Hartford Business Journal

34 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MARCH 4, 2024 POWER 50 27 Daniel O'Keefe D aniel O'Keefe is a former tech executive who was tapped to lead Connecti- cut's Department of Economic and Community Development after nearly six months in a supporting role with the agency. O'Keefe joined DECD last July, in the newly created chief innovation officer position. He was elevated in December, after former Commis- sioner Alexandra Daum accepted a job with Yale University. O'Keefe, in a recent interview with the HBJ, expressed confidence in Connecticut's economic trajectory. He said recent population and economic gains have been fostered, at least in part, by the post-pan- demic shift to remote work, which has given employees more latitude on where to live. That's grown the appeal of Connecticut's small cities and suburbs, he said, which the state can leverage by building more affordable housing. But, with Connecticut's projected budget surpluses shrinking, the state must capitalize on these tailwinds with existing programs and resources, O'Keefe said. In other words, don't expect any major new economic development programs with large price tags in the near future. For now, O'Keefe said, his role will be that of a steady hand on 30 Judy Marks F irst named Otis Worldwide's CEO in June 2019, Judy Marks is the only woman to lead one of the wheel, confidently advocating for the state and its businesses while overseeing existing programs and incentives. "Priority one is just continuing the good work that is already ongoing," O'Keefe recently told the Hartford Business Journal. "I think I am benefiting from a series of programs and a series of leaders that have set us up for success. And so, I think the first priority is, 'do no harm.'" 28 Vlad Coric U nder Vlad Coric's leadership, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals' blockbuster migraine drug Nurtec ODT became a top-prescribed migraine medicine in its class in the United States. The New Haven-based company launched Nurtec ODT, its first commercial product, in 2020, after winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Biohaven attracted big names for marketing the drug, from reality TV celebrity Khloé Kardashian, to Beverly Hills 90210 star Tori Spelling and actor Whoopi Goldberg. The drug's popularity drew the eyes of Big Pharma, and in October 2022, Pfizer Inc. acquired Biohaven for $11.6 billion in cash, a deal that Coric said would expand distribution of the company's migraine drugs. But Coric didn't just take his newfound riches and go home. Instead, after the Pfizer deal was complete, he launched a newly independent clinical-stage company in New Haven called Biohaven Ltd., which has been working on a pipeline of experimental medicines for a range of neurological disorders. Coric has been well-received by Wall Street. He's made appearances on well-known CNBC personality Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" show. Coric has decades of drug discovery and clinical development experience, including at the Yale School of Medi- cine and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He earned his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a bachelor's degree in neurobiology and physiology at the University of Connecticut. With your vision and hard work, you're building your business into something to be proud of. Westfield Bank's business banking insight works for you, to make your business even better. We offer technology that makes banking easy, loans and lines large and small, and expert advice from the regional community bank that is focused on your business, your financial security, and the communities we share. Working to build your business is great. Building it with help from Westfield Bank? That's better. westfieldbank.com Member FDIC How can we help your business? Call 860.838.3766 or visit one of our local offices: Connecticut Bloomfield - 337 Cottage Grove Rd. Enfield - 47 Palomba Dr. Granby - 12 E Granby Rd. West Hartford - 977 Farmington Ave. 29 André Swanston I n an interview with the Hartford Business Journal last year, André Swanston described himself as a "power user" of his note-taking app. "I've written hundreds of business ideas — like hundreds. And not in one sentence, I mean pages," he said. "Anything that I do or see, I think about the business of it." That entrepreneurial mindset has made Swanston one of the state's more successful business leaders. In 2020, the advertising technology company he co-founded, Tru Optik, was acquired by TransUnion for more than $100 million. That's set up Swanston, and his wife Michelle, for their new chapter as philanthropists, angel investors and entrepreneurs on an even larger scale. Together they recently launched the Swanston Organization, which plans to be involved in philanthropy, venture investing and a continuation of their own business ideas. Swanston Family Ventures, the investing arm, is about giving oppor- tunity to others where he sees the biggest gaps. Meanwhile, Swanston Labs will nurture his own team's ideas about the future of media and entertainment. Swanston recently made head- lines when he unveiled a grand plan to develop a mixed-use stadium complex in Bridgeport that would be home to the Connecticut United Football Club, an expansion profes- sional soccer team. The team would be part of MLS NEXT Pro, a division III professional league launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer. Swanston is the leader of the Connecticut Sports Group, which was awarded the league's fifth indepen- dent expansion team. The entire vision is contingent on Connecticut Sports Group lining up financing to get the stadium project built. Swanston has said it will require private and public support to make that happen.

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