The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut has announced the 2009 Regional Chamber Award winners, to be honored at our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 10:

Board of Directors Special Award
Chuck Seeman, President & CEO, United Community & Family ServicesSmall Business of the Year
Captain Daniel Packer Inne 

Community Revitalization Leader of the Year
New London Harbour Towers 

Chamber Technology Leadership Award
AT&T 

The Chamber will also announce Volunteer of the Year award during the awards presentation.  The 2010 Annual Meeting will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 10 at The Spa at Norwich Inn, 607 West Thames Street, Norwich.

The order of business will include the 2009 year in review, projections and expectations for 2010, an introduction of new board members and the annual awards presentation. The event will kick off the Chamber’s 100-year birthday celebration. The Chamber will turn 100 on March 31 and is planning an event for November.

A heavy hors d’oeuvres reception will follow the meeting. The cost to attend is $35 per person. To register, click here.

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Thanks to all our members, friends, state and local officials, benefactors and sponsors for making our Open House an evening to remember!

Congressman Joe Courtney joined us for a ribbon cutting ceremony at our new incubator space for new businesses, funded by a federal grant. Bill Turner from AT&T presented a “check” for our new Chamber Technology Center.

The raffle winners of last night’s drawing are:

Dinner for two in Octagon at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa:
David Morehead, Waterford Country School

Dinner for two in the Lounge at Octagon at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa:
Ted Brown, SSC, Inc.

Thank you to Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa for your generous donation, and your services during our event. Thank you also to our sponsors: Waterford Hotel Group, Via Panera, Octagon at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa, Gourmet Galley, Pepsi, Mambo Bar & Restaurant, Filomena’s Market Cafe & Catering, Wylee’s Wood Fired Pizza, Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant, Fiddleheads and Tio Juan’s Margaritas.

The Chamber looks forward to working with you all in 2010.
Attend the event? Tell us what you thought!

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A group of local community leaders have organized efforts to respond to the extraordinary humanitarian needs of the Haitian people caused by the recent earthquake. Our plan is to direct financial donations to an established and respected local organization, the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF), whose president is Dr. Jeremiah Lowney of Norwich. Dr. Lowney founded the organization over 25 years ago and is familiar with the unique needs and challenges presently confronting the Haitian people.  The money raised will be directed to this highly respected local organization of impeccable credentials. The HHF is proud of the fact that over 92 cents in every dollar goes to the Haitian people.

 This group plans to coordinate efforts in CT and RI and to concentrate activities in a single week. This effort is incremental to all that has been achieved so far or is already underway. It is not competing with any other organizations’ work.

You can help in the following ways:

Raise awareness with your staff and customers and collect funds.

The following ways of collecting funds are suggested:

Agreeing to a company match for each $ contributed by each staff member

Making a company donation

Collecting cash from your customers

Donating a % of your profits during the Haitian Relief Week

Please click here for more information. 

Please use the following web link that describes the HHF and how the funds can be transferred www.haitianhealthfoundation.org.  It is worth noting that credit card payments by VISA or Mastercard do not attract a fee whereas AMEX does. Any cash you raise will be deposited in a bank for the benefit of the HHF.  Again see the web link for details.

Please visit us at  www.haitianhealthfoundation.org  if you agree to support this extraordinary situation.  We would be grateful if you would leave a comment here with details of businesses that should be contacted.

This is a time for the business community to pull together and demonstrate their civic generosity to a nation trying to survive in the most desperate of circumstances. Please be assured this effort is directed in the most cost efficient manner to the very people that need it.

With best wishes,

Dr. Declan Doogan, MD
Chair of Organizing Committee

Dr Jeremiah Lowney
President, HHF

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We are fortunate to have a company as generous as Pfizer in our community. Each year, they contributes significantly to the good and welfare of our region with their Community Grants program.

Pfizer recently announced their 2010 Community Grants Application Cycle.  They are accepting grant applications now through March 31, 2010 for programs that run from July 2010 – June 2011.

Programs focused on the following priority areas will be considered for funding:

Access to Healthcare
Science and Math Education
Community Vibrancy

Click here for more information on Pfizer’s Community Grants.

Please visit http://pfizer.sponsorwise.com to submit your application.

Has your business or non-profit applied for funding this year? Are you finding there are still many opportunities for grant funding? Let us know here.

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The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, in partnership with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, (CBIA), the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC), and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, has conducted a survey seeking opinions on the economy.

The results, to be unveiled at our Economic Forecast Breakfast next week, are assisting the Chamber in formulating a pro-business legislative agenda for the upcoming session. The survey was sponsored by Citizens Bank and conducted by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) in partnership with the Chamber, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce. 

Jeff Blodgett of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Jason Giulietti, research economist with the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) and State Comptroller Nancy Wyman will also speak at the breakfast, which will be held from 7:45 – 9:30 a.m. at the Radisson of New London, 35 Governor Winthrop Boulevard, New London. It is sponsored by Groton Utilities and held in conjunction with the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

Call 860-701-9113 to register.

Didn’t take the survey? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts on the economy.

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It’s one of the most festive holidays of the year. How are you ringing in the new year? Did you find a great place to celebrate, or are you enjoying a quiet evening at home with take-out?

We want to know what you’re doing for the New Year’s holiday. This is your chance to give a shout-out to a great local restaurant or club, so tell us your plans!

Remember to Buy Local in the new year!

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The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut Foundation provides assistance to a number of area charities through our annual Holiday Gala. One of these charities is the Tommy Toy Fund, administered by the Norwich Bulletin. Every year, the Tommy Toy Fund provides gifts to thousands of needy families so the children can share in the joys of Christmas.

Last year, the fund assisted 6,500 children over 2.5 days. This year, the number of requests increased dramatically. Requests are expected to eclipse the previous number of 8,000 in 2006, said Norwich Bulletin Publisher Paul Provost.

But more toys are needed. Donations of new, unwrapped toys or children’s books are still being accepted at the Bulletin office in Danielson, located at 113 School Street. Please help bring some joy to a child’s life this Christmas, and consider stopping by with a donation. Items for girls are the highest need at this time.

Has the Tommy Toy fund helped you or someone you know? Share your story here.

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The Chamber will be moving to our new regional headquarters at 914 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, over the holidays. We will be closed from Thursday, December 25 through Sunday, January 3, and will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, January 4. Our phone service will be sporadic during that week, so please bear with us. We will return inquiries as quickly as possible.

We’ve posted a photo of our new office below. Leave a comment and tell us what you think!

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U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd recently unveiled his new, comprehensive jobs agenda that will allow businesses to expand and add jobs, access credit, and put Connecticut’s unemployed workers back to work.

Read his agenda here.

Then tell us what you think about the state’s unemployment situation. Do you think enough is being done to put people back to work, and keep people in the jobs they have?

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Non-profit organizations are working diligently year-round to help those in need, but more than ever during the holiday season. The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut asks the community to join us in honoring the non-profit organizations that give so much to others. These organizations will be recognized for the work they do at on Friday, December 18th at the Radisson Hotel in New London at the Chamber’s next Business Breakfast, held from 7:45 to 9:00 a.m.

These are extraordinarily difficult times for non-profit agencies throughout the region.  The Chamber and the Community Foundation of Southeastern CT recognize that our current economic environment has placed tremendous strain on the many agencies that support our communities.  Too often they are asked to do more with less and the important work they do is often taken for granted or goes unrecognized. 

For more information or to register, visit www.chamberect.com or call 860-464-7373.

Do you have a special non-profit in mind for honoring? Let us know here!

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