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Author: Jennifer Baldyga

Spotlight on Main Bethel

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Success Stories. Leave a Comment

Spotlight on Main

BETHEL

Spotlight on Main

September 10th, 2026 we hosted Spotlight on Main in Bethel, CT. This event included a presentation from Economic Development Director, Janet Chrzescijanek, a guided walking tour through downtown, and a local reception. As always, our Spotlight focused on highlighting best practices in downtown management.

10 Years of Intentional Economic Development

  • Bethel has 21,682 residents and has grown 6.4% since 2020. It’s located 56 miles from NYC and 46 miles from Hartford, with direct Metro-North rail access.
  • The town boasts competitive lease rates, low crime, a skilled workforce and an unsaturated business environment.
  • In 2013 the Town hired its first Economic Development Director, Janice Chrzescijanek, to focus on 4 key regions within the town:
    • Downtown Bethel
    • Clarke Business Park
    • Route 6/Stony Hill
    • Metro-North/TOD

View the Presentation Slides

Key Strategies & Initiatives

Building Momentum on Main Street

Understand the Community’s Needs & Build Relationships

Bethel created advisory committees, conducted surveys with business & property owners, and performed needs assessments for the four regions. The Economic Development Director also cultivated relationships with state, regional and local partners.

Engage In & Utilize Strategic Plans

Bethel completed a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) that they continue to refer to to guide their development. They also approved the Bethel Forward Master Plan which outlines improvements for downtown Bethel. These plans outline priority areas and the type of growth that would best suit each area.

Implement Goals & Measure Impact

Bethel took action on its strategic plans, adopting new policies and regulations to support their desired growth.

  • Adopted Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) regulations to guide smart growth near the rail and transportation.
  • Secured grants for sidewalks, streetscapes, wayfinding signage, and accessibility improvements.
  • Continued adaptive reuse projects and targeted infrastructure improvements.
  • Strengthened support programs for existing employers and entrepreneurs.
  • Developed Bethel’s first Comprehensive Marketing Strategy to promote businesses, arts, culture, and investment opportunities to regional audiences.

 

View Tour Highlights on our Storymap:

Keys to Success

3 Things Instrumental to Bethel’s Success

  1. Started with the arts, using it to beautify and promote vacant properties until they could be rented out. They’re now at 90% occupancy.
  2. Bring different community stakeholders together, with economic development at the center of their planning and initiatives.
  3. Allow growth to be organic and locally driven. By adapting older buildings to new uses, Bethel is attracting property owners who want to expand, and developers and busines owners looking for new opportunities.

Bethel+ CMSC Assessment = IMPACT

How Bethel utilizes CMSC’s resources to guide their actions and initiatives

  • Bethel applied for and participated in the 2025 Main Street Accelerator program.
  • During Accelerator, the Bethel team created the Experience Downtown Bethel website to cultivate experiences that boost tourism, increase foot traffic, and enhance local commerce. The team also developed a process for business owners to support each other on future projects.

Tips to Take Home

How you can apply Bethel’s best practices to your Downtown

Janice Chrzescijanek, Bethel’s Economic Development Director, recommends other downtowns facing similar issues start by doing the following:

  • Build relationships with local partners. If you don’t already have a group formed, create one. Make sure your purpose is clear, and you create an incremental set of achievable actions.
  • Invest in an economic developer or EDC – whether full time of volunteer, who can begin implementing your town’s strategic vision.
  • Outline clear goals, using your POCD or CEDS, that can serve as a touchstone for future development and inititatives.

CMSC’s Main Street Management Assessment

CMSC’s annual Main Street Management Assessment provides our members with a way to measure their efforts, track successes year-over-year, and provides specific resources and guidance to achieve their goals.

The 80+ data points align with the adaptable and nationally-proven Four Point Approach: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.

The Assessment in Action

Bethel’s Assessment shows how they’re exemplifying excellence in the 4 points. 

Economic Vitality
Bethel has strong relationships with their merchants and businesses, including providing access to a “one-stop-shop” resource with info and district updates.

 Design
Bethel consistently maintains its green spaces, while public art is evident throughout the district, particularly at the Town Hall.

Promotion 
Bethel maintains a full calendar of events with good communications and community support; inspired by CMSC’s Accelerator program, they’re amplifying these efforts.
Organization
Bethel’s POCD provides strategic direction for the EDC with a clear focus on the main street district.

View Pictures from this event

Courtesy of Irish Flare Photography 


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State of Main 2026

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Impact, Success Stories. Leave a Comment

 
 
 

Tuesday, June 16th, 2026

The premier gathering of Main Street stakeholders dedicated to the vitality of our downtowns.

Presented by Loureiro Engineering Associates

View the event program to learn more about our speakers, sponsors and exhibitors.

Event Playlist

View videos of the State of Main Address, panel discussions, and awards on Youtube.

Recorded by IntersectMedia

Speaker Bios

Policy Watch: Legislation Affecting Your Downtown

  • Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith, Ward 9, City of New Haven

    Caroline Tanbee Smith serves on the City of New Haven Board of Alders as the Alder of Ward 9. Outside of this role, she is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Friends Center for Children working at the intersection of childcare, housing, and education. Prior to Friends Center, she was the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Collab, a community accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in Greater New Haven. On the Board of Alders, she launched Best City to Start, a policy campaign focused on making New Haven the best city to start and grow a business.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “Small businesses are some of the most trusted institutions in our country: They are where we go to start our mornings, end a long week, and gather with neighbors. Thrilled to be part of a coalition of elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and community members advocating to make it easier for small businesses to start, grow, and thrive in our neighborhoods and Downtowns”

  • State Rep Eleni Kavros DeGraw, CT-17

    State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw was elected in November 2020 to represent the 17th District in Avon and Canton. She is currently in her third term.

    In her first term, she brought back nearly $2 million in bonding dollars to her district, passed the phase-out of the personal income tax on Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), passed a Workforce Disability Pipeline bill, and a Veterans Municipal Property Tax Credit bill. In her second term, she passed Connecticut’s first Student Loan Debt Relief bill and the Purple Alert System legislation to aid families with missing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

    She is a member of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, the Fire and Safety Caucus, the Climate Caucus, and the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus.

    Eleni is a graduate of James Madison University and The Campaign School at Yale (formerly the Women’s Campaign School at Yale) as well as Emerge Connecticut, the State Legislative Leadership Foundation Emerging Leaders program, the Council of State Governments Eastern Leadership Academy, and most recently, she became a Toll Fellow. Throughout her career, she has served on many boards and currently is a member of the Board of Connecticut Foodshare’s Development Committee, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, and the James Madison University College of Arts and Letters Board.

    She is the House Chairwoman of the Planning and Development Committee and serves as a member of the Public Health and Appropriations Committees.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “My role as the House Chair of Planning and Development contributes to a thriving downtown when we pass meaningful legislation that addresses blight and vacancies and how we can encourage businesses to want to start and grow on CT’s Main Streets.”

  • State Rep Maria Horn, CT-64

    State Representative Maria Horn is proud to represent Connecticut’s 64th Assembly district, including nine towns in the northwest corner of the state.

    A native of Ohio, Representative Horn earned her B.A. from Princeton University in 1986 and attended the University of Chicago Law School, obtaining her J.D. in 1993. Before beginning her law career, Representative Horn spent four years working in corporate finance at JP Morgan & Co. Her legal career included work as a law clerk for a federal judge, and the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, before joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Criminal Division.

    After relocating to Salisbury with her husband and three young children, Representative Horn chaired the boards of a domestic violence agency and a local school, served on the Salisbury Board of Finance, and raised funds to build the local firehouse and to create a program for local schools to prevent and combat substance abuse.

    She was first elected in 2018 and was reelected this past year. During her second legislative term, Representative Horn was appointed Chair of the Public Safety Committee and served on the Environment Committee and Energy & Technology Committee. She previously served as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Horn was recently appointed to House Chair of the Finance Committee for the 2023 legislative session.

    Representative Horn lives in Salisbury with her husband, three children, and their dog.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “A thriving downtown is more than a collection of storefronts – it is the heartbeat of the community it brings together. Investing in the infrastructure that can make that happen, from sidewalks to sewer systems to support for entrepreneurs and artists, creates both economic opportunity, and connection at a time when community is more important than ever.”

  • Moderated by: Ryan Bingham, Co-President, Sullivan & LeShane

    Ryan Bingham is President of Finance & Operations and lobbyist at Sullivan & LeShane, Inc., one of Connecticut’s leading government relations firms. He first rose to prominence in 2005, when he was elected Mayor of Torrington — the youngest elected mayor in Connecticut’s history — and went on to lead the city through several years of growth and redevelopment. That experience running a real Connecticut downtown still shapes how he approaches his work today.

    Known for tireless leadership and a gift for building consensus, Ryan has earned a reputation for crafting win-win deals and cultivating the relationships that move things forward — both at the State Capitol and in city and town halls across the state. At Sullivan & LeShane, he advocates for clients before state and municipal leaders on the policy issues shaping Connecticut’s communities, while helping those clients find new opportunities to grow here in CT. 

    Ryan’s biggest and best accomplishment in life has been his family.  Married to his wife Jennifer for 15 years and proud parent to his son Blake (12) and daughter Ellie (10). 

    Having sat on both sides of the table — as an elected official and as an advocate — Ryan brings a practical, results-oriented perspective to the place where policy meets economic development.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “Downtowns don’t come back to life because of any one building or grant or developer — they come back because the right people finally sat down together around a shared vision and a shared plan. After two decades doing that work as both an elected official and an advocate, I’ve learned that the strongest Main Streets are built on relationships and trust long before they’re built with brick and mortar.”

5 Things Every Main Street Should Be Doing

Kennedy Winslow, CMSC Field Services Coordinator

How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

“As Field Services Coordinator, I see myself as a Main Street ‘technician’. I may not be able to install banners on poles, but I can certainly walk you through the steps of funding and administering a sponsored banner program! I’m always interested in learning what main streets and other organizations are doing around the state and how I can share info with others when they’re looking for proven strategies to advance their downtowns.”

Securing Your Future: The Case for a Dedicated Economic Development Director

Kevin Bielmeier, CEDAS President

Kevin Bielmeier is serving his second term as President of the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS), and organization he joined in 2016. He served two years as 1st VP and the board since 2021. In 2019, he became the Town of Southbury’s first Economic Development Director. The town achieved Gold Certification for Best Practices in Land Use and Economic Development in 2024.

Previously, Mr. Bielmeier worked for the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) through its transition into AdvanceCT, providing onsite municipal economic development services to the multiple towns throughout the state and serving as staff liaison to the Bradley Development League (BDL).

Prior to CERC, he served as the Economic Development Director for the Town of New Milford where, in two years he converted a school into a community center, helped launch a successful 5,000 SF co-working space, multiple breweries, new restaurants and retail shops, a community art co-op, an affordable housing development and a riverfront development project, while rebranding the town, producing a promotional video, and securing and implementing millions in state funding to remove a contaminated factory and remediate a 72-acre brownfield site.

Kevin’s diverse career path has also included business development, corporate fundraising, video production, cruise directing, and professional acting for stage and screen.

With dual bachelor degrees in Business and Music, he currently is VP of Development for Curtain Call, a year-round nonprofit theatre in Stamford. He is most proud of his long-lasting relationship with his wife Josie, and their two amazing daughters. They live in their dream home by the sea in Lordship.

How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

“The annals of economic development have shown that when a downtown thrives, all boats rise. But thriving downtowns do not just happen. They require vision, a collaborative approach, and strategic action. We are committed to advancing the practice and process of economic development in Connecticut. One way we do this is by sharing strategies and ideas among peers, across sectors, on ways to spur development and revitalize communities. Core to this effort are downtowns, for that is where you find the heartbeat of a community.“

Downtown Development Outlook

  • Karmen Cheung, Regional VP, Pennrose

    Karmen Cheung serves as Regional Vice President for New England at Pennrose, where she leads a team delivering thoughtful, community-driven affordable housing across the region. From early concept through construction and beyond, she is deeply involved in shaping developments that respond to both market needs and community vision.

    Over nearly a decade at Pennrose, Karmen has advanced more than $300 million in development, creating nearly 700 new homes. Her work spans transformative projects like The Pryde, Boston’s first LGBTQ+ affirming senior housing community, as well as nationally recognized historic adaptive reuse efforts. She has also led complex brownfield and transit-oriented redevelopments across New England, unlocking value in underutilized sites.

    Karmen’s work is shaped by her own experience growing up in affordable housing, which fuels her commitment to creating communities that are not only high-quality, but rooted in dignity, stability, and opportunity.

    She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and dual master’s degrees from MIT in City Planning and Real Estate Development.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “A lot of our work focuses on bringing new life to sites—whether it’s a historic building, a brownfield, or a transit-adjacent parcel—and turning them into housing at a scale that adds consistent activity and energy to the area. By appropriately densifying in walkable, downtown locations, you create the kind of critical mass that supports local businesses, activates streets throughout the day, and makes transit and infrastructure more viable.”

  • David Genovese, CEO, Baywater Properties

    R. David Genovese founded Baywater Properties in 2001, following a 12-year career in real estate investment banking in New York and London. Prior to founding Baywater, David served as Co-Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for Credit Suisse First Boston. Previously, David served as a Managing Director in Bankers Trust Company’s Real Estate Investment Banking Group. Through the course of his career in investment banking, David was responsible for a variety of transactions valued in excess of $15.0 billion, including mergers and acquisitions, equity offerings, bond offerings, securitized financings, bank loans, and principal investments. David is an honors graduate of Colby College and The London School of Economics and Political Science. David also received an MBA from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. David is currently a member of the Board of Directors of The Human Services Council of Norwalk, the Darien Athletic Foundation and The Real Estate Finance Association of Connecticut. David has served as a member of the Board of Overseers of Colby College, and as a board member of the Darien Technology and Community Foundation, the Darien YMCA, the Darien Historical Society, and Darien Revitalization, Inc. In 2007, David was named as one of the “40 under 40” business leaders in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “To create a place that people love, we must focus upon great design, utilizing high quality materials that visitors to our center recognize and appreciate. That is the first step. As important, however, is curating a mix of businesses that are synergistic and feed off of each other, businesses which reflect the wants, needs and aspirations of the community. Design, materials, and use are like a symphony that we have to carefully and individually consider as we assemble these related but disparate components of our work. If we succeed, we can create environments that exceed the expectations of visitors, which drives the financial success of the businesses located in our projects, thereby creating places with enduring value.”

  • Greg Vaca, Founder & President, GRAVA Properties

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “Gregory Vaca began his real estate career in investment banking in New York City in 2003, following his graduation from Columbia University. He then joined Tishman Speyer — one of the world’s preeminent developers of large-scale mixed-use properties — where he spent 14 years across New York City, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, ultimately serving as Managing Director of Acquisitions and Development and then as Chief Operating Officer of the firm’s Brazil operations.
    During that time, Mr. Vaca led or played a decisive role in acquisitions, development, commercial leasing, asset management, dispositions, and fundraising — raising over $700 million and overseeing a 5-million-square-foot portfolio across Brazil. His project credits include the landmark Pátio da Marítima mixed-use development in Rio de Janeiro’s revitalized port district, the Bradesco Insurance headquarters, and the Alameda Jardins residential tower in São Paulo, among many others.  Mr. Vaca founded GRAVA Properties to apply his deep expertise at the neighborhood scale — with a focus on sustainable, human-centered development that addresses today’s urgent housing needs.”

  • Moderated by: Natalie Deduck, Director of Operations & Finance, CMDA

    Natalie Deduck is the Director of Operations and Finance for the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority, where she oversees the CMDA’s low-interest loan program that provides gap financing to transit-oriented development projects throughout Connecticut. Previously, as Deputy Director of Dispositions for the City of Boston, Natalie led the development of public-private partnerships that activated underutilized publicly owned land—delivering new public libraries, affordable housing, commercial spaces, and parks across the city. Before joining the City of Boston, she worked in leasing and community engagement at Bok in Philadelphia, a historic school adaptively reused as a hub for more than 200 local small businesses and artists.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “The Connecticut Municipal Development Authority helps cities and towns develop vibrant neighborhoods near train and bus stops and in downtown areas. As Director of Operations and Finance, I work with projects throughout Connecticut — figuring out where CMDA funding can fill the financial gap to create transit-oriented development across the state.”


Systems Thinking for Regional Collaboration

  • Austin Dziki, Associate Director, CT Green Bank

    Austin is an Associate Director on the CT Green Bank’s Environmental Infrastructure team where he supports the development and execution of new programs that generate private investments in nature-based solutions, climate resilience, and other environmental infrastructure projects across the state. In his role, he oversees project origination, market development, and partnerships to advance measurable environmental and social impacts through Green Bank financing for projects in environmental infrastructure.

    Austin is originally from Brooklyn, CT and currently lives in New Haven, CT. Prior to joining the Green Bank, Austin served as an Investments Manager at New Forests, a global investment manager of nature-based real assets, where he specialized in climate-smart timberland transactions, carbon strategy, and cross-functional deal execution. Austin takes a science-based approach to finance and program development, drawing from prior experience in ecological research, conservation, ecotourism, and forestry across New England, Latin America, and Africa. Austin holds a degree in Biology from the University of Vermont and Master of Forestry from the Yale School of the Environment, where he currently teaches a course on Forest and Ecosystem Finance.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “The CT Green Bank helps modernize Main Street with investments in energy efficiency and climate resiliency that protect neighborhoods from rising costs and climate impacts, strengthening the foundation of a thriving downtown and supporting investments in economic growth and development. We help and build vibrant, resilient places where people and businesses can flourish by lowering energy expenses, improving comfort and safety, and giving local businesses climate-resilient room to grow.”

  • Rista Malanca, Director of Economic & Community Development, NW Hills Council of Governments

    Rista Malanca, AICP, is currently the Director of Economic & Community Development for the Northwest Hills Council of governments with 20 years of municipal experience.
    She has worked on many redevelopment projects, including the reuse of environmentally contaminated properties, housing developments and placemaking projects. She works with the 21 Municipalities in NW CT to create economic growth within the Region and assist business owners, investors and developers to achieve their goals.
    Rista has a passion to create vibrant spaces and walkable downtowns. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Naugatuck River Greenway Steering Committee and Vice Chair of the CT Greenways Council. She also serves on the CT Brownfield Land Band and is a CEDAS board member.

    How does your role contribute to thriving main streets?

    “My role supports local leaders, both municipal staff and community volunteers, by helping them access the resources, expertise, and administrative assistance needed to advance downtown revitalization efforts. Working at a regional level, I focus on developing and leveraging tools, programs, and partnerships that strengthen local capacity. This includes connecting communities with subject matter experts, facilitating educational opportunities, and providing project support to help initiatives move forward efficiently and effectively. Through collaboration and resource-sharing, I help create the conditions that enable vibrant, resilient downtowns to thrive.”

  • Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, Connecticut Main Street Center

    Michelle brings over a decade of non-profit management experience to Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC). Her expertise in program development and strategic planning led CMSC’s expansion of its educational and technical assistance programming, member assistance offerings, and championing statewide policies that benefit Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets.

    Michelle and the CMSC team developed an innovative new downtown management assessment tool;launched several new programs including Main Street Accelerator focused on  local  team leadership training and project implementation, and Diversity on Main, a partnership with the Black Business Alliance focused on filling storefront vacancies; engaged in regional work in partnership with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce; and identified key issues for advocating on behalf of Connecticut’s main streets. Michelle serves on the boards of Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and Connecticut Preservation Action.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “As Executive Director of Connecticut Main Street, I strive to support both the excellent work being accomplished by the CMSC staff and the ambitions, vision, and hard work of our towns and cities to create and manage their thriving downtowns. I advocate for increased investment, policy tools, respect, and visibility because all four are needed to truly see our main streets succeed.”

  • Dan Onofrio, President & CEO, Bridgeport Regional Business Council

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “A thriving community isn’t built by any one sector, it’s built by the relationships between them. When a business opens, expands, or chooses to stay, it sends a signal. Our job is to amplify that signal and create the conditions for more of it. That means advocating for smart policy, investing in our workforce, and making sure the people who drive this economy feel supported. We all have a stake in the health of our downtowns and regional economy.”

  • Moderated by: Kristen Lopez, Senior Director of Programs, CT Main Street Center

    Kristen Lopez is Connecticut Main Street Center’s Senior Director of Programs. She is a cross-sector, entrepreneurial, economic development professional with 15 years in program development, marketing, and training and education with a focus on microenterprise and small business development. Prior to joining Connecticut Main Street Center, Kristen was vice-president at a $30M real estate development start-up combining affordable living, light manufacturing, and historic preservation for small business owners with limited resources to start and grow profitable businesses.  Additionally, she has launched an online marketplace to increase access to markets for underserved makers, implemented 6-figure marketing campaigns for continuing education in higher education, and developed proprietary curriculum and small business advising tools. Kristen is an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer alum, a StartingBloc Fellow, and Next City Vanguard Fellow. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Messiah University.

    How does your role contribute to a thriving main street?

    “Thriving downtowns are created by dedicated local champions, and I’m grateful to play a supporting role in helping them succeed! I think of myself as a coach and cheerleader helping communities solve problems and move ideas into action by creating impactful programs, trainings, and resources.”

Time to Celebrate!

  • Quentin Williams Downtown Hero Award

    This award honors the legacy of state Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams. Q was a great friend of CMSC and a champion for all of Connecticut’s downtowns. This award honors those who embody his greatest strengths, including tireless advocacy, working collaboratively to achieve common goals, bringing a multitude of voices to the fore, and working to create downtowns that are inclusive and welcoming to all.
    Congratulations to  Lauren Coakley Vincent!

  • Founder’s Award

    This award recognizes individuals and organizations that champion a comprehensive, strategic management approach to revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
    Congratulations to Elizabeth Donius!!

  • 2026 Accelerator Cohort

    Main Street Accelerator is a dynamic, six-month professional development and team-building program designed to empower local Main Street teams to implement small-scale, high-impact projects that spark positive change in their downtowns. Learn more about participating communities below.

    DEEP RIVER

    Local leaders from several town commissions and departments worked together to reinvigorate the main street area with a new banner program along the downtown, including light poles sponsored throughout the year and brackets provided by the town.

    FAIRFIELD

    A team comprised of members from the Town, Chamber of Commerce, and cultural institutions worked with key stakeholders to increase awareness, foot traffic, and economic activity for the newly established downtown Cultural District via a new marketing and branding campaign.

    TORRINGTON

    The team of city and cultural organization leaders collaborated on a plan to revitalize and increase the vibrancy of the North End, while transforming city lots into spaces that support Hispanic businesses, celebrate culture, and connect the North End with downtown.

    VERNON

    Municipal staff, commission members, stakeholders, and residents focused on changing negative perceptions of the downtown via a mural at the gateway of the downtown across from a pending large-scale redevelopment of an old factory

    WESTBROOK

    A team of local stakeholders from a variety of community groups investigated ways to improve the illumination of two town-owned park properties to enhance the existing buildings, monuments, trees and public art.

Event Photos by Lindsey Victoria Photography

With thanks to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Partner Sponsors

Main Street Supporters

Exhibitors

  • AARP Connecticut

    Natalie Shurtleff

    860-548-3162

    NShurtleff@aarp.org

    21 Oak Street, Suite 104, Hartford, CT

  • CT Economic Development Association CEDAS

    Kevin Bielmeier

    President

    860.806.9555

    info@cedas.org

    545 Long Wharf Drive, 8th Fl, New Haven, CT

  • Community Investment Corporation

    Louis Silva

    President & CEO

    203-776-6172

    lsilva@ciclending.com

    2315 Whitney Avenue, Suite 2B, Hamden, CT

  • Downtown Decorations

    Jazzlyn Torres

    Marketing Associate

    (315)565-7417 ext. 417

    jtorres@downtowndecorations.com

    8 Mill Plain Rd., Suite 6, Danbury, CT

  • Intergalactic Beets Project

    Joey Rodriguez

    Founder

    475-445-BEET

    contact@intergalacticbeetsproject.com

    @intergalacticbeets

    www.intergalacticbeetsproject.com

  • KidsPlay Children’s Museum

    Tamara Christensen

    Business Director

    860-605-3027 ext 2227

    office@kidsplaymuseum.org

    61 Main St., Torrington, CT

  • Loureiro Engineering Associates, Inc.

    John Sullivan

    Senior Business Development Manager

    860-410-3070

    jtsullivan@loureiro.com

    100 Northwest Drive, Plainville, CT

  • NWCT Arts Council

    Steph Burr

    Executive Director

    860-618-0075

    info@artsnwct.org

    40 Main St., Suite 1, Torrington, CT

  • Project Graphics Inc

    Andrew Riecker

    President

    802-488-8789

    riecker@projectgraphics.coom

    PO Box 370, Woodbury, CT

  • SLR Consulting

    Chanel Lobdell

    Associate Community Planner

    407-625-1370

    clobdell@slrconsulting.com

    195 Church St, Floor 7, New Haven, CT

  • Speclines

    Paul Finbow

    Northeast Sales Engineer

    201-388-7901

    pfinbow@speclines.net

    190 Main St, Sandwich, MA

  • USDA Rural Development

    Chris Lyon

    State Director

    413-560-1605

    christopher.lyon@usda.gov

    451 West Street, Suite 2, Amherst, MA

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Spotlight on Main Wallingford

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Success Stories. Leave a Comment

Spotlight on Main

WALLINGFORD

Spotlight on Main

Presented by Silver, Petrucelli + Associates

May 7th, 2026 we hosted Spotlight on Main in Wallingford, CT. This event included a presentation from Wallingford Center Inc and a guided walking tour through downtown. As always, our Spotlight focused on highlighting best practices in downtown management.

About Wallingford Center, Inc.

  • WCI is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit formed to stimulate cooperation between public and private entities to enhance the restoration, preservation, beautification, revitalization and utilization of the town’s center.
  • It was started in the 1970s as Wallingford Beautification and was incorporated with its new name as a nonprofit in 1987 under the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street program created to preserve and promote historic town centers.
  • It’s led by 2 part-time staff and a 9-member volunteer Board of Directors.
  • Funding comes from the Town and private sources through fundraising.
  • Support services in the form of monetary donations and active service work is provided by:
    • Wallingford’s Mayor, Town Council, Economic Development Commission (EDC), Electric Division, Public Works Department, Parks & Recreation Department, and Police & Fire Services.
    • Several volunteer groups, corporations, small businesses, town departments, and town government.

View the Presentation Slides

Key Programs & Initiatives

How WCI is encouraging economic activity, driving foot traffic, and reinvigorating the downtown

Front & Rear Building Rehab

WCI offers grants that help market merchants with signage and front or rear rehab of their building. This provides a freshness to the downtown area, keeping the neighborhood clean and vital.

Merchant Map of 70+ Businesses

WCI created a merchant map listing all 70+ businesses in the downtown area, distributed to local hospitals, businesses, Choate families, and new homeowners. Businesses are listed by block and QR codes lead to more information. WCI will also put a digital version on websites and social media so people can access it via their phone.

Dual Purpose Businesses

Dual purpose businesses have been a lifesaver for some small business owners, so much so that WCI would like to expand on these types of offerings.

  • Le Jardin is a coffee shop that also houses a retail component offering jewelry and clothing.
  • Wallingford Marketplace at Words on Wood lets people create their own wood signs, as well as offering stalls for small businesses looking to rent space, housing WCI’s office, and offering an in-studio bar for hosting events.

Public Art Program

In line with WCI’s annual Assessment, they’ve focused on incorporating art back into the community. Small projects like painting planters have convinced the community that this is a wonderful and colorful addition to the town. WCI will be commissioning a muralist to do further work on some businesses to spruce up their building exteriors.

Check out highlights from the tour on our storymap:

Keys to Success

3 things Instrumental to WCI’s Success

  1.  Creating a landlord committee to actively engage them in contributing to the community and show them the value they bring to it.
  2. Monthly merchant meetings to discuss different marketing strategies to expand their presence.
  3. Collaborating with Town initiatives helps expand the reach to other Wallingford businesses that might be interested in joining forces to market each other.

WCI + CMSC Assessment = IMPACT

How WCI utilizes CMSC’s resources to guide their actions and initiatives

  • CMSC helped WCI focus on a strategic plan that identifies specific tasks, action items and measurable outcomes.
  • WCI has successfully transitioned from an events-driven approach to a more strategic focus.
  • CMSC’s guidance helped WCI review and analyze how they can improve their presentation to the community, gaining consensus and support.

Tips to Take Home

How you can apply WCI’s best practices to your Downtown

Liz Davis, WCI Executive Director, recommends other downtowns facing similar issues start by doing the following:

  • Think outside the box. Look at businesses that will complement each other or might bring in foot traffic. For example, bringing in a non-profit to partner with an established business for a win-win.
  • Some ideas include a non-profit that deals with special needs adults opening a coffee or soup shop, or a clothing store that caters to foster families. These types of businesses draw in families that have connections to these businesses along with providing support to a non-profit that needs it.

CMSC’s Main Street Management Assessment

CMSC’s annual Main Street Management Assessment provides our members with a way to measure their efforts, track successes year-over-year, and provides specific resources and guidance to achieve their goals.

The 80+ data points align with the adaptable and nationally-proven Four Point Approach: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.

The Assessment in Action

WCI’s Assessment shows how they’re exemplifying excellence in the 4 points. 

Economic Vitality
One of WCI’s strenghts is engaging merchants and property owners and creating a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to attracting businesses, leading to a relatively low vacancy rate.

 Design
Wallingford is creating a cohesive and welcoming experience for visitors and proactively working to improve the amount and type of public art in their downtown.

Promotion 
WCI is particularly strong at aligning their events with their district’s assets, especially their history and tourism.

Organization
WCI has built strong municipal relationships in support of its downtown revitalization.

View Pictures from this event

Photography by Dawn Finaldi

With thanks to our Sponsors!

PRESENTING SPONSOR

SILVER, PETRUCELLI + ASSOCIATES

Silver /Petrucelli + Associates is an architecture, engineering and interior design collaborative.

Projects include new construction, renovate-as-new, expansion, repair and renovation, code conformance improvements, building system modifications and window/roof replacements.

Learn More

Spotlight Partners

CEDAS

CEDAS, the Connecticut Economic Development Association, is a not-for-profit organization committed to advancing the practice of economic development within the state of Connecticut. CEDAS is the premiere association for economic development professionals, providing a forum for the economic development community and sponsoring educational programs and seminars to benefit those in the field. 

Learn More

Ascend Bank

Ascend Bank, formerly Guilford Savings Bank, has been serving Connecticut and neighboring states for over 150 years. We’re proud of our deep community roots and our commitment to providing a modern, personalized banking experience for both consumers and businesses.

Learn More

Rose Robles Realtor

Connecticut Realtor who helps both buyers and sellers navigate one of life’s biggest decisions with ease and confidence. Whether it’s guiding first-time buyers, marketing homes for top value, or connecting people to the communities they love, I’m passionate about making every move feel seamless.

Learn More

Spotlight Supporter

Le Jardin Café

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CMSC & CBIA Summit: Building a Main Street Business Ecosystem

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Impact, Success Stories. Leave a Comment

CMSC & CBIA Summit

Building a Main Street Business Ecosystem

Building a Main Street Business Ecosystem

March 12th 2026 | Hartford, CT

In Partnership with CBIA

Strong small businesses need strong main streets. Small businesses are the backbone of Connecticut’s economy and critically important to the downtowns and main streets that give life to our communities, providing the goods and services we rely on, creating jobs, and building the unique places we love to explore.

So it made perfect sense for CMSC – the state’s premier resource for vibrant downtowns – to partner with CBIA – the state’s largest business organization – for our March Summit on how to build a thriving main street business ecosystem.

Together, we’re showcasing case studies, panel presentations, and practical resources to help our small main street businesses thrive. Because when we focus on providing both the tools small business owners need to run their businesses and the structured management of a healthy downtown, we create the types of dynamic places that support innovative entrepreneurs, build community, generate prosperity, and strengthen our state’s wellbeing.

Read the Op-Ed

Watch the recording on YouTube

Video courtesy of Intersect Media

Additional Resources

Stronger Streetscapes: A Blueprint for Façade Planning that Works

CT Main Street Center’s tactical handbook for best practices in designing and administering a façade improvement program for a thriving main street that enhances economic vitality.

View the Action Kit

Main Street Business Survey

Business owners and downtown practitioners are encouraged to fill out or distribute our survey! Click below for more info.

Survey

Speaker Bios & Presentations

Introductory Remarks

Event Hosts

  • Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, CT Main Street Center

    “The work of main street vibrancy is ongoing. Oftentimes, communities will have the good fortune of a passionate champion, willing to dedicate an abundance of time and energy because the downtown is so meaningful to them. When they eventually step away, we have seen their great downtowns flounder as a result and years of progress lost. Succession planning is absolutely essential to make sure that a downtown ecosystem can continue to thrive into the future.”

    Michelle brings over a decade of non-profit management experience to Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC). Her expertise in program development and strategic planning led CMSC’s expansion of its educational and technical assistance programming, member assistance offerings, and championing statewide policies that benefit Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets.

    Michelle and the CMSC team developed an innovative new downtown management assessment tool;launched several new programs including Main Street Accelerator focused on  local  team leadership training and project implementation, and Diversity on Main, a partnership with the Black Business Alliance focused on filling storefront vacancies; engaged in regional work in partnership with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce; and identified key issues for advocating on behalf of Connecticut’s main streets. Michelle serves on the boards of Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and Connecticut Preservation Action.

  • Chris DiPentima, President & CEO, CBIA

    “It starts with collaboration over competition—promoting local partnerships, shared resources, and mentorship networks. When entrepreneurs support each other, they create resilience, circulate local wealth, and foster innovation that benefits the entire community.”

    Chris DiPentima is the president and CEO of CBIA, Connecticut’s leading business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state.

    The organization includes CBIA’s Foundation, CBIA’s products & services division, and two affiliates—the business consulting firm CONNSTEP and the nonprofit education and workforce ReadyCT.

    DiPentima previously was division president of Leggett & Platt Aerospace, a S&P 500 companyt, leading manufacturing operations at the company’s Middletown-based Pegasus Manufacturing facility and locations in Washington, California, and France.

    He joined Pegasus, then family-owned, in 2002 and was named president in 2006, where he implemented a series of strategic initiatives resulting in a doubling of employment and revenue before selling to L&P in 2016.

    Prior to joining Pegasus, DiPentima spent eight years as an attorney representing corporations and individuals.

    A former chair of CBIA’s board of directors, he chairs the Connecticut Manufacturers’ Collaborative (CMC), serves on the board of the Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF), and several non-profit and for-profit boards.

    DiPentima has a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and received his juris doctorate from Quinnipiac Law School. He lives in Durham with his wife and three daughters.

  • Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, City of Hartford

    “When building business ecosystems in Hartford, the most important element is not necessarily profits or strategy, but instead a sense of community. Here in Hartford, we have found that success can often be predicted by how a business plans to weave into the fabric of the neighborhoods they serve.”

    Mayor Arulampalam is a father, husband, attorney, former nonprofit executive, and is committed to strengthening our neighborhoods and building a Hartford that works for everyone.

    The son of Sri Lankan refugees, Mayor Arulampalam was born in Zimbabwe. He made a home and eventually a family in Hartford soon after graduate school. Prior to being elected mayor, Mayor Arulampalam served as the CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, where he developed a first-in-the-nation program to train Hartford residents to become local developers and tackle blight in Hartford. The Land Bank takes on the city’s vacant and blighted properties and, with the help of Hartford developers, fixes them up to encourage investment in our neighborhoods across the city. 

    Mayor Arulampalam also served in the Lamont Administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection where he went after a notorious Connecticut slumlord and fought for consumer rights and small businesses. Before then, he was a lawyer downtown at the firm of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. Mayor Arulampalam also served on the Board of the Hartford Public Library, the House of Bread, and on the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. He earned his B.A. in International Studies from Emory University and his J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

    Mayor Arulampalam lives in the Frog Hollow neighborhood in a formerly vacant and blighted house with his wife and five small kids. Mayor Arulampalam’s wife, Liza, is the Senior Minister of the First Church of Christ (Center Church) in Hartford.

Presenting Sponsors

  • Keith Grant, VP of Operations, Hartford Healthcare

    “In building business ecosystems especially in healthcare one truth rises above all others: connection is the true currency of progress.

    Start by designing for people, not processes.

    In every partnership, every workflow, every data exchange, and every strategic decision, ask:
    ‘How does this make care safer, easier, more dignified, or more human?’

    Because in healthcare, ecosystems aren’t just networks, they are lifelines. When we build them with empathy and clarity, a few powerful things happen:

    • Collaboration becomes natural, because everyone can see themselves in the shared mission.
    • Innovation becomes purposeful, grounded not in novelty but in solving real human needs.
    • Trust becomes the foundation, allowing organizations to move faster, share more openly, and support each other more deeply.
    • Patients and clinicians feel the difference, not in the systems we build, but in the moments of care those systems make possible.

    So the tip I’d offer is this:

    Build every ecosystem as if someone’s health depends on it because it does.

    When we keep humanity at the center, we don’t just create better business models. We create better outcomes, stronger communities, and a future where healthcare truly works for everyone.”

    Keith Grant, MSN, APRN-C, CIC is the VP of  Operations for the Hartford Region of Hartford  Healthcare. Keith migrated from Jamaica in 2001 to pursue higher education. Faced with the cost of higher education but driven by a strong call to serve, he joined the United States Air Force as a Medic — a decision that deepened his lifelong commitment to service. Now a decorated Major with over 20 years of service, Keith has held multiple roles across several deployments. He is a Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in Infection Prevention, Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology. 
    Keith currently serves as the Vice President of  Operations for the Hartford region at Hartford HealthCare, where he oversees operations at Hartford Hospital — an 867-bed Level 1 trauma center — and other clinical sites across the region. Previously, he was the Senior System Director for Infection Prevention and Epidemiology at Hartford HealthCare, where he played a pivotal role in Connecticut’s COVID-19 response. Keith was the first person in the state to complete the COVID-19 vaccine series. He also served on the Governor’s Scientific Advisory Board for COVID-19 and supported pandemic preparedness planning for the Caribbean through regional collaborations. Passionate about advancing health equity, Keith has been a leading voice in addressing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on marginalized communities. Keith has received numerous honors, including Hartford Business Journal’s Healthcare Heroes and Power Fifty recognitions, the Consul General’s Heritage Award, the Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence, and the U.S. Air Force Humanitarian Medal and Achievement Medal.
    Outside of his professional life, Keith cherishes time with his wife, Shefali, and their two children, Arianna and Aryan.

  • Gene Goddard, Chief Business Investment Officer, MetroHartford Alliance

    “For any economic development project there are only two people that really matter: The Owner and the Zoner. If they don’t agree nothing is going to happen. Our job is to get them both on the same page and find a way to say yes.”

    Gene Goddard, CEcD, EDFP is the Chief Business Investment Officer for the MetroHartford Alliance.
    Based in Hartford, Connecticut, the MetroHartford Alliance (MHA) is a private sector-led, investor-based economic development partnership. MHA focuses on driving growth, retention, and recruitment across key sectors, including Insurance/Financial Services, Aerospace/Defense, Advanced Manufacturing, Broadcast Media, Health, IT, Logistics and Hospitality.

    Gene Goddard has over 35 years of experience across local, regional, and state organizations. Throughout his career, he has coordinated projects resulting in over $10 billion in investments for both small businesses and major corporations. At the Alliance, Gene oversees business investment and research, managing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), business attraction and retention, and out-of-state marketing.

    Before joining MHA, Gene led the national Housing and Economic Development practice at Springsted (now BakerTilly) and served as Director of Business Investment for GREATER MSP. He holds a Master’s degree from Minnesota State University – Mankato and specialized certifications from IEDC, NDC, and FINRA (Series 50).

    Recognized as one of the Top 50 Economic Developers in North America in 2017, Gene also received a Lifetime Achievement award for his contributions in Minnesota. Outside of his professional work, he is an avid landscape photographer and woodworker through The Minnehaha Craftsman.

    View Gene’s Presentation

Panel Discussion

Strengthening Main Street Ecosystems: Policy to Practice

  • Jack Benjamin, Economic Development Director, City of Hartford

    “Take a chance on neighborhoods and buildings that are undervalued and historically disinvested. Localities and economic development professionals will support those with a vision and a plan to bring vibrancy to overlooked places.”

    Jack Benjamin is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Hartford. A lifelong lover of cities, Jack’s career focus has been on the revitalization and redevelopment of urban places. He began his career at a start-up civic technology company in Boston, helping to launch the company’s online platform. Jack’s first foray into municipal government was as the Assistant Planner for the western Massachusetts City of Chicopee where he wrote grants, managed brownfields projects, and organized city events. Transferring his grant writing skills to academia, Jack then worked as the Director of Grants for American International College in Springfield, bringing in over $20m in grant funding over the course of 3 years. Jack then moved to Connecticut and took the position of Director of Planning & Development for the City of New Britain, where he oversaw a transformational redevelopment of the city’s downtown core. He began his role as Economic Development Director for Hartford in September of 2025 and is bullish on Hartford’s future.

  • Anne Benowitz, VP of Economic Development & Workforce Initiatives, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce

    “One of the most important aspect of building any business ecosystem, is building trust; being consistent in follow through and helping businesses understand the resources available to support them, and how to access those resources.”

    Anne serves as the Vice President, Economic Development and Workforce Initiatives for the Greater New Haven Chamber. In her role she is responsible for the Chamber’s business retention and expansion efforts and the development of talent pipelines through the Regional Sector Partnerships here in the New Haven area. Anne’s role is focused on making connections between the business community and the resources needed to retain and expand the businesses here in Connecticut.

    Anne brings a tremendous breath of experience, spanning over 30 years, in business development, marketing, administration and entrepreneurship. Anne’s has held positions in HR for Exxon in Stamford, in New York City, working for a sports marketing company, where she managed a column in the Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine, called “Sports Business,” and earned her paralegal degree, working for a major credit corporation in Connecticut. Ultimately, Anne moved into business development with Northwestern Mutual in Fairfield County, which eventually, brought her to New Haven to pursue work in the executive benefit marketplace, where her clients were among the Fortune 500. She became the Special Projects Coordinator to the Dean at the Yale School of Management, managing operations for the Advisory Board, speakers, and other school operations and later, ultimately, running her own marketing and business development firm for ten years, prior to joining the Chamber’s business development team.  

    Anne has served on several boards and presently is serving as Communications Chair for the State’s economic development association, CEDAS. Anne is a trained mezzo soprano; a member of an award-winning Sweet Adelines International chorus; has competed around the country in international singing competitions, in both quartets and chorus. Anne lives in North Haven with her husband & daughter.

  • Rep Lucy Dathan, CT State Representative, District 142

    “Strong Main Street businesses are the backbone of thriving communities. When we invest in local entrepreneurs and create an ecosystem that supports their growth, we’re not just strengthening individual storefronts, we’re building resilient local economies, creating jobs, and preserving the character that makes our communities unique. I am encouraged by this effort and look forward to our collaboration and the meaningful outcomes that will come from this summit.”

    Lucy Dathan is the State Representative for the 142nd District in New Canaan/Norwalk serving her constituents since 2019. She was born and raised in St Louis, Missouri and went to an all-girls school from grade school through high school. She then went to Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California where she majored in Accounting and Business.

    She values her education as it greatly contributed to her success and professional career, which has spanned close to 30 years, working within finance and across many commercial and non-profit sectors all over the world.

    During her tenure, Dathan has served as Vice Chair of the legislature’s Appropriations and Insurance & Real Estate Committees, and as a member of the Human Services Committee.

    For the legislative term in 2025-2026, Lucy has been appointed House Chair of the new Government Oversight Committee. Additionally, she will continue to serve on the Appropriations Committee and the Human Services Committees.

    Lucy began her career as an auditor in a Big 4 firm in San Jose, California where she focused on venture capital firms and ventured backed technology startup companies. There she qualified as a Certified Public Accountant. She moved to Poland and worked with the financial sector as the country was opening to western markets. She then went to London and worked over 10 years broadening her experience in investment banking, raising finance and as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in two Venture backed firms. In London, she also worked for the London Stock Exchange in the legal department where she managed the intellectual capital of the firm.

    Since moving back to the United States 19 years ago, she has continued to work part-time while raising a family as a CFO in various technology companies, building finance functions from the ground up, creating budgets and strategic forecasts, overseeing funding rounds, and mergers & acquisitions activities.

    She moved with her husband and three children aged 22, 20 and 18 to the Town of New Canaan in February 2015 from Palo Alto, California, where she had lived for 9 years. Lucy continues to help technology startups on a part time basis as a contract finance executive.

  • Moderated by: Chris Davis, VP of Public Policy, CBIA

    “In Connecticut, one point I always emphasize about building strong business ecosystems is the power of intentional collaboration. Our state’s size is actually a strategic advantage—it forces government, employers, educators, and nonprofits to work closely together. The ecosystems that succeed here are the ones where partners stay aligned on shared outcomes, communicate regularly, and think beyond their individual organizations.”

    Chris Davis is VP of Public Policy, leading CBIA’s advocacy team of in-house and contract lobbyists at the state Capitol.

    He oversees the planning and execution of public policy strategy and initiatives to strengthen CBIA’s mission to boost Connecticut’s economic competitiveness and growth while providing opportunities for all residents.

    Davis previously represented the General Assembly’s 57th House District (East Windsor and Ellington) for five terms from 2011 to 2021, serving as assistant leader and ranking member of the key Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee.

    Known for his willingness to work collaboratively in a bipartisan manner to achieve meaningful policy reforms throughout his tenure in the legislature, Davis was one of the architects of the 2017 bipartisan fiscal reforms that led to the state’s current fiscal strength.

    Prior to CBIA, Davis served as manager of public affairs for the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, overseeing the quasi-public agency’s government affairs and public relations activities.

    Davis earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Connecticut, and has previously served as an adjunct professor of political science at the University of Bridgeport.

Case Study Speakers

Building a Business While Building a Community

Chris Allen, Founder & CEO, Gas Burgers

“The best way to achieve success is to surround yourself with great people and empower them to go do what you’ve hired them to do, unencumbered.”

Chris Allen Sr. is an entrepreneur, operator, and business builder with a track record of creating and scaling companies across healthcare technology, hospitality, logistics, and consumer products. He is the founder and CEO of multiple ventures, including iCleanse, a UV-C disinfection and digital engagement platform deployed in healthcare systems, airports, and consumer environments, and Gas Burgers, a modern hospitality concept rooted in place-making, nostalgia, and shared experience.

Chris is known for taking ideas from concept to execution, assembling strong teams, navigating regulatory and operational complexity, and bringing products to market that solve real-world problems. His work spans early-stage innovation, capital formation, strategic partnerships, and disciplined go-to-market execution, with a leadership style grounded in accountability, transparency, and long-term thinking.

Beyond his operating roles, Chris is active in business advocacy and economic development, serving in advisory and board capacities and working closely with founders, investors, and community leaders. He believes enduring businesses are built by investing in people, culture, and trust—not just growth metrics. 

View Chris’s Presentation

Curating Communities with Intentional Outreach

Gioia Zack, SVP of Economic Development Services, Goman & York

“Thoughtful connections build communities.  Intentional collaboration strengthens them.”

Gioia Zack is the current Senior Vice President of  Economic Development Services at Goman & York. Gioia is an accomplished economic development and real estate professional with more than two decades of experience across the banking and commercial real estate sectors. She specializes in identifying stakeholder needs and building strategic connections that support organizational goals and community outcomes.
Most recently, she served as the Economic Development Director for the Town of Wethersfield, Connecticut, where she achieved measurable results, including new business growth, the revitalization of underutilized properties, and enhanced community visibility through strengthened social media and tourism initiatives. Her work reflects a strong commitment to sustainable economic growth and community engagement. Gioia contributes her expertise to municipal client projects, including master planning and economic development initiatives, and helps communities advance strategic priorities with informed, data-driven insights. She is a Connecticut-licensed Real Estate Broker.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Gioia demonstrates strong community leadership through her service on nonprofit boards in various executive capacities. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Corporation for Independent Living (CIL) LAB Board of Directors. Her nonprofit involvement reflects her commitment to giving back
and creating positive community impact.

  • Board Member, CT Economic Development Association (CEDAS) – since 2022
  • Immediate Past Chair, Corporation for Independent Living (CIL) Board of Directors – since 2019
  • Board Vice Chair & Treasurer, Community Innovation Lab (LAB) Board – since 2019
  • Governance Committee Chair, Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) – 2016-2021
  • Vice Chair, Wethersfield Economic Development & Improvement Commission (EDIC) – 2013-2021
  • Commercial and Investment Real Estate Certification (CIREC) (2019)
  • Graduate of New England Economic Development Course (IEDC accredited) (2021)
  • Certified Connecticut Municipal Officer, CT Municipal Leadership Program (2023)
  • CT Age Well Collaborative – Age Well Academy program – Certificate of Participation (2023)

A lifelong Greater Hartford resident, Gioia is fluent in Italian and conversant in Spanish, enabling her to effectively support diverse communities. When not working, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with family.

EDUCATION
Trinity College – Hartford, CT – Bachelor of Arts – Political Science Major, Formal Organizations Minor
UHART/Hartford College for Women – West Hartford, CT – Associate of Arts

View Gioia’s Presentation

The story of BUILD Hartford at UConn: BUILDing Businesses through Contemporary Communications

Rory McGloin, Associate Director of Entrepreneurial Communication & Research Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI), UConn School of Business

“Effective communication is at the heart of all great relationships.”

Rory McGloin, Ph.D. is an award-winning business communication professor at the University of Connecticut. Rory’s career in higher education spans 17+ years, including engagements with over 10,000 learners to date and 35 peer-reviewed publications. In addition to this, Rory serves as the Associate Director of Entrepreneurial Communication & Research with the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI). Rory’s current research is focused on the process of training and development, examining the influence of individual identities and values on perceptions of a program’s impact.

Rory is also interested in developing the business communication skills of entrepreneurs and executives and conducts research that examines how mindsets and motivations influence program participants. He works closely with graduate students who are interested in organizational communication, professional development, and entrepreneurship. He also continues to share his passion with students in the classroom as he leads courses on professional and business communication for UConn’s top-ranked MBA and Executive MBA programs.

Additionally, Rory is passionate about applying his work to create and deliver professional communication training and development solutions for organizations and their teams. He specializes in helping organizations identify their core values and works to align an organization’s vision with specific tactics and strategies that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their team communication. He is also a certified Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile Practitioner, and is known for his engaging and dynamic approach to helping individuals maximize their unique skills and characteristics.

Read more

Panel Discussion

It’s All Connected: Downtown Reverberations

  • Elizabeth Donius, Executive Director, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance

    “More is more. Existing businesses are often concerned if a restaurant or retail outlet is coming to town. They worry there are not enough customers to go around. But in our experience, each new coffee shop, restaurant and vintage shop brought new customers to Westville, and often new customers to existing businesses. They added to the perception that the village itself is a destination.”

    Elizabeth “Lizzy” Donius is the Executive Director of the Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA), a role she has held since July 2016. Her work focuses on the economic and cultural revitalization of New Haven’s Westville neighborhood. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the IFP Chicago, a member-advocacy organization for filmmakers across the Midwest, managed the Community Programming for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, and has produced several independent films.  

  • Sean Murray, Cultural District Commissioner, City of New London

    “The quote I commonly point to regarding business ecosystems is ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’ Main streets thrive when businesses intentionally share audiences, whether through joint promos, shared email lists, collaborative events, or even just recommendations. Building confidence in your main street does more for your business than building walls around it.”

    Sean Murray is a hospitality operator, talent buyer and community-focused event producer based in New London. He currently manages events and marketing for The Social Bar & Kitchen and serves as General Manager for The Oasis Pub.

    In addition to his venue work, Sean previously served as Marketing Manager for New London Main Street, where he focused on strengthening downtown’s reputation through small business collaboration and district-wide promotion.

    As an event producer with the New London Music Festivals organization, Sean co-produced the popular I Am Festival, created a local music awards show and contributed to the Downtown Live concert series. He also partnered with the City of New London to help conceptualize the inaugural Celebrate New London event—an initiative focused on boosting foot traffic, civic pride, and collaboration with the small business community.

    Sean approaches downtown development the same way he approaches the venues he operates: as a vehicle to connect businesses, artists, nonprofits and local government to create shared momentum rather than isolated success. His work centers on turning shared interests into community, storefronts into cultural anchors and collaboration into long-term economic resilience.

  • Jackie Valentine, Marketplace Consultant & Owner, Words on Wood

    “Design your ecosystems where businesses amplify each other. When one succeeds, the entire community grows stronger.”

    Jackie Valentine is the owner and operator of the Wallingford Marketplace at Words on Wood, a vibrant small-business collective rooted in creativity and community located in Wallingford, Connecticut. With a background in entrepreneurship, retail curation, and event building, Jackie is passionate about creating opportunities for local makers, artisans and small businesses to grow together. Through thoughtful programming, intentional partnerships, and hands-on leadership, she has transformed her business into the Wallingford Marketplace at Words on Wood;  a welcoming destination that supports small business success while strengthening the local economy. 

    Her newest venture, Vision to Viability Consulting,  provides support for property owners, developers, town government and economic development officials and downtown organizations seeking growth. Her services include consultation on location, physical set up of space, POS selection, vendor selection, contracts and leases, events, website and social media, launch development and support for those wishing to transform downtown spaces into retail destinations. 

  • Moderated by: Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, CT Main Street Center

    “The work of main street vibrancy is ongoing. Oftentimes, communities will have the good fortune of a passionate champion, willing to dedicate an abundance of time and energy because the downtown is so meaningful to them. When they eventually step away, we have seen their great downtowns flounder as a result and years of progress lost. Succession planning is absolutely essential to make sure that a downtown ecosystem can continue to thrive into the future.”

    Michelle brings over a decade of non-profit management experience to Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC). Her expertise in program development and strategic planning led CMSC’s expansion of its educational and technical assistance programming, member assistance offerings, and championing statewide policies that benefit Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets.

    Michelle and the CMSC team developed an innovative new downtown management assessment tool;launched several new programs including Main Street Accelerator focused on  local  team leadership training and project implementation, and Diversity on Main, a partnership with the Black Business Alliance focused on filling storefront vacancies; engaged in regional work in partnership with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce; and identified key issues for advocating on behalf of Connecticut’s main streets. Michelle serves on the boards of Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and Connecticut Preservation Action.

With thanks to our Sponsors & Exhibitors!

Main Street Partners

Main Street Advocates

Main Street Supporters

EXHIBITORS

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CMSC Summit: The Power of Place

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Impact, Success Stories. Leave a Comment

CMSC Summit

The Power of Place:
Placemaking Strategies for Downtowns & Main Streets

The Power of Place: Placemaking Strategies for Downtowns & Main Streets

October 8th 2025 | New Haven, CT

Presented by:

What is Placemaking?

Fred Kent and Project for Public Spaces says it best: Placemaking is a collaborative process of shaping your community’s public space to maximize its shared value. It is a collective reimagining of how we use our public space to promote more out-of-the-box uses with special attention to the many identities that define and support that place. The most natural venue for these places to develop is the heart of the community: Main Street.

For this summit, The Power of Place: Placemaking Strategies for Downtowns & Main Streets all of our speakers have in some way contributed to the process of placemaking in their community, activating main streets and central business districts in ways that attract visitors and send them home with a positive experience and a desire to return.

Learn more about the artists, organizers, and civic leaders below.  See Channel 8’s coverage of our event!

Speaker Bios

Keynote speaker

Fred Kent, Founder & 43-year President, Project for Public Spaces

Key Resources:

Creating Streets & Sidewalks We Love

Sidewalk Resource Guide

A pioneering public space advocate and practitioner, Fred Kent is the founder of the global placemaking movement. Mentored by William H. Whyte and Jane Jacobs, Fred founded Project for Public Spaces(PPS) in 1975 to put into practice and popularize their ideas. The community-based processes, tools, and thousands of communities he and PPS worked with, laid the foundation for what placemakers are now applying, and innovating around, in many corners of the world.

The placemaking movement is built on five decades of Fred tirelessly introducing “transformative agendas” to overcome obstacles to better public spaces, supporting communities in diverse contexts across the globe, and fundamentally advancing the agency and capacity of people to participate in the shaping of their public places.

Fred was educated by luminaries like Margaret Mead and Barbara Ward while doing undergraduate and graduate work at Columbia University during the 60s. He organized an Academy for Black and Latin Education(ABLE) in 1968, with funding from Mike Bloomberg. In 1970 Fred led the organizing of the first Earth Day in New York. He then started New York Mayor Lindsay’s Council on the Environment, and co-founded the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives in 1973. Fred worked closely with William “Holly” Whyte on his “Street Life Project,” assisting in the public space research that formed the foundation of Whyte’s movie and book: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, before founding PPS to apply and expand the work.

As the 43-year President of Project for Public Spaces, Fred led placemaking projects in thousands of communities, trained over 10,000 people in placemaking, and led PPS’s successful transformation to a movement building non-profit until 2018. To continue to support the placemaking movement, Fred and Kathy Madden, founded a new non-profit organization, the Placemaking Fund and created two operating programs, the Social Life Project and PlacemakingX.

Fred continues to consult on select challenging and high profile projects, while writing regular articles, including his signature social life rich images, sharing what he has learned over his career.

www.placemakingx.org/people/fred-kent

Case Studies

COMMUNITY BUSK

Carli Scolforo, General Manager, Berkshire Busk

View the Presentation

“You don’t need a massive capital investment to transform a community space—just creativity, a shared experience, and a dash of the unexpected.”

Carli Scolforo is the General Manager of Berkshire Busk!, where for the past five years she has overseen programming, marketing and fundraising while serving as the voice of the festival’s social media presence. 

Carli began her career as a music journalist, with bylines in nationally-reaching digital outlets including Paste Magazine and Spindle Magazine, as well as regional publications like The Berkshire Eagle and Berkshires Week. Upon returning to her hometown in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, she co-founded 413Buzz, a media and marketing agency dedicated to supporting local businesses and amplifying community staples.

A true Berkshire native, her early love of music and theatre ultimately drew her back into live event production, and she joined Berkshire Busk! for its flagship season. Experiencing the joy, energy, and sense of belonging that street performance brought to her community sparked a passion for creative placemaking and cemented her belief in the power of cultural events to transform public spaces and foster community pride.

In addition to her work with Berkshire Busk!, Carli continues to freelance for regional publications, provides marketing support to local organizations, and serves on the steering committee of the Downtown Great Barrington Cultural District, where she helps support and amplify the local arts and business ecosystem.

Carli@berkshirebusk.com

The Last Green Valley Heritage Corridor

  • Fran Kefalas, Assistant Director

    “Be authentic. Let your love for the place you are trying to put on the map shine through, and it will become infectious.”

    View the Presentation

    Francesca Kefalas has been telling the stories of people and places for more than 30 years as a communications and marketing professional. After two decades as an award-winning journalist in New York City and Connecticut, Fran began working with nonprofits and small organizations to help them find their voice, tell their stories and earn the support of their communities.

    She has served as assistant director at The Last Green Valley, Inc. for 8 years, working with hundreds of partners and volunteers to celebrate what makes The Last Green Valley worthy of its designation as one of the country’s first National Heritage Corridors. Fran’s work with programs, such as Walktober, and publications, such as the Explore! visitors guide and In Touch member magazine have helped grow the sense of community in the region. Fran oversees all aspects of the TLGV story across channels and works closely with all staff on strategic programming and sustainability initiatives. Fran sits on the Eastern Regional Tourism District’s executive board and has sat on several nonprofit boards in leadership roles. She is a graduate of Washington and Lee University.

    Fran@TLGV.org

  • Regan Miner, Development Director

    “The greenest building is the one already built.”

    View the Presentation

    With over 10 years of experience in the history and nonprofit sector, Regan Miner is a public historian and a historic preservation advocate. Miner received her bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut and holds a master’s degree in public history from Central Connecticut State University. Currently, Miner serves as the Development Director of The Last Green Valley (TLGV) and enjoys building partnerships to strengthen our cultural, historical, and natural resources within the National Heritage Corridor.

    Miner’s previous roles included serving as the Executive Director of the Norwich Historical Society and the Executive Director of the Fort Adams Trust in Newport, Rhode Island. In addition to her position at TLGV, Miner volunteers as Chairman of the Norwich Historic District Commission and is a Corporator at the Norwich Free Academy. Lastly, Miner was the recipient of the 2016 40 under Forty Award, the 2016 Connecticut Governor’s Conference on Tourism Rising Star Award, the 2018 Mimi Findlay Award for Young Preservationists, and CT Magazine’s 40 Under 40: The Class of 2022.

    Regan@TLGV.org

The iQuilt Partnership

Jackie Mandyck, Executive Director

“Small stuff makes big things happen. Don’t forget the small stuff.”

View the Presentation

Jackie Gorsky Mandyck is the Executive Director of the iQuilt Partnership, which focuses on building coalitions and maximizing cultural vibrancy through creative placemaking and urban design initiatives like Hartford 400 and Winterfest Hartford. Her work has brought national recognition to the Capital City, from being designated a Silver Walk Friendly Community to being awarded the prestigious Witte-Sakamoto Family Medal in City and Urban Planning from the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. Before taking leadership of the iQuilt Partnership, Jackie served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection and the Director of Community and Institutional Relations at Trinity College, where she was one of the principals leading the College’s Neighborhood Initiative, which included the Learning Corridor a $106M educational campus. Jackie serves on the Hartford Marathon Foundation Board of Directors, is a commissioner for the Metropolitan District Commission and is on the Bushnell Theater’s Board of Ambassadors. She graduated from Syracuse University and State University of New York at Albany with her MBA.

Jackie@theiquiltplan.org

NWCT ARTS COUNCIL

Steph Burr, Executive Director

“Don’t tell young people what they should be doing. Ask them what they want to do, listen, then give them resources and guidance to empower them.”

View the Presentation

Steph Burr, Executive Director of the Northwest CT Arts Council, is a passionate advocate for the transformative role of the arts in communities. After a significant career shift prompted by a health crisis, Steph moved from the corporate to nonprofit sector where she actively works to promote creativity as a tool to heal and unite. Steph’s current efforts span various initiatives aimed at elevating the role of creativity in public life and advocating for arts accessibility. Steph also serves as the Treasurer of the CT Arts Alliance and is dedicated to leveraging the power of the arts to strengthen community bonds and promote cultural equity.

Steph@artsnwct.org

Placemaking in the Elm City

One for All: Activating New Haven for Residents & Visitors

View the Slides

  • Bruno Baggetta, Director, Market New Haven

    “Successful placemaking is never accidental. It is built through collaboration, with each partner playing a role in shaping experiences that market the city far better than any campaign on its own.”

    With a variety of marketing, branding, and communications roles at Yale University, the Connecticut Open, and currently Market New Haven, Inc. (MNHI), Bruno Baggetta’s professional career in New Haven spans more than two decades.

    A Connecticut native, Baggetta is entering his 16th year with MNHI and his sixth as a member of the organization’s senior management.

    During his time with the Connecticut Open, Baggetta honed his marketing craft through the planning and execution of a large-scale and renowned international tennis event. This included duties such as developing community partnerships, implementing sponsorship activations, and conceiving unique spectator experiences such as the city’s first-ever New Haven Food & Wine Festival.

    At MNHI, Baggetta developed the destination marketing skills necessary to elevate downtown New Haven’s brand image as an attractive place to visit, live, and do business. He has played a significant role in branding downtown through a long-running series of successful promotional activations, large-scale events, and strategic partnerships with stakeholders, funders, community leaders, and organizations across the region. His leadership continues to position the city in the national, regional, and local spotlight.

    Most recently, Baggetta guided MNHI’s June 2025 rebrand of the city’s official destination identity: New Haven. We’ve got it all. This comprehensive brand relaunch solidified New Haven’s reputation as a bold, modern, and compelling destination for visitors, while aligning marketing, advertising, and digital platforms under a unified creative system.

    As a result of his career-long dedication to raising New Haven’s profile, Baggetta was awarded the prestigious Seton Elm-Ivy Award in 2011, which honors individuals who have served both Yale University and the City of New Haven with special distinction.

    Following the reestablishment of MNHI as a stand-alone organization in October 2018, Baggetta continued his dynamic career as one of the city’s most influential marketing forces. Since June 2019, he has served as director of MNHI. 

    He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Quinnipiac University with a minor in Marketing.

  • Win Davis, Executive Director, Town Green District

    “When people say, ‘They really need to do something about that’…Remember that WE are the They. “

    Since joining the Town Green District in 2001, Win has held several different positions in the organization before becoming Executive Director in 2012. Win has spearheaded a team dedicated to enhancing the Downtown New Haven experience through public space programs & improvements as well as events, such as the New Haven Night Market, Flights of Fancy, the family Fun Zone at the St. Patrick’s Day parade & more.

    A lifelong CT resident and long-time resident of Greater New Haven, Win earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 963 in Woodbridge and graduated from Amity High School in 1998, going on to earn bachelors’ degrees in History & Psychology from the University of Vermont as a member of the class of 2002. Win is a recipient of the New Haven Business Times “Forty Under 40” award, a graduate of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce’s GNH Leadership program, and he received a Rising Star Award from Business Times New Haven in 2012. Through the International Downtown Association, Win was a speaker at the 2013 and 2015 annual conferences and chosen to participate in the IDA’s prestigious Emerging Leader Fellowship in 2016. Since 2018, Win has been a juror on the IDA Awards Committee, reviewing & selecting the best projects in our industry each year.  In 2024 Win was honored to receive the Cornelius Driscoll Award “for outstanding community service” from the Associated Irish Societies of Greater New Haven, a longtime partner of Town Green. Under Win’s leadership, The Town Green District has seen steady growth of our programming in support of district constituent’s property values.

    Win’s current volunteer work involves serving on New Haven Festivals, Inc. and Liberty Community Services Board of Directors.  Liberty Community Services is dedicated to ending homelessness in Greater New Haven, offering services to those experiencing homelessness who are living with HIV/AIDS, mental illness and/or addiction.

  • David DelVecchio, Director, Yale University Properties, The Shops at Yale

    “Good placemaking is the art of creating spaces that reflect identity, invite connection, feel safe, are well cared for, and are shaped in collaboration with the community.”

    David DelVecchio is the Director of Real Estate Asset Management, University Properties, where he oversees marketing and public relations for more than 100 commercial properties, manages operations at five transient parking facilities, leads three merchants’ associations in Downtown New Haven, and coordinates public space management in collaboration with the City of New Haven, Special Services Districts, and local property management companies.

    Since joining Yale in 2015, David has led strategic marketing initiatives that have increased foot traffic, boosted sales, enhanced community engagement, improved public spaces, and supported successful leasing efforts.

    David has developed and launched several successful annual events to promote tourism and support local businesses, including the New Haven Chalk Art Festival, Appetizer & Dessert Crawls, and the Ice Carving Competition & Yale A Cappella Concert.

    With more than 25 years of experience in real estate, property management, and marketing, David previously served as General Manager of Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods for Tanger, Inc. (Greensboro, NC), and as Senior Account Executive at MD&C, a New Haven-based marketing, advertising, and public relations firm. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Quinnipiac University.

  • Jamal Robinson, Founder, CITA Park

    “My team and I have come to realize that hurdles are a vital part of building something special. We may lament them briefly, but then we embrace them—because every challenge is a lesson, and every solution becomes a new tool that equips us for the next hurdle. And when the work feels daunting, we remind ourselves how important it is to keep going. Because if not us, then who?”

    Jamal Robinson is the Director of Sales and Marketing at New England Brewing Co. With over
    20 years of experience in the brewing industry, he has successfully helped develop, launch and
    manage sales for both national and regional breweries. A champion of diversity, Jamal has
    spearheaded the establishment two African American Brewers Scholarships for Sacred Heart
    University’s Brewing Science Program and co-founded The Change in the Air (CITA)
    Foundation, a 501C3 nonprofit focused on diversifying the beverage industry. He is also the Co
    Founder of C.I.T.A Park , a beer garden and event space downtown new haven devoted to the
    same goals while being a hub for cultural and social equity. His leadership and contributions
    have earned him recognition as a 40 Under 40 award recipient by Hartford Business Journal,
    CT Magazine, and Beverage Dynamics.

  • Moderator: Jennifer Baldyga, Event Manager, CMSC

    Jennifer Baldyga, Event Manager, CMSC

Ecosystems of the built Environment: Enlivening Neighborhood Commercial Districts

  • Malachi Bridges, Economic Development Officer, City of New Haven

    “Place-based development works best when we listen first and design last. To counter a past where placemaking often fueled exclusion and displacement, we now use it as a tool for inclusion, grounding design in the voices, history, and identity of each neighborhood. The result is micro-downtowns that reflect the people they serve and open new pathways to opportunity.”

    Malachi Bridges, MPA, serves as the Economic Development Officer for the City of New Haven, where he spearheads initiatives in Neighborhood Commercial and Housing and Community Development. His work encompasses planning, project management, housing delivery, small business support, program administration, and business retention and recruitment, with a central focus on revitalizing the city’s 17 Neighborhood Commercial Districts and increasing housing density within these areas. These efforts aim to serve and employ local residents while fostering vibrant, sustainable communities. Malachi is also pursuing a Juris Doctorate with a focus on real estate, land use, and tenancy law. His academic background, which includes a Master’s in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Africana Studies from UConn, highlights his commitment to addressing affordable housing, residential inequity, thriving neighborhood-scale commerce, and fostering community growth in his hometown of New Haven, CT.

  • Carlos Eyzaguirre, Deputy Economic Development Administrator, City of New Haven

    “Support neighborhood commercial districts; they are engines of equity and the vehicle to intergenerational wealth. By investing in walkable, welcoming corridors where small businesses thrive and residents gather, we build not just stronger economies, but stronger communities where everyone belongs.”

    Carlos Eyzaguirre is the Deputy Economic Development Administrator (“EDA”) for the City of New Haven. Besides Economic Development, the EDA is responsible for oversight of several city departments including Transportation Traffic and Parking, Livable City Initiative, City Plan and the Building Dept. His prior work as an economic development project manager is comprised of several major City initiatives including the COVID-related Together New Haven Economic Resiliency roundtable, the Wooster Square Plan, the Long Wharf Responsible Growth Plan and the Route 34 West multi-phase mixed-use development. He also previously served as Business Development Director for the Economic Development Corporation of New Haven.  Carlos also worked for The Workplace in Bridgeport helping to administer the Youthworks program. A graduate of New Haven Public Schools, he attended the University of California Santa Cruz and Hunter College (CUNY). He serves on the board of several regional and New Haven-based organizations and lives in the Westville section of New Haven with his family.

  • Mike Piscitelli, Economic Development Administrator, City of New Haven

    “Placemaking is about more than architectural design or urban planning, but also dignity. Cities must create intentional spaces that foster a true sense of place, where every resident has access to meaningful employment, affordable housing, and neighborhood shops that meet their basic needs with quality goods and services. These are not privileges, but rights that belong to everyone, regardless of income, access to a vehicle, background, or opportunity.”

    Michael Piscitelli, AICP, serves as the Economic Development Administrator for the City of New Haven.  EDA coordinates the work of six city departments responsible for planning, transportation, cultural equity and economic wellbeing.  Mr. Piscitelli also served as President of the American Planning Association’s Connecticut Chapter.  Prior to joining the City of New Haven team, Mr. Piscitelli served in similar capacities for the MTA/Metro-North Railroad and the City of Springfield, Massachusetts.  Mr. Piscitelli earned his BA at St. Bonaventure University and MRP in regional planning at the University of Massachusetts.

  • Moderator: Laura Pirie, Founder & Principal, Pirie Architects

    “Making places is both a process and a result. Done well, placemaking reveals and celebrates each community’s uniqueness and unites people with their environment: feeding their spirit, elevating their day to day experience, and recharging the living system.”

    Laura Pirie, AIA LFA is principal of Pirie Associates Architects, an award-winning, multi-disciplinary design firm that is also a certified B Corp. Spanning all scales of the built environment, Pirie Associates specializes in architecture, interiors, landscape, placemaking, and planning, and is known for its high degree of craft, sensitivity to occupant health and well-being, and timeless design solutions that evoke a spiritual-like connection to place. At all scales of the built environment, Laura guides a participatory design processes to deeply engage users in co-creating their places. Through active listening and deconstructing solutions to identify priorities and aspirations, her engagement recenters design as a collaborative, place-based, regenerative, and culturally resonant endeavor.  The results of working this way are purpose-driven environments that are catalysts for change. Clients and stakeholders describe working in this way as transformational.  Laura is a Lecturer in Architecture at Yale University, President of the Board of CT Main Street Center, and co-founder of Conscious Pioneer, an organization that guides people through ancient sites of the Americas to understand how the values of cultures are reflected in their built environments. 

Recordings

All recordings available on YouTube

@ctmainstreetcenter1718

Q&A Continued

  • Q: (iQuilt) Does the Hartford trail to riverfront and elsewhere have plans for benches along the way? I need rest stops on my journeys.

    A: We have plans for benches, rest areas, games, lighting and other amenities along the route.  This has not been specified yet but we have heard that from others that would use the system and plan on putting these amenities in.

    -Jackie Mandyck, The iQuilt Partnership

  • Q: (iQuilt) Outside the pedestrian bridge over 91, what will the trail look like through the neighborhoods? Using existing infrastructure that’s integrated into the neighborhood or something else?

    A: There are three different segments. There is the bridge over 91 which we refer to as Riverlink, there is about one mile that will be a widened sidewalk (the road portion) and then there will be another segment that is adjacent to a freight line corridor (Hartline/Rail).

    More information on the Hartford 400 vision

    -Jackie Mandyck, The iQuilt Partnership

  • Q: (iQuilt) How are you improving walkable wayfinding to/from Hartford Union Station & transit around downtown, to State Capitol & state offices, Bushnell?

    (I took the HLine to Hartford from NHV recently and found it very confusing/difficult to find my way one I got to the station)

    A: We have over 450 pedestrian way finding signs predominately in Downtown Hartford, South Downtown and the Frog Hollow Neighborhood. We need to do a better job of promoting these signs for people visiting our city as a way to get around.  We also need to add information within Union Station to get people to where they want to go in Hartford.

    More information on the wayfinding project

    -Jackie Mandyck, The iQuilt Partnership

  • Q: (Berkshire Busk) How are you surveying to get your feedback and how are you measuring your crowds?

    A: We have staff approach festival attendees with clipboards.  We’ve measured our crowds in a few ways over the years, including: walking around with a clicker, taking snapshot counts at various points throughout the evening, and cross referencing cell phone pings with sales data from a very popular local store that is open during the festival to benchmark our crowd estimates.

    -Carli Scolforo, Berkshire Busk

  • Q: (Berkshire Busk) Are the buskers paid? What are any additional hard costs?

    A: We pay our buskers a small stipend for their participation, which can vary based on their proximity to the festival and level of notoriety.  There are other hard costs for marketing, staffing, onsite location supplies, police, etc.

    -Carli Scolforo, Berkshire Busk

  • Q: (Berkshire Busk) Do you get any pushback from your businesses about closing the street and how do you handle that?

    A: We have found that there is no way to please everyone! However, communication is important. We have held formal meetings and continue to have informal ongoing dialogue.   It can be hard to balance what can feel like conflicting interests between some retailers vs. our artists and attendees, but trying to find that balance has led to some great innovations for us.

    -Carli Scolforo, Berkshire Busk

  • Q: (Berkshire Busk) Do communities have busker regulations? Do some stay after the timeframe of the festival?

    Some towns certainly do have regulations on busking and street performance (sometimes these can get wrapped into panhandling laws), but Great Barrington, MA does not! We’re only up against a general noise ordinance at 10pm, so we don’t have buskers stay on the street past the time out festival closes. We do occasionally see some travelling buskers get into town early and take part in some unorganized busking in the area in the afternoon.

    -Carli Scolforo, Berkshire Busk
    carli@berkshirebusk.com

  • Q: (Berkshire Busk) What would you say your average cost is for these busk events, or overall budget per event? Would love to add this to Bristol!

    A: Glad to hear you’re interested in doing this in Bristol–I’m always an email away for advice! It’s difficult to paint in broad strokes on how much to budget for staffing, artist fees, and the hard costs mentioned as there are many pro-bono elements that affect our budget. We’d be happy to have a 1-on-1 discussion with you to help you get a better picture. 

    -Carli Scolforo, Berkshire Busk
    carli@berkshirebusk.com

  • Q: (CITA Park) As a New Haven resident living minutes from CITA Park, it truly is a gem here in downtown. How important are community collaborations bringing life to the space? Can you speak about the popup events and community groups that are calling CITA Park a third place?

    A: Community has been invaluable to us at CITA. When a drunk driver crashed through the park this spring , just a month before our scheduled opening ,  it was the community that showed up and helped us rebuild. Nearly 80 people came out, most of whom we had never met before but who saw the value in what CITA represents. They showed up on cold, rainy days in late April with tools, gloves, and an incredible work ethic to help us rebuild from over $20,000 in damages. Without that community support, we simply wouldn’t have been able to open on time.

    Community activation is equally important to what we do and represent over half of the events we actually host in the park. This summer, we hosted three free street-closure block parties — including Seafood Fest and BBQ & Wing Fest — each centered around small businesses providing the food. Our partners for these events were the local food vendors themselves.

    One of the biggest collaborations was with Trey Moore, co-founder of Seeing Sounds, where we came together to host the Seeing Sounds Block Party, which brought out over 1,000 people — most of whom were from the Black and Brown community.

    We’ve also partnered with some incredible local organizations and creators, including but not limited to:

    • Crafters of Color, who co-hosted a Halloween-themed craft fair that highlights people of color in the crafting community  called Nightmare on Orange Street
    • Gather New Haven and Town Green District
    • On and On Radio, a multiracial and gender-diverse DJ collective
    • Future Royalty, a young, multicultural DJ and production group behind our La Fuga event series
    • PGLA, for Saweto Sunday, an African cultural day party focused on Amapiano music
    • Soul Mates Run Club, an inclusive running community created and led by people of color
    • Dripp Sauna, which we collabed with to hose  Wellness Days to the park with a mobile sauna, cold plunges, group runs, and calisthenic workouts
    • For the Girls, a women-focused day party and networking meet-up
    • Carib Brunch, a Caribbean-themed community brunch event
    • Freddy Fixer Parade, for which we hosted both the fundraiser and afterparty
    • Women of Color Flash Mobb, a professional women’s network and community celebration

    Most of these partners are BIPOC-led organizations that not only used our space to collaborate and host events but also saw CITA as a safe, welcoming space that reflected their culture and their audience.

    The fact that so many of these partners continue to choose CITA as a home for their events is one of the most meaningful measures of our success and a true reflection of our value to the community we serve.

    -Jamal Robinson, CITA Park

  • Q: How does (New Haven Economic Development) intend to support tenanting and match-making of new development with either locally created small businesses or outside businesses that can provide significant workforce opportunities as these neighborhoods build up their commercial districts?

    A: Our strategy is twofold: build the physical environment for success and simultaneously cultivate the ecosystem of businesses and talent that will fill those spaces. Through the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NCD) Playbook, we begin by strengthening the foundational infrastructure: streetscapes, public spaces, zoning, and building readiness through our Leasehold and Facade programs to create vibrant, walkable commercial districts that attract investment and foot traffic. At the same time, the City’s Small Business Resource Center (SRBC) will provide technical assistance through its DNA of an Entrepreneur certificate program, and partner closely with the New Haven Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (NHE3), a collaborative of Entrepreneurial Support Organizations that provide technical assistance, business planning, mentorship, and access to capital for local entrepreneurs. This ensures that small, locally grown businesses are positioned to occupy and thrive in new and renovated storefronts. On the other end of the spectrum, we actively work with external employers and anchor institutions to recruit businesses that bring high-quality jobs, training opportunities, and workforce pathways to these neighborhoods. This “dual approach,” nurturing local entrepreneurship while attracting catalytic employers — is designed to ensure that new development is fully integrated into the community fabric and directly supports wealth creation, workforce participation, and long-term neighborhood vitality.

    -Malachi Bridges, City of New Haven

  • Q: (NH EcDev) What’s next (for the NCD Playbook)?

    A: The work is now shifting from planning to implementation. Over the next two years, we will roll out the NCD Playbook’s strategies in targeted districts — such as Grand Avenue, Kimberly Square, Dixwell, and Whalley — while launching new infrastructure, façade, and leasehold improvement programs that make it easier for small businesses to locate and grow there. Our team is also expanding neighborhood-level capacity by supporting the formation of local management entities and exploring new funding tools to sustain district operations over time. These actions will coincide with continued tenanting support, including small business recruitment events, matchmaking between property owners and entrepreneurs, and partnerships with workforce development organizations to link residents with new job opportunities. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that every investment — whether public or private — translates into visible, meaningful outcomes for residents: thriving storefronts, good jobs, and commercial corridors that meet their daily needs.

    -Malachi Bridges, City of New Haven

  • Q: (CMSC) How can we better engage local merchants and residents in the placemaking process so that improvements truly reflect their culture and identity?

    It should be a goal of your town/city’s main street management process to have a board/steering committee/Economic Development Commission, that is reflective of the community.  This should include representation from merchants, building owners, municipal officials, arts organizations, and other community stakeholders. It is important to keep this group updated and engaged with the town’s established strategic planning for the district which came together through community input.   From this, established goals will inspire great placemaking ideas that truly celebrate your community’s history, heritage, and traditions.

    -Carl Rosa, CMSC

    For a Main Street Manager or Economic Development Professional, it’s all about having an ongoing relationship with them; walking the street, stopping in to see how things are going, meeting them on their terms in ways that are convenient for them. With a relationship, you get to know what are their needs, pain points, and successes so your placemaking ideas are developed with them and can support what is important to them to be a thriving business.

    -Michelle McCabe, CMSC

With thanks to our Sponsors & Exhibitors!

Summit Partners

Summit Supporters

EXHIBITORS

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Spotlight on Main Thomaston

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Success Stories. Leave a Comment

Spotlight on Main

Thomaston

Our Spotlight on Main event included networking time, a presentation from Thomaston EDC and a guided walking tour.

Tour Highlights:

📍Clocktown Brewery & The Seth Thomas Building
📍Seth Thomas Park
📍Landmark Community Theater at Thomaston Opera House
📍Railroad Museum of New England
📍Plume House Inn

As always, our Spotlight focused on highlighting best practices in downtown management.

View Pictures from this event

Photography by Mill Town Photo Company

With thanks to our Sponsors!

Spotlight Partners

CEDAS

CEDAS, the Connecticut Economic Development Association, is a not-for-profit organization committed to advancing the practice of economic development within the state of Connecticut. CEDAS is the premiere association for economic development professionals, providing a forum for the economic development community and sponsoring educational programs and seminars to benefit those in the field. 

Visit their website

Amodio & Co Real Estate

Family owned and operated, Thomaston Comfort Control Inc. and Thomaston Oil & Propane provide trustworthy HVAC, oil, and propane services. We have been in business since 1986 and are committed to the strong values of people, protection, and peace of mind. Happily providing HVAC service, oil, and propane to residential and commercial clients for over thirty five years, Thomaston Comfort Control services throughout the state of Connecticut and Thomaston Oil & Propane services the Litchfield County area and beyond.

Visit their website

Thomaston Savings Bank

Thomaston Savings Bank is a refreshingly different kind of bank that’s focused on higher goals — yours. As a mutual savings bank, we’re owned by our clients, not any investors. So everything we do is focused on one mission – empowering you for financial success. The technologies we advance, the security we ensure, and the solutions we customize are all focused on making it easier for you to achieve your goals. In every community, we’re all in. As a full-service financial resource for residents and businesses as well as a leading supporter of non-profits.

Visit their website

Spotlight Supporters

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State of Main 2025

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Impact, Success Stories. Leave a Comment

 
 
 

Presented by CIVICLIFT

Our inaugural State of Main event was hosted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2025 at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury.

Connecticut Main Street Center and Connecticut Conference of Municipalities invited Main Street stakeholders from across CT to gather, network, hear from insightful panels and celebrate the people doing great work in our downtowns.

Scroll down to find information on our speakers, pictures from our event and our event sponsors. 

Event Playlist

View videos of the State of Main Address, panel presentations, and more on Youtube.

Recorded by IntersectMedia

Speaker Bios

Sustaining Restaurants and Retail in Uncertain Times

  • Scott Dolch, President & CEO, CT Restaurant Association

    In early 2018, Scott Dolch became the President & CEO of both the Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) and Connecticut Hospitality Educational Foundation (CHEF). The association represents the state’s $15.6 billion restaurant industry, with
    more than 9,000 locations and 145,000 jobs across the state.

    The foundation is the non-profit 501(c)3, philanthropic arm of the CRA and its mission is to promote the health and prosperity of state’s hospitality industry through education, scholarships
    and financial assistance In a little more than seven years, the association has seen tremendous growth, as there are now over 2,100 restaurant members, which is an increase of more than 500%. In addition,
    the association and foundation came to the rescue for the hospitality industry during the COVID pandemic, helping small businesses survive through advocacy efforts, communication resources and financial grants. The value of membership has never been in a better place and growth of the hospitality industry is on full display every year when they welcome more than 1,500 professionals to the CRAZIES Awards Gala at Foxwoods Resort Casino – the event is tabbed as the OSCARS of the hospitality industry.

    Prior to the CRA, he spent more than 15 years in the athletics industry, with specific roles in marketing,
    communications and sales. He worked for the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship, the University of
    Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts Lowell and most recently he served as the Senior Associate
    Athletics Director for the University of Hartford. During his career, he built a strong knowledge of
    Connecticut’s consumer base, building relationships with the media and community leaders. Dolch has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, summa cum laude, from Central Connecticut State University, where he was also a four-year starting quarterback for their Division I-AA football program.

  • Anne-Marie Knight, Executive Director, Black Business Alliance

    Anne-Marie is an accomplished executive leader, businesswoman, and passionate advocate for Black-owned businesses. As Executive Director of the Black Business Alliance, she drives strategic, intentional change to support and elevate Black entrepreneurs across Connecticut through impactful programs and services. Anne-Marie is also the founder and

    Chief Strategy Officer of SHINE! Consulting & Training, LLC, which equips faith-based and minority-led nonprofits with expert training and resources.

    With over 19 years of experience facilitating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training through the Anti-Defamation League, Anne-Marie has led workshops for more than 8,000 organizations across the Northeast. She is a Certified Master OASIS in the Overwhelm Stress Expert and Trainer, integrating mindfulness into her leadership and advocacy.

    A respected community leader, she is Co-Founder of Hope and Healing Homes, Inc., and serves on the Executive Boards of Oasis in the Overwhelm and the K&K Community Rebuilding Foundation. She holds an MBA with a specialization in Training & Leadership, a Bachelor’s in Business Management, and multiple certifications in entrepreneurship and nonprofit management.

    Anne-Marie was honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and named to New Haven Business Journal’s Power 25 Class of 2023.

  • Rebecca Mead, Administrator, Middlesex County Revitalization Commission

    Through her work with the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, Rebecca Mead is the Administrator for the Middlesex County Revitalization Commission (MCRC), coordinating grant programs and a broad range of economic development services and resources for the fifteen municipalities within the county.

    She also manages Chamber activities in the member towns in the “down county” area – Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Westbrook.

    Rebecca is also the founder and director of INQ Creative, a bespoke marketing agency that serves nonprofits, membership organizations, and honorific societies.

    Rebecca serves on the Chester Economic Development Commission and the Chester Planning & Zoning Commission and has assisted the Chester Merchants with marketing services to promote the First Friday events, the Chester Earth Day Celebration, and the Chester Arts & Literary Festival, encouraging visitors to the uniquely vibrant town center.

  • Moderated by: Chris DiPentima, President & CEO, CBIA

    Chris DiPentima is the president and CEO of CBIA, Connecticut’s leading business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state. The organization includes CBIA’s Foundation, CBIA’s products & services division, and two affiliates—the business consulting firm CONNSTEP and the nonprofit education and workforce ReadyCT.

    DiPentima previously was division president of Leggett & Platt Aerospace, a S&P 500 company, leading manufacturing operations at the company’s Middletown-based Pegasus Manufacturing facility and locations in Washington, California, and France. He joined Pegasus, then family-owned, in 2002 and was named president in 2006, where he implemented a series of strategic initiatives resulting in a doubling of employment and revenue before selling to L&P in 2016. Prior to joining Pegasus, DiPentima spent eight years as an attorney representing corporations and individuals.

    A former chair of CBIA’s board of directors, he chairs the Connecticut Manufacturers’ Collaborative (CMC), serves on the board of the Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF), and several non-profit and for-profit boards. DiPentima has a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and received his juris doctorate from Quinnipiac Law School. He lives in Durham with his wife and three daughters.

Building Regional Resilience through Arts, Culture & Tourism

  • Anthony M. Anthony, Chief Marketing Officer, CT DECD

    Anthony M. Anthony is the Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Connecticut, leading one of the boldest brand turnarounds in recent memory. As the state’s first CMO, he’s helped boost state pride by 25% to its highest point since the study commenced in 2012—and increased resident likelihood to recommend Connecticut by 144% to live, 107% to work, and 175% to visit.

    Previously, Anthony served as Communications Director and Special Advisor to Governor Ned Lamont, helping the state’s leader earn the highest approval rating of any Democratic governor at the time and a double-digit re-election win.

    He cut his teeth as a creative director and communications strategist in New York City, shaping brand identity and messaging for Fortune 500 companies that cut through the noise.

    Outside of work, he’s a husband, dad, pop culture obsessive, and dinner party loyalist—always chasing great storytelling, strong coffee, and smarter ways to make Connecticut shine.

  • Taneisha Duggan, Director of Arts, Culture and Tourism, City of Hartford

    Taneisha is a producer, director and cultural architect working at the nexus of creative leadership and lifestyle. With over 20 years as a theater maker, her work lends itself to innovative frameworks for community gathering and storytelling–best expressed in the site specific and immersive production of WALDEN on the banks of the Connecticut River produced with

    TheaterWorks Hartford and Riverfront Recapture, where she combined non-profit art-making and the public sector to bring together an unbelievable night of art, in community.

    As a producer and arts administrator, she is propelled by the belief that the culture we advance is the society we become. Her work has varied from corporate marketing at Mattel, Lead Producer of First Night Hartford, directing at Juilliard, to her former position as an Associate Producer at Octopus Theatricals (Hadestown, Gypsy; Broadway). She trained as an actor at SUNY – Purchase College in The School of Theater Arts and Film, and is a 2016 National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow. Her proudest job is as a mama of two boys.

  • Bruce Flax, President, Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce

    Bruce Flax joined the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce after working in Entertainment and Marketing at Foxwoods Resort Casino for 26 years.

    As a 31-year resident of Groton, who served on the Town Council and as Mayor, Bruce has a wealth of local knowledge. He has worked to focus the Chamber on its members and to successfully grow Mystic and the SE Connecticut Region. In the last 5 years he has introduced a number of unique marketing programs that have elevated the Chamber and its members including the Go Mystic App, the Community Proud Program, the Five Things to Do in Mystic Videos, and the Traveling Visitor Center Truck. Bruce is the Treasurer of the Eastern Regional Tourism District and serves on the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer) Board.

  • Lisa Scails, Executive Director, Cultural Alliance of Western CT

    Lisa Scails is a strategic leader at the intersection of arts, culture, and economic development. As Executive Director of the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, she champions the creative economy, fostering partnerships that drive regional growth and community vitality. Through collaboration with business leaders, policymakers, and local stakeholders,

    Lisa advances initiatives that position the arts as a powerful force for economic resilience.

    Her background in civil rights leadership—including her tenure as President of the NAACP CT State Conferences—equipped her with expertise in advocacy, coalition-building, and policy impact. As a diversity consultant, she has guided businesses and institutions toward inclusive practices that strengthen workforce engagement and organizational effectiveness.

    Lisa serves on the Western Connecticut Economic Development District Advisory Group, partners with the CT Office of the Arts, and supports revitalization efforts through CT Main Street and Sustainable CT. She remains committed to harnessing creativity as a catalyst for economic innovation and community well-being.

  • Moderated by: Rufus de Rham, Interim Executive Director, CT Arts Alliance

    Rufus de Rham is an archivist, community leader, and advocate who believes art is an integral part of how we build and strengthen community. He has over a decade of non-profit experience in the arts, and has deep experience with economic development, advocacy, and community organizing.

Pathways to Vibrancy: Partnerships that help downtowns thrive

  • The Town of Cheshire & Ball and Socket Arts

    Andrew Martelli, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Cheshire

    Andrew was appointed as the Assistant Town Manager in January of 2025. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Economic Development & Grants for the Town of Cheshire since 2021. Prior to joining the Town of Cheshire, Mr. Martelli served as a senior project manager for the Waterbury Development Corporation for 11 years managing municipal development projects, housing

    development, grant writing and all facets of economic development.

    Mr. Martelli received a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban & Community Studies from the University of Connecticut in 2006 and is currently working toward his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut. Mr. Martelli has served on various Boards and Commissions including four years on the Town of Cheshire’s Board of Education and is currently the Chairman of the Naugatuck Valley Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (NVRPOCD).

    Ilona Somogyi, President & Founder, Ball & Socket Arts

    Ilona is a faculty member in the design department at the Yale School of Drama. She has worked as a professional costume designer at regional

    and commercial theaters in New York City, around the country and in Europe. She has collaborated at non-profit theaters of many different sizes

    from very small artist ­initiated companies to multi-million dollar institutions. These include Hartford Stage, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theater, Yale Repertory Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival, among many others. She received a BFA from Parsons School of Design and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. She has been a Cheshire resident since the age of five.

  • The Town of Fairfield, Sacred Heart University & Fairfield University

    Mark Barnhardt, Community and Economic Development Director, Town of Fairfield

    Mark S. Barnhart is the Director of Community & Economic Development for the Town of Fairfield. During his 20-year tenure, Mark has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Town’s development plans, including the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Fort Devans site into affordable housing.

    From 2010 through its December 2011 opening, Mark oversaw the partial remediation and construction of the Fairfield Black Rock Station site to facilitate the private mixed-use, transit-oriented development now underway. Previously, Mark served as Town Manager and CEO for the Town of Stratford from 1992 to 2002. Mr. Barnhart holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his undergraduate studies at Albright College. Mr. Barnhart serves as Treasurer of the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS).

    Jennifer Anderson, VP Marketing & Communications, Fairfield University

    Jennifer Anderson joined Fairfield in 2014 and oversees the University’s division of Marketing and Communications. Ms. Anderson brings more than 25 years of marketing and communications expertise to Fairfield including extensive

    experience in traditional and digital marketing, employee communications, media and public relations, and marketing communications.

    Prior to joining Fairfield, Ms. Anderson served as the Vice President, Digital and Event Marketing for Pitney Bowes where she oversaw the company’s external and internal web properties, content marketing efforts, and the global events organization. While at Pitney Bowes, Ms. Anderson also served as the Vice President, Office of the CEO, overseeing the operations of the CEO’s office.

    Ms. Anderson is proud to be a Fairfield University Stag, earning her BA in English in 1997, and her MBA in Marketing from the Charles F. Dolan School of Business in 2002. Ms. Anderson is also a graduate of the Executive Leadership Programs at both Harvard University, and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Ms. Anderson won the inaugural Women in Business Community Impact award from the Town of Fairfield’s Chamber of Commerce in 2025. She currently serves on the Economic Development Commission for the Town of Fairfield, as well as the Board of Directors for St. Thomas Acquinas School and the Board of Governors at Fairfield Prep. Ms. Anderson has been a full-time resident in the Town of Fairfield since 2002 where she resides with her husband and three children.

    Matt Oestreicher, Director, SHU Community Theater

    Matt is the Executive Director of the 500 seat SHU Community Theater in Fairfield Connecticut. In 2018 he received a “Man of Vision” award by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network for his “tireless efforts and creative work in nurturing, inspiring and empowering young people in the arts from multi-cultural communities” for his work in the non-profit sector.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Music from Tufts University and the New England Conservatory, respectively, and holds a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from New York University. Matt spent the greater part of four years living at yoga centers and meditation centers where he worked in exchange for multiple certifications in Eastern spiritual and body practices that included yoga, chi gong, martial arts, and meditation. He has studied with many of the great living masters of these arts including a winter living in the Maui home of Ram Dass(Richard Alpert.)  He is the co-author of the published works “The Be You Card Deck for Teens: 60 Mindfulness Practices to Manage Anxiety, Build Confidence and Be the True You” (Pesi Publishing & Media) and “This Is Your Spiritual Retreat” (Chonicle Books.)  As a musician and producer he has been a consistent presence on the stage, the screen, and behind the scenes.  He has enjoyed a long affiliation with the Apollo Theater in Harlem where he has been the keyboardist/guitarist/arranger for the world famous Apollo Amateur Night Band for the last 14 years.  He has worked with a who’s who list of international music artists including Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Snoop Dogg, Neil Diamond, John Legend, Weird Al, Michael Bolton, Jon Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, and many, many others.  He has appeared on TV shows like Showtime at the Apollo on FOX, The Macys Parade on NBC, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, Night of  Too Many Stars on Comedy Central, The Today Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, or the Wendy Williams Show.  As a touring musician he has performed on tours like The Lady Gaga Monster Ball Tour, The Weezer/Blink 182 reunion tour, and Anita Bakers Farewell Tour.  He has worked on Broadway countless times, most recently as the music director and conductor for the revival of Smokey Joe’s Cafe on 42nd Street for which he was nominated for an Audelco Award for Outstanding Music Direction.

     

     

  • Middletown Downtown District, Middletown PD & St Vincent de Paul

    Chief Erik Costa, Middletown Police Department
    Chief Erik M. Costa has served as Chief of the Middletown Police Department since October 2021. He brings over 29 years of progressive law enforcement leadership and a strong commitment to community-focused policing. Prior to his current role, Chief Costa retired from the Connecticut State Police at the rank of Lieutenant, where he served from August 1999

    September 2019. His extensive public safety background also includes serving as Director of Campus Safety at Mitchell College in New London, CT, from August 2019 to August 2021. Chief Costa holds a Master of Science in Leadership with a concentration in Public Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California (2021). He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice with a concentration in Pre-Law and a minor in Communications from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI (1996), and also completed a Graduate Certificate in Administration of Justice and Homeland Security – Leadership from Salve Regina (2014).

    A modern, goal-oriented leader, Chief Costa is known for fostering innovative community partnerships and prioritizing the health and wellness of both sworn officers and civilian staff. His leadership is defined by integrity, vision, and a deep commitment to public service.

    Sandra Russo-Driska, Manager, Middletown Downtown Business District
    Sandra Russo-Driska is the former City Clerk of Middletown, CT. After serving in that role for over 20 years she retired and served on the City Council and many boards and commissions including Arts and Culture and City Hall & Library Renovation Committees.

    Sandra became the Manager for the Downtown Business District in 2020. In her role at the District she works with partners such as the Chamber of Commerce, Police Department, St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, and many City Hall departments, to ensure the safety, cleanliness and quality of downtown.

    The Downtown Business District (DBD) is a special taxing district comprised of 72 properties and 58 owners in Middletown’s downtown corridor. The DBD’s main function is to support the businesses and property owners while focusing on safety, beautification and improvements to our Main Street and side streets. The DBD supports and helps provide cultural and artistic opportunities for businesses and the community in addition to a robust gift card program that infuses over $150,000 to our business partners.

    Maryellen Shuckerow, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul Middletown
    Maryellen M. Shuckerow, MHSA is the Executive Director of St Vincent De Paul Middletown, Inc. Ms. Shuckerow has been in Non-Profit Leadership for 27 years and holds a Master of Human Service Administration from Antioch New England Graduate School, in Keene New Hampshire.

    Ms. Shuckerow has extensive experience in non-profit fundraising, executive management and organizational consulting. Ms. Shuckerow’s leadership skills have a strong track record of building community partnerships on all levels in communities where she has worked, including municipal and government relations, faith based and community groups, healththcare and business partnerships. She fosters a philosophy that strong non-profits are ones that have well developed partnerships in their community and community issues are resolved through the combined efforts of a diverse set of partners working together towards shared goals.

  • Moderated by: Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, Connecticut Main Street Center

    Michelle@ctmainstreet.org

    Michelle brings over a decade of non-profit management experience to Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC). Her expertise in program development and strategic planning led CMSC’s expansion of its educational and technical assistance programming, member assistance offerings, and championing statewide policies that benefit Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets.

    Michelle and the CMSC team developed an innovative new downtown management assessment tool;launched several new programs including Main Street Accelerator focused on  local  team leadership training and project implementation, and Diversity on Main, a partnership with the Black Business Alliance focused on filling storefront vacancies; engaged in regional work in partnership with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce; and identified key issues for advocating on behalf of Connecticut’s main streets. Michelle serves on the boards of Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and Connecticut Preservation Action.

Time to Celebrate!

  • Quentin Williams Downtown Hero Award

    Congratulations to Rista Malanca, AICP

    Rista was recognized with the Quentin Williams Downtown Hero Award for her outstanding contributions to community vibrancy through her longstanding efforts to revitalize downtowns in the state’s Northwest corner, including working in partnership with Winsted stakeholders on traffic calming measures; her impactful work as Economic Development Director in Torrington where she was instrumental in instituting several main street initiatives from streetscapes to new mixed-use development; and in her current role as Director of Economic & Community Development with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG), where she spearheaded the Northwest CT PROMISE Program in collaboration with CMSC to provide assessment, training, and technical and marketing assistance to strengthen the communities in the region.

    Learn more about Rista

  • 2025 Accelerator Cohort

    Main Street Accelerator trains local teams from communities across Connecticut to implement small-scale projects that make incremental positive change in their downtowns. During the program, participants learn and practice national best practices in main street management; sustainable and inclusive development practices; project management; and community engagement.

    Bethel

    The team is working together to create the Experience Downtown Bethel website to cultivate the growth, resilience, and prosperity of Downtown Bethel by delivering experiences that boost tourism, increase foot traffic, and enhance local commerce. The team also focused on developing a process for business owners to support each other on future projects.

    Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District

    Bridgeport DSSD team members are working together to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports the ability of existing business owners to grow and expand Downtown, as well as welcome in and set up new entrepreneurs for success in brick-and-mortar spaces that will complement the neighborhood’s identity that is experiential, creative, and increasingly friendly to the growing residential population.

    East Hartford

    The team comprised of City, art, and economic development representatives are collaborating on a coordinated cultural plan for Downtown East Hartford, focusing on identifying current cultural assets and opportunities for arts programming that supports long-term cultural and economic development.

    Enfield

    The Enfield team set out to create an effective and organized non-profit Main Street program that will design a formal plan to address how to change perceptions of Thompsonville, including survey questions, meetings, and development of different pitches for the area.

     

Event Photos

With thanks to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Partner Sponsors

Exhibitors

  • Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield

    Contact: Kyle McMahon, Strategic Sales & Account Consultant

    960-491-8237

    Kyle.McMahon@anthem.com

    www.Anthem.com

    108 Leigus Rd. Wallingford, CT 06492

  • CivicLift

    Contact: Evan Dobos, Founder

    (860) 619-2500

    Evan@civiclift.com

    www.get.civiclift.com

    114 Vanderpool Ave. Bantam, CT 06750

  • Eastern Water Solutions

    Contact: Katie Morgan, Business Manager

    (203) 264-8183

    Katie@easternwater.com

    www.easternwater.com

    5 Benson Rd. Oxford, CT 06478

  • Loureiro

    Contact: John Sullivan, Sr. Business Development Manager

    (860) 410-3070

    jtsullivan@loureiro.com

    www.loureiro.com

    100 Northwest Dr. Plainville, CT 06062

  • Precision Concrete Cutting, Inc

    Contact: Sal Ceneri, President

    800-553-0949

    info@safesidewalks.com

    www.safesidewalks.com

    66 N Rutland Rd. Milford, CT 06461

  • Sertex Broadband Solutions

    Contact: Laurel Pepin, Office Manager

    (860) 416-0012

    lpepin@sertexllc.com

    www.sertexbroadband.com

    22 Center Parkway, Plainville, CT 06374

  • T2 Systems, a Verra Mobility Company

    Contact: John Holland

    267-615-1105

    John.Holland@t2systems.com

    www.verramobility.com/parking

  • Vancord

    Contact: Jason Pufahl, VP of Security Services

    855-VANCORD

    jpufahl@vancord.com

    www.vancord.com

    500 Boston Post Rd. Milford, CT 06460

  • Verizon

    1 Verizon Way, Basking Ridge, NJ

    www.verizon.com

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Spotlight on Main New Britain

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Success Stories. Leave a Comment

Spotlight on Main

Downtown New Britain

Presented by Jasko Development

Our Spotlight on Main event included networking time, a presentation from New Britain Downtown District, and a guided walking tour.

Tour Highlights:

  • Chicha, 2 Main Street, with owner Andres Soriano
  • Unknown Clothing, 18 Main Street, with owner Maciah Clark
  • Hole in the Wall Theater, 116 Main Street,  with HITW President, Miranda Gallo
  • NBPD Community Room, 10 Chestnut Street,  with Chief of Police, Matthew Marino & Officer Joseph Milhomens
  • Assembly Room, 222 Main Street, with Dan Czyzewski of Exclusive Properties & Abe Beltran, Property Manager
  • Avon Dream Housing Development, 102 W. Main Street, with George Taweh, President T-Long Construction
  • Anvil Place, 51 W. Main Street with Professor Leah Glaser, CCSU History Department discussing how she solidified New Britain Downtown’s place on the National Register of Historic Places.

As always, our Spotlight focused on highlighting best practices in downtown management! 

About New Britain Downtown District

Two distinct neighborhoods welcome you to Downtown New Britain. Located between the Little Poland and Barrio Latino gateways, Downtown is an intersection of cultures and full of opportunity!

View Pictures from this event

Photos by Mark Maglio 4BizGraphics

With thanks to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Jasko Development works hand in hand with communities to create inspiring places that bring a collective vision to life.

Visit their website

Spotlight Partners

CEDAS

CEDAS, the Connecticut Economic Development Association, is a not-for-profit organization committed to advancing the practice of economic development within the state of Connecticut. CEDAS is the premiere association for economic development professionals, providing a forum for the economic development community and sponsoring educational programs and seminars to benefit those in the field. 

Visit their website

Amodio & Co Real Estate

Since 1919, Amodio & Co has owned, developed, and brokered nearly every property type, bringing extensive experience to our clients. We bring creative solutions to ensure your deal happens and that it is done right. As a boutique commercial firm, we care about long term relationships, providing our clients with the utmost attention to accomplish their specific real estate goals in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Visit their website

Fuss & O’Neill

Fuss & O’Neill is a multidisciplinary engineering firm that provides client-specific, forward-thinking, and holistic solutions. Since 1924, we have made it our mission to improve the built and natural environments in response to our public and private clients’ evolving needs.

Visit their website

Spotlight Supporters

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CMSC & CRCOG Summit: 10 Years of TOD & the Road Ahead

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Impact, Success Stories. Leave a Comment

CMSC & CRCOG Summit

10 Years of TOD & The Road Ahead

Presented by Parkville Management

Our Spring Summit: 10 Years of TOD & the Road Ahead was hosted on March 20th, 2025 at Parkville Market in Hartford.

CMSC partnered with the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) to look at Connecticut’s history with transit-oriented development, review three distinct case studies and look to the future of TOD in CT. 

Scroll down to find information on TOD, our speakers, PDF’s of their presentations, pictures from our event and our event sponsors. 

Panel Presentations

Find all of the panels on Youtube

Recorded by IntersectMedia

What Is TOD?

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has been traditionally defined as the practice of centering mixed-use, walkable development around transit stations. Higher-density housing, and complementary uses such as retail, public space and other amenities are placed within walking distance of the stations. TOD promotes community connectivity and accessibility while offering greater transportation options and reducing reliance on cars.

At the March TOD Summit, David Kooris, Executive Director of Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA), pointed out that a Transit-Oriented Connecticut exists at the following three scales:

  1. TOD, Transit-Oriented Developments: the site – a single property or assemblage of properties;  
  2. TON, Transit-Oriented Neighborhoods: the area surrounding transit stations; and
  3. TOC, Transit-Oriented Communities: the regional scale, stitches the neighborhoods together.

Micromobility

Interested in Promoting Micromobility in your Community?

Consider participating in CRCOG’s contract with VEO (a vendor that provides e-bicycles, e-scooters and other micromobility devices) through the Capitol Region Purchasing Council. Please contact Pauline Yoder to learn more: pyoder@crcog.org. The attached flyer provides more information about the CRPC.

Explore TOD Projects in the Capitol Region

Wondering what 10 years of transportation investment looks like?

View the StoryMap

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) has developed a transit-oriented development (TOD) StoryMap that explores the investment and development around rail and our Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations in the region, also known as CTfastrak. The TOD StoryMap visualizes the change in development over time, and highlights both the stations and specific developments around the stations that offer new housing and commercial opportunities for the Capitol Region. Capturing public and private investment, this tool also demonstrates the value of investing in transit-oriented corridors within the Capitol Region to grow meaningful opportunities in proximity to transit. Check out recent projects and what is still on the way with our TOD StoryMap.

Take CRCOG’s Survey!  Your input is needed. Please participate in CRCOG’s active surveys to improve our communities:

Speaker Bios & Presentations

Keynote speaker

David Kooris, Executive Director, Connecticut Municipal (Re)Development Authority (CMDA)

View Keynote Presentation

ctmuniredevelopmentauthority@gmail.com

David Kooris is the first Executive Director of the Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority (CMDA), a statewide quasi-public authority established to provide towns and cities across Connecticut with the resources necessary to realize substantial housing production in their downtowns and transit station areas.

 

Mr. Kooris previously held various public and civic sector positions focused on urban revitalization and placemaking, resilience and emissions reduction, and coordinated land use and transportation planning including: President of Stamford Downtown; Board Chair of the Connecticut Port Authority; Deputy Commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development; Director of Resilience at the Connecticut Department of Housing; Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development and Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency for the City of Bridgeport; and Vice President and Connecticut Director at Regional Plan Association.

CTfastrak in New Britain

  • Eric Amodio, Managing Broker, Amodio & Co. Real Estate

    Eric@amodio.com

    Eric entered the commercial brokerage business after receiving a degree in finance and MBA in real estate from Bentley University. In 2018, he completed the highly regarded CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation to bring further financial investment knowledge to his clients’ real estate decisions.

    He has experience in retail, office and industrial sales and leasing, with notable transactions involving such entities as Goodwin University, Polar Aerospace, Allstate Insurance, Cricket Wireless, Popeyes Chicken, Boost Mobile, Access Health CT, and The Connecticut Bar Association.

    He also brings extensive experience in multifamily investment sales and management, with a focus on value-add opportunities and creative financing.

  • Jack Benjamin, Director of Planning & Development, City of New Britain

    Jack.Benjamin@newbritainct.gov

    Jack Benjamin is the Director of Planning & Development for the City of New Britain. Jack and his staff handle economic development, community development, grants management, and all planning, zoning, and land use issues for the City. Jack previously worked as the grants director for a college and as a planner for the City of Chicopee, MA.

    Tasked with administering the City of New Britain’s plan of conservation and development (POCD), Jack is currently managing a comprehensive update of the City’s zoning code and land use regulations. Jack’s approach to development focuses on remediation of brownfields and blight, strategic infill development, and opportunities for creative conversion and adaptive reuse.

  • Nicole Bosco, Executive Director, New Britain Downtown District

    Nicole.Bosco@newbritaindd.com

    Nicole Bosco was born and raised in central Connecticut and is a graduate from the University of Connecticut. After holding economic development roles for the Town of Berlin and City of New Britain, she was selected as the Executive Director for the New Britain Downtown District in August of 2022, a Business Improvement District surrounded by cultural gateways known as Little Poland and the Barrio Latino. Combining her passion for helping small businesses with local tourism, Nicole is dedicated to pursuing a vibrant destination hub and instituting initiatives to drive the resurgence of Main Street. Nicole serves on several Board of Directors including the New Britain Institute, Community Mental Health Affiliates, and CT Economic Development Association. Most recently, Nicole was awarded Young Professional of the Year by the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce.

  • Moderated by: Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, Connecticut Main Street Center

    Michelle@ctmainstreet.org

    Michelle brings over a decade of non-profit management experience to Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC). Her expertise in program development and strategic planning led CMSC’s expansion of its educational and technical assistance programming, member assistance offerings, and championing statewide policies that benefit Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets.

    Michelle and the CMSC team developed an innovative new downtown management assessment tool;launched several new programs including Main Street Accelerator focused on  local  team leadership training and project implementation, and Diversity on Main, a partnership with the Black Business Alliance focused on filling storefront vacancies; engaged in regional work in partnership with the Northwest Hills Council of Governments and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce; and identified key issues for advocating on behalf of Connecticut’s main streets. Michelle serves on the boards of Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) and Connecticut Preservation Action.

CTrail in Windsor

  • Keller Glass, President, Citizens for a Thriving Windsor

    Kellerglass@gmail.com

    Keller serves on the board of Windsor’s CT Main Street affiliate, First Town Downtown, and is a founding member of Windsor Advocates for Transit and Transportation Safety. He is also president of Citizens for a Thriving Windsor, a political action committee advocating for forward-thinking transportation and housing policies. A passionate rail enthusiast, Keller chose to live in Windsor Center for its New England charm, walkability, and rail station. Through his organizing efforts, he has worked to leverage Windsor’s strong transportation assets to enhance its vibrant downtown, promote sustainable growth, and create a more connected, accessible, and thriving community.

  • Patrick McMahon, Economic Development Director, Town of Windsor

    View the slides

    McMahon@townofwindsorct.com

    Patrick McMahon has twenty-eight years of experience in the fields of economic and community development.

    He currently serves as the Economic Development Director in his hometown of Windsor.  He actively markets the 3000-acre Day Hill Corporate Area and addresses small business concerns in Windsor Center and the Wilson neighborhood along with partners in Windsor’s Main Street program and Chamber of Commerce.  He is actively involved in a transformative traffic calming and pedestrian safety initiative in the downtown area; as well as transit-oriented development in the vicinity of the train station.   

    He led the Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC), a statewide nonprofit organization focused on downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts for four years. During his tenure with CMSC, he interfaced with municipal officials and staff in over 100 Connecticut communities providing valuable feedback and training in a range of creative placemaking topics. Under his leadership, CMSC grew its member community network and secured significant new state funding to strengthen the organization for its future pursuits.

    For fifteen years, he served as Director of Economic and Community Development for the Town of Suffield, Connecticut.  He marketed several hundred acres of light industrial zoned land in the vicinity of Bradley International Airport and landed several businesses to the area. He oversaw nearly $2 million in downtown streetscape improvements.  He spearheaded the redevelopment of a vacant gas station into a two-story brick office building in the town center and was instrumental in the acquisition and renovation of a former church into the Town’s permanent senior center. 

    Mr. McMahon served twelve years as a part-time Economic Development Consultant for the Town of Windsor Locks.  He facilitated the completion of a Main Street Master Plan for the community which included recommendations for streetscaping, redevelopment parcels, recreation opportunities, and transportation initiatives including bringing the Amtrak stop back downtown. 

    He started his career as Community Development Coordinator for the Town of Windsor for five years with a primary focus on the revitalization of the Wilson neighborhood and business district.  Revitalization efforts included: a façade program, housing rehabilitation, small business loans, community-building activities, and roadway and infrastructure projects.  He also served on the Board of Directors for Windsor’s Main Street program, First Town Downtown.   

    Mr. McMahon is a member of the Bradley Development League, a consortium of the four towns surrounding Bradley International Airport, with a mission to enhance the economic development potential of New England’s second largest airport.  He served two years as Chairman of the MetroHartford Alliance’s Regional Economic Development Forum.  He is a Past President of the Connecticut Economic Development Association and a former Board member of the Northeastern Economic Development Association (NEDA).  He was Co-Chairman of NEDA’s 60th Annual Conference in New Haven, CT. 

    Mr. McMahon has secured over $20 million in competitive state and federal grants for various projects in Suffield, Windsor and Windsor Locks.  He has a joint JD/MPA degree from the University of Connecticut.   

  • Greg Vaca, Founder & President, Grava Properties

    greg@gravaproperties.com

    Gregory Vaca, founder and President of GRAVA Properties, is an experienced real estate professional with a passion for placemaking. A graduate of Columbia University, Greg established GRAVA in 2020, specializing in mixed-use and urban infill projects in the Greater Hartford Area. His focus on ground-up multifamily rental development and Transit Oriented Development reflects a commitment to innovative and sustainable urban living.

    Before founding GRAVA, Greg spent 14 years at Tishman Speyer, a global real estate firm, serving in key roles across New York City, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. During his tenure, he served as Managing Director of New York Acquisitions and Development and Chief Operating Officer of the Brazil office, overseeing Tishman Speyer’s $1 billion portfolio in that country. His expertise spans acquisitions, development, commercial leasing, property and asset management, dispositions, and fundraising.

  • Moderated by: Kevin Bielmeier, President, CEDAS

    EcoDevDirector@southbury-ct.gov

    Kevin Bielmeier is the current President of the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS). Since 2019, he has served the Town of Southbury as its first Economic Development Director, earning Gold Certification for Best Practices in Land Use and Economic Development in 2024.

    Previously, Mr. Bielmeier worked for the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC), now Advance CT, providing onsite municipal economic development services to the towns of Suffield, East Granby, Clinton and Burlington, as well as the Bradley Development League.

    Prior to CERC, he was the Economic Development Director for the Town of New Milford, under the Gronbach Administration.

    Kevin’s lengthy career path has been diverse and includes corporate fundraising, video production, cruise directing, and professional acting on both stage and screen.

    He holds bachelor degrees in Business and Music, but is most proud of his long-lasting relationship with his wife Josie, and their two incredible daughters. They live in their dream home by the sea in Lordship.

Micromobility in Hartford

  • State Rep Julio A. Concepción, Executive Director, Hartford Chamber of Commerce

    JConcepcion@metrohartford.com

    Julio Concepción serves as the Executive Director of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce after 11 years in the role Vice President of Hartford Partnerships for the MetroHartford Alliance. In this capacity, Julio is the liaison between Chamber Investors and the City of Hartford, its elected and appointed officials, its departments and, most importantly, its neighborhoods.

    Julio has also served as Chairman of Hartford Crime Stoppers, Chairman of the Young Professionals Taskforce and on the boards of Camp Courant, Knox Foundation, Theaterworks Hartford and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut.  He is currently an active board member of the Greater Hartford YMCA, the Downtown Business Improvement District, Hartford Stage and Riverfront Recapture.

    From 2005 to 2007, Julio served as Community Liaison and Assistant to the Mayor of the City of Hartford, where he focused on resolving constituent issues throughout Hartford. In March of 2010, he was elected to serve in Hartford’s 5th District Town Committee and in 2011 he was chosen as the Grand Marshal of the Puerto Rican Day Parade and as a Hartford Business Journal “40 under Forty” winner.

    In 2015, Julio was elected to serve on Hartford’s Court of Common Council, where he was selected by his peers for role of Majority Leader. He was elected to Connecticut General Assembly representing the 4th District (Hartford) in June 2018 and won reelection later that year and again in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

    Happy in Hartford

    “I was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the Hartford Region when I was three years old, finally settling in the City of Hartford after graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2004,” explains Julio.

    “My daughter, and I enjoy living in Hartford. We love that there are so many things to do in walking distance—from great local restaurants to live music to events at Bushnell Park,” he adds. “There’s always something happening, and we are happy to be a part of this thriving, vibrant city.”

  • Jordan Polon, Executive Director, Hartford Business Improvement District

    Jpolon@hartfordBID.com

    Jordan Polon is the Executive Director of the Hartford Business Improvement District (HBID), where she leads initiatives to improve the overall experience in Hartford, CT’s commercial core through programs in public safety, clean streets, placemaking, beautification, events, marketing and advocacy. Polon is an active leader in both local and international urban management communities. A Certified Leader in Place Management through the International Downtown Association (IDA), Polon serves as Vice Chair of the IDA Board of Directors and sits on the boards of the iQuilt Partnership and the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. Polon coined the well-known phrase “Hartford Has It” and her exploration of how perception can influence comfort and behavior in urban spaces can be seen in her 2022 TEDx Hartford talk. Through her work, Polon has strengthened Hartford’s sense of place, fostering a welcoming, dynamic, and diverse urban environment.

  • Grace Yi, Senior Planner, City of Hartford

    Grace.Yi@hartford.gov

    Driven by a passion for Safe and Complete Streets, City of Hartford Senior Planner Grace Yi leads multimodal transportation efforts in Connecticut’s capital city.  Informed by academic and professional experience in sustainability and urban planning, Grace aims to make progress towards cleaner, accessible, and more equitable transportation systems that improve the mobility experience for users of all types and abilities.  

    Over the years, she has worked closely with local and regional agencies, residents, grassroots nonprofits, and other community stakeholders to take tangible steps towards a more resilient and sustainable City of Hartford, spearheading and supporting initiatives from shared micromobility to Slow Streets traffic calming, stormwater management, energy efficiency, and more. 

  • Michael Zaleski, President & CEO, Riverfront Recapture, Inc.

    MZaleski@riverfront.org

    Michael Zaleski has been the president & CEO of Riverfront Recapture, Inc. since 2015. Riverfront Recapture manages the Riverfront parks system and public recreational facilities along the Connecticut River in greater Hartford. The organization works to enhance the region’s quality of life and make the Riverfront an attractive destination for visitors and residents.

    Prior to his work with Riverfront Recapture, Zaleski was the executive director of the Hartford Business Improvement District in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2006, Zaleski led the committee that established the Hartford BID, a special services district that includes Downtown Hartford and a portion of the city’s Asylum Hill neighborhood. The Hartford BID works collectively with its property owners and the City to enhance economic vitality and quality of life in the central business district.

    Zaleski has more than 25 years of experience managing non-profit organizations and community and economic development projects. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Providence College and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Connecticut.

  • Moderated by: Matt Hart, Executive Director, Capitol Region Council of Governments

    Mhart@crcog.org

    Matt Hart is the Executive Director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), the largest of Connecticut’s regional planning organizations serving 38 municipalities and a population of 976,248 in the greater Hartford region. CRCOG’s team of professional staff work to promote responsible land use, sustainable transportation systems, economic vitality, and quality of life.

    Matt is an accomplished manager and leader with broad experience in regional and local government. He values innovation and teamwork, and has a passion for leadership and public service. Matt has long championed regional solutions to improve service delivery and to promote equity and sustainability. His current policy priorities at CRCOG include infrastructure funding, climate mitigation and adaptation, housing, transportation safety, and multi-modal transit.

    Previously, Matt served as the Town Manager in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he helped lead the community through the COVID-19 pandemic and implement sound fiscal strategies designed to address budgetary and operational needs. Prior to West Hartford, Matt served as Town Manager in Mansfield, Connecticut, where he played a critical role in developing Storrs Center, a mixed-use, New Urbanism project located adjacent to the University of Connecticut’s main campus. In addition, Matt has experience working in the private sector and is a veteran of the US Army and US Army National Guard.

    Matt is currently an adjunct faculty member with the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy, which has recognized him for his contributions to the field of public administration and the school. He is an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC). Matt earned his juris doctor (JD) and master’s in public affairs (MPA) from the University of Connecticut, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Potsdam.

The Road Ahead

  • Deputy Commissioner Emma Cimino, CT DEEP

    Emma Cimino is the Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Quality at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).  She was appointed to this position in November, 2023. As Deputy Commissioner, Emma provides leadership for the three bureaus within DEEP’s EQ Branch – Air Management, Water Protection and Land Reuse (WPLR), and Materials Management and Compliance Assurance (MMCA).

    Emma joined DEEP from the office of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, where she led the Senator’s work on energy, environment, and infrastructure issues, including work on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Prior to the Senate, Emma worked as a Senior Policy Advisor at the National Governor’s Association. She began her state service working for former Governor Dan Malloy, serving as a Director of Government Affairs. Emma also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 2009-2011, during which she taught English in the Philippines.

    Emma holds a bachelor’s degree from UConn and a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

  • Deputy Commissioner Laoise King, CT DOT

    Laoise (pronounced Lee sha) King comes to the CTDOT with more than 20 years of experience in local government and not-for-profit organizations.

    Most recently, Laoise served as Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Norwalk, CT. As Chief of Staff, Laoise managed all administrative functions for the City or Norwalk at the direction of the mayor. She also provided guidance to elected officials on policy and planning as well as working closely with the City’s State and Federal delegations to achieve the City’s legislative agendas and secure funding for municipal projects.

    Prior to coming to the City of Norwalk, Laoise served in various capacities in local government and non-profit sectors. She worked as Vice President of Education Initiatives at United Way of Greater New Haven where she was a member of the senior management team and was responsible for the design and management of community investments, partnerships and programs related to education. Before joining Unity Way, Laoise served the City of New Haven as Assistant Corporation Counsel, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor and finally as Chief of External Affairs for the New Haven Public Schools. Laoise also advised the Mayor on public policy matters, implemented Mayor’s Office initiatives, and assisted the Chief of Staff in day-to-day operations of the City.

    Born in Ireland, but raised in Connecticut, Laoise returned to Connecticut in 2005 after living in Colorado for ten years. In Colorado, Laoise worked as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Denver.

    Laoise received her Juris Doctor from University of Denver College of Law and her B.A. degree from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

  • Tim Love FAIA, Founding Principal, Utile

    Love@utiledesign.com

    View the slides

    Tim Love is the founding principal of Utile and leads the firm’s urban design and planning practice. He is also a tenured Associate Professor at Northeastern University’s School of Architecture, where he teaches design studios and seminars that focus on the intersection of urban design, policy, and real estate development. Love’s expertise ranges from innovative zoning approaches; to a comprehensive understanding of market-driven building types; to the strategic layout of streets, blocks, and parcels; to the design of Complete Streets and the larger public realm. 

    Love’s clients include municipalities, state authorities and agencies, and national developers. He is especially adept at exploring alternative development scenarios in collaboration with engineers, landscape architects, and real estate finance experts. Design alternatives are shaped by financial goals, the regulatory context, environmental considerations, a social agenda informed by community input, and a place-specific design vision. Rather than simply balance these factors, Love seeks a visually compelling synthesis that can inspire elected officials, potential development partners, and the full range of stakeholders. 

    Love has a BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master in Architecture from the Harvard GSD, where he received the Henry Adams Medal. In addition to his academic position at Northeastern, Love is a Lecturer in Real Estate at the Harvard GSD and has taught at Yale, the University of Toronto, and RISD. He was also the 2014 President of the Boston Society of Architects and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the U.Va. School of Architecture.

  • Deputy Commissioner Matt Pugliese, CT DECD

    Matthew J. Pugliese was named Deputy Commissioner and Chief Investment Officer of the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) on January 1, 2024. In this role he oversees all real estate, capital project, brownfield and community development initiatives and compliance activities of the department.
    Previously, he served as DECD’s Executive Director of Community Development where he managed multiple state grant programs supporting a diverse range of capital projects. Matt joined the department in 2022 to help launch the Community Investment Fund 2030 program, an $875 million-dollar, five-year program fostering economic and community development in historically underserved communities across the state.
    Prior to joining DECD, Matt served as the Associate State Director of the Connecticut Small Business Development Center and held leadership positions in higher education at UConn and nonprofit organizations. Matt currently serves on the Town of Old Saybrook’s Board of Selectmen and is a past chair of the town’s Economic Development Commission. He earned his Masters in Public Administration from the UConn School of Public Policy and bachelor’s degree from the UConn School of Fine Arts.

  • Moderated by: David Kooris, Executive Director, Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority (CMDA)

    Bio available under Keynote 

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Spotlight on Main Street Bridgeport

Written by Jennifer Baldyga on . Posted in Success Stories. Leave a Comment

Spotlight on Main

Downtown Bridgeport: Fueled by Creatives

Presented by Sacred Heart University office of Community Engagement

Fueled by creatives, arts and entertainment, dining and nightlife, Downtown Bridgeport is evolving into an inclusive, affordable and multicultural Downtown. Connected to highways, trains and buses, it can be easily accessed by car or foot. Once vacant daytime office buildings are being converted into residential units, encouraging even more dining and nightlife in the city center. Downtown Bridgeport’s historic amenities are being brought to life through adaptive reuse and mixed-use projects. Public art is bringing vibrancy and engaging creativity in public spaces. 

Presentation Highlights

Our Spotlight on Main event introduced downtown professionals, economic development officials, and municipal leaders from across the state to this multicultural district. This event included:

Learn More: 

View Pictures from this event

Photos Courtesy of Daniel Recinos

  • CMSC Executive Director, Michelle McCabe

  • CMSC Board Member, Kelvin Ayala

  • Matthew Shields, Sacred Heart University

  • Lauren Coakley Vincent, President & CEO of Bridgeport DSSD

  • Bill Coleman, Bridgeport Office of Planning and Economic Development

  • Mayor Ganim

  • ES Barraza, Endangered Studio

  • Alicia Cobb, Art Simplicated

  • CMSC Staff

Watch the Presentation

CMSC in the Media

Video courtesy of Stephen Krauchick of Doing it Local 

With thanks to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Sacred Heart University Office of Community Engagement

Social responsibility plays a role in our curriculum, events and student activities. SHU offers Volunteer Programs, Service-Learning opportunities and Service Immersion Programs to suit everyone – every aspiration, every career goal, every social interest.

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Spotlight Partners

CEDAS

CEDAS, the Connecticut Economic Development Association, is a not-for-profit organization committed to advancing the practice of economic development within the state of Connecticut. CEDAS is the premiere association for economic development professionals, providing a forum for the economic development community and sponsoring educational programs and seminars to benefit those in the field. 

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Bridgeport Regional Business Council

The largest business association in the region, the 600 member Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC) is comprised of six affiliates: the Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull Chambers of Commerce, Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation, Leadership Greater Bridgeport and the Women’s Leadership Council.

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Fairfield University Center for Social Impact

Grounded in Fairfield University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission to share its intellectual resources for the betterment of the community and to educate students to be socially and morally responsible, the Center for Social Impact connects community and campus to create high impact academic opportunities that address local, national, and global challenges and develop individuals committed to creating a more just and equitable world.

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M&T Bank

M&T Bank is committed to building a stronger community–Together. Our purpose is to understand the individuals and the businesses in our neighborhood, so we can create the right opportunities for the people we serve.

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The Recinos Company

Here to help you connect with your audience through understanding that everything worth doing starts with passion, and that’s something that we all have in common. Whether you’re looking to connect with your clients through photos, videos or music, our team will always work with you to unlock and release that passion into your work. 

We create honest, vulnerable & relevant content that resonates with your customers and community. We aspire to increase engagement and add value to your customers and brand. 

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P.O. Box 270
Hartford, CT 06141
860.280.2337

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