2005 EDDY Award Winners Announced
12/8/2005
New Convention Center, BRAC Team Recognized at 11th Annual Rally
December 08, 2005
CONTACT
Sperry Mylott 860-571-6203
Governor M. Jodi Rell recognized several of 2005’s prominent economic development initiatives last night at the 11th annual Team Connecticut Rally and EDDY Awards, including the effort to save the Groton sub base and the new Connecticut Convention Center/Marriott development.
Connecticut’s BRAC Team, a collaboration of local, regional and state resources and partners, was instrumental in saving the Groton Submarine Base from closure and impacting more than 30,000 jobs and $3.1 billion in gross state product. Their team efforts are considered to be one of the most significant retention efforts in the state’s history.
“While others assumed the closure was a done deal, the team never gave up and for that, I commend you,” said Governor Rell. The organizations that were recognized include:
- The Connecticut Development Authority
- The Connecticut Economic Resource Center
- Connecticut Light & Power
- The City of Groton and the Town of Groton
- The City of New London
- CT Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative
- The Department of Economic & Community Development
- The Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security
- The Department of Environmental Protection
- The Department of Labor
- The Department of Public Works
- The Department of Transportation
- The Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce
- Electric Boat
- The Governor’s Office of Policy Counsel
- The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce
- The Office of Policy and Management
- The Office of Workforce Competitiveness
- SECTER – the Southeastern CT Enterprise Region
- Sonalysts
- The Southeastern CT Council of Governments
- The Sub-Base Realignment Coalition
- The Town of Ledyard
- The UConn Center for Economic Analysis
The Development EDDY went to the Connecticut Convention Center and Marriott, for its contribution to the renaissance of downtown Hartford. When the Connecticut Convention Center opened in June 2005, it created a new sense of energy and momentum in downtown Hartford. Together with the brand new, 409-room Marriott Hartford Downtown, the properties serve as the largest full-service meeting place between New York and Boston.
Accepting the award was Terry Bickhardt, President of the Waterford Hotel Group. “Residents of the state can be very proud of the Convention Center and Marriott, they are a great part of the revitalization of downtown Hartford,” said Bickhardt.
Other area organizations were recognized with Team Connecticut EDDY Awards (short for Economic Development) in categories such as technology, manufacturing and inner- city/urban initiatives. More than 250 business and economic development professionals gathered to acknowledge and celebrate the finalists and their achievements.
The event, hosted by the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) was emceed by WTIC-AM Radio’s Diane Smith.
In the Inner-City/Urban category, the finalists were the Metro Center Shopping Center, Spanish American Merchants Association and Upper Albany Main Street. Upper Albany Main Street received the EDDY. Working along the Albany Avenue/Route 44 commercial corridor in Hartford, Upper Albany’s mission is to preserve, revitalize and support the commercial district of Hartford’s Upper Albany neighborhood. Founded in 2000, this not-for-profit organization has been designated as a National Main Street Community.
The finalists in the Manufacturing category were Enfield-based CUNO, Inc., New Milford-based Neeltran, Inc. and The Metal Manufacturers’ Education and Training Alliance (METAL). The EDDY recipient, CUNO, was recognized for its expansion and jobs creation in 2005. This 3M company added a 100,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility to its Enfield operations in 2005. The campus is now 240,000 square feet of R&D, office, manufacturing, and distribution space, also adding 100 new jobs, for a total of 360 employees.
In the Program category, the finalists were By Kids For Kids/Xerox/CIC Partnership, The Procurement Technical Assistance Program, and the School to Career Symposium – Waterbury Region. The EDDY recipient was the By Kids For Kids/Xerox/CIC Partnership. Working together to support the development of inventive thinking and creative problem solving in Connecticut’s children, XEROX funded the XEROX/By Kids For Kids Inventive Thinking Toolkit, a resource for teachers across America to stimulate kids’ inventing. Several student inventors from the most recent Connecticut Invention Convention won licensing contracts from BKFK to take their products to market.
Finalists in the Project category were Hilton Hartford, the MassMutual Financial Services Bright Meadow Campus Project/Town of Enfield, and StubHub.com. Hilton Hartford was the EDDY recipient. After a $33 million renovation, the new Hilton Hartford re-opened its doors on March 1, 2005. The hotel is seen as another vital step in the $2 billion revitalization of Hartford, and part of an ongoing effort that is redefining the state’s capital city as a convention, group business and leisure travel destination.
In the Technology category, finalists included Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT), Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, and the University of Connecticut Office of Technology Commercialization. The EDDY was presented to CCAT. This organization works in partnership with industry, government and academia to strengthen technology-led economic competitiveness - collaborating to enhance the capabilities of current and emerging industries through innovation, entrepreneurship, and new business creation. Recently, CCAT received recognition in the Technology Alliance Summit Report Card for its technology and entrepreneurial educational efforts.
In addition, the following awards were given:
CEDAS President’s Award was presented to Phil Michalowski, a native of New Britain who early in his career became the Development Administrator for the City of New London, where he supervised a wide variety of planning, economic development and public improvement projects and guided the city through the early years of the Community Development Block Grant Program. In 1979, Phil returned to the private sector as Vice President with RPPW and founded Harrall-Michalowski Associates in 1987. As a principal of HMA, Phil currently serves as the project director for public and private municipal planning and economic development projects.
CEDAS President Doreen DeSarro, who presented the award to Michalowski, commented, “Over the past 40 years, Phil has done it all. He is a consummate planning and development professional who has helped shape the future of many Connecticut communities.”
This year’s CEDAS Community Project Award went to the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, a private occupational school that completed development of their new Groton facility in September of 2005. The Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy has contributed significantly to the local economic development climate. There are currently 133 students enrolled at the Groton school, which has a staff of six. 97 students have graduated from the program so far, with 34 more expected to graduate this month. The close proximity of the facility to the Downtown Groton area has provided the opportunity for students and staff to utilize the many downtown businesses.
Robert Santy, from the Regional Growth Partnership in New Haven, was named the CEDAS Member of the Year for his ongoing efforts to support economic development in the state and CEDAS in particular.
Sponsors of the event included Connecticut’s Business Development Team, CT Business Publications, CT Public Broadcasting, the New England Real Estate Journal, and the Northeast Utilities System.
For more information about the Team Connecticut Rally, visit www.cedas.org.
CEDAS is a not-for-profit professional organization, with more than 200 members, committed to advancing the practice of economic development within the state of Connecticut. CERC is a nonprofit corporation specializing in strategic planning, research and marketing for local, regional, state and utility economic development entities.
