Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1305031
n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 3 F R O M T H E E D I T O R newhavenBIZ Volume 3 • Number 6 • November/December 2020 New Haven Biz 900 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06510 (203)-937-2148 • www.newhavenbiz.com EDITOR Greg Bordonaro MANAGING EDITOR Michelle Tuccitto Sullo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Karen Ali Michael Bingham Liese Klein Natalie Missakian Melissa Nicefaro Frank Rizzo Jean Falbo-Sosnovich Patricia Villers DESIGN DIRECTOR Mitchell Hayes PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Kira Beaudoin PHOTOGRAPHY Steve Laschever SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Denise Lauro PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Tom Curtin CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Peter Stanton CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mary Rogers GROUP PUBLISHER Donna Brassard DIGITAL DIRECTOR Jan Holder AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Valerie Clark EDITORIAL DIRECTOR - CT Greg Bordonaro NEW HAVEN BIZ (ISSN 2639-605X), is published six times annually, 900 Chapel St., 10th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions are available for $29.95. To subscribe please email circulation@newhavenbiz.com or contact our circulation team at 203-937-2148 ext. 4 New Haven BIZ accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and in general does not return them to the sender. A division of: New Haven BIZ is a publication of New England Business Media, LLC. I t's no secret that innovation drives Greater New Haven's economy. With the top minds at Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital, and a strong bioscience cluster, the Elm City and its surrounding suburbs play a critical role in bringing new and potentially life-saving discoveries to the world. is issue's cover story highlights one of the newest innovations local bioscience startups are using to discover new drugs and bring them to market more quickly: artificial intelligence and machine learning. We also highlight our second annual class of Women Who Mean Business award winners, who were chosen from a diverse slate of candidates. Whether it is running a hospital or turning a new product idea into a global enterprise, our 2020 honorees have excelled in their respective fields. ey include: Lindsey Allard, Kim Harris, Sonja LaBarbera, Mary Pursell, Carla Schneider and Ming ompson. Inside you'll find a Q&A with Christopher O'Connor, the new president of the Yale New Haven Health system, who is helping it navigate the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, while also eyeing future growth. New Haven's growing hotel industry faces significant uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic, but that isn't stopping one developer from building a new landmark hotel in the city. Check out a story about COVID-19's impact on New Haven's hotel market. You can also read about how businesses and organizations have moved toward virtual options because of the health crisis. Finally, check out profiles on a growing Cheshire- based homecare agency, Assisted Living Services Inc., and Howie Hoyt, the president of Eastern Fuel, Hamden's oldest continuously run business. Please let me know what you think of this edition and share your story ideas. You can reach me at msullo@newhavenbiz.com. n Michelle Tuccitto Sullo A spotlight on innovation and women leaders T R E N D I N G 5 | Around the Region 7 | By the Numbers 7 | Five to Follow 8 | Small Biz Spotlight 9 | Corner Office T H E L O O P 32 | What's the Deal? 33 | C-Suite 34 | Viewpoint Cover Photograph: Steve Laschever C O N T E N T S Michelle Tuccitto Sullo F E A T U R E S 10 | Q&A: Christopher O'Connor Yale New Haven Health System President Christopher O'Connor looks to the future. 12 | Big Data CT bioscience companies use AI to speed up life-saving drug discoveries 14 | Hanging On Battered hotel industry looks to the future for relief 16 | Virtual Reality Six months in: Pandemic creates new opportunities for event engagement 18 | External Influence As Baby Boomer retirement wave nears, family biz weigh pros, cons of outside leadership 25 | Women Who Mean Business Meet our 2020 Women Who Mean Business honorees 31 | Arts & Business Aer virtual celebration, International Festival of Arts & Ideas sees new 'canvas' T H E L I S T S 20 | Largest Hotels, South Central Connecticut 21 | Largest Bioscience/ Biotechnology Companies, South Central Connecticut 22 | Chambers of Commerce, Greater New Haven 23 | Largest Hospitals, Greater New Haven