Votes to Decide if Hartford Journalism & Media Academy Will Receive $100,000 Grant

The Hartford Journalism & Media Academy is one of six education programs in New England vying for a $100,000 grant to further their student-centered learning approach to education.  Voting is now underway via the internet – and the deadline to cast a vote is September 30. The Lawrence W. O’Toole Award is given out each year to an individual, organization, school or district exhibiting great leadership through innovation or courage in moving student-centered approaches to learning forward in New England. The winner will receive a $100,000 grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

The Students at the Center Hub – a relatively new website - was created through a partnership between the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and Jobs for the Future. It is a resource for educators, families, students and communities interested in learning more about student-centered approaches to learning. Visitors to the site can “explore the research behind it; the practices that nurture it; policies that support it; and how to communicate about it.”  Details on each of the nominated programs are included on the site.

The mission of the Hub is to help raise the visibility of student-centered learning in New England and beyond, offer a centralized location for tools and resources on student-centered learning approaches, and provide a user-friendly, interactive space for practitioners, implementers and supporters of student-centered approaches to learning.

At the Hartford Journalism and Media Academy (JMA), students are learning first-hand how storytelling and student voice can transform education. Students at JMA attend a satellite campus at Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN) in Hartford, where they are working alongside seasoned journalists to produce content for the station while gaining 21st skills like creativity, collaboration and communication. As part of the station’s Education Reporting Initiative, students are investigating the impact of student-centered learning policies and practices in the public education system.

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is working to reshape public education across New England to be more equitable and more effective – so every student graduates from high school ready to succeed in college or the workplace – and contribute to their communities as informed citizens.

In addition to the Hartford Journalism & Media Academy, in the running for the grant are Portland Empowered (Maine), Burlington High School (Vermont), The Highlander Institute (Rhode Island), Sanborn Regional School District (New Hampshire) and Youth on Board (Boston).

Voting is open to one vote per email address. As of Monday morning, the Hartford Journalism & Media Academy was running fifth in the voting.  A total of nearly 11,000 votes had been cast.

https://youtu.be/Qq8w3mj4NZI

NewsON Venture to Bring Local Newscasts to Smart Phones & Tablets Nationwide, WTNH Set to be Among Participants

Five major broadcast television station groups collectively reaching two-thirds of U.S. TV households have formed NewsON, a new venture to provide live and same-day local TV newscasts on demand from leading stations around the country to consumers' mobile and selected connected TV devices. Two Connecticut-based TV stations are part of the NewsON venture – WTNH and WCTX, both in the Hartford-New Haven TV market, which are owned by NewsON partner Media General. The NewsON (www.newson.us) service will be provided by a new venture formed by The ABC Owned Television Station Group, Cox Media Group, Hearst Television, Media General and Raycom Media.  In New Haven, the WTNH news staff produces newscasts for WTNH NewsChannel 8 and WCTX, known as MyTV9. 

Plans for NewsON were announced prior to the more recent announcement this month of Media General’s plans to buy Meredith Corp. for about $2.4 billion in cash and stock.  Meredith, which began as an agricultural publisher in 1902, is known for magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens and Family Circle. But its 17 local TV stations – including Hartford-based WFSB - are the centerpiece of the deal. The combined company—Meredith Media General— would encompass 88 stations that reach 30 percent of U.S. households, or 34 million homes.

Meredith had not been part of the NewsON venture, and it is unclear whether the combined company would remain in the plan, or whether a combined company may be required to divest of either WFSB or WTNH, which serve the same Hartford-New Haven market.

The free, advertising-supported NewsON service will be delivered through apps available for download from leading mobile and connected TV app stores.  NewsON will enable users to watch live and on-demand newscasts from their local markets or from any of the 112 participating news stations, in 84 viewing markets across the country, whose owners have already contracted to deliver their news streams through NewsON.  These include stations in eight of the Top 10 U.S. TV markets and 17 of the top 25.

Multiple stations will be available through NewsON in 21 markets, giving viewers the opportunity to "change channels" as they wish. The number of participating TV stations is expected to grow in the months ahead as additional broadcast TV station groups activate their streams into NewsON. Whether the Hartford-New Haven market will ultimately be among them may hinge on the outcome of the Meredith-Media General deal.

Media General is one of the nation's largest connected-screen media companies that operates or services 71 television stations in 48 markets, along with the industry's leading digital media business. Their portfolio of broadcast, digital and mobile products informs and engages 23 percent of U.S. TV households and 46 percent of the U.S. Internet audience.

"As a truly connected-screen media company, we are always seeking innovative ways to share our superior local content with a broader audience, no matter where, when or what screen or device they prefer," said Robb Richter, Chief Digital Officer of Richmond, VA based Media General.  He told Connecticut by the Numbers said the new service would provide “brand extension” for WTNH newscasts, and increase viewership.  “Now, about 15% to 20% of the market has downloaded their app.  This will draw more people to WTNH who have not. It’s a great way to gain more audience.”

Richter said that the appetite for breaking news is strong, and that may be attractive to advertisers as well, as more people use mobile devices to watch locally originated newscasts.  The ability to send out breaking news alerts and live stream coverage of breaking local news provides a potential new revenue stream,” as well as providing viewers nationwide easy access to local coverage of news that may be of interest beyond a local region.

A recent commentary by former WFSB news director Mark Effron, now a college professor, points to the need for local news to find new ways to attract audiences – especially younger audiences, for whom watching television on a television is fast becoming a footnote in their media consumption.

“For them, watching content on channels and networks and stations hasn’t only lessened, it’s actually fallen off the cliff,” Effron observed.

NewsON officials stress that Americans place a great deal of trust in their local news teams, who are typically the first informers from the local scene of the biggest news developments around the country.  NewsON will bring instant access to live local news to a generation of viewers accustomed to using mobile and connected TV platforms to stay informed.

According to the March 2015 report "Local News in a Digital Age" by the Pew Research Center, local TV stations remain the dominant source of news for Americans in large and small markets.  NewsOn points out that the appetite for local and neighborhood news, the staple of TV station newscast coverage, is up to twice the appetite for national and international news, the study found.

The NewsON service, current in BETA testing, is expected to launch to the public later this fall. “We are driving the evolution in local content creation and distribution and we are excited about the opportunities with NewsON," Richter added.

WTIC-AM License Renewal, Filed in November 2013, Remains on Enforcement Hold

The license renewal application of WTIC-AM, filed in November 2013, remains on “enforcement hold” at the Federal Communications Commission, as the agency’s Enforcement Bureau  considers “an alleged violation of FCC rules,” according to an FCC official. Until the enforcement hold is lifted, the agency’s Media Bureau cannot proceed with a decision on whether or not to renew the station’s broadcast license.  The Enforcement Bureau must first determine whether or not a violation of FCC rules has occurred.  If the allegation is substantiated, the agency has a range of options, such as warning that the violation not be repeated or imposing a monetary fine on the station, according to FCC officials.

An FCC spokesman said in late August that the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau began expediting its review of complaints that hold up license renewals last year.  That expedited review of a backlog of pending complaints enabled the Media Bureau to grant over 950 license renewals in the last few months of 2014.  WTIC-AM was not among them.  The accelerated pace has continued, but officials would not predict when the complaint filed related to the pending WTIC-AM renewal would be considered.

WTIC-AM, which is licensed to Hartford but operates from studios in Farmington, can continue broadcasting under the broadcast license that expired 17 months ago, on April 1, 2014, until the FCC acts on its renewal application.  The renewal application was filed by the station nearly two years ago, on November 27, 2013. Stations must file an application for license renewal four months prior to the expiration date of the station’s license.

Precisely what the allegation under review involves is not made known to the public.  That information is only made available to the licensee or their attorney, according to an FCC official. The agency can, and often does, communicate with the station as part of their review process.  WTIC has previously declined to comment on the ongoing review process at the FCC.

Officials say it is not unusual for a license renewal to be on enforcement hold for an extended period of time.  Stations in such a status routinely continue to operate without any interruption until a decision on license renewal is made.

When the license renewal application does reach the agency’s Media Bureau, they will consider “how the allegation of violation was resolved,” as well as a range of other factors in deciding whether or not to renew the station’s license.  The other, more routine, factors include whether any other objections have been raised about the station, whether the station has been adequately serving the public in their area of license, their history of compliance with FCC regulations, and their overall performance.  License renewals for radio stations are issued by the FCC for a period of eight years.

Connecticut by the Numbers first reported the FCC’s enforcement hold nearly a year ago, in September 2014.  Subsequently, Hartford Attorney Ken Krayeske filed an informal objection on October 1, 2014 to WTIC’s broadcast license renewal, alleging that the station “demonstrated serious malfeasance” and “helped conceal violations of federal law,” related to former Governor John Rowland’s use of the WTIC radio program he hosted to promote the Congressional campaign of Lisa Wilson-Foley. Krayeske had filed a previous complaint in 2012 that did not result in FCC action against the station.

Guns at the Airport? CT Ranks 43rd As Texas, Florida Confiscate Hundreds

Airport travelers caught carrying firearms were most prevalent in Texas, Florida and Georgia, with Connecticut ranking 43^rd among the states, according to federal data analyzed by Bloomberg News. Texas saw the most confiscations in 2014, with 424 guns found in screenings, according to Transportation Security Administration data. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where 120 firearms were found in carry-on luggage, topped the list nationwide.

Ranked second was Florida, with 253 guns found during the year at the state’s airports, followed by Georgia with 119, California with 101, and North Carolina with 97.  Arizona and Tennessee tied for 6^th with 94 guns discovered at each state’s airports, followed by Colorado with 79 and Missouri with 75.

In Connecticut in 2014, there were four firearms found during 2014 according to the data.  Two of them were loaded.  There were also 4 firearms found at the state’s airports in 2013, Bloomberg reported.

With all 50 states now allowing people to carry concealed guns, with varying degrees of limitations, Bloomberg reported, more are being forgotten in clothing, holsters and handbags.  Firearm confiscations rose 22 percent from 2013.  Guns were discovered at airports in all 50 states in 2014, the data indicated.

The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 653 million passengers last year, about 14.8 million more than in 2013. The states and territories with the fewest were Rhode Island, South Dakota and the Virgin Islands.

Bloomberg ranked the 50 U.S. states and the U.S. Territories by the number of firearms discovered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in carry-on luggage at that state's airports. The numbers for each state represent a total of all of the airports in that state covered by the TSA. Firearms are defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as a destructive device, machine gun, silencer, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun and any other weapon from which a shot can be discharged.

Hartford's WPOP Goes Back to the Future with News, Talk Format

The goal, in the latest format change among local radio stations, is to become “the go-to station for news, weather and traffic” in the Hartford market.  WPOP, with a lengthy local history that features incarnations as a pop music station, all-news station, and sports talk station, has again assumed the moniker of “NewsRadio 1410 WPOP”, last used nearly two decades ago. Owned by iHeart radio, which has hired a new program director due in the Capitol City from a major market in the coming weeks, the newly rebranded station aims to make the transition to a news format that responds to and reflects the preferences of the local audience, according to Dave Symonds Sr., Vice President of Programming for iHeart Radio in Hartford.

“There is a huge upside to the format change.  We did a lot of research and there was a high degree of dissatisfaction with the non-sports news talk programming” available in the Hartford market, Symonds said.  Regional Market President Steve Honeycomb added"It’s been almost 18-years since the all-news format was heard on WPOP 1410AM. We’re excited to bring back News Radio 1410 WPOP, an iconic brand and station focused on News, Traffic and Weather to serve the Hartford community, in the iHeartMedia line-up.”

The new WPOP-AM line-up will, at the outset, include mostly syndicated national programs including a daytime focus on financial news and The Vinnie Penn Project, which has been heard on WELI in New Haven since 2011.  The program will now be heard 6-9 AM on both stations, with an additional hour, 9-10 AM exclusively on WPOP.

“There are a lot of shared issues in New Haven and Hartford,” Symonds points out.  The program will originate in New Haven on some mornings, in Hartford on others. iHeart radio stations in Connecticut, formerly Clear Channel stations, include KC101, KISS95.7, The River 105.9, Country 92.5, 97.9 ESPN, and 960 WELI and WAVZ  in New Haven.

The new station's programming line-up will include: The Vinnie Penn Project    6-10 a.m. The Financial Exchange    10 a.m-12 p.m. Bloomberg  Radio               12:00p.m.-3 p.m. Howie Carr                            3-6 p.m. (based in Boston) Mark Levin                            6-9 p.m. America Now                        9 p.m.-12 a.m.

Most recently, the station had aired a sports/talk format including Fox Sports Radio content. Years ago, from 1956-1975, it was a pop music station, the inspiration for the station’s call letters.  The station routinely battled WDRC for the rock’n’roll music audience, before FM radio came to dominate that format.  In August 1972 it was announced that TV entertainer Merv Griffin's company, January Enterprises Inc., was buying WPOP for $2.75 million. Griffin, who came to town to visit the station, took control the following March, according to published reports.  Just a few years later, the music died on WPOP.  On June 30, 1975, WPOP abandoned music programming in favor of the new (and ultimately short-lived) NBC Radio News and Information Service.  But a news station in Hartford was born.

The station maintained an all-news format, which included local news/talk programming, for more than two decades, before the switch to sports talk programming in 1997 (first ESPN, than FOX in 2012).  Among the local newscasters who spent time at WPOP in its all-news heyday are Gerry Brooks, Scott Gray, and Joanne Nesti, whose careers blossomed at other radio and television stations in the market.  Numerous WPOP veterans went on to broadcast news careers around the country.

Those interested in hearing the new format can tune into News Radio 1410 WPOP on the station’s website, www.newsradio1410wpop.com, and through the iHeartRadio mobile app. Hartford is part of Nielsen radio market No. 52. WPOP is a 5 kW day/night station on 1410 kHz.

The Hartford market currently has other locally originated and syndicated news and talk programming.  Connecticut-based Connoisseur Media purchased a group of stations in the state including the WDRC-led “Talk of Connecticut” stations, anchored by the weekday morning locally originated Brad Davis Show.  The remainder of the broadcast schedule on WDRC-AM (as well as simulcast on WMMW Meriden, WWCO Waterbury and WSNG Torrington) consists of nationally syndicated programs, including Kilmeade & Friends, Dave Ramsey, The Savage Nation, The Schnitt Show, The Lars Larson Show and Overnight America.

WTIC-AM 1080 broadcasts the local Ray Dunaway show and Jim Vicevich program weekday mornings, before moving to nationally syndicated programs, including Rush Limbaugh, for the remainder of the broadast day.

WNPR, part of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, has locally originated talk programs including Where We Live, weekday mornings at 9 a.m. hosted by John Dankosky, the Colin McEnroe program each afternoon, and Faith Middleton’s long-running talk program weekday afternoons.

There is no word yet on whether WPOP will have local news reporters, as WTIC and WNPR, or news programming beyond local newscasts during the syndicated talk shows.  Those decisions will be made, officials say, as audience feedback to the new format is evaluated and the new program director settles in.  Although iHeart Radio has news and talk formatted stations in other markets across the country, Symonds said the approach taken for WPOP will be “customized for Hartford.”

[Logos for WPOP in its news formats - new logo above left, 1980's logo lower right.]

Start-Up Business Accelerator Program Selected to Receive Federal Funds to Expand Impact

The LaunchPad for Impact is an accelerator program for early-stage ventures that equips entrepreneurs with tools, resources, and guidance to test drive business assumptions and build a business model that delivers peak value and impact. The program, developed and operated in Hartford by reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, has been selected to receive a cash prize of $50,000 from the U.S. Small Business Adminstration (SBA), one of only 80 organizations in the country to be designated to receive the funding. Selected in the SBA's Growth Accelerator Competition, LaunchPad for Impact  is the only Connecticut accelerator to receive an award this year.  President Obama made the announcement this week from the White House of awards totallying $4.4 million. The award includes a $50,000 cash prize to help fund the Hartford-based accelerator, and provides public recognition.  Overall, the recipients represent 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. 

The selected accelerators across the nation serve entrepreneurs in a broad set of industries and sectors – from manufacturing and tech start-ups, to farming and biotech – with many focused on creating a diverse and inclusive small business community.  "The entrepreneurial ecosystem in America is incredibly exciting and very powerful,” said Javier Saade, Associate Administrator for the U.S. Office of Investment and Innovation.  Elsewhere in New England, three Massachusetts programs were selected, as were two Maine initiatives, and one in both Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

Through customer feedback, expert guidance, and a peer network, Launchpad for Impact helps transform a start-up business or concept in to a scaleable model by helping entrepreneurs learn quicker, pivot where necessary, and move forward with a better chance of success. Through peer to peer feedback from other entrepreneurs, expert coaching, and an innovative online platform that captures validation and measures investment readiness,  participants “get the data, knowledge, and tools needed to pitch to clients, investors, and partners. In an environment where most start-up businesses fail, this program helps you get the validation and sound evidence you need to support your business model,” the program website indicates.

Thus far, the program has included 138 social entrepreneurs in Connecticut, helped launch or accelerate 54 impact ventures, and awarded over $75,000 in funding to early stage ventures in the past two years, according to the program website. Participants meet for nine scheduled, in person sessions and are offered supplemental workshops in multiple areas of business development.

In the SBA competition, applications were judged by more than 40 experts with entrepreneurial, investment, startup, economic development, capital formation and academic backgrounds from both the public and private sector.  The first panel of judges reviewed over 400 applications and presentations and established a pool of 180 highly qualified finalists.  The second panel evaluated the finalists’ presentations and pitch videos and selected the 80 winners.

“SBA is continuing to make advances in supporting unique organizations that help the start-up community grow, become commercially viable, and have a real and sustained economic impact,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “Through the wide-spread outreach of this competition, we are able to reach entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country. My commitment is to make our resources available to 21st century entrepreneurs where they are, and these accelerators, also known as incubators and innovation hubs, are the gathering place for today’s innovators and disruptors.”

Impacting Public Policy, Local Fellowships Bring Young Professionals to Center of Government

The ZOOM Foundation Public Policy Fellowship is designed to develop a sustainable public service leadership pipeline in Connecticut by providing action learning opportunities and leadership development training that empowers emerging leaders to contribute meaningfully to Connecticut's public policy. For Waterford native Katie Magboo, a 2005 Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Connecticut who taught elementary school in New York City and Westport for nine years, it was the perfect opportunity at precisely the right time.

“I enjoy policy development work, and I’m very invested in this state,” said Magboo, who concluded her year-long fellowship this month.  Of her work with the state Board of Regents for Higher Education, “bridging the gaps” in the connections between K-12 education, college curriculum and workforce needs, she says “I’ve been privileged to have had the opportunity.” Recalling her work with the state’s Early College Steering Committee, she proudly recites the initiatives that she played a role in developing that have already begun to take root in the state – with more in the pipeline.

Established in Connecticut in 2001, ZOOM Foundation has sought to partner with “exceptional leaders who use a practical, entrepreneurial approach to innovation and change.” The Foundation is concerned with opportunities for impact at both a national scale as well as in Fairfield County. Primary areas of interest are education and the environment.

For the past year, five Fellows worked in the upper ranks of state and local government.  Meg Hourigan in the Office of Governor Dannel Malloy, Karla Lindquist in the Department of Economic and Community Development, Jenna Lupi in the Mayor’s Office in Milford, Katie Magboo with the State Board of Regents for Higher Education and Katie Stenclik in the New Haven Mayor’s Office.  Lupi, Lindquist and Magboo are Connecticut natives.  ZOOM Foundation awarded two fellowships in 2012 and six in 2013.

The Fellowship supports “select emerging leaders to increase their impact through the opportunity to work on high-level policy projects in Connecticut and participation in an intensive professional development and network building program,” the organization’s website points out.

The selection criteria include: intellectual curiosity coupled with a learning stance, entrepreneurial spirit, resourcefulness, emotional intelligence and commitment to public service.  Eligibility requirements include a bachelor’s degree, at least two years of post-grad work experience, relevant leadership experience, and a desire to continue on a path of leadership.

The Fellows “work on a variety of high-level policy projects to develop the insights and strengthen the skills necessary to lead change for the public good,” bringing “a sense of urgency, an action orientation, and a dogged optimism that meaningful social change can be achieved.” The government agencies or municipalities where the Fellows are placed choose the specific assignment and area of focus for their work.

Among the programs that Magboo helped to develop is one now underway in Norwalk.  Norwalk Early College Academy is based on the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) model, which combines the best of high school, college and the professional world.

NECA is a high school plus two years, grades 9 to 14. Within this six-year timeframe, students earn not only a high school diploma, but also an Associate in Applied Science degree, from Norwalk Community College. Graduates will have the skills and experience to step into well-paying jobs in the Information Technology (IT) industry, the program’s website explains.

Similar initiatives are being developed in western Connecticut and eastern Connecticut, connecting local high schools, community colleges and local employers.  In the Danbury area, a relatively recent business in the region is serving as a partner in the initiative, to begin next year.  In eastern Connecticut, major employer Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics, is set to be the workforce partner when that initiative gets underway.

The Foundation notes that “Connecticut has the greatest educational achievement gap in the country and the Foundation has invested in organizations and programs that will cause significant, lasting change and which generate momentum to close the gap.”

Magboo said the fellowship provided an opportunity to “make an impact at more of a macro level, and be a part of positive change.”  Her efforts included research, on the ground application, and program development, working alongside individuals from academic and industry.  “It has been an incredible opportunity.”

Applications from across the nation for the Connecticut-based ZOOM Public Policy Fellowship for 2015-16 were submitted in February, with the newly selected Fellows to begin their work later this summer. ZOOM Fellows receive a salary from the Foundation, as well as medical and other benefits, and most spend a full year working within a government organization or agency.  Based in Fairfield, the independent family foundation is led by Stephen and Susan Mandel.

New Haven’s Prometheus Research Receives Federal Funding, Industry Selection

New Haven-based Prometheus Research will be receiving one million dollars in additional support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and health-focused private philanthropies for their work developing open-source integrated registry software and related clinical research informatics data standards. "The ability to use a single integrated registry platform for both observational and interventional research projects will be a boon to every research center and academic medical center trying to improve data quality while controlling costs," said David Voccola, Chief Business Development Officer at Prometheus.

Prometheus Research provides data management services and web-native data-management software to biomedical researchers investigating autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, specializing in designing and building systems capable of accelerating complex interdisciplinary research and of multiplying the value of research data.

A previous grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, provided support for observational research being conducted in the field of autism.  Building on the success of their Phase I SBIR award from NIH, the new NIH awards provide significant additional funding for enhancing Prometheus' Research Exchange Database (RexDB®) platform with features that are required in interventional research.

Prometheus Research also recently announced that the company has been chosen by the American Optometric Association (AOA) to build a state-of-the-art registry aimed at enhancing care delivery and outcomes for the millions of patients treated by AOA members each year. AOA's Measures and Outcomes Registry for Eyecare (MORE) will leverage Prometheus' open source RexRegistry™ platform, and will securely facilitate efficient secondary uses of essential health and operations data, according to the company.

"Imagine every optometrist in the country being able to collaborate on outcomes for glaucoma management, amblyopia treatment, contact lens-induced ulcers, myopia progression and more using evidence-based outcomes to improve our patient's care instead of waiting years for clinical trials," Dr. Jeffrey Michaels, chair of the AOA's Quality Improvement and Registries Committee, said. "As the primary eye care profession, this is a huge opportunity for optometry and the millions of patients we serve every year."

Prometheus Research builds integrated registries that support biomedical research, quality improvement, education, and advocacy. The company’s registries use flexible, open source technologies.

Six Connecticut Businesses Earn Honors from U.S. Commerce Department for Export Efforts

Four Connecticut companies - Dymotek of Ellington, Jonal Laboratories, Inc. of Meriden, Mutualink of Wallingford and Proton OnSite of Wallingford – were among 26 companies nationwide to receive the President’s “E” Award for Exports, as determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce.  In addition, Stamford-based Finacity Corporation and Hartford-based law firm Shipman and Goodwin were among 12 firms in the U.S. to earn an “E” award for Export Service.  U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker honored a total of 45 American companies and organizations, many of which are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), at the 2015 President’s “E” Awards ceremony, held earlier this year.  The six Connecticut businesses were among the 45 honored.

Among the 45 businesses, Arizona joined Connecticut with the most businesses earning the “E” designation, with four.  Texas had three; Tennessee, Illinois and North Carolina each had two.  This year’s honorees represent 20 states, with 35 SMEs and 21 manufacturers receiving awards.

The “awardees have made substantial contributions to increasing U.S. exports, which are critical to spurring economic growth and job creation,” said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. “Exports continue to be a driver of our economy, supporting more than 11.7 million jobs in cities and communities across the country. Furthermore, these exporters are examples of the historic progress in our export growth. In 2014, U.S. exports hit an all-time high of $2.34 trillion, accounting for 13.4 percent of GDP. By exporting more Made-in-America goods and services, U.S. businesses are growing faster, hiring more workers, and paying better wages.”

Proton Onsite makes hydrogen and nitrogen generators.  Mutualink manufactures equipment used to facilitate collaborative communication between public safety and first response teams at the scene of emergencies.  Jonal Laboratories makes sealant used in the aerospace industry.  Dymotek manufactures custom injection molded plastic and silicone parts for electronics, plumbing valves and juice dispensers. 

Finacity is a world-class expert in accounts receivable securitizations, specializing in structuring, administration and reporting.

Twelve companies that assist and facilitate export activities were honored with the “E” Award for Export Service. Four firms received the “E” Star Award for Exports, which recognizes previous “E” Award winners who have reported four years of additional export growth. And, three companies were awarded the “E” Star Award for Export Service, which recognizes previous “E” Award winners that have shown four years of continued support of exporters since first winning the “E” Award.

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the “E” Awards presentation, which recognizes companies and organizations that make a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.  In 1961, President Kennedy signed an executive order reviving the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America's exporters. The President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

“Only a small percentage of America’s 30 million companies export, and of U.S. companies that do export, 59 percent export to only one country. Increasing this number can have a big impact on the U.S. economy,” Pritzker added.

White House Conference on Aging Has Connecticut Connections

It is a once-a-decade event that will feature the President of the United States and other senior administration officials. The White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA), first held a half-century ago and a key driver of federal policy towards the nation’s seniors, will be a conference reliant on digital technology befitting 2015. Rather than having delegates from throughout the nation stream into Washington, D.C., Americans are asked to watch events unfold via live stream – either at home, or by getting together with co-workers or people from their local communities.  Officials note that more than 600 public and private Watch Parties—in every state—have been organized and registered with WHCOA.

According to the WHCOA website, there are four “watch party” sites in Connecticut, where people can gather to watch the live video feed together. The sites are in Hamden at the Whitney Center, in Norwalk at Home Care 100, in Waterbury at the Western CT Area Agency on Aging, and in West Hartford at Hebrew Healthcare.  The WHCOA has produced a Watch Party Discussion Guide to encourage dialogue during the event, in addition to listening to speeches emanating from the White House.

Earlier this year, regional forums leading up to the WHCOA were held in Tampa, Phoenix, Seattle, Cleveland and Boston.  Lisa Ryerson, President, AARP Foundation President, moderated the panel in Boston, which explored the topics of healthy aging and long-term services and supports. Panelists included Jewel Mullen, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health and President, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.  The Boston  Regional Forum, held on May 28, 2015, was the fifth and last in the series of regional forums, coordinated with the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, a coalition of more than 70 of the nation’s leading organizations serving older Americans.

In addition, Connecticut’s Department on Aging, Legislative Committee on Aging and Commission on Aging held a public hearing in May at the Legislative Office Building highlighting issues impacting the state’s seniors, with the testimony from that day being shared with WHCOA officials. Connecticut officials noted that Connecticut is undergoing a “permanent and historic transformation” in its demographics, and currently has the nation’s 7^th oldest population.  Between 2010 and 2014, Connecticut’s population of people age 65 and older is projected to grow by 57 percent, while at the same time the population of individuals between age 20 and 64 will grow by less than 2 percent.

Monday's WHCOA  begins with a welcome from Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, being introduced by Bernard Nash, Caregiving in America Panel.  An early morning panel is to be moderated by actor David Hyde Pierce and will include Secretary Robert A. McDonald, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Ai-jen Poo, Caring Across Generations; Harry Leider, The Walgreen Company; Frank Fernandez, BluePlus, BCBS Minnesota Foundation; and Britnee Fergins, Caregiver.

Remarks by President Barack Obama, will be followed by a panel on “Planning for Financial Security at Every Age” moderated by Secretary Tom Perez, U.S. Department of Labor.  The panel will include Jean Chatzky, AARP Financial Ambassador; Vickie Elisa, Mothers’ Voices Georgia; Robin Diamonte, United Technologies Corporation; and Andy Sieg, Merrill Lynch Bank of America.

Diamonte, UTC’s Chief Investment Officer, was voted CIO of the Year in April by her peers in the Investor Intelligence Network (IIN), an online forum of senior financial decision-makers. IIN is part of Institutional Investor PLC, a leading international business-to-business publisher best known for its Institutional Investor magazine.  Diamonte is responsible for overseeing UTC’s $52 billion in global retirement assets, including $24 billion in domestic pension plans, $7 billion in foreign pension plans and $21 billion in the defined contribution plan.

Following the panel that includes Diamonte, viewers will hear remarks from Nora Super, Executive Director of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging and Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

Also delivering remarks or participating in panels are Secretary Tom Perez, U.S. Department of Labor; DJ Patil, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture; professional athlete Diana Nyad; Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General; Director Richard Cordray, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and Stephanie Santoso, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

In addition, Kevin Washington, President and CEO of the YMCA, will be a member of a panel on The Power of Intergenerational Connections and Healthy Aging.  Washington, who formerly led the YMCA in Hartford, was honored last month by The Amistad Center for Art & Culture in Hartford for his leadership, noting that he is the first African American to lead the nation’s YMCA organization.

Throughout the day, individuals are asked to “Tweet us your questions using #WHCOA and we will pass them along to our experts participating on panels at the conference.” People are also asked how they would finish the sentence: “Getting older is getting better because …”? A PDF form can be downloaded and then sent along to WHCOA officials.  Interviews with older adults can be uploaded to be archived in the Library of Congress, and people are encouraged to share their interviews on social media using the #WHCOA hashtag.

https://youtu.be/gdAWa6wNYXs