Hartford Business Journal

32 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARy 20, 2023 2023 POWER 50 She's also active in the community having previously served as president of CREW-CT, an association for senior-level executive women in the commercial real estate field. Dan O'Shea Since the pandemic's start, Hartford insur- ance companies have announced plans to cede hundreds of thou- sands of square feet of downtown office space. Global Atlantic Financial Group is countering that trend, even as the retirement and life-insur- ance company embraces a hybrid work model. Leading the New York-based company's Hartford expansion is Chief Administrative Officer Dan O'Shea. O'Shea announced in January that Global Atlantic plans to expand its downtown Hartford presence in the Gold Building at One Financial Plaza, taking on an additional 11,500 square feet to support about 100 new employees. The company will occupy the entire 10th and 24th floors of the iconic 26-story, Class-A office tower, growing its footprint to more than 46,000 square feet, with the ability to support more than 300 employees. Last year, the New York-based company that was founded by Goldman Sachs and is now majority owned by private equity giant KKR added 325 workers across its nine offices, including 75 new hires in Hartford. It currently has about 240 employees who report to the Gold Building, but after the next hiring wave it will have over 300, likely making Hartford the company's largest location, said O'Shea, whose office rests on the Gold Building's 24th floor. "I do believe the Greater Hartford area is the insurance capital of the United States," O'Shea told the Hartford Business Journal last month. "And so if you're looking to expand and you're an insurance company, Hartford is a really good option." O'Shea has deep ties to the state's insurance industry. He's been with Global Atlantic for nearly seven years. Prior to that, he served in a variety of human resources roles at The Hartford for about 13 years. Since joining Global Atlantic in 2016 as chief human resources officer, O'Shea has gradually taken on more responsibilities and was named chief administrative officer in 2021. In addition to overseeing HR and talent recruitment and management, he's in charge of business resilience, real estate, corporate services, security, communication and branding and marketing. Since that time he's helped grow Whittlesey through mergers and acquisitions into a regional player. The latest deal was in December 2021, when Whittlesey announced that it absorbed Bova, Harrington & Associates, a CPA and financial consulting business in Northampton, Massachusetts. Whittlesey also has an office in Holyoke. As managing partner and CEO he oversees the firm's busi- ness operations and provides internal leadership. During the pandemic Andrews helped lead Whittlesey's embrace of remote work while the firm, similar to others in the industry, saw increased demand for its services amid a lot of uncertainty for businesses. His biggest challenge coming out of the pandemic has been finding talent to grow the firm. It's an issue that forced him to reassess his recruiting strategy. "... COVID taught us that we don't have to necessarily hire people that can drive to our offices," Andrews told INSIDE Public Accounting in December. "We've embraced that more and now we probably have 10 to 12 people who work outside of the areas where our offices are." In that same interview he said a key focus in the next few years will be on automation and artificial intelligence. Melissa Ferrucci The accounting industry, long known as male-domi- nated, has increased efforts to diversify its leadership ranks in recent years. One local example is Melissa Ferrucci, the office managing partner of CPA firm CohnRez- nick's Hartford and Stamford locations. She was elevated to the position about a year ago, and became a firm partner in 2020. Besides managing CohnReznick's Connecticut offices, Ferrucci serves clients in commercial real estate and affordable housing, providing auditing services and guidance on industry issues to a range of stakeholders. She has also worked closely with various governments and quasi-governmental agencies. She's been leading CohnRez- nick's Connecticut offices as the firm continues to operate in a remote and hybrid model. "I think the flexibility and the work- life balance that people have experi- enced through COVID, and currently, is much better than it historically was," Ferrucci told HBJ in September. She earned her bachelor's degree in accounting from Central Connecticut State University and her master's in accounting and taxation from the University of Hartford. cafe, among other things. Wilkins is currently fundraising for the expansion, which is part of a broader effort to make Hartford's Parkville neighborhood more vibrant. Real Art Ways started in 1975 as an alternative arts organization and was formed when a group of artists set up live-work space in downtown Hartford. Today, it features artwork and displays from a wide range of individuals from all walks of life. Wilkins has led Real Art Ways since 1990. Keith Hubert Keith Hubert has been one of Greater Hartford's top senior accounting executives for more than a decade. He's the managing partner of Big Four CPA firm PwC's Hart- ford office, which employs one of the largest number of accountants and consultants in the region. It's a role he's held since 2011. Hubert played a key role in PwC's decision in 2018 to remain in down- town Hartford. That year the firm signed a lease for seven-plus years to maintain its CityPlace I downtown Hartford office. The firm also renovated its space at the time. More recently, PwC has been a leader, both in Connecticut and nationally, in helping companies navi- gate the post-pandemic workplace. The firm and Hubert have embraced the hybrid workforce model. He's also well-connected to the region's insurance industry, having led PwC's Northeast insurance services practice. He joined PwC in 1991 and was named a partner in 2003. Hubert graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting from LeMoyne College. Drew Andrews Max Downtown restau- rant is where Hartford's most influential business leaders, lobbyists and polit- icos wine and dine employees, clients and prospects. If you head there for lunch you might bump into Drew Andrews, a regular customer who is the managing partner and CEO of Hartford accounting and consulting firm Whittlesey. It's a position he's held since 2008. Andrews is well-known in Hartford's business community and a major backer of the city, having led the relocation of his firm to downtown in 2013. a new customer base and let those who might have been looking in from the outside feel they too can be part of Greater Hartford's thriving arts scene, Best told the Hartford Busi- ness Journal in May. "The growing edge for arts orga- nizations is definitely in the area of diversity and inclusion," said Best, who as CEO leads a council that provides financial and organizational aid to about 150 arts organizations in 34 Greater Hartford municipalities. Best, who has been active in the diversity, equity and inclusion arena for decades, is the former execu- tive director of the Conference of Churches, a Hartford-based consor- tium of faith-based organizations. She was also the founder of the 224 EcoSpace, a Hartford-based arts, health and wellness center that provides various services, including coworking space. Best said her overall vision for the arts council is to "work together to foster relationships; bring people together; and increase the vitality for the arts in this region." Fundraising is a vital part of Best's job and it's one reason she was picked from a pool of dozens of applicants. Best, the daughter of a concert pianist, said she's always had an interest in the arts but became "fasci- nated" with the Hartford arts scene and what it could become while attending a Hartford Foundation for Public Giving advisory committee — called "Artists of Color Unite" — that aims to create a long-term support structure for minority artists. Will Wilkins For a small city, Hartford has a dynamic arts scene. Will Wilkins has been a leader in the sector for decades. He's the longtime executive director of Real Art Ways, the inde- pendent cinema and alternative arts organization that presents and supports contemporary artists and their work. Wilkins has ambitious plans for his Hartford-based nonprofit orga- nization, which operates an art house cinema and hosts a number of community events, including concerts, lectures and creative cocktail hours. In December 2021, Real Art Ways paid $4.25 million to purchase its 56 Arbor St. head- quarters with plans for a $14-million expansion and renovation of the 83,000-square-foot building. The project includes increasing the number of cinemas from one to four, and adding educational space for classes and workshops, a theatrical area for performing arts events and a 27 28 29 30 31 Will Wilkins Keith Hubert Drew Andrews Melissa Ferrucci Dan O'Shea

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