Board of Directors

If you would like to be considered for a position on the Board, or to contact any of our board members, please use our Contact page.

President
Paige Bronk, AICP

Planning Section Manager & Strategic Growth Lead, M&J Engineering

Paige Bronk, AICP, has a focus towards bridging community planning, economic development and project implementation. From 2015 to 2024, he served as the Town of Groton’s Economic and Community Development Manager helping to lead new initiatives in a growing community. His 25 year career spans several economic development and planning roles in unique and notable communities including Newport, RI; North Kingstown, RI; Providence, RI; Frankfort, Kentucky; and Savannah, Georgia.

He served for 13 years as the City of Newport, Rhode Island’s Director of Planning, Development, Zoning and Inspections leading numerous public/private partnerships and property redevelopment initiatives especially in the North End Redevelopment district. Paige’s geographically diverse experience integrates a variety of environmental, business and community perspectives that address an integrated and balanced approach to community and economic development.

Paige earned a Master’s Degree in Community Planning and Development from the University of Rhode Island in 1991. He also achieved a Bachelor’s Degree with dual major in Environmental Studies and Geology from Alfred University in 1989. Paige earned his certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) in 1996. Following his passion for the ocean, he recently gained a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) – 100 Ton Master Captain’s License.

1st Vice President
Kevin Bielmeier

Economic Development Director, Town of Southbury

Kevin Bielmeier has been Southbury’s first Economic Development Director since 2019. He provides support services to the local business community, while actively attracting new business, working across the municipal departments that intersect development. In addition to being the staff liaison for the town’s Economic Development Commission, he co-chairs the 350th Anniversary Steering Committee, serves on the board of the Southbury Chamber, the Sustainable CT working group, Western CT Tourism Council, and the Naugatuck Valley Corridor Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) group. He project managed the launch of the town’s online permitting system, their affordable housing plan and their 2022 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).

Prior to Southbury, Kevin was a municipal economic development consultant with CERC (now Advance CT) serving Suffield, East Granby, Clinton and Burlington, and the Bradley Development League, with a focus on the manufacturing sector.

Prior to CERC, he was the Economic Development Director for the Town of New Milford. In two years, he helped open a community center, a co-working space, two breweries, many restaurants, a community art collaborative, an affordable housing development and a riverfront development project. Plus, rebranded the town, wrote and produced a promotional video, and secured and implemented state funding to demo a contaminated factory and remediate a 72-acre, long-standing brownfield site.

Kevin’s diverse career path includes corporate fundraising, managing video production, cruise directing global luxury liners, and professional (union) acting on stage and screen.

He has a bachelors degree in Business and Music from Fredonia State, but is most proud of his long marriage to Josie, his wife, and their two wonderful daughters. They reside in their dream home by the sea in Lordship, Stratford.

2nd Vice President
Lynn DiGiovanni

Municipal Project Liaison and Business Development Manager, M&J Engineering

Lynn DiGiovanni has played an active role in the economic development of Connecticut’s communities in varying roles over the past several years. In her capacity as Municipal Project Coordinator for a post-industrial distressed municipality, Lynn gained invaluable insight into the challenges, opportunities, and complexities that face cities and towns striving to transform into vibrant, modern communities while preserving their unique sense of place. She carried that insight with her as she moved on to the role of Business Development Manager for a long-established consulting engineering and architectural firm. The firm, located in a purposefully restored historic building in the heart an emerging transit-oriented development district, provided a vast array of technical and administrative professional services to help public and private agencies advance their infrastructure systems.  Underlying these initiatives was a desire to not only improve the safety and functionality of public works systems, but to do so in a way that enhanced the well-being of those who lived, worked, and played in their neighborhoods – all of which contributed to the investment value of these communities. Today, Lynn serves the dual role of Municipal Project Liaison and Business Development Manager for a rapidly growing civil engineering and construction management firm, M&J Engineering, in North Haven, Connecticut. Her dynamic background, extensive professional network, and passion for understanding the why and how beyond the what, has inspired her on-going contributions to the modern practice of economic development. In addition to serving on the Executive Board of CEDAS as 2^nd Vice President, Lynn holds the position of Director of Communications for the Connecticut Chapter of Construction Management Association of America (CMAA).

Treasurer
Mark Barnhart

Director of Community & Economic Development, Town of Fairfield

Mark S. Barnhart is presently the Director of Community & Economic Development for the Town of Fairfield, having been appointed to the post in September 2002. Previously, Mr. Barnhart had served as the Town Manager and Chief Executive Officer for the Town of Stratford from 1992 to 2002. In his capacity as Town Manager, Mr. Barnhart was instrumental in efforts to successfully remediate and redevelop the former Raymark site as well as the Stratford Army Engine Plant (SAEP). Mr. Barnhart began his professional career with the City of Camden, NJ, where he served as the Assistant to the Director of Public Utilities. In 1989, Mr. Barnhart was appointed Assistant/Town Manager of Stratford, Connecticut, a position he held until his promotion to Acting Town Manager in October 1991.

Mr. Barnhart holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his undergraduate studies at Albright College, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Mr. Barnhart serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County and the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS). Mr. Barnhart presently resides in Monroe with his wife Katherine and two children.

Secretary
Karen DelVecchio

Pat Munger Construction

Karen DelVecchio joined Pat Munger Construction Company, Inc. in October 2018. Munger Construction is a commercial and industrial general contractor that has been providing quality construction services to Connecticut businesses for over 50 years.

As the Business Development Manager, her primary focus is to build awareness of Munger Construction’s unique capabilities through various channels, including involvement with chamber and association memberships and connecting with strategic partners.

As an advocate for the company’s vision, Karen builds relationships with potential customers and partners to generate new business and maintains relationships with past customers and partners.

Before joining Munger Construction, Karen was the Executive Vice President of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, a regional chamber of commerce, for 13 years. During this time, her skills in building relationships and being a resource have proven vital to her role at Munger Construction, as have the many connections she has maintained over the years.

Karen is a lifelong Trumbull resident and has been engaged in many organizations over the years. She is currently the Vice Chair of the Trumbull Economic & Community Development Commission and has been a member of The Rotary Club of Trumbull for over 17 years. She is a Rotary past president and a Paul Harris Fellow, and was honored when her club selected her as their Norm Parsells Awardee in 2016.

Karen received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut. She has three amazing adult children and enjoys reading, cooking, crafting, and time with family and friends.

Immediate Past President
Kristen Gorski

Economic Development Coordinator, Town of West Hartford

Kristen Gorski serves as Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of West Hartford. She provides extensive outreach to enhance the relationship between the Town of West Hartford and local businesses. Kristen is responsible for business retention and expansion, new business attraction, new development, and small business and entrepreneurial support. She is a liaison between the Town and its businesses and non-profit organizations as well as the real estate and development community. Prior to joining the Town of West Hartford, she worked at the Bristol Development Authority for the City of Bristol.

A Massachusetts native, Kristen moved to Connecticut in 2015. In Massachusetts, she worked for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the state’s largest regional planning agency whose focus is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. While at MAPC, she served as a liaison between federal and state agencies as well as local government representatives statewide implementing homeland security planning initiatives. Kristen also assisted with the Cambridge Post-Disaster Recovery for Small Businesses project, working collaboratively with City of Cambridge, MA and their various business districts. Additionally, she has more than six years of business management experience in the retail sector.

Kristen is actively involved with the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce where she serves on the Economic Development Committee and on the Board of Directors for Future Leaders of West Hartford (FLOW), currently holding the position of Board President. She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Geography and Regional Planning and a B.S. in Criminal Justice, both from Westfield State University. Kristen lives in Glastonbury with her husband, and is an avid hiker and skier.

Michael Anderson

Government and Community Relations Specialist, Avangrid

Michael Anderson is currently a Government & Community Relations Specialist for Avangrid (CNG/SCG/UI). Previously, he was an Account Manager for a tech firm. Prior to that, he was a Business Development Executive for the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on several other boards, including WHEAT Food Pantry (West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce), and The Orange Economic Development Corporation.

Michael graduated with his B.S. in Political Science from Southern Connecticut State University and currently resides in Branford, CT with his wife.

Jim Bellano

Economic Development Director, Town of Windham

Jim Bellano is the Economic Development Director for the Town of Windham, Connecticut. In 2017, during the search process for a new Town Manager, Jim was unanimously appointed Interim Town Manager by the Windham Town Council.

From 2001-2006, Mr. Bellano served as Director of Economic Development for the Housatonic Valley (Northern Fairfield County) region of Connecticut and later, the City of Danbury. Prior to his appointment in Windham, he was the Director of Development for Scope Realty Associates in Danbury, Connecticut.

In addition to his economic development work, for almost 30 years, Jim has taught both Political Science and Law at various colleges and universities in the tri-state area; including, Western and Eastern Connecticut State Universities. He has also authored a number of opinion pieces on those subjects. Currently, Jim serves as both the Windham representative and the Chair of the Eastern Regional Tourism Board.

From 1993 to 2001 Mr. Bellano practiced real estate, contract and bankruptcy law in Westchester County, New York. Jim received his Juris Doctor from the Quinnipiac University School of Law and a Master’s of Science in Social Science from Long Island University.

Anne Benowitz

Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce

Anne Benowitz serves at the Vice President, Economic Development & Workforce Initiatives at the Greater New Haven Chamber. Anne leads the business retention and expansion efforts for the Chamber and serves at a liaison to the City of New Haven and Rex Development. Anne also leads the Chamber’s participation in the manufacturing and health care Regional Sector Partnerships, convened through the Governor’s Workforce Council. Her efforts focus on building talent pipelines in these industries in the New Haven Region, providing outreach to enhance the relationships between educational partners and the business community.

Anne has had a long career in business development and marketing, starting out at Exxon Office Systems and moving into New York to work for a sports marketing company, managing a column in the Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine, call “Sports Business” and managing pro-am engagement for the LPGA. Later, Anne joined Northwestern Mutual as an agent and eventually became Director of Marketing in their Hamden office, opening a new corporate marketplace. Afterward, Anne owned her own consulting firm for 10 years, and joined the Chamber in 2011, and in 2019 was tapped to lead their economic development initiative.

Anne lives in North Haven with her husband and daughter. She is a trained soprano and an active gardener, loves to cook and entertain.

Michael Ceccorulli

Pullman & Comley, LLC

Michael Ceccorulli is a member at the law firm of Pullman & Comley, LLC, practicing in the areas of real estate, zoning and land use, commercial finance, contracts and municipal law.  He has substantial experience in the development and redevelopment of commercial real estate, including legacy industrial Brownfields impacted by environmental conditions.  He regularly represents clients in complex land use and zoning matters involving large-scale projects throughout Connecticut and has been involved in more than 100 capital projects in various stages of development in New York State.

Public sector clients represent a large component of Michael’s practice, and these include multiple municipalities, economic development agencies, regional boards of education, state agencies, and quasi-public entities.  He has significant experience in areas such as economic development, public-private partnerships, complex real estate development transactions, state and federal brownfield loan and grant programs, and zoning and land use regulation.  He has acted as counsel to municipalities and regional boards of education throughout Connecticut in connection with matters such as the acquisition, disposition and leasing of real property, the development of capital projects, planning, zoning and subdivision issues, and the feasibility and legality of various proposed ordinances.  Michael is outside counsel to the State of Connecticut, working with both the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Economic and Community Development.  He also regularly represents landlords and tenants in connection with the lease of retail, office and industrial facilities, and has represented commercial and residential condominium associations and common interest communities.

Michael received his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Connecticut and his J.D. from Washington College of Law, American University. He is a member of the Real Property and Planning & Zoning sections of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Cheshire Economic Development Commission, and the Cheshire Land Trust.

Sheri Cote

Outreach and Marketing Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration

Sheri Cote has served more than 2 decades as a collaborative leader with a strong commitment to excellence and is passionate about fostering partnerships that drive innovation and growth.

Sheri’s career highlights include her current role as an Outreach and Marketing Specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration, where she builds and sustains collaborative partnerships with various stakeholders, serves as the Public Information Officer, and represents the SBA across Connecticut. Previously, she served as the Economic Development Director for the towns of Guilford and Madison, where she coordinated economic development activities, spearheaded a 5-year strategic plan for Madison, and represented the two towns across Connecticut. Sheri has also served as the Regional Economic Development Manager for seCTer, focusing on disaster recovery and resilience. Her dedication to community development and leadership have been demonstrated through her roles as President of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT.

Sheri’s current and previous affiliations include serving on the Board of CEDAS, as Treasurer of the Connecticut Tourism Coalition, Treasurer of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, Board Chairperson of the Thames River Innovation Place, Board Chairperson of LEARN and Vice Chair of the Connecticut Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Other Board service has included the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and the Central Regional Tourism district. Sheri also served 8 years in public service as a member of the Waterford Board of Education and holds a B.S. in Business Management from Charter Oak State College.

Michael D’Amato

Tyche Planning & Policy Group

Michael D’Amato, AICP, CZEO is a Co-Founder and Principal of the Tyche Planning & Policy Group. Mike has worked for over 16 years in both  the private sector and for multiple Connecticut Municipalities. He holds a bachelor’s  degree in Geography with a concentration in Urban Planning from Central  Connecticut State University. In addition, he is certified as a CT Inland  Wetland Agent, a Certified Zoning Enforcement Officer (CZEO) and by the  American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Before co-founding Tyche,  Mike worked for the Towns of Berlin, Somers and Newington, CT. He was also part of the Community Development Group at CME Associates. In his work at Tyche, Mike provides consulting services to several CT Municipalities, with a focus on planning, zoning, wetlands, economic development and grant writing. Through Tyche, he has also assisted in the  drafting of several Affordable Housing Plans, Zoning, Subdivision and Plan of Conservation and Development documents, performed staff training, and managed the implementation of various software projects. He currently serves as the Vice President for the Connecticut Association of Zoning Enforcement Officials, is Vice Chair of the West Hartford Zoning Board of Appeals and a co-chair of the West Hartford Affordable Housing Advisory Group.

Kevin Fitzgerald

Governor’s Fellow – Economic Strategy, State of Connecticut

Kevin Fitzgerald, now a Governor’s Fellow with the State of Connecticut, was the American Rescue Plan Coordinator for the Town of Groton. In his role executing the town’s ARPA Allocation Strategy, he was charged with managing federal stimulus funds and leveraging strategic allocations to attract public & private community investment and deliver an equitable and transformative pandemic recovery. Mr. Fitzgerald likes to stay informed on emerging state and federal legislative proposals and local government trends for his role as co-chair of CEDAS’ Policy Committee.

He has previously served in municipal roles for the towns of Stonington, Berlin and Bolton.

He previously contributed to the City of Hartford’s Hartford400 City Plan and the inaugural year of CEDAS’ Best Practices in Land Use & Economic Development certification. He is a member of the American Planning Association, Government Finance Officers Association, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut’s Leadership Program and a participant in the National Academy of Public Administration’s Grand Challenges in Public Administration initiative.

Kevin received a Master of Public Administration from the University of Connecticut with a Certificate in Public Financial Management. In his time at UConn, he held fellowships with the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Kevin lives in Mystic, Connecticut and is a UConn Huskies and Connecticut Sun superfan.

Gene Goddard

Chief Business Investment Officer, MetroHartford Alliance

Gene Goddard leads the coordination of new business investment projects for the Hartford Region by working with business decision makers, consultants, and corporate real estate managers looking for project locations within the region.

Gene has nearly 30 years of economic development experience at the local, regional, and state level and as a private-sector consultant. He’s diligently worked to develop initiatives and strategies that support business growth and expansion, including networking and partnership development, negotiation, strategic planning, business cost analysis, project leadership, lead generation, industry research, marketing, and workforce and business development incentives.

Before joining the MHA, Gene was the Senior Vice President and head of Springsted’s (now part of BakerTilly) Housing and Economic Development (HED) practice group, where his team specialized in development strategies, project feasibility studies, financing, and business plan development.

Gene also served as the Director of Business Investment for GREATER MSP, the regional economic development organization for the Minneapolis – Saint Paul Region, where he coordinated over $4 billion in business expansion projects for small business and large corporate entities.

Gene has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Minnesota State University – Mankato and a Mini-Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from the University of St. Thomas. He earned his Certified Economic Development Professional (CEcD) professional certification through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and his Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification through the National Development Council.

In 2017, Gene was named by Consultant Connect as one of the Top 50 Economic Developers in North America and in 2012 he received the Life-Time Achievement Award in Economic Development from Finance and Commerce magazine.

Sabrina Godeski

Director of Business Development & Tourism, City of Norwalk

Erin Wilson Howard

Field Director, Grow America

Erin Howard recently joined Grow America, formerly known as NDC, a national community and economic development nonprofit, as a Field Director on the East Team providing technical assistance to municipalities and non-profits. Over the past 10 years, she served as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Torrington (2014-2019) and the City of Hartford (2019-2023). In 2024 she served as the Planning Director for the City of Hartford. Prior to her career focus in economic development, Ms. Howard has a strong background in planning having worked for the Town of Windsor, City of Middletown, and Town of Ellington along with two years in the private sector at Milone and MacBroom, Inc. In addition, she currently holds a Connecticut Real Estate License and practices part-time real estate primarily in Middlesex County. Ms. Howard graduated from the University of Connecticut with a double major in Political Science and Economics. From there she attended the University of Massachusetts and obtained her master’s degree in Regional Planning with a focus on economic development. In 2012, Ms. Howard received her AICP certification from the American Planning Association.

Thomas Madden                                                                                                               

BFJ Planning

Thomas Madden is an urban planner and economic developer with more than 25 years of experience in land use, economic development, environmental and transportation planning in the public and private sector.

Prior to joining BFJ, Mr. Madden held several cabinet level positions with municipalities including Director of Economic Development for the City of Stamford, CT and Commissioner of the Department of Community Development and Conservation for the Town of Greenburgh, NY. Prior to this, he worked for the Westchester County Planning Department, Maricopa County Department of Transportation and several private consulting firms.

Thomas has been instrumental in the development of new environment standards including the adoption of Green Building code for new site development, revisions to the Energy Star code and a Smart Growth Development Study. Mr. Madden was a steering committee member for Stamford Master Plan, Stamford’s Affordable Housing Study, Stamford’s Economic Development Plan, Westchester County’s Central Park Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Study, Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan update and a member of the two Stakeholders’ Advisory Working Groups for the Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Environmental Review. Thomas also co-chaired, a seven-county planning consortium to develop a Regional Sustainability Plan that tied into the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council’s 2011 Strategic Plan.

Thomas is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. Mr. Madden graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in geography (Urban Studies) and attended Dalhousie University’s Masters of Urban and Rural Planning Program, where he was awarded the Harry Kitz Park Development Scholarship for Park Design and the Mobil Oil Canada Scholarship for Impact and Design Studies for his graduate thesis on the potential for eco-industrial development in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. In his spare time, he enjoys coaching and refereeing hockey and is a Director for the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research in NYC, raising more than 2.5 million dollars for cancer research.

Rista Malanca

Director of Community and Economic Development, Northwest Hills Council of Governments

Rista Malanca, AICP, has over 15 years of Municipal Experience and was previously the Director of Economic Development for the City of Torrington, CT.   She has worked on many redevelopment projects, including the reuse of environmentally contaminated properties, housing developments and placemaking projects.   She enjoys working with Torrington’s business owners, investors and developers to overcome obstacles to create economic growth within the City.  Before that, Rista was the Assistant Planner for Torrington and has worked as the Zoning and Wetlands Enforcement Officer in more rural Towns such as New Hartford & Barkhamsted.   Rista has a passion for walkable communities and 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 on the Executive Boards for the Regional Brownfield Partnership and CEDAS.

Michelle McCabe

Executive Director, Connecticut Main Street Center

Michelle McCabe 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.

Since beginning her tenure at the helm of CMSC in July 2022, Michelle and the CMSC team introduced a new evaluation framework, including the development of an innovative new downtown management assessment tool; met with CMSC member communities, partner organizations, government leaders, and others to explore new opportunities to collaborate; 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, and works closely with the Main Street Working Group of the state legislature.

Prior to joining CMSC, Michelle served as an Interim Executive Director with HomeBridge Ventures, a non-profit focused on holistic workforce development and re-entry programming for formerly incarcerated individuals. She also served as Director of the FEED Center with The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, where she built multiple programs from the ground up that included workforce training, small business development and social enterprises, strategic planning, diversifying revenue sources, and organizational change management. Her experience also extends to successful public/private collaborations, community engagement, and policy advocacy.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Michelle received her BA from Vassar College, BA, and her MA from the University of Texas – Austin.

Patricia McLaughlin, Esq.

Vice President, Operations, AdvanceCT

Patricia McLaughlin provides corporate governance, human resources, government relations, legal and research assistance for AdvanceCT. She has extensive experience in nonprofit administration, fundraising, insurance, finance and securities law. Prior to coming to AdvanceCT, Patricia held positions in campaign finance, nonprofit management and corporate law.

Ms. McLaughlin has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a law degree from Catholic University. She has previously worked in private law practice, in a large corporate department and for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She is an active community volunteer; recent affiliations have included Treasurer, Avon Old Farms School National Council; Chair, Renbrook School; Board Member, Malta House of Care; Board Member, World Affairs Council of Connecticut; and Volunteer, Malta Food Pantry.

George Norfleet

Executive Director, Connecticut Office of Business and Community Development

George Norfleet creates effective strategies designed to achieve goals and operates as a change agent in today’s constantly evolving business and economic development environments. He has a broad background in the media and marketing and is a proven leader with expertise developing new business, fostering relationships with partners, implementing innovation and delivering results that drive targeted metrics, lean operations, capital investment and job creation.

Currently George serves as the Executive Director of the Office of Business and Community Development for Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development where he leads all of the office’s programs, staff and operations and focuses the state’s resources on business retention and recruitment.

Previously, as Director, George oversaw Connecticut’s; Office of Film, Television and Digital Media, and its tax incentive program catalyzing industry growth and expenditures of over $3 billion; Office of International and Domestic Business, leading the state’s efforts to encourage foreign direct investment; and Outreach Programs, connecting businesses and economic development organizations from across the state.

Earlier he worked in feature film and television on productions helmed by many of the industry’s A-List directors and producers including Spike Lee, Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, Jonathan Demme, Oprah Winfrey, Neil Jordan and Dick Wolf, among others. He began his career in advertising with Saatchi & Saatchi.

George attended Florida State University. He serves on several Boards of Directors including the Association of Film Commissioners International’s Task Force committee, the Council of Motion Picture and Theatrical Unions, and Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network where he sits on the Governance and Finance committees and Chairs the Audit committee.

Rose Ponte

Director of Economic Development, Town of Farmington

Rose Ponte was born in Havana Cuba and is a native Spanish speaker. She started her career in international banking working for National Westminster Bank on Wall Street, after taking time off to raise her four children; she became Director of Student Service at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts in Torrington CT. In that position, Rose developed and managed Nutmeg’s international residency high school and college student support program. After ten years, Rose had established valuable business contacts throughout Northwest CT, and the arts, and became Torrington’s Economic Development Director. In that role she leveraged the arts as an economic driver in the redevelopment of Torrington’s downtown. In 2013, she was hired as Economic Development Director for the Town of Farmington.

Rose is an active board member and acting chairman for Programs and Professional Development for the Connecticut Economic Development Association and a member of the Northeast Economic Development Association. She is a member of the Farmington Rotary, an incorporator for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, and a former Board of Education member for Region 10 schools. She lives in Harwinton, CT.

Felix Reyes

Director, Office of Development & Planning, City of New London

Dan Smolnik

Economic Development Commission, Town of Hamden

Joseph Violette

seCTer

Joseph Violette currently serves as the Business Retention and Expansion Specialist for the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer). He is committed to building strategic relationships with key business leaders, municipal and state officials who are vital to the economic growth of southeastern Connecticut.

Before joining seCTer, Violette spent time as a Policy Analyst for the Connecticut General Assembly and Director of Public Policy & Economic Development for the Waterbury Regional Chamber. Violette earned his B.A in Political Science from Merrimack College.

Gioia Zack

Economic Development Director, Town of Wethersfield

For additional information or to reach a board member, please contact us.