Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Induction Slated for April 1

Four of Connecticut's notable leaders, a nationally-known restaurant and a leading Connecticut financial institution - both celebrating milestone anniversaries - will be honored by Junior Achievement of Southwest New England at the 46th Annual Business Hall of Fame Awards induction ceremony on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The prestigious annual event recognizes individuals and institutions for their leadership, success in business, community involvement, and their significant contributions to the quality of life in Connecticut and beyond. The event will be held at the Hartford Marriott Downtown.

Being honored at the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame on April 1 are:

• Joanne Berger-Sweeney, President, Trinity College
• Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean, Wesleyan University and Connecticut Public/WNPR
• Hon. Eric Daniels, Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court
• Robert Olsen, Founder, Olsen Construction
• Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (est. 1925)
• Liberty Bank, oldest and largest independent mutual bank in the U.S. (est. 1825)

"They have each established an inspiring track-record that reflects their commitment to community and determination to improve individual lives in meaningful ways," said Jeremy Race, CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. "We are pleased to recognize their leadership and legacy at this year’s induction ceremony, which promises to be a very special evening as together we will honor their excellence and enduring impact.”

Greg Barats, Hartford Steam Boiler, has served as Chair of the Hartford Committee and Diane Wishnafski, DLW Consulting, LLC, has served as Chair of the New Haven Committee for JA. Both have worked together to plan the April 1 celebratory event. During the evening, Junior Achievement of Southwest New England CEO Jeremy Race and celebrity emcee Brian Shactman, host of Mornings with Brian & Company on WTIC Radio, will present the honorees and highlight the work of Junior Achievement locally. There will also be short video presentations about each of the inductees, focusing on their accomplishments and impact.

The support of leading local businesses and individuals is indispensable in furthering JA's work with local schools throughout the region. Lead sponsors for the Hall of Fame event include: Hartford Steam Boiler (Presenting Sponsor), Stanley Black and Decker (Presenting Sponsor), Olsen Construction (Reception Sponsor), Liberty Bank (Diamond Sponsor), Travelers (Diamond Sponsor), Webster Bank (Diamond Sponsor), Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (Platinum Sponsor), The Hartford (Platinum Sponsor), Hartford Healthcare (Platinum Sponsor),Voya (Gold Sponsor).

Additional sponsors include Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP (Silver Sponsor), Centel Wealth Advisory (Silver Sponsor), Citizens (Silver Sponsor), RSM (Silver Sponsor), and Trinity College (Silver Sponsor). [Sponsors listed are as of February 21.]

Additional sponsorships are available. All net proceeds will benefit JA learning experiences in Connecticut, enabling Junior Achievement of Southwest New England (JASWNE) to continue providing life-changing programs in financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship to students of all grade levels in communities across the state.

During its four-decade history, the JA of Southwest New England Business Hall of Fame has inducted more than 150 individuals and organizations for their career achievements and contributions to the community.

Providing children from kindergarten through 12th grade with positive adult role models who illustrate ways to build self-confidence and develop financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness skills, is a hallmark of Junior Achievement. JA volunteers come from all walks of life and use their personal experiences to make the JA curricula practical and realistic, helping to empower students to own their economic success.

During the 2023-24 school year, JASWNE served 34,946 K-12 students. This was made possible through 116,886 hours of student instruction and the support of 1,872 volunteers from 314 companies and community organizations, who delivered 40 different curricula. More than 60 percent of students came from families with low- to moderate-income, and almost 75 percent identify as BIPOC.

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England has also established partnerships with Central Connecticut State University, University of Saint Joseph, and Albertus Magnus College that will allow high school students to earn academic credits free of charge by taking JA semester-long courses at participating high schools across Connecticut.

Nationally, nine in ten JA Alumni report that the program played an important role in: shaping their belief they can achieve goals (89%); their personal development (88%); career path (88%); professional development (86%); or their decision to pursue further education (86%).

Nine in ten JA Alumni agree that the program exposed them to different ways of thinking (91%), made them think of new work opportunities or career paths (89%), motivated them to succeed in their professional life (88%), or that it widened their horizons (87%). In addition, nearly all JA Alumni (98%) indicate that because of their involvement with the program, they perceive education to be important as it relates to future success. More than half say that their work ethic (57%), career choices (56%), or money management (54%) were positively influenced in some way by the program.

To attend the JA Business Hall of Fame evening on Tuesday, April 1, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., reserve your event ticket here. To learn more about Junior Achievement’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, or for sponsorship information, contact Kate Tedford, JA's Director of Philanthropy, at KTedford@jaconn.org.