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2016 | Doing Business in Connecticut 5 Our Founding Partners A core facet of CBIA's mission is to create a globally competitive business climate in Connecticut. Like other states, we have our challenges, but the advantages of doing business here are many. Why should a company want to do business in Connecticut? To grow and create high-wage jobs, companies need a location with a strong talent pipeline, a vibrant business ecosystem, and a quality of life that can attract employees and make them feel good about the place where they'll raise their families. Connecticut excels in all of these areas and many others. The state's quality of life continues to be one of its greatest strengths, ranking 3rd nationally by Forbes. Contributing to that rank is the 3rd highest life expectancy in the country (81 years) and the 9th lowest crime rate. Connecticut's first-rate institutions of higher learn- ing and the 6th best education system in the country (based on test scores) feeds a talent pipeline that is the envy of the world and keeps our companies running strong. Connecticut workers rank 3rd nationally in productivity as measured by GDP per worker ($138,600). With its strategic location between Boston and New York and dense concentration of high-value-added industries and world-class companies, Connecticut offers a vibrant business ecosystem where small and large firms form strong, mutually beneficial relationships and thrive as a result. I'm proud to say that thousands of those companies are CBIA members. They're an integral part of the social and economic fabric of our state, paying high wages, providing excellent benefits, and supporting local schools, charities, and many other causes and organizations in their communities. CBIA is honored to represent our members before the state legislature and regulatory agencies, and we're indebted to them for the expertise they bring to all of our collective efforts to strengthen Connecticut's competitive advantages and overcome its challenges. We believe in Connecticut, its resilience, and its people and businesses. I'm confident that by working together, we'll be able to help move our state toward a brighter economic future for everyone. – Joe Brennan, President and CEO Connecticut Business & Industry Association If there's been one constant in our community east of the river, it's been change. So, as the healthcare network built to protect, serve and improve the well being of the communities of eastern Connecticut, we've shifted shape and grown through the years — just as our earliest forbearers saw to addressing the community's needs by founding the hospitals of Eastern Con- necticut Health Network (ECHN) back in 1918. For healthcare services to be most effective, they must be carefully planned with a constant review of the community's health needs. The thoughtful assess- ment, planning, and implementation of programs and services must have a critical focus on improving patient outcomes and safety. They must consider wise invest- ments in both technology and relationships to realize community benefit. Often, ECHN has found that the commitment to emerging technology can be a tremendous means to achieving results for our patients deserve. For example, ECHN's brand new weight control center includes a bariatric surgery program that features the latest in robotic-assisted surgical technology bringing outcomes that will help many patients better manage obesity, which is often associated with other serious health conditions. ECHN also grows by partnering with other healthcare leaders. More cost-effective than "starting from scratch," this year, ECHN will team with Walden Behavioral Care to open the state's first inpatient center dedicated solely to treating patients with eating disorders — a significantly under- served population in the region. Listening, assessing, planning, investing and partnering, ECHN contin- ues to grow to meet the health needs of the community, amidst the mount- ing pressures, challenges and changes to the healthcare industry. ECHN is honored to serve the residents of Connecticut and provide them with the care they need and deserve. – Peter J. Karl, President & CEO Eastern Connecticut Health Network, Inc. ECHN: Eastern Connecticut Health Network CBIA: Connecticut Business and Industry Association SPONSOR MESSAGES Connecticut has a long tradition of changing the world with path- breaking inventions and technological breakthroughs. From the Industrial Revolution to today's bioscience frontier, the story of American innovation has always been intertwined with the story of Con- necticut innovation. We are proud to say that tradition continues today, with the partnerships forged by the University of Connecticut with entrepreneurs, promising new start- ups, and established industry leaders alike. These partnerships are part of the reason why research at UConn generates nearly $400 million a year in Connecticut, and sustains more than 2,000 cutting- edge jobs. But as promising as those numbers are, they're only the beginning. UConn is ready to make an even greater contribu- tion to the economy of the region, thanks to a broad array of forward-looking industry partnerships in fields ranging from personalized medicine to addi- tive manufacturing to cyber security. As a nationally-ranked research institution, it is our mission to foster the kinds of innovative thinking that will make our state a leader in the next great wave of American success. This mission is why we are proud of our participation in the Doing Busi- ness In Connecticut initiative. We are glad to be able to say in our state that leaders in industry, government, education, and the broader community are determined to ensure that Connecticut's future holds just as much luster as our history. These are exciting times for our University and our state. I invite you to join us as Connecticut takes our place among the leaders of the 21st century. – Susan Herbst, President, University of Connecticut UConn: University of Connecticut