Submitted by Sierra Lopez, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.
Update 3/11/20: This event has been postponed due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus, including the Vaping Epidemic, The Truth and Consequences, that was supposed to follow the breakfast. Check back for new date.
Chairman Don DeVivo of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce announced that UConn Head Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma will serve as keynote speaker at a Chamber Member Breakfast Meeting on Monday, March 16, 2020.
The Member Breakfast Meeting, sponsored by MiddleOak, will be held at the Sheraton Hartford South, 100 Capital Blvd, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, with networking beginning at 7:00 a.m., breakfast buffet opens at 7:15 a.m., and the meeting program, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
The Member Breakfast Meeting will be immediately followed by a Workshop titled, “The Vaping Epidemic, The Truth and Consequences”. This session will outline the effects of vaping in a work place, implementing office policies on vaping, and the harmful instruments that are used to vape.
Chamber President Larry McHugh noted, “We look forward to welcoming Coach Auriemma back to Middlesex County for another sold out event. I appreciate his willingness to come and speak to our members, especially during this very busy time in the season. I would also like to thank MiddleOak for its sponsorship of the Member Breakfast and for its great support of our chamber.”
Cost is $22 for members of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce and $32 for non-members.
Advance registration required. “The Vaping Epidemic, The Truth and Consequences” is free to all members. Please register online: www.middlesexchamber.com.
About Geno Auriemma- Entering his 35th season in 2019-20, Geno Auriemma has redefined the meaning of success in as head coach of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program. During his illustrious tenure, Auriemma has transformed the Huskies into an unmatched program of excellence.
Arriving to Storrs prior to the 1985-86 season, Auriemma has taken a program with just one winning season to its current state, which includes 11 NCAA Championships, 20 Final Fours, six perfect seasons and 49 conference championships.
A 2006 inductee to both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Auriemma became just the fourth women’s basketball coach to reach 1,000 career wins on Dec. 19, 2017. He was the fastest coach to reach the mark, doing so in his 1,135th career game, and owns the best win percentage in the sport (.884).
Auriemma has been named Naismith National Coach of the Year eight times, AP National Coach of the Year nine times, WBCA National Coach of the Year seven times and conference coach of the year 15 times.
Under Auriemma, 24 Huskies have been selected as WBCA All-Americans for 44 total recognitions while a Husky has been named National Player of the Year 13 times. He is the first coach in women’s basketball history to guide a team to five consecutive Final Four appearances on two separate occasions and the current run of 12 consecutive Final Fours is also a record.
Off the court, the Huskies boast a perfect 100 percent graduation rate among four-year student-athletes while regularly participating in community service and outreach. Since joining the American Athletic Conference, UConn has won the league’s regular season and tournament titles in each of the last six seasons while not dropping a game in conference play. UConn has swept both conference titles in the same year 21 times under Auriemma and a total of 24 Huskies have been named conference player of the year.
Auriemma served as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National team for eight years, leading Team USA to the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medals. He also led the United States to gold in the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships. Auriemma is a 1981 graduate of West Chester with a bachelor of arts in political science. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children and three grandchildren.
About the Chamber- The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is a dynamic business organization with over 2,175 members that employ over 50,000 people. Our chamber represents businesses of all sizes and industry sectors, from Fortune 500 companies to micro businesses, and we are committed to promoting a positive business climate in Middlesex County. Monthly Member Breakfast Meetings feature keynote speakers from a number of different professional fields including the business community, national politics, sports, and entertainment. In addition to high profile speakers, Chamber Member Breakfast Meetings provide outstanding networking opportunities and attract between 300 and 600 Chamber members each month.
