Gov.-elect Ned Lamont named a hedge fund executive and Hartford’s top budget official Tuesday to two of the most important positions in his new administration.
Lamont appointed Melissa McCaw to be the state budget director and selected Ryan Drajewicz as his chief of staff.
McCaw, 39, has served more than 17 years in various state, city and university budget positions, including eight years at the state Office of Policy and Management, which she will now lead. McCaw, Hartford’s chief financial officer, will be Connecticut’s first African-American state budget director.
She will step into a difficult position as the state grapples with long-running budget problems and a projected deficit of $1.7 billion for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. But McCaw said during a press conference that she has handled tough budget problems in the city of Hartford and is up for the job.
McCaw referred to herself when she said that Lamont had “picked someone top-notch who delivers, and my track record speaks for that.’’
Lamont declined directly to reveal the number of applicants for the budget director’s job and how many were considered seriously.
“Believe me, [Lt. Gov.-elect Susan Bysiewicz] and I got our first choice,’’ he said.
Drajewicz, a high-level executive with the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, is a former top aide to U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd. The chief of staff is traditionally the most important position in the governor’s administration — handling crises of different magnitudes and dealing directly with commissioners and top legislators.
The two appointees are arguably the most high-profile in any administration, and Lamont awarded the jobs to two 39-year-old governmental veterans. Lamont said Drajewicz has essentially already been the chief of staff by serving as the executive director of his transition team since the November election.
“He’s been our chief of staff, de facto, for some time now,’’ he said.
Drajewicz pledged a new day of openness and said he would listen to a wide range of ideas.
“This is a new chapter for Connecticut, and we are going to do things differently,’’ he said. “My door — our door — will be open. Now, let’s get to work.’’
Drajewicz said he learned about politics from working directly with Dodd for nearly 10 years.
“I learned from the best,’’ Drajewicz said. “I got to learn the state from one of the best politicians and public servants.’’
Born in Middletown, Drajewicz lives in Fairfield and said the timing was right to leave the private sector.
“I think now is the time to get off the sidelines,’’ he said.
Lamont admitted he and McCaw “are just getting to know each other better.’’ That provides a contrast to the current budget director, Ben Barnes, who worked closely with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy when he was mayor of Stamford.
Lamont described the two appointees as “the building blocks for the governor’s office.’’
McCaw needs to be approved by the legislature, but that has traditionally been a formality.
After leaving state service after eight years as a budget analyst, McCaw spent nearly seven years as budget director at the University of Hartford.
For the past three years, McCaw has been the chief financial officer and budget director for the city of Hartford.
Born in Norwalk and raised in Waterbury, McCaw graduated from Wesleyan University and later received a master’s degree in public administration, public finance and budgeting at UConn.
“Governor-elect Lamont could not have picked a better OPM Secretary than Melissa McCaw,” Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a written statement. “She has deep expertise in public sector budgeting and finance, and she leads with integrity, transparency, and skill. She is effective, honest, wise, and tireless, and she brings both her values and her expertise to financial decisions that have a real impact on peoples’ lives.
“Melissa McCaw is one of the finest public servants I’ve ever met, and as a state we are fortunate she is willing to serve in such an important role. We will miss her dearly in Hartford, but we look forward to working with her in her new role serving the people of Connecticut.”
