Connecticut Business Leaders to be Honored by Junior Achievement

Seven of Connecticut's notable leaders in the Greater Hartford and Greater New Haven regions will be honored by Junior Achievement of Southwest New England at the Virtual Business Hall of Fame event on Thursday, April 8, 2021. The prestigious annual event recognizes business and community leaders for significant contributions to the prosperity and quality of life of their region and the state.

The 40th annual Business Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is being held virtually for the first time this year. Being honored at the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame are:

• Greg Barats, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hartford Steam Boiler
• Yvette Meléndez, President, YMR Consulting
• Anthony Scillia, Regional Managing Partner – New England, Marcum
• Don Shaw Jr., Retired Associate Partner, Accenture; Director Emeritus, Hartford Habitat for Humanity
• Donna Lecky, CFO & Co-Founder, HealthVenture Corporation
• Sri Muthu, CEO & Co-Founder, HealthVenture Corporation
• Michael R. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center

Barats, Meléndez and Scillia are being inducted as Hall of Fame Laureates, Shaw will receive the Spirit of Hope Award, Muthu and Lecky will receive the Entrepreneurship Award and Taylor will be recognized with the Community Leadership Award.

The Laureates are recognized for contributions to the prosperity of the region through leadership in business and the community. The Spirit of Hope Award recognizes an individual who has exhibited a strong commitment to providing hope for the future of others in the community. The Entrepreneurship Award is earned by innovative individuals who have meticulously built an enterprise that benefits the community.

"They have each established a standard of excellence that reflects their commitment to community and determination to improve individual lives in meaningful and enduring ways," said Jeremy Race, CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. "We are particularly pleased to honor their leadership and their example at this year’s virtual ceremony, which promises to be a very special evening celebrating their impact on our state.”

The evening will also include special performances from the Yale Whiffenpoofs and Broadway stars Derrick Davis and Dan’yelle Williamson. Don Allan, Stanley Black & Decker, serving as Chair of the Hartford Committee and Diane Wishnafski, DLW Consulting, LLC, serving as the Honorary Chair of the New Haven Committee, will be joining celebrity emcee Bill Griffeth, Anchor-at-Large at business news network CNBC.

Junior Achievement is a global leader in providing cutting-edge, hands-on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work-readiness education. During its four decade history, the JA of Southwest New England Business Hall of Fame has inducted more than 140 individuals and organizations for their career achievements and contributions to the community. With the health and safety of our guest in mind, due to the pandemic, this typically in-person event will leverage a virtual platform and bring together the Hartford and New Haven regions for the first time in JA’s history.

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 of more than a dozen programs practical and realistic, helping to empower students to own their economic success.

Even amidst the pandemic, JA has continued to provide quality programs, working closely with schools and volunteers from leading companies, connecting professionals and students virtually. JA has successfully completed, or is moving forward to offer, an array of more than 150 virtual programs.

The support of leading local businesses and individuals is indispensable in furthering JA's work with local schools throughout the region. Top Sponsors for the Hall of Fame event include: Hartford Steam Boiler (Presenting Sponsor), Stanley Black and Decker (Virtual Dinner Sponsor), Travelers (Diamond), Webster Bank (Diamond), Prime Materials Recovery (Platinum) and Voya Financial (Gold). Additional sponsorships are available. All net proceeds will benefit JA educational programs.

To attend the Virtual Business Hall of Fame evening on April 8 at 7:00 p.m., go to www.jaconn.org for reservations and to obtain link information. To learn more about Junior Achievement’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, or for sponsorship information, contact Jacqueline Lombardi, JA's Special Events and Marketing Manager, at jlombardi@jaconn.org.