Groton — The regional economic development agency's annual meeting Wednesday turned into a battle cry for change as leaders envisioned embracing disruptive technologies while focusing on southeastern Connecticut's many assets and skills.

"I believe we in southeastern Connecticut are in one of those 'Perfect Storm' moments," said Sean Nugent, interim director of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region, during the organization's annual meeting at the Groton Inn & Suites.

In the past, said Nugent, people have focused on negative elements when telling the story of the region, a story that includes being one of the hardest-hit areas in the United States in terms of employment over the past few years.

But Nugent said "it's time to change that story" and focus instead on moving forward by developing a diverse, adaptable local economy keyed to such business areas as defense, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, healthcare services, creative information technologies and arts and culture.

"We have all these elements here today," he noted.

In a fictitious editorial pegged to what he hoped could be written about the local economy in 2030, Nugent mentioned that a "disruptive economic development strategy" would be key to developing a sustainable business environment that could adapt to such driving forces today as artificial intelligence and automation.

"We can begin to embrace the creative design economy now and plan ahead," said Nugent, who soon will be replaced by seCTer's incoming executive director, Nancy Cowser, who was in attendance and will begin her duties Jan. 9.

Charles Seeman, chairman of the seCTer board, said the regional organization is in a transitional and transformative time in its history. The group is currently in the midst of developing a new strategic direction, he said, at the same time that its governance structure is changing and it is expecting early next year to come out with a new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the region that is required every five years.

Juliet Hodge, director of economic development and marketing for seCTer, said the organization also is working on a website update as well as developing one unified vision and brand for southeastern Connecticut.

"It's the region that's the economic unit, not the individual towns," she said.

The 90-minute meeting, attended by state Rep. Mike France, R-Ledyard, and state Sens. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, and Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, included presentations by Ann Chambers, director of seCTer's loan programs, and Lisa Woods, director of the Connecticut PTAP program that connects state businesses with government-contracting opportunities.

Chambers said seCTer had $688,000 in loan funding either approved or pending in the current fiscal year, with another $1.3 million in the pipeline for 2017.

Wood, describing her Procurement Technical Assistance Program as "the eHarmony of government contracting," said her group's work led to 965 government awards this year amounting to $143 million in business for the state. Next year, she hopes to double the amount thanks to a new partnership with the University of Connecticut and a new PTAP office in Stamford.

In other business, John Beauregard, James Butler, Michael Carey, Robert Congdon, Richard Erikson, Todd Postler, Donna Simpson and Gabe Stern were named to new three-year terms on the seCTer board. Officers for next year will be Seeman, chairman; Carey, first vice chairman; Erickson, second vice chairman; Butler, secretary, and Ed Dombroskas, secretary.

Retiring board members included Mel Olsson, Robert Tabor and Marjorie Valentin. Directors who stepped down during the year were Tucker Braddock, Rocco Cavalieri and Tricia Walsh.

l.howard@theday.com