Governor-elect

List includes New Britain mayor, retired state police lieutenant

Ned Lamont names diverse group, including Republicans, to transition panel.

Gov.-elect Ned Lamont, a Hartford outsider who has never held statewide office, is relying on a diverse group of transition advisers, including labor leaders, Democratic politicians and New Britain’s Republican mayor.

“I wanted it to be a group with different expertises,” Lamont, a Democrat, said Thursday. “This is folks [with] experience in state government, and folks with a lot of experience outside of state government, including notfor-profits and the private sector. We have Republicans and Democrats, and it’s a group from all over the state.”

The 19 leaders picked for the steering committee are: Saud Anwar, a physician and the Democratic mayor of South Windsor; Lisa Tepper Bates, a consultant to nonprofits; Keith Brothers, business manager with the CT Laborers’ District Council; Greg Butler, an executive at Eversource Energy and a Republican; Larry Fox, a former union leader; Rabbi Daniel Ginsburg; Jan Hochadel, president of the American Federation of Teachers Connecticut; Karen Jarmoc, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and a former Democratic legislator; Beth Kerrigan, West Hartford’s Democratic deputy mayor and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit that legalized gay marriage in Connecticut; and lawyer Bob Martino.

It also includes Tom McCarthy, director of labor relations for the city of New Haven; Jorge Perez, state banking commissioner; Chase Rogers, former chief justice of the state Supreme Court; Democratic state Rep. Chris Rosario of Bridgeport; David Salinas, a technology entrepreneur; Erin Stewart, the Republican mayor of New Britain; Glendowlyn Thames, a Democrat and president of the Hartford city council; Elease Wright, former chief human resources officer at Aetna; Stan Twardy, the former U.S. attorney for Connecticut; and J. Paul Vance, retired Connecticut state police lieutenant and the longtime state police spokesman.

Collaborative approach

Lamont, who spent almost all of his career in the private sector, building a cable television business, said a collaborative approach is needed to strengthen the state’s economy and reorganize government.

“We’re a small state,” he said during a news conference at Gateway Community College, where he was joined by several members of the committee. “We’re in this together and we’re going to be really focused on … how our different components work together.”

Kerrigan said she was thrilled to be part of the effort.

“I am grateful to have had access to affordable higher education, go on to teach high school shop and repay that loan,’’ said Kerrigan, who moved to Connecticut from Massachusetts and opened an insurance agency that was ultimately purchased by Travelers.

At 63, Kerrigan is focused on Medicare and the needs of older citizens. But she is also the mother of two sons about to graduate from high school.

“I have a unique perspective on aging, health and expenses,’’ she said. “Having been the recipient of what government has done right I am thankful for the opportunity to give back and help Connecticut in anyway I can.’’

Stewart, who made her own run for governor earlier this year, did not attend the transition announcement. But she said it is “an honor to be asked for my help in putting the best plan forward to save the state of Connecticut.”

Members of the committee will advise Lamont on specific policy areas; Stewart’s role will be to provide guidance on transportation and housing. “I thank Governor-elect Lamont for his confidence in my ability to lead and for the opportunity to have a seat at the table. I look forward to continuing my public service not only on behalf of the city of New Britain, but on behalf of the state of Connecticut,’” she said.

The steering committee will work closely with the cochairs and executive director of the transition team, whom Lamont appointed less than 48 hours after Election Day.

Jepsen’s role

The most well-known of the transition co-chairs is state Attorney General George Jepsen, a longtime friend of Lamont who played a key role in his 2006 campaign for U.S. Senate by giving Lamont a high-profile endorsement when the candidate had little name recognition across the state.

The other co-chair is state Rep. Toni Walker, a New Haven Democrat who is among the most influential state legislators as co-chairwoman of the budget-writing appropriations committee.

Also on his team are Elsa Núñez, the president of Eastern Connecticut State University, and Greenwich resident Garrett Moran, a longtime personal friend of Lamont who now works in the nonprofit world after serving as chief operating officer of the private equity group at Blackstone, a Wall Street investment powerhouse.

The transition effort will be led by Ryan Drajewicz, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd who has taken a leave of absence from Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund.

Lamont will be out of state for the next few days, attending the National Governors Association meeting this weekend in Colorado Springs.

“We’re a small state. We’re in this together and we’re going to be really focused on ... how our different components work together.” GOVERNOR-ELECT NED LAMONT