Gary B. O'Connor, Esq., of Pullman & Comley, LLC, Waterbury, Connecticut
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July 18, 2013 -
PRLog -- The Waterbury Regional Chamberhas announced that
Gary B. O’Connor, Esq., partner with Pullman & Comley, LLC in Waterbury, is recipient of their highly-prestigious 2013 Malcolm Baldrige Community Award.
Jack E. Traver, Jr., president of Traver IDC in Waterbury, is recipient of the Chamber’
s 2013 Leadership Award, and
Virginia Cookson-O’Rourke, owner of O’Rourke & Birch Florist in Waterbury, is recipient of the Chamber’
s 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award. All 2013 winners will receive their awards during the 19
th Annual Malcolm Baldrige Chamber Awards banquet on Wednesday, October 2, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Conn., coordinated by event co-chairs Carmen Anthony Vacalebre, chairman of Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group, and Jaci Carroll, founder of Jaci Carroll Staffing Services Inc. The evening will include a silent auction to raise funds for economic development efforts of the not-for-profit Waterbury Regional Chamber.
One of the largest chambers in the State of Connecticut, the Waterbury Regional Chamber (
www.waterburychamber.com) currently boasts a membership of over 1,100 businesses in the Greater Waterbury region including Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oakville, Oxford, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury. Lynn Ward, Waterbury Regional Chamber President and CEO stated, “Each year we present the highly-prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Community Award in honor of an area business leader. The award is given in recognition of individuals whose commitment to the Waterbury community has been exemplified by their vision and leadership in the area of economic development and growth. Malcolm Baldrige believed in community, leadership and volunteerism. That is why we also present our Chamber’
s prestigious leadership and volunteer awards to recognize individuals who exemplify the globally-recognized and honored world-wide achievements of business and community leader, Malcolm Baldrige.”
A former resident of Woodbury, Connecticut, Malcolm Baldrige guided Waterbury’
s Scovill Manufacturing Company for more then two decades. He was appointed President Ronald Regan’
s Secretary of Commerce during which time he implemented new laws to help American businesses grow. Malcolm Baldrige’
s accomplishments are chronicled worldwide in newspapers, magazines, documents and journals. His name is well-known throughout United States business arenas, and in Russia and China where he negotiated trade talks during his tenure in Regan’
s cabinet. He is acknowledged in America for his legacy of success through quality. Nominees for the Waterbury Regional Chamber’
s Malcolm Baldrige Awards are considered for their role in creating new employment opportunities in the region, for enhancing the overall economic growth of the region, and for playing a leading role in initiating new business or development throughout the Greater Waterbury region.
2013 Malcolm Baldrige Community Award recipient,
Gary B. O’Connor, Esq., a past chairman of the Waterbury Regional Chamber, and a recipient of the Chamber’
s Leadership Award, has been a prominent member of the Waterbury community for many years. In addition to his leadership positions with the Chamber, O’Connor was involved in the development of the Brass City Mall, renovation of the historic Palace Theatre, establishment of a magnet high school for the arts, and relocation of the UCONN branch to downtown Waterbury. A partner with Pullman & Comley, LLC, O’Connor has extensive experience in all aspects of complex industrial and commercial real estate transactions, and he successfully negotiated major federal and state grant and loan agreements in connection with large-scale public and private remediation and redevelopment projects. He serves as co-chair of Connecticut’s Brownfields Working Group. In that capacity, O’Connor has been responsible for the creation of new legislation and funding programs that have made it easier to put brownfield sites back to productive use in Waterbury and throughout Connecticut. Throughout his career, O’Connor has volunteered his time with numerous organizations attempting to stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life in Waterbury. He currently serves as Secretary and Director of Loyola Development Corporation, a non-profit neighborhood revitalization organization and as pro-bono legal counsel and director of the Police Activities League.
Recipient of the Chamber’
s prestigious 2013 Leadership Award,
Jack E. Traver, Jr. is very involved in key leadership roles within the Waterbury Regional Chamber. He has been an active board member since 2010, as well as the Chamber’
s Manufacturing Council and Public Policy Committee. Each year, he plays an active role in the Chamber’
s participation in the CT Business Day in Hartford. Jack E. Traver, Jr. has served as Legislative Chairman of Smaller Manufacturers Association of CT, Inc., and president of theSmaller Manufacturers Association of CT. He is an electrical engineer and licensed electrical contractor, and Traver IDC is renowned for providing "everything electrical" to the industrial marketplace of Connecticut and beyond. Founded by Jack E. Traver, Sr., and his two brothers, Traver IDC specializes in motor repair, electrical contracting, electrical supplies, electrical engineering, and energy conservation, and has been a member of the Chamber for 61 years.
Waterbury Regional Chamber’
s 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award recipient
Virginia “Ginny” Cookson-O’Rourke, has been an active participant and contributor to Chamber activities and committees for over 20 years. Owner of O’Rourke & Birch Florist in Waterbury since 1922, she is president of the Waterbury Exchange Club and a member of the Waterbury Exchange Charitable Foundation. A Leadership Greater Waterbury Alumni, Cookson-O’
Rourke has contributed significantly to the Chamber’
s Fireball Run Committee and the Malcolm Baldrige Silent Auction. She also served on the Business Women’
s Forum board for over 12 years, and has worked on the Chamber’
s membership drive campaigns and helps generate membership for the Chamber on a regular basis. Cookson-O’
Rourke is also a member of Saint Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary and Profnet.
Webster Bank is the Malcolm Baldrige Awards Dinner’
s platinum sponsor. Dinner tickets are $150/person. To make a reservation, and learn more about the Waterbury Regional Chamber visit www.waterburychamber.com, call 203-757-0701, or email to info@waterburychamber.com.
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