Official Portrait Unveiling Date & Time
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EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 Overview Timeline Event Name: Official Portrait Unveiling Date & Time: 12/20/2018, 5pm 5:00pm – YOU arrive, Lt. Gov. Location: CT State Library Wyman gives welcoming remarks Contact: Leigh 5:03pm - LG introduces Tim Composed by: Leigh Bannon, Mark Ojakian and Brian Logistics Durand VIPs: 5:04pm - Tim speaks Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman 5:07pm - Mark speaks Tim Bannon 5:10pm - Brian speaks Mark Ojakian 5:13pm - LG introduces Christopher Brian Durand Zhang (he will not speak) Christopher Zhang 5:15pm - LG asks YOU and Mrs. Mrs. Malloy Malloy to unveil the portrait (complete list below) 5:17pm – Mrs. Malloy Speaks 5:20pm – YOU deliver remarks 5:25pm – Reception begins Goal / Purpose: YOU will participate in the unveiling ceremony for your official gubernatorial portrait. Topline Message: Thank you to every person in this room for being a part of our team over the past eight years. Because of the work we have done together, Connecticut is a stronger, more vibrant place. This portrait is a celebration not just of the past eight years, but of the future potential of this great state. 1 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 KEY FACTS The official state portrait of Governor Dannel P. Malloy was unveiled during a ceremony today at the Museum of Connecticut History that was attended by the Governor, his family and friends, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and other administration officials, and former and current staff members. Commissioning a portrait of each outgoing governor as that person is completing their duties in office is a longstanding tradition in Connecticut that dates back to the early 1800s. Since 1910, this collection has been on public display at the museum’s Memorial Hall, which is located inside of the State Library and Supreme Court building in Hartford. Painted by acclaimed Connecticut artist Chris Zhang, a resident of East Lyme, the portrait features Governor Malloy standing in front of a window in the sunroom of the Governor’s Residence on Prospect Street in Hartford that overlooks the property’s sculpture garden. He is surrounded by several items that have strong meaning to him in his personal life and in public responsibilities, some of which include: framed photographs of the Malloy family that hang on the wall; flags of the United States, the State of Connecticut, and the LGBT pride flag that sit on his desk; a model of the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, nearly 200 of which are currently under production by Sikorsky for the U.S. Marine Corps; a model submarine, representing Connecticut’s distinction as the submarine capital of the world and the home of Naval Submarine Base New London; a model Pratt & Whitney jet engine; and the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award that he received in 2016. As he stands, he speaks to a person who is out of frame and motions his right hand toward them, revealing a green bracelet on his wrist that represents the 26 students, school administrators, and teachers who were tragically killed during a mass shooting at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. 2 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 Zhang was born in Shanghai, China and later immigrated to the United States. He works as a painter and teaches art in his hometown of East Lyme, Connecticut. He has received various awards home and abroad, and his artwork has been included in exhibits throughout the world. Zhang, whose two cultures are reflected in his versatile styles of artwork, specializes in realism. He is known for pieces depicting people of his native China in vivid colors and costumes, while other renowned pieces include western ballet dancers. In addition, he occasionally enjoys painting portraits, landscapes, sea sunrise and sunsets, as well as autumn in New England. Zhang belongs to a number of organizations including Master of the Oil Painters of America, Master of the Copley Society of Art – Boston, and Salmagundi Art Club of New York. Other VIPs in Attendance Wendy DeAngelo, Vice President, Hospital for Special Care Suzanne Hopgood, Chairwoman, Capital Region Development Authority George Jepsen, Attorney General Karl Kilduff , Executive Director, CT Housing Finance Authority Min Jung Kim, Director, New Britain Museum of American Art Dr. Bruce Liang, Dean, Uconn School of Medicine (coming in place of President Herbst) Martin Looney, Senate President Pro Tem JamesLoree, CEO, Stanley Black and Decker Thomas Loughman, Director and CEO, Wadsworth Atheneum Lynn Ricci, CEO, Hospital for Special Care William Tong, Attorney General- elect Denise Merrill, Secretary of the State Denise Nappier, Treasurer Kevin Lembo, Comptroller Malloy Administration Officials Ben Barnes Scott D. Jackson 3 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 Roderick Bremby James Redeker Thomas J. Saadi Evonne Klein Melody Currey Steven Reviczky Jorge Perez Joette Katz Michelle Seagull Scott Semple Jordan Scheff David Wilkinson Catherine Smith Dianna Wentzell Rob Klee Miriam Delphin-Rittmon Raul Pino TALKING POINTS Good evening and thank you, Cathy for your kindness and for your love and support during my tenure in public life. 4 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 I know that it’s not always easy, but your partnership has meant the world to me. To my sons Dannel, Ben, and Sam, and my granddaughter Grace – thank you. Nancy Wyman, my partner in government, and the best lieutenant governor in American. And to my chiefs of staff – Tim Bannon, Mark Ojakian, and Brian Durand – and every person who has worked for and with them throughout this administration, thank you. There are far too many to name individually, but thank you to every person in this room for being a part of our team over the past eight years. Because of the work we have done together, Connecticut is a stronger, more vibrant, more equal place. 5 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of working with know that my oft-repeated mantra, passed down from my mother, that we must work every day to leave the world a better place for having lived in it, is more than just a saying – it’s a defining principle for how I’ve tried to live and lead. It is the driving force behind our efforts to leave this state in a better position than we found it. The portrait behind me is a celebration not just of the past eight years, but of the progress we have made, and of the future potential of this great state. And, let’s be clear, Connecticut is a great state. 6 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 From the bucolic scenery of the Quiet Corner and the rolling Litchfield hills, to our bustling city centers, to our world-class colleges and universities, to the employers large and small who are deeply committed to this state – I am more convinced today than ever that Connecticut has all the tools not just to survive, but to thrive. I truly believe that Connecticut is a state with unlimited potential. Indeed, look no further than the people in this room, many of whom have served this administration in its entirety or have worked with me for years. It is that kind of commitment to the betterment of the state they love – something that is truly rare in public life – that makes me so optimistic about the future. When we began the task of selecting an artist to paint this portrait, we wanted someone who could not just capture my likeness, but could also tell a story. And Christopher Zhang has managed to do just that. Someone who came to this country with a dream and an incredible amount of talent, Mr. Zhang embodies the best of Connecticut, and I could not be more impressed by the work he has done. 7 EVENT BRIEF 1/1/18 Because he did just that – he told a story – one that is shared by everyone in this room and everyone who has worked in this administration. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. 8.