Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com April 4, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 7 WHAT'S AHEAD: ■ 4/11 Focus: Women in Business ■ The List: Largest Women-owned Businesses ■ Nonprofit Profile: CT Council for Philanthropy CALENDAR TUESDAY, APRIL 26 Corporate Social Responsibility Seminar The UConn School of Business in Hartford is hosting a thought leadership breakfast April 26 entitled "Global Corporate Social Responsibility: What Every Manager Should Know.'' The breakfast will run from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the Graduate Business Learning Center, 100 Constitution Plaza, Hartford. In the seminar, Stephen Park, professor of business law, and Caroline Kaeb, professor of business law and human rights, will show managers how to identify global corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues in their businesses and how to minimize CSR-related risk and use CSR for competitive advantage. Global social factors companies must consider in their operations include environmental sustainability, human rights, labor practices and corruption avoidance. The program is free, but registration is limited. For more information or to register, please call Amanda Spada, 860.486.5498 or email Amanda.Spada@business.uconn.edu. F O R A C O M P L E T E L I S T O F G R E A T E R H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S E V E N T S , G O T O W W W . H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M A N D C L I C K O N ' C A L E N D A R . ' A L L C A L E N D A R I T E M S M U S T B E S U B M I T T E D E L E C T R O N I C A L L Y V I A O U R W E B S I T E , H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M . ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & CONSTRUCTION Furniture chain gets state funds to expand Manchester's Bob's Discount Furniture will expand in its home- town by nearly doubling its footprint in the city, while creating 125 new jobs in the next five years with backing from the state. The state Department of Economic and Community Develop- ment will provide a 10-year, $7 million low-interest loan to sup- port the project. State funding may be used for machinery and equipment and leasehold improvements. In addition, the company is eligible for a $1.7 million grant to train employees and up to $11 million in tax credits through the Urban and Industrial Sites Reinvestment Tax Credit Program. The company is planning to build a new 103,000-square-foot building adjacent to its current 90,000-square-foot facility in Manchester. The new building will accommodate future growth and serve the company's long-term operating requirements — consolidating management and administrative functions of the business from across other states within a single dedicated cor- porate campus in Connecticut. Savage to lead MetroHartford Alliance board The MetroHartford Alliance board of directors will have a new chair come April 1 when Joe Savage, executive vice chairman of Webster Financial Corp. and Webster Bank, takes over the top spot. Savage replaces Bonnie Malley, executive vice president and CFO of The Phoenix Cos. Inc., who was nominated by Mayor Luke Bronin in January to serve as Hartford's chief operating officer, subject to city council approval. Savage has been a long-standing member of the Alliance board and involved in a number of its public policy and other initiatives. In addition to his involvement with the Alliance, Savage is a di- rector of the Travelers Championship committee, serves on the boards of The Bushnell and the Connecticut Bankers Association, and chaired the 2013-14 United Way Campaign for United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. H ealth insurance is the most important benefit you offer and it's a big part of your budget. You need an insurance program that not only meets the needs of your employees but also helps you control costs. CBIA Health Connections — the most successful private insurance exchange for small business — is the solution. With Health Connections you simply set your contribution level then let your employees choose a plan from Aetna, ConnectiCare, Harvard Pilgrim, or UnitedHealthcare. From medical and dental plans to life, disability and vision options, there's something for everyone with CBIA Health Connections. Contact your agent for a quote or call 860.244.1900. Who do small businesses choose for health insurance? Richard P. Ramondetta President Alloy Specialties, Inc. Manchester CBIA Health Connections allows me to offer my employees a valuable benefits package while helping to control our medical benefits budget. EDUCATION Tuition hikes approved for CSUS students As expected, the Board of Regents for Higher Education last week approved tuition hikes at its four universities, 12 community colleges, and Charter Oak State College. The proposed annual increases are: CSCU — 5 percent, or $480, to $10,089; Community Colleges — 3.5 percent, or $141, to $4,173; and, Charter Oak State College — 4 percent, or $347, to $9,013. Connecticut State University System President Mark Ojakian told students in a letter sent out last week that the tuition increase is fair given the state's current fiscal environment. He said it keeps higher education affordable without saddling students with crippling debt. A rendering of Bob's planned 103,000-square-foot Manchester facility. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D

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