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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 3 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 19 Cindi Bigelow, President & CEO, Bigelow Tea Continuing to grow her family's company remains top of mind for Cindi Bigelow, presi- dent and CEO of Bigelow Tea Co. in Fairfield. She is the third-generation CEO of the com- pany started by her grandmother, Ruth Campbell Bigelow, in 1945. Bigelow routinely pursues key part- nerships, new products and real estate expansion, and her efforts continued this past year. In December, the tea company partnered with Stony Creek Brewery, a regional cra brewery based in Branford, for the release of two new tea-infused beers. ese new beer creations, named "No Comment" and "Carpe Tea-em," mark the first-ever beer collaboration between the two businesses. No Comment is a German-style lager featuring an infusion of Bigelow's "Constant Comment," a blend of black tea, orange peel and sweet spices. Carpe Tea-em is a Hefeweizen with the aroma and flavor of citrus bergamot fruit from Bigelow's Earl Grey tea. In early 2022, Bigelow Tea announced an agreement to buy approximately 25 acres of vacant land in Shelton for $2.3 million for its future expansion. e company plans to build a large warehouse in Shelton within five years to handle dis- tribution needs for the next two decades. e company in 2020 opened a new warehouse distribution center in Orange, and Bigelow has said it was expanding facilities in Kentucky and Idaho. e company produces roughly 2 billion tea bags each year. Pedro Azagra Blázquez, CEO, Avangrid Pedro Azagra Blázquez took over as chief executive officer at Or- ange-based utility giant Avangrid this past summer, with a key goal of focus- ing on clean energy. Azagra has been on Avangrid's board of directors, and has served as chief development officer for Avangrid's parent company, Iberdrola, helping to execute more than 100 transactions and leading its international expansion. Company leaders cited Azagra's ex- perience in the Iberdrola Group and his international relationships in his selection as CEO. Azagra has guided the company through key deals. He advised the com- pany regarding the merger proceedings with PNM Resources and previously led the $4.7 billion acquisition and integra- tion of Energy East Corp. in 2008 and the P o w e r 2 5 G r e a t e r N e w H a v e n $17.9 billion merger and integration of Avangrid and UIL Holdings in 2015. In October, Avangrid announced it had teamed up with California energy giant Sempra to explore the potential of green hydrogen and ammonia projects pow- ered by renewable sources. Avangrid will partner with Sempra Infrastructure, a Texas-based subsidiary of Sempra. Azagra said of the move, "Avan- grid is very proud to innovate and develop green hydrogen and ammonia projects in collaboration with Sempra Infrastruc- ture, which are crucial to decarbonize the industry and will help the country reach its ambitious clean energy goals." Azagra has led Avangrid as it has worked to secure required permits for large-scale wind power projects, such as the New England Wind Offshore project, consisting of the 1232 megawatt (MW) Commonwealth Wind and 804 MW Park City Wind projects. In September, Avangrid announced it would consolidate its onshore and offshore renewables businesses into a combined entity, Avangrid Renewables. Azagra has been leading the company through chal- lenges such as supply chain disruptions, inflation and rising interest rates. Avangrid has approximately $40 billion in assets and operations in 24 states. In addition to Avangrid Renewables, its other primary line of business is Avan- grid Networks, which has eight electric and natural gas utilities, including United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas. Nicholas Morizio, President, Colliers International, New Haven and Hartford Nicholas Morizio, president of Colliers International's New Haven and Hart- ford offices, sells and leases major commercial prop- erties throughout Connecticut and western Massa- chusetts. Morizio has been with Colliers for approximately four decades, and his deal volume exceeds $800 million and more than 100 million square feet. According to Morizio, he doesn't see himself as a salesperson, but as someone who gives advice to people who want to buy and sell real estate. Morizio is a leader in the industry. He is a past president of the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). During his career, he has served as a chapter chairman for e Counselors of Real Estate. He has been named a CoStar power broker mul- tiple times for sales and industrial leasing transactions. Morizio has worked on multiple med- ical marijuana grower and dispensary deals. He also has been vocal about issues facing the real estate industry, such as the impact of the Transfer Act and clients' struggles to get their properties certified as clean so they can move forward with development efforts. Morizio has been inducted into the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame because of his influence on the state's commercial real estate sector. In his position, Morizio oversees a team of New Haven-based associates. e New Haven team handles leases for multiple major office and mixed-use properties in New Haven, such as in the downtown tower at 900 Chapel St., the East Rock Center at 285 Nicoll St. in New Haven, and in Science Park. Morizio also has been involved in large deals in the Hartford region, such as the $6.9 million sale of the former 139,000-square-foot Sam's Club property in Manchester to the Grossman Cos. Inc. John Walker & Bill Shufelt, Co-founders, Athletic Brewing John Walker and Bill Shufelt's company Athletic Brewing, with its nonalcoholic beer line, is on a trajectory to be among the top cra brewers in the country. Only brewery gi- ants Heineken and Budweiser now sell more nonalcoholic beer than Athletic Brewing, which launched as a two-man operation in Stratford in 2017. e company reports that it saw more than 100% growth in sales in the past year, capturing 55% of the market share of cra nonalcoholic beer in the U.S. and distributing its products in all 50 states. e company is always adding new beers to its lineup. Recent new flavors included a witbier, three new IPAs, a pale ale and an Irish dry brew. More than 5,000 new retail outlets added Athletic beers in 2022, including Walmart, Target and major supermarket chains. Whole Foods has the brand in all of its 500 U.S. stores. Athletic went from making just 12,000 cases in 2018 to more than 1.4 million cases by 2021. To meet demand, brewing operations and staff have expanded, with more than 220 people now employed by Athletic across the company's locations in Milford, Stratford and San Diego, Calif. In Milford the company has a 150,000-square-foot brewing and bottling plant in an industrial park at 75 Cascade Blvd. In November, multinational beverage company Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. invested $50 million in Athletic Brewing, purchas- ing a minority stake. Athletic Brewing recently ranked 26th on Inc. magazine's list of the top 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the United States for 2022. Walker says the company's surging sales and expanding product line show a cultural shi, with a focus on health and wellness, and an attitude that social life and human connection don't need alcohol. William Brown, CEO, Gateway Community College William "Terry" Brown started working as CEO at Gateway Com- munity College in New Haven in the summer of 2020. As such, he leads the state's largest community college, which has a staff of more than 600 full- and part-time employees. Gateway serves residents and business- es throughout the Greater New Haven region, offering more than 90 accred- ited degree and certificate programs to more than 5,000 students each semes- ter. It prepares students to transfer to four-year institutions or the workforce, and gives those who are established in their career opportunities to polish their skills through professional devel- opment. During his tenure, Brown has helped the college navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, when many classes and services were being offered virtually. In addition to managing budgets, Brown has worked to build a team of faculty, staff, administrators, and com- munity and industry partners - with a goal of providing students with the best education and training. Before joining Gateway, Brown worked at Nashville State Community College in Tennessee. Closer to home, his career has included stints as an associate dean and dean of academ- ic affairs at Housatonic Community College and as an administrator and faculty member at Naugatuck Valley and Norwalk community colleges. Brown is active in the business community, and he was recently among nine new members who joined the board of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. e college has an ongoing part- nership with the chamber, and Brown noted that Gateway has been able to connect students with partners, schol- arship funders and support. Rebecca Velez Frey, CEO, Siduma Therapeutics Rebecca Velez Frey is not only a leader in biosci- ence, she actively works to help oth- er women succeed in a field oen Continued on next page newhavenBIZ

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