16 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 6, 2021
Mark C. D'Addabbo former President
and CEO of New England Retail
Proper es, Inc, has formed a new real
estate development firm, MACK V
Development, LLC, headquartered in
West Har ord, CT.
A er leading New England Retail
Proper es, Inc. for more than 30 years,
the newly organized firm will focus
on ground up development primarily
designed for retail tenants.
The company currently has projects
in various stages of development in
Vermont, New Hampshire, Connec cut,
Eastern NY, Long Island, NY and
Massachuse s.
Ma hew J. Darling formerly a vice
president at NERP has also joined the
organiza on and shall be responsible
for overseeing projects from site
acquisi on to store opening.
Contact:
mark.daddabbo@mackvdevelopment.com
ma .darling@mackvdevelopment.com
State officials, colleges developing
workforce development programs for
CT's recreational marijuana industry
A UConn student participates in the school's cannabis horticulture class.
By Sean Teehan
steehan@hartfordbusiness.com
A
s Connecticut gears up to
establish a legal recreational
cannabis market, state
officials are looking at the industry
as an opportunity to boost workforce
development efforts.
Workforce development is baked
into the recreational marijuana law,
including a requirement that licensed
cannabis businesses enact plans to
train people for industry jobs.
The law also authorizes up to $50
million in general obligation bonds for
the state Department of Economic
and Community Development
and Social Equity Council to use
for various purposes, including
workforce development programs
that could include an accelerator
program.
But beyond that, workforce
development officials are meeting
with professionals from the state
college system, regional workforce
boards and cannabis industry to
develop programs and curriculum
that will help train Connecticut
residents for careers in this newly
legal green sector.
"Our goal is to have [cannabis]
employers inform [a job training]
curriculum so that we're connecting
job training to employers who have a
current demand need," said Kelli-
Marie Vallieres, director of the
Connecticut Office of Workforce
Strategies. "Cannabis is going to be
another one of those areas where our
two- and four-year [higher education]
institutions are going to be looking to
HBJ PHOTO | SEAN TEEHAN
