Board of Directors
The NEDC Board is comprised of leaders from the public sector, private enterprise, and non-profit organizations in Naugatuck.
Rebecca Zandvliet - Chairman
Rebecca is owner of Coldwell Banker Realty 2000 of Naugatuck with approximately 35 real estate agents serving the Greater Waterbury area. She has been active in the Naugatuck community for 30 years breaking the glass ceiling as the first woman Board of Education chair and YMCA chair. Rebecca was recognized as 2006 Woman of the Year by the Business Women's Forum, Greater Waterbury Board of Realtors Realtor of the Year, was a recipient of the Paul Harris award by Naugatuck Rotary, the Frederick D. Zonino Memorial Volunteer Award (YMCA), Lewis A. Dibble, Sr. Award by the Chamber of Commerce in recognition of outstanding contribution to the business & socio-economic well-being of Naugatuck, and most recently she and her husband, Peter Zandvliet, were given the Mary H. Connelly Community Caring Award.
Terry Barber - Vice Chairman
Terry has been President of the Chittenden Group in Naugatuck since 1993. Prior to joining the Chittenden Group in 1979, he worked in Manhattan with Hartford Insurance as an Underwriter and with the international insurance broker Marsh and McLennan as an Account Executive. He has been involved in many civic activities including: Waterbury Visiting Nurses, past President and Coach of Watertown Youth Hockey, President of the Waterbury Kiwanis Club, member of the Naugatuck Valley Project, past President of the Naugatuck YMCA, President of the Highfield Club and member of the Waterbury Foundation. He was named the 2005 Lewis A. Dibble Award winner for community service by the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce. He is currently a corporator of the Thomaston Savings Bank.
Yvette Wilmot - Secretary
Yvette is Vice President and CFO/CIO of Sarracco, Inc., a Naugatuck supporting business performing both mechanical services and sheetmetal manufacturing. She has also been employed by The Principal Financial Group and Cigna Pension/Investments. A resident of Farmington, Yvette has a Masters Degree in Accounting and MBA from the University of Connecticut, undergraduate degrees in Economics and Special International Studies from Central Connecticut State University, and has passed the Connecticut CPA exam. Yvette previously served as a Director on the Boards of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Naugatuck/Beacon Falls, and is a proud member of Naugatuck Rotary.
David J. Rotatori - Treasurer
David J. Rotatori is the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Ion Bank in Naugatuck, CT. He holds a B.A. from Western Connecticut State University and M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut. David is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 25 years' experience in financial services organizations.
David is dedicated to his community, serving on the United Way Board of Directors and other roles, including past chair of the Annual Campaign and Treasurer. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation and the Ion Bank Foundation. David is a Board Member and Treasurer of Simply Smiles, Inc., a non-profit agency dedicated to building bright futures for impoverished children, their families, and on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe reservation and in Mexico. He is a member of the, the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society. David was also a coach for Naugatuck Youth Soccer and currently coaches for multiple Youth Basketball Leagues. David lives in Naugatuck, Connecticut with his wife, Pam and their three daughters, Cara, Mia and Alena.
Ronald J. Pugliese - Chief Executive Officer
Ronald J. Pugliese was born in Waterbury, CT, graduating from local schools and Western Connecticut State College with a degree in education. He was a Teacher in Waterbury including a year at Sts. Peter and Paul School. He worked at Alloy Foundries Division of the Eastern Company in Naugatuck from 1977-1979 after moving to Naugatuck in 1976. Ron worked in metal sales at Standard Metals in Hartford from 1980-1985, and at Connecticut Tube Products from 1985-1991. Ron became General Manager of Connecticut Tube Products in May 1987, and then became President of the Company in November of 1987. He left the Metal field in 1991 becoming President of the statewide trade association, Connecticut Retail Merchants Association.
Ron managed all the Lobbying, marketing of the Association and all Public Relations for the Connecticut retail industry. In 1994 Ron joined Household International, which later became HSBC and left the Company in 2009, when HSBC decided to exit the Consumer Finance industry. Ron was Senior Vice President of Government Relations with responsibility for all of New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan and Minnesota. He was President of the Credit Industry Research Council and for many years Chairman of the New England Financial Services Association. Ron became President of the East Hartford Chamber of Commerce in 2010 until his 2011 appointment by Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary as Director of Economic Development for the City of Waterbury. Ron has been President and CEO of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation since September 2013.
Ron was a member of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses in Naugatuck from 1983-1989, Democratic Town Chairman in Naugatuck, President of the United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, President of WARC in Waterbury and a Member of the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees from 1997-2011. Ron is presently Chair of the Palace Theater Board of Directors in Waterbury, Chair of the Western Connecticut State University Foundation Board. He was named the 2014 Lewis A. Dibble Award Winner for Community Service by the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce.
DIRECTORS
- Seth Bronko
- Chester Cornacchia
- Glenn Davis
- Kevin DelGobbo
- Edward J. Fennell
- Gene Fridland
- Stephanie Fusco
- Mayor Pete Hess
- Sharon Locke
- Bob Neth
- Rosa Rebimbas
- Elizabeth Santoro
- Carlos Santos
- Lisa Shappy
- Paul R. Simko
