Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1536873
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Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com Tom Curtin | President, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Editorial Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139 gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com Drew Larson | Web Editor, ext. 121 alarson@hartfordbusiness.com Beat: Energy Michael Puffer | Staff Writer, ext. 145 mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Real Estate, Economic Development, Banking & Finance David Krechevsky | Staff Writer, ext. 702 davidk@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Health Care, Bioscience Harriet Jones | Staff Writer, ext. 145 hjones@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Manufacturing, Cannabis, Professional Services Michael Juliano | Staff Writer mjuliano@hartfordbusiness.com Beat: Fairfield County Stephanie R. Meagher | Research Director Heide Martin | Research Assistant Steve Laschever | Photographer Business Tom Curtin | Publisher, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Jessica M. Quinn | Associate Publisher, ext. 137 jquinn@hartfordbusiness.com Emily Paskind | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 133, epaskind@hartfordbusiness.com Sadie Bride | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 141, sbride@hartfordbusiness.com Tracy Rodwill | Human Resources Manager trodwill@nebusinessmedia.com Production Bartosz Zinowko | Production Director, ext. 147 bzinowko@hartfordbusiness.com Events Kathryn Pelletier | Events Manage, ext. 136 kpelletier@hartfordbusiness.com in July, Farmington-based insurer ConnectiCare has told brokers it will also exit the fully insured large group market in the state. According to an email sent to brokers in June, the insurer, which was acquired by California-based Molina Healthcare for $350 million in 2024, states that it will no longer issue quotes for fully insured large group plans (for employers with at least 51 workers) to new customers. Large groups with active Connec- tiCare fully insured health insurance plans renewing after Dec. 31, 2025, will have to find new coverage, the insurer said. The latest announcement follows ConnectiCare's decision in early May to discontinue its self-funded and level-funded business in the state. It also exited the state's fully insured small group market in late 2022. Longtime CT accounting firm rebrands in new location An accounting firm that was based in Manchester for more than 60 years has relocated to Glaston- bury under a new name. Kask & Co. LLC, a group of CPAs and business advisors, has moved its main office to 12 National Drive, near the Gateway Medical Office Park. The firm is led by Managing Partner James Kask, whose experience includes leadership roles at Haggett Longobardi and CohnReznick. In addition to its Glastonbury headquarters, Kask & Co. has offices in Storrs and Niantic. Kask & Co. was previously known as Borgida & Co., and then Murphy & Co. Kask began leading Borgida & Co. in January 2024. The firm moved to Glastonbury in December 2024, and renamed itself Kask & Co. in April 2025. ConnectiCare's Farmington headquarters on Scott Swamp Road. Kask & Co. Managing Partner James Kask. HBJ FILE PHOTO Outgoing Chief Manufacturing Officer Paul Lavoie. CT's chief manufacturing officer Lavoie takes innovation job at Univ. of New Haven The state's chief manufacturing officer is leaving for a newly created job in the private sector. Paul Lavoie, who has been in the position since February 2022, will become University of New Haven's first vice president of innovation and applied technology. He will begin the new job in July. In the new role, he will spearhead the school's development of a new Research and Development Park. The R&D Park will be located in a 130,000-square-foot commercial space on a former railroad salvage property, which the university acquired in 2024. The 12-acre parcel on Campbell Avenue sits directly adja- cent to the university's main campus in West Haven. The R&D Park will focus on advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, robotics, automation, machine learning and biotech, as well as industry 4.0 and 5.0, the university said. ConnectiCare to exit fully insured large group market in CT Just over a month after announcing plans to end its self- funded and level-funded insurance business in Connecticut beginning PHOTO | COSTAR PHOTO | COSTAR HBJ PHOTO | BRIAN AMBROSE Jordan Dikegoros, owner of the former J Restaurant Bar in Hartford. Former J Restaurant Bar owner to take over Thomas Hooker Brewery space in Hartford T he former owner of J Restaurant Bar, which closed last year after it was displaced from its longtime home in Hartford, is opening a new and expanded venue in the Colt Gateway complex. Jordan Dikegoros is acquiring the Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt and Hooker Live spaces in the Colt Building at 140 Huyshope Ave. Dikegoros is buying them from Thomas Hooker Brewery, whose president, Curt Cameron, he described as a friend. Cameron said the taproom was profitable, but Hooker Brewery has pivoted its focus from primarily beer to CBD hemp-de- rived THC seltzer production, in response to a market trend of declining craft beer sales. Cameron said about 75% of Hooker Brewery's business is now seltzer sales. "That segment of the market is growing like crazy, and we're expanding to multiple states," he said, adding that the company recently invested in a new $1 million canning line at its Bloomfield facility. Under Dikegoros' ownership, the taproom will be renamed J Bar, which will have seating for about 80 people, along with an outdoor patio and a private room with seating for another 60 patrons. Hooker Live, the event space, has a stage and a total capacity of 323 people. It will be renamed J Under the Dome.