Showing Husky Pride
NU Inspires Employees to Reconnect with UConn
Last November, nearly 100 Northeast Utilities employees gathered at NU headquarters in Berlin to fire-up their “Husky Pride” at an event sponsored by NU and the University of Connecticut Foundation. Chuck Shivery, Chairman, President and CEO of Northeast Utilities System welcomed NU employees and guests from UConn along with hosts Ray Necci, President and Chief Operating Officer of CL&P and Yankee Gas, and Jean LaVecchia, NU’s Vice President of Human Resources. UConn Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway provided keynote remarks, and Jonathan the Husky, UConn’s furry white mascot, circulated among the crowd for photo opportunities.
The purpose of the evening was to bring a more personal touch to the corporate partnership between NU and UConn through the UConn alumni employed by the company. The event gave them even more reason to be proud of their alma mater and of the company they work for. While most were aware of NU’s support for UConn’s engineering program and sponsorship at athletic events, employees were surprised and impressed by how deep this relationship truly is. NU provides funding that supports an array of UConn programs – including engineering, accounting, economics and public policy – as well as research initiatives, scholarships and faculty development. Beyond financial support, NU offers UConn students a variety of internship or summer employment opportunities.
“Wow,” said Ron Heaphy, UConn alum and manager of IT business services at NU. “I knew we had contributed to the school over the years, but I was amazed at the tremendous variety of ways we’ve given.” Heaphy refers to his family as a “UConn six-pack”: his wife is also a UConn graduate, as are their two eldest children; their younger two are currently in their junior year at the school.
Meeting Jeff Hathaway was a draw for Heaphy, a Husky to the core, but he said the hallmark of the evening was hearing about the exciting things underway at UConn. Hathaway’s speech highlighted “UConn 2000,” the University’s $2.3 billion transformation program, funded by a 20-year state investment which began in 1996, and which has been bringing state-of-the-art facilities and increased academic and research opportunities to their campuses ever since.
