Hartford Business Journal

22 Hartford Business Journal • February 2, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com AccolAdes & More ▶ ▶ Liberty Bank President and CEO Chandler Howard and Bob's Discount Furniture Outreach Director Cathy Poulin recently read to a group of children at Pediatric Care Center in Bristol in support of Reach Out and Read, an evidence-based nonprofit organization of medical providers who promote early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms. Through funding from the Liberty Bank Foundation and the work of the Bristol Early Childhood Alliance and the Bristol School Readiness Council, Pediatric Care Center is now delivering the Reach Out and Read model to their families. LIBERTY BANK AND BOB'S DISCOUNT FURNITURE REACH OUT AND READ ▶ ▶ Easter Seals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut has received a $60,000 Comcast Foundation grant to expand its School-to-Life program, which assists students in establishing meaningful community integration and employment upon graduation. The contribution will support STL's efforts to develop and integrate the academic, functional, vocational, and community living skills of 30 Hartford students with disabilities each year, for a total impact of 90 students over three years. Pictured, from left, are: Dr. Allen Gouse, president and CEO of Easter Seals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut; Clare Kennedy, executive director of special education services for Hartford schools; Karen Perham-Lippman, manager of community investment ; and John Bairos, senior manager of government and community relations with participants in the School-to-Life program. COMCAST FOUNDATION SUPPORTS EASTER SEALS SCHOOL-TO-LIFE PROGRAM ▶ ▶ 3M, which has offices in Wallingford and Meriden, recently gave a $5,000 donation to Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. JA and 3M have a long-standing partnership that dates back to 2003 in Connecticut. Every year, 3M employees take a day away from the office to volunteer at E.C. Stevens Elementary School in Wallingford. The students learn about money, spending wisely and their community. In the photo: Keith Solomon, Nazih Noujaim, Thilo Koepfer, and Joe Struble, of 3M, present a donation to Jeremy Race, of Junior Achievement. 3M EMPLOYEES VISIT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT STUDENTS oF NoTe CPA SOCIETY NAMES "NEw AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO wATCH" The Connecticut Society of CPAs has announced its 2014 "New and Young Professionals to watch," a select group of up-and- comers, aged 35 and younger, who have set themselves apart as emerging leaders in the accounting profession. The group includes J. Tobias Freeman, manager of CohnReznick, Hartford; Katherine McNair, audit supervisor of O'Connor Davies, Wethersfield; and Evan Kalish, tax senior of Saslow Lufkin & Buggy, Simsbury. As a manager at CohnReznick's Hartford office, Freeman coaches younger staff and helps recruit new hires at open houses and career fairs. He is a member of the firm's Affordable Housing Next Generation Leaders Program and co-leader of affordable housing training for staff and seniors. As leader of the government practice at O'Connor Davies' Wethersfield office, McNair is responsible for not only reviewing oth- ers' work, but setting up audit work templates, training, and schedul- ing. She works with all staff members in the office to help them understand what they're doing and why they're doing it, and answers numerous questions thoroughly and patiently. Since becoming a tax senior at Saslow Lufkin & Buggy in Simsbury, Kalish has helped train new staff and interns and is the go-to person for younger tax staff. He frequently represents the firm at area busi- ness and networking events through organizations like Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE), MetroHartford Alliance, and Network After Work. • • • PLANSPONSOR MAGAzINE NAMES USI CONSULTING GROUP TO TOP 10 LISTS Glastonbury's USI Consulting Group has been named to two top 10 Lists in PLANSPONSOR Magazine's 2014 Year in Review. The firm was listed as a "Top 10 Defined Benefit Provider" in the category of "Total of Defined Benefit Plans," and as a "Top 10 NQDC (Nonqualified Deferred Compensation) Provider" in the category of "Percent of Bundled NQ + DC Clients." • • • wIRELESS zONE MAKES ENTREPRENEUR'S FRANCHISE 500 LIST wireless zone of Middletown, a Verizon Wireless retail franchise system, has been named to Entrepreneur Magazine's 2015 "Franchise 500" list. Ranked as No. 231 for worldwide franchises, this year's ranking marks the sixth time the Wireless Zone system has made the prestigious list. The ranking was based on factors including financial strength and stability, growth rate, company age, startup costs, and more. Please Note: All electronic submissions for Accolades should be sent to accolades@HartfordBusiness.com. For more information about the Hartford Business Journal's Accolades Page, please visit www.HartfordBusiness.com. J. Tobias Freeman Evan Kalish Katherine McNair

• Cover