United Way to Honor Volunteers May 3rd

United Way of Greater Waterbury will honor volunteers at the 32nd Annual Community Leaders & Awards Dinner at 6p.m., Thursday, May 3rd, at Aqua Turf Club, 556 Mulberry Street, Plantsville, CT. Online registration is now open at unitedwaygw.org.

The evening will include a dinner, community impact results and United Way of Greater Waterbury Annual Campaign results.

The evening will honor:

Frederic & Lucy Kellogg Award: Sandra Vigliotti Senich

Volunteer of the Year: Elizabeth Crichton Brown

Organized Labor/United Way Community Service Award: Mark Lombardo

The evening will also celebrate the legacy of Jim Smith as NEOPERL, Inc. is recognized with the inaugural James C. Smith Spirit of Excellence Award.

Kristen Jacoby, MPH, President and Chief Professional Officer of the United Way of Greater Waterbury said, “It is truly a honor to celebrate the hard work of all our honorees. Their contributions individually and collectively makes a difference in United Way’s work as we fight for the health, education and financial stability for every person in our ten town community”.

The Frederic and Lucy Kellogg Award is presented annually to an individual or institution exemplifying the couple’s sense of community responsibility and social awareness and embodies United Way’s vision of a caring community.

United Way of Greater Waterbury is proud to present former United Way Board Chair and 75th Anniversary Chair Sandra Vigliotti Senich with this year’s Frederic and Lucy Kellogg Award.

Sandra Vigliotti Senich is a Managing Director and Private Client Advisor with U.S.

Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management.

Sandy also serves on the board of The Palace Theater in Waterbury where she is a

Sandy was previously recognized with the United Way’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 1997.

The Community Volunteer of the Year Award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding volunteer service within the Greater Waterbury Community.

Mrs. Elizabeth Crichton Brown has been selected for her contributions of time and effort along with noted accomplishments helping to advocate for children in our community. She is a life-long resident of Waterbury and has had a distinguished career as a teacher, State Representative from the 74th District , 1987-92, and Legislative Director for the State Commission on Children, working directly with all three Branches of Government to identify critical public policy issues facing children and families. She is also the former Vice President of the Connecticut Institute of Municipal Studies charged with addressing the systemic and structural issues facing urban communities.

Currently, she is the President of the Board of Education in Waterbury and also serves on the Executive Board of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education as Vice President for Government Relations. In addition, she serves on the State Education Resource Center (SERC) Board of Directors; Co-Chairs Waterbury School Readiness Council; and is the Liaison to the Waterbury Good Jobs Council. As Chair of the United Way of Greater Waterbury Education Impact Council, she plays a leadership role in advocating for children and youth programs in Waterbury.

Mark Lombardo will receive the Organized Labor/United Way Community Service Award.

Mark Lombardo was born and raised in Waterbury. He attended John F. Kennedy High School and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 2007 Mark joined the City of Waterbury Parks Department as the Horticulturist.

Mark is a past board member of Brass City Harvest. He received the 2015 Government Services Award given by the Waterbury Neighborhood Council. Mark is a community member of the Carrington School Goverence Council. He is on the Executive Board of the City of Waterbury Management Union in addition to being on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Park’s Association. Mark is the proud chairman of the Waterbury Hank O’Donnell Hall of Fame nominating committee.

Mark was instrumental in the success of the United Way of Greater Waterbury Bed Races that returned last October in celebration of United Way’s 75th anniversary, which raised $45,000 toward the record-breaking campaign. Working over several months, he helped bring all the critical city departments on board and was engaged in the event’s planning and execution.

NEOPERL, Inc. of Waterbury will receive the inaugural James C. Smith Spirit of Excellence Award.

On the heels of United Way of Greater Waterbury’s 75th Anniversary year, the United Way of Greater Waterbury Board of Directors unanimously decided to rename the Spirit of Excellence award the “James C. Smith Spirit of Excellence Award” in honor of the recently retired Webster CEO. Jim Smith set the example of excellence as the first campaign chair to exceed $2 million dollars, the founding of both the Leavenworth and Tocqueville Society, recipient of the prestigious Frederic and Lucy Kellogg Award and the leadership role played in not only the Webster campaign, but in ensuring other companies and their CEO’s executed best-practice campaigns make.

NEOPERL, Inc.’s dedicated workplace giving campaign increased 38.68% from the previous year, with a 58.33% employee participation rate under the leadership of a very dedicated employee campaign coordinator. Recognizing the importance of supporting the local community, NEOPERL provides a generous dollar-to-dollar match on employee giving in the form of a Corporate Gift.

In celebration of United Way’s 75th Anniversary, NEOPERL stepped up as one of the first Queen level sponsors of the revived United Way Bed Races while also entering a company team, playing a vital role in this special event that raised $45,000.