Westporter Kenneth Yormark, a forensic accountant for more than 25 years, told the Westport Rotary Club today about fraudulent acts perpetrated by company employees which he divides into a “20-60-20 formula.”  He said that 20 percent of company employees spend “a lot of time and effort trying to figure out angles to steal from the company where they work.” Another 60 percent are vulnerable to such unethical practices and often begin a fraudulent activity in a small way and then expand, he said. And finally, the remaining 20 percent he said adhere to a code of ethics. Yormark stressed the need for compliance systems for the middle 60 percent who need to be stopped from committing that first tempting fraudulent activity. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Thanks to a Staples High School junior, almost a dozen Westport stores will hold day-long sales Tuesday, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Save the Children’s natural disaster relief efforts.
Matthew Lev, 17, organized the sale to aid Save the Children, where he volunteers. Contributed photo

Matthew Lev, 17, who volunteers at the charity, came up with the idea he called “Shop, Save & Support” after watching news reports of the devastation wrought by tsunamis, earthquakes and tornadoes from Japan to the Midwest this year.

Wanting to help, but not being able to financially, Lev decided to tap the largesse of local companies while adding to their bottom line. He told the Staples newspaper Inklings that the sale would be a boon to the local economy “while benefiting a great cause at the same time.”

Among the stores participating are Dovecote, Dress Code, HB Home, Henry Lehr, Jacadi, Lucy’s and Soleil Toile.

Westport’s unemployment rate in April was 6.1 percent, down from 6.2 percent in March and the lowest so far in 2011, the Connecticut Department of Labor said today.

The slight improvement was better than Greenwich’s 6.6 rate, but not as good as New Canaan’s 5.9, Wilton’s 5.7, and 5.6 in Darien and Weston.

The department said the number of Westport unemployed in April was 773, down from 798 in March.

The April labor force in Westport numbered 12,737, down from 12,787 in March, with 11,964 employed, down from 11,991 in March, it said.

MXenergy headed by former Westport Board of Finance chair Jeffrey Mayer will be acquired by Constellation Energy for $175 million in cash, the companies announced today.
Westporter Jeffrey Mayer, CEO of MXenergy, addresses guests last November as the Stamford-based energy company announced the launch of MXenergyTV for iO TV Cablevision. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Mayer founded the Stamford-based firm in 1999. It employs about 200 people and provides natural gas and electricity to about 500,000 customers in 15 states, including Connecticut, and two Canadian provinces.

Constellation Energy, a New York Stock Exchange listed company, operates Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and had revenue in 2010 of $14.3 billion, according to the announcement.

Last month, Exelon agreed to buy Constellation Energy Group Inc. for $7.9 billion.

Pottery Barn of Westport at 27 Main St. completed its two-month renovation project and marked the occasion today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by employees and visiting management. The makeover began in February and included creating more floor and display space, according to Jessica Arch, a manager. The newly renovated store expanded its product line to include a bath collection and design studio, she said. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo.