Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

February 20, 2021 / 2021 Power 50

2021 Power 50: 1. Ned & Ann Lamont

PHOTO | MARK PAZNIOKAS, CT MIRROR Gov. Ned Lamont.

Ned and Ann Lamont are probably the state’s foremost power couple. Both are accomplished executives and entrepreneurs. 

Ned Lamont, of course, is also the governor, holding the state’s most powerful position. He’s Connecticut’s CEO and chief cheerleader.

The former businessman turned politico is now in his third year in office. And while a failed tolls policy push marred his first year as governor, his four-year term will likely be defined by the way he’s led Connecticut through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

And by most accounts he’s done an admirable job, taking bold actions — including shutting down certain non-essential businesses for a period of time, ramping up testing and contact-tracing efforts, enacting quarantine and mask requirements, launching multiple multimillion-dollar business loan and grant programs and shepherding the state’s vaccine rollout — to control the spread of the virus and minimize its economic impact.

Still, the toll from COVID-19 has been significant, leading to thousands of deaths in the state and tens of thousands of lost jobs. Lamont has also faced some criticism from various constituencies — including teachers, nursing homes and restaurants — for the way he’s dealt with the crisis. 

However, Connecticut remains a leader in the U.S. in the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is Lamont’s chief priority in the months ahead to beat back the pandemic. 

He’s also in the middle of a legislative session where major issues — including recreational marijuana legalization and online and sports betting, which he supports — are being hashed out.

Earlier this month he proposed a two-year, $46 billion budget that uses federal funds and state reserves to close a major deficit without major tax hikes, which drew praise from the business community and jeers from liberal Democrats.

Ann Lamont

In his first year in office, he delivered on a variety of campaign promises, including increasing the state’s minimum wage and creating a paid family medical leave program for private-sector workers — both controversial policies opposed by the state’s top business lobby.

Ann Lamont is a successful healthcare venture capitalist and a close adviser to the governor. She’s kept a lower public profile since the start of the pandemic.

Sign up for Enews

0 Comments

Order a PDF