- What does the term economic development meant to you? Wealth creation.
- What is an average day like for you? Presenting at Bloomfield Town Council – Council Subcommittees – Economic Development Commission meetings; Setting up visits and accompanying Bloomfield town officials meeting with local businesses; Identifying and contacting out-of-state businesses which might have an interest in locating in Bloomfield; Providing Bloomfield town incentives and amenities information requested by CERC, State of CT, MetroHartford Alliance and site consultants/real estate brokers representing an economic development project; Researching e.d. programs which might enhance Bloomfield’s ability to retain and recruit businesses; and Presenting Goman + York Property Advisor services to municipalities looking for e.d. assistance.
- What is your proudest accomplishment? Establishing Connecticut Innovations Inc. in 1989.
- What is your next goal? Encouraging young people to consider economic development as a worthy career.
- What do you want to tell us about East Hartford & Bloomfield? East Hartford is the home office of the Goman + York Property Advisors LLC consulting group. Bloomfield is where I principally provide economic development services; Bloomfield is a Greater Hartford suburb of 22,000 people with one of the most diversified populations in Connecticut (over 60% minorities); Bloomfield is home to Cigna (largest Fortune 500 company in CT) and some 80 manufacturers. Many are aerospace related, providing parts and services to such OEMs as Pratt & Whitney and the locally headquartered Kaman Aerospace; and Bloomfield is also a logistics hub, with former flat tobacco lands now housing such distribution centers as Trader Joes, HomeGoods, Pepperidge Farm and Home Depot.
- Are you Dunks or Starbucks? Both.
- If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you? Jet ski and rocket flares.
Read the full article on the Connecticut Economic Development Association website.