Governor Lamont Appoints Martin Guay and Ted Yang as Board of Regents Members

Governor Ned Lamont has appointed Martin Guay and Ted Yang to serve as members of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR), the governing body for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system. CSCU consists of four state universities, Connecticut State Community College, and Charter Oak State College.

Guay is Vice President, Business Development, at Stanley Black & Decker, and Ted Yang has founded numerous companies and non-profits, as well as founding and serving as CEO of4-CT, Connecticut’s largest COVID-19 relief fund. Their terms began on Sept. 8. They are replacing Regents Felice Gray-Kemp and Holly Howery.

“Martin and Ted each have extensive experience with Connecticut’s business community and are intimately familiar with the needs of businesses to fill available, good-paying job with workers who are trained with the high-quality skills required for them. Their contributions will coincide well with the CSCU system’s overarching workforce development goals and efforts to partner with the business community so that when students graduate they can get started on the right track for successful, long-lasting careers. I appreciate their willingness to serve on the Board of Regents,” said Governor Ned Lamont.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome these new Regents to the CSCU system and look forward to a productive and rewarding partnership,” said CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng. “Their guidance and expertise will play a significant role in shaping the future of the CSCU system and ensuring we continue to maintain the highest quality educational opportunities for our students. We are also thankful for the hard work and commitment of Felicia Gray-Kemp and Holly Howery, and we will miss their perspectives going forward.

As Vice President, Business Development at Stanley Black & Decker, Martin Guay creates business value opportunities by working with startups, academia, venture capital, and global corporations. He has worked with innovation communities, universities, incubators, and accelerators across the world. Concurrently, he is working on workforce development, economic development, and advanced manufacturing strategies in Connecticut and in the United States.

“I am honored to be appointed Regent for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities,” said Guay. “The success of Connecticut is dependent on a successful, vibrant, and effective post-secondary education system which is powered by the role CSCU plays in spearheading workforce development initiatives across the state. I look forward to partnering with Chancellor Cheng and the Board of Regents as we continue to invest in the future of Connecticut.” 

Guay was previously President of STANLEY Healthcare, a global business and operating division of Stanley Black & Decker, a leader in solutions that transform safety security and operational efficiency for senior living organizations, hospitals, and health systems. He was previously President, Integrated Systems, and Vice President of Sales and Operations for North America at STANLEY Security. Guay also has 20 years of security experience as the President of Niscayah, USA and Chief Operating Officer for Securitas Systems.

Guay serves as a Board Advisor for following startups: CALT Dynamics, a new additive manufacturing technology company in Dublin, Ireland; Boxologic, a disruptive packaging company in Istanbul, Turkey; and Xander-Kardian, a radar technology company in Seoul, South Korea and Toronto, Canada. He facilitated Stanley Black & Decker’s Corporate Venture Capital arm’s investment in seven seed stage and early-stage companies.

He is also a Board Member of the Massachusetts Advocates for Children and was an Executive Member of The Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. From 1992 to 1999, Guay served as the Chairman of the Finance Committee for the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in Milwaukee, WI. Guay holds a bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. from George Washington University and completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

Ted Yang has founded numerous companies and non-profits with several exits and is constantly working on another. During the pandemic, he founded and served as CEO of 4-CT, Connecticut’s largest COVID-19 relief fund, which has delivered more than $23 million in aid to Connecticut’s most needy. He is also the founder at Sticky Ventures, a US/Italy Venture Studio. 

"I am honored to be called to serve our state and the students of CSCU. I look forward to working with Chancellor Cheng, Chair Ryan and my fellow Regents as we work to continue CSCU's tradition of excellence and reshape our system for the workforce of tomorrow," said Yang.

Some of his past and current companies include the Daily Voice, Highclere Castle Spirits, Purple Insurance, and MediaCrossing. He was a founder of the Stamford Innovation Center, a hub of entrepreneurship in Fairfield County and a Founding Partner of Social Venture Partners, Connecticut. Yang previously was a capital markets executive with CTO and leadership positions at leading banks and hedge funds including Citigroup, Tudor, Citadel, and Bridgewater. He was a Managing Director with the boutique investment bank The Westbury Group and was CTO with Ultra Capital, transforming sustainable investments in infrastructure.

He is Chairman of Connex Partners with other boards including ChemPacific Corporation. He is also the author of Table for Five: A Father’s Story of Life, Love and Loss, a story of his triplets born at 24 weeks, and was nominated for a Regional Emmy Award for his writing of 4-CT’s Public Service Announcements.

Yang received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at 21 years old and was featured in media such as the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Fox Business News. He has spoken worldwide including at the business schools of MIT, Wharton, Babson, Columbia, and NYU.