Four Stores in CT Warned by FDA for Selling e-Cigarettes to Minors as Popularity, Concern Grows

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent out warning letters to 40 retailers in 17 states  – including four in Connecticut - as part of a “concerted effort to ensure youth are not able to access” e-cigarettes – specifically responding to what officials describe as the “surging youth uptake” of JUUL products. According to the federal agency, those receiving the warnings in recent weeks included four Connecticut retailers: Discount Tobacco and Vape in Vernon, Mobil Mart in Waterbury, Shell/Henny Penny in Lisbon, and Smoker’s Outlet in West Hartford. The retailers were warned about selling the increasingly popular – but hazardous – products to minors.

The FDA explained that warning letters are sent to retailers the first time a tobacco compliance check inspection reveals a violation of the federal tobacco laws and regulations that FDA enforces.  During undercover buy inspections by agency representatives, “the retailer is unaware an inspection is taking place” and the minor and inspector “will not identify themselves.”

Published reports nationwide indicate that vaping is increasing rapidly in popularity with young people, especially with the most popular brand, JUUL. Its devices are tiny, and look like a pen or flash drive. When someone vapes, there is no fire, ash or smoky odor — instead, the devices heat up and vaporize a liquid or solid.  School bathrooms, where cigarette smoking was done in “secret” a generation ago, are now often referred to as “juul rooms” according to numerous reports – the nicotine fix of choice of the current generation.  A recent New York Times article prominently featured a description of the magnitude of the problem in a suburban Connecticut high school.

“The FDA has been conducting a large-scale, undercover nationwide blitz to crack down on the sale of e-cigarettes – specifically JUUL products – to minors at both brick-and-mortar and online retailers,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

Gottlieb highlighted the danger – and the attraction – of the products to youth.

“We understand, by all accounts, many of them may be using products that closely resemble a USB flash drive, have high levels of nicotine and emissions that are hard to see. These characteristics may facilitate youth use, by making the products more attractive to children and teens.  These products are also more difficult for parents and teachers to recognize or detect. Several of these products fall under the JUUL brand, but other brands, such as myblu and KandyPens, that have similar characteristics are emerging.”

Businesses receiving the warning letters are directed to provide, within 15 days, “an explanation of the steps you will take to correct the violation(s) and prevent future violations (for example, retrain your employees, remove the problematic items, etc.),” the agency website points out.  In addition to federal restrictions, purchase/possession of an electronic nicotine delivery system or vapor product by persons under age 18 is prohibited in Connecticut.

The FDA also sent an official request for information directly to JUUL Labs, requiring the company to submit important documents to better understand the reportedly high rates of youth use and the particular youth appeal of these products.

Said Gottlieb: “We don’t yet fully understand why these products are so popular among youth. But it’s imperative that we figure it out, and fast. These documents may help us get there.”  The agency plans what it calls a “full-scale e-cigarette prevention effort” in the fall.

In addition, the FDA also recently contacted eBay to raise concerns over several listings for JUUL products on its website. eBay took what the agency described as “swift action to remove the listings and voluntarily implement new measures to prevent new listings” from being posted to the website.

Quasi-Public Agencies Avoid Many Requirements, Controls

In addition to an array of nearly 100 state agencies of varying sizes and responsibilities, Connecticut has 15 quasi-public agencies, which operate under different rules of the road from run-of-the-mill state agencies. The main reason for establishing the “quasis,” as they’re often called, “was their organizational location outside the structure of state government,” according to a report this year from the Office of Legislative Research (OLR).  Thus, “they could avoid many of the requirements and controls imposed on governmental agencies.”

That status, according to OLR, meant “they could respond to problems and opportunities faster and more efficiently than a comparable state agency, while maintaining a degree of oversight and accountability.”

Some, such as the Connecticut Airport Authority, which runs Bradley International Airport and other airports in the state, the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, Access Health CT and the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation are relatively well known.  Others, such as the State Education Resource Center or the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, less so.

The full list of 15 quasi-public state agencies:

1. Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated (CII);
2. Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA);
3. Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA);
4. Connecticut Student Loan Foundation (CSLF);
5. Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA);
6. State Housing Authority (SHA);
7. Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA);
8. Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA);
9. Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC);
10. Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA);
11. Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange (doing business as Access Health CT);
12. Connecticut Green Bank (CGB);
13. Connecticut Retirement Security Authority (CRSA);
14. Connecticut Port Authority (CPA); and
15. State Education Resource Center (SERC).

Each quasi-public organization has its own governing board, and funding sources for quasi operations varies, ranging from fees to ticket sales.

The law requires each quasi-public agency to submit an annual report to the governor and auditors of public accounts, OLR explains.  The report must, at a minimum, include:

• a list of all bonds issued for the prior fiscal year, including their cumulative value, value of outstanding bonds, and the state's contingent liability;
• a list of all projects, other than those pertaining to owner-occupied housing or student loans, receiving financial assistance during the preceding fiscal year, including each one's purpose, location, and funding amount;
• a list of all outside individuals and firms receiving more than $5,000 in loans, grants, or payments for services;
• a balance sheet showing all revenues and expenditures;
• the affirmative action policy statement, a description of the agency's workforce composition, and a description of its affirmative action efforts; and
• a description of planned activities for the current fiscal year

The law also prohibits quasi-public agencies from contracting with the same financial auditor or auditing firm for more than six consecutive fiscal years and each quasi-public agency must submit two quarterly reports to the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA).

All quasi-public agencies (except the Connecticut Lottery Corporation) must obtain the state treasurer's approval before borrowing any money or issuing any bonds or notes that are guaranteed by the state or for which there is a capital reserve fund that the state contributes to or guarantees.

The newest of the quasi-public agencies is the Connecticut Port Authority, established by the state legislature in 2015.

Trinity's Berger-Sweeney, Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Yale Faculty Are Among American Academy Inductees

The 238th class of new members of the highly selective American Academy of Arts and Sciences, to be inducted later this year, include many household names - and one prominent local individual.  The academy is one of the country’s oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, and its members include some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, and artists, as well as civic, business, and philanthropic leaders. Being added to the ranks this year are, among others, former president Barack Obama; actor Tom Hanks; Netflix CEO W. Reed Hastings Jr.; NASA climatologist Claire L. Parkinson; Supreme Court Justice Sonia M. Sotomayor;  pediatric neurologist Huda Y. Zoghbi - as well as Trinity College President and Professor of Neuroscience Joanne Berger-Sweeney and three Yale professors in the schools of divinity and medicine.

“This class of 2018 is a testament to the academy’s ability to both uphold our 238-year commitment to honor exceptional individuals and to recognize new expertise,” said Nancy C. Andrews, the academy’s chair of the board. “John Adams, James Bowdoin, and other founders did not imagine climatology, econometrics, gene regulation, nanostructures, or Netflix. They did, however, have a vision that the academy would be dedicated to new knowledge—and these new members help us achieve that goal.”

The 238 newly elected members represent 25 categories and 125 institutions. The new class will be inducted at a ceremony in October 2018 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The full class of new members is available at www.amacad.org/members.

“This is truly a great honor that I share with my family and friends and with Trinity College, which I’m privileged to serve,” said Berger-Sweeney. “To be elected to the academy is an extraordinary highlight of my career in science and education.”

Berger-Sweeney has served as president of Trinity College since July 2014. Over the past four years, she has, among other accomplishments, overseen the completion of the college’s strategic plan, Summit, which will guide Trinity toward its bicentennial in 2023 and beyond; the creation of the Bantam Network mentoring program for first-year students; the launch of the Campaign for Community, a campus initiative promoting inclusiveness and respect; and the expansion of Trinity’s footprint to Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford.

Before coming to Trinity, Berger-Sweeney served for four years as dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University. Prior to Tufts, she spent 13 years as a member of the Wellesley College faculty and as associate dean from 2004 to 2010. Berger-Sweeney received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology from Wellesley College and her M.P.H. in environmental health sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. While working on her Ph.D. in neurotoxicology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Berger-Sweeney did the proof of concept work on Razadyne, which went on to be the second-most-used Alzheimer’s drug in the world. She completed her postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Health (INSERM) in Paris, France.

Also being inducted in this year's class are John J. Collins of the Yale Divinity School and Gerald I. Shulman and Haifan Lin of the Yale School of Medicine.

Collins is Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale.  A native of Ireland, Professor Collins was a professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Chicago from 1991 until his arrival at Yale Divinity School in 2000, and previously taught at the University of Notre Dame. He has published widely on the subjects of apocalypticism, wisdom, Hellenistic Judaism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Dr. Shulman is the George R. Cowgill Professor of Medicine, Cellular & Molecular Physiology and Physiological Chemistry at Yale University, where he serves as Co-Director of the Yale Diabetes Research Center and Director of the Yale Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center. He is also an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Shulman has pioneered the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to non-invasively examine intracellular glucose and fat metabolism in humans for the first time.

Haifan Lin is Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology, and Professor of Genetics and of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; and Director of the Yale Stem Cell Center. Current study is focused on molecular mechanisms underlying the self-renewing division of stem cells. There is a focus on small RNA-mediated epigenetic programming and translational regulation that are required for the self-renewal of germline and embryonic stem cells, according to the Yale website, which notes that he continues to explore the clinical implications of recent findings.

https://youtu.be/RK5vvvRhGEA

Business Summit in Hartford to Focus on Trends in CyberSecurity, Technology, Collaboration

The WorkSmart Hartford Summit, one of the largest complimentary Business and IT conferences in New England & New York, is all about staying ahead of the curve with business and technology. The Summit, to be held on May 10 at the Connecticut Convention Center, comes amidst heightened interest in cybersecurity and related IT issues. “We’re proud to work with our trusted partners to share a variety of perspectives on evolving business, IT and security trends, such as cybersecurity, compliance and regulations, business intelligence, data and analytics, team collaboration, cloud technologies and more,” conference organizers emphasized.

“WorkSmart is such a unique event because it evolves each year based on our clients’ business needs,” said Christopher Luise, Executive Vice President of ADNET Technologies. “Each year, our partners and subject matter experts from the ADNET team come together to share their knowledge with the business community. It’s exciting for us to be part of these interactive discussions that change the way people do business.”

The day-long event is produced by ADNET Technologies, a technology consulting firm with offices in Farmington, CT and Albany, NY. The company’s mission is to “connect people, process and technology to help our clients build a better business.”  Founded in 1991, ADNET “guides clients to better ways to connect, collaborate and compete in a global market.” This is the 13^th year ADNET has produced WorkSmart Hartford.

The Summit will feature nearly a dozen sessions and speakers, many from local businesses, highlighting best practices and latest developments in a range of technology arenas.

Morning keynote speakers Brian Foley, Deputy Chief of Investigations and Sergeant Johnmichael B. O'Hare, both of the Hartford Police Department, will speak about how the HPD uses cutting-edge technology combined with in-person police work to make the city safer. The "C4 Unit", or Capitol City Command Center, uses real-time web intelligence and social media monitoring to investigate leads, map criminal activity and proactively prevent crime.

Keynote Speaker Rob Thomas is a business development consultant, principal of Milford-based Rob Thomas CT and the creator of the Rob Thomas Method (RTM) of Networking, a step-by-step coaching process that helps professionals cultivate and grow business by building more effective relationships.  He will discuss how to grow business by identifying and building a network of effective relationships.

Included among the day’s sessions:

• Instead of simply trying to protect from the inevitable breach, organizations must adjust their focus and be ready to respond by mitigating their risk and liability should a security incident occur. In one session, Eric Monda, IT Security Analyst, Offensive Security Certified Professional and Certified Ethical Hacker at ADNET Technologies, will share best practices all organizations should implement prior to being affected by a security breach.
• Every major security breach will create some level of chaos initially; how long this chaos lasts is the true measure of an organization’s preparedness and ability to respond and recover from a cyber incident. A presentation by Robert Coro of Marcum will focus on Incident Response Planning and Playbook development.
• There are many layers of protection that can be implemented and not one is a magic wand that casts an impenetrable bubble around your data. In this session, Anthony Conti and Joanna Mack of Continuum will outline the present threat landscape, discuss the anatomy of an attack, common misconceptions, and how to work with your technology partner to manage risk.

There will also be a session on HIPAA compliance, changes in cloud options and data centers, how to automate processes to improve efficiency, and the ‘Global Cyber Arms Race.”

Joining ADNET in supporting the WorkSmart Summit are presenting sponsor Marcum LLP, as well as Continuum, SonicWall, SphereGen, Rob Thomas CT, Reduxio, ACT Group, Connecticut Society of CPAs, One Connect, Intermedia, Omni Data, Great America Financial Services and the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce.  More information and registration is available at https://worksmartsummit.com

2017 event photo by J. Fiereck Photography

Children's Champions to Be Recognized for Commitment, Leadership

Two leading advocates for Connecticut children who have followed very different paths to impact the well-being of young people will be honored by The Center for Children’s Advocacy as Connecticut’s 2018 Champion of Children Award recipients later this month. Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) and Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad, Executive Director of My People Clinical Services in Hartford will be honored at the Center’s annual Spring for Kids event to be held at Infinity Hall in Hartford on May 8, 2018.

Fran Rabinowitz has been a dedicated and respected Connecticut educational leader for over 30 years. Prior to her appointment at CAPSS, she served as Associate Commissioner of Education for the State of Connecticut, Superintendent of Hamden Public Schools, and Interim Superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools.

In announcing her selection, organizers indicated that “in every challenging position, Ms. Rabinowitz has demonstrated vision, courage and passion in her forceful advocacy for the educational needs of every student.”

Abdul-Rahmann I. Muhammad leads My People Clinical Services, a community-based social service organization that helps Hartford-area youth and families rebuild their lives. Services include therapeutic support and crisis intervention, helping youth overcome the impact of family disruption, domestic violence, substance abuse and other barriers to health and safety.

Through collaborations with state, educational and other community based organizations, My People aspires to be a leading organization for positive change, supported transition and permanency for children, young adults and families. In announcing Muhammad’s selection as an award recipient, organizers stressed that “his focus on Hartford’s underserved youth provides critically needed support.”

My People Clinical Services sponsors many community events such as the Daddy Daughter Dance and the Female Empowerment Conference. He also launched The Dream Support Network in 2007, to encourage, inspire and support individuals to live the life of their dreams. The signature programs of the Dream Support Network are Ice Cream for a Dream (where free ice cream is exchanged for dreams) and the Dream Chaser Program.

The Center for Children’s Advocacy is the largest children’s legal rights organization in New England, fighting for the legal rights of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children. Areas of focus include protecting and defending abused and neglected children, improving child health, supporting teens and homeless youth, improving educational success, helping immigrant children, reducing racial disparities, promotion youth voice and reducing involvement with the juvenile justice system.  Martha Stone is founder, two decades ago, and Executive Director of the Center for Children’s Advocacy.

Tickets and information are available on the Center for Children’s Advocacy website at cca-ct.org or from Susan Stein at sstein@cca-ct.org.

Women in Manufacturing Summit Slated for May Amidst Increasing Focus

The Business, Management, and Advanced Manufacturing Department at Goodwin College has announced its inaugural Women of Manufacturing Summit to be held on Wednesday, May 16. Connecticut is home to 4,011 manufacturing firms that employ more than 159,000 workers – and employment opportunities are expected to increase in the coming years. Key industries include transportation equipment (primarily aerospace, submarines, and automotive), chemicals, fabricated metals, electrical equipment, computer and electronic products, machinery, pharmaceutical and medical, and plastics

The event will be held at the College’s Business and Manufacturing Center, One Pent Road in East Hartford, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

The Summit will bring together individuals interested in encouraging women to consider career options in business and manufacturing. Business leaders, educators, and students will participate in discussions focused on dispelling myths about today’s manufacturing environments; the variety and volume of job opportunities; compensation issues; and shift options for women, particularly those balancing family responsibilities and continuing education.

A photographic exhibit, courtesy of Jobs to Move America and sponsored by Andrews Benefits of Farmington, will feature women in all areas of modern manufacturing.

“Partnerships between businesses and educational organizations can help identify a successful employee fit prior to hiring and lead to entry-level positions,” said Melanie Hoben, Director of Workforce Development at Goodwin College. “We realized that, with our experienced faculty and our industry partners, we have a prime opportunity to host a Summit that encourages discussions among these stakeholders as well as women seeking pathways into the workforce.”

Goodwin currently offers business and manufacturing programs that range from certificates to associate and bachelor’s degrees. While there are some 13,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, women seldom see themselves pursuing those viable careers.

“Women are significantly underrepresented in the manufacturing industry, and we are committed to changing that dynamic,” Hoben adds. “Opportunities like this Summit will help harness an untapped talent pool, inform women of the opportunities for well-paid, rewarding work, and allow them to network with some of the region’s visionary business leaders.”

CBIA partnered with the NSF Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities last year to survey the state's manufacturers about their hiring expectations and workforce challenges for the next three years.

The survey found that almost every manufacturer surveyed expects to grow their workforce in the next three years. Forty-two percent of manufacturers in Connecticut said they anticipated near-term workforce growth, while 44% predicted flat growth, and 14% have contracted out work. With an average hiring rate of 22 people per year, manufacturers responding to the survey last year said they expected to hire primarily full-time employees by the end of 2019.

Women in Manufacturing, a national organization dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry, held their annual summit in Hartford at the Connecticut Convention Center last fall.

The conference included plant tours at some of the area's most advanced facilities including CNC Software, Hartford Flavor Company, TRUMPF Inc., and Pratt & Whitney. The Milken Institute's State Technology and Science Index, evaluating each state's tech and science capabilities, ranked Connecticut sixth in the country in 2016.

In the survey of Connecticut businesses conducted for CBIA, graduates of major universities (such as the University of Connecticut), Connecticut's private colleges, and private occupational schools are largely viewed as highly qualified job candidates (78%, 75%, and 74% of respondents, respectively, are somewhat satisfied or extremely satisfied).

Recommendations for how educational institutions could address the skills deficit problem include a greater emphasis on technical training and skills (60%), integration of employability skills such as punctuality and professionalism (57%), greater access to internships (38%), opportunities for career development (35%), and more rigorous preparation in basic skills like reading, writing, and math (28%), according to the survey.

Seven of the state’s public community colleges participate in an Advanced Manufacturing Technology program, with the curriculum offered to students at Asnuntuck Community College, Housatonic Community College, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Quinebaug Valley Community College, Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College and Three Rivers Community College.  Specialties range from welding and mechatronics to CAD/CAM programming, tool & die to precision sheet metal fabrication, and additive manufacturing to computer numerical machining. Not all the programs are offered at all seven of the state colleges.

Reservations (requested by May 9) for the Goodwin College summit can be made at www.goodwin.edu/summit.

School Resource Officers Gain Attention in Aftermath of School Shootings

School resource officers (SROs) are sworn police officers who typically perform a number of community policing roles to make schools safer for students and staff, including community liaison, mentor, role model, and law enforcement officer.  A new report from the Connecticut Office of Legislative Research (OLR), looked at nearly 70 Connecticut school districts with at least one SRO. With the assistance of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, OLR, the legislature’s non-partisan research arm, surveyed and researched 113 public school districts in Connecticut to learn whether SROs are utilized in their elementary, middle, or high schools.

Of the 113 districts, 70 were found to be utilizing SROs in some manner. SROs in Connecticut are primarily assigned to middle and high schools but often visit elementary schools in their district. They also may assist in the development of school policies that concern criminal activity and school safety, as well as teach classes in substance abuse awareness, gang resistance, and crime prevention, according to OLR.

Financial cost per SRO varies between municipalities and is sometimes unknown to the district, the report indicated.  Generally SROs are funded by the board of education or provided by local police departments through memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the school district.

Last month, the Wallingford Board of Education called for funding for four police officers to serve as SRO’s, one at each middle school and high school in town, along with other safety items, the Meriden Record-Journal reported.

Plymouth is considering bringing a school resource officer back to the school, in the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting.  The school resource officer position was eliminated two years ago due to budget cuts, NBC Connecticut reported.  And Westport Now has reported that Westport’s Board of Education voted 5 to 2 in March to approve the concept of having an armed school resource officer in its schools.

Communities with the highest number of School Resource Officers in their local school district, among the towns surveyed, are New Haven (12), West Hartford (6), Bethel (5), Manchester (5), Meriden (5), and West Haven (5). Communities with four School Resource Officers include East Harford, Milford, and Monroe.  The remaining school districts surveyed have three or fewer.

Numerous districts have SRO’s in place, but the range of responsibilities – as well as the numbers - vary.

In Newington, for example, the SRO was initially funded by a grant; currently the Board of Education and the Police Department share the annual cost of the program.  The SRO at the local high school works full-time in conjunction with the education system to address a myriad of issues facing the high school population.

Manchester’s SRO’s are trained to fulfill three primary roles, according to the town police website. “First and foremost they are Law Enforcement Officers, whose main purpose is to keep the peace in their schools. Second, they are law related mentors who provide guidance and information to students, their families, and school staff. Thirdly, they are law related ‘teachers’, who can provide the schools with additional resources by sharing their expertise in the classroom (when requested and available).”

In Darien, the SRO's days are spent meeting with students, administration, support staff, and parents in regards to various issues or concerns, according to the police department website. The SRO also “visits classrooms to give guest lessons on alcohol and drugs, search and seizure, and other law-related topics. The SRO often attends extra-curricular events, in an effort to further immerse himself into the community and increase familiarity.”

New Haven’s SRO program, which was established in 1994, consists of 12 uniformed officers that are assigned to middle and high schools.  The program, according to the city website, “allows both home and school to be aware of any situation that may impact the health and safety of students, as well as the monitoring of those who show signs of at-risk or delinquent behavior. This interaction provides a valuable resource to keep our children out of trouble during their school years and keeping their focus on education and commitment to family and community.”

Women’s Economic Status in Connecticut Among Best in Nation, But Still Insufficient

Women are faring better in Connecticut than in most states in the nation, according to a new analysis that focused on data in two central areas of everyday life – Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity. Connecticut ranked 4^th in the Employment and Earnings category, earning a B+, and 4^th in the Poverty and Opportunity category, with a B- grade.

Status of Women in the States is a project of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a comprehensive project that presents and analyzes data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Institute suggests that the data can be used “to raise awareness, improve policies, and promote women’s equality.”

Connecticut’s grade for women’s Employment & Earnings, B+, has improved since the 2004 Status of Women in the States report.  Its grade for women’s Poverty & Opportunity, B-, has dropped since 2004.

In the subcategories of Employment and Earnings, Connecticut ranked Connecticut ranked 2nd in median annual earnings for women employed full-time, 5^th in the percent of all employed women in managerial or professional occupations, 13^th in the percent of women in the labor force, and 38^th in the earnings ratio between women and men employed full-time, year-round.

The Employment & Earnings Index measures states on women’s earnings, the gender wage gap, women’s labor force participation, and women’s representation in professional and managerial occupations. The top states were District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York.

Women working full-time, year-round have the highest earnings in the District of Columbia, where women’s median annual earnings are $65,000. Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey are tied for second, with women in those states earning $50,000 at the median.

In the Poverty and Opportunity subcategories, Connecticut ranked 2^nd in the percent of women age 18 and older above poverty, 5^th in the percent of women age 25 and older with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, 10^th in the percent of women age 18-64 with health insurance, and 29^th in the percent of businesses owned by women.

New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey have the highest rates of women living above poverty in the country at 89.2 percent, 88.4 percent, 88.1 percent, and 88.1 percent, respectively.

The report noted that women in Connecticut aged 16 and older who work full-time, year-round have median annual earnings of $50,000, which is 76.9 cents on the dollar compared with men who work full-time, year-round. Hispanic women earn just 47 cents for every dollar earned by White men, according to the report. According to the report’s analysis, if employed women in Connecticut were paid the same as comparable men, their poverty rate would be reduced by more than half and poverty among employed single mothers would be cut in half.

In Connecticut, 32.7 percent of businesses in 2012 were owned by women, up from 28.1 percent in 2007.  The report also indicates that 94.2 percent of Connecticut’s women aged 18 to 64 have health insurance coverage, which is above the national average for women of 89.4 percent.

The report, published in March 2018, concludes that “Women in Connecticut have made considerable advances in recent years but still face inequities that often prevent them from reaching their full potential.”

Advancing Racial Equity in Nonprofits to be Among Themes for National Conference in Hartford

When members of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, a national association based in St. Louis, hold their 20^th anniversary conference this fall, they will be gathering in Hartford.  The conference, “Re-envisioning Our Field:  Advancing Racial Equity & Leading Innovation in Capacity Building,” will be held October 10-12 at the Hartford Hilton. The organization’s Board Chair is Anne Yurasek, Principal of Fio Partners, which is based in Chester, CT.  Yurasek has been an organizational development consultant and trainer for over twenty years in the nonprofit and private sector.

The Alliance is the “national voice and catalyst for the field of capacity building.”  The organization’s mission is to “increase the effectiveness of the individuals, groups and organizations that help nonprofits and communities achieve positive social change.”  The Alliance seeks to “create spaces for professional dialogue and learning by amplifying research in the field and promoting its implications for effective practice.”

More than 250 attendees will include consultants, coaches, funders, academics, and executives from across the country. The conference intends to “convene the diverse perspectives that shape and advance our field.”

The conference provides participants with the chance to “convene, dialogue, learn, shape and advance our field for the good of the nonprofits and communities we serve,” official explained.  The theme was selected because now “is a critical time for our field to reflect, to learn together, and to consider how our work should evolve to address racial inequities in our society. From amplifying emerging approaches to reflecting on research and exploring its implications for practice,” participants are urged to “bring your perspectives, experiences, and energy” to the annual conference.

The three-day event includes presentation opportunities with local nonprofits, work-sessions for Affinity & Interest Groups, twenty-plus workshop sessions “curated for capacity builders by capacity builders, and thought provoking plenary sessions.”

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is the result of the 1997 merger of the Nonprofit Management Association and Support Centers of America. The organization is described as unique as a cross-sector professional association of individuals and organizations that are devoted to increasing the effectiveness of the individuals, groups and organizations that help nonprofits and communities achieve positive social change.

The 2017 conference was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Museums Have Significant Impact on State, National Economy, Report Concludes

Museums in Connecticut had a one-year total financial impact on Connecticut’s economy of $834 million, providing $556 million in income via wages and other income to state residents, generating $223.5 million in taxes (including $77.5 million in state and local taxes), and supporting just over 10,200 jobs – including 5,400 direct jobs, 1,877 indirect jobs and nearly 3,000 induced jobs. The data was compiled as part of a national report, Museums as Economic Engines, compiled the Alliance of American Museums. The report indicates that nationwide, museums support 726,000 jobs in the United States, and directly employ 372,100 people, more than double that of the professional sports industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Alliance points out.

The study, conducted by Oxford Economics with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, shows that for every $100 of economic activity created by museums, an additional $220 is created in other sectors of the US economy as a result of supply chain and employee expenditure impacts, according to the report.  The data analyzed was from calendar year 2016, the most recent full year of data available.

These impacts mean that museums contribute approximately $50 billion to the US economy each year, a number that’s more than twice previous estimates, according to the Alliance.  The report is also the first to show that US museums generate more than $12 billion per year in tax revenue to federal, state, and local governments.

The report estimated that there are 372,100 museum workers employed in the US along with 3 million volunteers.  It also indicated that 89 percent of Americans believe that museums provide important economic impacts back to their communities, according to a public opinion survey conducted in 2017.

Nationally, the museum field’s largest economic impact is on the leisure and hospitality industry (approximately $17 billion), but it also generates approximately $12 billion in the financial activities sector and approximately $3 billion each in the education/health services and manufacturing sectors.

The top 10 states driving this impact are geographically diverse and account for 57 percent of the gross value added to the national economy. States with the highest economic impact from the museum sector included California ($6.6 billion), New York ($5.4 billion), and Texas ($3.9 billion). However, those that rely most heavily on museums due to their relatively higher concentration, the report indicated, include the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Wyoming, and Alaska.

In breaking down the jobs impact of museums, direct impact refers to direct employment and spending by the industry’s business operations; indirect impact includes supply-chain effects, stemming from industry’s operations (e.g. legal services, utilities, etc.) and induced impact describes the impact resulting from employees spending their incomes in the economy.

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), founded in 1906, now represents more than 35,000 professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners in the sector.