Alexandra Daum
With his top economic development official planning to step down in January, Gov. Ned Lamont has named a new person to lead the state Department of Economic and Community Development for his second term in office.
Deputy Commissioner Alexandra Daum will be formally nominated take over the reins at DECD once Lamont is sworn in Jan. 4, his office announced Wednesday.
“Our administration has an aggressive approach to growing jobs, attracting businesses, and enhancing economic development in Connecticut, and I want the strongest, smartest, and most energetic team possible to lead these efforts on behalf of our state’s residents,” Lamont said in a statement. “For the last several years, Alexandra has worked alongside David Lehman as part of the leadership team in Connecticut’s economic development office, which is why I am confident this will be a smooth transition. In addition to being intimately familiar with the functions of this important state agency, Alexandra has existing relationships with many of Connecticut’s leading employers and industry leaders, and she is ready to hit the ground running. I am incredibly grateful to David for the service he has given to our administration and the people of Connecticut over the last four years.”
Before joining Lamont’s administration in 2020, Daum was founder and principal of New Haven real estate investment firm Field Properties. As one of DECD’s two deputy commissioners, she held the community redevelopment, brownfields development and offshore wind portfolios
“Under Governor Lamont and Commissioner Lehman’s leadership, DECD has made a series of smart, strategic investments to spur business growth and innovation, support our arts and tourism sectors, clean up brownfields, and boost vibrancy in towns and cities across our state,” Daum said in a statement. “Working closely with the governor and the state legislature, I look forward to building on this progress and ensuring Connecticut fully capitalizes on its strong economic potential.”
Current DECD Commissioner David Lehman plans to step down at the conclusion of Lamont’s first term in January. Lehman has served in the role since shortly after Lamont took office in 2019, prior to which he was global head of real estate finance for Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division for 15 years.
“It has been an honor to work with Governor Lamont and his team over the past four years on issues vital to Connecticut’s economic health, vibrancy, and long-term competitiveness,” Lehman said in a statement. “I am very proud of what we accomplished and confident that the initiatives, investments, and strategies we put into place will provide meaningful and measurable benefits for years to come. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the DECD staff for all their hard work in supporting Connecticut’s businesses, nonprofits, communities, and residents. Their tireless work, especially during and after the pandemic, has been a real difference-maker for our customers.”
