Working Within Our Communities
We understand serving our local communities is as important as outstanding customer service. Some recent events are listed below. read more

"Oh, he always liked to be on stage," said Marlene Haney, who came in from Long Island to see her son, Channel 3 meteorologist Scot Haney, the event organizer, who performed and acted as master of ceremonies. "I still remember watching him when he was Lt. Joseph Cable in his high school production of 'South Pacific.' "And take the stage they did - all of them, but not before sharing concerns about what they were about to do in the name of holiday giving.

"Hmm, I don't know about the scarf," said Blumenthal, grimacing, whose costume as Tiny Timenthal in a "Christmas Carol" parody included a pretty ugly Jacquard scarf in mustard and red, just not the attorney's best colors.

"Not too much makeup. I don't want a lot of that stuff on me," good-naturedly complained Auriemma, whose get-up as the ghost of Christmas Past included a slathering of white glop, rather than Husky blue.

And while the Kaoud Brothers, who insisted they had never performed before, got the loudest applause of the night for their roles, which included white makeup, tattered ghost costumes and deals on Persians, it was news anchor Terzi whose alter ego raised the most eyebrows.
"Don't even ask," said Terzi, laughing, decked in finery that included golden locks and snow-white tights for his rendition of "Here Comes Suzy Snowflake."

"I don't know how I get into this every year," he said as he prepared to take the stage with his "fellow flakes," the equally lovely weekend anchor and reporter Kevin Hogan and the station's darling sports director, Joe Zone, who also sported wigs, tights and snowflake dresses. "You just can't say no to Haney."

Sibling rug rats Maurice and Charlie Kaoud were last-minute fill-insfor the guv but ended up bringing down the house with their dual portrayal of Christmas Future.

Dana Neves temporarily traded being WFSB, Channel 3, news director to work as a costumer and make-up artist. Attorney General Richard "Is He Ever Out of the Spotlight?" Blumenthal did his best to upstage equally spotlight-happy UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma and Channel 3 news anchor Al Terzi - practically unrecognizable in tights and flattering blond wig.

That was the scene at Channel 3's fourth annual "Joy for the Kids Concert" at Hartford Stage Monday, which included Irish dancers, the New Britain High School Marching Band, WTIC-FM (96.5) personality Damon Scott and the gang from the Rocky Hill-based television station, all to benefit the Channel 3 Kids Camp.

Source: QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS / FALL 2005

with our father, Abe, and two uncles,”
says Maurice Kaoud. “Today, there
are eight stores, and another is being
established in a new location.”
Both brothers grew up appreciating
oriental rugs as “works of art,” which
carries over into their unique brand.
“We now import about 99 percent of
everything in our showrooms, mostly
Chinese, Indian and Persian rugs that I
design myself,” says Maurice. This
makes it possible for the Kaoud staff
to custom-coordinate rugs. “Whether
the rug is $200 or $20,000, we’re going
to match the right look to the room, so
it finishes it perfectly,” says Kaoud.
Customer-pleasing policies have
been enhanced under the brothers’ watch.
The sales staff often coordinates
rugs for a new home and delivers them
in person at no charge. An appealing
trade policy is also in force. “So if customers
decide they need a bigger rug
at some point, they can trade in the old
one toward a new purchase.”
Citing their father as the business
leader they most admire, both Maurice
and Charlie credit Quinnipiac with
giving them the tools they needed to
build on his achievements. Charlie says
he gained essential customer and
employee relations skills. The latter
proved to be critical. As new owners,
the brothers were technically in charge
of veteran employees who “knew us
when we were kids.” Their applied business
and marketing skills earned them
respect and trust.
Quality and customer satisfaction
continue to be the Kaoud standard.
“We don’t just sell rugs to sell rugs,”
says Maurice. “Every time a customer
walks into their living room or dining
room and sees a beautiful rug, it
makes them smile. That’s our greatest
satisfaction.”

If you live in Connecticut, the name
Kaoud instantly brings to mind the
resplendent colors and intricate patterns
of oriental rugs. The credit is partly
owed to the fact that Kaoud Oriental
Rugs has been in business for more
than 50 years. Today, it’s the largest
family-owned direct importer and
retailer of oriental rugs in New England.
If name/brand recognition is the
main reason for the business’s success,
face recognition is surely a runner-up.
Two of those faces belong to third
generation owners Maurice and his
younger brother, Charlie Kaoud, who
entered the business with marketing
expertise acquired at Quinnipiac.
Charlie has enjoyed near-celebrity
status as the “10% Charlie” of Kaoud’s
marketing efforts since the early 1990s.
Says Charlie, “It began as a way to
introduce our customers to me as the
newest Kaoud owner. If they asked for
Charlie, we’d give them 10% off.” The
marketing campaign was so successful
that Kaoud has continued it ever since.
Growth has soared as a result of this
and other sales policies the brothers
initiated. “Our grandfather started
the business in a New Haven location