UPDATED: Stratford Man Is Appointed New Greenwich Town Administrator

UPDATED:

The Greenwich Board of Education Managing Director of Operations, Ben Branyan of Stratford, has been appointed the Greenwich Town Administrator.

In an announcement Tuesday afternoon at Greenwich Town Hall, First Selectman Peter Tesei said Branyan will succeed John Crary who is retiring May 15 after eight years. Branyan, who will earn $190,000 a year, will assume the duties as Tesei’s top aide on June 1.

The 39-year-old Branyan, whose background is in education and municipal administration, was one of seven finalists chosen from a field 70 applicants.

Branyan came to Greenwich Public Schools in 2010 from the Town of Stratford where he held a series of key school and municipal administrative posts.

Tesei said, “Ben brings a wealth of experience in municipal government and schools administration. He is thoughtful and approachable and understands the town’s decentralized governance structure. His experience with the town through his current position as managing director of operations for the Greenwich Public Schools adds valued to the town administration as he understands our operations and will be an important bridge between the two organizations.”

After his formal introduction before several town employees, department heads, Board of Education officials including Chairman Barbara O’Neill, and his predecessor Crary, Branyan said, “I love working for the Town of Greenwich. It would have been foolish for me not to throw my hat in the ring. In a way, it is sort of a coming home for me on the local government side.”

A resident of Stratford, Branyan added, “I think this makes me a stronger administrator with my experience.”

In a statement, School Superintendent William McKersie said, “Ben Branyan has been a highly valued administrator for the schools. He brings excellent quality and efficiency to every function under his purview. Without a doubt, this is a loss for the Greenwich Public Schools. This is a great opportunity for Ben. All of Greenwich will benefit from Ben’s rare mix of dedication, expertise and integrity.”

Tesei said that Branyan will be available to help the school district close out the current fiscal year that ends June 30, should the need arise.

Before coming to Greenwich, Branyan was the chief operating officer for Stratford Public Schools after serving as the district’s school business administrator. Before that, he worked for more than 10 years as the assistant town manager and chief administrative officer for the town of Stratford. He also worked for the city of East Grand Rapids, MI as a project specialist and assistant to the city manager. Branyan is a graduate of Calvin College and Western Michigan University, both in Grand Rapids.

Greenwich Board of Education Chair O’Neill said she was surprised Branyan applied for the job. “I didn’t know his roots were in town government. I’m glad he’s not leaving the town and we’re losing his talents.” She added, “He has great integrity. When Ben says something, he has all of the information. It is accurate. He is not self-promoting. He is humble and has great people skills.”

Photo: First Selectman Peter Tesei, left, and new Town Administrator Ben Branyan. Credit: Barbara Heins.