Daniel O’Keefe is a former tech executive who was tapped to lead Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development after nearly six months in a supporting role with the agency.
O’Keefe joined DECD last July, in the newly created chief innovation officer position. He was elevated in December, after former Commissioner Alexandra Daum accepted a job with Yale University.
O’Keefe, in a recent interview with the HBJ, expressed confidence in Connecticut’s economic trajectory. He said recent population and economic gains have been fostered, at least in part, by the post-pandemic shift to remote work, which has given employees more latitude on where to live.
That’s grown the appeal of Connecticut’s small cities and suburbs, he said, which the state can leverage by building more affordable housing.
But, with Connecticut’s projected budget surpluses shrinking, the state must capitalize on these tailwinds with existing programs and resources, O’Keefe said.
In other words, don’t expect any major new economic development programs with large price tags in the near future.
For now, O’Keefe said, his role will be that of a steady hand on the wheel, confidently advocating for the state and its businesses while overseeing existing programs and incentives.
“Priority one is just continuing the good work that is already ongoing,” O’Keefe recently told the Hartford Business Journal. “I think I am benefiting from a series of programs and a series of leaders that have set us up for success. And so, I think the first priority is, ‘do no harm.’”