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Jon Zagrodzky will talk about the upcoming 2018-2019 budget process, focusing on possible scenarios and the effects of state-level budget challenges on Darien’s finances. He will also comment on broader governance issues, both for Darien and the state of Connecticut. There will be as much levity and irreverence as a discussion of these topics permits. Jon is chairman of the Darien Board of Finance, an elected seven-member board responsible for the town’s $140 million annual budget; he has been in office as a board member since 2008. He also serves as a member of Darien’s Town and Police Pension boards and the Public Works Garage Building Committee. He was president of the Darien Historical Society from 2011 to 2015. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Forman School, a Litchfield (Conn.) high school that specializes in children with learning differences. Jon is chief operating officer for Rhône Group LLC, which he joined in April 2017. Rhône is a middle-market private equity firm with offices in New York and London. He is responsible for finance, operations, human resources, administration, information technology and business planning. Prior to joining Rhône, Jon served as chief administrative officer at Oak Hill Capital Partners, and, prior to that, he was an associate principal and later director of financial planning and analysis at McKinsey & Company. Jon earned a B.A. degree in economics and Romance languages from Washington & Lee University and an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Arranged by John Wolcott

Video of his talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXygTzD2AfE

Dave Pressler, Connecticut photographer, artist and designer, shares a dynamic presentation, “Australia, All Over – Down Under,” documented during his adventures on that continent. Recorded through his visual awareness are Australia’s dramatic land and water forms, wildlife, unique botanicals, ancient aboriginal rock art, creative architecture and some humorous items from contemporary culture. His core message is “learning to look in order to see,” encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to become visually conscious of the world around them. So bring an open mind … and don’t forget to come with your eyes wide open. Dave holds a degree in industrial design from Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied with the famed photographer Harry Callahan. Dave has exhibited widely in Fairfield and Westchester counties and judged numerous photography competitions, including the Westport Y’s Men’s Senior Center’s Annual Photography Expo. He is a member of the Connecticut Association of Photographers, as well as a former board member of the Norwalk Camera Club. He is currently vice president of ART/PLACE Gallery in Fairfield; founder and
member of the Curatorial Committee of Fairfield Public Library’s Bruce S. Kershner Gallery; guild member and former trustee of the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan; and artist member of the Center for Contemporary Printmaking and the Westport Arts Center. Dave is also a board member and host of the Connecticut Symphonic Winds ensemble performances at Roger Ludlowe Middle School. He has been involved with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago; and the Hudson River Museum in Westchester County, N.Y. His professional career has been in corporate identity and branding, product and package design, advertising and exhibition design.
Arranged by Andre Guilbert

Video of his talk: https://youtu.be/l7cjqbdMWag

Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Claudia Connor will talk about the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI), the populations it serves and programs it delivers: refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and services for survivors of human trafficking and torture. Claudia will also address the impact national-level changes in refugee admissions and immigration policy have on CIRI’s clients. She is president and CEO of CIRI, formerly known as the International Institute of Connecticut). She has close to 30 years of program management, advocacy, and legal and strategic leadership experience in the nonprofit sector in the United States, Africa and Southeast Asia. Prior to joining CIRI in 2015, Claudia worked at Save the Children on the Strategic Foundation Partnerships team. Previously, she worked at the International Rescue Committee as a senior technical advisor in the Governance & Rights Unit, regional director in U.S. Programs supervising refugee resettlement offices across the country, and director of National Refugee Resettlement Programs. Overseas, Claudia was a consultant with UNICEF, the Carter Center, Save the Children UK and Population Services International, among other agencies, working on issues such as child trafficking, child soldiers, women’s rights, juvenile justice and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Before moving overseas in 1998, Claudia was a senior trial attorney for the Legal Aid Society in New York. She has a B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Claudia lives in Norwalk with her husband and three sons.
Arranged by John Wolcott
Wednesday, December

Video: https://youtu.be/Hao2aSmb7Gg

Don McGran will talk about personal cybersecurity, identity theft, scams and frauds, as well as personal crime prevention and safety. The presentation is based on what is presently occurring in the greater Darien area. His law enforcement career, coupled with private bank security experience, enables him to provide audiences with the most timely and current information possible. Don has presented more than 100 times to groups of various ages, income brackets and walks of life throughout Fairfield County. He is a 30-year-veteran of the Ridgefield Police Department, retiring in 2011 as a major. Don is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University with a bachelor of science in justice and law administration and has completed graduate studies at Western Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven and the University of Virginia. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 189 and has been employed as security advisor for Fairfield County Bank for the past six years.
Arranged by Sunil Saksena

Video: https://youtu.be/nTUtTR_f_pE

A video of another talk on security by Don McGran

https://vimeo.com/277808551

Tips mentioned in the talk:

Use fraud resistant pens for writing checks.

Don’t put sensitive mail in outside mailboxes.

Detailed instructions: How to freeze and thaw your credit
with each agency
EQUIFAX CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online or by certified mail – return receipt requested.
 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 If your PIN is late arriving, call 1-888- 298-0045. They will ask you for some ID and
arrange for your PIN to be sent to you in 4-7 days.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Equifax credit freeze by snail mail, online or by
calling 1-800- 685-1111 (N.Y. residents dial 1-800- 349-9960).
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with Equifax can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA. 30348

EXPERIAN CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online; by certified mail – return receipt requested; or by
calling 1-888- EXPERIAN (1-888- 397-3742). When calling, press 2 then follow prompts
for security freeze.
 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 You can also freeze a child’s credit report. The information contained at this link is
applicable for all three credit bureaus. You must first write a letter to each bureau to learn
if your minor child has a credit report and if so, then you can proceed to freeze it.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Experian credit freeze online or by calling 1-
888-397- 3742.
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with Experian can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX. 75013

TRANSUNION CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online, by phone (1-888- 909-8872) or by certified mail –
return receipt requested.

 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your TransUnion credit freeze online or by calling 1-
888-909- 8872.
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with TransUnion can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
o

INNOVIS CREDIT FREEZE
Innovis Credit Freeze Options

 You can request a Security Freeze or manage an existing Security Freeze:
 Online: Submit the Security Freeze Request Online form. (Innovis.com)
 Phone:
 1-800- 540-2505
 Mail: Complete the Security Freeze Request by Mail form.
 Walk in: 875 Greentree Road, 8 Parkway Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15220

PERSONAL SECURITY TOOLS
1) HIYA APP- BLOCKS SCAMMERS CALL
2) TRUECALLER APP- FREE CALLER ID/BLOCKS SPAM CALLS
3) HACKED? APP- WINDOWS 10- DETECTS IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS
BEEN BREACHED.
4) Dmachoice.org- stops junk mail
5) www.optoutprescreen.com – 888-5OPT- OUT removes you from the list
provided to credit card companies and insurance companies for
unsolicited offers
6) mywot.com- internet safe search tool
7) mcafeesiteadvisor.com- internet safe search tool
8) nomorobo.com- stops robo calls.
9) Charitynavigator.com- research legitimate charities
10) Informeddelivery.usps.com – email of mail you receive each day

 Don McGran
 Security Advisor
 Fairfield County Bank
 94 Danbury Rd.
 PO Box 2050
 Ridgefield, Ct. 06877-0950
 203 431-7348
 FAX 203 438-5406
 CELL 203 648-6726
 donald.mcgran@fairfieldcountybank.com

Art Gottlieb

Art Gottlieb will continue his discussion of the Korean situation, speaking of the rising tension today between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). These two countries have reached the highest level of military and political brinkmanship since the negotiated ceasefire of the Korean War some 65 years ago. With Kim Jong un, North Korea’s leader intent on developing a nuclear arsenal capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, the Trump administration has initiated a dramatic policy change in this region, demonstrating that the decades-old approach of “strategic patience” has ended. Art will explore recent developments between these adversarial nations, as well as the other governments directly and indirectly involved: China, Iran, South Korea and Japan.
Arranged by Tom Lom

Video: https://youtu.be/IvO-MDTuSWA

Art Gottlieb

Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Art Gottlieb will talk about the Korean War. Initially described as a “police action” in reaction to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950, the Korean War was an undeclared military action, the first authorized by the United Nations. Often referred to as the “Forgotten War,” this still unresolved conflict saw Seoul change hands no less than four times before the signing of a contentious armistice on July 27, 1953. Art served as a professional curator of naval history and technical director of exhibits at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. He has worked with veterans of all services creating exhibits accurately and illustrating the history of 20th-century warfare. He has helped recover scores of artifacts from warships slated for demolition. He coordinates with all branches of the armed services to preserve historic ships, aircraft and armor from around the world. Art also serves as a counselor and certified senior advisor in Norwalk. He uses his professional talents to address the needs of aging veterans and their families and offers pro bono counseling services to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as an auxiliary officer of the United States Coast Guard for 17 years and, for four years, was commander of Flotilla 7-w, 1st District (Southern Region), Sector Long Island Sound North.
Arranged by Tom Lom

Video:https://youtu.be/4puvjwV5dKo

Rick Delfosse will talk about the “Norwalk Islands: Their Formation, History, Secrets, Stories and Navigation.” From the Ice Age and the formation of Long Island Sound by the retreating glaciers, the Indians and early settlers to the oyster industry, hotels, bordellos and Prohibition speakeasies, the islands represent a rich history. The islands played an integral part in the development of Norwalk and the local region. Public islands, private sanctuaries and posh retreats all are right off the Norwalk coastline. Come and discover their history, along with navigation and anchorages, tips and tricks around the 25+ islands. Rick is the business manager at Rex Marine & Norwalk Cove Marina and is a Coast Guard captain. He also is a National Safe Boating Council close quarters and open water boat handling instructor, Connecticut and New York certified safe boating instructor, and a U.S. Sailing certified instructor. He conducts on-the-water courses and classroom seminars on coastal cruising and boating skills. The owner of a 43-foot pilot house cutter and an AquaSport powerboat, he has extensive cruising and one-design coastal and offshore racing experience.
Arranged by Sunil Saksena

Video: https://youtu.be/56lIssHteTg