Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/682023
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 MAY 23, 2016 Volume 24, Number 25 $3.00 Subscribe online JUNE 9, 2016 Only 17 DAYS until C T B E x p o . c o m 1 6 T H A N N U A L Index ■ Week in Review: PG. 6 ■ Focus: PG. 8 ■ The Lists: PGS. 11, 18 ■ Deal Watch: PG. 14 ■ Movers & Shakers: PG. 23, ■ Opinion & Commentary: PG. 28 Cloudy Future The state's budget woes are threatening the future of Hartford's iconic Old State House. Find out why the federal historic landmark could face closure. PG. 5 Virtual Reality Businesses, colleges and hospitals are increasingly turning to virtual-reality technology to woo customers and students and create positive patient experiences. PG. 3 Manufacturing Diversity Shorthanded-producers open arms to female apprentices By Gregory Seay gseay@HartfordBusiness.com D oug Johnson chuckles as he recalls the first time he spied Hannah Lenoce working at a Cheshire car wash, not far from Johnson's metal-stamping shop, Marion Manufacturing Co. "She was running rings around the guys working there," Johnson said. Impressed with Lenoce's energy and work ethic, he offered her a job. Focused on nursing school, she turned him down. That was in 2014. Two years later, Lenoce is a highly pro- ductive apprentice toolmaker at Marion — one of a handful of females employed at the Cheshire company, and among the rela- tively few nationally in a male-dominated industry having a tough time filling its ranks with young talent from both genders. In April, Lenoce was among 130 females across the U.S. honored in Washington D.C. for their industry achievements by The Manufac- turing Institute. As a result, back home in Con- necticut, Lenoce has become the poster woman for an industry bent on uncovering fresh paths of entry to female Millennials like her. According to Cleveland, Ohio, nonprofit Drones taking off in insurance industry By Keith Griffin kgriffin@HartfordBusiness.com L ook! Up in the air. It's a bird. It's a plane. It's an insurance company drone? The use of commercial drones, tech- nically called unmanned air vehicles, has been hailed by insurance companies as an economical and safe way to do costly inspec- tions for claims and risk evaluations. And Hartford property and casualty insur- ers are on the frontlines testing the nascent technology that is beginning to have appeal to a broad range of industries from retail to real estate. The Hartford Steam Boiler was the latest Hartford insurer to get approval from the Federal Avia- tion Administration (FAA) to fly drones that help customers identify exposures, manage risks and pre- vent loss. Travelers and The Hartford are also using drone technology. According to a new study by PriceWater- houseCooper on the commercial applications of drones, the emerging global market for business services using unmanned aircraft is valued at over $127 billion. The impact on insurance is expected to be $6.8 billion. The commercial use of drones started in Japan in the 1980s, when unmanned Drones help insurers assess damage on house fires. Continued on page 12 Hannah Lenoce is an apprentice toolmaker at Cheshire's Marion Manufacturing Co., which Doug Johnson (left) owns. Lenoce is among the relatively few women in this state and nation in an industry desperate for fresh, young talent. P H O T O | S T E V E L A S C H E V E R Continued on page 16 Patrick Gee, senior vice president of property and automobile claims, Travelers Cos. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D