Chamber Presents Garde Arts Center's Jeanne and Steve Sigel With Distinguished Service Award

On Friday, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut presented Garde Arts Center's Development & Marketing Director Jeanne Sigel and Executive Director Steve Sigel with the 2013 William Crawford Distinguished Service Award. 

The award is periodically presented to an outstanding member of the community who has exemplified the spirit of service to one's neighbors and who has contributed to improving the quality of life in Eastern Connecticut. 

"Selecting a recipient for the Crawford award is always a difficult challenge. We have numerous people nominated annually who are well deserving of this recognition," said Tony Sheridan, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. "The work the Sigels have done to provide a high quality of life for the citizens of Eastern Connecticut, as well as maintaining one of the finest arts centers in the state of Connecticut, is long overdue for recognition. Their joint efforts benefit our entire community."

"The Garde is most definitely fortunate to have Steve and Jeanne," said Dianne Kent, a close friend of the Sigels and one of the people who nominated them for this award. "New London County is also very lucky to claim them as residents. Their community collaboration is unsurpassed. Congratulations to both!" 

Jeanne Sigel, a native of Norwich, began her tenure at the Garde as a special assistant to the Garde Arts Center Board of Trustees focusing on development and marketing. The Garde community outreach strategy was enhanced by her passion for community service and education. 

In partnership with the New London Public School System and New London Youth Affairs, Jeanne led the creation of Passport to Literacy, providing Garde performances to more than 300 third-grade students and their families for meeting additional reading goals. 

Jeanne is an active member of the board of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut's Women and Girls Fund. She is also a member of Southeastern Connecticut Film, which meets regularly at the Garde, and is a commissioner of the New London Film Commission.  

Steve Sigel came to New London 25 years ago as the first Executive Director of the newly-formed Garde Arts Center. Under his leadership, the Garde has become a major performing arts center in Eastern Connecticut, featuring the finest in theater, dance, music, film, community and educational programs. 

Steve helped lead the community to expand the Garde holdings, culminating ina $14.5 million restoration and expansion of the lobbies and the theater in 1999, transforming the historic 1926 Garde movie palace into a nationally acclaimed facility. In 1998, he helped open the 120-seat Oasis Room performance hall for more intimate musical performances. 

Current organizational initiatives include assisting the City of New London in partnership with the state Board of Education to become a city-wide regional magnet school system with a special focus on the arts and raising funds to install a first-class digital cinema and sound system worthy of a restored historic palace. 

Steve was a founding member of New London's City Center District, New London Main Street, and Mystic Coast and Country, as well as the new Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition. Steve has served on the boards of the League of Historic American Theater, produced the Connecticut Governor's Arts Awards, was a awarded a Connecticut Commission on the Arts Administration Fellowship in 2010, and was just elected president of the Connecticut Arts Alliance. 

Jeanne and Steve live in New London and have three daughters and five grandchildren. They attribute their success to one another, along with the dedicated and talented staff at the Garde, a diverse and visionary Board of Trustees, an appreciative City and State government, a rich regional supply of arts organizations, generous and committed donors and volunteers, individual patrons, businesses and foundations.