AccountabilityCT

Bearingstar

Boehringer Ingelheim

CT Aids Resource Coalition

Friend of CABO

Green Ink Communications

Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective

Keller Williams - Jo Mineo

Law Offices of Victoria Ferrara

Mary C Pugh - Justice of Peace

Mitchells of Westport

Nurturing Hands

Shildneck & Associates

True Colors

United Technologies

A letter from the Executive Director,
Jenn Tracz Grace

The excitement continues this month at CABO!  By now, you’ve hopefully heard about our Chamber of the Year award from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.  The award recognizes CABO for our “exceptional efforts and leadership within the community.”  When I say “our,” I mean the entire membership, since this award is something that we would not have received without your efforts and participation.  The NGLCC has another important upcoming event: its 9th Annual National Dinner on November 18th, 2011.  We also have upcoming events of our own that we’d like to see as many CABO members as possible at.  In particular, our annual anniversary, business expo and awards event this Tuesday, October 18th!  See below for more information about all these great events.  Once again, thank you and congratulations to all of you for helping make this the start of an even better year to come!

- Jenn

In this newsletter

• CABO Anniversary, Business Expo
  and Awards Event!
• First Ever CABO Awards
• An Evening of Courage
• NGLCC Chamber of the Year Award
• Aetna Healthcare
• CABO Subgroups
• Foxwoods - Experience the
  Wonder of it All
• A True Colors story
• CABOgraphy
  
• Tips from Murtha Cullina
• Special offers from Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union, Comcast, Bearingstar Insurance and The Rainbow Times!
• 2012 Member Directory!
  

A special thanks goes out to Matthew Craver of Talcott Mountain Media, who helped a great deal in writing the content for this quarter's newsletter.

CABO Anniversary, Business Expo
and Awards Event!

CABO’s 4th anniversary will be celebrated this Tuesday, October 18th, 2011 at the Inn at Middletown from 6:00PM-9:00PM.  Each year, this expo has drawn nearly 200 attendees. We have just a couple of vendor tables left so if you are interested contact us today!  We still have availability in our Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union giveaway bags which will go to all attendees.  You can include your promotional materials or literature in these bags for a mere $25 (or free if you reserve a vendor table).  We've also be collecting items form members for a raffle during the expo.  This has been very popular in the past and will no doubt be popular again this year.  There is no cost for donating items in the raffle and we welcome any contributions.  More details can be found on our website.

First Ever CABO Awards Presentations

This year’s Anniversary Event will see the first time we present awards for commitment and leadership in the LGBT business community. 

• The CABO Corporate Leader Award presented by Loughlin Fitzgerald will award a corporation or a specific individual within a corporate environment who is committed to the advancement of LGBT businesses and professionals within the state of Connecticut and beyond. This company or individual should be a champion for workplace diversity who helps propel the CABO mission forward and for the benefit of the CT economy.

• The CABO Business Pioneer Award presented by We Care Computers will award a business and/or business owner for their work in propelling the LGBT business movement forward. This business should be active in LGBT business equality however does not need to be an LGBT owned business.  

• The CABO Community Champion Award will award an individual who is committed to the success and advancement of the LGBT community. This individual could be from a corporate, business or non-profit. This individual should demonstrate a significant impact on the CT LGBT community as a whole.

Join us on October 18th to find out who we are happy to be recognizing as leaders in our community.

An Evening of Courage

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 9th Annual National Dinner with the theme of “An Evening of Courage” on held Friday, November 18th in the Great Hall of the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.  Members of affiliate chambers are invited, including CABO members.  The National Dinner is an event that celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of individuals, businesses, and organizations “..who have the courage of their convictions and have made a significant impact on the LGBT business movement," said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder and President.  Immediately prior to the dinner there will also be a reception and silent auction.  Information on rates for tickets and registration information can be found on the NGLCC’s web site at http://www.nglcc.org/nationaldinner2011.  Come help us honor leaders in the LGBT business movement.

NGLCC Chamber of the Year Award

This August 4th, Executive Director Jenn Tracz Grace and Founder and Board President Dena Castricone were proud to accept the “Chamber of the Year” award presented at the National Business & Leadership Conference of the NGLCC in Las Vegas.  This very prestigious award recognized CABO’s rapid rise to being a “strong and powerful” voice for the LBGT business community.  Tracz Grace said, "This award is an incredible honor for CABO, and a tribute to the businesses across Connecticut who are united in publicly supporting LGBT people and leveraging the community buying power of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people."  The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce characterizes their Chamber of the Year "…as the shining example of what an LGBT chamber or business organization should be….The winner is seen as a role model to other chambers and is a success story that others wish to replicate."  We would like to thank all of the members, affiliates, and sponsors that made this success possible.

CABO Subgroups

Due to the success of the CABO Lawyers' Group in such a short period of time we have started two additional subgroups within our membership.

CABO now has a Realtors Group to accommodate real estate professionals and promote lead generation among each other. Danie Fineman of Keller Williams is leading this group should you be interested in learning more please contact her at daniefineman@kw.com.

We have also started a CABO Marketing-Communications Group where we are encouraging members in the marketing, communications, technology and design fields to come together to collaborate on projects, pass referrals, etc. For those interested in this group please contact Jenn Tracz Grace at jtracz@thecabo.org.

Foxwoods, one of CABO's proudest partners invites you
to experience the "Wonder of it All"

Foxwoods Resort Casino, North America’s largest resort casino and one of CABO’s proudest sponsors, invites members and non-members visit  Foxwoods this  fall and experience the very best gaming, entertainment, dining and nightlife this side of Las Vegas.

Foxwoods’ renowned 7,500 sq. ft. Great Cedar Exhibition Area welcomes the award-winning exhibition Diana, A Celebration that chronicles the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales. On loan from Althorp Estate, the Spencer family’s 500-year-old ancestral home in England, the exhibition contains 150 objects throughout nine galleries, ranging from Princess Diana’s royal wedding gown and 28 of her designer dresses to family heirlooms, personal mementoes, paintings and rare home movies and photos.  This is the only northeastern stop for the exhibition which will run through January 15, 2012.

Beginning in October, six esteemed restaurants at Foxwoods are offering seasonal prix fixe dinner menus.  Guests can celebrate the fall foliage at Paragon, Cedars Steak House, SHRINE Asian Kitchen, Lounge & Nightclub, Craftsteak, Al Dente and Veranda Café with delectable menu items like Cumin Crusted Duck Breast, Organic ½ Roasted Chicken, 6 oz. Filet Mignon or Seasonal Fish. Prices range from $19.95 per person to $45 per person. 

Also new at Paragon this fall is the new “Small Plates” menu, which will offer the same high-quality and flavorful cuisine in smaller portions and more varieties including a range of meat, seafood and noodles including White Crudo Ahi Tuna, Wagyu Bresasola, and Bucatini Sardinia in addition to its traditional appetizers and larger plated meals such as Asparagus Pan Roast, Roasted Onion Soup, Kobe Short Ribs, and Crispy Wild Pacific Salmon.

Foxwoods is always proud to offer something for everyone and welcomes a number of other nationally-renowned entertainers and concerts in 2011, including: Willie Nelson (October 29); Jim Breuer (November 11); Craig Robinson (November 19); Eddie Griffin (November 26); James Blunt (December 2); Jerry Seinfeld
(December 9 & 10); Lisa Lampanelli (December 16); and Kenny Rogers (December 17);
For more information, visit www.foxwoods.com or call 1-800-FOXWOODS.

At Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union, we are committed to serving our members every step of the way. Not only do we offer nearly every financial service you will need throughout the years, we also provide many ways to do business with us. You can bank online, by phone, and of course in a branch.
 
We are a full-service financial institution, with products such as checking and savings accounts, free e-Banking and free electronic bill payer, mobile and text message banking, a Smartphone app for iPhone, Android and Blackberry, VISA® credit cards, free text and e-mail alerts, new and used auto loans, personal loans and lines of credit, and a diverse mortgage program.
 
And now you can open your account online! Click here to get started.

We want to do business with each and every one of you. We are proud to support the LGBT community and hope you and your family choose to do your banking with us.
 
To find out more about our services, visit www.nutmegstatefcu.org. Friends of CABO also receive special offers. Click here to view our CABO Hot Deals.
 
Find out why we are The One for Everyone.

The Rainbow Times produces 3 Main New England Pride Guides:
CT Pride Guide is next

In 2011, The Rainbow Times was the official producer and media partner of 3 major New England Pride Guides (Boston Pride, CT Pride & Northampton Pride) and the Official Boston Pride Map. TRT also produced a 4th Guide for the Rainbow RiverFest and was its official media partner too. In September, TRT also produced the Official 2011 Latin@ Pride supplement along with Boston Pride.

Anyone targeting the LGBT community in CT and surrounding areas could benefit from The Rainbow Times LGBT media powerhouse and its array of services (print media, digital newsletter, website presence, podcast, social media--FB, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Google+, LinkedIn, My Space, etc.). The monthly, along with its :

1. TRT Talk Radio: A Podcast that showcases current LGBT events & activities, educational shows, news shows on controversial issues (in English & Spanish) and much more. A recent research study (conducted by a third party company) found that TRT is the most read LGBT newspaper by the Hispanic LGBT community.

2. E-Blast: The Pony Express carries out your digital service to all e-subscribers and even all of TRT's social platform (FaceBook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+ and more)

3. Social Media Platform: TRT has the strongest social media platform than that of any other New England LGBT newspaper. TRT is the place LGBT people go to to be informed about what is happening. Photos from ALL of New England's main events are showcased via FB, Twitter and others.

4.YouTube Channel: This is a well visited Channel by the LGBT community that keeps growing and receiving hits and comments. TRT showcases events' coverage through it and will continue to enhance it more with future vlogs.

5. TRT website: The website has received over 365,000 hits just this past June, 2011.

6. First Annual TRT Heroes Calendar: To thank and highlight the each Hero's work and dedication to our community. TRT Heroes (nominated and voted in by the community) will appear in a Special Calendar--free to the public--and will be inserted in TRT's print edition.

In essence, if you want to reach the LGBT people & carry your message to New England's LGBT community, TRT is the vehicle to do so because it reaches its target market just about everywhere in New England.

Comcast Business Services:
Transforming Connecticut’s Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

If you own your own small or medium-sized company, your priority is running your business, not running an IT department. Still, someone has to make sure everything works. Luckily, today Comcast is making it easier than ever for business owners to stay focused on the big picture, with its Business Class suite of communications, information and entertainment services. Comcast provides Business Class Internet, Business Class Voice and Business Class TV in a variety of packages designed to boost efficiency and productivity for any size business.

Until now, many of the features that Comcast offers its Business Class customers were reserved only for big companies. With Comcast’s offering, local companies can now leverage the power of our fully converged nationwide fiber-optic communications network, while enjoying the convenience of one provider for all three services, one bill and one number for dedicated, round-the-clock support.

The Bearingstar Difference
What makes Bearingstar Unique?

Our local agency staff is dedicated to serving you. Bearingstar agents are trained to provide a professional risk analysis to help identify any exposures and then customize a protection plan that fits your needs. Providing stellar customer service is at the forefront of every interaction and we strive to ensure that each customer contact is a memorable event.

We are a member of the Arbella Insurance Group which is comprised of one of the best property and casualty carriers in New England. Because Arbella is a regional carrier, they focus on protecting you against the risks you are susceptible to and you can take advantage of their excellent pricing and discounts.  In the event that you have needs outside of what Arbella offers, Bearingstar agents also have access to multiple markets to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

Perhaps most importantly, you get the advantage of partnering with a local agent who lives in your neighborhood and works closely with you as your advocate on all service related matters.

CABO members and their colleagues at work are eligible for a savings of up to 30% on your auto, home, condo and renter's insurance.  Furthermore, we have a REFERRAL REWARD program which provides $25 American Express gift card, to any CABO member,  for each referral that results in an actual sale.  Anthony Cervoni, CABO member and Bearingstar agent, is available for more information on all of our programs.  Email him at anthony.cervoni@bearingstar.com. Bearingstar Insurance. Working with you. Working for you.