New Town Manager Named In Tolland

TOLLAND, CT — Tolland has a new town manager.

Here is the official announcement from Thursday:

After a year-long, national search the Tolland Town Council is proud to announce that Michael Rosen has been chosen and has accepted the offer to be the next Tolland Town Manager. The Town Council plans to officially approve Mr. Rosen’s appointment and Employment Agreement at their next meeting on August 13th. Rosen’s tentative start date is September 9th. Current Town Manager Steven Werbner previously announced his plan to retire this summer.

The Town Council was supported in the search by staff and consultant Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to identify Michael Rosen as the successor for the Town Manager position. On July 30, 2019, Rosen participated in a full-day final interview process which included a community tour, a senior staff engagement session which included the School Superintendent, a public Meet and Greet, and a formal interview with the Town Council.

At the public Meet and Greet, Rosen gave an enthusiastic and well-received presentation, followed by taking informal questions from the approximately 40 residents, elected officials, staff and appointed board members who attended. The Town Council was excited to receive the opinions of all those who attended. "Feedback from the day’s events about Mr. Rosen was very positive, and it became very clear that he is the right fit for Tolland," said Tolland Town Council Chairman Bill Eccles. "His enthusiasm for Tolland is undergirded by a demonstrated capability of solid management principles."

Michael (Mike) Rosen currently serves as Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Bedford, Massachusetts, following his appointment in 2015. He previously served as Executive Assistant to the First Selectman for the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut, from 2012 to 2015. Prior to Greenwich, he served as an Intern with the County Manager’s Office with Schenectady County, New York, from July to November, 2011, and in similar posts with the New York State Division of the Budget Contracts Team from January to April, 2011, and with the Department of Computing Training Services (DCTS) Professional Development Program in Albany, New York, from 2010 to 2011.

He also has previous experience as an Executive Recruiter and Staffing Specialist with a private firm in New York City, New York, from 2007 to 2010. He holds a Master of Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Public Policy, University of Albany, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Law from Binghamton University.
The Town previously selected Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to assist in conducting the extensive search that resulted in an impressive candidate pool. SGR is an executive recruitment firm based in Keller, Texas, specializing in recruiting, assessing, and developing innovative, collaborative, and authentic leaders for local governments. SGR’s proprietary recruitment and vetting process produced a strong field of candidates comprised of 31 individuals from 13 states and 3 countries.

Candidate vetting included a comprehensive questionnaire, online interviews, informal on-site semifinalists’ interviews with the Town Council, a psychometric assessment, a thorough media search, and a rigorous background investigation.