Plantsville's Jeff Pugliese Elected to CT Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS) Board

Plantsville resident Jeff Pugliese has been elected to the Board of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS) – the State's official meetings and sports event sales and marketing organization. Pugliese is the Director of Community Relations at Eversource Energy. Also elected to the Board this summer were Shannon Frost, Director of Marketing Operations, Special Events, and Special Projects for the City of Hartford, and Brian Shactman, an award-winning Connecticut-based broadcaster at Audacy and WFSB-TV 3.

"We congratulate Jeff Pugliese, Shannon Frost, and Brian Shactman on joining our committed Board," explains Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS). "They each bring skills and experience that will help us to grow and expand."

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Murdock reported that bookings by CTMEETINGS in FY26 generated over $75 Million in revenue* for the state, as visitors stayed in Connecticut hotels, dined in restaurants, shopped and enjoyed attractions. More than 24,200 jobs* in the state's hospitality industry were supported, and over $4,895,000 in Connecticut taxes were generated*. (*per Destinations International economic calculator)

Jeff Pugliese is the Director of Community Relations at Eversource Energy and is responsible for managing Eversource's municipal relations strategy in Connecticut on a day-to-day basis. Eversource Community Relations works proactively to implement strategies for community and municipal outreach, emergency preparedness and response, and civic engagement. He and his team oversee a variety of Eversource's economic and community development efforts in Connecticut including Community Impact Grants, the purchase of historic and housing development tax credits, and supporting the energy efficiency efforts of the nonprofit community through the Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA). The team facilitates constructive relationships between Eversource and local stakeholders including Chambers of Commerce, Councils of Governments, and community organizations. Before joining Eversource, Jeff served as Vice President at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in Middletown, Conn. In that role, he served as Director of External Affairs and led economic and workforce development initiatives in greater Middlesex County. The Plantsville resident received a Master's degree in Political Science from Southern Connecticut State University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Central Connecticut State University.

The 2026-2027 Officers of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau are:

·Chair: Alex Peterson, Senior Advisor & Director of Government Affairs for the CT Airport Authority (CAA);

·Vice Chair: Tina Mazzullo, Area Director of Sales and Marketing at the Residence Inn and the Courtyard Stamford Downtown;

·President: Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS);

·Treasurer: Kevin McMillan, CPA, Director of Accounting Services at FML;

·Assistant Treasurer: Michael Johnson, Michael Johnson, President of Accounts & Services and a Lobbyist at Sullivan & LeShane;

·Secretary: Roger Wierbicki, Director of Marketing for R&D Dynamics Corporation; and

·Immediate Past Chair: Thomas Madden, NYSERDA.

The At-Large Executive Committee Members for 2026-2027 are: Rachel Lenda, Director of Tourism for the CT Department of Economic & Community Development; Peter Murphy, a Partner at the law firm of Shipman & Goodwin LLP; Karen O'Connell, Vice President of Resort Sales & Hotel Operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino; and Kimberly Simone, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Mohegan Sun.

The Board Members for 2026-2027 are: Karen Bachofner, Waterford Hotel Group; Leo Barrieau, President of Barrcom Associates, LLC; Dorinda Borer, Mayor of West Haven; Jorge Cabrera, Connecticut State Senator; Chris Davis, Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA); Scott Dolch, President & CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association; Evan Feinglass, University of Connecticut Division of Athletics; Patrick Fisher, DRVN; Michael Ferguson, New Haven Hotel; (New) Shannon Frost, City of Hartford; Jan Jones, Ph.D., Pompea College of Business at University of New Haven; Jackie Kosiba, Delamar Hotel Collection; Shari Mahan, Winvian; (New) Jeff Pugliese, Eversource Energy; Mia Schipani, Houlihan Lawrence Commercial and Schipani PR; (New) Brian Shactman, Audacy and WFSB-TV 3; Cian Stein, Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater; and Valerie Stolfi Collins, Connecticut Recreation & Parks Association.

All CTMEETINGS Board/photos are at: https://www.ctmeetings.org/about-us/board-of-directors/

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS) is the State's official meetings and sports event sales and marketing organization. Its experienced staff markets all of the state – convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. In partnership with Connecticut's businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations and their surrounding communities, the Middletown, Conn.-based organization works to generate new and returning events, thereby generating increased economic impact for Connecticut's local regions and tax revenue for the State. For more information about the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, visit CTMEETINGS.org or call 860-728-6789. Social Media @CTMEETINGS