Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | AUGUST 7, 2023 23 Movers & Shakers so sure," the mayor said. A recent study by East Hartford consulting firm Goman+York advised towns on navi- gating a changing economic development landscape, with a focus on growth areas like e-commerce, multifamily development, expe- riential retail, medical centers, and quick and casual restaurants. The firm said Bristol needs to get 3,000 people to live in the downtown area to help fulfill the new "live, work, play" master plan, with the health clinics providing jobs, and the Carrier project and other developments creating the residential units. "The philosophy was that if we were able to fill downtown during the day with office workers, and at night with people returning home to their apartments, there would be an economic spillover effect on the existing small business community as well as attract new commerce," Zoppo-Sassu said. She credits the Bristol Hospital development with "shoring up the confidence of many others who were contemplating investment." The vision came into focus when Carrier proposed the new mixed-use apartment development. Economic development tools The effort to build places for people to live and work is underway, "but we want them to stay around in the evening. So, the 'play' is the hardest challenge for us," Caggiano said. That's why adding restaurants will be key to the Carrier project. And to spur activity, the city is launching a new $750,000 low-interest, partially forgivable loan program for new downtown businesses, including restaurants. Caggiano believes the new projects, infra- structure investment and business incentives will catalyze a revamped downtown. "As people come downtown, maybe if they haven't been down here in a year or two, they're going to be shocked by what's happening," he said. BRISTOL SNAPSHOT General Land area (sq. miles) 26 Median age 40.5 Population 61,330 Median household income $73,604 Unemployment rate 4.1% Major Employers • ESPN Inc. • Bristol Hospital • City of Bristol • Lake Compounce Government Mill rate 30.35 Grand list (2022) $5,436,501,365 Housing stock Median home value (2017-2021) $207,400 Median rent (2017-2021) $1,153 Top employment industries Health Care & Social Assistance Information Manufacturing Source: U.S. Census Bureau/AdvanceCT Carrier Construction is leading development of a 104-unit apartment project in the Bristol Centre Square downtown area. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER New Haven bioscience startup Rallybio Corp. elevated Dr. Stephen Uden to the CEO position as of Aug. 1. A company co-founder, Uden was president and chief operating officer. He succeeds Martin Mackay, who has assumed the role of executive chairman, a full-time position through which he will focus on company strategy, investor relations and related activities. Uden was previously head of research at Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. New Britain contract manufacturer OKAY Industries has promoted Kai Chau to the role of senior laser process engineer - R&D. Chau will lead internal and external R&D prototyping, and continuous improve- ment activities for all laser processes. He joined OKAY Industries in 2014, as a laser process engineer. The Connecticut Health Founda- tion elected Chekesha Kidd as chair of its board of directors. She succeeds Kenneth R. Alleyne in chairing the board of Connecticut's largest independent health foundation. The foundation also named Getty Atienza and Kristie Kuhl to its board. Kidd is the founder of Kinumi, a health and lifestyle digital service for older adults that focuses on supporting them and their caregivers in living independently. She previously served in executive roles at Delta Dental of Minnesota, The Hartford and Aetna, where she was president of the student health business. Atienza is a managing director and the global head of product management for Blackstone Alter- native Asset Management. Kuhl is global managing director, health and wellness for the integrated communi- cations company Zeno Group. Law firm Goldberg Segalla has added Samantha J. Spicer to its workers' compensation practice group in Hartford. Spicer was previously with Melick and Porter in Southbury. Spicer focuses her practice on counseling and defending employers, insurers and third- party administrators in workers' compensation matters. Ridgefield CPA firm Reynolds + Rowella has promoted Deborah Circelli to partner. Circelli joined Reynolds + Rowella in 2006. In her elevated role, she will be responsible for helping drive company growth. Danielle Daversa has been named program manager of Wheel- er's Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a confidential counseling program that helps employers assist their employees through counseling, referrals, training and policy development. She takes over the role from Daniel Fallon, who retired. Daversa was previously the program manager for Wheeler's congregate care program, where she oversaw day-to-day opera- tions and supervised clinical and supervisory staff to ensure imple- mentation of program policies and therapeutic intervention Hartford-based Shipman & Goodwin LLP announced that construction law attorney Steven Lapp has joined the firm as a partner in its construction and renewable energy practice groups. Lapp represents construction owners, developers, general contractors, project managers, subcontractors, engineers and sureties, as well as a diverse group of clients across different indus- tries, including a national-scale solar provider, and other renewable energy firms. He will work on construction matters, with a specific focus on Connecti- cut-based businesses and public and private educational institutions. Kelly Giordano has joined Stam- ford-based Webster Bank as its new head of philanthropy. Giordano is a member of Webster Bank's office of corporate respon- sibility team, which oversees a $6.5 billion, multi-year community investment strategy. Giordano will manage the bank's philanthropic strategy, grantmaking programs and community sponsorships. Most recently, she worked as a consultant for Wellness in the Schools and Connecticut Public Broadcasting. Kai Chau Danielle Daversa Chekesha Kidd Steven Lapp Deborah Circelli Kelly Giordano

• Cover