Howard Saffan, president of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team, will speak at the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club breakfast meeting on Friday, February 1st, at 7:30 a.m., at Bobby Q's Restaurant, 42 Main Street, Westport. Guests are welcomed. There is a $12 fee for the meeting which includes a breakfast buffet.
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers is the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders. Its main (and instate) rival is the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers which itself is the main rival of the Sound Tigers' parent club, the New York Islanders.
Saffan joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers as its President in 2011. He oversees all aspects of the operation of the team with a focus on community involvement and creating a more family-friendly environment. "Sound Tigers hockey will be more of a fun, interactive and exciting product that can be shared by everyone in the region," says Saffan. "From families and individuals to community groups and businesses, we will reach out to everyone and invite them to be part of our team."
Since 1999, Saffan has owned and operated the SportsCenter of Connecticut in Shelton, a recreational venue that features mini-golf and a driving range, fitness and rehabilitation facilities, laser tag and the world's only double-decker skating rinks. The Rinks at Shelton offers year-round skating and is the official practice facility of the Sound Tigers. The SportsCenter overlooks the Housatonic River, which links Fairfield and New Haven Counties and the Naugatuck Valley.
Since 1997, Saffan has also served as president of Bishop Design and Development, a Weston-based real estate development company. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1981 and Brooklyn Law School in 1984.
Saffan was born in The Bronx, raised on Long Island and currently lives in Weston with his wife Judy and their three sons; Noah, Ethan and Justin; and daughter, Gabrielle.
Westport Sunrise Rotary supports a wide range of charitable programs locally and internationally, serving all ages, in four categories: community service, including Gillespie Center and Staples Student of the Month; vocational service, such as the District Four-Way Speech Contest; international service, including worldwide polio eradication; and local organizations, including Cancer Care, CLASP, Earthplace, HomesWithHope, Meals on Wheels, Project Return, Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, STAR and Westport Youth Film Festival. Funds are raised through various Sunrise Rotary-sponsored events annually, including a Duck Race in June and a Wine Tasting in October. A complete list of organizations that Westport Sunrise Rotary serves is available at http://www.westportsunriserotary.com/charities.html
The members of the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club are a diverse group of business and professional leaders who contribute their time, talents and financial support to aid local charities, youth programs and international humanitarian programs. They are dedicated to encouraging high ethical standards in all club activities and to helping Rotary International build goodwill and peace in the world. The club participates with 1.2 million fellow Rotarians in 33,000 clubs around the world to uphold Rotary's motto of "Service above Self."