Step Right Up! Meet The Ringmaster Paul Timpanelli

His initials are P.T. just like the legendary Phineas Taylor Barnum who created jobs and transformed the landscape of his adopted city Bridgeport. And now Paul Timpanelli, who has served for 26 years as chief executive officer of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, looks forward to serving as the ringmaster of the 2014 Barnum Festival -- the annual salute to the iconic mayor, showman, businessman, entrepreneur -- honoring the mission of Barnum.

When Timpanelli was introduced as ringmaster at Sacred Heart University where he graduated and followed up with a teaching profession, election as Trumbull’s first selectman before becoming head of the regional business organization in 1988, he emphasized creating “a regional festival that will provide opportunities to bring new people into our region to be entertained that will result in their spending money here and in their having an economic impact that will help us in our mission … in the mission of P.T. Barnum … to create a better place for our people to live and raise a family.”

Job creation is music to the ears of Timpanelli, a Rock & Roll historian who also sings bass in the doo-wop group Yesteryear, which he started in Trumbull High School in the 60s. Timpanelli, himself, has spent more than 25 years bringing jobs to Bridgeport that includes revitalization of the city’s Downtown with restaurants, shops and trendy housing units, construction of Harbor Yard, Webster Bank Arena as well furthering the Steel Point redevelopment area that now includes construction of mega outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops. It was the Business Council, under Timpanelii’s leadership that conducted the waterfront revitalization analysis in the early 90s that has resulted in so much positive change along the waterfront.

Timpanelli’s goal is to build a foundation for the Barnum Festival to become an economic driver for the city by promoting Barnum’s contributions to world progress as businessman, entrepreneur, innovator and economic development leader. “None of our city’s or our region’s or our state’s problems and challenges can be successfully addressed without our success in this arena–the creation of jobs.”

Under Timpanelli’s leadership, building on the sizzle of the talent competition launched by 2013 Ringmaster John Stafstrom, the festival has introduced a new statewide vocal competition Barnum’s Got Talent that includes four age groups and cash prizes with the finals taking place June 28 at the historic Bijou Theatre in the revitalized Downtown Bridgeport entertainment district.

Barnum lured to Bridgeport industrialists such as sewing machine innovator Elias Howe and the landscape genius Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Seaside Park from land donated by Barnum. Barnum was also a leader in the establishment of the city’s banking industry, public library system, Bridgeport Hospital and Aquarion water company. He also developed the East Side of Bridgeport that became home to European immigrants attracted by the companies Barnum helped establish.

Addressing supporters during his introduction as ringmaster, Timpanelli noted, “All of us at one time or another have heard the famous, or the infamous quote attributed to P.T. Barnum … ‘there’s a sucker born every minute.’ No one has ever really proven that Barnum said that, but I think we can all rest assured based upon what we know about the man, that P.T. may not have said ‘there’s a sucker born every minute’ but he likely did say there is a dream born every minute … there is a hope born every minute … there is a victory born every minute … there is an opportunity born every minute … there is a person worth helping and a person worth saving and a person worth nurturing, yes … every minute … and that ultimately is going to be our goal.

“We have a real opportunity to make change in people’s lives by making this festival all that it can be … just as my wife Carol helped to make change in my life, just as Sacred Heart University helped to make change in my life, we are going to as a team, all of you in this room … have the time of our lives and to help to create dreams, create hope, create victory, create opportunity for many others.”

About The Barnum Festival

The Barnum Festival was established in 1949 to celebrate the life and times of P.T. Barnum and to commemorate the history of Bridgeport. The Barnum Festival is dedicated to providing exciting family entertainment which enriches the community, embraces diversity and celebrates life. Events produced through the passion of our volunteers brings to the community Champions on Parade, The Wing Ding Parade for Children, The “Got Talent” Vocal Competition, a spectacular fireworks display at Seaside Park and The Great Street Parade. For more information, please visit www.barnumfestival.com or call 203-367-8495.