Connecticut’s chief operating officer, Josh Geballe, is leaving the state government in two weeks. He’s taking a job promoting innovation and entrepreneurship at Yale University.
Geballe is a former IBM executive, and one of a number of people from the private-sector who joined Governor Ned Lamont’s administration three years ago. He was appointed commissioner of the Department Administrative Services and was given the additional role of chief operating officer in February 2020, a few days before COVID was detected in the state.
Lamont credits Geballe with playing a key role in the state’s response to the pandemic.
“It's been like a war with the incoming over the last couple of years. And if you are going to be in a foxhole, you want to be in a foxhole with Josh Geballe,” said Lamont.
Geballe said he was proud to have been part of Lamont’s team.
”Particularly those people who came forward two years ago when COVID was descending on the country and on the state and kind of rolled up their sleeves and set aside their job descriptions and said we are going to do whatever it takes and get the job done,” he said.
Lamont has appointed Geballe’s assistant, Michelle Gilman, to succeed him as commissioner for the Department of Administrative Services. The administration is assessing whether to appoint another chief operating officer.
