Made in Connecticut: 2026 Manufacturing Summit

Connecticut manufacturers are operating in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment, driven by economic shifts, talent challenges, and emerging technologies. 

What does it take to adapt, innovate, and lead in this moment? 

The October 1 Made in Connecticut: 2026 Manufacturing Summit featured a comprehensive look at the forces shaping the industry, including economic trends, workforce strategies, innovation, and the impact of emerging technologies. 

State and national experts discussed the latest issues and opportunities, along with insights from manufacturing leaders on how they are adapting operations, investing in growth, and building long-term success. 

Marietta Lee, president and CEO of Westbrook manufacturer The Lee Company, discussed leadership, innovation, and the critical role manufacturing plays in Connecticut’s economy.

The summit featured the release of the 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Report, offering key data and analysis on the current state of the industry and what lies ahead.  

RTX Pratt & Whitney’s Pete Bradley, General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Gary Cooper, and Sikorsky’s Paul Link explored how artificial intelligence is shaping manufacturing’s future, from process optimization to workforce transformation and competitive advantage. 

We also celebrated industry excellence with our legislative champion awards, annual manufacturing awards, the U.S. Commercial Service’s Connecticut District Export Council’s awards, and the announcement of the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut. 

Agenda

7:30 am | Networking Breakfast & Manufacturing Showcase 

8:30 am | Opening Remarks 

• Chris DiPentima, President & CEO, CBIA 
• Steven Litchfield, Regional Vice President, TD Bank

8:45 am | How to Survive a Trade War

• Moderator: Chris DiPentima
• Bill Hazard, President, Novo Precision
• Keith Simons, President, Controls Products Division, OEM Controls
• Jeff White, Partner, Robinson+Cole

9:25 am | 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Report: Results & Insights 

• Moderator: Brian Deming, Industrials Senior Analyst, Senior Manager, RSM US LLP
• Alison Carey Lynch, VP, Carey Manufacturing
• Jaclyn Epstein, COO, Mica Corporation
• Mark Polinsky, President, Forum Contract Manufacturing

10:10 am | Networking Break 

10:30 am | How AI Is Shaping Manufacturing’s Future 

• Moderator: Amy Thompson, Chief Technology Officer, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology 
• Pete Bradley, Principal Fellow in Digital Tools & Data Science, RTX Pratt & Whitney 
• Gary Cooper, Director, Attack Submarine Electrical Engineering & Design, General Dynamics Electric Boat 
• Paul Link, Senior Program Manager, Data & Artificial Intelligence, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company

11:15 am | Built to Last: Leadership, Innovation & the Manufacturing Economy 

• Bank of America’s Joe Gianni talks with Marietta Lee, president and CEO of The Lee Company 

12 pm | Networking Lunch 

1 pm | 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Champion Awards 

• State Representative Chris Aniskovich (R-Clinton) 
• State Representative Jill Barry (D-Glastonbury) 
• State Senator Henri Martin (R-Bristol) 
• State Representative Stephen Meskers (D-Greenwich) 
• State Representative Steve Weir (R-Hebron) 

1:15 pm | 2026 Connecticut Export Awards 

• Presented by the Connecticut District Export Council, U.S. Commercial Service, and Shipman & Goodwin 

1:35 pm | 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Awards  

• Presented by TD Bank, CONNSTEP, and ReadyCT 

1:45 pm | Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut  

• Presented by the CBIA Foundation, CONNSTEP, and CliftonLarsonAllen 

2 pm | Manufacturing Showcase & Networking 

2:45 pm | Adjourn