Westport's Downtown 2020 Committee Members

The mission of the committee will be  and environs that offers diverse entertainment, dining, and recreational, residential and business opportunities, according to the committee's mission statement.

Committee members: 

Louis Gagliano, Chairman

Lou is a retired business executive with substantial experience in planning efforts both in the corporate, not for profit and community areas.  In 1996 Lou chaired a 23-person committee the Citizens Long Range Planning Task Force appointed by the First Selectman.  The task force produced a review and report after conducting a numerous public meetings dealing with the school expansion and other town wide capital programs.  The report indicated the size of tax increases the town was facing over the next 10-year period.  The report was intended as a planning document for both the Selectman’s office and other town elected boards.

In 1999 and with other local business individuals Lou helped established a micro lending not for profit in Bridgeport and the surrounding area.  This not for profit helped start and grow 85 small businesses until its merger in 2005 into another Bridgeport not for profit.

He has served as a board member and chairman of a number of not for profits doing community based work in Fairfield County.

Lou and his wife Caren have for the last four years provided pro-bono services to small businesses, primarily retailers, in both Westport and the surrounding area in order to help them survive the downturn that our area has experienced.

Lou and his wife have lived in Westport since 1985.

Gerald M. Kagan, FAIA

Gerry is an architect and planner whose early carrier was with the Rouse Company and involved as the planner for the New City of Columbia, Md.  Following this he founded his own firm, and has Fellowship status with the American Institute of Architects.

He has won nine awards for his work including the CT Secretary of State Public Service award in 2003.  Long list of industry affiliations and his project work includes an 110,00 square foot office building and retail complex in downtown Hamden, one of the centers our project intends to study. 

Gerry has been a member of the Westport Wetland Commission.  Further he has done work in the planning of assisted living facilities, and has been a visiting professor at Yale University.

Robert Jacobs

Architect and planner having founded his own architectural firm.  A founder of The Minuteman paper.  Among other associations: Westport Art Center Board, President of Gomez Foundation for Mill House, and Board member of Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County.  Served on a planning subcommittee of the Baron’s South Planning Commission, resulting in the work of Buckhurst Fish and Jacquemart, which developed a downtown plan.

Daniel Kail

Corporate background serving on a number of corporate boards during his career.  Local affiliations during his numerous involvements in town:  Chaired Staples Building Committee, Library Building Committee, Playhouse Building Committee, past President of the Library Board and United Way of Westport/Weston, and current board member of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

Jeffrey A. Mayer

Corporate businessman and long-time resident of Westport.  Founder of Mxenergy, Inc, an independent supplier of natural gas and electricity to homeowners and businesses.  A lawyer by training, he spent several years in private law practice.  A Westport resident since 1993, he was elected as a member of the Board of Finance in 1997 and served as its chair from 2005-2009.  He has also served on several boards of community and not for profit organizations in Fairfield County.

Valerie Smith-Malin

Accomplished marketing executive holding key positions in the corporate world.  Very experienced in brand management.   Presently has her own marketing consulting practice concentrating on brand strategy and new product development.  High-energy creative thinker with strong ties into the Young Woman’s League (Board of Directors in the past for three years), active in her church community (Greens Farms Congregational), and Westport PTA groups including being a committee chair. 

Craig Rebecca Schiavone

Craig has a long history of involvement with planning and commercial development both in government and her experience with her own company.  Much of this background was in the New Haven area where she served in the Development Administration of New Haven where she helped to develop a plan for the downtown area. She went onto to help manage this effort through various important phases. 

Following this public service effort she founded her own full service commercial real estate firm and grew this company to a staff of 60 employees.  At the same time she began another firm targeted to colleges, universities and not for profit institutions dealing with facility management.  She subsequently sold both of these businesses, but maintains her skill sets in these areas of commercial real estate and development. 

In addition she has served in numerous Board capacities for a number of businesses and not for profit groups including The Fund for Excellence in Public Education, Gubernatorial appointee for the Connecticut Trust for Historical Preservation, and an active fundraiser for many charitable groups including Long Wharf Theater and Habitat for Humanity. 

Currently she is President of Schiavone Financial Management Group providing planning, benchmarking and financial and operational systems to business and not for profit entities.

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