On November 8, 2011 Stonington will hold its municipal election. Stonington-Mystic Patch asked each candidate to answer a questionnaire to give residents information about his or her background. For additional election coverage visit Elections 2011.
Name: Ed Haberek Jr.
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Age: 45
Address: 30 Moss Street in Pawcatuck
Hometown: Pawcatuck, Conn.
Employment (if retired, when and from what): I served as the Academic Program Director/Assistant Professor of the Marketing Department in the School of Business Administration and Legal Studies at Briarwood College in Southington, Conn. I also served as an Adjunct Business Faculty Instructor at several Connecticut State Universities, Private Colleges, and Online Institutions. My business experience includes work as Director of Sales and Marketing for the U.S. and Canada for one of the top 200 ranking European corporations. I also worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Becton Dickinson and DuPont.
Education: I hold a B.S. from Southern Vermont College, a M.B.A. from Johnson & Wales University, an Advanced Certificate in Graduate Studies from Touro University International and a Ph.D. from International Academy of Management and Economics.
Incumbent? (if yes, first elected when): Yes, first elected in 2007
Previous elected experience: Elected to Board of Education in 2005
Civic experience (appointments, non-profits):
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS
Member - Pawcatuck Lions Club - District 23-C
Member- Portuguese Holy Ghost Society
Member - Stonington Public Schools Strategic Planning Team 2010
Previous Member – West Vine Street School SBIT
Previous Member - Stonington Economic Development Commission
GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP
Vice Chair- Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board
Board of Director - Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region
Member- New England-Canada Business Council, Inc.
Member - Northeastern Economic Developers Association
Member - Connecticut Economic Development Association
Recipient- New London County Farm Bureau Award
Member- Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments
Member- Connecticut Council of Small Towns
Member- Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Fellow- The Institute of International and Strategic Studies
Member- Society for the Advancement of Management
Member- US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Member- Gerson Lehrman Business Councils
Member- Society of Industry Leaders
Top issue facing the town and your ideas for fixing it:
Jobs & Economy
Build upon our success of attracting , Tractor Supply & by continuing to work to attract “Knowledge Economy Smart Growth” industries to the town. I also want to encourage Entrepreneurship & “Homepreneurs” in town to revitalize downtown retail areas and home purchases.
Finally, I want to continue to outreach to international companies who are looking for U.S. East Coast location to promote our office space available. A continued concerted effort of promotion and outreach to industry clusters compatible with our town.
Second issue:
Budget
I look to continue to develop efficient and effective budgets to prevent impact on taxpayers. I am proud of the virtually No-Increase Town Budgets for last three year’s which have been consistently approved on First Referendum, resulting in Stonington having the lowest mill-rate in southeastern Connecticut. I will continue to look at operational efficiencies and “lean office” approaches to our town government
Third issue:
Infrastructure
I look forward to continuing improving infrastructure in the town. Several drainage and road projects are scheduled. Also, work on our three bridges is beginning in anticipation to rebuild them. Finally, my goal is to continue to rebuild many linear miles of sidewalks in town and look to have sidewalks from the all the way to downtown Pawcatuck.
