Navigating through Forty Under Forty:

Klaus Abels
Jeanne Allgood
Jennifer Barnhart
Keith Bellizzi
Scott Case
Swin Cash
Kevin Clarke
Stacey Violante Cote
Margaret Drozdowski
Bryan Dumont
Stefanie (Pratola) Ferreri
Lani Fortier
Chunlei Guo
Christopher Hattayer
Tabitha Hitchcock
Kristin Hoffman
Scott Holcomb
James Hormuzdiar
Rebecca Lobo
Brett McGurk
Mikki Meadows-Oliver
Kevin Molloy
Irina (Tsikhelashvili) Moore
Christopher Murphy
Ilia (Rodriguez) O’Hearn
Emeka Okafor
Eric Owles
Jonathan Plucker
Althea Marshall Richardson
Craig Rodner
Carlos Rodrigues
Richard Ruiz
Christine Sansevero
Elizabeth Flynn Scott
Matthew Small
Peter Tesei
Anthony Uliano
Fahd Vahidy
Marcela de Jesús Vergara-Jiménez
Alicia Young

Peter Tesei, 39

First Selectman of Greenwich

In 1987, when he was just 18 years old, Peter J. Tesei '91 (CLAS) became the youngest person elected to the Greenwich (Conn.) Representative Town Meeting, the municipal government for one of the nation's wealthiest communities.

“I've always wanted to be in position to shape policy and improve things,” says the former political science major who while at UConn gained an internship at the state House of Representatives helping to fuel his political ambitions.

Photo by Peter Morenus

After graduation and a failed bid to represent his district as a state representative, Tesei spent 18 years at Putnam Trust and its successor, Bank of New York Mellon, eventually becoming a vice president with responsibility for managing high net

assets for customers. Meanwhile he served on various boards and committees, including chairing the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation for six years.

Tesei also became a volunteer on the boards of local nonprofit organizations including the Greenwich Point Conservancy.

Tesei left the banking business in 2007 to focus on politics after winning election as First Selectman of Greenwich, comparable to mayor in most communities.

He considers the job “a wonderful opportunity to continue to serve Greenwich and use the skills I've developed.”

Even in a community considered among the best places to live in the nation, Tesei's skills are put to the test daily, grappling with local issues such as water conservation, school construction, road repairs and affordable housing.

“I'd like to improve overall accountability of the government and its management,” Tesei says, noting he plans to stand for re-election to another two-year term in 2009.

“I think four years is ample time to serve. Beyond that I'd be interested in continuing to serve people, either by being appointed to a position or going back into the private sector.”