Cantor: West Hartford Seeks Excellence Like UConn Hoops

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor may love serving the Town of West Hartford, but, this time of year, she bleeds University of Connecticut blue.

That was evident Monday when she delivered her annual 'State of the Town' address to the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce at the Mandell Jewish Community Center on Bloomfield Avenue in West Hartford.

With both the UConn men and women recently winning Big East championships and about to begin their NCAA tournament adventures in hoops, Cantor's address had a tournament feel.

During her address, Cantor equated West Hartford's quest for "excellence" to UConn's quest.

"I feel that West Hartford puts as much as it can to be excellent," Cantor said in her address. "It takes leadership and teamwork to really be the best, something we strive for here in West Hartford every day.

"We have a tremendously committed and hard-working staff."

Cantor's love for the Huskies goes back to her time there as a student there and after her graduation in 1981.

She and her husband are regular benefactors to the UConn Foundation and she, currently, is a member of the UConn Board of Trustees.

During her address, she even showed a couple of photos of herself posing with UConn alum and NBA hall-of-famer Ray Allen and current UConn superstar Donovan Klingan, who stands 7-feet-2-inches compared to Cantor's pint-size point guard stature.

Most of her address, though, centered on what's going on at all municipal departments, development projects in town, and West Hartford's quest for both affordable and available housing.

"I'm so happy that the (town) of West Hartford is in an amazing place," she said. 'Although we have challenges ahead if we keep doing what we said and striving for excellence, then we will be perfect."

The annual address is a key event hosted by the local chamber.

“As part of our commitment to be West Harford’s community and business connection, The West Hartford Chamber of Commerce is proud to facilitate this important community forum,” said West Hartford Chamber President & Chief Executive Officer Chris Conway.

“West Hartford is one of the fastest growing communities in the country. We continue to attract national attention as an incredible place to live, conduct business, and visit.”

Folks who could not attend the chamber event can still watch it via West Hartford Community Interactive, which has the address available for streaming on its website and YouTube channel.

To watch West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor's 'State of the Town' address, click on this link.

For West Hartford Community Interactive's website, click on this link.