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As the Blitzkrieg raged in France, Hitler was already planning to fulfill his promise laid out in Mein Kampf, the forceful conquest of new living space for Germany in the East. Operation Barbarossa began on June 22 1941 and betrayed Germany’s non-aggression pact with Stalin, The Germans attacked Russia with 3 million soldiers, 3,350 tanks and 2,000 aircraft.

Mr. Gottlieb has been curator of naval history and technical director of exhibits at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York City, where he worked extensively with veterans of all services to create exhibits that accurately illustrate warfare of the 20th Century. In the past three years Mr. Gottlieb has presented many informative programs to the DMA, area senior centers and the Norwalk Lifetime Learners Institute.

Arranged by Alex Garnett

Born in Paris, France, Ms. Gilgore earned a Ph.D. in political science from the Università degli studi di Milano (Milan, Italy) and began pursuing her love of the arts in New York City as assistant curator/editor for the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Science and the Humanities.

She later worked for University Archives in Westport, CT, dealing with research and sales of historical documents and artifacts and in 2003 served as U.S. coordinator for the exhibition and catalog “SuperWarhol,” sponsored by Montecarlo’s Grimaldi Forum, assisting Germano Celant, then senior curator of the Guggenheim Museum.

Ms. Gilgore served as marketing director for the Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra from 2001 to 2008, where she managed marketing and public relations initiatives, organized press launches of international performers, and coordinated fundraisers and special events.

She later worked for University Archives in Westport, CT, dealing with research and sales of historical documents and artifacts and in 2003 served as U.S. coordinator for the exhibition and catalog “SuperWarhol,” sponsored by Montecarlo’s Grimaldi Forum, assisting Germano Celant, then senior curator of the Guggenheim Museum.

Arranged by Bob Smith

Terrie Wood, State Representative for Darien and Rowayton, will speak on the current political climate and the stasis of the Connecticut legislature.

Terrie Wood is serving her 3rd term as State Representative for Darien and Norwalk. She currently serves as ranking member on the Human Services committee, and also serves on the Regulations Review and Appropriations committees.

This past session, Terrie served as Co-chair of the Mental Health Working Group of the Gun Violence and School Security Bill. Terrie was instrumental in crafting and implementing the Mental Health portion of the bill along with her Co-Chair Sen. Toni Harp. Both were very much aware of the importance of educating people about mental health and helping to de-stigmatize mental illness.

One of the initiatives of the bill was to encourage citizens to take the nationally certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Course. After recommending the course, Terrie took the MHFA Course and is now “Mental Health First Aid Certified”. She felt that if she were recommending the course, she should know what it was all about. She encourages everyone to take the course as it is a good step to increasing awareness of Mental Health issues. Terrie also coordinated the organization of two course offerings in the area for citizens to take the MHFA Course.

Previous to serving in Hartford, Terrie had successful careers in advertising and photography. Terrie was an actor in many national television commercials and voiceovers in New York City. She later founded and ran a portrait photography business specializing in black and white portraiture.

In time, the non-profit world and passion for community advocacy beckoned. She is a Co-Founder of The Darien Environmental Group, served as President of the Darien Land Trust, Co-Chair of the YES…DHS Referendum Committee for a new Darien High School, trustee of The Darien Library and The Community Fund, member of Republican Town Committee and the Representative Town Meeting. Terrie and her husband Jay, have three children all of whom graduated from public high school and were EMT’s and members of Post 53 EMS service.

Involvement in these community organizations has given Terrie an understanding of the issues of the 141st District as well as leadership experience in bringing people together to find solutions and make the community stronger. Besides actively serving her constituents in Hartford, she continues her community advocacy as CT Board Chair of The Trust for Public Land and on the Person-to-Person Advisory Board. She is honored to represent the many spirited citizens of Norwalk and Darien.

SMA Contact: Bob Smith

Mark Albertson is an historical research editor at Army Aviation magazine, has been a member of the United States Naval Institute for more than twenty-five years, as well as being a member of the Navy League.

Marking the Centennial of the start of “The Great War”, Mark will give a presentation on the causes leading to World War I, a cataclysm that largely shaped the history of the 20th Century, and the event that truly led to The United States’s emergence as a global power.

Mark has published articles on issues of history and current events in newspapers and magazines, and has authored three books:

1. USS Connecticut: Constitution State Battleship;
2. They’ll Have to Follow You! The Triumph of the Great White Fleet and
3. On History: A Treatise.

He is currently at work on a fourth project, Sky Soldiers: The Saga of Army Aviation.

You can learn more about Mark from his website.

Unfortunately, Mike Baker, the speaker originally scheduled for January 15, 2014, was forced by an unforeseen emergency to cancel his appearance at our meeting.

Instead, Ron Kahan, a DMA member, has very graciously agreed to speak to us tomorrow. Ron talked to us February 6, 2013 on the complexities of Medicare and was very well received. After his talk, there was a very lively Q&A session. Unfortunately, the Q&A ended when a member fell and was injured and Ron ably stepped in as the doctor in the house.

For the meeting on January 14, Ron will resume the Q&A from last February, and will answer the questions on Medicare that you were unable to ask then.

Ron’s presentation can be viewed on the following URL links:

See a slide show of Ron’s presentation. Download a PDF file of Ron’s presentation.

Joseph Gianquinto is a 38 year veteran of the television industry.

Mr. Gianquinto’s passion for broadcasting began at Seton Hall University in the late 1950’s as a Communication Arts major with exposure to a superior faculty and a vibrant WSOU radio station. He graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, after two active duty tours in the US Army, Gianquinto worked for five years in the Commercial Production Department of the William Esty Ad Agency as an assistant and later as a producer. After leaving William Esty, Gianquinto began a television network broadcasting career at ABC and NBC as a Unit Production Manager. He worked on a variety of programs such as the 1968 Winter and Summer Olympics; the 1969 and 1970 World Series; A Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne Special; The Orange Bowl Parade; Apollos14, 15 and 17; the 1972 Democratic and Republican National Conventions and NBC Nightly News. In 1977 he became Director of Budgets and Planning for NBC’s News, Sports and East Coast Entertainment Programs.

Mr Gianquinto left NBC to help launch sports network ESPN in 1979 becoming its Vice President of Operations and Engineering in 1980. In 1982 he began a sixteen year career at Westinghouse Broadcasting as Vice President of Broadcast Operations and Technical Services for the Television Group and after two years in retirement, worked as a consultant for American Catholic, securing production and office facilities for a would be 24 hour cable network.

Arranged by Bob Smith.

Heidi Hadsell, Ph.D., will speak on the interplay between the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Dr. Hadsell is President and Professor of Social Ethics at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT.

Founded in 1833, Hartford Seminary prepares leaders, students, scholars and religious institutions to understand and live faithfully in today’s multi-faith and pluralistic world.

Dr. Hadsell came to the Seminary from the Ecumenical Institute of the World Council of Churches, Bossey, Switzerland, where she served as Director. She also served as Dean of McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, and has taught at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Florianopolis Brazil, and at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Hadsell is widely published on a number of subjects including ecumenism, environmental ethics, inter-religious relations and the public role of religion in society. She sits on several national and international boards, including Globethics.net; the Ethics Education for Children board for Arigatou International; the Association of Theological Schools, and the Advisory Board of the Muslim Council of Singapore.

She will discuss the interplay between the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Arranged by Bob Smith.