New CEO Named At Stamford-Based Charter Oak Communities

STAMFORD, CT — Ben Barnes will become CEO of Charter Oak Communities on Oct. 1, the organization announced Monday.

Barnes joined Charter Oak Communities in January as chief of staff. In that role, he has led aspects of its operations, corporate services, real estate development, asset management and social enterprise work. The organization provides affordable housing for thousands of low- and moderate-income Stamford families.

"Choosing a CEO is probably the most important job that we as a Board have. We have gotten to know Ben, have interviewed him for this position and have talked with COC leadership – all of which has led us to the mutual decision that Ben is well-suited for this role and, in fact, will excel at it," said Chair of COC’s Board of Directors Rich Ostuw in a news release.

"Ben is an exceptional leader who brings many important skills to this position. However, some intangibles make him the perfect choice – he is aligned with COC's culture of collaboration and support and is committed to the mission of serving the community. The board is extremely pleased with this decision and are excited to see COC continue to grow and thrive under Ben’s leadership."

Barnes served as Stamford’s director of administration under Mayor Caroline Simmons from September 2023 through January 2026. He previously held several positions under former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, served as secretary of the state Office of Policy and Management under Malloy and was vice president of administration and chief financial officer of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities. In the latter role, he helped implement the state’s tuition-free community college program.

"I have always cared about making the lives of those in our community better, and this role gives me the chance to do more of that," said Barnes in a news release. "COC has been built on a very strong foundation. As CEO, I look forward to learning more, doing more and challenging ourselves to find new ways to have an even greater impact in the years ahead."

Barnes will succeed Vin Tufo, who has served as CEO since 2011. Tufo will remain president of Rippowam Corporation, Charter Oak Communities’ real estate development subsidiary, and executive director of Dovetail, a social enterprise tied to the organization that works to revitalize underserved neighborhoods.

"I have long admired the work of COC, and I have tremendous respect for all that Vin and his team have achieved over the past 15-plus years," added Barnes. "COC has completely changed what it means to be a housing authority, and it has transformed what affordable housing looks like and feels like across Stamford. I am proud to become CEO of an organization that believes in such out-of-the-box thinking and where the staff is equally committed to ensuring the very best for our residents and our community."

Barnes holds a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Swarthmore College. He serves on the board of directors of the Connecticut Rise Network and is an adjunct faculty member in public policy at UConn Stamford.

A Connecticut resident for more than 20 years, he lives in Stratford with his wife and two children.