Fairfield County Newsmakers, 2.9.2015

Norwalk economic forum

The city of Norwalk, Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and United Bank officials gathered recently at the Norwalk economic forum, which was sponsored by United Bank. Attendees included Ed Musante, president of the chamber; Dina Devine and Kim Karl of United Bank; Mayor Harry Rilling; Greg Pastor and Kate Eric of United Bank; Fred Carstensen; Liz Stockerm Norwalk”™s economic development director; and Mike Sutton, chamber executive committee chairman and board member.

Arton joins Lockwood-Mathews board

Norwalk”™s Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum has appointed Hunter Arton to its board of trustees. Arton currently serves the city of Norwalk as the community outreach administrator for the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency. In this role, she has received more than $500,000 in grant funds for the recovery of Norwalk”™s homes from Superstorm Sandy.

Arton holds a master”™s degree in community counseling from Wake Forest University, where she also received her undergraduate degree.

Rocco & Associates”™ turkey drive results

Fairfield-based Rocco & Associates Wealth Management Inc. announced the results of its first annual turkey drive. The firm donated more than 500 pounds of turkey to nationwide organizations and $500 to the Connecticut Food Bank, $1 for every pound.

Ann”™s Place appoints two board members

Danbury-based Ann”™s Place, a nonprofit supporting people living with cancer and their loved ones, appointed Wilda Morgan Hayes and Beth Ann Fetzer to its board of directors.

Hayes led Ann”™s Place for 16 years, through its expansion of services and construction of its permanent home. She retired in 2013.

Fetzer currently serves as the community development officer and assistant vice president for Savings Bank of Danbury. She is affiliated with numerous committees, including United Way of Western Connecticut, The Bridge to Independence and Career Opportunities and Danbury”™s Aging in Place Planning Council.

The Sivba Group joins Coldwell Baker

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y., announced Barbara and Arnie Sivba and The Sivba Group are now affiliated with the company”™s Danbury office. The Sivba Group provides residential real estate services in Danbury, Brookfield, Bridgewater, Bethel, New Fairfield, Newtown, New Milford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Southbury and Washington and surrounding communities.

Family Centers appoints new manager

Family Centers, a nonprofit offering educational and human services in Fairfield County, appointed Erin Tishman its manager of clinical services for Darien and New Canaan. Tishman”™s responsibilities include overseeing all counseling and clinical programs serving the Darien and New Canaan communities and supervising the Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids.

Tishman holds a bachelor”™s in psychology from St. Michael”™s College and a master”™s in counseling psychology from Rosemont College. She is specially trained in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression, marriage and family and group therapy.

Mentor appreciation night

The Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) celebrated its volunteer mentors and program partners at its second annual mentor appreciation night, Jan. 28, UConn Stamford, 1 University Place, Stamford. SPEF honored the contributions of Richard Bullitt, community volunteer; Sean Masterson from management consultants McLagan, corporate volunteer; Cynthia Aguilar, college volunteer; and Annamaria Csizmadia, outstanding service award.

Reynolds & Rowella hires Wilson

Reynolds & Rowella LLP, a consulting, audit and accounting firm with offices in Ridgefield and New Canaan, appointed Joe Wilson as tax manager for the Ridgefield office.

Wilson has 15 years of accounting experience, most recently serving as a tax manager for Shelton-based Venman & Co. LLC. He holds both a bachelor”™s and a master”™s in professional accountancy with a concentration in taxation from Clemson University.

Brown Walsh joins Murtha Cullina

Murtha Cullina, a law firm with an office in Stamford, appointed Suzanne Brown Walsh to its trusts and estates department. Brown practices estate planning particularly for families of children with special needs, elder law and estate and trust administration.

She received her bachelor”™s degree from Boston University and her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

WCSU named ”˜Amazing Campus Arts Center”™

Collegedegreesearch.net, a search engine helping students with college options, named the Visual Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University to its “25 Most Amazing Campus Arts Centers” lists. WCSU is listed ninth amongst 10 art centers throughout the nation.

Commonfund appoints two

Wilton-based Commonfund, an investment manager for institutional investors, appointed Brian Rondeau as director of risk management and Alex Gurvich as director of the asset management group for its risk management and investment teams.

Prior to joining, Rondeau served as vice president of risk at Harvard Management Co. Gurvich recently served as managing partner and quantitative equity portfolio manager for The Rockledge Group. He is currently a doctorate candidate in the financial engineering program at Stevens Institute of Technology.

The Kennedy Center receives $15,000 for caregiver program

Fairfield County Community Foundation donated $15,000 to Trumbull”™s The Kennedy Center, a nonprofit rehabilitation for people with disabilities and special needs, for its Caring for the Caregiver program. The program teaches adult children with disabilities to assume caregiving roles of their elderly parents, who act as their caregivers. The program has helped 551 families since its inception in 2003.

Law firm donates to Homes with Hope

Berchem, Moses & Devlin PC, a law firm with offices in Milford, Norwalk and Westport, donated $1,000 to Westport-based Homes for Hope, a nonprofit. Homes for Hope provides food, emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing and other services to those affected by homelessness.

Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.