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In This Issue:
Upcoming Events ~ Welcome New Members
Hiring/Training Programs ~
Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings
HR Corner ~ Health Care Council Update
Chamber New
s
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A Message from our President
December is a busy time of year for everyone, especially our business owners who are trying to keep up with the demands of the holiday season.
Whether it's preparing to host your family and friends, picking up the perfect gift, or reaching for those year-end goals, we remind you to shop local and turn to your fellow Chamber members whatever your needs are this season. When we support each other's businesses and charitable organizations, we
all have happier holidays!
I invite you to take some time and celebrate the season with your fellow members at our
Annual Holiday Gathering on December 19th at the Country Club of Waterbury, generously sponsored by our Board of Directors. We'll have great food stations, drink and live entertainment by the Lori Fusco Jazz Band. We look forward to showcasing our member florists once again as well as collecting unwrapped toy donations for children in need.
The end of a year is always a time of pause and reflection, and as such I would like to thank all of our members for their dedication and support over the past year. You are what makes the greater Waterbury area a wonderful place to live, work and do business.
As always, please reach out to me if I can be of service to you or your business at (203) 757-0701 or at
lward@waterburychamber.com.
On behalf of the entire Chamber staff, I wish you and your loved ones happy and healthy holidays. We look forward to continuing to serve your business, provide new opportunities and face new challenges in 2018!
Best Regards,
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Join Us! - Upcoming Chamber Events
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Tuesday, December 19
5:30 PM
Country Club of Waterbury
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Naugatuck Chamber Annual Meeting and Dibble Awards
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Wednesday, January 10
5:30 PM
The Crystal Room
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Tuesday, January 30
8:00 AM
Waterbury Regional Chamber Office
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YPOWR Influential Business CEO Speaker Series:
Community Cornerstones and Driving Change in Higher Education
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William J. Pizzuto, Ph.D.
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Friday, January, 12
8:00 AM
UCONN, 99 East Main Street, Waterbury
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Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
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Thursday, January 25
8:00 AM
NVCC, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury
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Friday, February 23
8:00 AM
Post University, 800 Country Club Road, Waterbury
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Welcome to our newest members who have joined over the past month*. We encourage you to connect with these members and learn about how you can work together!
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1 Stop Auto, LLC
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Paparazzi Boutique
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A Secret Garden Floral
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Paradigm Services, LLC
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Allure Salon & Spa
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Pet Playhouse |
| Aria Medical Aesthetics |
SAVE GIRLS ON F.Y.E.R. INC |
| Balanced Life |
Seymour Housing Authority |
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Charter Oak Financial-Ryan Caggiano
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Sibby's Automotive, Inc. |
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Connecticut Means Business
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Thomas Salazar Architects |
| Custom Print Design, LLC |
U.S. Army Recruiting Station |
| Linked Media |
West Main Family Dental |
*Joined November 1 - December 4
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Hiring and Training Programs Available
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Do you need help finding qualified workers for your business? Could you use some financial assistance to offset the cost of hiring and training new workers, or training your existing workforce? The Waterbury Regional Chamber is working with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board to help businesses in Greater Waterbury learn more about the available hiring and training programs and whether they qualify for them. This includes providing information on posting jobs on the state's CTHires.com website, as well as information about Manufacturing Innovation Fund Incumbent Worker Training, the Apprenticeship Program, Hiring Veterans, and On the Job Training programs. For information, contact Dave Krechevsky, the Chamber's director of public policy and economic development, at
dkrechevsky@waterburychamber.com or 203-757-0701.
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Join us at upcoming ribbon cuttings to celebrate your fellow members!
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Friday, December 8th
12:00 Noon
Grand Opening!
900 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury
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Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Centers
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Thursday, December 14th
4:30 PM
New Location!
100 Prospect Street, Suire 116, Naugatuck
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*To schedule an upcoming ribbon cutting for your business with the Chamber, contact Membership Services and Communications Director Julie Donato at jdonato@waterburychamber.comor at (203) 757-0701 ext. 325.
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HR Corner: Opioids In the Workplace - What Employers Need to Know
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Why is it important for employers to pay attention to the issue of opioids and the impact that it can have on the workplace?
Employers must pay attention to the issue of opioids because it can have a devastating effect on their workforce and thus their business "Bottom Line".
- Safety
- Financial
- Absenteeism/Tardiness - which effects productivity.
- ADA
- FMLA
- Discrimination issues
- Culture Change of the organization which may affect employee engagement
What are some best practices in terms of developing policies and procedures related to drug or substance misuse and addiction?
- First, you should always have a "Drug Free Workplace" policy - it saves a lot of confusion and legal problems in the long run.
- Next, you should develop policies around injuries and illness discussions, as well as all disciplinary or poor-performance discussions. This is for Prevention and/or treatment. Always give people EAP information whether formal or informal at each interaction.
- Training Managers on how to spot the problem and how to handle the situations as they come up - with calm, objective, dissemination of the rules, but with empathy as well.
- Publicize the dangers of Opioids, and how easily anyone can become addicted.
- Posters
- Company, "All Hands Meetings"
- Smaller Department Meetings
The HR Corner is brought to you by Lois A. Krause,
MBA, SPHR, SHRM, SCP - KARDASLARSON, LLC -
Human Resources Solutions. Learn more at www.kardaslarson.com
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Your Health Care Council Update
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The Health Care Council has grown! Welcome to the following healthcare businesses who have joined the council over the past month. Click the links to learn more about them!
Aria Medical Aesthetics - State of the art treatments and customized beauty regimes just for you. A balance of natural and medical products and procedures to achieve your personal goals. http://www.ariamedicalaesthetics.com/
Balanced Life - A holistic health and wellness center offering meditation, yoga, massage and more in downtown Waterbury. A convenient spot to quiet your mind and be refreshed. www.facebook.com/balancedlifenec
West Main Family Dentistry
- Adult and pediatric dentistry all under one roof! A dedicated, professional staff that provides a full range of dental services in a relaxed and friendly enviornment.
http://westmainfamilydentistry.com/
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Is your company interested in the Health Care Council or are you a current council member and want to get re-engaged please contact Courtney at cligi@waterburychamber.com or 203-757-0701.
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YPOWR Warm Someone's Heart Blanket Drive
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The Young Professionals of Waterbury Region held their Annual 'Warm Someone's Heart Blanket Drive" which wrapped up on December 1st. In addition to the drop off locations at local businesses, YPOWR held a collection day at the Naugatuck Wal-Mart to encourage customers to donate. YPOWR Members then organized and distributed over 290 blankets and collected $250 to support the cause! Blankets were delivered to local nonprofits including
Acts 4 Ministry, Inc
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Greater Waterbury Ymca
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Greater Waterbury Interfaith-Ministries
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Naugatuck YMCA
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The Salvation Army - Waterbury, CT
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New Opportunities Inc.
and
St. Vincent DePaul Mission of Waterbury
. Thanks to all who participated and donated, as well as our business drop off locations: FD Community Federal Credit Union, Health Complex Medical, Mathnasium, Premier Subaru, Seven Angels Theatre, Thrivent Financial, and Urology Specialists.
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Business Matters Workshops
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The Small Business Council and Health Care Council Presented their Fall Seminar Series: Taking Care of Business in the Workplace. The series focused on three major topics facing organizations today: Multi-generational communication, cyber security, and mental health. Attendees were able to ask questions directly to our expert presenters and walked away with key knowledge on strengthening their business in each area. Thank you to the events' sponsors: Series Sponsor: Liberty Bank; Session Two Gold Sponsor: Savings Bank of Danbury and Session Three Silver Sponsor: Valerie Martinelli Consulting LLC.
Learn More About The Health Care Council //
Learn More About the Small Business Council
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Naugatuck Chamber Mayoral Breakfast
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The Naugatuck Chamber welcomed members to Jesse Camille's Restaurant to hear from Mayor Pete Hess at the Annual Mayoral Breakfast. Mayor Hess provided an update on the borough's well-being and discussed plans for the future. It was officially announced at the breakfast that Mayor Hess has been named the receipient of the Chamber's 2017 Lewis A. Dibble, Sr. Award which he will be presented with in January. The Mayoral Breakfast was sponsored by Ion Bank.
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YPOWR Networking Social - Silverbacks Bar and Grill
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The Young Professionals of Waterbury Region hosted a Networking Social in November at Silverbacks Bar and Grill. Attendees enjoyed a "build your own tacos and burgers" station as they networked. All attendees were encouraged to bring a toy donation for children at Saint Mary's Hospital and Waterbury Hospital. Thank you to Silverbacks Bar and Grill for hosting and sponsoring this event.
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November Out for Business
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The Chamber's monthly Out for Business event was held in November at Crystal Rock - Water, Coffee, Office. Guests enjoyed catering by D'Amelio's Italian Eatery as well as a bourbon tasting of Litchfield Distillery Bourbon to benefit the United Way of Greater Waterbury. Attendees who registered early were also given a custom wooden plaque with their company logo, provided by Crystal Rock. An informative Buzz Session was given by Chris Mitchell, Vice President of Business and Customer Operations at Crystal Rock, called "How to Create a Buzz with Your Employees" that focused on the role of strong branding in building teamwork and company culture. All attendees left with a complimentary Crystal Rock goodie bag.
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Watertown-Oakville Chamber 53rd Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner
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On November 8th, the Watertown-Oakville Chamber celebrated three distinct honorees for their contributions to the Watertown-Oakville Community at their 53rd Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner. The Chamber recognized 2017 Community Leader of the Year: Robert LaBonne, Sr. of LaBonne's Markets; 2017 Unsung Hero: Bill Wildman, Sr. of Bill Wildman Floor Covering 2017; and the winner of the 2017 Beautification Award: Hawk Ridge Winery. Guests participated in a silent auction, which supports the chamber's scholarship fund for graduating Watertown High School students. One scholarship supports a student pursuing Business, and the other a student pursing a career in the STEM/Trades. The event was sponsored by: Business Sponsors: LaBonne's Markets, Secor, Cassidy & McPartland, P.C. and Thomaston Savings Bank Supporting Sponsors: Bradshaw Chrysler Jeep, Crystal Rock, Jumpstart Therapy & Fitness Network, Litchfield Bancorp and Traver / IDC
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Promote Your Business with Door Prize Donations
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Promote your products and services and get great exposure by donating a gift certificate or item to a Chamber function.
Donated items are drawn as prizes for our monthly Out for Business events, Young Professionals of Waterbury Region networking events, Out for Health events, and more. Donations can also be made specifically to the annual Malcolm Baldrige Awards Dinner silent auction.
When you donate, you can gain a new customer and your business is publicly spotlighted by the Chamber.
Start a Donation Today! - Click Here
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We're working to promote shopping local and shopping Chamber! Our digital initiative provides the opportunity to promote your business and to encourage your fellow members to shop local and utilize your business. Every month, different members will be showcased- and YOU can be a part of it. Click here for further details and consider which month you'd like to sign up for. Contact Julie at
jdonato@waterburychamber.com today!
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