Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1404446
8 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | AUGUST 23, 2021 Melissa Dethlefsen Edward Eric Engberg Jill Duval Age: 38 Company: Hartford HealthCare Title: Director, Social Media and Content Integrations No. of years with current company: 8 Town where I live: Granby Town where I work: Hartford College: Southern Illinois University in Carbondale Highest degree: Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications Age: 39 Company: Whittlesey PC Title: Assurance & Advisory Services Partner No. of years with current company: 15 Town where I live: Guilford Town where I work: Hartford College: Central Connecticut State University Highest degree: Bachelor's degree in Accounting & Finance Age: 38 Company: The TubieGuard and Ricker Duval Title: Founder/President and Owner No. of years with current company: 7 years Town where I live: South Windsor Town where I work: South Windsor College: Rochester Institute of Technology Highest degree: Bachelor's degree in New Media Publishing M elissa Dethlefsen is an Emmy-nominated producer who worked in news at a network level and in local news markets. She is the first Director of Social Media and Content Integrations at Hartford HealthCare. She has brought the brand to life on social media platforms by utilizing innovative techniques. In addition to overseeing social media, she produces segments on social and television partnership integrations, highlighting key strategic service lines to increase patient volumes and brand awareness. Reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: 1. Grew Hartford HealthCare's social media followers by 41,286 across four platforms in just a year, during a pandemic. 2. Produces a television special yearly for Hartford Hospital's Black & Red Gala. This year, it went virtual, recognizing our frontline healthcare workers and raising funds for health equity. The special was simulcast on FOX 61, NBC CT, WFSB and WTNH and streamed live. 3. Have applied my skills as a television producer and successfully created a unique job in healthcare. What's been your biggest professional/work accomplishment so far in your career? I was given the reins to Hartford HealthCare's social media weeks before the world stopped for COVID-19. I was able to quickly adjust techniques to get our message out when reliable information was crucial. During the yearlong pandemic, my team and I created more than 16,000 posts on four different social platforms. J ill Duval is the co-founder and president of The TubieGuard, a medical device company for feeding tubes. Duval developed The TubieGuard in 2014 with her husband, Ryan, as a solution to their own daughter's feeding tube troubles. Duval is also the co-owner of Ricker Duval, an agency offering services in marketing, accounting, business consulting and strategy. In four years, Ricker Duval has tripled in size and helped over 60 companies grow and thrive. Reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: 1. Co-Founded two companies that have been profitable for a total of 11 consecutive years. 2. Was the recipient of CTNext's Entrepreneur Innovation Awards Grant for The TubieGuard. 3. Holds a U.S. patent for The TubieGuard, a medical device for feeding tubes. What's been your biggest professional/work accomplishment so far in your career? Through innovation and determination, I was able to solve my daughter's feeding tube issues by designing a bracket that would stop the tubes from leaking and disconnecting. The TubieGuard has shipped to more than 13 countries, helping thousands of patients and caregivers. What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work, I'm dreaming up new businesses to start and grow; always with the goal of helping other small businesses and the community thrive. E dward Engberg is a Partner at Whittlesey with over 15 years of experience in public accounting. Engberg is an outside- the-box thinker who specializes in providing assurance and advisory services to the real estate, nonprofit and manufacturing industries. Alongside his work at Whittlesey, Engberg is the leader of the firm's real estate niche. He also serves as a member of the firm's nonprofit and manufacturing practices and is in charge of the audit internship program. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: 1. One of the key players in further developing and growing advisory services at Whittlesey. 2. Restructured and now oversees Whittlesey's audit internship program to improve the experience for our interns and hiring results for the firm. 3. Leader of Whittlesey's real estate niche, which I revamped to focus on business development, thought leadership and training. 4. Community involvement through serving boards, volunteering, and making monetary donations. What's been your biggest professional/work accomplishment so far in your career? One of my biggest accomplishments has been developing and growing advisory services for Whittlesey, which assists in building trusted advisor relationships with our clients and adding further value to our engagements. I also lead our real estate niche, which I revamped to focus on business development, thought leadership and training. Whittlesey congratulates our own Edward Engberg, and all the Hartford Business Journal 40 Under Forty Class of 2021 recipients. Ed's commitment to the affordable housing and real estate community has helped our clients successfully navigate compliance, economic, and technological changes to see a better future. ASSURANCE | ADVISORY | TAX | TECHNOLOGY 280 Trumbull St, 24th Floor, Hartford, CT 06103 860.522.3111 | www.WAdvising.com 40 UNDER FORTY | TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY | 2021