Gov. Taps City Landlord, ZBA Member As CT Development Commissioner

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that he is planning to appoint New Havener Alexandra Daum as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development when he begins his second term in office early next year.

Lamont will take the oath of office and begin his second term Jan. 4, 2023 and will then forward Daum’s nomination as commissioner to the General Assembly for its consideration.

Daum, who lives in East Rock, will succeed David Lehman, who "intends to leave state service at the conclusion of the governor’s first term," according to Lamont's office.

Daum is a current city Zoning Board of Appeals member with a term that expires in 2025, and, as reported on by the New Haven Independent in 2021, is also a New Haven property owner and landlord. According to her LinkedIn, she is principal of Field Properties.

She is currently deputy commissioner and chief investment officer of DECD in a position that she has held since March 2020. "In this role, she drives public investment in local economic development projects and initiatives across Connecticut, including greenfield and brownfield real estate developments, public-private partnerships, urban revitalization efforts, offshore wind, and opportunity zones," Lamont's news release reads. And manages Lamont’s community redevelopment initiatives, most notably the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grants, Brownfield Municipal Grants, and the Community Investment Fund 2030.

Prior to joining DECD, Daum was the founder and principal of Field Properties, a real estate investor in New Haven. She began her real estate career in development at Trammell Crow Residential in its Northern California division. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

“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. “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.”

Lehman, who was quoted as saying it's been an "an honor to work with Governor Lamont," has served as commissioner of DECD since February 19, 2019, just several weeks after Lamont was sworn into his first term in office.

"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. “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.”