Monroe Means Business: 'This is the Biggest and Best Function We've Had'

Dr. Sharon Weicman, a chiropractor with a practice in town for 21 years, had a table display at The Waterview Thursday night during the annual Monroe Means Business event, sponsored by the Monroe Economic Development Commission.

"I've had a great experience here and helped people of all ages," she said. "Within the last year, I added this ChiroHCG program and it's really been successful."

Ann Marie Chmielewski, who manned the table with Dr. Weicman, said HCG is a pregnancy hormone that turns mothers' fat into nutrition for their babies. The practice uses that same hormone on clients trying to lose weight.

"We use it to burn fat," Chmielewski said.

At another table, Joe Sullivan and Dan Martin represented the Institute of Environmental Management and Technology Inc. They train under and unemployed people throughout the state for green jobs.

"We really feel we have the best trainers in the state," Martin said.

"We not only train them, we place them," Sullivan added.

A wide variety of businesses were represented at the networking event, from financial institutions, utilities and real estate to retail. Howard Baldwin, founder of the Hartford Whalers, an entrepreneur and film producer, was the guest speaker.

EDC Chairman Lee Hossler said Thursday marked the ninth Monroe Means Business. "This is designed to be a business-to-business networking event," he said.

The EDC is made up of seven volunteers charged with planning to attract sustainable businesses to town, so Monroe can have employment opportunities and a stable tax base, according to Hossler. He encouraged people to visit the EDC website monroemeansbusiness.com.

First Selectman Steve Vavrek said, "This is the biggest and best function we've had by the EDC tonight."

Though the national economy is hurting, Vavrek believes Monroe is on its way toward stopping the bleeding. After losing an average of 176 businesses a year, Monroe has lost 133 over the last two years combined, according to Vavrek's numbers. He said the town has recently brought in 29 new businesses.

Vavrek, who is running for reelection against Democrat, Phyllis Kansky, credited a "streamlined" land use department and the Planning & Zoning Commission with helping the town grow its business sector.

"We have great parks and schools. It's a great town to move into," Vavrek said of Monroe. "All roads lead to Monroe," he said, noting that the town can be accessed by routes 25, 111 and 34.