Hartford Business Journal

24 Hartford Business Journal • July 27, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com FAMILY BUSINESS AWARDS 2020 CATEGORY | FEWER THAN 25 EMPLOYEES — GLASTONBURY-BASED ADAPTIVE PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS LLC Adaptive Prosthetics & Orthotics' artificial limbs bring patients hope, joy By Natalie Missakian Special to the Hartford Business Journal W hen Dave Hewett started Adaptive Prosthetics & Orthot- ics in 1997, his goal was to provide patients needing artificial limbs and other prosthetic devices with a more individualized and compassionate experience. Hewett, who dealt with ampu- tees in his previous job working for Shriner's Children's Hospital, knew those patients had already experi- enced trauma, and many were still grieving not only the loss of a limb, but life as they knew it. He believed they deserved more than the "big box" experience that was common among the large con- glomerates dominating the prosthet- ic and orthotic market at the time. "People were complaining that they felt like just a number," he said. "You're dealing with human beings, and I just knew I could provide a better service." So Hewett launched Adaptive, maker of artificial limbs and custom orthopedic bracing and compres- sion garments. He built the business on a simple premise. "Just old-fashioned customer service," said Hewett. "Treating people right, giving them the time they needed and providing good- quality care. By doing that, we just continued to grow and grow." Today, the company he be- gan with his wife in their home of- fice two decades ago has expand- ed to include 18 employees in six locations throughout New England — five of which opened just in the last four years. In addition to its Glastonbury headquarters, which opened in 2007, the company also has offices in Hartford, Waterford, Norwich, Pitts- field, Mass., and Westerly, R.I. Despite that growth, Hewett said the company still retains the easy- going and friendly feel of a small family venture. His wife, Lisa, serves as chief financial officer and the couple's two sons Kyle, 19, and Ryan, 17, help out where they can and are also learning the business. Last year, Hewett brought on his niece, Carly Hunter, to revamp and expand the compression garment division, which Hewett added five years ago. He sees that division as the company's biggest growth opportunit;y, citing high demand from patients with lymphedema, a sometimes disfiguring condition marked by swelling in an arm or leg, often as a result of cancer treatment. "We're seeing quite a need in that area because there are not many providers that have the capability to do custom [compression garments]," he said. Hewett said the most rewarding part of the job is watching a patient rise from a wheelchair and walk for the first time — thanks to a prosthetic that his company made and provided. "Family members are ecstatic. The patient is ecstatic. Literally I've done that probably over a thousand times now, and I still get the same satisfaction," he said. CATEGORY | 25-75 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES — BRIDGEPORT-BASED VIKING CONSTRUCTION INC. Viking Construction's focus on quality yields staying power, growth By Natalie Missakian Special to the Hartford Business Journal I f Viking Construction Inc. had a company motto, it would be this: Always finish strong. "Our clients and reputation are everything," said company Vice Presi- dent Anthony Gaglio Jr. "It's impor- tant for us to leave a good impression." That reputation for quality has been a key to the Bridgeport-based company's staying power and growth, Gaglio said. More than 80% of the company's work is from repeat business, so ending a project on a high note is crucial. What else sets Viking apart? Experi- ence, investment in technology and commitment to community, Gaglio said. "We're always looking at how we can do [a job] better, safer and faster, and make it more efficient," Gaglio said. "We never get complacent." Viking's roots stretch back nearly a century, when Gaglio's great- grandfather immigrated from Italy in 1927 and founded Frank Mercede & Sons construction company in Stamford, a predecessor to Viking. Gaglio Sr. launched Viking in 1991 with his uncle, Frank Mercede Jr., who sold his stake to Gaglio Sr. in 2006. The company has grown to 53 employees and boasts a portfolio of projects, many in the public sector, that run the gamut from public schools to assisted-living facilities, wastewater treatment plans, affordable hous- ing complexes, churches, office buildings and more in Con- necticut and New York state. One of its recent high- profile jobs was construction of the Strawberry Hill K-8 Mag- net School in Stamford, which is expected to open this fall. Another major project underway is the Wil- low Creek mixed-income housing community in Hartford. One way Viking stays competi- tive is by embracing technology, said Gaglio. For example, it recently invested in software that uses GPS to help calibrate site work, telling a bulldozer how far to lower and lift its blades to remove the precise amount of topsoil a project requires. Other technology investments have allowed the company to collab- orate with clients virtually and keep worksites safe through cutting-edge surveillance tools. Viking also prides itself on its community involvement. In 2012, it launched the Viking Construction Ed- ucation Scholarship program as one way to give back to the community. The four-year, $4,000 scholarship is offered annually to a high school senior or college student who has de- clared a construction-related major. Gaglio said one aim of the schol- arship is to highlight the benefits of a career in construction, which like many blue-collar industries has struggled to attract young talent to replace retiring workers. "We're hoping we can pique an interest," Gaglio said. Even as the company grows, Viking continues to treat employees like fam- ily, Gaglio said, with many members of the original team still working there today. Gaglio's mother, Caroline, sister, Jessica, and brother, Chris, also work part time for the company. "No one works for us, we all work together," he said. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Adaptive Founder Dave Hewett working on an artificial leg. Anthony Gaglio Sr. (left) with his son Anthony Gaglio Jr.

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