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October 14, 2022

New Haven Chamber celebrates veteran volunteer, bright business outlook 

PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center's new foundation board chair LindyLee Gold, and Michael R. Taylor, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center’s CEO, the foundation's president.
By Liese Klein

“Ubiquitous.” “Omnipresent.” “Indefatigable.” 

Those were the “SAT words” Thomas Sansone used to describe New Haven booster, philanthropist and volunteer LindyLee Gold at the general meeting of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce at the Omni on Thursday. Those words of tribute and Gold’s role on dozens of boards and committees brought the audience to its feet in a spontaneous ovation. 

“Lindy gives selflessly of her time, talent and treasure to causes and organizations about which she is passionate,” said Sansone, a partner at Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey.

After 60 years of volunteering at organizations across the city, Gold launched a new venture this year, a foundation to support the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center. 

“This center bridges the healthcare socioeconomic gap, of which we have all become painfully aware,” Gold said. “I'm energized by the work ahead and by the impact the foundation will have.”

She was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award as part of the chamber event, which also recognized heritage companies, tech innovators and manufacturing excellence. The 228th such gathering for the chamber, the event also celebrated the generally upbeat mood of the business community.

Chamber President and CEO Garrett Sheehan said, “By any measure, the chamber is doing great, because we have such a strong business economy right now.” 

PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN
President & CEO Garrett Sheehan speaks at the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting on Oct. 13, 2022.

He cited the growth of Avelo Airlines service at Tweed New Haven Airport, ongoing expansion in the biotech sector and announcement of Yale New Haven Health's new neuroscience center as examples of the region’s vitality, along with efforts to train more residents to fill good-paying jobs.

“Our community is focused on inclusive growth, taking steps towards a more equitable economy,” Sheehan said. 

Sheehan also announced the winners of a competition for a $25,000 grant funded by the IKEA US Community Foundation. More than 70 businesses applied for the grant, aimed at helping Black-owned small businesses scale up their operations with investments like equipment purchases, technology and marketing. 

The winners: Renurse Academy, BMP Custom Prints, Oh-Shito Sauce, Gem Capital Logistics and Secured Welding LLC.

PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN
Beulah Land Development Corporation COO Darrell Brooks (right) with his company's Developer Investment Award and presenter Michael Taylor, CEO of Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, at the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting on Oct. 13, 2022.

In other news, the chamber unanimously approved a new slate of additions to its board of directors, including Jess Boronico, dean of SCSU’s School of Business; Eric Clemons, CEO of ConnCORP; Sunny Lakshminarayana, vice president of the Regional Water Authority, and Farrell Simon, senior vice president at Trevi Therapeutics.

“I hope all the upcoming elections go as smoothly as that,” joked U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a guest speaker at the event who is running for his third term in November against Republican nominee Leora Levy. 

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

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