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Newman Named New Executive Director at Lyme Art Association

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The newly-appointed Lyme Art Association Executive Director Joe Newman.

The newly-appointed Lyme Art Association Executive Director Joe Newman.

The Lyme Art Association (LAA) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Joseph F. Newman as Executive Director of the LAA, effective Oct. 1.  Newman will be replacing Susan Ballek, who has accepted the position of Director and CEO of the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT.

Currently, Newman owns a private firm specializing in American fine art and rare book collection management, and serves as managing partner of Treasure Hill Farm, eastern Connecticut’s 97-acre premier equestrian facility.

Newman was previously responsible for new client development and sales for a major American auction house, as well as a prominent New York City gallery.  His fine art career originated in Old Lyme, where he served as director of the Cooley Gallery, responsible for development, sales, and research.  Newman received his Bachelor of Arts degrees from Boston College, graduating magna cum laude, and he holds an ALM from Harvard University.  Writing as J. F. Newman, he is also the author of The Freeman’s Oath, a novel about the inside world of American rare books and documents.

“For the past two years, Joe Newman has been actively engaged in the Lyme Art Association as a board member, serving on committees dealing with exhibitions planning, development, and the launching of our Second Century Capital Campaign,” says LAA Board President Katherine Simmons.  “His enthusiasm and commitment for the mission and values of the LAA, combined with his strong background in the arts and results-oriented style, is a perfect match for the Association’s goals as we embark on our next century of advancing the Lyme tradition of exceptional representational art.”

“The legacy of the Lyme Art Association and its founding artists is extremely important, both for our region and its role in our national art history,” says Newman.  “Together with an outstanding and dedicated Board of Directors, I am excited to help lead the LAA and its Second Century Capital Campaign.  When complete, the Campaign will strengthen the Association’s standing as an art destination for patrons from throughout the Northeast and beyond, and will improve the LAA’s mission to serve as an educational resource for local artists, schools, and the public.  I welcome the community to join us as we embark on an exciting second century.”

The LAA invites its members, friends, and patrons to meet Joe Newman at the Opening Reception of the New England Landscape Invitational Exhibition, to be held on Friday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 8. pm.

The Lyme Art Association was incorporated in 1914 by members of the Lyme Art Colony, which included the American Impressionist masters Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf, William Chadwick, and more.  These nationally-recognized artists embraced the towns of Lyme and Old Lyme as pastoral havens to paint, re-kindle their creative energies, and, via the Association’s celebrated exhibitions, sell their work.  Architect Charles A. Platt, designer of the Freer Art Gallery in Washington, D.C and the Lyman Allyn Museum in New London, CT, drafted the plans for the Lyme Art Association Gallery, designed specifically to showcase the art of its founders.  The gallery opened in 1921.

Nearly a hundred years later, the Lyme Art Association continues to be a vibrant art center dedicated to producing major exhibitions of representational art in its four light-filled galleries.  Annually these exhibitions feature over 2,000 pieces of artwork for exhibition and sale.  The Association also offers a busy schedule of affordable art classes, workshops, and lectures.  The Lyme Art Association, together with the Florence Griswold Museum, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and the Cooley Gallery, helps make Old Lyme the place where American art lives.  The Lyme Art Association is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the LAA online at www.lymeartassociation.org, or contact  860-434-7802 or info@lymeartassociation.org.

SLDW Hosts Program on ‘Women, Equality & Power’

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Teresa Younger

Theresa Younger

The Shoreline League of Democratic Women (SLDW) will host a program titled “Women, Equality & Power” with guest speaker Theresa Younger — the executive director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women — on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton, CT.

There is no admission fee.

Younger will discuss the State of the State for women in Connecticut and beyond.  She will cover women’s healthcare, economic security, and other vital issues that impact women and their families.

As Executive Director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), an arm of the General Assembly, Younger ensures the PCSW’s mandate is carried out through policy, strategic planning and operations.  Before joining the PCSW, Teresa was the Director of Affiliate Organizational Development at the American Civil Liberties Union National Office, where she assisted affiliates throughout the country with management issues.

She is the first woman and the first African American to have served as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut.

Younger serves as President of the Board of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, and sits on the boards of the Universal Health Care Foundation, the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, and the National Advisory Board on Religious Restrictions to Care.

She was identified by Hartford Business Journal as one of “Eight Remarkable Women in Business,” was named 2012 recipient of Connecticut-NARAL’s Catherine Roraback Award, was among the NAACP’s “100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut” and has continually been recognized for her commitment to civil rights and civil liberties.

The SLDW draws membership from the towns of Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Lyme, Old Lyme, Centerbrook, Essex, Ivoryton, Deep River, Chester, Killingworth, Madison, Guilford and Branford.  The SLDW is a social and political fellowship that unites Democratic women along the shoreline, and focuses on issues important to women of all ages.

For more information on the SLDW, email sldworg@gmail.com or contact Kathleen Skoczen at 860-669-7034 or Belinda Jones at 860-399-1147 and visit www.SLDW.org.

New Board Chairman Elected at Mystic Seaport

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Mystic Seaport announced the election of J. Barclay Collins II as the new chairman of the Museum’s board of trustees.  Collins was elected by the Museum’s membership at their annual meeting on Sept. 27.  A longtime executive in the energy industry, Collins recently retired as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Hess Corporation.

Prior to joining Hess, he was Vice President and General Counsel of City Investing Company and an attorney with Cravath, Swaine and Moore, the New York law firm.  Collins is a passionate advocate for health care, education, and the arts.  He serves as the chairman of the board of the United Hospital Fund of New York and is on the board of the New York Botanical Garden among other philanthropies.

An avid sailor, he is a member of the New York Yacht Club and the Shelter Island Yacht Club. Collins earned an A.B. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.  He has homes in New York, Connecticut, and Florida.

He joined the board at Mystic Seaport in 2008.  “We are very excited to have Barclay assume leadership of the board,” President Steve White said.  “He brings a level of professional expertise, institutional knowledge, and a passion for our mission that will help us succeed at developing new and exciting ways for the public to explore our collections and understand the importance of our shared maritime heritage.”  Collins succeeds Richard Vietor who served as chairman from 2007.

White added his praise for the accomplishments of Vietor, noting his legacy. “The Museum is truly grateful for Richard’s leadership during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the institution.  He guided us deftly through a difficult economic environment to not only put Mystic Seaport on sound financial footing, but also to enable us to embark on some of the transformational initiatives critical to the future of Mystic Seaport, including the 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan and the construction of a new state-of-the-art exhibition building to transform the north end of our grounds.”

During Vietor’s tenure, the Museum restructured its finances and operations to become a debt-free institution.  Vietor oversaw the restoration and launch of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan, the development of a new strategic plan for the institution and its collections, the initial work for the new exhibition hall, and the creation and success of seven America and the Sea Award Galas.

The Museum also welcomed to the board four new trustees in 2013:

  • Grant Cambridge, of Pasadena, CA, is a Senior Vice President and a Portfolio Manager of Capital Group in Los Angeles. In addition to an M.B.A. from Harvard, Cambridge has an M.A. from Suffolk University and a B.A. from Bentley University.
  • Sheila McCurdy, of Middletown, RI, has an extensive background in sailing and is well known in the U.S. racing and cruising communities.  She is a graduate of Smith College and holds a M.M.A from the University of Rhode Island.
  • Cayre Michas, of New York City, NY, and Stonington, CT, has long been involved with non-profit and educational institutions and is a Trustee and Secretary for Learning Leaders, Inc. She received her A.B. from Brown University.
  • Waring Partridge of New Haven, CT, is a former senior executive in the telecommunications industry. He is presently the president of the Partridge Family Office. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from Catholic University (U.S.).

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum.  Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world.  The Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT.  Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17.  Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free.

For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org.

Stop & Shop Launches Pick-Up Service at East Lyme Store

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Peapod logoThe Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC, in partnership with its sister company Peapod, the leading internet grocer, has launched a new Pick-Up facility in East Lyme at its Super Stop & Shop at 248 Flanders Road East Lyme, CT 06333.  Shoppers can now order their groceries online for easy pick-up at the store and choose a one-hour pick-up time from morning through evening.

There are no fees associated with the service, no minimum order, and no need to get out of the car – customers can wait as attendants load groceries right into their vehicle.

Pick-up shoppers can also create personal lists, read nutrition information online, sort products rapidly by price or by nutrition criteria and take advantage of thousands of weekly specials.  Stop & Shop cardholders can even shop from a list of items they have bought at their local store simply by entering their Stop & Shop card number online. They can also earn Stop & Shop Gas Rewards and A+ School Rewards points on their pick-up orders.

This new service will also be available at Super Stop & Shop, 99 Linwood Avenue Colchester, CT 06415

The combination of shopping online from a computer or smartphone and picking up groceries from a local Stop & Shop is another convenient option to help fit the needs of busy shoppers.

For more details about Pick-Up in Stop & Shop stores, visit www.stopandshop.com/pick-up.

Two Key Hirings Make it a New Day at the Old Lyme Inn

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Jason Apfelbaum (right) and two of his staff showing off their motivational poker chips in front of the Old Lyme Inn.

Jason Apfelbaum (right) and two of his staff showing off their motivational poker chips in front of the Old Lyme Inn.

Ever since starting his culinary career, Jason Apfelbaum had dreamed of running his own inn.  This summer, that dream came true when he was hired to be the new General Manager of the Old Lyme Inn.

“When I saw the ad, I thought of it as the universe calling my name,” said Apfelbaum.  “Both the owners [Ken and Chris Kitchings] and I were keen on bringing the Inn to its full potential.”

Apfelbaum is no stranger to the food and beverage business.  After earning his Master’s degree in Culinary Arts and Management at the Institute of Culinary Education, he founded his own catering business, Chef & Company, in New York City.  His company became very successful, catering 30 to 40 events a day for large companies such as Google, Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Coach, CBS, and NBC.

Later, Apfelbaum lent his talents to the Morgan Hotel Group, redeveloping their food and beverage program.  He was responsible for the operations of two full-service restaurants, a nightclub, and a rooftop lounge, generating over a 300% gain in profits for the hotel chain.

After nothing but success in the Big Apple, Apfelbaum was ready to leave it all for a chance to take on the Old Lyme Inn.

Two days after moving to Old Lyme in July, Apfelbaum gathered the staff for a meeting. He showed them a Youtube video of motivational speaker Gian-Paul Gonzalez, whose “All In” speech became the rallying cry for the New York Giants as they made their way to the Super Bowl during the 2011 season. (Click here to view the video.)

“In poker, when you have a great hand, you push your pot all in,” said Apfelbaum, quoting Gonzalez.  “I want my staff giving 100 percent — stepping up and bringing the best of themselves every day.”

As Gonzalez did in the video, so Apfelbaum gave each staff member a poker chip and asked them to write their initials on one side and the date on the other.  Workers at the Old Lyme Inn have their poker chip on them at all times, symbolizing their full commitment to their customers and to each other.  Ask any waiter, chef, or busboy for their chip and they will pull it out of their jacket pocket and show you.

Apfelbaum sees his business model like an inverted triangle.  Rather than people working for him, he is working for everyone else, doing what he has to for the Inn.

He told his staff, “I now work for you. What do you need to for this business to be successful.”

Apfelbaum believes that, just like the Giants, everyone at the Old Lyme Inn has to work as a team and support one another.  Everyone should be each other’s greatest fan.

“I think everyone should treat everyone else like their grandma,” says Apfelbaum. “If you saw your grandma carrying a heavy bag, you wouldn’t just watch … you would say, ‘Oh Grandma, let me take care of that.’  At the Old Lyme Inn, we need to constantly be asking, ‘What can I do for you?’”

Chef Jacob Ennis

Chef Jacob Ennis

Apfelbaum hopes that this team spirit will make the Inn a place of “inclusive exclusivity.”  He wants entering the Inn to have both the comfortable feeling of coming home, and the alluring appeal of going somewhere new.

“I want to forge emotional connections and lasting memories with every customer that walks through the door,” says Apfelbaum.  “People will forget what you do and forget what you say, but they will never forget how they feel.”

Apfelbaum promises that everything will be ready by Oct. 1 — and, in keeping with that promise, just yesterday the Inn announced the arrival of  a new executive chef, Jacob Ennis.  Chef Ennis was previously with Relais & Chateaux at the Five Star / Five Diamond rated White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine, and The Horned Dorset Primavera Resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Chef Ennis was named “The Best Chef in the West” by Viva Mayaguez Magazine and the Inn is billing his arrival as a “game changer” for not only the Inn, but the entire community.  Apfelbaum explains, “The Inn is now positioned to offer the best hospitality, accommodations, Jazz (at the Sidedoor) and gourmet cuisine.”

He continues, “Chef Ennis’ menus will reflect “farm to table” cuisine that is approachable and close to the source.  His passion for cooking is enhanced via all four seasons … taking advantage of what’s readily available and market fresh.”

Apfelbaum concludes, “Great service is a story; it has a beginning, middle and end,” adding, “We need to deliver on all three.”

From now on, the check at the Inn will be dropped with a piece of bright, lime green cotton candy to represent a refreshing, new start.  In fact, Apfelbaum insists on calling the Old Lyme Inn the “New Lyme Inn” because, he says with a cheerful smile, “It’s a new day here.”

For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.oldlymeinn.com or call 860-434-2600.