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G R E AT E R H A R T F O R D ' S B U S I N E S S N E W S w w w. H a r t f o rd B u s i n e s s . c o m For more B2B news visit JANUARY 18, 2016 Volume 24, Number 7 $3.00 Subscribe online Friday, March 18th, 2016 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Hartford Hilton L E A R N I N N O V A T E C O L L A B O R A T E S A V E SUMMIT ANNUAL 's Index ■ Reporter's Notebook: PG. 5 ■ Week in Review: PG. 6 ■ The List: PG. 10 ■ Deal Watch: PG. 12 ■ Movers & Shakers: PG. 18 ■ Nonprofit Notebook: PG. 18 ■ Opinion & Commentary: PG. 20 Picking Winners A new study by a UConn School of Business professor says stock returns of NFL stadium sponsors are affected by the outcomes of important games including playoff matchups played in sponsor's venues. PG. 3 FOCUS: HEALTH CARE Price Transparency Health insurers continue improving ways to inform their customers about the cost and quality of health care through new, innovative price transparency tools that aim to empower better buying decisions, while also showing that most expensive care doesn't necessarily equate to highest quality. PG. 8 By Gregory Seay gseay@HartfordBusiness.com I magine it: A jetliner lifts off from central Connecti- cut's Bradley International Airport on a non-stop Jamaica flight, its seats filled with homegoers and tourists eager to soak up the balmy Caribbean island's good vibrations. The plane's cargo hold, too, brims with Connecticut- sourced technology and merchandise also bound for the English-speaking island-nation of 2.6 million inhabitants and markets beyond. Return flights from Jamaica to Brad- ley also harbor the fruits of Caribbean trade and tourism. Turns out, the quasi-public overseer of Connecticut's largest airport, in concert with Jamaica's U.S. ambassador — and with hearty encouragement from Hartford's new mayor and Connecticut's sizable West Indian diaspora — already are trying to make that vision a reality. Early talks are underway, top officials confirm, between Connecticut and Jamaican authorities and with Ralph Thomas, Jamaica's U.S. Ambassador Continued on page 14 Fed. regulator probes electric transmission rates amid rising costs By Matt Pilon mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com A federal energy regulatory agency has determined that the ratemaking pro- cess for New England's electricity transmission prices lacks adequate transpar- ency and is "unjust," and is working on chang- es that could ultimately lower energy costs for Connecticut consumers and businesses. The Federal Energy Regulatory Com- mission (FERC) launched a proceeding last month to develop protocols and formulas to ensure the transmission ratemaking pro- cess is fair. Experts say the proceeding is somewhat rare and could lead to lower transmission costs, which are ultimately paid by Connect- icut businesses and residents on their elec- tricity bills. It could also result in refunds to wholesale transmission purchasers. The rates in question are charged by the owners of high-voltage, interstate transmis- sion towers — mainly electric utilities — and Continued on page 16 Transmission costs haven risen in New England as policies have incentivized grid reliability investments by utility companies. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D CT, Jamaica eye non-stop flights, import-export pipeline