Trumbull’s Director of Planning & Development Jamie Brätt has been promoted to the director of Economic and Community Development.
Brätt has served the town as the Director of Planning & Development for the past three years. She will take the reins from Edward Lavernoich, who has accepted a position as president of the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO), according to the town.
“Jamie has proven herself a tireless leader and a creative, tactful problem solver,” said First Selectman Tim Herbst. “In a short time she has transformed the Planning & Zoning department into a responsive, efficient and service-oriented department. She has shepherded over $120 million in development through a complex regulatory process, and is often praised for her poise and exemplary service to the public and to the development community.
“Coupled with her significant economic development experience from her career in Washington, DC, she is the ideal candidate to lead our economic development efforts,” Herbst said. “I am excited to deploy her full potential towards fostering smart growth in our town.”
First Selectman Herbst said in a release that Brätt would become the Town’s third Economic and Community Development Director.
“Ed has been a fantastic mentor, and commands the professional dexterity to handle a broad range of community development initiatives, from grant applications, to tax incentives, to marketing initiatives, to strategic land acquisition, to telecommunications investments and much more,” Brätt said of Lavernoich. “He knows how to connect the right people to a project, and just the right touch to keep complex transactions moving forward.
“I will sincerely miss my work partner, but have every confidence he will make lasting improvements to the city and region as he did in his nearly 26 years with the City of Bridgeport,” she said.
First Selectman Herbst echoed Brätt’s sentiments. “The Town of Trumbull is grateful to Ed Lavernoich for his hard work, diligence and commitment to making Trumbull a better community. Ed’s understanding and acumen of the greater Bridgeport region make him an ideal candidate to lead BEDCO,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to work with him in a regional context and wish him every success in his future endeavors.”
As Economic and Community Development Director, Brätt will lead the permitting teams in providing concierge-level service to developers, contractors and citizens. “Creating a business-friendly environment starts from the ground up, and we’ve got an amazing team of experts here at Town Hall working to help businesses open and residents invest in their homes,” she said.
Other priorities include tenant recruitment, community events, transportation improvements, new public amenities, and creating a sense of place through thoughtful design and marketing campaigns.
Brätt is a LEED Accredited Professional who holds a BA in Economics & Ethics from Trinity College in Hartford and an MA in Urban & Regional Planning from Virginia Tech. She resides in West Haven with her husband and two young children.