『CBIA BizCast』のカバーアート

CBIA BizCast

CBIA BizCast

著者： Connecticut Business & Industry Association
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 A podcast for the business-minded in Connecticut. Interviews consist of business and community leaders who are shaping the future of Connecticut’s economy. The CBIA BizCast provides new content every other week, introduces members of the business community, and tells stories about how businesses are innovating and growing in Connecticut! BizCast provides new content every other week, introduces members of CBIA staff, and tells stories about how businesses are innovating and growing in Connecticut!All rights reserved 経済学
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  • Hall Neighborhood House Enriches Bridgeport

    Hall Neighborhood House Enriches Bridgeport
    2025/05/29
    For nearly 140 years, Hall Neighborhood House has been a staple in the Bridgeport community. “It’s a busy place,” the community center’s director of development Nick Sentementes told the CBIA BizCast. “We serve about 500 people on a daily basis.” Hall Neighborhood House got its beginning in the 1800s when a woman named Sarah Hall opened her doors to immigrant women and children. Hall helped them find jobs and enroll children in school. Sentementes said over the years, the center expanded to serve people across the east side of Bridgeport. Today, the center features numerous programs for people of all ages from preschool and childcare to elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as a senior center, health and dental clinic, university partnerships, and sports clinics. “It’s busy from 7 am to 9 o’clock in the evening,” Sentementes said. One of the center’s most popular programs is its STEM classroom. “We have 3D printers, we have I-Bots, we have microscopes, and the kids really love it,” Sentementes said. “I think they love STEM as much as they love gym.” And Hall Neighborhood House’s impact goes beyond the center’s walls. The organization is working to bring STEM classrooms to Bridgeport’s public schools. The initiative was started by a prominent donor and named in honor of Alan Wallack, a longtime Bridgeport educator who passed away several years ago. Sentementes said Hall STEM classroom teachers train staff at the schools and provide the curriculum and equipment at no cost to the schools. “The goal was to put a STEM classroom in all 30 of the Bridgeport K through eight public schools, and today, there are 22,” he said. “We have eight more to go, and we've had nothing but great results and good publicity regarding it.” Sentementes joined the center after a 30-year career in the banking industry. “I wanted to do something else,” he said. He joined Hall Neighborhood House after speaking with executive director Bob Dzurenda. “I found a sense of camaraderie," Sentementes said. “Everyone's helping each other, sharing their thoughts and ideas, best practices, and everyone's looking to assist each other.” The center has about 120 employees—Sentementes said many of them used the center as kids. “It’s kind of a family environment,” he said. As director of development, Sentementes works with businesses, executives, and philanthropic organizations to build support for Hall Neighborhood House. And he said the response from the business community has been great. “The most rewarding for me is going out and meeting interesting, successful, generous, philanthropic people that want to help, and that makes it worthwhile,” he said. Sentementes said it’s a busy time as the center looks to expand. “We have a waiting list for all our programs, so we're in the process of trying to add 10,000 square feet to our building,” he said. They’re also looking into the possibility of using a piece of property next door to add a soccer field, a playground, or a splash pad for the kids. Sentementes called Hall Neighborhood House a “hidden gem” and said it’s his job to make sure people know what the center is all about. “Our mission is to educate, empower, and enrich the local residents of the east side of Bridgeport,” he said. “So we're bringing in people, and I really don't have to say much—the place kind of speaks for itself.” Related Links: Hall Neighborhood House Website: https://hallneighborhoodhouse.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hall-neighborhood-house-inc./ Nick Sentementes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-sentementes/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/
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    21 分
  • ‘Trying Hard’ to Figure Out Tariffs

    ‘Trying Hard’ to Figure Out Tariffs
    2025/05/15
    The landscape surrounding tariffs and international trade has been at the forefront of conversations since President Donald Trump came back into office in January. Within the last week, the U.S. and China agreed to a temporary pause on triple-digit tariffs as the two countries work to negotiate a trade deal. Despite the pause, the administration’s tariff policies and trade negotiations have led to increasing uncertainty for businesses. To get a better understanding of tariffs and their impact on businesses in Connecticut, Ulbrich Steel board chair Chris Ulbrich joined CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima May 5 on the CBIA BizCast. Ulbrich Steel imports about 30% of its products from outside the U.S. including China and Europe. “We’re trying hard to figure this all out,” Ulbrich said. And Ulbrich added that the economy is just starting to feel the increased costs from the tariffs. Ulbrich said the company recently shipped metal from China at $100 a pound, but by the time it reached the U.S. the actual cost was closer to $300 a pound. He added that the only company in the U.S. that makes the product sells it for $400 a pound, leaving companies with a difficult decision to make. “Then the trick is—the domestic producers—are they going to tailor what they need?” Ulbrich asked. “Will we start seeing them increasing their prices?” Ulbrich added that they are currently “a couple million dollars behind” with costs that haven’t moved down the supply chain. But he said the added costs of tariffs will impact customers. Ulbrich said the way their supply chain flows, it can take six-to-eight weeks for them to bring in raw materials and another six-to-eight weeks to get it out of their facility to the customer. “You’ve got to make the product,” Ulbrich said. “You’ve got to collect the money from the customer.” Ulbrich said adding to the unknowns is what happens to the products they ship to China from Connecticut. “All our orders are basically on hold because the customer, the Chinese customers, do not want to pay 145% tariff on our product,” he said at the time of the recording. Ulbrich said he can see positives from Trump administration trade policies. “We are seeing reshoring,” he said. “People want to buy from the U.S. So there are jobs coming back.” Still, Ulbrich said that reshoring brings its own set of challenges and uncertainty. A lot of the materials they use are not made here, noting that 90% of stainless steel rod is imported. “You don’t build a billion-dollar steel mill here overnight,” he said. Ulbrich also said that a big concern is finding the workforce needed to take on the potential new demand. “Even if all this works, and they negotiate great treaties this week and in the months ahead, and more reasonable tariffs are put in, we need a workforce,” he said. “Where are the people going to come from?” With 82,000 open jobs, Connecticut is already dealing with a labor shortage. Ulbrich said the state can help by addressing important issues like housing, workers’ compensation, and finding ways to develop and get polluted sites back on municipal tax rolls. “I’ve heard Gov. Lamont say, ‘76,000 people, if we can find jobs for those people, that’s 76,000 people paying taxes,’ and it’s wonderful,” Ulbrich said. As the tariff situation unfolds, Ulbrich said its important for business leaders to meet with their employees regularly. “Everybody knows,” he said. “They see on the plant floor maybe the jobs are half what they used to be. “Full communication, I think, helps so much.” Related Links: Ulbrich Website: https://www.ulbrich.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ulbrich-stainless-steels-&-special-metals/ Chris Ulbrich LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ulbrich-66a21b11/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/
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    25 分
  • CBIA BizCast: Taking a Leap of Faith

    CBIA BizCast: Taking a Leap of Faith
    2025/05/01
    Twenty five years ago this summer, The Latimer Group CEO Dean Brenner thought he’d be in crunch time training for the Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He was sailing professionally and he and his wife quit their day jobs because they thought he had a shot. While their second place Olympic selection trial finish wasn’t the outcome they’d hoped for, it led them on a journey to starting their own business, one that is thriving, and helping other teams achieve their goals. “One door closes, another door opens is the cliche,” said Brenner on the CBIA BizCast. Brenner and his wife, Emily, built their business around their strengths and what they believed in–the power of effective communication. Today, The Latimer Group employs 15 people and works with corporations around the world to provide training and coaching to people and teams on powerful and persuasive communication skills.
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    26 分

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