www.HartfordBusiness.com • April 2, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 3
Newsmakers
EDITORIAL
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Absentee landlord
"Northland is an absentee
landlord that has taken zero
interest in contributing to
Hartford's revitalization, and
I wish Northland would step
up or get out of Hartford
altogether."
Mayor Luke Bronin on the city's frustration with
Northland Investment Corp.'s blighted Jewell
Street high-rise, formerly home to the YMCA.
Troubled roads, bridges
"We cannot allow this to
continue. The economic well-
being of Connecticut, as well as
the safety of Connecticut's 3.5
million residents is at stake."
Don Shubert , president
of the Connecticut Construction Industries
Association, lamenting the state's lack of
infrastructure investment.
Samantha Wanagel
| General Manager, Upward Hartford
By John Stearns
jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com
Samantha Wanagel, who
became general manager
of coworking/networking/
incubator space Upward
Hartford last Nov. 13 after 12
years with Costco, feels like
the job was written for her.
While Costco — for which
she worked in four states,
including Connecticut and
helped open the New Britain store in 2015 — was
fabulous, Wanagel said retail wasn't her end game.
At Upward Hartford, she combines her skills,
including marketing, operations, event planning
and hospitality (she has dual degrees in marketing
management, and hospitality and tourism man-
agement). She recently helped establish an alliance
between the Hartford Hilton and Upward Hartford.
"Working for Upward Hartford is like coloring
with every crayon in the box, since the scope of
my role is so broad and creative," she said.
How do you explain Upward Hartford to some-
one who knows nothing about it?
First, I ask if they've ever seen pictures of the
Google campus, which provides a visual marker.
Then I explain how we brought that same in-
novative, creative energy to Hartford to support
the entire community. I touch on the organic
nature of networking in our space and how easily
it leads to ingenuity, invention and progress, no
matter the individual or business.
Biggest opportunity facing Upward Hartford?
There are so many ideas waiting to be born,
products and services yet to launch and con-
nections waiting to be made. Citizens we've met
have voiced their desire to make Hartford the
city of tomorrow. We like to call this the Upward
City and see downtown Hartford as the perfect
intersection for this evolution.
Biggest challenge facing Upward Hartford?
There are many people who would benefit by
being here at Upward. How do you reach every-
one? We rely heavily on our members and part-
ners who serve as strong advocates for the space.
Most interesting startup idea you've encountered?
Wearable technology that identifies one's imme-
diate nutrient levels, then sends the information
to a 3D printing oven to provide the exact food
and portion one should eat at that moment to
satisfy what their body needs for optimal health.
Something about you many people don't know.
I am passionate about agriculture and farming.
In warmer months, I grow the majority of food
our family eats in my backyard.
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Samantha Wanagel
