William Bayer
Kahn & Bayer Consulting Engineers
48 Purnell Place
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 646-4440
wbayer@coxnet
Business Lessee
Mr. Bayer is a Principal of Kahn & Bayer, Structural Engineers with a 50 year history as a business in Downtown Manchester. He served on the Town Planning and Zoning Commission for 20 plus year, ten of which were as chairman.
Serving as a commissioner on the Downtown Manchester Special Services District Board of Commissioners allows Bill to continue his efforts to improve the Downtown using his skills in public relations, construction, building design and real estate.
Donald A. DuBaldo, Chairman
D. DuBaldo Electric Co.
16 Harrison St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 649-1000
don@dubaldo.com
Property Owner
Mr. DuBaldo was raised in Manchester and continues to be an active participant in the business life and economic development of the Town. He owns several properties in the Downtown and throughout Manchester and is the President of D. DuBaldo Electric Co., LLC. He brings expertise in administration and management, construction and facilities management, real estate, small business development and public relations and communications to his role as commission chairman.
Don has identified several goals for the commission that focus on the areas of: constituent engagement, fiscal responsibility, infrastructure improvement and economic development. The goals are: to return the SSD to its members by expanding constituent engagement; to continue a path of fiscal responsibility; to improve the infrastructure in the Downtown for the benefit of the Downtown property owners, businesses and the Town; and to improve the utilization of Downtown buildings – both first floor and upper levels.
Don feels that his ability to help the commission focus on their mission and goals will be an important factor in moving the Downtown forward.
Nicholas “Nick” DuBaldo, Secretary
Beller’s Music
881 Main St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 649-2036
nick@dubaldomusic.com
Property Owner
As a businessman who grew-up in Manchester and is present on Main Street on a daily basis, Mr. DuBaldo is aware of the business owner’s needs, the Town processes, as well as the shortcomings and potentials of our area.
Nick’s commitment as a commissioner is to increase the viability of our historic, commercial Downtown. With an eye towards blending practicality and excitement, he is committed to working cooperatively to promote and responsibly implement special events that draw customers to the Downtown. He is excited to be a part of efforts to improve the SSD website to make it a more dynamic and useful tool for businesses, visitors and those seeking to open a business in our Downtown. Nick looks forward to assisting in identifying and streamlining the process of inviting new businesses to come to the Downtown, be successful and stay here.
Rebecca Gentile
Key Bank
923 Main St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 645-2629
rebecca_gentile@keybank.com
Property owner
Ms. Gentile is a Market and Operations Leader and a Vice President of the Key Bank CT and MA Region. She is based in Downtown Manchester. Her skill sets include finance, accounting, administration and management, leadership, human resources and special event organization.
Rebecca is raising her family in Manchester and loves the diverse and fun environment of the Downtown. She is committed to help support the transformational process needed to strengthen the Downtown economically and deliver a “Gem of a Downtown”.
Rebecca is enthusiastically engaged in the life of the community, playing a leadership role in several local non-profits. She feels that her interactions and the skills she has gained have broadened her perspective and allowed her to bring additional insight to her work as a commissioner.
Tammy Gerhard
Silk City Coffee
763 Main St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone:
tammygerhard@yahoo.com
Business Lessee
Ms. Gerhard is both a property owner and business owner in Downtown Manchester. She is one of the four owners of Silk City Coffee that include her husband, Glenn, and, Sarah and Rob May.
Tammy sees serving on the Board of Commissioners as an opportunity to further meet the needs of downtown Manchester. A natural “people person,” with a professional background in counseling, she loves connecting with others. Tammy believes this skill set will be helpful in recruiting new businesses to Main Street, as well as in supporting and encouraging those business owners as they settle into the area.
Tammy believes in the importance of involving a new generation in the Downtown. She would like to reach out to bring new, young, motivated people onto the Downtown Marketing Committee to help develop creative marketing strategies for Downtown.
Tammy loves coming up with new ideas, strategizing how to make them happen and seeing them followed through to completion. Her work on the Downtown Strategic Planning Committee allowed her to participate in brainstorming ways to enrich the Main Street area. She looks forward to working with commissioners and constituents to help bring these ideas to life.
Winfried Quast
Quast Media
935 Main St. Suite B4
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 310-4400
wquast@quastmedia.com
Property owner
Mr. Quast and his wife Leyda have been Manchester residents since 2000 and own Quast Media LLC, a digital marketing firm in the Watkins Centre. Vinni immigrated to America in 1999 from Germany and made Manchester his new home, bringing with him a solid foundation of skills and experience.
Vinni is a 23-year veteran of the film and video industry and one of the most respected, media content creators in the region. Vinni has generously shared his talents, working with the Downtown District to create a Downtown video that can be found on the SSD website and Chairing the Marketing Committee.
As a commissioner Vinni is committed to using his skills in public relations and communications, marketing & technology, administration and management and small business development to make downtown a thriving location for current and new businesses.
John Tunila, Esq., Vice Chairman
Diana, Conti and Tunila, LLP
1091 Main St.
Manchester, Ct 06040
Phone: 860 643-2181
jtunila@dctlaw.com
Property Owner
Mr. Tunila is a Partner in the law firm of Diana, Conti & Tunila, LLP. He has worked from the firm’s Downtown Manchester office on Main Street since 1984 making him very familiar with the changing face of the Downtown and its many businesses and residents. John is also a Downtown property owner.
John has many areas of expertise and interest gained through his profession and service on the boards of various non-profits. These include: legal, real estate, finance and accounting, facilities management, policy development, advocacy, small business development and non-profit experience.
John’s goal as a commissioner is to enhance, promote and advocate for the economic and aesthetic improvement of the Downtown. Working with his fellow commissioners, downtown business and property owners, residents and visitors he is committed to being a tireless advocate for the benefit of the Downtown District.
Robert Sulick
Mulberry Street
981 Main St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 645-8646
bob.sulick@sodexo.com
Business Lessee
With a 45 year history in the food service industry and active involvement in his family business, Mulberry Street Restaurant, Mr. Sulick brings a customer service ethic and hospitality industry perspective to the commission.
As a Downtown property owner and resident Bob’s goal is to make Downtown Manchester “the Nirvana of Connecticut Main Streets”. He will use his open mindedness and creativity to help generate an active and sustainable business environment. Some of the skills he will employ to achieve this can be found in his expertise in finance and accounting, public relations and communications, education and instruction, program evaluation, personnel and human relations, outreach and advocacy and small business development.
Ex-Officio Commission MembersGary Anderson, Director of Planning & Economic Development
Town of Manchester
41 Center St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 647-3044
ganderson@manchesterchamber.com
Gary Anderson has served as Director of Planning and Economic Development for the Town of Manchester since September, 2016, returning to the Town where he served as Senior Planner from 2006 through 2012. Since his return Mr. Anderson’s focus has been on Economic Development, particularly Downtown and in the surrounding area. Mr. Anderson coauthored both Manchester 2020 Plan of Conservation and Development and the Broad Street Redevelopment Plan.
From 2012 through 2016 Mr. Anderson served as Director of Planning and Economic Development for the Town of Easton, Massachusetts where he led that community through a comprehensive master planning process and a subsequent period of planned growth. He guided zoning reform for the Queset Commercial District and downtown North Easton Village, and led a recodification of the entire zoning bylaw.
Mr. Anderson holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Drew University and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American Planning Association and is certified by the National Charrette Institute. He lives in Connecticut with his wife Sara and their two children and is an avid runner and sports fan (NY Giants, NY Mets, UConn).
Robert Pagani, Chairman
Greater. Manchester Chamber of Commerce
20 Hartford Rd.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 646-2223
bob.pagani@colliers.com
The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) is a rich resource for the commission and SSD members, offering support through the benefits the Chamber provides with marketing assistance, networking opportunities, business start-up counseling, referrals, Grand Opening celebration coordination, and economic development outreach.
Since 1901 the GMCC has been dedicated to strengthening the business community through numerous benefits and services created to assist the business owner in their day to day operations, especially those businesses operating on lean or limited budgets. The Chamber’s outreach and knowledge of businesses that are looking to expand into new territories assists in economic development efforts for the Downtown and Town of Manchester.
Danuta Wolk-Laniewski, Downtown Manager
Manchester Special Services District
983 Main St. Suite 10
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 645-2101
danuta@manchesterct.gov
Constable Johnson
Constable Swetzes
Downtown Manchester Special Services District
983 Main St. Suite 10
Manchester, CT 06040
860 645-2101
Downtown Manchester Special Services District
983 Main Street, Suite 10 Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860 645-2101 Fax: 860 645-5325
dmssd@manchesterct.gov