From White Street to Main Street: WestConn alums stick together

by Sherri Hill

Like most things in life, you get out of your college experience pretty much what you put into it. The friendships you make can slowly fade away  or they can become rewarding lifelong relationships.

WestConn alumni Jeffrey Heyel (90), Peter Howland (88), Paul Finnerty (90) and Frank Forzano (93) have taken that concept one step farther, besides being friends and alum, they also are business partners.

Heyel is an attorney practicing in the areas of employment law, disability, sexual harassment and divorce. He is also co-owner of Hire-essentials, a Danbury-based healthcare recruitment and consulting firm. Howland, an award-winning writer, is director of marketing services at an advertising and marketing firm in Newtown. Finnerty is a director and plant manager for a food processing company in Nashville, Tenn., and Forzano is a senior clerk with the Connecticut State Senate, as well as a licensed realtor.

These four alumni have pooled their talents ‹ and finances ‹ to purchase an historic post-Revolutionary War building at 68 Main Street in Danbury. Their shared vision is to make improvements to the structure and rent office space to other professionals, especially those with a WestConn connection.

Heyel and Howland recently took a break from the refurbishing to reflect on some history: both their own, and that of the building, which originally served as a saddlery until the early 1800's.

We enjoyed our WestConn experience tremendously, Howland said, especially the time we spent working and socializing at the campus newspaper, The Echo. We¹ve spent a great part of our lives here, in downtown Danbury, he continued, and we derive many benefits from keeping a positive connection to WestConn.

Home is where the heart is, Heyel added. My heart has always been with WestConn, so now it¹s nice to give something back.

What these alumni are giving back is a discount to WestConn graduates who rent office space in the building or utilize the services of the tenants at 68 Main Street, many of whom also are alumni.

It¹s networking with a twist.

Jeff learned of the availability of this building, Howland said, and saw a way to help some of his WestConn friends and classmates. This even extends to other alums that we don¹t know yet, he added with a smile.

Howland explained that while tenancy in the building is not restricted to only WestConn alumni, only fellow graduates can benefit from the discount, which includes the first month free with a one-year lease, and up to 15 percent off professional services offered by the building's participating tenants.

Those tenants include 1988 graduate James Lamontagne, a real estate, criminal, bankruptcy and civil litigation attorney. He was the first to sign on.

Having an office here is fantastic,² Lamontagne said. It¹s more comfortable and less stressful than being in a typical office building, and it¹s great to be with friends and fellow WestConn graduates. My clients all say they much prefer doing business here.

Heyel agreed.

It¹s very simple, but very profound,  he said. To work and spend time with the people I care about, my friends,  is very important to me. These are my closest friends from WestConn. The best days of my life, short of the birth of my son, were spent with these people.

Heyel¹s appreciation for his friends is understandable, especially considering the support they gave him during his battle with cancer. Now in remission, Heyel says the experience was life changing and enabled him to set his priorities straight.

Howland added that Heyel¹s illness had a profound impact on all of them.

After the cancer, Jeff rebuilt his life and got a lot of strength from his friends, Howland said. He¹s been very inspiring to all of us.

Looking ahead, Heyel and Howland are keeping their eyes open for another property to purchase and refurbish. They also plan to offer virtual offices at 68 Main Street and elsewhere.

Heyel explained.

Due to corporate downsizing, there are a lot of laid-off middle managers who are now consulting from their homes, he said. A virtual office will give them a Main Street address, custom stationery, a phone line, Website presence and shared use of a handicapped-accessible reception area and conference room all at a significantly lower cost than renting actual office space in Danbury.

The WestConn alumni discount would apply to the rental of a virtual office, as well, Howland said.

Imagine, Howland quipped, we¹re using an 18th century structure to conduct cutting-edge business.

And they¹re succeeding. With a little help from, and for, their friends.

(reprinted with permission from The WCSU Communique, October 2003)