The Bridgeport Regional Business Council Board of Directors is comprised of the region’s business leaders. The Board of Directors provides the strategic direction of the Business Council and meets every other month starting in February.
Board members serve a three year term and are elected at the Annual Dinner.
Members of the Business Council Board of Directors, 2018, are as follows:
- Bob Abbate, Bob Abbate Marketing, Vice Chair
- Paul Antinozzi, Antinozzi Associates Architecture & Interiors
- Dianne Auger, St. Vincent's Health Services, Vice Chair
- James Benson, Merit Insurance, Inc., Vice Chair
- Merle Berke-Schlessel, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, Vice Chair
- Frank Borres, American View Productions LLC, Ex-Officio Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce
- Paul Broadie II, Ph.D, Housatonic Community College
- Deborah Clancy, Key Bank
- James Connor, Bridgeport Fittings, Inc., Ex-Officio Stratford Chamber of Commerce
- Tom Dillon, TBD Consulting, Ex-Officio Stratford Chamber of Commerce
- Dana Fiatarone, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
- Charles V. Firlotte, Aquarion Company, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- David M. Galla, People's United Bank, Ex-Officio Trumbull Chamber of Commerce
- Lawrence Ganim, Ganim Financial
- Donald E. Gibson, Fairfield University
- Armando F. Goncalves, People's United Bank, Immediate Past BRBC Board Chairman
- Christine P. Gonzalez, BlumShapiro
- Steve Gulick, Gulick Building and Development, Ex-Officio Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce
- Kate Hampford Donahue, Hampford Research Inc., BRBC Board Chair
- Andrew H. Harris, Bank of America
- Keith J. Hassell, University of Bridgeport, Ex-Officio THRIVE
- Eric Hendlin, Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala PC, BRBC Secretary/Treasurer
- Mickey Herbert, Bridgeport Regional Business Council, President & CEO
- Timothy Hodges, People's United Bank, Vice Chair
- Christopher Hodgson, Berchem Moses, P.C.
- Peter Hurst, Greater New England MSDC
- William M. Jennings, Bridgeport Hospital, Vice Chair
- Jason B. Julian, Julian Enterprises
- Jeffrey A. Klaus, Webster Bank
- Philip J. Kuchma, Kuchma Corporation, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- Michael LaBella, TD Bank
- David Levine, Cohen and Wolf PC, Ex-Officio BEDCO
- John McBride, Higgins Group/McBride Real Estate Associates, Ex-Officio Trumbull Chamber of Commerce
- Wille C. McBride, WC McBride Electrical Contractors, LLC
- Patrick F. McDonnell, UIL Holdings Corporation, First Vice Chair
- Matthew D. McSpedon, JP Morgan Chase Bank
- George Mintz, Juneteenth of Fairfield County Incorporated
- Mary Beth Nelsen, The Right Resource, Ex-Officio Women's Leadership Council
- Sheila Nevins, Ashcroft, Inc.
- Michael E. Niedermeier, M. Niedermeier & Associates, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- Christopher J. Pia, Pinnacle Strategies Inc., Ex-Officio Stratford Chamber of Commerce
- Harriet Polansky, Trumbull Housing Authority, Ex-Officio Trumbull Chamber of Commerce
- Kim Rodney, Connecticut Community Bank
- Ed Rodriguez, Penmar Industries, Inc.
- Neil A. Salonen, University of Bridgeport, Vice Chair
- Thomas S. Santa, Santa Energy Corporation, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- Jorge Santiago, The Milford Bank
- Margaret Sheahan, Mitchell & Sheahan PC, Vice Chair
- Valarie Shultz-Wilson, Urban League of Southern CT
- John F. Stafstrom, Jr., Pullman & Comley, LLC, Vice Chair
- John Temple Swing, The Barnum Museum, Ex-Officio Leadership Greater Bridgeport
- Samuel Tingly, M&T Bank
- James F. Tomchik, Merit Insurance, Inc., Merit-PLC, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- Elizabeth Torres, Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust
- Robert J. Trefry, PathQuest Coaching and Consulting, Ex-Officio Past Chairman
- Christian C. Trefz, Trefz Corporation/McDonald's/Trefz Properties
- Kelly Wade Bettuchi, AT&T
- Douglas Wade, Wade's Dairy
- Karl Wintermeyer, PSEG Power Connecticut LLC
Members of the BRBC Finance Committee are as follows:
- Eric Hendlin, Chair, Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C.
- Vincenzo Fini, TCC Representative, Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C.
- Patty Gallagher, SCC Representative, The Milford Bank
- Lawrence Ganim, BCC Representative, Ganim Financial
- Mickey Herbert, Bridgeport Regional Business Council
- Patrick McDonnell, UIL Holdings Corporation
- Matthew McSpedon, JP Morgan Chase Bank
- Kim Rodney, Connecticut Community Bank
The Finance Committee of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council meets quarterly.
BRBC NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Members of the Business Council Nominating Committee are as follows:
- Merle Berke-Schlessel, Chair, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
- Andrew Harris, Bank of America
- Mickey Herbert, Bridgeport Regional Business Council
- Margaret Sheahan, Mitchell & Sheehan PC
- James Tomchik, Merit Insurance, Inc., Merit-PLC
- Elizabeth Torres, Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust
The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council meets in September.
