Hartford Business Journal

22 Hartford Business Journal • March 21, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com OF NOTE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION CT CHAPTER HONORED The Professional Women in Construction's Connecticut Chapter recently recognized four women in the A/E/C (architect, engineering and construction) industry at their annual awards ceremony. Each of the winners was honored for various accomplishments in their field. The Connecticut honorees included: • Maria A. Loitz, of Bloomfield-based BVH Integrated Services P.C., received the Women of Achievement Award for achieving excel- lence in her field, being dedicated to the advancement of women in the A/E/C field, and serving as a good industry role model. • Sarah M. Giardini, of Hartford-based The Associated Construction Co., received the Rising Star Award for demonstrating a combina- tion of aggressive, youthful exuberance in combination with an intelligent, mature focus. • Alondra DeLeon, of Glastonbury's Gilbane Building Co., received the Excellence in Mentoring award for being a positive industry role model. • • • ST. FRANCIS ALLERGIST RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center acting chief of the division of allergy Dr. Kevin P. McGrath was one of three phy- sicians nationwide to receive the Distinguished Fellow Award by the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). The ACAAI bestows this award as a sym- bol of recognition of achievement and continuous interest in the specialty of treating allergic disease. In addition to his role at St. Francis, McGrath practices allergy and asthma care in his pri- vate practice in Wethersfield. He is also a clinical associate faculty mem- ber in the division of nursing at St. Joseph College in West Hartford. • • • STEP AHEAD AWARDS RECOGNIZE WOMEN FOR EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING Two Connecticut women have been recognized by the Manufacturing Institute with Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards. The awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry. One honoree and one emerging leader from Connecticut have been selected: Hannah Lenoce, a tool and die state apprentice at Cheshire-based Marion Manufacturing Co., was named an emerging leader. At 19 she was hired as the youngest woman state apprentice in the company's history and has learned to recognize areas for improvement and to leverage her education and communica - tion skills to make them happen. Amanda Varricchio, a ground test engi- neer at East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney, was recognized as an award honoree for demonstrating leadership and executing across all missions she takes. She was the go-to test engineer for NGPF-30k flight test assignments, and has been integral to the success of that campaign. ▶ ▶ The United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut recently announced it raised more than $22 million for children and families during its 2015 United Way Campaign. The campaign result was announced at United Way's sixth annual Best of Awards, which recognized organizations and individuals across central and northeastern Connecticut that demonstrated outstanding effort and creativity in leading the 2015 United Way Campaign at their workplaces. Pictured are Karen Perham-Lippman of Comcast and Jaquelynn Garafano of United Technologies Research Center, which helped raise United Way funds at their respective workplaces. ▶ ▶ Enfield resident and Otis Elevator employee, Brenda Ivory-Jones, was one of nearly 100 United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut volunteers from nearly 50 workplaces who read to students in Hartford and New Britain for the 19th annual Read Across America Day. Read Across America Day is a celebration of children's author Dr. Seuss and his birthday. To celebrate this year, volunteers read "If I Ran the Zoo" to kindergarteners. LOCAL TECH SCHOOLS COLLECT 10,000 POUNDS OF FOOD FOR FOOD DRIVE CT INC. RECOGNIZED FOR HELPING UNITED WAY RAISE $22M OTIS EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERS DURING READ ACROSS AMERICA WEEK ▶ ▶ The annual East of the River Food Drive was recently held among friendly competing technical high schools Ellis Tec, Norwich Tech and Grasso Tech. This year, Ellis Tech collected the most donations. More than 10,000 pounds of food was collected by the three schools and donated to the Friends of Assisi Food Bank and Feed the Need Food Pantry, both located in Danielson. Pictured are Ellis Tech's Sustainable Architecture and Masonry trade students. ACCOLADES & MORE PWC winners (from left) Sarah Giardini, Alondra DeLeon and Maria Loitz. Dr. Kevin P. McGrath Hannah Lenoce Amanda Varricchio

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