The Owners' Manual | Issue 25 | End of Summer 2022

2022 ▬ issue 25 ▬ end of summer

issue 25, end of summer 2022

Photo credit: Heather Halotek, Meriden Summer may be technically over, but it’s never too late for ice cream!

BL Buzz Around BL..........................................1-3 ESOPMonth........................................6-7 Get to Know New Employees............................11-22 In Memoriam.................................21-22 Career Fairs....................................26-27 Words from Wellness..........................30 Question of the Quarter................31-40

FYI Happy Fair Season.........................4-5 Safety Tip........................................8-9 Legal Tip...........................................10 Cover Project...................................23 IT Tip.............................................24-25 Client Care Corner.....................28-29 Upcoming Events.............................41

Front & Back Covers: Amazon Warehouse (Rechler Equity) in Westhampton, NY.

BL goes international! John Jenney represented BL in Benagil, Alfanzina, Portugal.

Bill Fries participated in a 5K as part of the RE+ conference in CA. The Wellness Committee fully supports this type of conference activity!

A group of employee owners (with some extra friends & family members) spent an afternoon beautifying Bushnell Park in Hartford.

issue 25 // 1

The Melville office enjoyed an evening together of bowling, food, and fun!

Our Warwick office took the moment for a photo opp after a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A group from the Norwood office gathered for burgers & beer to celebrate the end of Summer.

It’s a small world! Kinga Kosciuk-Sejdor and Jonathan Coccomo happened to run into each other at the Polish Festival in New Britain, CT.

BL’s Office Warriors competed in the Office Olympics to benefit Junior Achievement. We may not have taken home the golden shredder this year but we still had a fantastic time for a great cause!

The marketing dept. celebrated Lisa Pavano being named SMPS CT’s Member of the Year!

issue 25 // 3

HAPPY FAIR SEASON Need help finding one locally?

Summer is officially over the moment the Fall Fair comes to your town. It’s bittersweet but the smells of apple cider doughnuts and cotton candy in the air paired with sights of Ferris wheels from the road make the transition a little sweeter. If you’re wondering where you should pick up your ticket, here are some suggestions for you:

Connecticut

1. Southington Apple Harvest Fair 2. CT Renaissance Fair

https://www.fairsandfestivals.net/states/CT

Massachusetts

Ohio

1. Brown County Fair

1. Topsfield Fair

2. Big E

2. Coshocton County Fair

https://ohiofestivals.net/ohiofairs/

https://www.mass.gov/doc/fairs-by-date

New Jersey

North Carolina

1. Hightstown Fair

1. Crafting Carolina Fall Craft Fair

2. Somerville Street Fair and Craft Show

2. NC Gourd Festival

https://www.findfestival.com/northcarolina

https://www.nj-carnivals.com/

Pennsylvania

New York

1. Limerick Uncorked Festival 2. Bedford Foliage Festival

1. Long Island Fall Festival

2. Merrick Fall Festival

https://www.fairsandfestivals.net/states/PA/

https://nycarnivals.com/

Rhode Island

Tennessee

1. Middletown Harvest Fair

1. Tennessee Medieval Faire

2. Block Island Fall Arts & Crafts Fair

2. Nashville Cultural Festival

https://www.fairsandfestivals.net/states/RI/

https://www.fairsandfestivals.net/states/TN/

issue 21 // 3 5 5

2022 SNEAK PREVIEW ESOP MONTH

In case you don’t know, every October the ESOP Association and employee-owned companies like ours celebrate being an ESOP. BL uses this month to continue to promote our ownership culture, help strengthen relationships within the company, and increase awareness about our ESOP. We all work hard to make BL a great place to work and ESOP Month is a chance to celebrate. ESOP Month is full of fun activities, events, games, and culminates in a raffle drawing for some great prizes! Every time you participate in something, you earn raffle tickets - so the more you participate, the higher your chance to win! The theme this year is “decades”, so we have some fun, nostalgia inducing events planned. Each week will be themed after a particular decade, starting with the 70’s in week one and we’ll end with the 00’s in week four. This year will be our first hybrid year since the pandemic - so some of our events will take place in office, and some will be entirely virtual. Don’t worry if you can’t make it into an office, because we always have a virtual or DIY way to play along. To kick things off, we’ve assembled some amazing ESOP Month care packages, which contain everything you need to make your ESOP Month great! Unless you live super far from an office, we’re asking everyone to pick up their own care packages at their assigned office starting September 20th. Keep an eye out for more details as we get closer to October 1st. We hope you’re as excited as we are - It’s going to be a great month! Sincerely, the ESOP Communications Committee GET EXCITED - ESOP MONTH IS ALMOST HERE!

issue 25 // 7

Slow Down for Back to School

School days bring congestion: School buses are picking up their passengers, kids on bikes are hurrying to get to school before the bell rings, harried parents are trying to drop their kids off before work. It’s never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present – especially before and after school. Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe: c Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic. c In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection. c Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign c Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas. c Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way. c Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians. c Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way. Sharing the Road with School Buses If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children. c Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children. c If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop. c The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus. c Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks.

By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely in school zones.

Brought to you by BL Companies’ Safety Committee

issue 25 // 9

LEGALTIP PM Manual Julia O’Brien Vice President & General Counsel The PM Manual is here! On Friday, September 16 the PM Manual was posted to the intranet. While the PM Manual has “PM” in its title, it is for all of BL. The Manual takes a PM from the start of a project – starting with client selection – through closeout. Many employees at BL work on parts of a project – client selection, safety, taking meeting minutes, assisting with subconsultant agreements – so there is something in the Manual for all.

While this PM Manual is not “legal” per se, following the guidance of the Manual is best practice in how BL PMs set up, price, schedule, propose work, manage clients, hire subs, financially manage and safely conduct a project. By following this Manual we are mitigating our risk and, therefore, this quarter’s Legal Tip is a reminder of the need to read and follow the PM Manual. As we move through the fourth quarter, there will be changes made to the Manual as PMs, and others, read and suggest edits to it. At the end of 2022, we will finalize the Manual and it will then be updated on an annual basis.

Nov. ‘21 - April ‘22

GET TO KNOW new employees

Let’s get to know!

Christine Colella Mike Kurker Brian Lowry Samantha Shaw Dan Wenzel

Special InMemoriam Get toKnow

Victoria Crouthamel November 15, 1991 - August 23, 2022

issue 25 // 11

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I love to spend time with my family and friends – whether it’s fishing with my parents on their boat, skiing with my husband, or just about anything with my nieces and nephew (they keep me on my toes!). I also enjoy working out – yoga and barre classes are my favorite. Do you have a talent or hobby? I was a Connecticut All-State basketball player, and up until several years ago I held the single-game scoring record at my high school. What’s thehardest thingyou’ve ever done? I did public defender work in Brockton, MA for a number of years – it’s wild to visit incarcerated clients and challenging to represent unpopular defendants. What do you miss most about being a kid? The lack of responsibility (no bills to pay!). Do you have a TV binge/ Movie / Book/ Music worth recommending? I’m embarrassed to recommend anything because I mostly watch guilty pleasures on Bravo (ha!).

ChristineColella Warwick, RI Legal Dept. 2.14.22

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? I decided to come to BL Companies because of the caring ESOP culture, excellent benefits, and the allowance for better work-life balance. Tell us about yourself I’m from southeastern CT originally, both my mother and father are retired captains in the U.S. Coast Guard, and I’m the middle daughter (3 girls). I attended UConn for my undergraduate (’11), then went to Roger Williams University in RI for law school (’14). I am a cat mom to two (Mittens & Pat).

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time? Probably cross-stitching - my mom taught me as a child and I find it so relaxing. What is something you learned in the last week? Or since joining BL? In the last week I learned from my cousin’s 7 y.o. why peppers are so nosy…because they’re jalapeño business. Since joining BL, I have learned some of the basics of our disciplines and quite a lot about insurance coverages!

issue 25 // 13

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy playing tennis, skiing (though a lot less living in North Carolina), and running. I am an avid sports fan, especially of all things Boston Red Sox, Syracuse Orange, Texas Longhorns, and Las Vegas Raiders. What is a good piece of advice you’ve received? Always look forward and live life without regret. What did you want to be when you grow up? My childhood career aspirations were mayor of my hometown or a job in sports. What is a favorite vacation or dream destination? My favorite yearly vacation is our trip to Martha’s Vineyard, but my favorite vacation was our honeymoon to Greece. My dream vacation destinations are Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Australia. Do you have a talent or hobby? My favorite hobby is playing tennis.

MikeKurker Charlotte, NC Transportation 2.7.22

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? I decided to come because coworkers and friends spoke so highly of BL Companies. Tell us about yourself I grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut and graduated fromEast Hartford High School. I obtained my BS in Civil Engineering from Syracuse University and my MS in Transportation Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Upon returning to Connecticut after graduate school, I successfully ran and completed one term on the East Hartford Town Council. My wife and I moved just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina to Fuquay Varina five years ago with our black lab Lacey. We had our daughter, Remi, in August 2022.

What is one of your favorite quotes? “Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up” – Jim Valvano

If you won the lottery, what’s your splurge? If I won the lottery, I would splurge on a boat.

Who inspires you and why? My parents inspire me because of their work ethic and devotion to our family.

What do youmiss most about being a kid? I miss having less responsibility and living life on a whim.

Do you have a TV binge/Movie/Book/Music worth recommending? I generally don’t have the attention span to binge TV shows, but my wife and I binge the TV series Friday Night Lights often. What is something you learned in the last week? Or since joining BL? I have learned a lot about ITE Trip Generation, Civil 3D, and MPT standards in various states.

issue 25 // 15

Do you have a talent or hobby? I really enjoy golfing and doing impressions and voices/accents.

What did you want to be when you grow up? An actor (either on SNL or the movies); or a pro golfer.

What is a favorite vacation or dream destination? My favorite place I’ve been to is Ireland. Would love to go to Greece or New Zealand someday.

Brian Lowry Meriden, CT Environmental 11.18.21

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? Aside from the fact that my initials are BL?.... LOL. I was ready for a new challenge and I knew another employee in the Meriden Environmental department and had heard good things about BL. Tell us about yourself I grew up in eastern CT. I went to school at Penn State (B.S.) and University of New Hampshire (M.S.) before returning to CT. I live in Southbury, CT with my wife and two boys. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with family/kids, golfing, hiking, and hitting up a brewery.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Play guitar.

Who inspires you and why? My parents.

What do youmiss most about being a kid? The carefree nature of living life with few responsibilities. What is something you learned in the last week? Or since joining BL? That we work with really good people, which makes it enjoyable .

Samantha Shaw King of Prussia, PA Land Development 4.4.22

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? Everyone person I spoke to in my hiring process made me feel at ease. Land Development, encompasses many different disciplines of civil engineering, adding variety from day to day. Tell us about yourself I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Widener University where I was involved with many clubs and activities. While at college, I worked as a math tutor and held various leadership positions. In addition to being a member of Phi Sigma Pi, a national honor fraternity, I also helped found a chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority for women in engineering and technical sciences. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with family/kids, golfing, hiking, and hitting up a brewery.

issue 25 // 17

If you won the lottery, what’s your splurge? Build my own house (and maybe buy a shore house). What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time? “Build” houses and make excel sheet for fun. What is something you learned in the last week? Or since joining BL? I am learning to trust myself as an engineer while also communicating efficiently. It can feel difficult to reach out to others to admit you need help, but without doing so, you will not get the help/answers you need!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Taking walks with my mom (goal of 10K steps a day); playing Animal Crossing; building houses on the Sims; binge watching TV; playing with my “puppy nephew” Caillou. What did you want to be when you grow up? My answer at kindergarten graduation was “an actuary like my dad”, but I wanted to be an architect until my cousin steered me towards civil engineering (like her).

What is a favorite vacation or dreamdestination? Family vacations in North Wildwood, NJ.

What is one of your favorite quotes? “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Play an instrument.

Tell us about yourself I live in the ‘Cape Fear’ region of Southeastern NC. I grew up in Colchester CT and went to Boston Architectural College. About 5 years ago my wife Sara and I decided to relocate to Wilmington NC, and last year we purchased a house about 20 minutes north of Wilmington in Rocky Point NC. We have a variety of animals (mostly rescues) – 2 dogs: Layla and Riley, 5 Cats: Hank, Frank, Hamilton, Nala, and our 3-legged kitty – Peggy Sue, 1 ball python: Julian, and around 30 chickens. Yes, the chickens all have names too. I won’t list them all, but here’s a few: Feather Locklear, Amelia Eggheart, Fluffernutter, Joan Jett.

DanWenzel Charlotte, NC Architecture 2.8.22

What made you decide to come to BL Companies? I had been considering a change for a while and reached out to Barb Joslin, as we had previously worked together years ago at Tecton Architects. After a few discussions it was clear that BL could offer the professional opportunities and work environment that I was looking for, as well as a very competitive compensation package.

issue 25 // 19

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? We love spending time at the beach and checking out the local breweries, which Wilmington has no shortage of! Although as new homeowners, there isn’t much free time anymore. Do you have a talent or hobby? Sara and I both have Jeeps and are in a local Jeep club – Salty Crawlers. We enjoy modifying our Jeeps and taking them on the beach and trails. We also recently added a Dodge Challenger to the fleet, so handwashing and detailing is my newest weekend hobby! I decided I wanted to be an architect pretty early on, even if I didn’t know it yet. My parents would buy me a new toy and I would have just as much fun making something out of the cardboard box as I did with whatever they got me. My first childhood design creation was a multi-level cardboard house for my hamsters. What did you want to be when you grow up? If you won the lottery, what’s your splurge? Probably a beach house on Figure Eight Island. What is something you learned in the last week? Or since joining BL? At my previous firm, project managers were provided with very limited access to Vision, only seeing a PDF version of project reports monthly when reviewing invoices. Since joining BL I have learned how to use Deltek Vision as a tool for managing projects and planning resources, as opposed to tracking time and expense only. What is one of your favorite quotes? “God is in the details” – Mies van der Rohe

VictoriaCrouthamel November 15, 1991 - August 23, 2022

As shared at the Employee Owner Meeting by Heather Halotek

On August 24th we at BL received the devastating news of the sudden passing of Victoria Crouthamel from our Nashville office. For those who didn’t know Victoria, she was a bright light who was engaged in all we do at BL. Victoria joined BL Companies in February of 2022 because of the people – specifically Michelle Carlson and Cherie Akers. She said, “They were so professional, driven, and nice and just made me feel like I was in the right spot. The company size and wide range of clients and project types made me excited and felt like I was best matched for to job coming from my previous experience. Also, the emphasis on quality work and employee growth made me excited to join.” Victoria grew up with a mother in the Navy which had her moving around a lot and eventually called the Florida Keys home. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2013 and called Citrus Springs, FL home with her husband Craig and their miniature Australian Shepard, Tucker. Victoria loved to build things. This was sparked, in her 7th grade woodshop class. And she was always up for a good woodworking project. Victoria truly believed seeing your hard work come to fruition and being able to use it was extremely rewarding. Her and her father built

a house together all on their own in the Keys that she owned. It took two years. She had a nail gun in her hand from an early age and some of her favorite moments were going to home depot with her Dad! When asked who inspired her - Victoria responded her younger brother who is a helicopter pilot in the Navy. He works so hard, and puts his life on the line every day for our country. Victoria was inspired by how he had the balance of enjoying life and working hard figured out and never letting others bring him down. In her free time she enjoyed traveling, gardening, being with family and friends, watching her husband’s football games or any football game for that matter, and considered any day by the ocean - a great day! She loved how her dad always put things into perspective in times of trial by saying “It could be worse. Be grateful for what you have.” Victoria left our world way too soon but certainly left an imprint on it. The biggest imprint of course is her son – born August 20th and lovingly named after his mother – Victor Crouthamel. Craig – Victoria’s husband and Victor’s dad – is in the process of working with a financial advisor to set up a trust for Victor.

The kindness of so many employee owners have gifts and donations to baby Victor totaling over $3200. If you wanted to contribute but did not meet the September 23rd deadline – we have extended the mailing out of donations to Craig Crouthamel to October 9th. Please reach out to Heather Halotek for information on how to contribute.

issue 25 // 21

Victoria and her dad building her house.

Victoria and her brother.

Victor Crouthamel

BL Companies worked with Rechler Equity Partners for this distribution warehouse in Westhampton, NY. The site is located adjacent to Francis S. Gabreski Airport, therefore strict compliance with building heights was required to avoid interference with flights.

The project was part of an approved Planned Development District (PDD) with strictly defined criteria for aesthetics and signage. Typical warehouses are either precast or tilt- up construction, but the criteria of the PDD required a design that would be compatible with the aesthetics of the village of Westhampton.

A large canopy adjacent to the building provides cover from the elements to five lanes of delivery vans as they are being loaded. The structure was also designed to allow for future installation of a rooftop photovoltaic system. Conduit and stub-ups for electric vehicle charging have been installed throughout the delivery van parking.

Extensive landscaping was also provided including a continuous berm along the road to filter views of the building.

issue 25 // 23

IT

Microsoft Teams Tips

TIP

When creating a meeting invite, pay attention to the location of the meeting. Always look at the “Add channel” location box to be sure you’re not accidentally associating the meeting with a Teams Channel that you don’t intend to. Also, always start instant “Meet Now” meetings from your Teams Calendar tab.

To get someone’s attention in a channel conversation or a chat, @mention them. Just type @ before their name and then select them from the menu that appears. You can also @mention a Team or Channel.

You can now annotate during a meeting screen share. Pick the Annotate button as shown below.

During a meeting screen share, you can now make use of 2 screens as a presenter or attendee. Use the new “Pop Out” feature via the button in the top menu.

issue 21 // 15 5 2

What’s the importance of career fairs? This is our company’s pipeline, and we want to promote the great careers available here at BL! We want to give students the opportunity of hands-on learning in their discipline while practicing professional behavior. BL participates in various college career fairs to recruit students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, architecture, design, project management, safety, and business services. Full-time entry-level positions are available for recent college graduates. BL also recruits the best and brightest students to join our dynamic project teams. During these internships, students are able to develop invaluable skills that will serve them throughout their career in the A/E industry. We are proud to offer the resources and professional development needed to succeed. Our team has recently traveled to Penn State University, West Virginia University, and University of Connecticut and have the following schools on our calendar:

University of Akron Tuesday, September 27 University of South Carolina Wednesday, September 28 Worcester Polytechnic University Wednesday, September 28 Youngstown State University Thursday, September 29 Penn State Harrisburg Wednesday, October 5 Mass Maritime Academy Thursday, October 13 Quinnipiac University Monday, October 17 Stony Brook University Friday, November 4

issue 25 // 27

Client Care is rooted in servicing the needs of our internal and external clients here at BL. Lately, we’ve talked a lot about communication and how to effectively connect with clients so that projects run smoothly and we can build upon current relationships and bridge out to build new ones. Another important key to communicating effectively is being responsive. Have you ever asked a question and found yourself at 4:30pm on Friday afternoon waiting for an answer? Or you’ve sent an email asking for clarification on an item and you’ve waited so long that you’ve had to move onto another project, leaving that one on your to-do list? We’ve all been there and quick frankly, it’s frustrating. When we take the time to respond to someone, answer a question, or provide some type of signal that you’re addressing the issue, you make the flow of a project more efficient. Sitting around waiting for answers not only drives people crazy, but ultimately can drive up the cost of a project. So, here’s what you can do. Return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. Sometimes we want to have the whole answer before responding, and that’s ok, but try to respond within 24 hours. If you don’t know the answer right away, kindly respond to the person on the other end of the question and let them know that you are working on gathering information. They’ll understand and just be happy that you kept them in the loop. If you get a meeting planner – respond truthfully. The magic of Outlook will automatically add it or delete it from your calendar. Now you are prepared. (Or have space for another event - like a kick- off meeting!) If a conflict arises, make sure to contact and update the host on your attendance. Utilize the resources that BL has to offer. We’ve invested time, money, and opportunity into the company in order to enhance every Employee Owner’s ability and skill set. All you need to do is reach out and use the tools in our expansive toolbox. Being open, communicating effectively, and responding to people will increase your client care competency.

One of our clients, RIDOT, has counted on our responsiveness many times. There have been instances where the client has given BL very short or even same day notice on important projects. Because of our Employee Owners’ responsiveness, RIDOT has leaned on our services and hired us for additional projects. Imagine if those Employee Owners saw the email come and chose not to respond. Well, as we know – waiting around for answers is frustrating, especially when matters become urgent. If we were not responsive, the project would have been awarded to another firm and we would have lost a valuable client.

issue 25 // 29

Words from Wellness (abbreviated)

Our regular Words fromWellness from the Wellness Committee will return in November, but in the meantime, we hope you’ve been enjoying the “Wellness Wednesdays” on the Intranet. Keep an eye out each Wednesday on the Intranet for quick wellness reminders.

issue 21 // 19 5 31

Glen Grove KISS 1979 Dynasty Tour. This was my first concert, so it was amazing to see these guys live.

RAI MUHLBAUER I’ve seen a lot of great concerts including Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, the Eagles (3 times), but one of the most memorable was the first time I saw Elton John at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto way back in 1979 (damn I’m old). Not only did he bring incredible energy to the show – he was still young then – but he also played nothing but his greatest hits. He clearly picked up on how appreciative the audience was and responded in kind when his show ended and the audience called for more. He returned for not one, not two, but SEVEN encores. He initially took the stage shortly after 9:00 pm and finally finished at 12:45 am. I saw him again in 2002 at the Hartford Civic Center during his tour with Billy Joel… another spectacular event where both brought their “A” game. Simply amazing! I finally saw him a third time in November 2018 at the TD Center in Boston during his farewell tour, which was later interrupted by Covid and is being finished now. That brought back a flood of great memories.

HOLLY LINDER My favorite band of all time is Coldplay. This is the picture of when I saw them in concert in 2016 and it was amazing! Their concert is so much more than just music: they put on incredible light shows, have synchronized light-up wristbands, and crazy pyrotechnics. The whole experience is so inclusive and interactive – they even offer free sign language interpreters and SubPacs for fans that attend and are hard of hearing or deaf. What I love most is their dedication to making the world a better place. Their concert this past June that I attended was focused on the environment: most of their profits went to reforestation around the world, cleaning the ocean, saving endangered species, and all concessions/ materials were recyclable. Even their tour schedule was planned to minimize air travel and instead use electric busses and trains to get to most of their destinations! Attending their concerts makes you feel good because you’re helping the world while still enjoying the music you love. They really focus on taking care of our planet and loving one another. I’ve been multiple times and plan to catch them whenever I can!

PATRICK JOYCE The best concert I ever attended was when Darius Rucker came to the University of South Carolina for a student-only concert when the South Carolina women’s basketball team beat UConn in the 2022 national championship game! Darius used to play a lot of pop-up concerts at USC but had not been back after the Coronavirus outbreak started. Nelly opened for him and brought the whole team and coach Dawn Staley on stage to sing some songs too! It was the last big event I was able to attend before I graduated. To answer the bonus question, the first concert I ever attended was a Kenny Chesney concert, one of my favorite country artists!

issue 25 // 33

JOHN JENNEY Best Concert (tie):

Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult “Black & Blue Concert” – New Haven Coliseum – 1980 James Taylor – 4th of July concert @ Tanglewood Music Center, Lenox, MA - 2016

First Concert:

Yes “In the Round” – New Haven Coliseum – 1978. I was 14 years old

ROBERT BURKE My first concert was to see Poison / Tesla at the Civic Center in Asheville NC in 1989. My girlfriend surprised me buying tickets for my birthday for us to go. It was amazing! My best concert was Woodstock ‘94 which was an American music festival held in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival of 1969. Twenty-five years later comes Woodstock ‘94, billed as “Two More Days of Peace & Music.” It took place in Saugerties, N.Y., Aug. 13-14, 25 years to the days after the original Woodstock Festival in Bethel, N.Y., came to symbolize the spirit and consciousness of ‘60s youth culture. I was taking summer school and a Sustainability course at the Yestermorrow Design Build School in Warren Vermont in place of a semester of Architecture school studio 4th year. I went to the concert with friends from Burlington VT, they had to leave early on Saturday to be at work on Monday morning, traffic took forever to get anywhere, it was packed, but I didn’t have to work, so I stayed and saw that last day of music on my own and then I hitchhiked back to Burlington. We were camping, so they left me with the supplies of a whole group. I walked around selling and trading on Sunday making a killing and making new friends. Featured acts included Aerosmith, Metallica, Peter Gabriel, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arrested Development, Bob Dylan (with a, and possibly The, Band), Santana and Crosby, Stills & Nash (the only comeback kids), Green Day, Allman Brothers, Spin Doctors, Cranberries, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Alice in Chains, Henry Rollins, the Neville Brothers, Melissa Etheridge, Porno for Pyros and Johnny Cash. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were quite memorable when they came on stage dressed as giant light bulbs and played.

DANIEL WENZEL The best concert I have ever attended was “Them Crooked Vultures” at the House of Blues in Boston. It was a supergroup consisting of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters/Nirvana) on drums, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar and vocals, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) on bass and keyboards. When I saw them, they did not even have an album out; so, it was basically a live jam session with original songs that were all unknown, making it a unique and memorable show. House of Blues is general admission, so we were able to get right up to the stage. It was incredible to see John Paul Jones live, especially when he played a lap steel guitar, and Dave Grohl always puts on a great show. I will never forget seeing Dave Grohl and Josh Homme patiently waiting on stage between songs as John Paul Jones took his time fiddling around with his pedals and amplifier adjustments…because are they really going to tell one of the members of Led Zeppelin to hurry up and get on with the show!? The first concert I ever attended was BB King on the lawn at Harkness Park.

ADAM DAWIDOWICZ Easy peasy. Any Eric Church concert I’ve been to: Boston; Hartford; Manchester, NH; Detroit (probably the best so far); Uncasville (first show and the one my wife regrets for getting me tix and me never looking back! :) ). Now, as for the first....... Whitesnake with Black Crowes, and Faster Pussycat, July 7, 1990, Liquor & Poker World Tour..... Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT. I was 9!!!!!!

issue 25 // 35

ANTONIO GARCIA The first one: SAGA 1982, San Juan, PR The best one: Hans Zimmer 2019, Palau Sant Jordi Montjuic, Barcelona

MICHAEL BURGESS When Our Lady Peace opened for Van Halen (Lead Vocalist: Sammy Hagar).

Anthony Guarnieri My first concert was Jingle Ball ’99 held in Madison Square Garden and hosted by Z100. My friend’s older sister received free tickets and passed them along. It was the end of the millennium and had all the 90’s stars – Enrique Inglesias, J-Lo, Lenny Kravitz, Ricky Martin, etc.

JESSICA BATES This is a really tough question So many concerts were the best or memorable in so many different ways. If I had to narrow it down to just one (or two), I would have to say my most memorable concert was either the Grateful Dead in Highgate VT in 1994, or Metallica in Keene NH, also in 1994. (Thankfully there are no pictures from back then.) I do, however, still have the tie-dyed t-shirts from the Dead shows. They have seen better times!! Nerd Alert: The highway system was not able to accommodate the 60,000-90,000 people that showed up to that show. There was like 12 miles of backup on I-91. People literally ditched their cars on the highway and walked to the show. After that experience, I declined to go the next year when the Dead went back in 1995. My first concert ever was 10,000 Maniacs at Stowe Mountain Resort in 1993.

SAMANTHA SHAW One of the best concerts I’ve attended is the Harry Styles: Live on Tour Philadelphia show in 2018. While it wasn’t the closest I’ve been to the main stage, we were along the aisle where he walked from Stage A to Stage B. We also more or less ended up in the video posted on Instagram by the local radio station (Q102 Philly)! You can see me holding out a piece of paper with my dad’s picture on it and a message along the lines of “you’re my dad’s hero”, as well as my friend’s face at the very end. It was also just a great night with good friends before I left campus after graduation. The first (real) concert I remember going to was Hillary Duff Metamorphosis Tour. I had a great time, despite being in the nose bleeds and the girls behind us screaming the whole time.

issue 25 // 37

KEVIN RODGERS The best concert I ever attended was Paul McCartney’s “On The Run” tour performance at Yankee Stadium on July 16th, 2011. The bonus was a guest appearance by Billy Joel. As far as my first concert, I never went to any when I was growing up. I was actually 40 when I got to see John Fogerty at Radio City Music Hall on July 2nd, 1998.

CHRISTA MANDLER I went to see AC/DC with my mother. I discovered them in college and loved their stuff. They were the first band I really started to pay attention to. Then I heard on my local radio station that they were doing a tour! I had no idea that they were still together, much less still touring. I checked tour dates and it turned out I would be visiting my mother the day they were going to be performing, not far from where she lives. I called her up and said hey, mom… I have an idea for a graduation present… We went to the show together and had a blast! I was super glad I got to go, because shortly afterward, the band suffered the loss of their lead singer and one of their founding members.

RHEA HIGHSMITH The best concert I’ve ever been to hands down is New Kids on the Block. The first time I saw them was in July of 1991 and the last time I saw them was in June 2022. I try to attend at least 6-7 shows per tour in different states to make it an adventure for my kids and me. Also, I try to get seats as close to the stage as possible for the interaction with the New Kids. As far as saving, I don’t splurge on most anything for myself year-round so I have no problem purchasing the 5-star package with VIP backstage access. One might think it’s a little excessive but when Donnie Wahlberg spots your daughter and comes to give her a fist bump every time he sees her it makes it all worth it. I’ll be cruising with the New Kids on the Block in October to a private island in Half Moon Cay, so I’d say I’m a super fan.

issue 21 // 23 5 39

JOE MICHIELS My first concert was the Grateful Dead March 19, 1995 at the Spectrum in Philly. I was in 8th grade, and my dad took me. They debuted a song (Unbroken Chain) that was over 20 years old that night, and the reaction of the crowd in that moment started a love for live music that has taken me to over 500 concerts all over the country. I’ve also seen a few bands over 50 times. I don’t know that I can say “This was the best concert” because at this point my favorite memories are more about the good times that I’ve had with friends traveling, being in the moment, or specific versions of a song. I do have 2 concerts that come to mind that were special or different though. First, in 2011 my wife and I saw Phil Lesh & Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead in an elementary school cafeteria in San Francisco on our honeymoon for a Christmas benefit with less than 50 people. Everyone made food, and along with a ticket you had to bring an unwrapped toy. Afterwards they were putting their own gear away talking to everyone, and I was so star struck I couldn’t even get a word out but a mumbled thank you. My wife still makes fun of me for it. The other was Aretha Franklin in 2005 or ’06 at a small theater in upstate NY. We had front row center seats, and halfway through the show the power went out and there were only emergency lights. She continued the concert without a PA or microphone and just had someone playing piano for her. I had to go to the bathroom at one point, stood up between songs, she stopped me, asked what I was doing, and then asked me to let her know how she sounded in the back of the theater. When I came back after the next song she asked if I could hear her ok in the back, and I could just fine. She then joked that it had been probably 50 years since she sang at church without a mic and still had it.

DAVID MANCUSO First Concert: Poison, Lita Ford & Britney Fox (1988) I think this was the first metal concert the Lake Compounce had. Best concert ever: Guns n Roses, Worcester Centrum (1991) fun fact: GNR didn’t go on until around midnight but we were pretty close to the stage so it was worth the wait. When we finally got out of the show (probably somewhere around 2:30 am) there was a foot of snow on the ground. I had to drive my friend back to Boston and then drive back to Bristol. I finally got home around 10 am. If not the best, certainly the most memorable! Saw them three more times after that.

Fridays @ Noon: Weekly Audio Conference Calls with our CEO

Month of October - ESOP Month!! Check the calendar provided by the ESOP Communications Committee for all the events & activities happening throughout the month!

November 11: Veterans Day - thank you to all who have served.

November 24 & 25: Thanksgiving & Day after Thanksgiving (days off!).

issue 25 // 41

2022 ▬ issue 25 ▬ end of summer

NEWSLETTER TEAM: Julia DeFrances Jessica Fasi Heather Halotek Melissa Hanson Lisa Pavano

CONTRIBUTORS: David Parent Julia O’Brien

Question of the Quarter Participants (thank you!) New Employees