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www.HartfordBusiness.com • December 18, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 11 Five We Watched in 2017 House takes initial steps to mitigate CT's cybersecurity risks By Matt Pilon mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com H ackers have booked some major successes this year, and no one expects the trend to subside anytime soon. In March, WikiLeaks released a trove of cyber-tools used by the CIA to spy on cell phones and other devices, raising concerns that foreign actors could use the tools against the United States. "That is truly frightening," said Arthur "Art" House, the state's first cybersecurity risk of- ficer, during a recent interview recapping his first full year on the job. The scary headlines didn't end there. A hack of credit-scoring monitor Equifax, revealed in September, jeopardized sensitive personal information of 143 million people. There is also the ongoing inquiry into alleged U.S. election hacking by Russian actors, which have been accused of targeting online voter registration systems in multiple states, including Connecticut. And there was Symantec's announcement that hackers gained access to the computer networks of dozens of energy companies in the U.S. and Europe, which, in some cases, could have allowed the cyber thieves to cut off power to consumers and businesses. "The extent and the severity of cybersecurity threats have both grown very signifi- Loree's first year as Stanley CEO included big deals, focus on innovation By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com J im Loree's first full year as president and CEO of New Britain-based Stanley Black & Decker Inc. in 2017 was eventful. Just five days into the new year, Stanley announced an agreement to buy the well- known Craftsman tools brand from Sears Holdings Corp. for roughly $900 million. Asked in late 2016 about reports Stanley was interested in Craftsman, Loree acknowl- edged Craftsman being a great American tool brand "and in some ways we'd love to have that brand as part of our portfolio, but there are challenges associated with it that may or may not be insurmountable." They were apparently surmountable. On March 9, Stanley announced the deal had been Ricci helps HSC leverage higher profile into expanded services By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com T he New Britain-based Hospital for Special Care continued to benefit from its affiliation with the Travelers Championship Golf Tournament in 2017, apply- ing proceeds received as a primary beneficiary in 2016 to hire more specialty medical staff and receiving significant media exposure from its tournament- provided 18th-green hospitality tent for patients and families. Specially equipped for wheelchair-bound patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease that claimed the life of former Travelers Cos. Chairman Jay Fishman, the tent's and tournament's accommodations for HSC patients were featured in media stories nationally, exposure valued at $29 million. Art House in 2017 helped the state complete its first annual review of utility companies' cybersecurity defenses. He also developed an outline of the state's cyber-defense strategies. Lynn Ricci in 2017 helped oversee the expansion of Hospital for Special Care's ALS medical staff and services. Stanley Black & Decker CEO Jim Loree expanded his company's footprint nationally and in Connecticut in 2017, including announcing plans to open a Hartford manufacturing center. Continued on next page > Continued on next page > Continued on next page > PHOTO | HBJ FILE PHOTO | HBJ FILE PHOTO | HBJ FILE