CBIA Honors Family Businesses

Sixteen members of 10 family-owned firms recognized at annual event

On Oct. 1, CBIA honored 16 employees representing 10 family-owned firms at the 2014 Family Business Celebration at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. The event, which drew 130 attendees, is designed to spotlight the achievements and successes of a key component of the state’s economy.

“We see a critical need to highlight the significance of family businesses as an essential part of the economic, cultural, and social fabric of our state,” says Mark Soycher, CBIA’s HR counsel and coordinator of CBIA’s services to family-owned firms. “Celebrating the success of Connecticut’s family businesses is an important means of raising the visibility of their accomplishments for all to see.”

The event was part of CBIA’s Family Business Program, launched in 2012 to support and grow the state’s thousands of family-owned firms. Sponsored by First Niagara Bank, CohnReznick, and Reid and Riege P.C., the program coordinates resources from its sponsors and others to provide thought-provoking leadership and forums celebrating the success of Connecticut’s family businesses while addressing the challenges unique to the family-owned and family-run model.

2014 Family Business Celebration Honorees

Amodex Products Inc., Bridgeport (Peter Dacey, director of operations; Alexander Dacey, director of marketing and sales; Nicolas Dacey, director of IT and customer relations)

Bigelow Tea, Fairfield (Jim Gildea, plant manager, Fairfield facility)

City Line Florist Inc., Trumbull (Carl Roehrich, president; Susan Palazzo, vice president)

East River Energy, Guilford (company as a whole)

Hubbard-Hall Inc., Waterbury (Martha Carrejo, senior customer service advisor; Linda Miele, tank farm manager; Donna Fusco, credit manager; Lynn Cuttitta, executive assistant to the chairman and president)

Interpreters and Translators Inc., Manchester (Jim Love, COO)

Paine’s Recycling & Rubbish Removal, East Granby (Russ Paine, vice president)

Ragozzino Foods Inc., Meriden (Boguslaw Szarwacki, plant manager)

The Siemon Company, Watertown (Paul Knickerbocker, plant engineering and facilities manager)

Spectrum Associates Inc., Milford (Gary Brelsford, general manager)

To view photos of the honorees, click here.