Region-Mag-Legislative-2019-Dig-Edition

Region-Mag-Legislative-2019-Dig-Edition

THE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR BUSINESS IN THE REGION GREATER BRIDGEPORT R egion S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 The 2019 Directory of Elected Officials The BRBC Legislative Agenda Business Resources

A BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL PUBLICATION

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THE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR BUSINESS IN THE REGION GREATER BRIDGEPORT R egion SPRING 2019 The 2019 Directory of Elected Officials The BRBC Legislative Agenda Business Resources

Contents

6 | Message from President/CEO and Board Chair 9 | Your Voice is BRBC’s Voice An Overview of BRBC’s Business Advocacy Work and Legislative Agenda

10 | It’s More than Just Another Casino 12 | Public Hearing Testimony: HB7055 13 | The Directory of Elected Officials

With Updates from Bridgeport, Stratford, and Trumbull Chief Elected Officials 31 | BRBC Member Directory and Business Resource Guide 54 | Sneak Peak: Coming Soon!

SEE RESTAURANT COUPONS ON PAGES 51 & 52

A BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL PUBLICATION

Region Magazine Published by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council 10 Middle Street, 14 th Floor Bridgeport, CT 06604

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL Chair : Kate Hampford Donahue, President and CEO, Hampford Research Inc.

Immediate Past Chair : Armando F. Goncalves, Market President, People’s United Bank First Vice Chair : Patrick McDonnell, Vice President Regulatory Affairs-CT, UIL Holdings Corporation President & CEO : Dan Onofrio, President and CEO, Bridgeport Regional Business Council Secretary/Treasurer : Eric N. Hendlin, Managing Partner, DHL&S Bob Abbate, President/Creative Director, Bob Abbate Marketing Dianne J. Auger, Senior Vice President, Chief Admistrative Officer, St. Vincent’s Medical Center James A. Benson, Vice President, Merit Insurance Frank Borres, Chief Executive Officer, American View Productions LLC , Ex-Officio BCC James Connor, Human Resource Vice President, Bridgeport Fittings, Inc. , Ex-Officio SCC David Galla, Vice President, Business Banking, People’s United Bank , Ex-Officio TCC Charles V. Firlotte, President and CEO, Aquarion Company David Levine, Principal, Cohen and Wolf, P.C. , Ex-Officio BEDCO Kelli Meyer, Director, Campus Activities and Civic Engagement, University of Bridgeport , Ex-Officio Thrive Mary Beth Nelsen, President, The Right Resource , Ex-Officio WLC

Publisher: Jocelyn Paoletta To advertise or submit content suggestions or articles for consideration contact [email protected] 203.335.3800 Pictured on Cover: Kate Hampford Donahue, BRBC Board Chair Joseph Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport and Dan Onofrio, President and CEO, BRBC Cover and Article Photography: Elias Rosario, Special Projects Manager American View Productions

Margaret Sheahan, President, Mitchell & Sheahan PC John F. Stafstrom, Jr., Member, Pullman & Comley LLC John Temple Swing, COO and Assistant Director, The Barnum Museum , Ex-Officio LGB BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL STAFF Dan Onofrio: President & CEO Jeff Bishop: Business Development Manager Edward Lavernoich: President, Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation Erin Mercede: Director of Leadership Programs Jocelyn Paoletta: Marketing Director, Publisher Region Magazine

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Advocacy Powers Business Growth for the Bridgeport Region! Commerce and Community Connect to Amplify the Voice of the Greater Bridgepor t Region in the Halls of Government

We are so proud of the depth and quality of the content we’ve put together for the spring 2019 issue of Region Magazine. Each issue of Region will concentrate on the Bridgeport Regional Business Council’s work in four primary categories or pillars that support our overall mission of growing the economy of the Greater Bridgeport Region. Economic Development, Leadership Development, Business Development, and Legislative Advocacy make up our core pillars. The BRBC team works everyday to drive economic growth, to train business and community leaders, and to increase visibility and business opportunities for our member businesses and the business community at large. The focus of the spring issue centers on our fourth core pillar, which examines how government relations and political advocacy can support and enrich businesses represented by the BRBC. One of our key functions throughout each year is to provide opportunities for our members to engage with local, state and federal legislative leaders who are instrumental in drafting and executing economic policies that impact successful commerce. And, throughout the year, BRBC provides important opportunities for the business community to engage with the legislative leaders who are instrumental in making and supporting policy. Exclusive access to elected and appointed government officials is available via events held by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council and our affiliated Chambers of Commerce in Bridgeport, Stratford, and Trumbull. The seven town labor market in the Bridgeport Region includes Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, and Trumbull. Our Engagement in Bridgeport, Stratford, and Trumbull is enhanced by the hyper-local connection we have with each of these communities via our Chamber of Commerce affiliates. That positive engagement also results in a close working relationship with the economic development departments of each

of these municipalities as well as the municipalities of Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, and Shelton. An important extension of the BRBC is our Government Relations Committee. This volunteer group of dedicated and invested BRBC members includes: Albert Carbone, UIL Holdings Corporation; Charles Scott, Tri-State Realty & Insurance; Dianne Auger, St. Vincent’s Medical Center; Michelle McCabe, The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport; George Logan, Aquarion Company; Gregg Dancho, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo; Jacqueline Blake, Bridgeport Hospital; Mark Antonini, The Center for Family Justice, Inc.; John Stafstrom, Pullman & Comley, LLC; Kelly Wade Bettuchi, AT&T; Alice Ferreira, Webster Bank; Jim Gilroy, PSEG Power Connecticut LLC; Sandi Hennequin, Bridgeport Energy, LLC; Susan Cipollaro, Fairfield University; Renee Dobos, Connecticut Housing Partners; Timothy Hodges, People’s United Bank; Tom Dillon, TBD Consulting; Dr. Rose Ellis, Housatonic Community College; Katherine Saint, Schwerdtle. This committee plans and coordinates events, initiatives, and communications that are designed to advance the collective voice of the business community in legislative circles. In the pages ahead, you will see some highlights of BRBC’s legislative work, you’ll read about an opportunity to bring jobs, drive home sales, drive apartment rentals, and grow tourism and needed tax revenue to the Greater Bridgeport Region. You’ll also find our business resource guide. This business to business resource is updated with each issue to provide you with a handy reference for all the products and services you need to grow your business. And, our 2019 Directory of Elected Officials is included in this issue as a special section. This is an important resource that we encourage you to use often. And, we at the BRBC, invite you to help us engage all the individuals we elected to represent both commerce and community in our region regularly. You are also invited to share your thoughts and concerns related to growing our local and state economy with the BRBC so that we can effectively carry the collective message of our business region to Hartford, to Washington, D.C., and to our local government officials. Want to get more involved in the BRBC’s legislative efforts on behalf of the business community?

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Kate Hampford Donahue President, Hampford Research, Inc; Board Chair, Bridgeport Regional Business Council

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Your Voice is BRBC’s Voice

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The Bridgeport Regional Business Council takes very seriously its role as the voice of the business community of the Greater Bridgeport Region. Each year our Government Relations Committee adopts a series of legislative priorities or an agenda of issues affecting the business community that we, as an organization, are prepared to fully advocate for with our elected representatives. Key agenda items for 2019 are centered on economic growth via less regulation, jobs creation, workfroce development, and transportation. We strongly support: • A competitive environment for entertainment and gaming in the Bridgeport Region. • Reducing regulation and incorporating business friendly policies to help jump start the Connecticut economy and create jobs. • Advancing traffic and transportation infrastructure solutions through sound and reasonable funding mechanisms. • Spending and budget reforms that include private sector partnerships, cost saving regional initiatives and collaboration. The first item on our list above is our top priority in 2019. In the pages ahead, you will read more about how policy decisions on this issue alone can and will significantly impact jobs growth and positive economic development region-wide. As we look to address the BRBC’s Legislative Agenda over the rest of 2019, here are some highlights of the BRBC’s year so far: In January, the BRBC hosted state and local officials at a “Meet & Greet,” providing invaluable insight on issues impacting our local business community. Many of the participants are pictured on this page: State Senator Kevin Kelly; State Representative Andre Baker; State Representative Steven Stafstrom; State Representative Anne Hughes; Gregg Dancho, President, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo and Co-Chair of the BRBC’s Government Relations Committee; State Representative David Rutigliano; Kate Hampford Donahue, Hampford Research Inc. and BRBC Board Chair; Vicki Tesoro, First Selectman, Town of Trumbull; State Senator, Marilyn Moore; Mark Lauretti, Mayor, City of Shelton; and State Senator Joseph Gresko. I had the honor of serving as emcee for a gaming symposium at Housatonic Community College, as well as testifying before the state legislature in Hartford on HB7055. You can read my testimony from that day on page 12 of this publication. You’ll see L-R in the top photo above: Jeff Bishop, Executive Director, Bridgeport Chamber; myself; and Frank Borres, President of American View Productions and Board Chair of the Bridgeport Chamber. On March 20, the BRBC will proudly represent local businesses in Hartford on Connecticut Business Day. We will also be working with State Senator Marilyn Moore and other important officials on holding a Bridgeport Day in Hartford on May 14. We pledge to continue to provide exclusive access to elected and appointed government officials through a robust calendar of events held by the BRBC and our affiliated Chambers of Commerce in Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull. The goal is to connect businesses who want to thrive in our state and region with the legislators who can help make that happen. - Dan Onofrio, President & CEO, Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC)

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House Bill 7055 This vision of Bridgeport can happen, only if House Bill 7055 passes; that is the bill calling for an open, competitive bidding process which ensures the state receives the best deal. A two-step legislative process begins with the creation of an independent State Gaming Commission, with responsibility to keep Connecticut’s best interests first. That’s something Connecticut has never had and likely why its gaming framework hasn’t changed in two decades. Competition is sure to bring the entire state the best deal. House Bill 7055 is a major part of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council’s Legislative Agenda which calls for jobs, workforce development, and improved transportation. Jobs More than 22% of the state's total unemployment can be found in commuting distance of Bridgeport - 19,000 people are unemployed as of December 2018. No one proposal could impact those numbers more than the Bridgeport casino plan since the Bridgeport-Waterbury-New Haven Triangle has among the largest pool of potential labor in the state of Connecticut. Beyond the 2,000 temporary construction jobs the casino resort promises to employ, there’s the 2,000 full time direct people and 3,000 indirect jobs, three shifts per day, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The jobs would be in the service industry known for training and developing people to move up the economic jobs ladder of sustainable careers. In addition, the hospitality and entertainment industry are known for developing purchasing and supplier relationships to operate its businesses successfully. Specifically, integrated resort-casinos create demand for over 200 different career categories and offer best-in-class workforce benefits and healthcare. It is also expected to help the surrounding economy by way of 3,000 indirect jobs including the support of Bridgeport’s artist community. Minorities, veterans, re-entry folks, and women may have the most to gain. Workforce Development Of course, all those jobs will require workforce development. MGM Resorts say if selected they would invest more than ten million dollars in workforce development in year one. Add to that partnerships with the robust local educational institutions such as Fairfield University, University of Bridgeport, Housatonic and Gateway Community Colleges, Sacred Heart University and the many other institutions in New Haven. The local entertainment industry should have the human resources it requires. Transportation Much of the talk about rebuilding Bridgeport is regarding transportation. Whether it’s Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, or New Haven. Some say transportation should never be a reason not to grow but rather a discussion as to how it might support growth. For the Bridgeport resort-casino concept, timing is everything. Fortunately, traveling to a resort-casino is very different from a commuter traveling during rush hour. Friday nights, Saturday afternoons and evenings are peak times for an entertainment venue. Planning will mitigate negative impacts to local communities and utilizes a range of transportation options. Other modes of transportation may include an exciting new option, a new airline proposed for Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Then of course there’s Amtrak, Metro North, the ferry, bus lines, charter buses, the thoroughfares from the North, East, and West as well as arriving pleasure boats. These options and the off-peak traveling will provide relief for Interstate 95.

Bridgeport Connecticut‘s state gaming policy hasn’t been adjusted since the 1990s. As other states have moved forward, Connecticut has stood still. Increased gaming competition might gain from updated policies that maximize potential for economic growth. The solution, Bridgeport casino proponents suggest a Bridgeport resort that will reverse the trend of declining revenue to the state. Arguably, there is no more attractive opportunity than in Southwestern Connecticut, in the state’s largest city. As the >Page 1 Page 2-3 Page 4-5 Page 6-7 Page 8-9 Page 10-11 Page 12-13 Page 14-15 Page 16-17 Page 18-19 Page 20-21 Page 22-23 Page 24-25 Page 26-27 Page 28-29 Page 30-31 Page 32-33 Page 34-35 Page 36-37 Page 38-39 Page 40-41 Page 42-43 Page 44-45 Page 46-47 Page 48-49 Page 50-51 Page 52-53 Page 54-55 Page 56

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