Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 19, 2020 • Hartford Business Journal CLA 3 IN MEMORIAM Oz Griebel embodied HBJ's Lifetime Achievement Award O z Griebel left the MetroHartford Alliance at the end of 2017, but his presence and influence in the region endured. Since leaving the organization he helped mold for nearly two decades, Griebel lived downtown and wanted to remain part of the action, taking on side projects and advising anyone seeking out his counsel. It wasn't sur- prising given his longtime commitment to the city, where he started out as a bank executive before eventually leading the Alliance. Griebel's sudden and senseless death in July after being struck by a motor vehicle while jogging in Pennsylvania, has left a major void in the city and state. As part of this special section we are honoring Griebel as one of our 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award winners. He in many ways embodied who should receive this honor. Not only was he a business icon in Hartford but an engaged civic leader. The New Jersey native who graduated from Dartmouth College and Suffolk University Law School started his career as a teacher before transitioning into the business world, eventually leading BankBoston's Connecticut operations before taking over the MetroHartford Alliance in 2001, where he became the city's top promoter. What many appreciated most about Griebel was that he wasn't just a Hartford booster. He never shied away from pointing out the city's, region's or state's weaknesses and problems. More importantly he offered solutions and policy ideas to fix them. Blind boosterism does a city like Hartford no good. While we all need to promote the region's strengths, we can't shy away from honest conversations about its problems and ways to address them. That's how we get better. Griebel understood that. It's what prompted him to run for governor twice, once as a Re- publican in 2010 and an independent in 2018. He didn't come close to winning either time, but he was certainly the most qualified and in- formed candidate in the most recent election. Few who knew him well would argue dif- ferently. A centrist candidate who is a fiscal conservative and moderate on social issues is the type of leader this state needed and needs. Those political views are also what led to his work as chair of the SAM CT Task Force, a group trying to reform the state's electoral process to give unaffiliated and more moder- ate candidates in Connecticut a better chance of winning elections. It's noble work that probably won't move the needle in upending a two-party political system that has increasingly been shown to be broken. But long odds never deterred Griebel. In fact, he was rarely on the winning end of public policy or political battles, but he kept fighting for what he believed in. His love for the city was also evident. He didn't view Hartford as a stepping stone, but a landing spot from which to build something better. Hartford could use more leaders like Griebel. Greg Bordonaro , Editor, Hartford Business Journal Lifetime Achievement 11 Joe Brennan Anne Evans 13 Galo Rodriguez 14 Bob Sullivan C-Suite 5 Candace Adams Jeff Flaks 7 Eric Galvin Jason Jakubowski 8 Dean Marchessault 9 Wendy Sherry PHOTO | HBJ FILE Highlighting remarkable leaders during challenging times B eing a decision-maker is always a challenge. Being a decision-maker in 2020 has been the ultimate test of a leader's values and strategic thinking. Dealing with a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, which has upended the state economy, has been too much to handle for some company executives, forcing the closure of many local businesses. But there have been other lead- ers who have not only dealt with the challenges of the pandemic, but excelled in the process. As part of Hartford Busi- ness Journal's 2020 C-suite Awards, we recognize top executives who have made significant contributions to their companies. We've identified six leaders who stood out for their commitment to excellence and guiding their companies through extremely difficult conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The winners include Jeff Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, whose hospital system has been at the forefront of the state's coronavirus re- sponse, and two health insurance executives — Wen- dy Sherry, Connecticut market president of Cigna and ConnectiCare President Eric Galvin — who have also responded to the pandemic. Other honorees include Candace Adams, the CEO and president Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England; American Eagle Financial Credit Union President and CEO Dean Marchessault; and Food- share CEO Jason Jackubowski, who has been dealing with rising food insecurity among individuals and families left struggling from the economic downturn. In this special section we also honor some longtime local executives who have made lasting impacts on the business community with Lifetime Achievement Awards. They include Joe Brennan, former CEO and presi- dent of the Connecticut Business & Industry Associa- tion; Galo Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Village for Families & Children Inc.; Bob Sullivan, president of Standard Builders Inc.; Anne Evans, area director of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration; and the late Oz Griebel. In terms of methodology, the business community was invited to nominate C-suite executives for both awards and the winners were chosen by HBJ's editorial staff. Please join HBJ in congratulating our winners and all their accomplishments, which are being recognized during a virtual award ceremony on Nov. 9, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Greg Bordonaro , Editor AND C-SUITE AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2020

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