John Winthrop Wright Ethics in Action Award

Welcome to SEE's John Winthrop Wright Ethics in Action Award page.  With this award, SEE honors a leader who has authentically demonstrated ethical business or leadership practices. John Winthrop Wright founded SEE in 1995 and left a major donation from his estate to perpetuate SEE’s mission.  Mr. Wright desired to promote internationally respected values such as-- fairness, respect, responsibility, caring, justice, honesty, courtesy, citizenship, and the principles of the Golden Rule. The Ethics in Action award is given in his name to recognize a business or community leader that demonstrates a commitment to ethics and character.
2021 Ethics in Action Recipient 
Jennifer Morgan DelMonico
​Jennifer Morgan DelMonico is a Partner with the law firm Murtha Cullina LLP.  Murtha Cullina has offices in Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford, Connecticut, Boston,  and White Plains, New York.  Ms. DelMonico was nominated for the 2021 John Winthrop Wright Ethics in Action award for her commitment to ethics and character in her personal and professional life. She will receive SEE’s award on May 5th during the 14th Annual Character Celebration in New Haven, CT.

​Ms. DelMonico has been a trial lawyer for parties in complex commercial litigation disputes and defendants in tort and ​product liability actions for over 20 years. She represents clients in a broad range of industries, including advanced 
manufacturing, technology, medical devices, and health care. Her experience running a business provides a unique insight as she assists clients with their most difficult legal challenges.
 
She has tried several cases to verdict to judges and juries in state and federal court. She has represented clients in a variety of contexts, handling claims for product liability, negligence, breach of warranty, breach of contract, ERISA, environmental issues, patent infringement, copyright, trade secrets, and unfair trade practices.
 
Ms. DelMonico received a Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Northwestern University in 1994, and graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1997. From 1997 to 2000, Jennifer was an attorney in the Product Liability department at King & Spalding in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Before becoming Managing Partner of Murtha Cullina, she served as Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Department and Managing Partner of the Firm’s New Haven, Connecticut office.
 
In addition, Jennifer currently serves on the Board of Directors of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms.  She is the Board Chair of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) and the Immediate Past Board Chair of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce (GNHCC). She is the past Chair of Goodwill of Southern New England and the Cultural Affairs Commission for the City of New Haven.
 
Her memberships include the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), the Executive Committee of the CBA Federal Practice Section, and the New Haven Inn of Court. She is also a James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, as well as the former Secretary/ Treasurer of the Foundation of the New Haven County Bar. In 2019, she was named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in New England and one of the Top 25 Women Super Lawyers in Connecticut.
 
Jennifer has received numerous honors and awards, including the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce Women of the Year Award, the Hartford Business Journal Women in Business Award, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Alumnus of the Leadership Center Award, the DuPont Minority Counsel Network Diversity Sponsorship Recognition Award, the MS Corporate Achiever Award. She also has received the Women in the Law High Achievers Award from the Connecticut Law Tribune and the Forty Under 40 Award from the New Haven Business Times. ​

Pictures of the 2019 Character Celebration below.
During the May 1st, 2019 Character Celebration, John Ciulla, President and CEO of Webster Bank and SEE’s 2018 Ethics in Action awardee introduced Larry Bingaman prior to presenting him his award with Peter M. Donovan, Chairman of SEE. 
​Award Nomination Form 
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2021 Award Press Release (TBA)

May 5, 2021 Celebration Luncheon

May 5, 2021 Character Celebration Invitation & RSVP and Sponsorship 
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2018 Celebration Pictures

Champions of Character​

Past Ethics in Action Award Recipients

2019 Larry L. Bingaman, President and CEO of the South-Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority

2018 John R. Ciulla, President and CEO of Webster Bank

2017 Merle Berke-Schlessel, President and CEO of the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
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2016 Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale-New Haven Health System

2015: Oz Griebel, President and CEO of the Metro Hartford Alliance

2014: Cindi Bigelow, President and CEO of Bigelow Tea

2013: Mickey Herbert,
President & CEO of Bridgeport Regional Business Council, former CEO of ConnectiCare

2012:  Archbishop William E. Lori, former Bishop of Bridgeport

2011: Curtis R. Welling,  former CEO of AmeriCares

2010:  Dr. John J. Ramos, Sr., former Superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools

2009:  Dr. Susan Davis, President & CEO of St. Vincents Health Services

2007:  James C. Smith, Chairman & CEO of Webster Financial Services
Ethics in action creates character