Staff Reports
NEW BRITAIN – Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) recognized former State Senator and State Commissioner Don DeFronzo for his public service career at an October 13th luncheon organized by the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research (CCESR).
DeFronzo, a former State Commissioner of Administrative Services, is ending his six-year tenure as the holder of the William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair at CCSU’s Center for Public Policy & Social Research at the end of the year.
A longtime leader of the New Britain Democratic Party, DeFronzo served as New Britain Mayor from 1989 to 1993 and was elected to 6th District State Senate seat, serving from 2003 to 2011. He was tapped by former Governor Dan Malloy for Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services in Malloy’s first term and later as Chair of the state Lottery Commission.
Joining family members, colleagues, faculty and students at the luncheon U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and CCSU President Zulma Toro, PhD, recognized DeFronzo for his service in holding the O’Neill endowed Chair that is named for the late Governor William A. O’Neill. State Senator Rick Lopes (D-6), State Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-24), State Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) and Pauline Kezer, a former Republican Secretary of the State, also attended. DeFronzo was joined by his wife, Diane DeFronzo, a former member of the Board of Education and son David, an educator and former city alderman.
Don and Diane DeFronzo are lifelong city residents and met when they were students at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. A graduate of Fairfield University, DeFronzo earned an MPA from the University of Connecticut and became a senior planning analyst at the state Office of Policy and Management. The former Mayor went on to become executive director of the Human Resources Agency (HRA), the city’s community action agency, before winning the State Senate seat in 2002. Governor Dan Malloy chose DeFronzo to lead the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) in 2011. In state service DeFronzo led an American Federation of Teachers (AFT) local (A&R) and was an AFT national vice president
Don DeFronzo with granddaughter at President Obama’s 2014 Visit to CCSU (Frank Gerratana photo)
Interest in public service began at a young age for DeFronzo, who was drawn to politics and government with John F. Kennedy’s presidency in the 1960s. Reflecting on more than 30 years in public service and thanking CCSU for the recognition, DeFronzo said he’s been fortunate to have had opportunities to enact important legislation in his four terms as state senator and to serve at a high level management office of state government.
In entering elective politics in 1989, DeFronzo led a diverse coalition to defeat the six-term incumbent, William McNamara, in a hotly contested mayoral race. In the Mayor’s office, he was credited with erasing a deficit caused by unfunded pensions, producing property tax cuts and strengthening code enforcement over four years. DeFronzo did not seek a third term in 1993 and returned to his job at the state Office of Policy Management only to return to run for State Senator in 2002, defeating conservative Thomas Bozek in the Democratic Primary.
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Merging Public Policy With Community Engagement
As the O’Neill Chair holder DeFronzo works with CCSU’s Political Science department, History department, University Library and Media Services department to encourage public service and engage students in the community at the Center for Public Policy. He praised CCSU’s continuing efforts to encourage public service and community involvement at the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research. A University search committee will consider new candidates to succeed DeFronzo as the O’Neill Chair Holder for 2023.
The Center for Public Policy and Social Research is being merged the University’s Office of Community Engagement to become the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research (CCESR), according to Beth Merenstein, Ph.D, CCSU’s Associate Vice President for Community Engagement and Experiential Learning and CCESR’s Executive Director, who hosted the luncheon held at Memorial Hall on the campus.
CCSER’s community partners include Community Mental Health Affiliates, the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ), New Britain Racial Justice Coalition, Neighborhood Housing Services, New Britain Public Schools, the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of New Britain and the city Police and Fire Departments.
Don DeFronzo (left) with Diane DeFronzo & former Governor Dan Malloy (Frank Gerratana photo)
In the North-Oak neighborhood, for example, a short distance from the Stanley Street campus, CCESR is collaborating with the Institute for the Study of Crime and Justice (ISCI) in an “Amplifying Neighborhood Voices” project surveying residents on public safety issues and students are engaged in clean up days in the North-Oak area to promote a sustainable environment.
CCESR may be reached by emailing communityengagement@ccsu.edu or calling 860-832-2977.
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