HARTFORD, Conn. – The National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, has named Secretary of the State of Connecticut Denise W. Merrill to receive a 2014 Connecticut Executive Choice Award. Merrill will be honored at a ceremony to be held Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.
Merrill was elected as Connecticut's 73rd Secretary of the State on November 2, 2010. As Secretary of the State, Merrill serves as chief elections official and business registrar for the state of Connecticut. Since taking office, she has focused on modernizing Connecticut's election process, making voting easier, and improving information given to businesses that incorporate in the state.
Prior to her election as Secretary of the State, Merrill served as State Representative from the 54th General Assembly district for 17 years, representing the towns of Mansfield and Chaplin. First elected to the General Assembly in 1994, Merrill rose to the rank of House Majority leader from 2008 to 2010. She also served as the House chair of the budget writing Appropriations Committee from 2005 to 2008, as vice chair of the committees on Education from 1994 to 1998 and Government Administration and Elections from 1994 to 1996. In 2009, Merrill was named by her colleagues in the legislature as “Most Respected by the Other Side of the Aisle,” and, was named “Most Effective Legislator,” in a Connecticut Magazine poll.
Merrill’s election as Secretary of the State completes a cycle of commitment to civic participation, accountability and transparency in government that motivated her to pursue a career in public service more than 25 years ago. As a former teacher, she formed a consortium housed at the Secretary of State’s office in 1984 to increase law-related education, writing curriculum on constitutional issues for young adults and on Connecticut’s constitutional history.
Merrill is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, is licensed to practice law in the state of California, and is a classically trained pianist. She lives in Hartford.
The Connecticut Executive Choice Awards honors business leaders in the Hartford and New Haven counties. The awards honor Connecticut professionals who have made significant contributions to the business, civic and cultural betterment of our community.
Fellow honorees include Robert J. Fiondella, Principal of Wealth Preservation Partners, LLC; Thomas M. Lescalleet, Senior Vice President of Griffin Land, LLC; and Michael Devino, President of Mercury Fuel Service, Inc.
The awards take place Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. After a cocktail reception, the program will include dinner, entertainment and the award presentations.
More than 6,000 Connecticut residents live with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease for which there is no cure. Funds raised by the chapter through events, such as the Connecticut Executive Choice Awards, fund scientific research and provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter to people in Connecticut diagnosed with MS.
The Aqua Turf Club is located at 556 Mulberry Street in Plantsville. For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Meg Staubley at 860.913.2550, ext. 52524, or meganne.staubley@nmss.org.
To learn more about multiple sclerosis and the many ways to get involved, please visit www.ctfightsMS.org.