Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe Announces Re-Election Campaign

The following press release announcing the candidacies of First Selectman Jim Marpe and Jennifer Tooker is from their campaign:

WESTPORT, CT — Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe announced today that he will be seeking a second term as the Town’s highest ranking official. Marpe was first elected to the Board of Selectmen in November 2013. Current Second Selectman Avi Kaner, Marpe’s running mate in 2013, has decided not to run for reelection due to the increasing demands of managing his family business. Jim Marpe announced that Board of Finance member Jennifer Tooker is his choice as Board of Selectmen running mate in the November 2017 election. Avi Kaner will serve as the Marpe-Tooker campaign Chairman.

“I am delighted to announce my decision to run for reelection as First Selectman of Westport. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve our community, and I look forward to four more years of working on behalf of all Westporters to preserve and improve the town we all love,” said Marpe. “Second Selectman Avi Kaner has been a tremendous asset on the Board of Selectmen, and has been integral to the success of our administration. I am deeply grateful to Avi for all of his contributions to our Town, and for his continued support.”

Avi Kaner noted, “Jim’s extraordinary leadership has resulted in many important accomplishments over the past three years, including: improving our Town’s finances, delivering quality services for residents, keeping property tax rates flat, upgrading key Town amenities, beautifying our Downtown area, and preserving our commercial tax base by promoting Westport as an attractive place to locate and conduct business. This has been achieved despite a very challenging economic environment created by Hartford.” He added, “I know that Jim, with Jen Tooker by his side, will continue the remarkable progress for Westport in his next term.”

Marpe also discussed Jen Tooker’s impressive qualifications to serve as Second Selectman, stating, “I am fortunate to have found a new running mate that has an exemplary record of service to Westport. Jen has a wealth of knowledge about the Town's fiscal issues, and as a former member of the Board of Education, is a committed advocate for Westport’s world-class school system. Jen is also an accomplished businesswoman, and I know she will be a very valuable addition to the Board of Selectmen.”

“I am honored by the opportunity to serve Westport on the Board of Selectmen, and enthusiastically support Jim Marpe’s bid for a second term. With Jim’s continued stewardship of our Town, we are better positioned to address the difficulties we face due to financial mismanagement and failed leadership in Hartford,” remarked Jen Tooker.

About Jim Marpe:

Jim Marpe currently serves as Westport First Selectman, and was elected to that office in 2013. In this role, he has lead the town in delivering world-class services and upgraded amenities to residents, while strengthening Westport’s fiscal position and keeping property tax rates flat. Prior to serving on the Board of Selectmen, Jim was twice elected to Westport’s Board of Education. He served as Interim Chairman and was Vice Chairman of the Board of Education from 2007 to 2012. He was a member of three Teacher Contract Negotiation Teams and served on the Town Plan Implementation Committee. Throughout his public service to Westport, Jim has demonstrated a commitment to our community, and has worked effectively through complex issues to get results that benefit Westport.

Jim retired as a Senior Partner of Accenture, a leading global management consulting and computer technology services company. Jim's leadership was proven by solving complex problems in both the public and private sectors. Jim drove positive results through process and technology improvements, leading both small groups and teams of hundreds. Jim has a BS from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jim's community roots run deep, as evidenced by his participation and leadership roles in many community service organizations that help a wide cross-section of Westport, including the Westport/Weston Family Y, Homes with Hope, Green’s Farms Congregational Church, and the Westport Rotary Club.

A Westport resident since 1989, Jim is married to Mary Ellen and they have one daughter, Samantha.

About Jennifer Tooker:

Jennifer Tooker is a recently retired executive from Gen Re, following a 22-year career where she served in various leadership and management positions on the marketing and underwriting side of the reinsurance business in both the United States and Europe. Jennifer now spends her time working in public service. She is a current member of the Westport Board of Finance, and was elected to that board in November 2013. Prior to serving on the Board of Finance, she served on the Westport Board of Education. Jennifer continues to focus on education, specifically closing the achievement gap in our state which is one of the worst in the country. She spends many hours working on the boards of organizations that are committed to high quality and affordable education for children in all communities throughout Connecticut. To that end, Jennifer is a member of the Board of Directors for the State Education Resource Center, the Adam J. Lewis Preschool in Bridgeport and serves on Bishop Frank Caggiano's Education Commission for the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Jennifer's ties to the business community also remain strong, as she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Women's Business Development Council. The mission of WBDC is to provide entrepreneurial training, financial education and professional development to current and aspiring female small business owners across Connecticut, so they can start and grow a thriving business in our local cities and towns.

As a community volunteer, Jennifer serves on the Westport/Weston Family Y Board of Trustees, is a member of the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club and serves on the Sunrise Rotary 21st Century Foundation Board. Additionally, she loves spending her weekends in the fall and spring on the soccer field as a volunteer coach for the Westport Soccer Association.

Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. She is married to Mo, and they have three children, Jack, Riley and Nicole, who attend the Westport public schools.

Photo: Jim Marpe, left, and Jennifer Tooker. Photo credit: Contributed