CBIA BizCast

CBIA BizCast

Connecticut Business & Industry Association


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Latest Episode

Connecticut's Best CNBC Ranking

How did Connecticut achieve its highest-ever CNBC ranking? On this episode of the CBIA BizCast, CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima joins Amanda Marlow to break down CNBC's 2026 America's Top States for Business rankings and what they mean for Connecticut's economy. Connecticut reached its highest-ever ranking in the 20-year history of the report, climbing five spots to number 23 overall. DiPentima and Marlow discuss what's driving the state's gains, why workforce challenges remain a concern, and what Connecticut must do to remain competitive. Despite Connecticut's progress, DiPentima says the state must continue addressing workforce challenges while building on recent economic gains. "We need to focus on the things that helped with the improvement, the business friendliness, the economic growth, and then work on the things that the scorecard shows we're clearly having challenges with, like workforce," DiPentima said. Episode Highlights -How permitting reforms, regulatory improvements, and public-private collaboration helped drive recent progress -Why workforce challenges pushed Connecticut's workforce ranking from eighth to 25th -What Connecticut can learn from top-performing states and the long-term strategies needed to remain competitive -Why business-friendly policies and economic growth take time to show up in national rankings Headlines You May Have Missed -CBIA Response to June 2026 Employment Report: https://www.cbia.com/news/media-center/cbia-response-to-june-2026-employment-report -Pentagon Suspends CMMC Program: https://www.cbia.com/news/manufacturing/pentagon-suspends-cmmc-certification -QuantumCT Wins $15M NSF Award: https://www.cbia.com/news/economy/quantumct-wins-15m-nsf-award -2026 Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut: https://www.cbia.com/coolest-thing/ The CBIA BizCast is made possible through the generous support of Google. Subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate the podcast and leave us a review—we appreciate your support! And be sure to give us your feedback and share guests you’d like to hear.

About CBIA BizCast

A podcast for the business-minded in Connecticut. Interviews consist of business and community leaders who are shaping the future of Connecticut’s economy. The CBIA BizCast provides new content every other week, introduces members of the business community, and tells stories about how businesses are innovating and growing in Connecticut! Access more episodes, subscribe, and learn more.