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He said AdvanceCT and DECD are currently in talks with a handful of small and mid-sized companies from other states that he is convinced will lead to announced expansions or moves in 2021. He wouldn't disclose any names. "We have a pipeline of opportunities that run the gamut," he said. Keeping in close contact with local industry is a crucial piece of the strat- egy. AdvanceCT can help businesses troubleshoot problems and convey them to state officials. "In return, can they help us think about that supply chain?" Denious said. "It's sort of a two-way conversa- tion. 'How can we help you, and by the way, are there any companies you think could be here in the state?' " David Griggs, CEO of the Metro- Hartford Alliance, which is focused on retention and recruitment in Greater Hartford, said his group's coordination with DECD and Ad- vanceCT since last year has been "hand in glove." "We communicate on a regular basis, we coordinate our efforts and messaging," Griggs said. "We are all out trying to do the same things, just at different levels." Though sometimes people assume the Alliance and AdvanceCT are com- petitors, Griggs said states that have state-level and regional-level business development entities complement- ing each other tend to have greater success. "In a dysfunctional setting, there would be competition," Griggs said. "I'm very happy to say we don't have a dysfunctional setting." With 2020 nearly in the rearview mirror, Griggs, too, is confident that the state's recruiting prospect pipe- line will bear some fruit in the year ahead. Setting the table for 2021 Since the summer, AdvanceCT has hired or promoted 11 people and is preparing to roll out new initiatives. The new hires include business development specialists, each with expertise in specific economic sectors seen as crucial to the state, such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and life sciences. A sec- tor leader for IT and software will be hired soon, Denious said. His team is also working with the MetroHartford Alliance to launch a talent-recruitment program in con- junction with area business partners. Denious has made other changes not necessarily related to the pan- demic. For example, AdvanceCT has nixed its long-running Connecticut consumer confidence surveys, which had begun to reveal increasingly negative sentiments last year. Denious said that change was more about further shifting AdvanceCT's focus toward business. He noted that AdvanceCT has helped DECD conduct two small business surveys during the pandemic. "That's more in our sweet spot, I think," he said. www.HartfordBusiness.com • December 14, 2020 • Hartford Business Journal 19 • Eastern is the top-ranked public regional university in New England (U.S. News and World Report, 2020) • Eastern graduates have the ethics, problem- solving and communication skills, and ability to work in teams that you need in your organization. • 41 majors — including Accounting, Data Science, Economics, Business Information Systems, Finance, Health Sciences and more. Eastern Grads . . . www.easternct.edu Job Ready! HBJ Ad 20.indd 1 HBJ Ad 20.indd 1 10/13/20 2:47 PM 10/13/20 2:47 PM AdvanceCT's star-studded board of directors Gov. Ned Lamont has focused on using top business executives to recruit companies to Connecticut. That's one reason AdvanceCT's board is made up of some well-known executives. Board members include: Indra Nooyi (co-chair), former CEO, PepsiCo James Smith (co-chair), former CEO & Chairman, Webster Bank Donald Kendall Jr., Principal, New Fork Capital David Lehman, Commissioner, Department of Economic & Community Development Greg Butler, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Eversource Jim Loree, President & CEO, Stanley Black & Decker Anthony Marone, President & CEO, Avangrid Networks R. Adam Norwitt, President & CEO, Amphenol Corp. Judy Olian, President, Quinnipiac University Thomas Rutledge, Chairman & CEO, Charter Communications Jeffrey Sonnenfeld Sr., Senior Associate Dean, Leadership Studies, Yale School of Management Jay Williams, President, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving MetroHartford Alliance CEO David Griggs. HBJ FILE PHOTO ARE YOU IN THE KNOW? HBJ provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the area's business community. Be a part of the trend, be in the know, with a premium subscription. VISIT WWW.HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/USER SUBSCRIBE TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY >> BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF BOOK OF LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS LISTS 2020 2020 2020