Town Manager Peter Elwell has announced the appointment of Andre Jaeger to be the Town’s new Finance Director. Jaeger’s first day with the Town will be on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.
Jaeger comes to the Town of Brattleboro from Keene State College, where he was the Budget Director. That position was eliminated on May 1, 2020, as part of the college’s reducing and restructuring its administration and support staff. Prior to working at the college, Jaeger had 3 years of experience as a tax associate with the accounting firm of PriceWaterhouse Coopers and 16 years of audit and financial management experience with private companies in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, including 6 years at the headquarters of C+S Wholesale Grocers in Keene. He earned a BA in Economics and Accounting from the University of Massachusetts and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. He also is a Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor, and Certified Fraud Examiner.
“We are grateful to have attracted someone of Andre’s caliber for such an important position in Town government,” said Elwell, who noted that several other experienced financial managers were among the 22 applicants for the position. “Even with a strong field of applicants,” said Elwell, “Andre stood out as being especially well qualified in terms of both his prior work experience and his commitment to transparency, accountability, and innovation in mission driven organizations.”
Jaeger said that “having lived in Keene for almost a decade, I am familiar with Brattleboro and look forward to serving that community.” He also said he is “grateful to be joining a stable team where the objective will be to take something good and improve it, rather than having to fix something that’s broken.”
John O’Connor was Brattleboro’s Finance Director and Town Treasurer from 2011 until earlier this year. The Town’s first search for a new Finance Director was unsuccessful, so following O’Connor’s February 25 retirement the accounting firm of MelansonHeath has been providing Interim Finance Director services to the Town. “I’m grateful to Laurie Garland and her colleagues at MelansonHeath for providing excellent oversight to our financial operations,” said Elwell, “especially during the uniquely challenging time of COVID-19.” Elwell also thanked the Town’s Finance Department employees “for going above and beyond to keep operations running smoothly in between finance directors and during COVID-19.” Alluding to this being the Town’s second search for O’Connor’s replacement, Elwell said “Andre will be worth the wait and we are all eager to have him here on our team.”
For more information, you may contact Brattleboro Town Manager Peter Elwell at 802-451-8942, or pelwell@brattleboro.org.
