www.HartfordBusiness.com • April 22, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 3
Newsmakers
EDITORIAL
Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139, gbordonaro@HartfordBusiness.com
Gregory Seay | News Editor, ext. 144, gseay@HartfordBusiness.com
Matt Pilon | News Editor, ext. 143, mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com
Sean Teehan | Staff Writer, ext 145, steehan@hartfordbusiness.com
Joe Cooper | Web Editor, ext. 127, jcooper@HartfordBusiness.com
Stephanie Meagher | Research Director
Heide Martin | Research Assistant
Steve Laschever | Photographer
BUSINESS
Christopher Santilli | Publisher, ext. 124, csantilli@HartfordBusiness.com
Donna Collins | Associate Publisher, ext. 121, dcollins@HartfordBusiness.com
Lauren Stroud | Events & Project Manager, ext. 137, lstroud@HartfordBusiness.com
Christina Zuraw | Events Coordinator, ext. 134, czuraw@hartfordbusiness.com
Shannon Vincelette | HBJ Office and Events Coordinator, ext. 122,
svincelette@hartfordbusiness.com
David Hartley | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 130, dhartley@HartfordBusiness.com
Kristen P. Nickerson | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 133, knickerson@HartfordBusiness.com
Raki Zwiebel | Credit and Collections Manager
Valerie Clark | Accounting Assistant/Office Manager
Jill Coran | Human Resources Manager
PRODUCTION
Christopher Wallace | Art Director, ext. 147, cwallace@HartfordBusiness.com
Liz Saltzman | Creative Director, ext. 140, lsaltzman@HartfordBusiness.com
Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com
Joseph Zwiebel | President, ext. 132, jzwiebel@HartfordBusiness.com
Mary Rogers | COO/CFO, mrogers@nebusinessmedia.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Annual subscriptions are $84.95. To subscribe, visit HartfordBusiness.com,
email hartfordbusiness@cambeywest.com, or call (845) 267-3008.
ADVERTISING:
For advertising information, please call (860) 236-9998.Please address all correspondence
to: Hartford Business Journal, 15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hart ford CT 06103.
NEWS DEPARTMENT:
If you have a news item: Call us at (860) 236-9998, fax us at (860) 570-2493,
or e-mail us at news@HartfordBusiness.com.
Hartford Business Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts
or materials and in general does not return them to the sender.
Hartford Business Journal (ISSN 1083-5245) is published weekly, 49x per year - including
two special issues in November and December — by new England Business Media, LLC,
15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hartford, CT 06103. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT
and at additional entry points.
Tel: (860) 236-9998 • Fax (860) 570-2493
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
Postmaster:
Please send address changes to:
Hartford Business Journal
P.O. Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894
www.copyright.com
HartfordBusiness.com
(860) 236-9998
Freddie McInerney
By Sean Teehan
steehan@hartfordbusiness.com
S
mall budgets and limited resources are
challenges small arts nonprofits like Theater-
Works will always contend with, but energy
and enthusiasm have carried them through so far,
said Freddie McInerney.
McInerney has handled
marketing for the downtown
Hartford arts venue for the
past decade. TheaterWorks
is currently operating out of
the Wadsworth Atheneum,
as its Pearl Street home of
three decades undergoes a
$5.7 million renovation.
While the federal Tax Cuts
and Jobs Act of 2017 decreased some tax incentives
for nonprofit donations, McInerney said Theater-
Works has a donor base committed to its mission
of bringing theater to downtown Hartford. How-
ever, she's always looking to expand that base.
TheaterWorks has 18 employees and a $2.4 mil-
lion budget, she said.
"We've got a terrific community of loyal pa-
trons, but we need to broaden that community,"
McInerney said.
What is the best way to pitch TheaterWorks to
possible donors?
TheaterWorks is a special organization. There is
something unquantifiable about the space and the
experience that leaves folks feeling vested in us
as an organization. That translates to our donors,
as well. Patrons love the intimacy of our space.
They're also our best marketers. They tell me,
'There's no bad seat in the house.' And it's true.
How does Hartford's theater scene differ from
those in similar-sized, nearby cities?
It's amazing how strong the arts ecosystem is
throughout the Northeast. Small cities interest-
ingly are at an advantage in terms of relative
affordability, appreciative but sophisticated audi-
ences, and close proximity to cultural epicenters
like New York and Boston.
Hartford audiences have very high expecta-
tions and rightly so. The city is home to Tony-
award-winning Hartford Stage — that helps set
the bar and we're the better for it.
Can you tell us about the demand for live theater
in the Hartford area?
Hartford loves theater. And there is great theater
in Hartford. TheaterWorks boasts 5,000 subscribers
with approximately 40,000 theatergoers, annually.
To put that in perspective, most theaters our size lay
claim to less than 2,000 subscribers. We are appre-
ciative of our patrons commitment to us. It's a pact,
a trust that we don't take for granted.
What impact will the renovations have?
Our capacity will not change. We'll still be a
190-seat theater. But the experience will change
for the better. Our building, the old gas com-
pany, is 90-plus years old so the renovations are
necessary.
After 30 years in downtown Hartford, the the-
ater will be in a position to build into the future
in really exciting and engaging ways artistically
and programatically.
VERBATIM
Airport name change?
"Our various consultants over the last year or two have mentioned there's significant
confusion about the name because it doesn't geographically identify the location."
Connecticut Airport Authority Board Chairman Tony Sheridan on the need
and desire to potentially rename Bradley International Airport to better reflect
its Connecticut location.
DESIGN/BUILD SOLUTIONS…ONE SOURCE
The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of
facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For over 50 years, our
clients have trusted us to manage projects from concept to completion.
We are experts in:
Design/Build
Pre-Construction Services
LEED Capabilities
860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com
License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134
MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES
Director of Marketing
and Communications,
TheaterWorks
Freddie McInerney
