I was born on July 16, 1965 in Queens, New York,
to Norman F. and Vivian B. Fishbein (now known as Vivian Bitel). At age
2, following my father's graduation from Columbia
Law School,
we moved to Wallingford,
the town where my father was raised. My family has been in Wallingford for generations and I am the eldest grandchild
of the late Uria and Johanna Fishbein and of Vincent and Emelia Bitel, all
originally of Wallingford. I have lived in Wallingford for almost all of my life.
I graduated from Sheehan High School in 1983.
Thereafter, I attended Southern Connecticut State University, but left school
to pursue a career in retail management with local chains such as Caldor and Bradlees. It was in 1991, while working at Bradlees, that
I met Rhonda Berwick. The first time that I met her I knew that we would
eventually be married. My intuition was right and, late in 1992, we were
married, and have been for the past 18 years.
In 1994, prompted by a lack of growth potential from not having obtained
a college degree, I returned to school and enrolled at Quinnnipiac
College in Hamden, CT.
Believing in the American Dream, I worked full-time and attended school full-time, graduating cum laude in 1998 from QC, and earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, as well as a scholarship to attend law school. In 2001, I graduated from the Quinnipiac University School of Law.
I currently practice law with my
father at the Fishbein Law Firm, LLC, which is located on South Main Street in Wallingford. My practice is primarily
devoted to litigation, focusing on divorce and family law, construction
disputes, personal injuries, as well as individual gun rights.
I was the President of the Wallingford Rotary Club from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. My
involvement with the Rotary Club has been very rewarding in that it has given
me the opportunity to collectively engage in projects for others who are less fortunate.
I have been a major proponent of the Wallingford Rotary Club's Dictionary
Project (where every year each third grader in Wallingford
is given a free dictionary) as well as its Thesaurus Project (where every year
each fifth grader in Wallingford
is given a free thesaurus).
In my first term on the Wallingford Town Council, I served as the Co-Chair of the Informational Technology Sub-Committee, as well as that of the Public Safety Sub-Committee. I also served as the Town Council Liason to the employment negotiations with the various bargaining units involved wit the Wallingford Board of Education.
I am a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox,
New York Giants and New York Rangers. Everyone who knows me will tell you that I
bleed "Ranger Blue".
Rhonda is a Trainer Specialist for Quest Diagnostics in Wallingford. I have two brothers and one
sister, all of whom are married. Additionally, I have eight nieces and
nephews. Many of my family members reside and work in Wallingford. Rhonda and I are both
members of Most Holy Trinity
Church.
I believe that it is not the government’s responsibility to give us handouts or to tell us what to do. It is not the government's place to regulate and/or to tax us to death. As a member of the Wallingford Town Council, I will strive for smaller government, low taxes, and less interference in the day-to-day affairs of our law-abiding citizens.