PRESIDENT: Edward Lavernoich
Phone: 203-335-3800
Email: lavernoich@brbc.org
The Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO), an affiliate of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC), is a non-profit economic development corporation organized under US IRS laws as a 501(c)3 corporate entity and is recognized as a charitable organization in good standing by the State of Connecticut. BEDCO has the ability to undertake a broad range of economic and community development activity, with a purposeful focus of helping public, private and neighborhood partner organizations implement their worthy ideas. BEDCO is governed by its own Board of Directors, comprised of nominees from the BRBC Board of Directors, and appointees from the Mayor of the City of Bridgeport.
Typical BEDCO Activities
- Assemble land for industrial and commercial expansion when designated as Development Agency (under Statute) for the City of Bridgeport
- Administer brownfield cleanups
- Provide grant/financing administration services for private companies receiving state economic development assistance
- Provide grant/financing administration services and project management for neighborhood organizations
- Provide cost-effective capacity to the City and State’s economic development efforts
Some Past BEDCO projects
- Boston Avenue Industrial Park
- Devar Instrumentation expansion
- Chapin & Bangs expansion
- Carpenter Technology expansion
- Producto Machine expansion
- Lacey Manufacturing expansion (3 times)
- Bridgeport Innovation Center modernization
- Read’s Artspace adaptive reuse
- Arcade Hotel acquisition and restoration
- Modern Plastics expansion, West End Municipal Development Project
- Seaview Avenue Industrial Park
- Management of project infrastructure and property improvement funding for Lower East Side Development Corporation
The 2019 BEDCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Levine, Cohen and Wolf PC; Board Chair
George Estrada, University of Bridgeport; Board Vice Chair (9/19)
Paul Timpanelli, Hodson Realty, Treasurer
Edward Lavernoich; BEDCO President & Secretary of the Board
Paul Antinozzi, Antinozzi & Associates
John Bundschuh, People's United Bank
Albert Carbone, Avangrid/UIL
Angel dePara Jr., City of Bridgeport
Maureen Funke, Greenbox-is
Carolyn Gonzalez, Capital for Change
Charles Scott, Tri-State Realty
Charles Stallworth, State Representative, 126th District
BEDCO has proudly done business with the following local MBEs since 2016
Brown Construction, Bridgeport
G Pic and Sons Construction, Bridgeport
Engineers Ironworks, Bridgeport
Freeman Companies, Hartford
JESCO Builders, Bridgeport
Pryceless Consulting, Bridgeport
Resource Services, Bridgeport
WC McBride Electrical Contracting, Bridgeport
PERMANENT BEDCO DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Kenneth Oppedisano, Main Enterprises Inc., BEDCO Board Chair 2007-2017
IN MEMORIAM:
Representative Ezequiel Santiago 1973-2019
Dedicated BEDCO Board Director 2011-2019, Vice Chairman from 2015 until his passing.
