CBIA BizCast

When you think about restaurants and dining experiences, you probably don’t think about insurance companies. But that’s exactly who is behind one of Hartford’s new destination restaurants. Hartford Steam Boiler recently opened The Foundry on the 20th floor of One State Street in downtown Hartford. “We consider one State Street to be one of the preeminent buildings in Harford,” HSB president and CEO Greg Barats told the CBIA BizCast. “We've always had a top tier restaurant in here.” Those restaurants include The Polytechnic Club and On20. Like many restaurants, On20 closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly five years later, Barats said now was the right time to reopen. “We've been seeing an ongoing reinvestment in the downtown Hartford area,” Barats said. “A lot of other restaurants opening in the area, small businesses opening, more people coming back. We thought, okay, this is the time to do it.” Barats said they used the opportunity to reimagine the restaurant space and pay tribute to the company’s history and the city’s “can do” spirit. “We wanted to make a statement,” he said. “We want to give something back to the community and the capital that I think everybody can be proud of.” The Foundry offers a dining room with panoramic views of the city and multiple spaces that can be used as meeting spaces. Barats said the design honors the city’s industrial and manufacturing heritage. The restaurant also has several nods to HSB’s background, with rooms and areas dedicated to the company’s 158-year history. One room, The Sultana Room, pays tribute to a maritime disaster that led to the company’s founding in 1866. The Sultana was a steamship that was bringing prisoners home after the Civil War. Tragically, the ship was overloaded and its two steam boilers exploded, leading to the single largest maritime loss in U.S. history. Because of that tragedy, the Polytechnic Club, a group of engineers, formed HSB to solve the engineering design flaws. “We feel this restaurant's got a soul and we try to bring that through,” Barats said about the importance of leaning into their history. To help realize the vision of The Foundry, Barats and his team turned to a familiar face to lead the kitchen. Executive chef Jeffrey Lizotte is a Connecticut-native and the previous executive chef of On20. “We interviewed a lot of other chefs in the area,” Barats said. “Jeffrey was our pick. He's a hometown boy. He does exceptional work. He's just a great person, and we think he matched us very well.” Chef Lizotte’s team has created a menu that Barats described as American Contemporary with a little European flair. “Very familiar dishes, but with more of an elevated, exceptional add to it,” he said. While its doors have been open for several weeks, The Foundry celebrated its grand opening March 11 with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam. Barats said they’ve been embraced by the community and the restaurant is booked 40 days in advance. Barats said HSB’s and The Foundry's goal is to be part of the community and help Hartford’s resurgence. “I think the more you're involved in, the live, work, play in a city, the more vibrant it can be,” he said. He said with restaurants like The Foundry and others, along with new housing, hotels, and street commerce, the city is returning to that vibrancy. “Every day, every week, every month, we try to be part of that,” he said. “I hope it continues to bring pride, you know, and something to look forward to and come and enjoy here in Hartford.” Related Links: Hartford Steam Boiler Website: https://www.munichre.com/hsb/en.html LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hsb/ Greg Barats LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-barats/ The Foundry Website: https://thefoundryct.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefoundryct/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

Join Dr. Albert Green, the new CEO of QuantumCT and a physicist with over 20 patents, as he delves into the exciting world of quantum technology. He discusses Connecticut's ambition to become a leader in this field, leveraging partnerships with Yale and UConn. Green shares insights about transitioning innovations into consumer-friendly applications and the critical role of collaboration in a thriving business ecosystem. He draws intriguing parallels between the rise of quantum computing and AI, emphasizing the potential for transformative impacts across industries.

Bryn Tindall, CEO of Rebellion Group, shares his vision for an agency built around disruption, fostering creativity and innovation. Joined by Sam Barrett, a U.S. Army veteran turned marketing leader, they discuss the company’s evolution and the significance of believing in one’s potential. They explore the transformation of workplace culture post-COVID, and the importance of community engagement through their event series. Tindall and Barrett advocate for empathetic leadership, emphasizing tailored management approaches for team dynamics.

The Lee Company president and CEO Marietta Lee never saw herself leading the business her grandfather started 77 years ago. Today, the Westbrook-based manufacturer employs 1,200 people making miniature hydraulic components for the aerospace, medical, and automotive industries. “We are a family business,” Lee told the CBIA BizCast. “We’ve always treated our employees as our family and we’ve benefited from a lot of loyalty from our employees over the years.” But Lee, who was elected CBIA board chair in December 2024, started her career journey not just outside the family business, but far from the manufacturing floor. “It really wasn’t my dream to work there at all,” she said. “I went off to school and became a lawyer.” “I worked in TV news for a long time, that was what I wanted to do.” After several years working as an investigative journalist and having children, Lee moved back to Connecticut to be closer to family. “My dad came to me and said, ‘Have you ever thought about working at the company?’” she explained. After a lot of “soul searching” she decided to join the family business. Lee worked her way up, including earning a master’s degree in engineering management. “I worked in a lot of different facets of the company on my way to where I am now, which has been really invaluable,” she said. Lee became CEO of the company in 2023, but she points to the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point in her career. Lee said she not only worried about her workers’ safety, but about getting groceries for her family as so many stores were impacted. “Somebody said, ‘How are you doing?’ And I just lost it,” she said. “I was like, ‘I am not good. I go home, I cry.’ I just totally let down my guard. “And the woman looked at me, and she was like ‘me too.’ And we had the best conversation.” Lee she’d previously emulated the styles of those that came before her, which she perceived as stoic and strong. “It sort of dawned on me that I need to be authentic. I need to be me.” she said. “I don’t have to be somebody else’s leader or lead the way somebody else does. I can be myself. It was refreshing.” Lee said that by being authentic and vulnerable, she works to empower the people that work for her. “I think people respond to it. And I make better decisions as a result,” she said. Lee acknowledged that being a woman in manufacturing isn’t easy. “I am usually the only woman at the table, and that’s kind of a lonely place,” she said. She said that when she joined The Lee Company, there were a lot of women, including young mothers. But there were not a lot of women in middle and upper management—something that has changed during her tenure. Lee also started “The Ladies of Lee,” an informal group that gets together every few months to talk about issues unique to being a woman in the workforce. “It’s always going to be tough, but to know that you have a little bit of a support system at work, I think is really great,” she said. Lee’s term as board chair comes at an historic time for CBIA and a pivotal moment for the state’s economy. “For the first time ever, we have more women than men on the board, which is really great,” she said. Lee said the diversity of the board of directors is critical, not just when it comes to gender, but also the size of the companies and the different industries represented. “Connecticut, I think, is in a really good place right now, and we have a great opportunity to make Connecticut even better for our business community,” she said. “I think it’s very important that we work hard to make Connecticut an affordable state for both potential employees and for businesses.” Related Links: The Lee Company Website: https://www.theleeco.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-lee-company/ Marietta Lee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marietta-lee-17729410a/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

With the start of the 2025 General Assembly session, the CBIA BizCast team sat down with CBIA vice president of public policy Chris Davis to discuss the session and CBIA’s ReimagineCT policy solutions. Supported by a bipartisan group of 73 lawmakers and a growing coalition of businesses, the policy solutions are designed to drive economic growth, address the high costs of living and running a business, expand career pathways, and foster innovation. "If legislators were able to really sit back and think about, 'Is this making Connecticut more affordable, and is it making easier to employ people here in Connecticut,' I think you'll see a lot of good legislation get passed," Davis said. CBIA developed the solutions in collaboration with residents and business leaders from across the state. “What’s really impressed me is the level of engagement that our business community has, especially around public policy issues,” Davis said. “These are items that they have said to us, ‘If we can implement these changes, we can really start moving the needle here in Connecticut to grow our economy and improve our workforce.’” Davis said the ReimagineCT policy solutions are a way to build coalitions around critical issues to the business community. “It's a way for us to really have those conversations across party lines about these real solutions that will really grow our economy and our workforce," Davis said. "Because at the end of the day, that's not a partisan issue. “Trying to get your constituents more access to jobs and trying to help those businesses within their communities, is something that transcends party.” While Davis and the CBIA’s policy team will be advocating for these solutions at the State Capitol, he said CBIA members and the business community also play an important role. “One of the key things that we do on our public policy team is getting out and meeting with members,” he said. “We oftentimes will bring a legislator with us and have them have the opportunity to see firsthand exactly how that business operates here in Connecticut. “Hearing directly from your own constituent business can play such a huge role in your decision making process as a legislator.” Related Links: ReimagineCT: https://www.cbia.com/news/media-center/reimaginect-cbia-2025-policy-solutions-2 https://www.cbia.com/resources/issues-policies/reimaginect-general-assembly-pledges CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

CBIA BizCast: Thomas Watson Group by Connecticut Business & Industry Association

On any given day after school, you might think kids would rather play than to keep going to class. But in a way, that’s just what’s happening at the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club’s new STEM lab at their Madison Avenue community clubhouse in Bridgeport. The organization gave the CBIA BizCast team an up-close look at the space that they built in partnership with global semiconductor industry leader ASML. “We have about 50 to 75 kids, depending on the day, that are coming in regularly, to use our space,” said Wakeman Boys & Girls Club CEO Sabrina Smeltz. “When you have the opportunity to see the students in the kids in this space, they look like they're playing, but they're learning,” said ASML program manager for society and community engagement Brian Amero. “They're actively learning. They’re problem solving.” The Wakeman Boys & Girls Club first opened its doors in Southport in 1913. The organization opened its first location in Bridgeport about 15 years ago, and opened the Madison Ave. clubhouse in 2023. The facility offers programs for kids aged three up to 18, with an early learning preschool center and after school programs including sports, arts, technology, and STEM. “It's a community center, it's a partnership, and it's an awesome space,” said Smeltz. Wakeman’s relationship with ASML began a few years ago. The Netherlands-based company, which employs 3,300 people at its Wilton location, is an advanced lithography company that makes machines used to produce microchips. Amero, who started with the company in 2022, was looking to build new community partnerships. “It's not enough for us to write a check, slap our logo on something, and walk away from it,” Amero said. “We wanted a seat at the table. This entire process has been incredibly hands-on for us.” That partnership led to the creation of the STEM lab. “There's been a lot of intentionality around this,” Smeltz said. “We both went into this being transformational.” “We built in staff time and training time to be able to be successful, because ultimately, we don't want a whole bunch of stuff just sitting in a room. ”We want it to be used all the time.” Smelz said ASML helped them train their staff to run the lab, which offers everything from robotics to hydroponics, mechanics, engineering, and STEM art learning opportunities. “We're challenging our kids to learn,” she said. And it’s not just Wakeman staff that are getting hands on with the kids. ASML employees also spend a lot of time volunteering at the club. The company provides eight hours of PTO time for full-time employees to volunteer. “When the students here have the opportunity to engage with ASML employees, they see themselves reflected in our workforce,” Amero said. “And if they can do it, so can you. And I love that secondary benefit to giving back to our community." Smeltz said the skills the students are gaining in the lab go beyond learning technical skills. “Sometimes these projects don't go the way they planned,” she said. “And I think that sometimes is even the more exciting part of it, because our kids are learning in a day-to-day environment that isn't scripted, but is helping them learn how to solve the problem, deal with conflict.” “The skills that they're learning in this lab are the skills that will help elevate them to jobs and career success,” Amero added “It is absolutely magic. It's just great to see.” Related Links: Wakeman Boys & Girls Club Website: https://www.wakemanclub.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wakeman-boys-girls-club/ Sabrina Smeltz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinasmeltz/ ASML Website: https://www.asml.com/en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asml/ Brian Amero on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bamero/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

Over the course of this past year, we’ve spoken with some exceptional leaders on the CBIA BizCast. Some are entrepreneurs, growing successful businesses. Others are changemakers, leading organizations with lasting legacies in Connecticut. These leaders have not only shared their stories, but also insights and wisdom into overcoming challenges, building successful teams. To close out 2024, we wanted to share some of those stories. This episode features insights from: Jeremy Bronen, founder and CEO, SedMed Stephen Tagliatela, managing partner, and Chris Bird, general manager, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina Jill Mayer, CEO, Bead Industries Inc. Meghan Scanlon, president and CEO, Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Stephen Moroney, market president for Connecticut and Rhode Island, TD Bank Mike Abramson, General Manager, Hartford Yard Goats Jamie Lissette, president, Popup Bagels Kevin Barros, president and CEO, The Computer Company Jenny Drescher and Ellen Feldman Ornato, co-founders, The Bolder Company Carmen Romeo, president, Fascia’s Chocolates Elona Shape, market retail leader, KeyBank Sal Marino, director of finance and operations, Charles IT Carl Zuanelli, founder and CEO, Nuovo Pasta Productions, Ltd Thank you to all of the leaders who sat down with us this year. And we want to thank you for listening and watching the BizCast. We look forward to sharing more insights, lessons, and stories of success in 2025. Connect with CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

Fascia’s Chocolates president Carmen Romeo has a sweet job. “I still have a vision that until everybody has had a piece of Fascia’s Chocolates, then my job's not done,” Romeo told the CBIA BizCast. But Romeo wasn’t always in the chocolate business. As an engineer, Romeo spent the first part of his career working for different manufacturing companies in different parts of the country. In 1995, he met his wife Louise, the daughter of John and Helen Fascia, the founders of Fascia’s Chocolates. “When you marry into the family, you learn quickly about the business,” Romeo said. Fascia’s has been part of the Waterbury community for 60 years, ever since John Fascia started the business in his basement when Helen was pregnant with Louise. “He just wanted to make a little extra money,” Romeo said. “He would go to New York and buy nuts—literally, big bags of nuts—and re-bag them and sell them to his coworkers. “And somebody finally said, ‘You should put chocolate with those.’” Fourteen years later, the business outgrew the basement and moved into its first retail store, even though John Fascia was still working full-time as an electronic technician. “When they finally went all in in 1985 it was a risk, but they had enough of a following that they were able to stay and grow,” Romeo said. Things changed in 2008, when the Fascias were notified that their lease was ending. “They’re forced to move without a retirement plan,” Romeo said. “And that was really when it was a little bit of crisis mode.” At the same time, the company Romeo was working for was moving and he didn’t want to move with it. “So I convinced my wife that we should be in the chocolate business,” he said. Romeo said it wasn’t always easy, but they were able to slowly rebuild. That rebuilding process began with the product itself, still made the old fashioned way. “The product is as pure as it’s ever been, and as long as I’m around, we’ll stay that way,” he said. Romeo’s main goal early on was getting the company more well known. Romeo said they began doing events, like chocolate lessons teaching people about making truffles or pairing classes. “We then focused on, not only making and selling chocolate, but what we call experiencing your chocolate,” Romeo said. He said that helped them buy the building they are in today, setting themselves up for future growth. Romeo said the company has evolved to focus on retail, tourism, and an expanding wholesale market. You can now find the company’s chocolates in 135 locations—and counting. The company also offers custom orders for businesses, including using company logos to create molded chocolates for branded boxes. “It comes down to the product itself,” Romeo said. “If I can get it into people’s mouths, it usually does the job.” Romeo said that it’s not always easy to do business in Connecticut, but he’s motivated to keep it going as a testament to his in-laws and the legacy they created. “I want to be able to live on the business,” he said. “I want to be able to say it was successful. “But the legacy from my in laws—it’s the family name, and I don’t ever forget that. It’s the family name.” And Romeo said he hopes that legacy will continue with the next generation. His son has joined the family business as wholesale manager. In the end, Romeo said the goal is to keep creating memories for their customers. “When a mother comes in with her daughter and says, ‘I had Fascia’s at my wedding as a favor, now my daughter is going to have it as a favor,’ there’s nothing more gratifying than that,” he said. “That’s the legacy that we want to continue.” Related Links Fascia’s Chocolates Website: https://faschoc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fascia's-chocolate's/ Carmen Romeo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmenromeo/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/

“Our number one market is Connecticut. We’re all in on Connecticut,” Saybrook Point Resort and Marina managing partner Stephen Tagliatela told the CBIA BizCast. The BizCast sat down with Taglietala and general manager Chris Bird at the resort overlooking the mouth of the Connecticut River. “We’re part of the community. We’re all open doors,” Tagliatela said. Those doors have been open since 1980 when Tagliatela’s family bought the former Terra Mar property, once a popular destination for Frank Sinatra and other members of the Rat Pack. Since then, the resort has grown to include not only the marina and guest rooms, but also restaurants, a full service spa, pools, and gymnasiums that are open to the community. “I think what makes it so special is the history, and 100% is the team,” said Bird, who joined the resort in 2022. “We hear it constantly, how genuine the team is. And you know, it’s one thing to have and talk about being a family property or family business, and it’s another that that is your value—run it like a business and have those family values.” Bird and Tagliatela said the team is indispensable to the resort’s success. “What’s really important for us is we have to take care of our customers,” Tagliatela said. “But in order for us to take care of our customers, we have to take care of our employees.” Bird said that when they look to bring on new employees, they “hire for personality and train for skill.” “We are very good about finding people who are gracious, are upfront, are very guest forward.” The company also partners with organizations like Lumibility, which helps people with differing abilities transition into the workforce. They’ve also worked with reentry programs, helping train formerly incarcerated individuals with skills to enter the workforce. “We just feel so strongly that we have to be the flagship, the steward of this area,” Bird said. “And so whenever it comes time for somebody who we can partner with we can help—we’re quick to do it.” Another of the family and business values is to ensure that they help preserve the local environment. “We want to be good stewards of this environment, because it’s so special,” said Tagliatela. The property was the state’s first certified clean marina, green hotel, and Energy Star hotel. “We have this outstanding natural resource here that is so beautiful and has remained beautiful over the course of time,” Tagliatela said. Tagliatela and Bird also stressed the importance of being part of the broader tourism community. Tagliatela started the Connecticut Tourism Coalition seven years ago. The organization brings partners together from around the state to advocate for the industry and the importance of tourism marketing. “It’s not just in my mind that you’re marketing a guest room,” he said. “You’re marketing a future resident. “Because so many people that come and visit us here, they move into our own neighborhoods. “We really try to bring home the revenue, demonstrate that the revenue is so much greater when they just put a little bit of advertising into the program.” Looking ahead, Bird and Tagliatela said they have some exciting initiatives on the horizon including personalized butler service. “We’re seeing more and more of the luxury guests wanting more luxury experiences, more curated experiences, and so we’re really excited to launch that next year,” Bird said. “When you have a team that knows that they can consistently do everything and to make it world class, they make it world class.” Related Links: Saybrook Point Resort and Marina Website: https://www.saybrook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saybrook-point-inn-&-spa/ Stephen Tagliatela LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-tagliatela-ab7056b9/ Chris Bird LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bird-5764a815/ CBIA Website: https://www.cbia.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cbia/