Business Champions Awards 2010 – About The Judges

Mickey Herbert

Mickey Herbert recently retired as president and CEO of ConnectiCare, a $1 billion health plan in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, and as executive vice president of ConnectiCare’s parent company, EmblemHealth, a $10 billion company.

Prior to joining ConnectiCare in 2005, he was the founder and CEO of Physicians Health Services, a health plan serving Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. He also has been vice president of InterStudy, a national health policy research firm.

He serves on the boards of non-profit organizations including the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, the Metro Hartford Alliance, the Barnum Museum, the Barnum Festival, the School for Ethical Education, the University of Connecticut Foundation, and the Greater Hartford Community Foundation. He is a past chairman of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council and is currently a member of its executive committee. He is also a past chairman of the former Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation and has co-chaired, with his wife Jackie, an annual campaign of the United Way. He is a member of the Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut’s Free Enterprise Hall of Fame.

Herbert served for eight seasons as president, CEO and majority owner of the Bridgeport Bluefish Baseball Club, an independent minor league baseball team, and as one of three officers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He also was a general partner of the Philadelphia Barrage, a charter team of Major League Lacrosse.

He is a member of the Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame and was the leading hitter for the United States in the 1984 World Softball Championship tournament.

Laura Grondin

Laura Grondin is president and CEO of Virginia Industries, Inc., a privately-held industrial products company headquartered in Rocky Hill.
During her 10-year tenure as CEO, she reorganized the company to compete successfully in the global economy. Through its subsidiaries — Hartford Technologies, Bingham & Taylor and Lincoln Door Systems — Virginia Industries supplies a diverse range of products including balls, bearings, rollers, meter and valve boxes to the automotive, industrial, gas and water markets. The company operates manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout the U.S. and in Asia.
Ms Grondin also serves on the Board of Directors of Virginia Industries. Previously, she served as president of the company’s Hartford Bearing Company division.
Ms Grondin was recently appointed chairman of the board of the Connecticut Development Authority, a financial entity which provides debt financing and investment capital supporting economic development in Connecticut. Additionally, she serves on the Board of CONNSTEP, Inc. and the Children’s Law Center of Connecticut. She is an active participant in Vistage, an international organization of CEOs.
In the past, she has served as president of the Connecticut Women’s Council; president of the Greater Hartford Jaycees; an advisory board member of the State Street Global Advisors of Connecticut; an advisory board member of the Center for Family Business at the University of New Haven; an alternate delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business; and board member of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. Finally, she was recognized as a Remarkable Business Woman in 2004 by the Hartford Business Journal.Laura Grondin
Laura Grondin is president and CEO of Virginia Industries, Inc., a privately-held industrial products company headquartered in Rocky Hill.
During her 10-year tenure as CEO, she reorganized the company to compete successfully in the global economy. Through its subsidiaries — Hartford Technologies, Bingham & Taylor and Lincoln Door Systems — Virginia Industries supplies a diverse range of products including balls, bearings, rollers, meter and valve boxes to the automotive, industrial, gas and water markets. The company operates manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout the U.S. and in Asia.
Ms Grondin also serves on the Board of Directors of Virginia Industries. Previously, she served as president of the company’s Hartford Bearing Company division.
Ms Grondin was recently appointed chairman of the board of the Connecticut Development Authority, a financial entity which provides debt financing and investment capital supporting economic development in Connecticut. Additionally, she serves on the Board of CONNSTEP, Inc. and the Children’s Law Center of Connecticut. She is an active participant in Vistage, an international organization of CEOs.
In the past, she has served as president of the Connecticut Women’s Council; president of the Greater Hartford Jaycees; an advisory board member of the State Street Global Advisors of Connecticut; an advisory board member of the Center for Family Business at the University of New Haven; an alternate delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business; and board member of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. Finally, she was recognized as a Remarkable Business Woman in 2004 by the Hartford Business Journal.

Jerry W. Long

Jerry W. Long is the founder, president and CEO of PCC Technology Group.
He has been in the computer consulting business since 1988, first as the owner of PC Consultants until 1994 when he founded PCC Technology Group, LLC.
PCC Technology Group is a computer consulting firm specializing in election services software products; customized application development; system integration; business intelligence and business process outsourcing. The firm won the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Fast Fifty awards given by Deloitte and Touche, and the Business Development Grant given by Fleet Development Ventures.
Long is chairman of the Bloomfield Economic Development Commission and a director of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association; Simsbury Bank; Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation and Rideshare. He is a past chairman of the MetroHartford Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce.
He is vice chairman of Charter Oak State College Board of Trustees, an advisory board member of the Institute for Industrial and Engineering Technology at Central Connecticut State University; past treasurer of the Hartford Chapter of Black Data Processing Associates; and a past director of the Hartford Education Foundation. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and the Rotary Club of Bloomfield.
Long started his career with the General Electric Company before moving to Connecticut General Company (later known as CIGNA). He also worked with The Hartford Insurance Group before founding PC Consultants in 1988. He has a bachelors of science degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University and an MBA from the University of Tennessee.

Elliot A. Ginsberg

Elliot Ginsberg is president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc.
He served for a decade as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. John B. Larson. At the start of Gov. William O’Neill’s second term, he was appointed commissioner of the Department of Human Resources where he managed the statewide human services department for six years.
Previously, Ginsberg served as a family support magistrate for the state Superior Court and taught non-profit and human services administration at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.
After graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law, Ginsberg was senior manager of Connecticut Legal Services and then the executive director to the statewide training and advocacy organization of the legal services programs in Connecticut.
He is a member of the board of directors of Connecticut Technology Council, Capital Workforce Partners, MetroHartford Alliance, CT Academy for Education, St. Francis Hospital Foundation, Connecticut Landmarks and Connecticut Legal Rights Project.
He is a member of advisory boards for the NASA Space Grant Consortium, CT Regional Institute for the 21st Century, Charter Oak Cultural Center and the UCONN School of Engineering. He also is a member of the state Nanotechnology Council and the board of overseers for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.