselves, save and invest for the future, and spend on goods and services. Families, businesses and the economy suffer as a result,” the organization pointed out.

According to data highlighted by the National Partnership, in Connecticut more than 170,000 family households are headed by women.  About 24 percent of those families, or 40,431 family households, have incomes that fall below the poverty level. Eliminating the wage gap, they suggest, would provide much-needed income to women whose wages sustain their households.

If the annual wage gap were eliminated, on average, a working woman in Connecticut would have enough money for:

• More than 11 additional months of child care;
• Nearly one additional year of tuition and fees for a four-year public university, or the full cost of tuition and fees at a two-year community college;
• Approximately 82 more weeks of food for her family (1.6 years’ worth);
• More than five additional months of mortgage and utilities payments; or
• Nearly 10 more months of rent.

“Equal Pay Day is a painful reminder that women in this country have had to work more than three months into this year just to catch up with what men were paid last year,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership. “This analysis shows just how damaging that lost income can be for women and their families, as well as the economy and the businesses that depend on women’s purchasing power. Entire communities, states and our country suffer because lawmakers have not done nearly enough to end wage discrimination or advance the fair and family friendly workplace policies that would help erase the wage gap.”

In the nationwide data, the civilian industries that employ the most full-time employees – health care and social assistance, manufacturing, retail trade and educational services – pay women less than men. In the health care and social assistance industry, women are paid just 72 cents for every dollar paid to men. In manufacturing, just 76 cents. In retail trade, 79 cents. And in educational services, 88 cents. Across all industries, women are paid lower salaries than men.

The wage gap data reflects statistical analysis showing that 62 percent of the wage gap can be attributed to occupational and industry differences; differences in experience and education; and factors such as race, region and unionization. That leaves 38 percent of the gap unaccounted for, according to the analysis, leading researchers to conclude that factors such as discrimination and unconscious bias continue to affect women’s wages

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. Equal Pay Day marks how far into the new year women must work in order to catch up with what men were paid in the year before.

CT Is a Top Ten State - In A Good Way

Awash in a sea of negativity amidst yet another state budget deficit and intensifying concern about the prospects of additional fees, taxes, and service reductions, state residents now have an opportunity to accentuate the positive, courtesy of the 2017 Connecticut Economic Review. Noting that Connecticut is “at the epicenter of the Northeast” and “at the forefront of innovation,” the publication highlights an array of statistics that produce a “dynamic blend of advantages that make Connecticut a great place to start or grow a business.”

Among the key stats:

• Connecticut ranks #3 in the country for the percentage of employees with advanced degrees - more than 400,000 employees have advanced degrees. And Hartford was identified as one of the 19 global Knowledge Capitals by the Brookings Institution.

• Connecticut ranks #4 among the top states for private R&D investment per capita, at $2,227. Massachusetts, Delaware and California are the only states that rank higher. That’s also more than twice the national average.

• Connecticut ranks #5 among the states for productivity per person, and #6 on the State Technology and Science Index, which benchmarks states on their science and technology capabilities and broader commercialization ecosystems that contribute to company growth, high value-added job creation and overall economic growth.

The state’s growing bioscience industry is responsible for more than 35,000 bioscience employees in over 2,000 companies. Connecticut also ranks #6 for academic R&D growth and #7 for state R&D investment.  Overall, the state ranks 5^th in patents per capita and has 39 percent more patents than the U.S. average. Two Connecticut companies, Alexion and priceline.com, have been named by Forbes as among the nation’s most innovative companies.

In his introduction to the economic report, Governor Dannel Malloy points out that “Connecticut has grown to become a global hub in bioscience, digital media and green technology. We enjoy a combination of a real entrepreneurial spirit, remarkable experience and one of the most educated and productive workforces in the world.”

The New Economy Index, which measures how states are positioned to drive economic evolution in today’s changing society, ranks Connecticut #8 in the U.S., indicating that the state “offers the kind of environment that is particularly conducive to growth for companies that are capitalizing on the latest global economic trends.  (The top seven are Massachusetts, Delaware, California, Washington, Maryland, Colorado and Virginia.)  The ranking is based on measures in five key areas:  Knowledge jobs, Globalization, Economic dynamism, digital economy, and innovation capacity.

Produced by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, the publication was sponsored by Eversource.

Responding to Hunger with Capacity Building; Coalition Initiative Renewed

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ)  and Urban Alliance received a $30,000 grant from the Farmington Bank Community Foundation to support More than Food, a framework that helps food pantries with more capacity-building resources in addition to short-term food supplies to help address the root causes of hunger.  More than Food, developed by USJ, Urban Alliance and Foodshare, was initially launched with funding from the Farmington Bank Community Foundation in 2014. This latest grant supports the program over the next two years. “More than Food focuses on promoting healthy food in pantries and helping people access other resources to find a job. We’re proud to support a partnership that is trying to find a solution to the hunger problem,” said Chris Traczyk, executive director of the Farmington Bank Community Foundation.  “It’s a comprehensive, collective-impact project.”  Dr. Katie Martin, assistant professor and director of the Public Health Program at USJ, and her research team developed a nutrition stoplight system called Supporting Wellness at Pantries, or “SWAP”, which helps food pantry clients choose healthier foods.

USJ is collaborating with the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport to pilot the SWAP system in six food pantries in CT, which together serve over 5,000 people on average every month. Under the More than Food framework, the grant from the Farmington Bank Community Foundation will help expand this work to offer trainings and implement and evaluate the SWAP system in additional food pantries.

As part of the More than Food framework, Urban Alliance has developed various training series and toolkits to equip food pantry staff and volunteers to offer case management services and resource centers that help connect clients to necessary community programs through its Beyond the Basics initiative. Also, Urban Alliance is developing a training program to help pantries create a welcoming environment that fosters the dignity and respect of each person served.

A website, www.ittakesmorethanfood.org , has been developed to share information about the More than Food framework and provide practical guidance and tools to food pantries to help them offer healthy foods with choice, connect clients to needed services, and create a welcoming culture. The recent grant award will help refine, disseminate, and evaluate materials that will be shared through the website.

The website points to the mission ahead: "When the 'emergency' of hunger has lasted over three decades, and with strong evidence that food insecurity is associated with chronic health problems, it is time to rethink the way we provide food assistance and time to examine the effectiveness of food pantries. Through our work, we are changing the conversation about hunger away from emergency food to a person-centered and strength-based approach to help people set and achieve goals in their life."

“We are very grateful for the continuing support of the Farmington Bank Community Foundation, as well as the collaborative work of our partner organizations in making More than Food a holistic way to address hunger in our area,” said USJ's Martin. Currently there are multiple food pantries in Connecticut, Texas and Rhode Island that are implementing the More than Food framework to address the root causes of hunger.

North Stonington Entrepreneur Is CT's Small Business Person of the Year

Carla Bartolucci, President & CEO of Euro-USA Trading/Jovial Foods of North Stonington, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2017 Connecticut Small Business Person of the Year, SBA’s top annual award. According to the company’s website, Jovial Foods, Inc. was founded by a husband and wife team who have always been passionate about food, farming and traditions. Carla and Rodolfo met in the 1980’s in Bologna, where she was spending a year abroad studying Italian and he was studying agriculture. Both were born into family of talented home cooks, he in Italy and she in New England, and food was at the center of their childhoods.

She began her work in the organic food industry by creating the bionaturae brand of organic foods from Italy in 1996, after losing both of her parents to cancer by her mid-twenties, her website biography says.

“As soon as I set foot into an organic food store, I knew I wanted to get involved in organic farming and food manufacturing,” Carla Bartolucci explains. “After losing my parents, I couldn’t help but feel compassion for anyone suffering from disease or hardship, and creating good food, true and pure, was my way of caring for others.”

“We are extremely excited to honor a truly amazing line up of small business owners and champions this year, said Anne Hunt, SBA’s Connecticut District Director.  It is important to recognize these outstanding small businesses in the state as they are the job creators, innovators and the fabric of our local communities!”  “We hope the small business community will join the SBA and our host, SCORE for an inspiring awards luncheon on May 2nd in New Haven, CT.”

2017 Connecticut SBA Honorees:

• Woman-Owned Small Business - Elizabeth Florian, Grassroots Ice Cream
• Family-Owned Small Business - Beverlee Dacey, Amodex Products Inc.
• CT Microenterprise Award - Katalina Riegelmann, Katalina’s Bakery
• Minority-Owned Small Business - Miguel Tomassio, Taco Loco
• Young Entrepreneur Small Business of the Year - Ashley Stone, Beauty Entourage
• Financial Services Champion - Kim Rodney, Connecticut Community Bank
• Entrepreneurial Success - Flavia Naslausky & Camilla Gazal, Zaniac Greenwich
• Exporter of the Year - Monica Goldstein, Recovery Planner
• Home-Based Business of the Year - Mary Goehring, Transcription Plus

The slate of leading small businesses owners in Connecticut will be honored at the Annual Small Business Week Awards Luncheon at Gateway Community College in New Haven on May 2.

“Your hard work, innovative ideas, and dedication to your employees and community have helped you build an outstanding business that has strengthened your state’s economy. The SBA is pleased to celebrate your achievements and recognize your personal role in driving our nation’s economic growth,” said Linda McMahon, administrator of the Small Business Association and a longtime Connecticut resident. The 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year will be announced at the ceremonies, along with three runner-ups.

Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.  This year, the dates are April 30 - May 7, 2017, with national events planned in Washington, D.C., New York City, Indianapolis, Dallas, and Fresno, California.

For more information and a complete list of Small Business Week events during the week of April 30 - May 7, 2017, visit www.sba.gov/ct.

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