Art Schaller honored as Outstanding Philanthropist

Outstanding Philanthropist

This award honors an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles.  

Award Winner: Art Schaller, Jr.
  • Born in Manchester, CT. 
  • Lived in Newington, CT, from birth to age 29 
  • Now resides in Avon, CT, with his AMAZING wife , Trish 
  • Father to Alli, Spencer , and 3 dogs

EDUCATION 
  • Graduated Newington High School in 1989. 
  • Graduated Babson College with Bachelor's of Science from the School of Management in 1992 (member of Beta Gamma Sigma honor fraternity)
  • Graduated from the Dealer Academy of the National Automobile Dealer's Association in 1993. 

BUSINESS 
  • 3rd generation owner of Schaller Auto World in New Britain, Berlin and Manchester, CT. The company has been in business since 1953. We sell Honda, Acura, and Subaru new vehicles as well as operating a full-service Auto Body repair facility, an All-Brand Service Center, a Kar Kare center performing all forms of vehicle detailing, and a full complement of Used Vehicles. I started right out of college in June of 1992. 
  • Served on the Universal Underwriters/Zurich Direct Underwriters Customer Council from 2002-2007, including a term as its Chairman 
  • Director for the Connecticut Auto Retailers Association (October 2001-present) 
  • Chairman of the Connecticut Auto Retailers Association (2010-2012) 
  • Representative for Honda Zone 9, District B, for the New England Zone Dealer Advisory Board (Spring 2010-2021) 
  • Became licensed insurance agent (P&C, Life/Accident/Health) in 2013, opened Schaller Insurance in March of 2014 and became FINRA representative in 2014 after passing the Series 6 and 63 exams. 

COMMUNITY 
  • 1992-1998 Coached Pop Warner football in Newington • United Way Allocations Committee-Past Tri-Chair 
  • Past Board Member of the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain 
  • Served on the Board of Trustees for the YWCA of Greater New Britain, served as Chairman 2011-2013 (my third term ended in June of 2013 
  • In 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his family's business, helped establish The Schaller Auto World Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. This fund was created to support children's causes. 
  • Became Assistant Scoutmaster for BSA Troop 68 (Farmington) in March of 2013 
  • Serving on Executive Council for the CFGNB's New Britain Early Childhood Collaborative (June 2012-2016) 
  • Joined the Board of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain in September of 2014. Vice chair of Community Initiatives Committee (2016-2019), Chair of CIC (2019-2022), Vice-Chair of BOD (2020-2021), Board Chair (2022-2023) 

ROTARY 
  • Joined in August of 1995 • Joined Board as Member-At-Large in 1996 • Served on Board until 2006, spending 8 years as Executive Secretary • Recipient of NB Rotary's first ever Distinguished Service Award in 2003 
  • Recipient of NB Rotarian of the Year Award in 2008 and again in 2017 
  • Became Paul Harris Fellow in December of 2003 and is currently a Major Donor (Level 3) 
  • Chairman of Foundation Committee from 2007-2010 and helped raise over $8000 for the Foundation (2008)-the most in any year for NB Rotary to that point. Became chair of Foundation Committee again in the Fall of 2015 
  • Rejoined the Board in 2009, by filling a vacancy in the President-Elect position. 
  • Served as President for the 2010-2011 Rotary year. 
Nominated by: Community Foundation of Greater New Britain