Anyone reading this is invited to vote for their favorite local businesses in many new, and returning categories for the “Best of West Hartford 2017.”

By Tom Hickey and Jill Fletcher

The contest for the Best of West Hartford is on!

Winners will be announced at the Best of West Hartford Business Networking “Champagne On Ice Celebration” on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, at The West Hartford Conference Center, located in Town Hall.  The voting link is here. Tickets to what will be one of the year’s best networking events are available now, by clicking here.

Judging, as in previous years, is tallied by a third party and is kept under lock-and-key until the awards ceremony on Aug. 28. Please show your loyalty and support of your favorite local businesses and services by casting your confidential votes now!

2016 Best of West Hartford Winners including Veterinary Specialists of CT and Bartlett Brainard Products are proud to wear the “Best of We-Ha” badge on websites and social media pages.

Previous winners are wearing the “Best of West Hartford” badge proudly, as they should, since they are voted in by “the people.” Not seeing your favorite on the nomination list? It is possible we missed a special place or business that is near and dear to you. Please “write in” your favorites to give them a chance to win!

As of today (June 29) we thank the following businesses for their support (the list is ever growing so stay tuned for updates).

A big thank you to our Title Sponsors that have shown loyal support: JP Carroll Construction, Lux Bond & Green, The McAuley at Mercy Community.

Thank you to the new and returning Silver Sponsors: Sheehan Hilborn Breen, Kingswood Oxford School, Stanger Stanfield Law, Cruise Planners Fay deHaas and Lisa Martin, Keating Insurance, Taylor Rental Party Plus, the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce and, of course, the Town of West Hartford and our area business/neighbor associations including Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association, Blue Back Square, Elmwood Business Association, Home Design District, Park Road Association, and West Hartford Center Business Association.

Best of West Hartford committee members include:

Barbara Karsky of BK&CO and West Hartford Center Business Association

Jane and Mike Shauck of IRIS Photography

Renee McCue of the Town of West Hartford

Dr. Rick Liftig of Elmwood Business Association

David Skinner and Charles Hilborn of Sheehan Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home

Elizabeth Zigmont of Blue Back Square

Barbara Lerner of the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce

Donna Edelstein of the CT Jewish Ledger

Kevin Kickery of Farmington Bank

Ryan Keating of Keating Insurance

Mark Hatch of French Cleaners

Jeannette Punsoni Dardenne, Kristen Fritz, and Cheyney Barrieau of Eat in CT

Kevin Cowan of Pure Marketing and Maximum Beverage

David Chmielewski of Direct Line Media Productions

Todd Fairchild of Todd Fairchild Photography

Andrew Moran of Merchant Solutions

WHMEDIA, We-Ha.com and West Hartford Magazine, which includes Tom Hickey, Dylan Carneiro, Joy Taylor, Bob Carr, Ronni Newton, Kaushik Makati, and Jill Fletcher – plus some family members – all of whom volunteer their time, effort, and sometimes services to make this event possible.

New sponsors this year also include additional media partners that have really come together to get the word out to the community by creating a special promotional package for our nominees. We welcome and thank CT Jewish Ledger, West Hartford LIFE, and West Hartford Press for their involvement and for joining us at We-Ha.com and West Hartford Magazine. Cross promotion is putting the spotlight on this year’s peoples’ choice award show.

Save the date of Monday, Aug. 28 for the biggest business networking event in West Hartford – the 3rd Annual Best of West Hartford … more details to follow.

Questions? Would you like to get involved?  Please contact Tom or Jill. Share this link to remind your colleagues and friends to vote!

Thank you!

Celebrating at the Best of West Hartford 2016 Awards Show. Photo credit: Ira Nozik Photographers (We-Ha.com file photo)

Daswani Clothiers receives the award for best local men’s fashion retailer at the Best of West Hartford 2016 Awards Show. Photo credit: Ira Nozik Photographers (We-Ha.com file photo)

NBC Connecticut’s Brad Drazen with Blue Back Square’s Marketing Director Elizabeth Zigmont celebrating the BBS win at the Best of West Hartford 2016 Awards Show. Photo credit: Ira Nozik Photographers (We-Ha.com file photo)

Co-hosts West Hartford Magazine’s Publisher Tom Hickey and We-Ha.com Managing Editor Ronni Newton awaiting the next winner announcement at the Best of West Hartford 2016 Awards Show. Photo credit: Ira Nozik Photographers (We-Ha.com file photo)