Eileen Candels
Vice president and
territory manager, Central Connecticut Kelly Services
Eileen Candels is vice president and territory manager for Central Connecticut for Kelly Services, the workforce solutions company. She began with Kelly as a recruiter over 25 years ago, then moved into positions in business development and management.
Candels has been responsible for leading the Greater Hartford Market since 1991, and has developed many corporate and regional partnerships. She has led the growth of Kelly Educational Staffing, from a small partnership with Bloomfield to today working with more than 50 school districts across the state.
She is a past Business Advisory Council member for AI Prince Tech School, and was recently appointed to the Tunxis Community College’s Workforce Development Board. She has served on boards of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce, Business Network Group, and the Seniors Job Bank. And she is a 40 Under Forty honoree, class of 2000.
Samuel S. Gray Jr.
President and chief
executive officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
Samuel S. Gray Jr. is president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford. Gray is responsible for providing leadership for all aspects of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, which annually provides over 5,200 youth in Hartford with quality after-school and non-school hours programming. Prior to that, he served as vice president and chief operating officer of the organization.
Gray is an alumnus of Boys & Girls Clubs. He began his career with the Boys & Girls Clubs movement in 1992, serving as program director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Richmond, VA.
Gray has been recognized by the Hartford Business Journal as one of the region’s Top 40 Under Forty; recognized by Hartford Magazine as one of Greater Hartford’s 50 Most Influential People of 2009; and was honored by Leadership Greater Hartford as a recipient of 2009 Polaris Award.
Kim Pita
Managing principal,
Pita Group
Kim Pita has more than 19 years of experience as a research strategist, professional writer, editor and public relations professional. She heads up Pita Group operations and works as the primary marketing strategist. She worked as a congressional press secretary, communications manager and newspaper editor before starting the business in 1996.
She is past president and honorary director of Rebuilding Together Hartford and serves on the Communications Advisory Committee of Foodshare. She is vice president of the Board of Directors of Hartford Children’s Theatre and again will serve as gala co-chair. She recently rejoined the Board of Directors of the Rocky Hill Chamber of Commerce and was named to Connecticut’s 375th Anniversary Planning Commission.
She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and National Association of Women Business Owners and was named to the 40 Under Forty list by the Hartford Business Journal in 1999.
Robert Simpson
Partner and attorney,
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Robert Simpson’s legal practice at Shipman & Goodwin LLP focuses on product liability, employment and business litigation. He represents major product manufacturers in a variety of matters ranging from automobile to asbestos. He has also handled complex business and employment litigation matters involving fraud, unfair trade practices, trade secrets, copyright infringement, non-compete agreements, confidentiality clauses, and employment discrimination.
He frequently lectures on e-discovery, the use of technology in the courtroom and litigation management. He is co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Corporate Counsel Committee, Section of Litigation and treasurer of the National Bar Association.
He has been named a Connecticut Super Lawyer for five consecutive years and has been chosen among the Hartford Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty class of 2004. He has received the Community Service Award from the Urban League of Greater Hartford.