Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Wednesday he is appointing former West Hartford town manager Ron Van Winkle to serve as interim chief operating officer, effective today.
Bronin also has named Cherese Chery to serve as director of human resources, effective March 1.
Van Winkle served as West Hartford’s town manager from 2008 through 2017. Before that, he was the town’s director of community services, beginning in 1987.
Van Winkle also spent three years as an econometrician for Pratt & Whitney, served in the U.S. Army and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in economic development from Northeastern University.
“Ron has more than three decades of experience in municipal government, and he is respected throughout the state of Connecticut as a strong leader and manager,” said Bronin.
Chery came to Hartford from Trinidad and Tobago with her family and graduated from Hartford public schools. She has been chief human resources officer at Norwalk public schools since 2016, and served in the same role at New London public schools between 2012 and 2016.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Fitchburg State University and a master’s degree in human resources and labor relations from the New York Institute of Technology.
Bronin said Chery “brings a wealth of experience” in labor relations to the job.
