Hartford Business Journal

20 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 27, 2026 FOCUS | HOSPITALIT Y Movers & Shakers Dimeo Construction Company, a construction management and general contracting firm, has appointed Blakely S. Dimeo business development manager. She will oversee business development initiatives and support the company's growth efforts, with a focus on the greater Boston region and market opportunities across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. She represents the fourth generation of the Dimeo family to join the company as it approaches its 100th anniversary. Dimeo earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and is a graduate of Brooks School. Biohaven Ltd., a New Haven- based biopharmaceutical company, announced several changes to its leadership team. Bruce Car retired as chief scientific officer on July 13 and transitioned to the newly created, part-time role of chief innovation officer, where he will remain an executive officer focused on scientific initiatives and external collaborations. David Pirman, previ- ously vice president of biology and biochemistry, has been promoted to senior vice president and head of discovery, overseeing the company's drug discovery organization and research program. The company also named General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer Warren Volles an executive officer. many hotel owners postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As travel collapsed, many national hotel brands delayed required property improvement plans, allowing owners to defer multimillion-dollar renovation proj- ects. Those deadlines are now arriving, forcing owners to decide whether to invest additional capital or sell. Gaurang "Gary" Patel, whose New Jersey-based Kautilya Group recently redeveloped a former East Hartford hotel into dual Marriott-branded prop- erties, said many owners are choosing to sell rather than undertake major construction projects. "The assets need a lot of improve- ment," Patel said. "Some people say that I do not want to get into the construction. I'm just going to sell it or pass my headache to somebody else." 'Old inventory' Despite higher borrowing costs and rising operating expenses, industry leaders say Connecticut remains an attractive market for investors. Patel, whose group owns eight hotels, points to the state's blend of business and leisure travel, along with relatively little new hotel construction. "There is a lot of old inventory," he said. "And there's a lot of hotels that are converting into apartments. So that brings more opportunity for the hotels to develop." Swon said sharply higher construc- tion costs have made new hotel Hotel Sales Continued from page 19 A guest room in the newly developed Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites at 363 Roberts St. in East Hartford. HBJ Photo | Michael Puffer development increasingly difficult to justify, making existing hotels more attractive acquisition targets while limiting future competition. Suzanne Cahill, executive director of the Connecticut Lodging Association, said the state's hotel industry outper- formed the nation last year. While national occupancy declined by about one percentage point, Connecticut occupancy increased by more than two percentage points, she said. "Connecticut is a small but powerful state," Cahill said. "I'm excited about everything it has to offer." Even so, operators continue to face pressure from rising labor, insurance and other operating costs, which have compressed profit margins despite improving revenue, she said. Connecticut Children's has named Yair Inspektor senior vice president and chief legal officer, effective Oct. 1. Inspektor joins the pediatric health- care system from Children's National Hospital in Wash- ington, D.C., where he served as deputy general counsel. He previously was vice president of legal, risk manage- ment and regulatory affairs for HSC Health Care System and held leadership roles in the District of Columbia government. He earned a law degree from Seattle University School of Law, a master's degree in education from Pace University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University. Americares, a Stamford-based global health and disaster relief nonprofit, has elected Lori McEvoy to its board of directors for a three-year term. McEvoy recently retired from Jennison Associates, where she served as managing director and global head of distribution. She previ- ously held senior institutional sales and consultant relations roles at ClearBridge Investments, Fred Alger Management and WisdomTree Investments. Newman's Own Inc., the West- port-based food and beverage company that donates all of its profits to charity through the Newman's Own Foundation, has named Mark Anthony Edmonson chief marketing officer. Edmonson most recently served as chief marketing officer at Materne North America, maker of GoGo squeeZ. He previously held marketing leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, Campbell Soup Co. and Henkel. In his new role, he will oversee brand strategy, consumer engage- ment, innovation and marketing for the company. Quinnipiac University has appointed Jennifer Cinque vice pres- ident for human resources, effective Aug. 3. Cinque joins the Hamden-based univer- sity from the University of New Haven, where she served as chief human resources officer and oversees talent strategy, employee relations, organizational development and HR operations. Before that, she spent more than a decade in senior human resources leadership roles at Yale University. She earned a master's degree in organizational leadership from Quinnipiac University. Trinity Academy, a tuition-free independent elementary school in Hartford, has named Shandia Drummond director of growth and development. Drummond will lead the school's fundraising and devel- opment efforts while expanding community partnerships. Previously, she was director of operations for the Hartford Parking Authority and held leadership roles with Impact Branding and Design and Northwestern Mutual. Westfield Bank, a Massachu- setts-based community bank with branches in Connecticut, has hired Belmin Velic as a business specialist at its Bloomfield branch. Velic has more than seven years of banking experience. He joined the banking industry in 2019 and most recently held retail and business banking roles with a national bank in Connecticut. In his new position, he will develop business relationships, support existing customers and assist with community development in Bloomfield. He earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Central Connecticut State University and an associate degree in business administration from Manchester Community College. Blakely S. Dimeo Yair Inspektor Lori McEvoy Jennifer Cinque Shandia Drummond See more Movers & Shakers on our website: hartfordbusiness.com

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