A passing remark at the March 4 Connecticut Business & Industry Association”™s “Connecticut Business Day” in Hartford confirmed what had been rumored for weeks: The organization”™s longtime president and CEO Joseph Brennan is retiring.
Introducing Brennan at the event, held at the Legislative Office Building, Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Lynn Ward made the announcement, which the 65-year-old CEO confirmed.
The announcement apparently took CBIA staffers by surprise. A spokesman confirmed to the Business Journal that the executive will exit in late June ”“ an official date has yet to be determined ”“ and that the CBIA”™s board of directors”™ search for Brennan”™s replacement is already underway.
Brennan was not available for comment.
Joining the state’s largest business organization in 1988 as a staff attorney ”“ he was in private law practice in Manchester before then ”“ Brennan has overseen CBIA”™s public policy operations since 2006. He rose through the ranks to become the organization”™s executive vice president, and was named president/CEO in December of 2014 upon John Rathgeber”™s retirement.
