HARTFORD, CT - Six Connecticut residents have been honored by the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) with "Bring It Home Awards". The "Bring It Home Awards" honor state residents for their contributions to making the state a successful convention and major sporting events venue. The honorees belong to or work with professional or social associations and have greatly helped the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau and local hotels and meeting venues book many national and regional conventions.  

This is the first time that the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau presented these awards. In June 2012, the former Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau (GHCVB), creator of the awards, expanded to become the CTCSB and serve the entire state. Many GHCVB staffers now are now part of the new CTCSB and have continued the tradition.

The awards ceremony was held at the Inn at Middletown in Middletown, Conn. and was attended by convention and hospitality leaders from across the state.

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau’s “Bring It Home Awards” were presented to:

•    East Hartford resident Rosalind Coltherst-Smallhorne, for bringing the Southern New England Church of God's “Annual Women's Conference” to the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa since 2009;

•    New London resident Kenneth Edwards, Jr., for bringing the upcoming 8th annual Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) International Conference to the Connecticut Convention Center in October 2013;

•    Shelton resident David Kelly, for bringing Spectrum Plastics Group’s National Sales Meetings and Leadership Meetings to the Holiday Inn Bridgeport since 2011;

•    Cheshire resident Harold Kramer, for bringing the upcoming American Radio Relay League’s Centennial Convention to the Connecticut Convention Center in July 2014;

•    East Hartford resident Gladys Rivera, for bringing the 2012 the Fuel Cell Seminar & Energy Exposition to Mohegan Sun in November 2012; and•    South Windsor resident John Shemo, for bringing the Northeastern Economic Developers Association’s 56th Annual Conference to the Marriott Hartford Downtown in October 2012.

The Connecticut Convention & Visitors Bureau (CTCSB) works in partnership with the state’s businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and surrounding communities to market all of Connecticut – all convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conventions. The Connecticut Sports Convention Advisory Board, a division of the CTCSB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. For more information, visit www.ctmeetings.org or call (860) 728-6789.

PICTURED (left to right):
Standing:
•    East Hartford resident Rosalind Coltherst-Smallhorne;
•    New London resident Kenneth Edwards, Jr.;
•    Shelton resident David Kelly; and
•    Michael Van Parys, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB).
Seated:
•    Cheshire resident Harold Kramer;
•    East Hartford resident Gladys Rivera; and
•    South Windsor resident John Shemo.

Photo credit: Photo Images Co.