Hartford Business Journal

HartfordBusiness.com | February 22, 2021 | Hartford Business Journal 33 2021 POWER 50 several tracts of land surrounding the stadium, Hartford moved forward with Salvatore, founder and CEO of Stamford- based RMS Cos., as its preferred developer. RMS, which is part owner of the Goodwin Hotel in downtown Hartford, broke ground this past September on the first phase of the Downtown North development around the park, an approximately $50 million project that includes 270 apartment units at the corner of Main and Trumbull streets, restaurant and retail space, and a parking garage — expected to be completed by 2022. Rodney Butler & Chuck Bunnell The future of gambling in Connecticut has been a hot-button issue for years, but it could come to a head in 2021 with increasing bipartisan support for the legalization of sports and/or online betting. Two men who will play key roles in how the issue plays out are Connecticut casino leaders Rodney Butler and Chuck Bunnell. They are lead negotiators on gambling legislation for the parent companies of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun, respectively. In his recent two-year budget proposal, Gov. Ned Lamont included $50 million in revenue from new online gambling platforms, including sports betting, signaling strong support for expanded gaming. Rodney Butler is the jack- of-all-trades executive for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, parent to Foxwoods. In 2018, Butler, a former UConn football player turned casino executive, stepped in as Foxwoods' interim CEO after the sudden death of Felix Rappaport. He is currently chairman of the Mashantucket Pequots. Joseph Kask Joseph Kask has led an impressive and aggressive growth strategy at regional accounting and advisory firm blumshapiro since taking over as CEO in 2016. The most recent deal he helped engineer was the firm's biggest: On. Jan. 1, blumshapiro joined Minneapolis-based CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), the eighth- largest accounting firm in the country. The move strengthens CLA's foothold in New England, giving it its first-ever presence in Connecticut. As a result of the deal, Kask is now CLA's managing principal for all of New England. During his time leading blumshapiro, the firm expanded its presence in Massachusetts through acquisitions and opening new offices, including in Worcester. Kask joined blumshapiro in 2007 and previously served as a partner at Scully & Wolf LLP. He has strong ties to Connecticut. He is a UConn graduate and was recently named a board member of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. He is also on the board of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns and is active with the MetroHartford Alliance and Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants. Randy Salvatore There are plenty of naysayers when it comes to investing public money in the construction of a professional sports stadium, but Fairfield County real estate developer Randy Salvatore is working to ensure Hartford's minor league ball field produces the best possible economic impacts, even during COVID-19. After winning a court battle against the former general contractor that built much of Dunkin' Donuts Park and initially had rights to develop community near the corner of Park and Main streets in Hartford's South End and the $50 million first phase of the Downtown North mixed-use redevelopment near Dunkin' Donuts Park. When completed it will include 270 apartment units, ground-floor restaurant, retail and entertainment space, and a 330-space parking garage. CRDA did face some backlash in the last year for how it handled the redevelopment contract for Dillon Stadium. Melissa McCaw Gov. Ned Lamont holds a lot of power over Connecticut's purse strings, particularly with his pandemic-era emergency powers in full effect and federal stimulus aid flowing, but Melissa McCaw, his budget director, knows the state's checkbook inside and out. The Wesleyan alum began her career at the Office of Policy and Management in the early 2000s, and nearly two decades later she now leads the agency as secretary, following top financial roles at the University of Hartford and in Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin's administration. As Connecticut continues to reel from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lamont recently released his $46 billion budget plan for the coming two years, which McCaw will champion and lobby for over the next few months. Lamont's budget leans heavily on federal aid and the state's rainy day fund to avoid raising taxes. However, members of his own party are pushing to spend reserves or hike taxes on the wealthy to help residents impacted by the pandemic. Luckily, tax revenues in recent months have been higher than anticipated, helping shrink a projected deficit, but it's clear that the budget debate set to conclude in June will be vigorous. Candelora appear determined this year not to cede any more ground than they have to. Outside the legislature, Candelora, who lives in North Branford, helps run two family-owned businesses — a manufacturing company and sportsplex. Kelly is an elder law attorney and owner of Kevin Kelly & Associates PC, a law firm based in Stratford, where he also lives. Michael Freimuth & Suzanne Hopgood The quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in recent years has converted run-down Hartford office buildings into some 2,000 new apartment units. Michael Freimuth and Suzanne Hopgood have led that success. Both Freimuth, executive director of CRDA, and Hopgood, chair of its board of directors, stepped into leadership roles at the economic development agency with backing from former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The state legislature created the agency in 2010. Under Freimuth and Hopgood, CRDA in recent years helped develop Dillon Stadium, complete The Front Street District, which is home to UConn Hartford and part of the larger Adriaen's Landing revitalization project downtown, and helped finance nearly 2,000 apartment units. It's currently in the process of overseeing a renovation to XL Center. A few recent CRDA-backed projects to break ground include a $26 million apartment and retail Michael Freimuth Melissa McCaw Randy Salvatore Joseph Kask Suzanne Hopgood 22 23 24 25 26

• Cover