Chris DiPentima
Pegasus Manufacturing
Chris DiPentima is co-owner and president of Pegasus Manufacturing, Inc. in Middletown, last year’s overall winner of the Business Champions competition. The firm is a turn-key contract manufacturer of fabrication and machining processes for the aerospace, defense, power generation & hi-tech industries. Since 2002, Chris has been in the manufacturing industry, working with his family-owned company, during which time he introduced and made a part of the company’s foundation disciplined change management, continuous improvement/lean, and strategic policy deployment. These implementations resulted in a doubling of revenues and employment from 2009 – 2012. Chris also serves on the boards of the Aerospace Components Manufacturers, Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA), Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and is an outside advisor to the Middlesex Community College and Vinyl Technical High School Manufacturing Programs.
Colleen McGuire
UConn School of Business
Colleen McGuire is the director of Hartford Executive Programs for the University of Connecticut, School of Business. She comes to UConn from the private sector and has 30 years of professional business experience. McGuire was an organizational effectiveness consultant providing solutions to senior leaders of for-profit and non-for-profit organizations. Previous senior P&L roles have included managing director and senior vice president at Wachovia Bank, North America, and managing director and senior vice president at Mellon Financial Corporation. She is recognized and known for her expertise in merger and acquisition integration effectiveness, sales leadership and sales force effectiveness, work-stream enhancement and cross-functional alignment, and employee engagement and customer satisfaction. In addition, McGuire has taught courses in the School of Business’s Marketing and Management departments, including the capstone course “Strategy, Policy and Planning.”
Peter Stevens
JCJ Architecture
Peter Stevens is the president of JCJ Architecture and responsible for managing the “Business of Architecture.” His focus is on JCJ’s overall financial strength and strategic growth, the development of new business and market positioning in alignment with the firm’s long-term vision and goals. He has a unique professional background that combines over 30 years of experience in project management, business development, and financial oversight. His project development and consensus-building skills have led to public endorsement of significant municipal projects as well as the financing of large-scale hospitality, entertainment and economic redevelopment projects. With offices in New York City, Boston, Phoenix, San Diego and Hartford, JCJ is a nationally recognized design firm focusing on K-12, college & university, hospitality and civic projects.
