Leonard N. Persson, Ed.D, partner, is senior editor of CTHRR’s two loose-leaf reference services: What To Do About Personnel Problems In Connecticut and Employee Compensation In Connecticut; he also edits the Connecticut Human Resource Reports Newsletter.

Len served in industry as personnel manager for the Consolidated Diesel Electric Company, as personnel advisor for the Norden Division of what was then United Aircraft Corporation, and as employee relations manager for the Universal Division of Simmonds Precision Products. For 15 years he was professor of management at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, and served as charter director of that University's MBA program. He received BA and MS degrees from the University of Bridgeport and his Doctorate from Columbia University.

Len has authored numerous articles in the areas of human resource administration, wage & salary administration, and computer-assisted education. His writings have appeared in such publications as Administrative Management, Industrial Management, the Journal of Business Education, and the Journal of Small Business Management. He is author of The Handbook of Job Evaluation and Job Pricing and consulting editor of The Encyclopedia of Personnel Policies.

Christopher N. Persson, SPHR, partner, began his HR career at Dresser Industries in Stratford, and was later employed as a Compensation Analyst at both the Yale University main campus and the Yale Medical School. He has served as associate editor with Connecticut HR Reports since 1988.

Chris earned a B.S. degree from Bentley College, and an M.S. in Industrial Relations from the University of New Haven. He is a graduate fellow of the University of New Haven, and was also selected for membership in Sigma Beta Delta, the international honor society for graduate-level business students. Chris regularly speaks to Connecticut business and human resource associations, and is lifetime certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources by SHRM.

Robert D. Noonan, J.D., is a well-known attorney and founder of Robert Noonan and Associates\ EmpACTS of New England - a legal services firm that advises more than 8,000 Connecticut employers and several trade associations on employer-employee issues. Previously, Bob served as Vice President and Counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA). Bob's professional experience includes 20 years in Human Resources Management with Pitney Bowes Inc, and the Napier Company. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law as well as Master's degrees in both industrial relations and sociology.

Bob is the author of An Employer’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act and “The HIPAA Privacy Rule: Understanding the Compliance Obligations of Group Health Plans and Health Care Providers.” He is a contributing author on disability law in the medical text Cumulative Trauma Disorders, and writes on workplace issues for a variety of publications including the Connecticut Law Tribune. In addition, Bob has been featured in a number of publications including the Society for Human Resources Management’s Trends in Management (“Robert Noonan: Expert’s Viewpoint”), The New York Times, The Hartford Courant, The New Haven Register, The Stamford Advocate, The New London Day, The Waterbury Republican and others. Additionally, he has appeared on several television programs concerning workplace issues.

Robert M. Fortgang, J.D., received a B.A. in psychology from Adelphi University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Bridgeport School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1980.

Before establishing his private practice (Robert Fortgang and Associates, www.rmflabor.com), Rob served as Director of Industrial Relations and Small Business Services for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA).  He has also served the Hartford Courant, Gerber Scientific, Inc. and Aetna Life & Casualty Company in various capacities related to human resource management.

Robert W. Chesson, J.D., is an honors graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science with a minor in Russian language. He served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Monterey (CG-61), where he served as the Communications Officer.

After leaving the Navy, he spent several years with Time-Warner and then made his way to The University of Connecticut School of Law, where he graduated with honors. He began practicing law in Stamford and opened his office on the Milford Green in 2001. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, the New Haven County Bar Association, the Bridgeport Bar Association, the Milford Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.