Stephen C. White, President & CEO, Mystic Seaport, has a strong vision for the future of the Museum as did founder Carl C. Cutler, shown in the painting.
story & photo
by Alexis Ann
Last January 15th, some 80 years after the story of the Mystic Seaport began with the incorporation of the Marine Historical Association, Stephen White, former headmaster of the Fay School, Southborough, MA, took its lead position as President and Chief Executive Officer. Stephen, a cheerful, enthusiastic, ambitious, down-to-earth, market-savvy leader has a strong vision for the future of the Seaport. He stresses the importance of the Seaport’s connection to our community as did the three founders: Carl C. Cutler, a lawyer from a seafaring family, Charles K. Stillman, a New York doctor who had returned to Mystic to live in the house of his grandfather, shipbuilder Clark Greenman; and Edward Bradley, a local silk manufacturer.
Reciprocity
The new president’s mission? “Intensifying our focus on community relations.” He poses, “How can we (Mystic Seaport) be a more effective partner to the community?” Stephen adds, “A strong healthy Mystic is important to the Seaport and a strong healthy Seaport is important to Mystic.”
Legacy
As a young boy growing up on the coast of Maine, Stephen developed a deep passion for the sea and sailing. Explaining the legacy of the Mystic area, “Before the Seaport was here as a museum, this place had a legacy of the sea. This area was a hub for maritime industry. The three largest ships ever built in Connecticut, including the famous Davy Crockett, were built here.” Today, this legacy lives on through the marinas and boating activities on the Mystic River. “The Museum represents the legacy of the past.”
Culture of a Museum
“The hardest part of non-profits is managing the culture of the institution. Embracing and nurturing the culture while moving it in a positive direction-a dynamic direction so it sustains itself. Unlike other types of businesses, if we have to make more money, we can’t step up production of something. We have to inspire donors to give more. We have to acquire more grants. We have to inspire a visitor to come visit us and then, make them want to come back, time after time.”
Dreams for Future
“My dream is that every fourth grader in the State of Connecticut will have the opportunity to walk across our campus and experience all that Mystic Seaport is. With budget cuts and the financial struggles of educating our kids, we need to enrich the experience of our elementary school children. They need to go to places like here. Through partnerships with statewide organizations and our fundraising efforts, I’m hoping we can provide a free experience for fourth graders.”
Goal
“My first goal is: How do we get every fourth grader in New London County the opportunity to come experience the Mystic Seaport next year. To date, we’ve raised $450,000 to endow this program. We are working with other major businesses in this area to participate in the funding of this program.”
“My second goal is to provide teachers access to our knowledge of U.S. History and our knowledge of maritime history through webinars and online resources.”
It was the Connecticut Sun that gave the 101-year old, Mystic Seaport’s steamboat Sabino its sparkle on September 3rd. Four athletes from the playoff-hopeful WNBA team joined fans for an evening cruise in an effort to raise awareness among school children for the nation’s leading maritime museum. Proceeds from the event went to a new Mystic Seaport initiative to provide greater access to the museum for local school children.
It was a brilliant day for local school kids like Mackenzie Braymar, who took the opportunity to take pictures with Erin Phillips, one of her favorite WNBA players. Connecticut Sun’s guard Lindsey Whalen mingled among guests, while players Asjha Jones and Sandrine Gruda signed autographs for fans. Steve White, President, Mystic Seaport, a retired teacher and field-trip advocate, took the helm of the Sabino, which is the last coal-fired steamboat in operation in the country.
The Connecticut Sun and the Mystic Seaport are key components of a vibrant community in Southeastern Connecticut that brings people from all around the state together for entertainment and education. There are many connections in the network between Mystic Seaport and the Connecticut Sun, including the Mike O’Farrell, Public Relations Manager, Mystic Seaport, who is the voice behind the broadcasted cheers at Connecticut Sun games.
Mystic Seaport has it’s own working shipyard featuring tall ships, as well as a re-created 19th century village, exhibits, and a planetarium. For information on Mystic Seaport, visit www.mysticseaport.org. For information on the Connecticut Sun, visit www.wnba.com/sun.
The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut is pleased to announce Dr. Raymond B. Johnson as the 2009 recipient of the William Crawford Distinguished Service Award. The Crawford Award is an honor given by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut recognizing an outstanding member of the community who has contributed not only to the quality of life in the region but also to his or her fellow neighbors.
Dr. Johnson is the retired Senior Associate Director of Clinical Research at Pfizer, where he worked to further clinical development on drugs treating everything from typhoid fever to sexually transmitted diseases. He was honored with the Central Research Achievement Award by Pfizer for his contributions to Zithromax. Before starting his career at Pfizer, he served as Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital at Bethesda, MD, overseeing 2,500 military and civilian staff.
He is a member of nearly 20 years on the Board of Trustees at the Waterford Country School. His leadership as Board member and Vice Chairman of the Board prompted the school to name its medical center for him. Earlier this year, he completed a productive and successful tenure on the Board of Directors at Natchaug Hospital, Mansfield, where he served seven of his nine years on the Board as its Chairman.
Dr. Johnson is a Corporator at The William W. Backus Hospital and Dime Bank, and served previously as a member of the Board of Directors of Summer Music. In 2008, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Connecticut’s African American Affairs Commission.
His alma mater, Dartmouth College, where he was one of only a dozen African-American students at the time, honored him years later with an Honorary Doctorate Degree. Dr. Johnson and his wife, Arlene, live in Noank. They have four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The Crawford Award Dinner honoring Dr. Johnson will be held in November.
The Blackhawk helicopter from AVCRAD will be on display at the Groton Fall Festival on Saturday, October 10.
The countdown is on for Groton’s Fourth Fall Festival. It’s time to mark your calendar and save the important date of Saturday, October 10. This is a special community event created and sponsored by the Groton Business Association (GBA) of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.
Groton’s Fall Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is a rain or shine event. You can obtain full information by going to the GBA website at www.grotonbiz.com or calling the Chamber at 860.572.9578. The deadline for registering is Friday, September 25.
For businesses, artists and crafters, it is an opportunity to connect with your current customers and attract new ones. For non-profit organizations it is an opportunity to promote your message to thousands in person.
The primary site is Poquonnock Plains Park, centrally located in the middle of Groton. This will be the site of an Arts and Crafts Show, business displays, exhibits and food vendors. Other sites for the Festival are Sutton Park, the location for skate board contests, and the Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School, the location for the car show.
New this year is radio controlled airplane demonstrations throughout the day. RC Propbusters, a radio controlled model airplane club, is providing the aerial demonstrations. Back for another year, the Blackhawk helicopter from AVCRAD will be on display.
Fan favorite Brett Pill signs autographs before the game for (l-r) Troy Sullivan, Montville and Alex Huber, Mystic.
story & photo
by Vito J. Leo
For a couple of longtime season-ticket holders, the excitement surrounding the Norwich pro baseball team’s first playoff appearance in seven years was only tempered by a late-summer chill that descended on Dodd Stadium on September 9.
“If the weather is good, we’ll be here for every playoff game,” said Rose City resident Linda Jackson as she and her husband, Harry, cheered on the Connecticut Defenders as the Norwich nine easily handled the New Britain Rock Cats, 6-2, in the Eastern League playoff opener.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for years,” said Linda, a season-ticket holder for a decade. “These guys have had a great year and they’ve got one heckuva manager,” she said, referring to Defender-in-Chief Steve Decker.
Steve chose strikeout artist Ben Snyder to start this pivotal game with New Britain ace Deolis Guerra toeing the mound for the Rock Cats.
Both starting pitchers had rather shaky first innings, but Steve recovered far more quickly than did the Rock Cats’ hurler. The Norwich starter’s first three pitches of the game were balls but he then settled down and proceeded to tame the Cats, holding them scoreless until the ninth.
Deolis also settled down after a rocky first inning, but not before the Defenders had put a four-spot on the board, keyed by D.H. Martinez-Esteve’s three-run homer.
The Defenders finished atop the Northern Division with an 83-59 record this season.
