Ellsworth has hired its sixth finance director in eight years, following a pattern of turnover in the city’s finance office.
The city of Ellsworth has hired Chris Nemeth as its new chief financial officer after its last finance director left in February, leaving the position vacant for more than five months. Nemeth is expected to begin on July 31, according to Amy Kenney, the city’s communications director.
The hiring will be the latest chapter for a finance office that has seen a string of departures over the past decade. Prior to Nemeth, the past three finance directors have each served for about a year and a half.
The city’s previous finance director, Nate Moore, who served in an interim capacity prior to his 18-month stint as chief officer, departed the city for a budget analyst role in Colorado, City Manager Charles Pearce previously said.
Nemeth most recently served as treasurer for the town of Surry and previously worked in leadership roles at several consulting firms, including Grant Thornton, The Keystone Group and HarborHouse Partners, according to Kenney.
The incoming finance director relocated from Chicago and is a violinist who has performed with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.
The city said the post’s hiring process was “highly competitive” and attracted 69 applications, three of which reached the final round of interviews. Pearce highlighted Nemeth’s familiarity with debt-restructuring, financial systems and “the human side of numbers.”
The position has a starting salary of between $95,000 and $150,000, according to the listing posted in early February. The listing said the city hoped to fill the position by March.
“The departure of the previous CFO came during one of the busiest times of the year for municipal finance, as staff worked through budget development and preparations for the start of a new fiscal year,” Pearce said. “Throughout that transition, Deputy Finance Director Ashlie Brown stepped into an expanded leadership role, helping ensure continuity and stability for the organization. Deputy Treasurers Debra Worden and Lea Cagulada-Pierce were also instrumental in ensuring stability, maintaining momentum, and supporting the City’s financial operations while we conducted a thoughtful search for the right long-term leader.”