Fairfield County 40 Under 40 event celebrates small business

Some 350 people turned out at The Palace theater in Stamford to help celebrate 40 professionals from all walks of life who have accomplished much before the age of 40.

“The economy is being built from the ground up by small businesses like yours,” said Joe Connolly, of The Wall Street Journal and WCBS Newsradio 880, in his keynote speech at the June 19 Fairfield County 40 Under 40 event.

Connolly lauded the forthrightness of businesspeople in assisting their colleagues.

“Business owners are more generous than I ever could have imagined in sharing their secrets of success with others,” Connolly said.

He pointed out that while he might not be an entrepreneur, “I love covering entrepreneurs. I love covering businesspeople.”

The reason?

“Businesspeople are optimists.”

The award-winning newsman, who has interviewed countless people over the years, said one top businessperson told him he never met a “wealthy pessimist.”

Connolly himself said, “I believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. I believe there is an instinct to see possibility.”

Offering his own advice to the winners and audience at large, Connolly said, “Keep your ears open, continue to educate and teach your employees ”¦ keep growing.”

Those receiving awards were Fahad Ahmed, compliance and privacy officer, Bridgeport and Greenwich hospitals of Yale New Haven Health System; Jeffrey Alexander, vice president of Commerce Packaging Corp., Norwalk; Alison P. Baker, attorney with Shipman & Goodwin L.L.P., Stamford; Brian Bidolli, executive director, Greater Bridgeport Regional Council; Victoria F. Bolton, executive director, wealth adviser with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Greenwich; John P. Bonora, senior vice president ”” chief risk and credit officer, First County Bank, Stamford; Jason Boyea, partner, Finn Dixon & Herling L.L.P., Stamford; Spruille S. Braden, Americas Head of Business Continuity Management, UBS, Stamford; Rebecca B. Brown, partner, Shipman & Goodwin L.L.P., Stamford; Brian Falkowski, small business banker, vice president, First Niagara Bank, Norwalk; Trish Fontes, vice president, branch manager, First Niagara Bank, Shelton; Joshua Forler, director of continuous improvement, Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich; Robert A. Gambardella, owner, Concierge Tax Services L.L.C., Shelton; Edward Gormbley, managing partner, Workforce Partners, Norwalk; Daniel Granucci, vice president, senior financial consultant, Webster Bank, Stamford; Peter Hall, senior adviser, Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services, Danbury; Alison Held, clinical nutritionist, Healthful Direction, Westport; Marc Hoffman, owner, Hoffman Education and Marc Hoffman-LD Advocate, Stamford; Francis S. Infurchia Jr., senior manager, Francis S. Infurchia & Co. L.L.C., Norwalk; David Kooris, director, Office of Planning and Economic Development, Bridgeport; Ashley Krauss, owner, A Little Something White Bridal Couture, Darien; Vincent Lariccia, detective/sniper, team leader/instructor, Bridgeport Police Department; Kerri Mandelker, senior clinical analyst, HER Concepts, Ridgefield; Louis H. Marino, chief financial officer and senior vice president, Generation Partners, Greenwich; Bruce T. Moore Jr., vice president of operations, Eastern Land Management Inc., Stamford; Bryan Morris, Realtor, William Pitt Sotheby”™s International Realty, Darien; Anna Nelmes-Stoughton, principal, Six to Six Magnet School ”” Cooperative Educational Services, Bridgeport; James N. Parker, associate vice president investments, The Gellmann and Parker Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors L.L.C., Old Greenwich; Angela Pellegrini, quality assurance project manager, American Halal Co. Inc., Stamford; Christopher J. Pia, financial services professional, Pinnacle Strategies Inc., Stratford; Kelly Pia, leasing manager, Seaborad Properties, Stamford; Shaye Roscoe, executive director, Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Shelton; Courtney Rose, marketing manager, GE Capital, Norwalk; Nicholas Ruickoldt, broker/agent, The Russell Agency, Southport; Justin Shaw, owner, JCS Construction Group, Stamford; Steven J. Stafstrom Jr., attorney, Pullman & Comley L.L.C., Bridgeport; Jimmy Tickey, founder, JWNonline.com, Shelton; Elikem Tomety Archer, director, Middle East and Africa Partnerships, AmeriCares, Stamford; Katherine B. Vadasdi, orthopedic surgeon, Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists P.C., Greenwich; Mark A. Vitale, attending orthopedic surgeon, ONS P.C., Greenwich; and Dan Viteri, art and digital director, Westfair Communications Inc. and Fairfield County Business Journal.

Criteria for the awards are:

Ӣ Dynamism, leadership.

Ӣ Community involvement.

Ӣ Evidence of growth.

Ӣ Business accomplishments.

”¢ “Star quality” that sets the particular candidate apart from others in their business/industry.

Ӣ And last but not least, must be under the age of 40.

Sponsors of the event were the Bruce Museum in Greenwich; Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co.; First County Bank in Stamford; Greenwich Hospital, Yale New Haven Health; Heineken USA Inc; Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich; ONS, Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists; Stew Leonard”™s; Fairfield County Business Journal; and The Palace, Stamford Center for the Arts.

Food for the event was supplied by Anna”™s Cakery in Norwalk; Berkshire Brewery Co. in South Deerfield, Mass.; G&K Sweet Foods L.L.C. in Peekskill, N.Y.; The Italian Center of Stamford; Matsu Sushi restaurant in Westport; New Canaan Olive Oil; P.F. Chang”™s; Station Eats in New Canaan; Tito”™s Handmade Vodka; and Bigelow Tea in Fairfield.