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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 9 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 29 ANDY WOLF DIRECTOR A RTS, CULTURE & TOURISM, CITY OF NEW H AV EN Residence: New Haven College(s): Trinity College, BA; Georgetown Law Center, JD; Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MPA A call from May- or Toni Harp lured Wolf home from Califor- nia five years ago to lead an "imagineering" process to advance and enhance the arts, culture and tourism. "New Haven is indeed a city on the ascendent overcoming years (perhaps decades) of what I characterize as 'blame-game' prognosticators. New Haven is one of those unique urban destinations where you see people actually strolling (European-style) throughout our distinctive downtown en- joying cafes, ice cream, music, entertainment and theater." How do you give back to the New Haven community? For our small department the aspiration is always to serve as a catalyst to promote our non-profit sector and their aspirations to prosper like never before. What advice would you give young professionals? My advice is simple: Set up shop in New Haven. Live, work, learn, play and invest here. You will find a welcome and proactive business and cultural community to assist you in this small city with big ideas. Words to live by: James Joyce got it right in Portrait of An Artist as A Young Man: "Art is the re-ordering of the human experience." RANDY SALVATORE FOUNDER & CEO RMS COMPA NIES, STA MFOR D Residence: New Canaan College(s): Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania Salvatore founded RMS Companies some 20 years ago, and has become one of New Haven's most visible real-estate developers over the last five. His first Elm City project was the Novella, a 136-unit luxury apartment building on Chapel Street completed in 2015. is February he opened the Blake, a luxury boutique hotel at George and High streets. RMS is now completing Phase I of a multi-year project near the Yale Medical School and Yale New Haven Hospital named City Crossing. Salvatore has also broken ground on the next two City Crossing buildings that will feature 500 luxury apartments and street-level retail. How your organization gives back: We are actively involved in numerous civic and non-profit organizations in Connecticut contributing both time and financial resources in the areas we do business. rough our hotel portfolio, we also strive to become the local gathering places for members of these local communities. What advice would you give? Find a field or career that you enjoy and have a passion for and be willing to work hard to realize your dreams and visions within that area. And if you hit a dead end in a particular job, move on. If you are complacent or are not willing to adjust and take a chance, you will find yourself years later asking yourself, "What if?" JEAN PIERRE VUILLERMET CHEF OW NER UNION LEAGUE CA FE, NEW H AV EN; BA R BOUCHÉE, M A DISON Residence: Killingworth Vuillermet and wife Robin opened the ULC in October 1993. It quickly became THE top-end dining destination in a town renowned for great eateries. And in the intervening quar- ter-century the 'wow' factor has only grown, if that's possible. In 2010 Vuillermet "extended the brand," opening bustling French bistro Bar Bouchée in Madison. Between them he employs a staff of 70 and attributeds his success to top-notch hiring and training. How do you give back to the community? Our focus has always been on support for food-based initiatives, particularly those that focus on hunger, like the recent fundraiser for New Haven Soup Kitchen. We also support New Haven Farms, a non- profit that promotes health and community development through transforming underutilized urban spaces into small organic farms. What advice would you give to young professionals? Don't ever stop seeking ways to improve your skills, your cra, your expertise — inspiration is everywhere. Don't ignore your so skills — team-building, team motivation and leadership is invaluable to an organization. Learn manners and social etiquette. Be kind to others. What most people don't know about you: Besides cooking, I love mechanics — I'm always fixing things and tinkering. PAUL BASS EDITOR NEW H AV EN INDEPENDENT Residence: New Haven College(s): Yale College, BA Since his days as a Yale undergrad and Yale Daily News troublemak- er, Bass has been New Haven's best reporter. Media consolida- tion has wrought havoc on the journalistic profession in Con- necticut (and beyond), with the Hearst Media Group (one of the world's largest media con- glomerates) now controlling most of the state's major dailies (with the notable exception of the Hartford Courant). Many people at this point consider the Independent THE daily "newspaper" in the New Haven marketplace. Bass is a visionary who saw the potential of online news long before large media companies ever adopted a "digital first" strategy. With its companion Valley Independent Sentinel (under editor Eugene Driscoll) and community radio outlet WNHH (103.5 FM), Bass may be New England's most improbable media mag- nate. How do you give back to the community? I try through my work to promote news coverage and civil, wide-ranging public discourse, which I consider the building blocks of democracy and a free society. What advice would you give to up-and-coming professionals? Look to do work that matters rather than work that you feel looks best on a résumé. Little-known fact people don't know about you: I have lost count of how many times I've read Invisible Man. NEW HAVEN: POWER 50 >> Corner Office >> Culture/Food/Hospitality

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