Fairfield County Newsmakers, 3.2.2015

”˜After Hours”™ at the Bruce

“After Hours” at the Bruce Museum, a program hosted March 5, offers evening gallery hours and a variety of activities for attendees with free admission from 5 to 8 p.m. Experts will be available for discussion and questions, including Peter Sutton, executive director; Jack A. Somer, owner and collector of the antique maps currently on display; Tara Contractor, the museum”™s Samuel K. Kress interpretative fellow and an expert on the Hohenbuchau Collection paintings; and Daniel Ksepka, the museum”™s curator of science. Participants can partake in marine tank animal feedings and take photographs with the museum”™s specimen of an American Black Bear.

Patent Properties appoints Litan

Stamford-based Patent Properties Inc., an intellectual property company, appointed Robert E. Litan as chief economist. Litan has experience as an economist, attorney, commentator and analyst and senior government official. Litan received his doctorate in economics and his law degree from Yale University and his bachelor”™s in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Doromal joins Harris Allied

Manhattan-based Harris Allied, a recruiting firm, appointed Lisa Doromal as director of the firm”™s new Southern Connecticut regional offices and lead recruiting efforts for Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y. Doromal has more than 15 years of technology recruiting, business development and relationship management experience.

St. Vincent”™s new location centralizes services

Bridgeport-based St. Vincent”™s Health Services opened a 16,000-square-foot facility in Stratford, St. Vincent”™s Health & Wellness Center, 3272 Main St. The building houses St. Vincent”™s fifth urgent care clinic, which opened in early February. The facility also features a community education center, which will offer lectures and presentations, with kitchen facilities for healthy nutrition and cooking demonstrations. Also planned for this site are wound care and cardiology testing. All services will be opening in late spring/early summer.

Aquarion seeks nominees for 2015 awards program

Bridgeport-based Aquarion Water Co., a public water supply company serving parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is seeking nominees whose volunteer efforts have protected or improved Connecticut”™s natural resources for its Environmental Champion Awards. The company will name winners in five categories: adult, student, small business, large business and nonprofit. Awards include a $1,000 award for the student winner and $2,500 contributions to environmental nonprofits selected by the other category winners. Winners will be honored June 6 at a special event to be held at Connecticut”™s Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport.

The deadline for nominations is May 6. Self-nominations and re-nominations are welcome. For more information, visit aquarionwater.com.

Ability Beyond appoints talent acquisition manager

Bethel-based Ability Beyond, a nonprofit providing services and programs to individuals with disabilities in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y., announced Kim Woulard-Smith as its talent acquisition manager.

In this role, Woulard-Smith”™s responsibilities include managing the recruitment staffing strategy. She holds a bachelor”™s in communications, public relations from Marquette University.

Connecticut”™s ”˜Law Firm of the Year”™

Benchmark Litigation, a national publication, named Wiggin and Dana, a law firm with offices in Stamford and Greenwich, as the 2015 Connecticut Litigation Department of the Year. The award was announced at the third annual Benchmark Litigation U.S. awards ceremony, Jan. 19 at the Essex House in New York. Firms in all 50 states and the District of Columbia were reviewed in the selection process.

Teen chefs battle with maple syrup

Four teenage chefs are competing in Stamford-based First County Bank”™s teen chefs challenge during this year”™s maple sugar festival weekend. Teen chefs work to create the best-tasting recipe, as judged by the public, using maple syrup as an ingredient, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., March 7, Stamford Museum & Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford. The chefs include: Aaron Gruen of Weston, 12; Talia Raich of Stamford, 10; Adaiah Stevens of Danbury, 13; and Sheariah Stevens of Danbury, 15.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of First County Bank sponsoring the festival.

Morstad names Simpson as account director

Greenwich-based Morstad, a marketing and branding firm dedicated to the financial services industry, named Laura Simpson as its new account director. Simpson has more than 10 years experience launching loyalty programs and brand-identity campaigns. Simpson holds a bachelor”™s in marketing from Northeastern University.

Zawacki attends global luxury summit

Gail Lilley Zawacki of Westport, a sales associate affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Westport-Riverside office, attended a global luxury summit at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, Calif. The event was hosted by NRT LLC, the parent company of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y. She was among a group of 35 invited real estate professionals who hold the Coldwell Banker Previews International Specialist designation for luxury homes.

AmeriCares appoints Trowbridge Jr.

Stamford-based AmericCares, an emergency response and global health organization, appointed Richard K. Trowbridge Jr. as chief financial officer and senior vice president of operations. Trowbridge is responsible for overseeing finance, logistics and gift-in-kind distribution operations. He holds a bachelor”™s in history and economics from Tufts University, an MBA from the University of Michigan and a CPA certification from the University of Illinois.

Fashion Week comes to Fairfield Museum

One of James Coviello”™s special occasion dresses to be on display at Fairfield Museum.
The Fairfield Museum and History Center hosts a “Fashion & Fantasy Mimosa Brunch,” noon to 2 p.m., March 8, in conjunction with its new exhibition, “Fashion & Fantasy: 250 Years of Wedding Dresses.” (Details in FCBuzz this issue.) Tickets are available at fairfieldhistory.org and proceeds will go toward the museum”™s educational programming.

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