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In announcing Erin’s appointment last August as executive director of the DCA, the board described Erin as a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the development of business and brand strategies, digital and communication plans, and integrated campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized and most well-loved brands. Those brands included Nike, ESPN, American Express and Pepsi. She has brought her vision and experience to bear on revitalizing the DCA for a new era.

Video Presentation

Jim Himes represents Connecticut’s 4th District in the United States House of Representatives where he is serving his eighth term. He serves as Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and on the House Financial Services Committee.

Jim grew up as the child of a single working mom in a small town. As a member of Congress, Jim works hard to provide all American children the same opportunities he had to succeed: access to a first-rate public school, affordable and effective health care, a decent and safe home, and a supportive community.

Born in Lima, Peru in 1966 to American parents, he spent the early years of his childhood in Peru and Colombia while his father worked for the Ford Foundation and UNICEF. As an American abroad, Jim grew up fluent in both Spanish and English and was raised with an awareness of the unique position of the United States in the world. At the age of ten, Jim moved with his mother and sisters to the United States.

Jim graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School and then attended Harvard University. After completing his undergraduate work, Jim earned a Rhodes Scholarship, which enabled him to attend Oxford University in England where he continued his studies of Latin America, including research in El Salvador.

Prior to his service in Congress, Jim ran the New York City branch of The Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the unique challenges of urban poverty. Jim’s team led the way in financing the construction of thousands of affordable housing units in the greater New York metropolitan region, often using new green technologies to achieve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs.

Jim’s experience at Enterprise spurred his involvement in politics. Putting his expertise in affordable housing to work, Jim served as a Commissioner of the Greenwich Housing Authority, ultimately chairing the board and leading it through a much-needed program of reforms. Jim went on to become an elected member of his town’s finance board, setting tax and budget policy for Greenwich. Jim has also served as Chair of his local Democratic Town Committee, organizing others in the community to become more active in the political process.

Jim began his professional career at Goldman Sachs & Co. where he worked his way up to Vice President over the course of a 12-year career. He worked extensively in Latin America and headed the bank’s telecommunications technology group there. Jim and his wife Mary live in Greenwich (with not frequent enough visits from their daughters Emma and Linley).

Summary
Himes Defends Democracy, Critiques Both Parties in Wide-Ranging Talk

At a packed event hosted by the Darien Men’s Association, Congressman Jim Himes delivered a sweeping, often unsparing assessment of America’s political and institutional health—criticizing both Donald Trump’s Republican Party and his own Democrats, while expressing cautious optimism that democratic norms are holding.

Himes, now in his ninth term representing Connecticut’s 4th District, opened with a reflection on America’s political evolution. He noted the shift in once reliably Republican towns like Darien, New Canaan, and Greenwich toward the Democratic column—a change he attributes to rising education levels and discomfort with MAGA populism.

“There are lots of reasons to be worried,” Himes said, citing threats to democratic norms, attacks on immigrants, and hostility toward academic and scientific institutions. But he pushed back on the notion that the U.S. is already in constitutional crisis, praising the judiciary for consistently restraining executive overreach. “The courts have held,” he said, referencing over 240 decisions that have blocked controversial policies.

Himes, who serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, reserved sharp criticism for the Trump administration’s tariff policy. He argued that tariffs have worsened inflation and misunderstood basic economics. “Trump sees tariffs as a tax on China,” Himes said, “but that’s not how tariffs work.” While he predicted short-term pain—higher prices for cars and consumer goods—he called tariffs a “self-correcting” problem due to inevitable backlash from consumers and markets.

Even as he criticized the former president, Himes had tough words for Democrats. He said voters’ top complaint isn’t about “wokeness” or spending—it’s that Democrats appear incapable of delivering results. He pointed to the failure to build a single electric vehicle charging station in Connecticut after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. “People aren’t stupid,” he said. “They see that.”

He praised a new “abundance movement” emerging in Democratic circles, which seeks to streamline infrastructure approvals and deliver tangible benefits faster. As one example, he cited a small long-delayed bridge replacement project in Greenwich that has taken eight years to begin, when the Empire State building was completed in just over a year.

Turning to foreign policy, Himes was blunt: “Most of our biggest mistakes since the 1960s have been mistakes of idealism.” He critiqued America’s overreach in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, praising President Biden’s instinct to avoid new military entanglements. While he acknowledged the administration’s failures in handling Ukraine aid early in the war, he warned against full U.S. withdrawal. “If Putin comes away from this thinking it was worth it, we should brace for what comes next,” he said.

On national security, Himes criticized reports that a Qatari-donated plane might be used for presidential travel, calling it a “terrible idea” from a security standpoint, given the role Air Force One plays in providing a secure base from which a president must lead in some emergencies. It will likely have to be taken down to its rivets to rebuild as a secure and effective communications center. He also addressed the “Signal Gate” scandal, in which sensitive communications were conducted over unsecured channels. These lapses, he said, show what happens “when you put responsible people in a clown-like environment.”

During a Q&A session, Himes fielded pointed questions from a self-described MAGA Republican in the audience, who expressed concern about Connecticut’s taxes, energy prices, and population trends. Himes responded by noting economic growth in Fairfield County, but acknowledged broader state challenges. He tied high energy prices to limited natural gas infrastructure and called for modernizing Connecticut’s grid and transit systems.

He also drew a hard line on constitutional issues. “You can disagree with me on taxes and immigration,” he said. “But the Constitution isn’t optional. We don’t get to suspend it because someone is unpopular.”

Asked who leads the Democratic Party today, Himes admitted “we don’t have a figurehead.” He predicted Democrats would likely retake the House in 2026 but warned that the current leadership vacuum is demoralizing to activists.

In a closing question, Himes was asked whether the so-called “big, beautiful” Trump-backed tax bill could hurt the U.S. credit rating. He said the legislation would add $3 trillion to the deficit over 10 years and noted growing market concerns. “There may come a point,” he said, “when the capital markets finally say, ‘enough.’”

Despite his many critiques, Himes ended on a cautiously hopeful note. While he acknowledged deep polarization and rising acceptance of political violence, he expressed faith that institutions—and voters—still have the power to restore balance.

“I don’t think we’ve crossed the line,” he said. “And I don’t think we will.”

Video Presentation 

Local author Tim Manners will give a special talk about his book, Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankees Hero (University of Nebraska Press). Manners, who was a recent guest speaker at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., co-authored the book with Waite “Schoolboy” Hoyt, using a trove of records and writings from Hoyt, who passed away in 1984. Hoyt’s improbable baseball journey began when the 1915 New York Giants signed him as a high school junior, for no pay and a five-dollar bonus. After nearly having both his hands amputated and cavorting with men twice his age in the hardscrabble Minor Leagues, he somehow ended up as the best pitcher for the New York Yankees and teammate with such legends as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. You don’t have to be a fan of baseball to be fascinated by Hoyt’s astonishing life story!

Tim Manners is a writer, communications consultant and baseball fan. A magna cum laude graduate of Tufts University with a BA in history, he is a former FM-radio disc jockey, publicist and magazine publisher. Currently an essay specialist with The Manners Group, he is co-author of “Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankees Hero” (2024) with baseball great Waite Hoyt (University of Nebraska Press) and “Relevance: Making Stuff That Matters” (2008), published by Penguin/Portfolio.

Arranged by Frank DeLeo

Summary: “Schoolboy” The Life of Waite Hoyt, Yankees Hero and Forgotten Icon

Tim Manners, author and communications consultant, shared the story behind Schoolboy, a memoir he co-authored based on Hall of Fame pitcher Waite Hoyt’s personal papers. Hoyt, once the ace of the legendary 1927 Yankees, lived a life far richer and more complex than most fans knew.

Origins of the Memoir
Anders met Hoyt’s son, Chris, decades ago and only years later learned of Chris’s famous father. When Chris gifted him eight boxes of Hoyt’s writings—including unfinished memoirs, interviews, and letters—Anders unearthed a firsthand account of Hoyt’s life, ultimately crafting a memoir in Hoyt’s own voice.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Born in Brooklyn, Hoyt grew up near Ebbets Field. At 15, he was signed by the New York Giants after impressing them while pitching for batting practice as a high school ballplayer. Despite the excitement, he was sent to the grueling minor leagues where he endured poverty, violence, and exploitation—experiences that deeply shaped him.

Breakthrough with the Red Sox and Yankees
Hoyt’s major league break came with the Red Sox, where he was ironically brought in to replace Babe Ruth in the pitching rotation. He later joined Ruth again on the Yankees, though their relationship was rocky—including a two-year cold war and a dugout fistfight. They eventually reconciled.

Pitching Stardom
Hoyt became the dominant pitcher on the Yankees during the 1920s, with standout performances in the 1921 and 1927 seasons. In World Series play, he held a 1.89 ERA, cementing his reputation as a “money pitcher.” Manager Miller Huggins admired him, but Hoyt’s penchant for vaudeville in the off season and drinking occasionally jeopardized his career.

Life Beyond the Mound
Outside baseball, Hoyt was a vaudeville performer who earned three times his Yankees salary on stage. He had friendships with stars like Mae West and the Marx Brothers and even crossed paths with Al Capone.

A Complicated Family Life
Hoyt married twice, fathered children in both marriages, and astonishingly went 40 years without seeing his wife or children from his first marriage. His family only reunited decades later, following the publication of Schoolboy, which helped bridge that divide.

Radio Stardom in Cincinnati
After retiring from baseball, Hoyt became the beloved voice of the Cincinnati Reds. Known for his storytelling and warmth, he drew larger audiences during rain delays than during games. Despite a public battle with alcoholism in 1945, his sponsor and fans stood by him, a testament to his character and storytelling charm.

Later Years and Unexpected Talents
Hoyt also became a painter in retirement, selling numerous works. He was friends with famed Mexican artist Diego Rivera, who gifted him a painting—Flower Sellers—that was auctioned decades later (the day of his DMA presentation). Hoyt was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969, but even then confessed he sometimes wished he’d been a journalist instead.

Legacy and Reflection
Hoyt’s story—of fame, failure, redemption, and resilience—had been largely forgotten, but Schoolboy brought his legacy back to life. Through it, a fragmented family found healing, and fans rediscovered the man behind the stats. Hoyt was a rare figure: a pitcher, performer, broadcaster, artist, and complex human being whose voice still resonates today.

Video Presentation