Hartford Business Journal

10 Hartford Business Journal • January 15, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com FOCUS: Nonprofits Roos to lead Mark Twain House through new strategic plan Q&A talks with Pieter Roos, ex- ecutive director of the Mark Twain House & Museum. Q. You've been on the job as executive direc- tor of the Mark Twain House for about six months. How are things going so far? Have you implemented a new strategic plan? A. As a museum professional, the first things that you want are good subject matter and a great collection. It is difficult to think of a better historical subject than Mark Twain. He is an extraordinary Ameri- can icon, and in some significant ways helps inform us of what it is to be American. The museum's board and staff are terrific and they are committed to the institution. They have been doing great work under sometimes difficult circumstances for quite some time, but those days are over. We will make great things happen here. One of the goals for 2018 will be a new strategic plan. Already we have launched a new website and started new programs, and that is only the beginning of a lot of new programming to come. My goal is that Mark Twain House and Museum should leap to mind when people in the Hartford community think of a space for authors, lectures and panels on current topics, and a variety of other speakers for both humor and satire. Q. Nonprofit fundraising has gotten a lot more difficult with the state's budget woes. Is that a concern and has that environment impacted the Mark Twain House? A. That's not a local problem, it's hap- pening all over the place. The way we fund nonprofits is changing in some funda- mental ways across the country, so yes, of course it impacts us as well. Having come from Rhode Island, I see problems here, and I understand the pain, but it's worse across the eastern border of Connecticut and almost every nonprofit in the nation has something to worry about in that regard. What does concern me recently is that the new national tax reform will have a statistical impact in the number of people who give charitably. If you cease itemizing next year, you are at least somewhat less likely to make a donation to a charity. It will affect us slightly in 2018, and perhaps more so in subsequent years. I think that it is also important to note that the Twain House is both a catalyst and one of the primary draws for Con- necticut tourism. A few years ago National Geographic named us as one of the 10 best historic houses in the world and one of only three in the United States. We are the top tourism destination within the city of Hartford, which makes us an economic generator within the state. It is a well-known and well-accepted principle of tourism economics that a tour- ist draw such as the Twain House magni- fies the dollars spent in visitation through spending at area retail outlets, hotels and restaurants amongst others. Museums and arts and culture in general and Twain House specifically are an opportunity to in- vest in Connecticut's economic well-being. Q. What is the biggest opportunity for the Mark Twain House? What's the biggest challenge? A. The biggest opportunity is to pro- mote a reputation as a vibrant, exciting center for writing, authors, humor, satire, Pieter Roos Executive Director, Mark Twain House By Matthew Broderick Special to the Hartford Business Journal L ike many aspiring entrepreneurs, Kelly Strayer's idea for a business originated from a home-grown problem. "My husband and I were constantly re- stringing our three sons' lacrosse pockets when they'd get wet," said Strayer, noting the process typically costs between $40 to $70 per stick. "I realized the high-end lines we use on our sailboat, which are water- proof, are about the same diameter of the rails in a traditional lacrosse pocket." Believing her challenge was not unique, Strayer thought her idea of a water-resis- tant lacrosse pocket might have com- mercial appeal. So, in 2016, she launched HyWinds Technologies in Simsbury to introduce a patented technology into a global lacrosse equipment market that's expected to grow nearly 3 percent annually by 2021, according to industry research. While the inspiration for Strayer's com- Small Business Assist Volunteer organization SCORE helps startups, small businesses launch, grow Charlie Peake (left) is a retired businessman turned SCORE consultant who helped entrepreneur Kelly Strayer, who started HyWinds Technologies, a Simsbury-based maker of water- resistant pockets for lacrosse sticks, with the logistics of launching her startup venture. Peake voluntarily consults with various startups at the Simsbury Public Library (pictured in the background). HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER

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