Autuori and others volunteer at clinic
Christel Autuori was one of hundreds of volunteers at the 2013 Connecticut Mission of Mercy held at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport June 7 and 8 in Bridgeport.
This event, organized by the Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach, provided more than $1.35 million of free dental care to more than 2,100 people.
Ms. Autuori is a dental hygienist who has lived and practiced in Ridgefield for more than 30 years. She has also been active as a volunteer with the organization Cape CARES (Central American Relief Efforts) in Honduras.
Other Ridgefield volunteers included dentists Dr. Randall Baldwin, Dr. Michael Pizzo, Dr.Frank Zarkowsky, Dr. Dana Jones, dental hygienists Kim Abramski, Michele Federico, and dental assistant Winnsa Wen.
Tusk & Cup shows art work
Tusk & Cup Fine Coffees at 51 Ethan Allen Highway and Watershed Gallery have partnered to exhibit the work of local artists at the restaurant.
The new program will include rotating art shows, as well as artist talks and events.
“Our customers have had a positive response to the artwork we’ve shown in the past,” says Laura Ancona, co-owner of Tusk & Cup. “We’ve created a warm, welcoming gathering space here; beautiful artwork contributes to that experience.”
Redding artist Kim Hanna will be the first to show under this new initiative.
“Kim’s work looks gorgeous in Tusk & Cup — it’s the perfect early summer show,” says Jennifer Mathy, director of Watershed Gallery.
Bank names Dias a vice president
Fairfield County Bank, headquartered in Ridgefield, has appointed Sal Dias as vice president and sales manager.
Mr. Dias joined the bank in April 2009 as a mortgage loan consultant and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. In his new position, he is responsible for the generation of residential lending business as well as the recruitment and management of the mortgage loan officers.
He is an affiliate member of the Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors. He has received awards from his past employers for both top producing loan officer and managing a top producing sales office.
He is a graduate of Sacred Heart University with a bachelor of science degree and a master of business administration degree.
Boehringer earns energy award
The Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), has recognized Boehringer Ingelheim as a 2013 State Champion and Northeast Business Leader for Energy Efficiency.
“As part of our mission to improve health and quality of life, we are dedicated to minimizing the company’s environmental impact, conserving natural resources and promoting environmental awareness both locally and globally,” said Paul Fonteyne, president and chief executive officer of Boehringer.
Nominated by Connecticut Light & Power, Boehringer is being honored for its successful efforts to achieve energy savings at its 300-acre U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield. From 2010-2012, the company implemented a plan for energy efficiency at its 265,000-square foot Administrative Office Building. The project included changes to the energy management system’s programming for both space heating/cooling and water heating.
So far, the company’s efforts have resulted in annual energy savings of more than two million kWh per year resulting in cost savings of more than $300,000 and the avoidance of 1,555 tons of CO2 emissions.
The company also upgraded some commercial kitchen equipment to Energy Star-certified models that not only reduce energy consumption but also reduce water consumption by thousands of gallons per year. The company is also installing a gas-driven 100-500 kilowatt micro turbine as an alternative to fuel cells.
Boehringer Ingelheim said energy conservation goals are included in job descriptions, goals and performance metrics for members of the Energy Strategy Team. Recent efforts include energy fairs, electric vehicle demonstrations and home conservation workshops.
“When a business goes all-in and takes additional steps to save energy, they achieve deeper energy-savings and save more money, which allows them to invest in other areas of their business,” said Ron Araujo, manager of Conservation & Load Management programs at Connecticut Light & Power. “Boehringer Ingelheim is a tremendous example of a company that has made energy efficiency a top priority. They worked with us to implement several of our programs and have seen impressive energy savings.”
Harris completes leadership training
Dan Harris, CPA, has completed a two-year leadership training program held by The Rainmaker Academy in Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Harris was named a partner of Reynolds & Rowella, an accounting firm in Ridgefield, in October 2011.
“The two-year, graduate-level program equips senior managers and new partners to move beyond traditional number-crunching to sustainability for their accounting firms through client service and support, accountability and team building,” the firm said. “Graduates are required to communicate the knowledge and skills learned during training to other members of their accounting firms.”