Where You Want To Be In CT

Abigail Adams

Landscape Architect

A2 Land Consulting, LLC

(845) 531-1504

246 Federal Road, Suite B-23, Brookfield

Upon entering Law School, Abigail knew immediately that it was not her passion. Having majored in English Literature and thus having a creative nature, she went back to her childhood, remembering the joy of seeing the big equipment of the landscapers and the tranquility found in a well designed outdoor space. Moving to Maine she took a horticulture class at the University of Maine and proceeded to get her Masters in Landscape Architecture. She had found her purpose and passion.

Abigail still owns a vacation home on 30 acres in Maine and started her career in Yarmouth. Better opportunities landed her first with a firm in New Canaan, CT and then with CCA, LLC here in Brookfield. While at CCA she learned the technical side of the industry so she could take the testing to go from landscape designer to landscape architect. While at CCA, she was able to learn from and partner with engineers, land use attorneys, wetland scientists and other professionals which provide her with a wide base of resources. Recently she opened her own firm, A2 Land Consulting which will give her the flexibility to work with a wider variety of clients. 

What Abigail loves about her career is that no two days are the same. To take a concept and a vision of one of her clients and see the plan come together and take on a life and energy of its own is what inspires her. She creates a SENSE OF PLACE, designing inspirational spaces that connect the “built” environment to the natural environment. Her best clients include not only homeowners but also the owners of commercial spaces and land developers.  

Her key to success is to always be connecting with people, growing, and as she put it, “finding new ways to blossom”. She also credits her success to hiring a business coach early on who has made her focus on who she needs to connect with and also how to have meaningful sales conversations with a variety of people.

Abigail currently lives in Carmel NY with her husband, Jason, and seven year old daughter, Chloe. Chloe, she noted, is very theatrical, and is one of 3 cousins on Abigail’s side who are all the same age. Jason works for Lexus of Mt. Kisco. She enjoys Yoga, spending time in Maine and doing anything outside.

 

Carlos R. Lara

Assistant Treasurer, Branch Manager

Newtown Savings Bank

(203) 364-2918

99 Federal Road, Brookfield  

We would like to Welcome Carlos Lara as the new Brookfield Branch Manager of Newtown Savings Bank.  He has over nine years of customer service experience, as well as an extensive background in sales and the financial services industry.  He strives to provide excellent customer service to new and returning customers alike and is truly embracing his management role. He builds relationships by asking questions to get to know the needs of his clients – he has your best interest in mind.   

Carlos recently received his Bachelor of Science from Albertus Magnus College with a Major in Marketing.  He looks forward to pursuing his MBA in the near future. 

Carlos has been with Newtown Savings Bank for 2 years and enjoys the culture of a community bank.  The Bank has offered him relevant and extensive training on both products and working with clients to provide the best customer experience.  He is excited about the Bank’s flexibility and range of products and services offered.  He is looking forward to the opportunities that await him in Brookfield; he is appreciative for the chance at professional growth and the ability to make a positive impact within the Bank.  

Carlos is bi-lingual, also being fluent in Spanish. He is energetic and embraces change and innovation. He feels his key to success is never being complacent. He is hungry for professional growth and seeks out those opportunities. 

Carlos lives in Shelton and is engaged. Their free time is spent hiking with their dog Luna, visiting breweries and wineries in the area. He is also an avid Football fan, following the Saints. Drop by the branch to speak with Carlos about the variety of programs that Newtown Saving Bank might offer to make your financial options more attractive. From Personal & Business Deposit accounts, credit lines, investment products, insurance or mortgages, they have products that will help you or your company move forward.

 

 

 

Rodanthi Manousakis

Chef Rody

My Chef to Go

(203) 522-9445

594 Federal Road, Brookfield

Meet Chef Rody. She is fairly new to the Greater Danbury Area, originally from Montreal Canada, now living in Ridgefield. She ended up here when met and fell for Tim, a charismatic gentleman living in Connecticut. The long distance relationship blossomed and Rody joined Tim in the USA.

Rody is a Chef who put herself through Culinary School while raising two, now grown boys. Her training is in the French Culinary Cuisine. The focus is on techniques that bring out the most flavors in food naturally 

After graduating, Chef Rody worked in various restaurants, including Universel Desjeuners, a popular restaurant in Downtown Montreal. Here she got her first experience as an executive Chef, setting up the kitchen, ordering supplies, cooking, creating new menu items and managing the kitchen staff.  A couple of years later, Rody left the restaurant business to pursue her passions, which led her to become a Personal Chef. 

Rody founded My Chef To Go, and set up shop here in Brookfield in 2014.  Services include a Personal Chef Service which aims to “Make Your Dinner Simple”. Cooking is done in the client’s home. Chefs and their kitchen helper grocery shop, cook, portion dinners in single serving containers, and clean up the kitchen. All you need to do is heat and eat. A company philosophy is cooking from scratch. They use original recipes and fresh ingredients purchased by the Chef that morning. 

Personal Chefs are not like Private Chefs. Rather than working with one client, Personal Chefs work with many clients making the cost more affordable. Preparations of five complete meals for 4 people, including shopping and clean up take approximately 6 hours. The company charges 60$/ hour. Chefs and their kitchen helpers travel and work as a team. The Chefs must be certified. The company is bonded, insured and all employees go through a background check.

The process begins with a FREE consultation to assess needs, allergies and food preferences.   

Her vision for her new enterprise is to give people back much needed time. “By letting    My Chef To Go do the shopping and cooking you will have more time, approximately 7-10 hours a week to do more important things“.  

Just like busy people outsource landscaping, house cleaning and other time consuming but necessary tasks, she believes that it is cost effective and healthier to outsource food shopping and meal preparation instead of wasting food or eating processed food from a box or a quick serve restaurant.

To introduce you to the Chef and the menu items My Chef To Go is offering 6 hours for the price of 3, definitely a treat for a busy or stressful time. Call Chef Rody for pricing and details or visit her website at www.mycheftogo.com 

They also cook for Special Events, and offer personalized Private Cooking Lessons in your home. The services are especially popular as gifts for birthdays, for a new Mom and Dad, a client appreciation, or new graduates heading off on their own, new brides, employee reward, Mother’s Day gifts. The list does go on!!

Her key to success and her advice is to, “be good and take care of yourself FIRST! Nourish your body, mind and soul. Then you will be able to take care of the people and things you love.”  Rody makes time to enjoy canoeing and working out at the gym.  On her “Bucket List” is to visit every Baseball Park in the country.

 

 

 

Dr. Steven Reiss

Annamarie Faubel

The Dental Team

(203) 775-1771

109 Federal Road, Brookfield

 Dr. Reiss has become a household name in Brookfield as he has been practicing dentistry for 36 years, 29 years at his present location on Federal Road in Brookfield. He has served three and sometimes 4 generations within a family.Continue Reading

Dr. Steven Reiss

Annamarie Faubel

The Dental Team

(203) 775-1771

109 Federal Road, Brookfield 

Dr. Reiss has become a household name in Brookfield as he has been practicing dentistry for 36 years, 29 years at his present location on Federal Road in Brookfield.  He has served three and sometimes 4 generations within a family.

Dr. Reiss, originally from Long Island, attended the University of Missouri where he played Baseball and graduated with a BS degree from Adelphi University. He received his DDS degree from New York University College of Dentistry. The opportunity to move to Connecticut became available soon after graduation because of a change in state licensing exams that allowed him to take one certification test which was recognized in CT as well as in NY.  Longing for a great quality of life…and to be closer to skiing… Steve, settled in first Danbury and then Brookfield where he and wife Elsa raised 2 daughters, Sara and Rachel.

Dr. Reiss’s goal in setting up his dental office was to provide outstanding and caring dentistry with the most up to date techniques and technology. He knew that he wanted to have an in town business in order to become a part of the fabric of the town and be present for his family.

Dr.Reiss is an avid gardener and his home has been a visitation stop for the local garden club. The grounds around his office show that same love. “It’s OK to have weeds in your garden and in your life” is one of his mantras, as he points out that everyone just needs to slow down and appreciate every moment and each other more.

His practice currently houses 2 other full time dentists and a periodontist. About 2 years ago he added Annamarie Faubel as his Executive Director. Together, they make quite a team as Annamarie handles the facility, IT, compliance and HR functions which frees up Dr. Reiss to be present for his patients. It is all about the people for Dr. Reiss.  As he put it, “Molars are important, but the PEOPLE behind them are phenomenal and take precedence.” His patients become his friends, his family, and his primary concern. The values he brings to his practice include kindness, communication, compassion and education. He wants to make the process of dental health fun and stress free.

Dr. Reiss has been appointed by the Governor as 1of 6 Dentists who serve on the State of Connecticut Dental Commission. He believes everyone deserves adequate care and will accommodate any patient to make sure their dental needs are met.

The majority of his staff have been with him for decades. His key to success is to surround yourself with the best and most talented people. To be able to trust people and to delegate without hesitation is critical.

The monthly Lunch N’ Net sponsored by the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, featured speakers were Miranda Goodspeed, Director of Sales and Patty Kane, Senior Sales Representative for Town Square Marketing. Most commonly known for owning local radio stations, they presented a unique and timely message to the attendees. The goal of the radio, and the events that they sponsor is to drive people online to find meaningful content. The radio and events serve as “THE CARROT’, to get listeners and attendees to their website. They challenged the group to think about how a consumer who does not know them or perhaps has seen them marginally but needs to contact them might find them. With continual, unique, multiple touch points that speak to what differentiates you, your product, service or message the goal is to become known before you are needed and to be easily found at the critical decision making moment.

The way consumers make decisions has changed dramatically over the years. In the past. Marketers have pushed their message to the consumer. The world has changed from a marketing controlled buying cycle to a consumer controlled process. By differentiating and providing value before it is needed the business hopes to PULL the consumer to them. Before you can be good and provide service, you need to be different and memorable. Marketing needs to be solution focused. It needs to identify in its message the problem or desire and show the consumer the answer. The business owner needs to “SELL” the benefit first and then tie it down with the feature rather than the other way around. The Marketer needs to understand who their market is and how and where they get their information. Did you know, for example, that 24% of households have 5 or more mobile devices, making the inclusion of SEO, mobile websites and social media strategies more relevant than ever? They noted that 78% of people research buying decisions online and 62f% check social media. They also noted that the consumer is not only going to rate the product or service online but also the entire transactional experience. Media is becoming more mobile, personal and interactive.

Miranda and Patty stressed that to be successful you need to WIN ON THE WEB, and be able to be found to a wide consumer pool 24/7/365. You need to BE your brand and that starts with knowing what your brand is and what your message is. Town Square Media offers consultative marketing services to help businesses increase their visibility to their target market.

Whether it is creating an interact mobile website or having a presence on the Town Square Marketing sites, call Patty Kane for more information 203 775-1212, Patricia.kane@townsquaremedia.com The Brookfield Chamber is holding these topical presentations monthly on the 4rth Thursday of the month from 12:00-1:30. Either call the chamber office at 203 775-8282 or go to www.brookfieldchamber.org for upcoming event.

At the monthly Lunch N’ Net sponsored by the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, featured speaker was Charlie Williams, the Senior Security Officer for the Savings Bank of Danbury.  He spoke on the topic of protecting your financial information.  He told the audience that banks lose more money to fraud and scams than they do to robberies. Beginning with an overview of the most common SCAMS, he touched on Lottery Scams, Bail money for family members, IRS, Quick Car Sales, and others that ask the “Victim” to wire money.  No legitimate enterprise will ever ask you to wire money for any reason.  Employees at Saving Bank of Danbury are especially vigilant about asking for details before agreeing to do wire transfers.  Mr. Williams pointed out that once the money is wired there is no way the Bank or anyone else can help you to get it back.

ID theft, he noted, is one of the fastest growing crimes.  With the convenience of debit cards and online shopping come some risk.  He advised being especially protective of allowing anyone assess to private information.  Tips included shredding bills, mailing outgoing bills from the post office, paying bills online and not routinely carrying credit cards in your wallet.  He recommended ordering online only from secure sites rather than 3^rd party wholesalers.  The good news is that as a consumer you are able to contest fraudulent charges up to 60 days. Not so for business accounts.  They need to be reviewed daily as the “look back” period is only 48 hours.  The first thing to do if you suspect your identity has been compromised is to alert the 3 credit reporting companies, Experian, Equifax, and Transunion and ask them to put a Fraud Alert on all of your cards.  He also recommended having photocopies of all of your documents including social security card, license and credit cards stored in a safe place.

New forms of credit and debit cards will be available shortly with implanted EMVchips.  Vendors will need new scanners to accommodate this change.  These cards have been used in Europe for years.  The new Apple Pay is one of the most secure ways currently used.  Rather than carrying a card it is actually on your smartphone and is fingerprint protected.  It works like a debit card and can be presented to many vendors at this point.

Thank you to Branch Manager, Linda Wagner, for arranging this informative talk.  The Brookfield Chamber is holding these topical presentations monthly on the 4rth Thursday of the month from 12:00-1:30.  Either call the chamber office at 203 775-8282 or go to www.brookfieldchamber.org for upcoming event.

 

Krissy Morris

Computer Trouble Shooters

(203) 702-2103

355 Federal Road

 

Krissy is a new face at Computer Trouble Shooters.  Owned by Rick VanAkin, she answered an ad about a year ago and has taken on the role of  Marketing and Client Relationship Director for the already successful business.  Krissy oversees the overall marketing operation from managing the budget to posting on social media including Facebook, Pinterest, Angie’s List, Twitter as well as working with the website to increase SEO activity.  She researches and has identified media outlets that will work and not work to attract and support their ideal client base.  This, she identifies, as local individuals and small professional businesses within the Greater Danbury Area. They have great insights into the business needs of professional offices including insurance, chiropractic and attorney offices, among others.  Statewide and regional advertising has been eliminated in favor of client referral appreciation and strategies that include Angie’s List, Groupon and Google Ads.  Networking and Business to Business activities help get them in front of their ideal clients.

She pointed out that, with a small business, Rick will assess what will work best for the client, thus optimizing the clients technology dollar.  Computer Troubleshooter sells  cost-efficient, high quality technology solutions and services that helps their clients become more productive and help solve business problems …not just computer problems.  They spend time analyzing and counseling the client in order to SMART SIZE their technology. They help the client budget for continual improvement and reduce down-time.

Services include all things IT from selling new and refurbished equipment, voice over IP phone systems, servers,  data storage, backup and recovery, tune ups, hardware repairs, software configuration,  to hosting of both email and websites,  building inter office networks and offering “peace of mind “  service plans.

Krissy is excited to learn from Rick, as her background is in customer service in the Health and Wellness Field.  She has served in the capacity of Member Service Director for a New Jersey YMCA and worked with various large companies to create wellness marketing plans.  Krissi enjoys the creative side of working at Computer Trouble Shooter, the learning and the client interaction. Krissi and her husband have lived in Brookfield since 2013.  She has three children, girls 16 and 14 and a 9 year old son, three step children and three dogs.   Her husband is a Captain at the Garner Facility in Newtown.

A lesson in DELEGATION, Krissy allows Rick more time to work in the field assessing client needs.  Her keys to success are to treat everyone with equal importance and to be her authentic self.  Rick’s keys to success is delegating so that he can be the touch point for his clients and never treating the question from a client as a “stupid question”.

Debra Dlug

Brookfield Family Chiropractic

(203) 775-7102

499 Federal Road

 

De,. Deb is a recent graduate from the University of Bridgeport where she graduated with a Doctor of Chiropractic.  Originally from Long Island, Dr. Deb knew early on that this would be her path.  With a Chiropractor in the family, her Mother believed in the holistic approach to treatment and from infancy through various sports related injuries, it was their first line of medical treatment.  Dr. Deb relies, not just on spinal adjustments, but also does counseling in nutrition, exercise and uses various methods of treatment including soft tissue massage, manipulation and mobilization.  Her focus is on treating the nervous system, which, as she explained, influences the immune system as well as the dynamic functioning of all organs, not just the muscular/ skeletal system.  Since all nerves fun first through the spinal cord, correct alignments insures that there are no energy blockages through these portals.

Dr. Deb cam to Brookfield Family Chiropractic through an inquiry for a practitioner through her graduate school  After joining the practice, the former owners decided to sell and she took advantage of the opportunity to open her own business.  She anticipates adding a massage therapist, other practitioners, physical therapists and creating a wellness center.  She already offers seminars on various wellness topics.

Dr. Deb treats clients of all ages but her specialty is in pediatrics.  Ear infections, reflux disorders, and asthma can benefit from chiropractic care.,  As a member of the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association), she has taken extensive seminars in pediatrics as well as on the issues specific to pregnant women.  She conducts a thorough pre treatment exam for all of her patients which may include an assessment with an Insight Millennium Subluxations Station, X-rays, Thermal Scan and uses an Antioxidant Scan to help assess a patient’s overall antioxidant levels with advice on supplementation.

Dr. Deb hope to become an active participant in the community and has already interfaced with various Mom’s Groups, the High School Boosters Club and sponsors the Park and Rec. Road Races.  A runner herself, she has just completed her first full marathon,.  Dr. Deb enjoys Yoga and teaches gymnastics in her spare time.  Her key to success is to build meaningful individual relationships within the community through networking.  Her goal is to help patients achieve ultimate wellness..

Did you purchase your condo during the height of the market?

Has your family or your lifestyle changed?

 Do you feel that there are no options out there for you?

  I am here to tell you that I deal with these situations almost on a weekly basis and you DO have options.  When you feel totally stuck, it is hard to move forward and see the light at the end of the tunnel.  One of the things that I enjoy most about what I do is to talk people through their options.  Each scenario is different and thus each solution is unique to the circumstances.

Are you staying local?

How is your credit?

Do you have ANY equity in the condo?

Can you afford to carry both the condo and a new home?

Are you employed?

Do you have other assets…401K, Savings, parents, etc.

What is your current interest rate on your mortgage?

What other debt do you have?

What are you long term financial goals?

As  you can see,  there are many, many combinations of goals vs. financial ability.  I have counseled four couples recently with 4 very different outcomes.

Scenario One–   This couple had a 2 bedroom condo which was “under water”. Since they had purchased it their family had grown from two to four.  They had bought it for $250,000 and today’s value was $180,000.  Because they did not have a 75% equity position in the condo they could not use any potential rental income to offset the mortgage cost.  They did, however, have excellent credit and great income.  They had very little money saved but could tap into a 401K.  Since they had no equity in the condo they could NOT refinance into a lower interest rate.  The carrying cost exceeded the amount we could rent the condo for.

Their Decision–RENT AND BUY We rented the condo at a monthly loss of about $150.  They are going to pay down principal as fast as they can and with future appreciation they will refinance when they can.  They are planning on keeping the condo for 20+ years  as a passive income stream in the future.  They could qualify for carrying BOTH the condo and their next home so they purchase a modest but nice 4 bedroom colonial using a VA loan with NO money down.  The Seller paid most of the closing costs.

Scenario Two-  This couple had suffered a job loss and although they had stayed current with their mortgage, their credit had dropped to the low 600 level.  They were living in a 2 bedroom condo and their  two children needed more room and a yard.  Although their condo had lost considerable value, after I did an opinion of value and a net sheet, they had about $20,000 worth of equity.

Their Decision-SELL AND RENT  This couple is going to sell their present condo and with the equity pay fees (2 month security, 1^st month rent) in order to get them into a suitable single family home rental in the town and school district that they want for the children.  They have upward mobility now with new jobs and they will save and re-establish their credit in order to buy within the next two years.

Scenario Three- This couple had a job opportunity out of the area.  They had lost considerable equity in their condo and did not want to “cash out” and loose money.  They had bought the condo at a 6% interest rate.

Their Decision- RENT AND RENT-  Since they had enough equity still available, they were able to refinance to a 3.5% loan and thus realized a $300 profit from renting.  They are planning on continuing to use the condo as a rental for at least the next 5 years until they can get back what they put into it.  They moved to their new job location where they are renting a home.  They will probably have saved enough to purchase within the next 2 years.

Scenario Four-  This couple had some bad luck with job losses and some medical bills.  They too were “under water” on their condo.

Their Decision- SHORT SALE AND RENT-  Since they could demonstrate a “hardship” (job loss, divorce, medical issues, death) they could qualify to do a short sale.  We sold the condo well below the mortgage amount.  The bank “forgave” the difference.  Of course it hurt their credit. With a family member as a guarantor on the rental, we were able to find them suitable housing.  Since that time, they have found jobs and within two years will qualify to purchase once again.

I could go on and on, as there are as many solutions as there are people who feel that they cannot get out from underneath their condo.  My job, as a Real Estate COUNSELLOR, is to get people from where they are to where they want to be.  Call me for a FREE consultation to help you to define your housing and lifestyle options.  Linda McCaffrey 203 994-3666