Erik Clemons, the founding CEO of ConnCAT and ConnCORP, will step down from his position at ConnCORP in October, the economic development organization announced Friday. His departure comes weeks after he announced he would leave his role at the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, a sister organization focused on job training and community support. Over eight years leading ConnCORP and more than a decade at ConnCAT, Clemons built both organizations into hubs for economic revitalization centered on New Haven’s historically Black neighborhoods of Dixwell and Newhallville.
“For eight years, I’ve had the honor of building alongside people who believe in this community as much as I do,” Clemons said in a statement. “Now it’s time for fresh eyes and new perspectives to lead what comes next.” He declined to share details about his next role, saying only that his decision has been fueled by a calling to work elsewhere.
Clemons’ exit marks a significant transition for both organizations, which are in the midst of major expansion. ConnCAT opened a 65,000-square-foot headquarters in June, a $65 million facility that includes space for job training, youth development programs, a recording studio, computer lab, and programs in culinary, phlebotomy, and bioscience. ConnCORP is leading First HAVEN, an 8-acre, $200 million redevelopment project in Dixwell that will include retail and grocery space, apartments, a performing arts center, and the recently completed workforce development hub.
Leadership Succession and Organizational Continuity
ConnCAT has already named Malcolm Ellis, a member of the ConnCORP board, as interim director while the search for a permanent leader gets underway. ConnCORP has not named an interim director but will launch a search for new leadership, according to the Friday announcement. The project will continue as planned during the leadership transition.
The leadership shift extends beyond Clemons. Carlton Highsmith, who founded both organizations and serves as board chair, has announced plans to step down at the end of the year. Speaking with the Connecticut Mirror, Clemons reflected positively on his tenure, saying both organizations have helped “create an ecosystem of service to the people.”
A Decade of Community-Focused Work
Clemons’ work in New Haven began more than a decade ago when ConnCAT launched. His focus expanded with ConnCORP’s founding to include community-driven investments in real estate and minority-owned businesses. He tackled challenges facing Black communities by supporting small business entrepreneurship, assessing Connecticut’s Black business landscape, and creating financial literacy programs.
In 2021, Clemons helped launch the Wealth Accelerator, which is running an accelerated pilot of Connecticut’s baby bonds program to explore ways to close the racial wealth gap. ConnCORP is also involved in the state’s recently announced NSF quantum engine, with Clemons serving as a co-principal investigator on the federal funding proposal.
Looking back at his work, Clemons said the true measure of his leadership will be the ability for both organizations to continue without him. “It’s been 15 years, a quarter of my lifetime, doing this work,” he said. “I feel very satisfied, and actually quite proud of what God has allowed me to do and to achieve.” He emphasized that reinforcing dignity and opportunity in New Haven’s Black communities remains critical to the city’s future, work that both ConnCAT and ConnCORP will continue beyond his tenure.