Resume Released For Fairfield's New Chief Operating Officer

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In a statement he read during Wednesday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, Gerber defended the hiring. The text of the full statement is below.

“David was someone I had observed at meetings for years, but did not know personally,” Gerber said. “I saw him in action when he won a seat as a Republican on the RTM at the age of 27, as Republican majority leader on the RTM, as a candidate to be the Republican nominee for First Selectman age 28, as a Republican member of the Board of Finance for two terms, and as Chief of the Southport Fire Department. It was really only over the past couple of years that I knew David Becker well enough to even say hello to him.

“My impression of David was as a fiscal conservative with an obsession for operational efficiency and an intense love of Fairfield. Even up to today, I’ve never been in his home, and he’s never been in mine. We don’t hang out outside of work.

“I’m saying this to address some of the noise I’m hearing and seeing in emails, insinuating there’s more to this appointment then the fact that he is an amazing asset for this town, and a fantastic addition as COO. I have never met anyone quite like him.”

Gerber said he had planned to post the position and interview candidates for the job, but changed his mind after working with Becker for several months in Becker’s capacity as interim CFO. Becker’s hiring is at the discretion of the First Selectman.

“I have managed hundreds of people in my career and I have never managed someone with this combination of intelligence, thirst for knowledge, enthusiasm, and dedication,” Gerber said. “It seemed unfair to post the job and interview people given that I knew I had already found the right person for the job. That was my choice to make.”

During Wednesday’s meeting, Kupchick said Becker’s resume “has inaccuracies,” primarily with LLCs that hold contracts with the town.

“That’s a huge conflict,” Kupchick said, adding that filings in the Secretary of State’s office “do not match up with what’s in this resume.”

Gerber cautioned Kupchick, saying her accusations might come close to slander.

“I’m simply saying that there are inaccuracies,” Kupchick said. “A salary of $170,000 is a lot for a COO. I have real concerns about this.”

In a statement Gerber shared in his most recent Town Update, Becker said he believes his background has prepared him for the new job.

“I’d like to thank First Selectman Bill Gerber for this opportunity to serve our Town,” Becker said. “As Chief Operating Officer, my role will encompass overseeing the Town’s day-to-day operations, ensuring efficient and effective service delivery, and working to align our operations with the town’s strategic goals. I’ll also focus on optimizing our resources and improving processes to better serve our community.

“My journey began as a volunteer firefighter, where I gained hands-on experience in public safety and a focus on public service. Early in my career, I worked for a non-profit which shaped my views on budgets and maximizing every dollar. My roles in the private sector have allowed me to blend my skills in finance, operations, and technology. This varied background has prepared me well for the responsibilities of the COO position, enabling me to bring a holistic perspective to the role.”

First Selectman Bill Gerber’s full statement on the hiring of David Becker as Fairfield’s Chief Operating Officer:

I’m very happy to announce that David Becker will be our Administration’s new Chief Operating Officer.

David was someone I had observed at meetings for years, but did not know personally. I saw him in action when he won a seat as a Republican on the RTM at the age of 27, as Republican majority leader on the RTM, as a candidate to be the Republican nominee for First Selectman age 28, as a Republican member of the Board of Finance for two terms, and as Chief of the Southport Fire Department. It was really only over the past couple of years that I knew David Becker well enough
to even say hello to him.

My impression of David was as a fiscal conservative with an obsession for operational efficiency and an intense love of Fairfield. Even up to today, I’ve never been in his home, and he’s never been in mine. We don’t hang out outside of work.

I’m saying this to address some of the noise I’m hearing and seeing in emails, insinuating there’s more to this appointment then the fact that he is an amazing asset for this town, and a fantastic addition as COO. I have never met anyone quite like him. His resume is in the revised backup for this meeting.

This is my appointment to make, not the Board of Finance, not the Board of Selectmen, and not the Republican Town Committee.

Now let me address why I had planned to post this job and interview several candidates before picking one (and said so publicly), but changed my mind.

Click Here:

First, I have been working with David closely for over 6 months. I recall the former First Selectperson joking about hiring her Chief Administrative Officer after a great 4-hour lunch. What better test of David’s character and abilities than his past six months “in the trenches” with us. A couple of weeks ago, I turned to our Human Resources Director and said “it is very clear to me that David Becker is the right person for the Chief Operating Officer job.” I have managed hundreds of people in my career and I have never managed someone with this combination of intelligence, thirst for knowledge, enthusiasm, and dedication. It seemed unfair to post the job and interview people given that I knew I had already found the right person for the job. That was my choice to make.

After the election I bumped into David and we had a long talk. He volunteered to help our administration for 3 months, without pay, just because he loves Fairfield and felt there were many ways the town could be better managed.

Yes, I was positively predisposed to accept his offer because he had voted his conscience on the Board of Finance, and showed integrity in some stressful situations.

David Becker started working for me in Town Hall as a volunteer. He added value from Day One but, as a volunteer, couldn’t participate in meetings on sensitive topics. I wanted him in the important meetings; so, David offered to work for minimum wage and that’s what he did.

Over several months David became increasingly valuable to the Administration and a trusted advisor to me and others. He pointed out expenses that could be cut, and areas that needed investment. During the budget process, we were able to invest in some key areas, while keeping our mill rate increase among the lowest I’ve seen to date in Connecticut. We were able to add a teen librarian, a staff member to Conservation, right-size the budget and structure of our joint Emergency Communications Center, and absorb the large increases from settled contracts with unions. We were able to transition our large investment portfolio from one with extreme counterparty concentration risk – about $100 million- to one with significantly lower risk and lower fees.

With a strong Controller, Caitlin Bosse, and a strong Budget Director, Frank Magneri, David had an effective, professional foundation behind him in his CFO role, but spent weekends and nights helping with operational issues in addition to his CFO Responsibilities.

My intention is to hire a CFO that is first rate and is not tied to any political party. This person should be viewed as non-partisan, talented, and a long-term asset for Fairfield. Over the past decades, this has not been the case. Since I have been in Fairfield, two CFOs were local party
stalwarts and one was a budget analyst for the State Republican Party. Yes, it has not been easy to find the right, non-partisan person with the right skill sets; I have been looking for 5.5 months. Let’s not forget that Caitlin Bosse served as Interim CFO (while maintaining her Controller responsibilities) under Brenda Kupchick for almost 9 months during the period the prior Administration was looking for a permanent CFO.

We did find two great applicants and both ultimately decided this wasn’t the place for them. We reopened our search and have about a dozen additional applicants, in addition to the original 19 or so. Today, we will hopefully approve a contract to commence a national search for this position as well. Given we have a team with David, Caitlin and Frank, we can and should take the time to find the right person. David’s salary is staying the same as his current salary, as interim CFO.

So, while I acknowledge the concerns some have voiced, I hope this statement and David’s resume being posted addresses many of them, as it is time for us to move forward and focus on what matters most-the future of our town.

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