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11/22/2017 07:30 AMWhen Michael Cuoco was informed that he’d be accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Clinton Chamber of Commerce at its Annual Awards Dinner last month, he was “surprised and humbled...and honored.”
“I’ve been involved with the chamber for 29 years,” Michael says, and during that time he’s seen the group grow from a small endeavor to a thriving organization with regular events that he helped create, including the business expo, summer concert series, and fireworks.
“We just started adding things as we went along,” he says. “The first two years with the fireworks were amazing, too. It took lots of hard work and was an amazing event.”
Not surprisingly, Michael says he doesn’t say no very often, and has helped sponsor events across town such as school plays, field trips, and fundraisers.
“I’ve done everything from selling fried dough to helping paint the library. It’s just what you do in a small town.”
As chamber board member, Michael also works hard to recruit new members to local meetings and events.
“When I first started out, I didn’t get you had to join the chamber, that it’s something you really should do. It’s a beautiful thing,” he says.
Michael’s passion for his local community is evident, and when asked what his favorite part of the Clinton community is, he doesn’t hesitate with his answer.
“The people and loyalty, as well as the sense of community in town,” says Michael. “If somebody needs something, there’s somebody there. It’s just the way a small town is.”
Michael hails from Beverley, Massachusetts, and attended Southeastern Massachusetts University, now UMass Dartmouth. An insurance professional, Michael worked for Nationwide, then started his own business, and now works at Clinton Insurance Group.
An employment seminar on different jobs inspired Michael’s interest in a career in insurance and he enjoys the “more personal” work in a small town rather than working for large insurance agency with corporate clients.
Michael has called Clinton home for more than three decades and he enjoys spending time with his wife Carol and their daughter, Megan and son, Daniel. As well as his active commitment to the chamber, Michael is a member of the local Lion’s Club and enjoy outdoor hobbies including travelling out west to ski in Colorado with Daniel.
“I like to golf, ski, and see my four-month-old grandson...And hanging out with my smoking hot wife of 37 years,” Michael says.