Brendan Sharkey

Joseph Brendan Sharkey (born March 18, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician. He is the former Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. He was sworn in as Speaker on January 9, 2013. From 2011 until his election as Speaker he served as the Majority Leader. From 2001 to 2017, he represented the 88th Assembly District, consisting of parts of Hamden.

Early life and family
Sharkey was born in Orange, New Jersey in 1962 and moved to Connecticut in 1971. He attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Philosophy. He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1989.

Professional career
Sharkey is an attorney and owner of AmeriZone, LLC, a small consulting business specializing in zoning and permit expediting for national companies.

Political career
Sharkey was first elected to the House in 2000 representing the 103rd Assembly District covering a part of Hamden. He was redistricted into the 88th District in 2002. In 2011, he was elected the Majority Leader and elected Speaker in 2013.

He previously served as House Chair of the Planning & Development Committee and the Review & Investigations Committee and served on the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee.

Associations

 * Member, Hamden Chamber of Commerce
 * Member, Connecticut Bar Association