Town of Manchester Hires Steve Stephanou as General Manager
Manchester CT: During the Board of Directors Special Meeting held on November 9th, 2021, a unanimous 9-0 vote was taken to select Steve Stephanou as the General Manager for the Town of Manchester, CT.
Mr. Stephanou was selected after a nationwide recruitment search which began in March after previous General Manager, Scott Shanley announced his plan to retire in July. The General Manager selection process involved community members, consultant Mike Jaillet (GovHRUSA), and the Board of Directors’ hiring subcommittee which included Mayor Jay Moran, Deputy Mayor Sarah L. Jones, and Director Ellen Dougan.
“The feedback we received from the Manchester community during this process helped to define an ideal candidate for this position,” said Mayor Jay Moran. “Our unanimous selection reflects our trust in Mr. Stephanou’s ability to be hardworking, ethical, and collaborative. He understands what makes Manchester special, and that combined with his municipal experience made him the right choice to be our next General Manager.”
Mr. Stephanou currently serves as Acting General Manager for the Town of Manchester and has a proven track record of capital planning, debt management, community engagement, and more. Prior to this role, he was Deputy General Manager of Manchester since December 2018. Throughout his years in Manchester, Steve has worked on a wide range of issues including, budgeting, public safety, economic development, and sustainability initiatives.
Prior to joining the Town of Manchester, Stephanou worked for the City of Boston, serving in various roles including Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance. He began his career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in New York City, serving as a Program Analyst. Steve holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University, a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Connecticut, and is also a Certified Public Finance Officer as designated by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Steve is an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Connecticut Town & City Management Association (CTCMA), and Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM).
“I am deeply honored and grateful to be selected as Manchester’s next General Manager,” said Stephanou. “As someone who was born at Manchester Memorial Hospital, attended Waddell Elementary, Illing Middle, and Manchester High School, and spent my teenage summers working for the Recreation Department, this position represents an incredible opportunity to give back and help strengthen and improve the community that I love and that has given me so much, and where my wife and I have chosen to call home and raise our family. I look forward to working with the Mayor, Board of Directors, Town Staff, and members of the community to ensure that Manchester continues to be a vibrant, thriving, and inclusive community for all and that our municipal government remains effective, efficient, and responsive.”
Mr. Stephanou’s employment as General Manager is effective November 17th, 2021.
Like this article?
Leave a comment
About Author
As a Manchester native, I’m excited for the opportunity to make an impact on and be part of a prideful, thriving, and evolving community. My work focuses on establishing a vision and implementing initiatives to better inform, connect, communicate, and engage with the community.
Fun Fact #1: My first slice of pizza (ever) was at Randy’s Wooster Street Pizza
Fun Fact #2: I’m a proud plant mom 🙂