UpFront

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” - Queen

If you play fantasy sports, then you know who Matthew Berry is. He’s an expert on the subject and helped popularize it from being a backroom secret to a pop culture phenomenon. And if you follow him, then you are probably aware that he has left ESPN.

It’s important to note that this episode was recorded before his ESPN departure and you may hear some references to things that seem out of time or place. Matthew’s story is inspiring. It’s an incredible story of perseverance and never giving up on your dreams.

We talk about what it was like to grow up in football-heaven Texas, his days of being a Hollywood show writer on “Married With Children”, how he became a New York Times best-selling author and yes, all things fantasy sports. Let’s get UpFront with Matthew Berry.

More on Matthew Berry:

www.twitter.com/MatthewBerryTMR

Claire LaPia and Frank Criscuolo were married on February 22, 1975. Claire was a registered nurse and Frank was a musician who played bass and lead guitar. The two were madly in love and wanted to spend as much time as possible together. The solution? Start a business and work together!

Claire loved to cook and was raised in a traditional Italian-American family. Her mother was obsessed with eating delicious, fresh, homemade food. Her mother’s mantras were “eat this, it’s good for you” and “we don’t eat foods with ingredients I can’t pronounce”. Claire wanted to cook that way for the masses and opened Claire’s Corner Copia on September 17, 1975. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

If you’ve ever been to New Haven, it’s right there in the heart of the city on the corner of Chapel and College Street. It’s a New Haven institution and Claire’s was organic before it was a trend and marketing buzz word.

Claire Criscuolo joins us and shares her story of growing up in Worcester Square, the story behind the Corner Copia name, her undying passion for good food and all of the lessons learned running her own kitchen.

UpFront with Jill Mayer

Bead Industries

Chances are you probably have never heard of Bead Industries, i didn’t… but I can guarantee that you know two of the many products they’ve made. The first is the beaded-light pull chain that you use to turn a light on and off. The second are the dog tag chains for the US Military that they manufactured during World War Two.

Founded in 1914, Bead Industries is comprised of two divisions - Bead Chain and Bead Electronics, and a wholly-owned subsidiary, McGuire Manufacturing Company. All of them are based here in Connecticut. Jill Mayer is the current CEO and the fifth generation of this family business, who took over running the company from her father in 2014 and has built on his legacy by transforming the organizational culture through innovation, shared purpose and accountability. We talk a lot about that in this episode.

She’s fiercely passionate about manufacturing and is the President of ManufactureCT, Connecticut’s largest manufacturing association, a board member of the CBIA and is active in Vistage and Women in Manufacturing.

Let’s get UpFront with Jill Mayer and learn about what inspires her, how you can transform a company culture and what it’s like to run a family manufacturing business.

www.beadindustries.com

UpFront with Chef Tyler Anderson

Tanda Hospitality

If you go to his website, you’re greeted by a big, jovial smile and a simple, inspiring message we should all adhere to - work hard, be nice, eat well.

Chef Tyler Anderson was born and raised in Southern California where he started his career in the professional kitchen. In fact, it really started when he was a child selling snow cones on the street he lived on. Today, that entrepreneurial spirit lives on and his passion for the craft and locale are evident in his cooking style, which is inspired by simple quality goods and the culinary traditions of New England.

He’s the driving force behind his restaurants Millwright’s, Ta-Que. Terreno, Bar Pina and Tanda Hospitality. He’s also been nominated for the James Beard Best Chef Northeast award seven years in a row, named Connecticut Chef of the Year and he was a fierce contestant on Top Chef, Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.

So who won? We'll find out as we dive into what kind of leader it takes to run a kitchen, his daily habits and routines, what inspires him and how Covid has forced the restaurant business to be innovative. Let’s get UpFront with Chef Tyler Anderson!

About Tyler Anderson and Tanda Hospitality:

www.cheftyleranderson.com

www.tandahospitality.com

www.instagram.com/cheftyleranderson

UpFront with Scot Haney

WFSB Channel 3

There’s no question about it - he is one of the most well known media personalities in Connecticut. His warm personality, sense of humor and dynamic character are a part of the Channel 3 weather team and Great Day Connecticut in the afternoons. We’re thrilled to have Scot Haney from WFSB on the show!

Scot started his broadcast career in mid 1990’s, but landed at Channel 3 in November 1998 and hasn't looked back since. He earned his bachelor's degree from St. John’s University in New York City, his master's degree at Syracuse University and is a proud graduate of the American Meteorological Society. Early on, his career path wasn’t quite figured out. Scot had a burning passion to be on television, but often found himself working in jobs he didn’t want. His story is about perseverance and setting goals to do what you really want to do in life.

Scot is also a non-stop, driving force in the Connecticut community, volunteering at various events and making a commitment to help good causes anyway he can. He’s received numerous awards and accolades for his community support, including awards from My Sisters Place, the American Red Cross and many others.

So let’s get UpFront with Scot Haney and learn more about his career path, failures, triumphs and what being in the news has taught him.

About Scot Haney and WFSB:

www.wfsb.com

www.twitter.com/scothaney3

www.facebook.com/scothaney

We hope you have enjoyed the first season of UpFront!

The idea of this show is simple. It's about featuring the personal stories of Connecticut's top business and community leaders who are doing great things. We want to know more about their daily habits, choices and decisions that have led them to where they are now. Each guest has an amazing story to tell and they also share some solid business advice that we can apply in our own lives.

This wrap-up episode features the guests from our first season and highlights some of our favorite pieces of advice on leadership, failure, daily routines and more. Kick back and enjoy this UpFront wrap-up episode!

About Mason:

www.mason23.com

www.twitter.com/mason_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/mason-inc

UpFront with Jennifer Rizzotti

President, Connecticut Sun

Mention the University of Connecticut or UConn and the first thing most people think of is basketball. UConn basketball – championship after championship, legendary players and legendary coaches. The school has a proud tradition of winning basketball championships and Connecticut is passionate about it. It’s almost like a fairytale, except this is very real.

Playing a starting role in the story of UConn women’s basketball is Jennifer Rizzotti. She was there in the beginning of it all, winning the school’s first NCAA championship in 1995. Today, Jennifer is the President of the Connecticut Sun women’s professional basketball team that is affiliated with the Women’s National Basketball Association.

From her days on the court as a Husky and later playing pro women’s basketball, to coaching teams and being a women’s basketball hall-of-famer, Jennifer shares her inspiring story of perseverance, how being competitive can lead to success, and the lessons she’s learned on and off the court that has helped shape her into the person she is today.

Let’s go one-on-one with Jennifer Rizzotti on UpFront!

About Connecticut Sun:

www.connecticutsun.com

About Mason:

www.mason23.com

www.twitter.com/mason_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/mason-inc

UpFront with Jim Koplik

President, Connecticut and Upstate New York Region

Live Nation

The power of music. It brings people together and makes us feel happy. It can make us feel sad and it has the ability to heal. More importantly, music brings people together and adds some joy into our lives. It’s something we can all relate to.

Jim Koplik is the president of Connecticut and the Upstate New York Region for Live Nation. A legendary concert promoter, Jim is responsible for thousands of shows that include legends such as The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney and Frank Sinatra to name a few. His story is the thing that dreams are made of. It’s about following your passion. In this case, Jim’s passion is music and he turned that first show at Ohio State University back in 1968 into a thriving business. And make no mistake, music is a business and it is hard work.

Jim shares his incredible story - where he came from, the triumphs, the challenges, where the live music business is going and a few stories from backstage. Let’s dive into a little bit of rock and roll history with Jim Koplik on UpFront!

About Live Nation:

www.livenation.com

www.oakdale.com

www.hartfordtheatre.com

www.hartfordhealthcareamp.com

About Mason:

www.mason23.com

www.twitter.com/mason_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/mason-inc

UpFront with Reverend, Dr. Leroy Perry

St. Stephens AME Zion Church (Branford)

Cultural Ambassador, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation

A life changing experience set Reverend Dr. Leroy Perry on his path in life. Originally from Roanoke, Virginia, he earned his BA from Livingstone College, his MDiv from Yale Divinity, STM and doctoral degree from New York Theological Seminary in New York City.

Having pastored in Harlem and his home church, Mt. Olive AME Zion, he presently serves as senior pastor to the St. Stephens Church, Branford CT. In addition to his work as pastor, Dr. Perry presently serves as the Director of the Fatherhood Initiative program at New Opportunities Inc, Waterbury, CT and as a Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Cultural Ambassador for the past ten years.

He is devoted to improving the lives of anyone he meets and is committed to the improvement of community. We talk about his time of growing up in Roanoke as a child, why family is so important, what makes great leaders, some personal hard lessons learned and why you can’t achieve success without sacrifice.

About St. Stephens AME Zion Church:

www.ststephensamezion.org/

About Yale Center for Clinical Investigation:

www.yaleclinicaltrials.com

About Mason:

www.mason23.com

www.twitter.com/mason_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/mason-inc

UpFront with Eric Hummel

3rd Generation Owner, Hummel Brothers

There's nothing more American than a good old fashioned hot dog! We love them. Especially Hummel Bros. hot dogs. The Hummel Bros. story begins in 1933 when German immigrants William and Robert Hummel scraped together $1,000 to purchase a bankrupt sausage kitchen. They both were "wurstmachers" - sausage makers - back in Germany, so they knew a thing or two about making quality products.

Fast forward to today and Hummel Bros. is a thriving family business that extends far beyond Connecticut. People love their food, especially their hot dogs. There are online groups dedicated to Hummel Bros. and fans from around the world who will have them shipped as far away as Hawaii and Alaska. Eric Hummel is one of the third generation owners and he took the time to share some insightful advice on the importance of giving back to the community, why employees are truly like family and the best way to enjoy a Hummel Bros. hot dog.

About Hummel Bros.:

www.hummelbros.com

About Mason:

www.mason23.com

www.twitter.com/mason_inc

www.linkedin.com/company/mason-inc