Governor Lamont Appoints Martin Guay as Chair of the Board of Regents

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is appointing Martin Guay to serve as chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents, the governing body for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system. In assuming the leadership role, Guay will succeed its current chair, JoAnn Ryan, who announced today that she will not seek reappointment to the board when her term as a member expires on June 30, 2024.

There are 15 voting members of the board – nine of whom are appointed by the governor, four of whom are appointed by legislative leaders, and two of whom are students chosen by their peers. The governor is required to select one of its members to serve as chair, and the board elects a vice chair and other officers from among its membership. All the members serve as volunteers and are not compensated for their service.

Guay has been serving as a board member since September 2023 upon being appointed by Governor Lamont. His current term expires in 2030.

In his full-time employment, Guay works as Vice President of Business Development at Stanley Black & Decker in New Britain. In this capacity, he creates business value opportunities by working with startups, academia, venture capital, philanthropy 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 and growing the trades strategies in Connecticut and in the United States.

Guay earned a bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. from the George Washington University, and he completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

“Marty has spent his career in the manufacturing sector and understands the needs of businesses to have access to a workforce that is already trained with the skills needed for in-demand, good-paying jobs that are driving innovation and building economic opportunities,” Governor Lamont said. “This aligns with CSCU’s overarching 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-lasing careers. His leadership is a good fit at CSCU and I am excited that he has agreed to take on this position. I also want to thank JoAnn Ryan for her many years of dedicated and generous service to Connecticut’s higher education system. I am particularly appreciative of her work to strengthen these schools during a period of transition, and I applaud her commitment to our students, their success, and the success of our state.”

“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed to serve as the next chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents,” said Guay. “Our colleges and universities are an integral part of Connecticut’s growth strategy, making an $11 billion annual impact on the state’s economy. I am excited to partner further with Governor Lamont, Chancellor Cheng, the Board of Regents, institution leaders, and community partners on spearheading and implementing initiatives that enable CSCU to continue to offer new innovative courses and programs that meet both students’ aspirations and the needs of our workforce. Together, we can ensure that our institutions continue to be key economic drivers for our communities and state.”

“JoAnn Ryan has been a guiding light during these times of change, helping to provide a strategic vision for how our newly merged community college, Connecticut State Community College, would create more opportunity for so many students and be more responsive to the state’s workforce needs. She has helped the Board of Regents leverage the power of the CSCU system to create more efficiencies and drive innovation and has always put the needs of our students first,” said CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng. “We are so thankful and appreciative of her tireless work on behalf of the board and the entire CSCU system. We will miss her greatly.”

“It has been a privilege to serve as both a member and chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents. I am so proud of the incredible work the board has done in partnership with Governor Lamont, Chancellor Cheng, state leaders, and the leaders of Connecticut's public colleges and universities to create more opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff. From the merger of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges to our efforts in bridging the gap between our education and business communities, these past few years have been filled with growth,” said Ryan. “As the next chair of the Board of Regents, Marty Guay will continue to build on the progress we have made by ensuring our universities and colleges provide our students with the high-quality skills, training, and resources they need to succeed. I wish him success in his new role.”

“Marty’s experience working on workforce development, economic development, and advanced manufacturing strategies in Connecticut and across the country will play a significant role in shaping the future of the CSCU system. Having worked with innovation communities, universities, incubators, and accelerators, he brings a keen understanding of how to strengthen partnerships between our institutions of higher education and the private sector,” said Chancellor Cheng. “Marty will be a true partner to the Board of Regents, CSCU system office, and our college and university leaders in developing overarching workforce development goals that are aligned with Connecticut’s growth strategy. I am excited to work with him.”

Ryan has been serving as a member of the board since 2018 and was appointed by Governor Lamont as chair in 2022. Her full-time employment is as president and CEO of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.

After becoming chair, Ryan helped guide the merger of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges and accreditation of the unified Connecticut State Community College by providing a vision and strategic guidance for how New England’s now-largest community college could create more opportunity for countless individuals and be more responsive to the workforce needs of the state.

She has focused much of her leadership on the board in leveraging the power of the CSCU system to create efficiencies and drive innovation. She also partnered with Chancellor Cheng in establishing key areas of focus for the entire CSCU system, including student success, innovation and economic growth, affordability and sustainability, and systemness.

CSCU consists of four state universities, Connecticut State Community College, and Charter Oak State College.

For more information about the Board of Regents, visit https://www.ct.edu/regents