Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1215777
18 n e w h a v e n B I Z | M a r c h 2 0 2 0 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m JOHN TRAYNOR III EXECUTIV E VICE PRESIDENT/ CHIEF IN V ESTMENT OFFICER, PEOPLE'S UNITED A DVISORS, BRIDGEPORT Residence: Fairfield College(s): Villanova University, BS Much sought-aer soothsayer for the economy. Relentlessly optimistic about New Haven and its destiny as Con- necticut's economic-development engine. Describe your role in your company and its impact on the New Haven economy: I direct our overall investment process which entails understanding the U.S. and global economy, and what it means for the financial lives of people in Connecticut. What personal characteristic would you say has most contributed to your professional success? If there's one person in an investment organization whose job it is to see the forest for the trees, it's the chief investment officer. roughout my career, I have always tried to see the big picture. What advice would you give up- and-coming finance professionals? Understanding the human component of investing is at least as important as knowing how to crunch the numbers — if not more. Investors aren't rational; they're normal people who feel intense pressure when the market becomes volatile or an unexpected life event upends their plans. What is something about you that most people don't know? I've been a rower since my college days. In basketball, everyone knows who scored the winning shot. In rowing, you win or lose as a team. KEVIN HART FOUNDER & CEO GREEN CHECK V ERIFIED INC., NORTH H AV EN Residence: Orange College(s): Southern CT State College, Quinnipiac University One of Connecticut's fastest growing industries is marijuana, and Green Check Verified has staked out a niche with soware to help cannabis companies navigate a complex regulatory climate and mitigate compliance risks. How did you start your company? We started in Science Park in 2016 with just an idea, 0 employees, and outgrew our space so we moved to North Haven in 2019. I always knew that the talent to grow an enterprise-class technology company was here in New Haven. The ears have it: I like to listen before I act. Not 100-percent successful, but it is something I think about every day. What advice would you give to young business people? Everyone is an entrepreneur, whether they want to accept that or not. We are all always positioning ourselves for the next step in life, relationships or career. Don't shy away from that; accept it as true fact. Lonely at the top: I'm not a big fan of old-line institutional, corporate thinking. I have a title because I have to have one — people expect it — but it isn't what I lead with. I also hate the 'B' word — boss. NEW HAVEN POWER 50 >> Entrepreneurs BING J. CARBONE PRESIDENT MODER N PL ASTICS, SHELTON Residence: Shelton College(s): Sacred Heart University, BS Respected, innovative executive of 75-year-old family- owned manufacturer of high- performance engineered plastics — one of Valley's not-very- heralded success stories. Describe your role in your company: As president, I have the ultimate decision-making capabilities and vision-setting as to where our company will be in one, five and 10 years from now. We hire staff from New Haven County and one of our favorite places to hire from is Southern Connecticut State University. I sit on the SCSU Business Advisory Council and get to meet business students that we [frequently] hire. What personal characteristics have contributed to your professional success? e ability to listen to others. To be able to see into the future and plan for it — and lastly you've got to execute. All talk and many plans without successful execution will go nowhere. What advice would you give to up- and-coming professionals? Learn the 'so' skills you'll need in your career and get an internship (hopefully in the field you'd like to end up in). Be sure you have a professional résumé and a top- notch LinkedIn profile. Something most people don't know about you? I am an expert gardener. I love Corvettes, and cherish my two adult daughters, Nicole and Jamie. >> Corporate/Finance/ Real Estate LARRY JANESKY FOUNDER & CEO CONTR ACTOR NATION, SEYMOUR Residence: Middlebury Education: Bullard Havens Technical High School, Bridgeport ("I never let school get in the way of my education") e author of all things... basement-y! Connecticut's best-known self-made man worked his way down (to the basement) from nothing. Starting as a 17-year-old self-employed carpenter, Janesky (now 55) began building homes at age 20 and then, following the market crash of 1987, decided to focus on basement waterproofing. Now his Basement Systems has evolved into Contractor Nation. With ten buildings high atop Silvermine Industrial Park, the company is the largest employer, and taxpayer, in Seymour. Describe your role in your company/ organization and its impact on the economy: I work on tomorrow: What can we bring to whom in the future to make our company grow? We have 450 employees in Seymour and 270 outside Con- necticut — that is impact! Our employees are happy and stay with us a long time. What personal characteristic has most contributed to your profes- sional success — and how? Ambi- tion, self-discipline, the ability to make complicated things simple. And I genuinely love people. What advice would you give young up-and-coming professionals? Don't sell yourself short with self-limiting beliefs. Learn all the time! Big wheel: I race dirt bikes long distances. I am the oldest finisher of the Baja 1000 in Mexico, the cross-country race in the world, finishing in 34.5 hours in 2018.