seCTer’s injection of $2.5 million into the regional economy through funding for entrepreneurs and established businesses was among the highlights shared during the agency’s 2025 Annual Meeting in December.
Executive Director Paul Whitescarver told the capacity crowd of municipal, business, tribal, and non-profit leaders that the distribution through loans and grants represented a 78% increase from last year. Funding was distributed through the seCTerRise grant program and Boost Loan program.
These funding mechanisms help kickstart new businesses and support established businesses seeking to grow.
On the municipal side, Whitescarver noted that seCTer members benefit from a wealth of data programs, including JobsEQ, Arc GIS and a new offering in 2025, Placer.ai. These are in addition to Statebook, which provides access to comprehensive economic market data relative to the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy produced by seCTer staff every five years as mandated by federal funding agencies.
Whitescarver also highlighted seCTer’s community involvement through participation in strategic efforts, including the Eastern Workforce Investment Board and the Board’s Eastern Connecticut Advanced Manufacturing Alliance and Healthcare Partnership. seCTer also adds its expertise to the SECT Childcare Collaborative, the Eastern Connecticut Defense Industry Community Partnership, the Connecticut Port Authority, Sparks Maker Space, Thames River Heritage Park, Submarine Force Museum Library/Historic Ship Nautilus, the newly formed Connecticut Blue Economy Coalition, and TECHCONN.
Additionally, seCTer partnered with regional Chambers of Commerce to provide access to Artificial Intelligence workshops.
Marisol Herrera, State Director of CT APEX Accelerator, a seCTer partner agency that helps business owners understand and navigate the government and tribal contracting process, reported that her team assisted in driving more than $87M in government contracts to the eastern part of the state alone.
Keynote speaker Ray Gabriel, Vice President of Strategic Operations at General Dynamics Electric Boat, provided updates on the submarine manufacturer’s employment and production schedules. Gabriel said EB needs to increase staffing from its current level of approximately 25,000 to 33,000 within the next few years to enable production of 12 Columbia-class submarines through the 2030s.
Gabriel also highlighted the defense contractor’s role as a significant community partner. noting that in addition to providing economic benefits as the region’s largest employer, its employees contributed $2 million in donations and 125,000 pounds of food to various social service agencies.
