Re: Press Release
Date: September 17, 2007
Contact: David R. Kennedy, President and CEO, 203-847-4576

United Way of Norwalk & Wilton Announces 2007 Caring Community Campaign Goal of $1.215 Million

Tom Quindlen, President & CEO of GE’s Corporate Lending business and Chair of the 2007 United Way of Norwalk & Wilton Caring Community Campaign announced today a goal of $1.215 million at a special Campaign Cabinet breakfast, held on September 14th at the GE –Corporate Lending office located at 401 Merritt 7 in Norwalk.

He will be assisted by a 25-member Campaign Cabinet, representing the professional, small business, public service, major employers, and residential segments of the community.

“I am really excited about leading this year’s campaign and working with such a great team of volunteers,” he said. “I am eager to get the message out that United Way projects in Norwalk and Wilton are yielding some highly impressive and very specific results. “I am encouraging this year’s team to stretch beyond our official goal and really make this an outstanding campaign.”

Tom Williams, United Way of Norwalk & Wilton Board Chair, thanked last year’s Campaign Chair Nicki Brown, President & CEO, The Wilton Bank and her campaign cabinet for surpassing last year’s goal of $1.2 million. “We know that several of our gifts last year were one time events, he said,” however, last year’s $1.212 campaign should give us great confidence that we will raise $1.215 million this year.”

David Kennedy reiterated Tom’s comments. “Last year, our local campaign for the Norwalk, Wilton and Darien communities was up 7.4%. This tells me that the work that our United Way is doing to help solve critical problems in our communities is having an impact and is valued by our contributors.” He went on to say, “The individuals who contribute to our Caring Community Campaign share our vision to make our communities better the United Way.”

Kennedy said, “Our United Way is working with community partners including city and town government, schools, health and human services agencies, and many more. We are focused on helping children and youth succeed, fostering self sufficiency, caring for seniors, encouraging health and wellness and building strong neighborhoods. United Way is rebuilding so that we can move from quick fixes to real lasting change.”

“Our new work”, he said, “is exciting and rewarding. He continued, “We are proud of our contribution to the creation of a comprehensive Early Childhood Action Plan to give Norwalk’s young children the start they need to be ready for kindergarten. The plan addresses all the things that are important to a young child’s development: language skill development, increase access to pre-school, child nutrition and regular immunizations and parent information and education. And in Wilton, working with community partners, we are seeing results from programs that have opened dialogue between parents and teens and teens and teens relating to eating disorders, substance abuse and depression.”

Tom thanked the volunteers for their commitment to the community and to United Way. “United Way can’t do the work that needs to be done without the work you do to thank people and ask for their support,” he said.

The 2007 Caring Community Campaign Cabinet members are: Tom Quindlen, President & CEO, GE-Corporate Lending – Campaign Chair; Frederick Petrossi, Assistant Vice President, Commerce Bank and Patricia Sweeney, Sr. Vice President, The Wilton Bank, Small Business, Wilton; Brian Noccioli, Vice President, People’s United Bank and Brian Cook, Financial Services Manager, People’s United Bank – Small Business, Norwalk; Christopher J. Jarboe, Attorney, Lovejoy & Rimer, P.C. – Professionals; Steven Smith, Attorney, Lovejoy & Rimer, P.C. - Foundations; Sara Taffel, Director, HR, Labor Relations & Administrative Services, Town of Wilton – Public Service, Wilton; Rob Cashel, Executive Director, Family & Children’s Agency and Chip Anderson, Director, Finance & Planning Services, NEON – Public Service, Agencies; Mary Roman, City Clerk, City of Norwalk and Linda Shield, Computer Specialist, Norwalk Fire Department – Public Service, City of Norwalk; Dr. Gary Richards, Superintendent, and Ellen Andrews, Director of Human Resources, Wilton Public Schools – Public Schools, Wilton; Bruce Morris, Director of Human Resources, and Donna Custer, Assistant to the Director of Elementary Education, Norwalk Public Schools – Public Schools, Norwalk; Dr. Kevin Craw and Moira Craw, Wilton residents – Residential, Wilton; Harry Rilling, Police Chief, City of Norwalk – Residential, Norwalk;; Tom Quindlen, President & CEO, Corporate Lending, GE Financial Services – Major Employers; Mike Gaudino, President and CEO, GE Corporate Financial Services – Alexis de Tocqueville Society; Sarkis Kaolian, United Way staff – National Accounts & Chains; Karen Strickland, Wilton Family Y – Public Relations; Rick Baker, Baker Associates, Inc. – Marketing; Pauline Randall, United Way staff – Audit.

In addition, Tom Quindlen will be leading a team of volunteers focused on new business accounts. Members of the New Business Development Initiative are: Ed Musante, Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Tad Diesel, Mayor’s Director of Marketing & Business Development, Brian G. Fredericks, Managing Director, Principal Financial Group, Rita Stein, Financial Associate, Principal Financial Group, Ray DiGiorgio, President, Selective Benefits, LLC., and Betty Karkut, Director, Membership Services, Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce.