In brief

Transwestern has opened a Greenwich office.

Texas-based commercial real estate investing, development and operating company Transwestern has established a corporate office in Greenwich.

In late 2010, Transwestern completed a strategic expansion into New York City through the creation of the firm”™s Northeast region. Tom Ashforth, former senior vice president of the The Ashforth Company in Stamford, will lead the Greenwich office located at One Fawcett Place.

Ashforth said the Greenwich office will represent both tenants and landlords and provide strategic investment services to buyers and sellers of commercial real estate in Fairfield and Westchester counties.

With the opening of the Greenwich office, Transwestern now operates 29 corporate offices across the U.S. and currently leases and manages more than 1,200 properties. In 2010, Transwestern completed leasing, sales and finance transactions totaling $4.3 billion.

 

Startup Weekend planned

The new Connecticut business startup-focused event,  Startup Weekend Hartford, has been planned for September.

Nicholas Bereza, one of the organizers of Startup Weekend Hartford, said the goal is for entrepreneurs with an idea to develop a business model through the event. Bereza said he expects hundreds of entrepreneurs to turn out at the inaugural event, to be held Sept. 23-25 at the Hartford Public Library at 500 Main St.

While this is the first Startup Weekend to be held in Connecticut, there have been several on the East Coast since the event began four years ago. Startup Weekend Hartford is being organized by the MetroHartford Alliance’s Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs and is being presented by Connecticut Light and Power Company and Yankee Gas. For more information visit hartford.startupweekend.org.

Olympus expands portfolio

Stamford-based Olympus Partners has acquired FFR-DSI Inc.

Twinsburg, OH-based FFR-DSI, a designer and supplier of merchandising, loss prevention and operational efficiency products to retailers and consumer packaged goods companies, was acquired by Olympus from New York City-based private equity firm Cortec Group. Cortec acquired FFR-DSI in May 2004.

The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

FFR-DSI clients include Walmart, Walgreen”™s, Dollar General and CVS.

Rob Morris, managing partner of Olympus, said the company decided to acquire FFR-DSI now because of national and regional retailers readying to upgrade their stores after the recession.

The acquisition of FFR-DSI is Olympus”™ fifth investment out of its current $1.5 billion fund.

Norwalk restaurant opens

Norwalk-based B.J. Ryan’s owners have opened a new Southwestern restaurant called B.an.C in Norwalk. The new establishment, which smokes its own meats, has a menu that includes shrimp and grits, collard greens, and ginger-caramel snow crab clusters. The 170-seat eatery opened at 16 River St., in the former location of Ambrosia Bar & Grill.