On Wednesday, April 28 hundreds gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell to honor our Live United Champions, nearly eighty companies, organizations and individuals who helped to raise $1.9 million for the 2009/10 United Way Campaign. Please see the complete listing of award winners at the bottom of this page. Watch video from the event >>

Chair of the 2009/10 Campaign, David Giuffrida, presented the top honor of the day, the Corporate Spirit Award, to Aetna. Aetna runs the fifth largest campaign in Middlesex County, they are a top Platinum level sponsor and they participate in the Loaned Executive program. In addition, the company provides a $10,000 challenge match each year for new gifts to the campaign.

Chris Montross, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Aetna Foundation, accepted the award. He is pictured, top left, with Martha Temple, Northeast Region Head at Aetna and a member of Middlesex United Way's Board of Directors. Martha is holding Aetna's "Top Ten" Award from United Way.

Other top honors included the Leadership Award, presented to Laura Pedersen of A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists (pictured at left). A.R. Mazzotta is a Bronze level sponsor of United Way and matches employee contributions. They have 100% participation by their full-time staff.

Frank Sumpter (pictured at right), CEO of the YMCA of Northern Middlesex County, accepted the organization's award for Funding Partner Achievement. The YMCA is one of the original partner agencies from 1935 and was the site of the very first campaign meeting of the Middletown Community Chest, United Way's initial name. The YMCA's campaign in 2009/10 experienced an increase in giving by 24% and an increase in employee participation by 61%.

Michelle Raffles (pictured bottom right) received the Coordinator of the Year Award for her outstanding leadership at Cooper-Atkins Corporation in their United Way campaign. Cooper-Atkins increased their giving by 90% with participation rising a remarkable 129%. In addition, employees collected an impressive 4,000 bottles of water that were distributed to individuals in need of services at last year's Day of Caring event, Project Homeless Connect.

The event concluded with David Giuffrida turning over the reins to one of the 75th anniversary campaign co-chairs, Chandler Howard, president and CEO of Liberty Bank. Chandler Howard is joined by Larry McHugh, president of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University. In the photo at left, Chandler presents David with a plaque in honor of his outstanding leadership of the 2009/10 United Way Campaign during an especially challenging economy.

2010 United Way Campaign Award Winners

Special Achievement Awards: Comcast - Godiva Chocolatier - Mahoney Sabol & Company LLP - New Alliance Bank - Regional School District #13

Top Ten Accounts: Aetna - AT&T, Inc. - Citizens Bank - Jarvis Products Corporation - Liberty Bank - Middlesex Hospital - Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas (Northeast Utilities Companies) - Pratt & Whitney - Webster Bank - Wesleyan University - Zygo Corporation

Honor Roll Recipients (for 5+ years of campaign growth): City of Middletown & Russell Library - Colebrook Financial - Godiva Chocolatier - NAPA Connecticut - New Alliance Bank - Seasons Federal Credit Union - Suburban Stationers - Tower Laboratories - Wright-Pierce

Organizations with 75% or More Employee Participation: AmeriBen Alliance/KGS Insurance - A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists - Connecticut Legal Services - GKN Aerospace Services Structures - John J. Driscoll United Labor Agency - Mahoney Sabol & Company LLP - MARC: Community Resources - McCutcheon Burr & Sons - Middlesex Chamber of Commerce - Middlesex County Community Foundation - Middlesex United Way - Nehemiah Housing Corporation - Pelton's Home Health Care Center - PrimePay - St. Luke's Eldercare Solutions of Central CT - Standard Knapp - Suburban Office Furniture - Women & Families Center - YMCA of Northern Middlesex County

Organizations with 50% or More Employee Participation: American Red Cross, Middlesex Central CT Chapter - Child & Family Agency of Southeastern CT - Cooper-Atkins Corporation - East Hampton Schools - Gibble Norden Champion Brown Consulting Engineers - Howard and McMillan - Independent Day School - Kuhn Employment Opportunities, Inc. - Liberty Mutual - Oddfellows Playhouse

10% or Greater Increase in Employee Participation: Henkels & McCoy, Inc. - Mercy High School - Rushford - Town of Old Saybrook