For an evening dubbed “the art of leadership,” in Fairfield County few settings are better than the architectural gem that is High Ridge Park Corporate Center.
Alongside sponsors ConnectiCare and Hotel Zero Degrees in Stamford, the Fairfield County Business Journal will host the seventh annual 40 Under 40 Awards at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, in an event organized by Co-Communications which has offices in Farmington and Mount Kisco, N.Y.
The event will be held at One High Ridge Park, one of multiple buildings in the campus designed by Victor Bisharat and managed by George Comfort & Sons, and which once served as the headquarters of MeadWestvaco.
Helping to hand out the awards as master of ceremonies is Joe Connolly, who airs the daily Wall Street Journal business report on CBS Radio 880 in New York City and who previously was press secretary for former U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd.
Also lending his voice as keynote speaker is Jay Walker, the founder of Norwalk-based Priceline.com Inc. and CEO of Walker Digital, a developer of software and systems for use in ecommerce, payment systems and other applications that also has its headquarters in High Ridge Park. Walker Digital grabbed national headlines in April by launching patent lawsuits against major software and Internet companies like Apple Inc., Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
Under the arts theme, the event will also include a showcase of emerging artists sponsored by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and a “Taste of Fairfield County” highlighting fare from area restaurants.
For the 240 winners in previous years ”“ including some who have teetered over the edge of 40 years by now ”“ a VIP lounge is set aside for pre-event networking. In the past year, former 40 Under 40 winner Mia Schipani has set up groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to allow others to continue networking throughout the year and last October hosted an alumni reunion at the Hotel Zero Degrees in Stamford.
The 40 Under 40 Awards recognize creative young professionals who are dedicated to personal and professional development, as well as community involvement. A judging panel looks for those who serve as role models for their peers and are motivated to succeed as leaders in their distinct fields.
Business publications throughout the U.S. sponsor similar events during the year, including those owned by Charlotte, N.C.-based American City Business Journals, Detroit-based Crain Communications Inc. and the Westchester County Business Journal and HVBiz, both sister papers of the Fairfield County Business Journal covering New York”™s lower Hudson River valley.
Event tickets can be purchased from Beverly Visosky at (914) 694-3600 ext. 3027 or at bvisosky@westfairinc.com.
