{"id":85,"date":"2019-07-17T18:17:51","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/2014entrepreneurs-of-the-year\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:17:51","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:17:51","slug":"2014entrepreneurs-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/2014entrepreneurs-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"2014 Partners in catering and wedding venues named ‘Entrepreneurs of the Year’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"ImageDANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 Two men in the midst of the second of their successful careers will receive the 2014 Macricostas Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Western Connecticut State University<\/a> at a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014<\/strong>, at The Ethan Allen Hotel, 21 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury.<\/p>\n

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John Royce and Thomas Montague founded and operate the catering business that provides wedding venues at The Fox Hill Inn<\/a> and The Candlewood Inn<\/a>, both in Brookfield, The Waterview<\/a> in Monroe and The Riverview<\/a> in Simsbury. The four facilities are among the most popular wedding destinations in Western Connecticut, known for impeccable service in beautiful settings.<\/p>\n

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Royce and Montague will be recognized for their entrepreneurial achievements as recipients of the annual WCSU award sponsored by the foundation of Brookfield industrialist and philanthropist Constantine \u201cDeno\u201d Macricostas and his wife Marie<\/a>. Reservations for the luncheon at a fee of $60 per person may be made online at www.wcsu.edu\/eoy<\/a> or by calling the Office of Institutional Advancement at (203) 837-8279.<\/p>\n

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Royce and Montague met while both worked in the business of international shipping, Royce as a broker and Montague as a ship operator. They worked together on deals that helped open markets in Brazil and China in the 1970s and 1980s and then formed their own shipping business.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe started doing really, really well,\u201d Royce said. \u201cAnd then we lost everything. When you lose everything, you learn who your real partners are.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The business rebounded but the pair looked for new opportunities and in 1985 bought the Fox Hill Inn as a real estate investment and soon began running the restaurant in the building. After a year, they realized a daily restaurant operation wasn\u2019t in their future.<\/p>\n

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Instead, they converted the operation to catering, with weddings a specialty. In 1999 they purchased and renovated the Candlewood Inn, followed in 2004 by The Waterview in Monroe, and The Riverview in Simsbury, which the partners designed and built in 2008.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBeing in the right place at the right time is useful. But luck is just as important,\u201d Montague said. <\/p>\n

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A key to their success, they say, is their ability to bring business discipline to an industry where much of the competition consists of people who are excellent chefs or event planners but who do not have experience running a complex enterprise.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHaving goals in business helps guide you through the highs and lows to a successful conclusion,\u201d Royce said.<\/p>\n

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Royce and Montague are among the few who operate multiple locations that are devoted solely to catering and weddings, as opposed to venues that are attached to country clubs or restaurants.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou will never see Tom and me at a wedding unless we\u2019re invited,\u201d Royce said. \u201cWe hire managers to attend to our customers\u2019 needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor us, the only question is, are we running it properly or not?\u201d Montague said.<\/p>\n

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Running the business well means understanding how to create a memorable experience for the wedding party and guests, which includes being up-to-date on the latest wedding trends.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you\u2019re not checking the activity that\u2019s out there, you\u2019re not keeping up,\u201d Royce said. <\/p>\n

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They also extend their services to several nonprofits, offering their venues and services at no charge to Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western Connecticut, The Women\u2019s Center of Greater Danbury, and Interval House, a domestic abuse prevention facility in Hartford. Royce also volunteers with Men Make a Difference, Men Against Domestic Violence.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe economic engine of America is driven by entrepreneurs who see a need and fill it, and, in doing so, create successful businesses that create jobs for other people,\u201d said Dr. David Martin, dean of the Ancell School of Business<\/a>. \u201cThis is what John Royce and Thomas Montague have done and will continue to do and we are proud and very pleased that they are this year\u2019s recipients of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.<\/p>\n

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England\u2019s best small private universities.
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