Senator Bob Duff represents the 25th Senatorial District, which includes Norwalk and Darien, and was reelected to his second term as state Senator in 2006. During his second term, Bob continues to serve as Chair of the Banks Committee. He serves as Senate vice chair of the Transportation and Energy & Technology Committees and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, chairing two of its subcommittees. He also sits on the legislature’s Commerce Committee.

Prior to being elected to the state Senate, Bob served as a state Representative for three years, representing the 137th Assembly District in Norwalk. As a state Representative, Bob served as the House vice-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee and as a member of the Banks Committee, Higher Education & Advancement Committee, and the Select Committee on Housing. As co-chair of the Appropriation’s Committee’s Results-based Accountability (RBA) subcommittee, Bob is leading the legislature in applying results-based accountability-a method of analysis that rewards programs that meet their goals, to the state’s budget process. Though the program is still young, Bob and the rest of the team are working hard to utilize this tool to help to streamline the state’s budget and ensure that programs that are successful get necessary funding, while programs that are lacking are cut.

Since first being elected to the House in 2002, Bob has been at the forefront of energy issues facing our state and has been a vocal supporter of a long-term statewide strategy. Bob is also keenly aware of the environment and the role it must play in our state’s legislation. After the 2002, 2004, and 2006 legislative sessions, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) cited Bob for his positive voting record on environmental issues.

Throughout his legislative career, Bob has been honored by numerous civic organizations in the community. Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum, the Save Cranbury Association, the Broad River Neighborhood Association, the Norwalk YMCA, Side by Side Charter School, the Colonial Village Resident Council, American Legion Post 67 in Norwalk, the American Lung Association, UConn Advocates, and the American Heart Association have all applauded the work that Bob has accomplished in his career in the legislature. In 2003, the YMCA of Connecticut named him Legislator of the Year, and in 2005, Bob was awarded the Legislator of the Year Award by the National Association of Social Workers, Connecticut Chapter and the Connecticut Association of Not-for-profit Providers for the Aging honored Bob with the Rick Wallace Award of Merit Legislator of the Year. Most recently, Bob was honored with the President’s award from the Workplace, Inc. for his work in leading the state’s response to the subprime mortgage crisis.

In September 2004, Bob was accepted into the Fleming Leadership Institute, one of only thirty-five legislators nationwide. The Fleming Fellows Leadership Institute of the Center for Policy Alternatives identifies emerging leaders from the ranks of the nation’s state legislators and provides them with a unique program of values-based leadership training and sustaining support.

In the summer of 2006, Bob was chosen to participate in the Emerging Leaders’ Conference, sponsored by the State Legislative Leaders Foundation. This selective organization selects only two candidates from each state for up-and-coming public officials.

Bob is a native of Norwalk, where his family has lived for generations. His interest in politics began long before he first ran for office, which was apparent when he wrote his first letter as an 8-year-old to former-Mayor William Collins concerning the future of Duffy Field (now Veteran’s Park). Bob attended Norwalk Public Schools and went on to earn his degree in political science from Lynchburg College in Virginia. While in college, Bob’s political skills were honed as a student senator, campus leader, and as an intern for United States Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT).

Bob also worked for the Norwalk Public Schools as a long-term substitute teacher from 1993 to 1995. Currently, he is a real estate professional with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty in the Norwalk office. Bob has worked as a realtor with the firm for twelve years. He serves as a board member of the Human Services Council, Elderhouse, the Maritime Aquarium, the Child Guidance Center of Mid-Fairfield County, and the Family and Children’s Agency. Bob is also a lifelong member of the Norwalk United Methodist Church where he has served on various committees.

Bob lives on Toilsome Avenue in Norwalk with his wife Tracey and two sons.

Jim Randel has been writing about real estate and business for twenty-five years.

An attorney by education and graduate of Columbia University and Law School, Randel has made his living as a real-estate entrepreneur – buying and selling single-family houses, apartment buildings, land, retail centers, factories, distribution facilities and office buildings.

His first book, The Real Estate Game, was written in 1986.  This book led to guest lectures at Harvard and NYU Business Schools and to numerous radio, television and public appearances around the United States.  In 1988 Randel went back to his activities as a real estate buyer and seller.

Randel wrote his next book, Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur (McGraw-Hill) in 2006.  This book has received rave reviews from readers and industry professionals, and has reached #1 ranking on several Amazon categories, including Real Estate Sales where it has been ranked #1 for about one year.

Randel believes that any author owes his reader tremendous respect.  That an author needs to do the heavy lifting, reading and studying a topic in depth, and then synthesizing and summarizing for the reader the salient points – preferably told in an entertaining fashion.

His third book, THE SKINNY ON THE HOUSING CRISIS: What Every Homeowner and Homebuyer NEEDS TO KNOW!!!  is nothing less than an entirely new genre that Randel and his ten-person team have created – with the reader in mind.  It is the first of another half dozen such books now in production – the goal being to cover important and current topics in that manner which is most likely to be understood, absorbed and appreciated by the reader.

TOWN                                 07                  08                   CHANGE
STAMFORD                         79                  52                          -44%

NORWALK                           62                  42                         -32%

WILTON                                26                  19                         -27%

BRIGEPORT                         44                  38                         -14 %

FAIRFIELD                           94                  54                         -43%

WESTON                                20                 16                          -20%

WESTPORT                           46                 36                          -22%      

AVERAGE                            371                 257                        -31%

* STATISTICS FROM THE  CMLS -         

Richard Maybruck - Producer & Host

Ann Meyerson - Moderator

Jim Bremm - Moderator

Beverly Walsh
Vice President, Sales and Sales Manager
William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage, and Insurance
47 Riverside Avenue
Westport, CT 06880

Office: 203 227-4343
Direct: 203 682-4341

Beverly.walsh@raveis.com

www.raveis.com

Beverly began her real estate career in 1992 in the same William Raveis office which she now manages. That first year she was named Rookie of the Year. While in a sales position she served on the Company’s Agent Advisory Council as well as Exceptional Properties Manager. She placed in the top 5% in sales volume nationwide. During the year 2000, Beverly moved from sales into management of the Westport Office and was subsequently promoted to Vice President, Sales. During her tenure as manager, the office has seen substantial growth in market share. It ranks as the #1 office in market share in sales volume and sales units for the towns of Westport and Weston. Within the company, the office holds the #2 spot in sales volume and profitability out of 55 offices within the Company.

“I had the privilege to be asked to lead a very talented team when I stepped into the job. My management philosophy has been to support the agents unconditionally, hire the best talent in the local marketplace, and provide the team with the leadership and cooperative working environment they need to excel at their jobs. The Company tools, including its national recognized website “raveis.com”, are the foundation for the growth of the office.” Beverly acknowledges. Since the inception of “manager of the year” awards at the company four years ago, Beverly has won the award three times. In 2007, she was also the recipient of the Entrepreneur’s Award, which is the highest award given to management within the Company.

Prior to real estate, Beverly developed, owned and operated “The American Country Collection of Bed & Breakfast & Country Inns”, a privately held company based in upstate New York which provided multi-faceted marketing, services, and lobbying for small lodging establishments. She served on the Board of Directors of the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association, which was, at that time, the largest trade association in the state of New York.

Beverly resides in Fairfield with her husband, Michael and together they have two grown children.

Town………..July’07…..July’08…..% change

Westport……..39……….38……….-0-

Norwalk……….64……….56……….-13.5

Fairfield……….95……….71……….-25

Weston……….23……….24……….-0-

New Canaan…38……….18……….-52

Easton……….10………..6……….-40

Wilton………..27……….24……….-1

Stamford…….76……….73……….-1

Greenwich**…19……….13……….-32

* Stats from CMLS

** As reported to CMLS

The show produced by Richard Maybruck, a local realtor, discusses issues that are very pertinent for those who are selling or buying a home in Fairfield County. The show’s mission is totally public service to help buyers and seller adjust their strategies to the changing real estate market in Fairfield County. The show does not solicit sellers or buyers . According to Richard Maybruck, “we do not sell homes or seek out buyers. We never mention our firms. In fact, Ann Meyerson, co-host, and I work for different firms. There are so many issues in play right now, that we felt an unbiased report would be extremely useful for both buyers and sellers”. The first show featured, as a guest, Jim Bremm a local mortgage banker. Future shows will have buyers, sellers, home inspectors and a green home consultant as guests.  According to Ann Meyerson, “Fairfield County is in a unique situation mainly because of it’s proximity to New York City and our hope is to provide substantive information for the local community on how to successfully navigate our real estate market”. The show has a blog,

www.RealEstateForumBlog.com providing an internet forum to discuss real estate issues in Fairfield County. The show can be seen on Channel 77, Thursdays at 6:30 PM

To do this, geothermal uses a loop system of flexible pipes that are filled with a water/glycol mix and buried in the ground. Geothermal uses NO fossil fuels. A highly efficient electrical pump, compressor and fan run the whole system. It provides 100% of your heat through your air duct vents or through radiant heat and100% of your air conditioning. In also it provides free hot water in summer.

Geothermal is long-lasting, clean, very safe and virtually maintenance free,  There is no fuel combustion (associated with oil and gas), so there is no chance of Carbon Monoxide poisoning in your home, no smelly oil tank, no greenhouse gases either. Just cleaner, fresher air.

There are many different types of loop systems, some even designed for ponds and streams. Because no drilling is required, this is a much less expensive option. Your location determines which one is right for you. Geothermal can initially be more expensive to install than oil or gas fired systems because of the cost of the pipes, but it is much more efficient and will save you 70% on your total utility bill. If you have a deep pond – then installing geothermal a no-brainer!

Fairfield to Woodbridge CT

Thur. Aug. 7, 2008 - 5:30pm

Greenwich to Westport

July 31, 2008 - 6:30PM - CHANNEL 77

August 7, 2008 - 6:30PM - CHANNEL 77

August 14, 2008 - 6:30PM - CHANNEL 77

Nick Goodwin Self, Eco Consultant will let you know:

• What is geo-thermal energy?
• How can geo-thermal energy reduce your heating costs?
• How much does an installation cost?
• How much will I save?
• What are other cost saving options?