Business news in brief

Beer battered

For the fourth year in a row, the beer industry has continued to record declines in sales.

According to Norwalk-based Beverage Information Group”™s recently releasedÂ 2011 Beer Handbook, continued declines in the light segment have contributed to overall losses in the industry.

Eric Schmidt, manager of information services for BIG, said overall the market lost about 1.9 percent, a total of 2.8 billion cases of beer.

The report did find growth in the craft and import segments. Higher-priced craft beers continued to post solid gains due to consumers”™ attraction to the flavors craft brewers offer. Imports, which previously had been experiencing declines, gained to 0.9 percent, still 11.1 percent lower than pre-recessionary levels.

According to the report, factors contributing to the declines were found to be rising fuel costs and high unemployment rates among its core consumers.

Schmidt said the growth in super premium, craft, specialty and flavored malt beverage segment is predicted to show positive growth in the next five years. He said premium, light, popular, ice and the malt liquor segments are expected to decline in the short term.

(4) — Statoil, Longhorns team upStatoil and theÂ University of Texas at AustinÂ have signed a partnership agreement providing the university with annual funding ofÂ $1 millionÂ for five years.The school program is the first Statoil has initiated in the United States. The Norwegian energy company, which has its main U.S. office in Stamford, also has a location in Houston.Bill Maloney, executive vice president for Statoil inÂ North America, said through the partnership the company hopes to recruit talented future energy professionals.University of Texas was chosen as a partner because it has for many years partnered with the company in research and technology development, especially in the areas of geology, geophysics and petroleum engineering.Â An outline of Duvian Montoya's art installation.

Track art

The City of Norwalk Parking Authority has chosen four artists to create permanent art installations for the South Norwalk train station.

The team of David Boyajian of New Fairfield, Matt Rink of Redding and Vincent Appel of New York City has been chosen to install their art in the lobby on the eastbound side of the South Norwalk railroad station. Â Norwalk native Duvian Montoya will be creating art for the passenger tunnel.

Funding for the project grant was provided by the Federal Transportation Enhancement Public Art Program.Â The installations will be completed in the early part of 2012.

(2) — Sarah Snow Vitek of Granoff Architects, Lisa Baker of Divney Tung Schwalbe, Helen Harris of Day Pitney, Aimee Wood of Pullman & Comley, Cara Ceraso of Pullman & Comley, Kate Schwartz of Cushman & Wakefield, Allyson Martin of AON, Kristin Hartofilis of Kelley Drye, Robin Faller of Ferocious Media, Paula Callari of Callari Auto Group, Sandra Fitzpatrick of Fidelity National Title Insurance, Mia Schipani of RMS Construction, Kara DeNota-Schiff of Rosenzweig Financial Services and Ellen Cusak of Stamford Hospital.

Red with passion

The Go Red for Women Corporate Leadership Council of Fairfield County was recently founded to bring influential women together to share knowledge and business ideas. The group”™s philanthropic focus is to help create a higher level of awareness around heart disease, the leading killer of women.

Mia Schipani, vice president of business development for RMS Construction in Stamford, developed the group with the Westchester-Fairfield Region of the American Heart Association.

At the inaugural meeting Evelyn Cusak, a cardiologist from Stamford Hospital, shared information about how to live healthier lives and prevent heart disease.