Who We Are -

Board of Directors

The NEDC Board is comprised of leaders from the public sector, private enterprise, and non-profit organizations in Naugatuck.

Jay Carlson - Chairman
Jay is President and owner of G & R Manufacturing located in the Naugatuck Industrial Park and a life long resident of Naugatuck. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce and is currently a Director. His community volunteer work includes: Past President, United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls; Vice Chairman-Economic Development -Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce; Past President, Smaller Manufacturer's Association; and currently a Director. He is on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association as well as a Director of St Mary's Hospital Foundation. He was awarded the 2000 Harold Webster Smith "Small Manufacturer of the Year" and the 2002 Malcolm Baldridge "Leadership of the Year" awards by the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce. Jay started his successful manufacturing career as an apprentice in the Tool and Die Trade - Progressive Toolmaker and attended Waterbury State Technical College in the Manufacturing Engineering Program.

Bob Mezzo - Vice Chairman
Bob is a self-employed attorney operating an office in all operation of general practice law in Naugatuck. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in November, 1997 and the Federal Bar District of Connecticut in April, 1999. He holds a B.A. degree from the University of Connecticut and a J.D. degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He has been active in local democratic politics serving four years on the Naugatuck Board of Mayor and Burgesses including two years as the Deputy Mayor. He was the democratic candidate for Mayor in the 2003 election. He is a member of the Naugatuck Chamber Board of Directors, the Democratic Town Committee, formerly on the Board of Directors at the Griffin Health Services Corporation, and is a coach in the Naugatuck Basketball Association. Bob is a lifelong resident of Naugatuck and resides in town with his wife and two children.

Kevin DelGobbo - Secretary
Kevin is a founding member and member of the Executive Committee of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation. He is serving his sixth term representing Naugatuck in the Connecticut House of Representatives where he is recognized as one of the strongest voices promoting economic development and job growth. Representative DelGobbo is extremely active in community and civic affairs. He serves as President of the United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls and is on the Naugatuck YMCA Board of Directors. He is the recipient of the Lewis A. Dibble, Sr. Award from the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce, the Naugatuck Elks Distinguished Citizen Award and named "Legislator of the Year" by the Connecticut Community Development Association and the Connecticut Association of Building Contractors, he received the 2005 Patriot Award from the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen & was honored as the Northeast Energy Efficiency Council's 2006 Legislator of the Year. Kevin is a Co-Chair of the Davis Auditorium Restoration Committee, a recently formed public/private initiative to restore the Naugatuck High School's auditorium.

Terry Barber - Treasurer
Terry has been President of the Chittenden Group in Naugatuck since 1993. Prior to joining the Chittenden Group in 1979, he worked in Manhattan with Hartford Insurance as an Underwriter and with the international insurance broker Marsh and McLennan as an Account Executive. He has been involved in many civic activities including: Waterbury Visiting Nurses, past President and Coach of Watertown Youth Hockey, President of the Waterbury Kiwanis Club, member of the Naugatuck Valley Project, past President of the Naugatuck YMCA, President of the Highfield Club and member of the Waterbury Foundation. He was named the 2005 Lewis A. Dibble Award winner for community service by the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce. He is currently Vice-Chairman of the Thomaston Savings Bank.

Dave Prendergast - Chief Executive Officer
David has also been Economic Development Director for the Town of Windham, Executive Director of the Municipal Economic Development Agency in New Britain, CT, Executive Director of the Central Connecticut Tourism District and Vice President of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Central Connecticut State University and has completed the US Chamber of Commerce-Institute for Organization Management and the Team Connecticut Economic Development Training & Certification Program. Career experiences have included creating and managing a state Enterprise Zone, a state Entertainment District, and a regional Tourism District; managing local, state and federal development and grant programs such as development incentives, revolving loans, public improvements, demolition and environmental cleanup. He is a past President of the Northeastern Economic Developers Association (NEDA), past President of the Connecticut Community Development Association, and past Chairman of the Connecticut Tourism Association. He was the 2004 NEDA Member of the Year, the 1999 Kenneth L. Roberts Developer of the Year in Connecticut and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Economic Development Association and the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce.

DIRECTORS

Mayor Mike Bronko - Mike was born in 1962 and raised in Bridgeport, CT, the son of a Pennsylvania coal miner and factory worker. He graduated from Norwalk State Technical College with a degree in Architectural Engineering and has been married to his wife, Eileen, for 23 years. He has 4 sons that have been educated in the Naugatuck School System. He has owned and operated a construction business for the past 25 years. Mike has lived in Naugatuck for 21 years and has been a Naugatuck Youth Soccer Coach for the past 16 years among other community activities. In February of 2007, he was given the opportunity to run for Mayor on the Republican ticket and formed a grassroots campaign with no political experience. He was elected to Mayor of Naugatuck on May 7, 2007.

Tony Campbell - Tony is serving his third term as a Democratic Burgess on the Board of Mayor and Burgesses having most recently been elected in May 2007. He is a retired Captain of the Naugatuck Fire Department after serving a twenty-five year career. He was an active member of the Firefighter's Union with 25 years representing them as a contract negotiator. He is a recipient of the National Red Cross' highest award for lifesaving - the Certificate of Merit, among many other commendations as a firefighter. He has also served as a community volunteer in many areas including service as a Youth Hockey Coach. Tony has been a long time resident of Naugatuck graduating from St. Francis School and Naugatuck High School.

Joe Connolly - Joseph is the Director of Government and Community Relations at Saint Mary's Hospital. Prior to this position, he founded and directed his own successful marketing agency for twelve years. His work has been recognized locally and nationally, including a nationwide "Best of the Best" award from the American Banker's Association. A graduate of Naugatuck High School, he received his B.S. in Mass Communications from Boston University, and his MBA from the University of Connecticut. Joe is a member of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, The Child Guidance Clinic of Greater Waterbury, and the Health Care Council of the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce.

Chester Cornacchia - Chester is a Managing partner at NECS, an Information Technology Strategic Management and Consulting Firm. He specializes in Health care Compliance, Insurance Review, Department of Defense Class data handling and confidentiality control systems. Chester is a lifelong Naugatuck resident having attended Naugatuck Public Schools and The Holy Cross High School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattanville College; and a Juris Doctorate from The Touro College School of Law, and has completed graduate studies at Oxford University in Cambridge, England and The McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He has extensive and varied legal and information technology experience with specializations in arbitration and mediation, dispute resolution, project planning, IT data compliance and asset disposition management. He has been an active member of the Naugatuck Economic Development Commission since 1998, serving as its Chairman since 2001. He serves on the Advisory Board for The Naugatuck Historical Society, The Oxford Economic Development Commission Foreign Trade Zone Board and is active in numerous civic and community organizations.

John Kenworthy - John is a long time commissioner on the Borough of Naugatuck Economic Development Commission and is a self-employed Land Surveyor in Naugatuck. He was employed by the City of Waterbury Engineering Department for 25 years as an Engineering Assistant and has also been employed as a Construction Estimator and Construction Inspector. Active in the community, John served as a member of the Naugatuck Middle School Building Committee and is a member of the Naugatuck Lions Club.

Antonio Matos - Tony is the General Manager and Vice President of Totta & Acores Corporation of Naugatuck which is an overseas satellite office of Banco Santander Totta based in Lisbon, Portugal. He is a lifelong resident of Naugatuck, attending Naugatuck schools and holding a B.S. in Accounting from Post College & a M.S. in Taxation from the University of New Haven. He is also very active in the community, especially the Naugatuck Portuguese community where he served as the 2003 Vice Secretary of the Naugatuck Portuguese Club and 2005 & 2006 Chairman of the Naugatuck Portuguese Club Building Committee.

John Roman -John is the President and CEO of the Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan. He is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a B.A. degree in Economics and received an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut. John is also a graduate of the American Community Banker's National School of Banking. Active in the Naugatuck community, he is a Board member of the United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls, Naugatuck Youth Services, Naugatuck Rotary Club and the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce.

Ron SanAngelo - Ron has served two terms as Mayor of the Borough of Naugatuck from May 2003 through May 2007. Prior to being elected Mayor, Ron served five terms as State Representative for the 131st District with one term as assistant minority leader from 2001 - 2002. He was a member of the Naugatuck Board of Mayor and Burgesses, a member and former vice-chairman of the Naugatuck Republican Town Committee, and was the Republican candidate for Secretary of State in the 2002 statewide election. He holds a B. A. degree in Business Administration from Central Connecticut State University and had a successful sales career with Sears prior to his political career. Also active in civic affairs, he was a member of the Naugatuck Youth Services Advisory Board, the Naugatuck Red Cross Board of Directors and the Naugatuck Elks Club.

Lisa A. Shappy - Lisa is Executive Director of the United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls, Inc. She has served as Director of the Volunteer Action Center for the Valley United Way and Community Services Director for the United Way of Greater Waterbury. Lisa holds an A. S. in Marketing from Naugatuck Valley Community College and has completed several courses through United Way of America Learning Opportunity Program. Her community activities include: member of the Naugatuck Discovery Committee and Wellness Council and a Corporator for Griffin Hospital.

Jack Tavares - Jack has over 35 years of experience in the Naugatuck School System in various teaching and administration positions including: Athletic Director, Curriculum Coordinator, High School and Middle School teacher. He has a BA from Sacred Heart University and MS degree and Sixth Year certificate from Southern Connecticut State University. He has served on numerous committees over the years related to teacher and program assessment, curriculum, athletics, and extracurricular activities. He was recognized as the "Teacher of the Year" for 1981 by the Naugatuck Jaycees. He has served in numerous civic organizations including several leadership positions in the Naugatuck Lions Club and the Portuguese Club of Naugatuck. He has been a member of the Naugatuck Board of Finance since 1995 and is currently serving as the Vice-Chairman.

John Tindall-Gibson - John was appointed the Superintendent of Schools for the Borough of Naugatuck in September of 2006, a position he has also held in Litchfield, CT and Lincoln, RI. He has a Doctorate Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Arizona as well as a MED and a BA. He has extensive experience in the field of education including public school teaching, school administration and teaching at the university level. He has authored papers and made presentations to many regional and national education associations including the American Association of School Administrators' Annual Conference in 2004 in San Francisco. John lives in Litchfield, CT where he is active in a number of community arts and outdoor organizations.

Yvette Wilmot - Yvette is Vice President and CFO/CIO of Sarracco, Inc., a Naugatuck-based mechanical service contractor, doing business in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey. She has also been employed by The Principal Financial Group and Cigna Pension/Investments. A resident of Farmington, she obtained a Masters Degree in Accounting and MBA from the University of Connecticut, undergraduate degrees in Economics and Special International Studies from Central Connecticut State University, and passed the Connecticut CPA exam. Yvette previously served as a Director on the Boards of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Naugatuck/Beacon Falls.

Mark Yanarella - Mark was named President and CEO of Naugatuck Savings Bank in 1997 after holding various positions at the bank over the 36 years since he started at the bank as a management trainee upon graduation from college. He holds a B.A. degree in Economics from St. Anselm College and has graduated from the Connecticut School of Savings Banking and the Graduate School of Savings Banking at Brown University. He also completed the Executive Development Program at the Center for Financial Studies at Fairfield University. He is President of the Naugatuck Savings Bank Foundation which he helped to create in1998. Among other community service, he is a Director of the St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, a member of the Board of Directors of the Palace Theater in Waterbury, he is a Director of the Connecticut Community Foundation, he has served on the advisory board of the Naugatuck Visiting Nurses Association since 1972, he is on the advisory committee for the Fine Arts Department of Naugatuck Valley Community Technical College and serves on the Naugatuck YMCA Endowment Investment Committee. Mark has received the Lewis A. Dibble, Sr. Award from the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce and the "Good Neighbor of the Year" award from Family Services of Greater Waterbury.

Rebecca Zandvliet - Rebecca is owner of Coldwell Banker Realty 2000 of Naugatuck and Waterbury and Coldwell Banker Bredice & Dean of Torrington with approximately 50 real estate agents associated with the offices. She has been active in her community since 1987 and has been a licensed realtor since 1994. She is a Board Member of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls, and the Greater Waterbury Board of Realtors, as well as Vice President of the Naugatuck YMCA Board. She is a past member and the first woman Chair of the Naugatuck Board of Education from 1991 to 1996. Rebecca was the 2006 Woman of the Year award sponsored by the Business Women's Forum, the recipient of the Frederick D. Zonino memorial Volunteer Award (YMCA) 2005, the 2004 Lewis A. Dibble, Sr. Award, presented annually by the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce in recognition of outstanding contribution to the business and socio-economic well-being of Naugatuck, co-recipient of the 2005 Lincoln Day Award and 2003 Campaign Chair of the United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls.