NEWS

Hopkins welcomes new finance director

Posted 10/18/22

Mayor Ken Hopkins welcomed Thomas Zidelis as Cranston’s new Finance Director; Zidelis began his new duties on Oct. 17.

“I am very pleased to welcome Tom Zidelis to City Hall as he …

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NEWS

Hopkins welcomes new finance director

Posted

Mayor Ken Hopkins welcomed Thomas Zidelis as Cranston’s new Finance Director; Zidelis began his new duties on Oct. 17.

“I am very pleased to welcome Tom Zidelis to City Hall as he joins my administrative team to work with us on the critical duties of Finance Director. Tom brings a wealth of experience to the position and will be invaluable as we move forward with our plans to maintain Cranston’s strong financial posture,” said Hopkins.

Zidelis’ most recent public finance experience was in a lengthy finance career for the City of Worcester, Massachusetts. His tenure in Worcester spanned some 32 years in various capacities as Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and finally Chief Financial Officer. After retiring in 2020, Zidelis worked in municipal consulting before agreeing to join the Hopkins administration.

“Tom’s wide breadth of experience will serve Cranston taxpayers extremely well in the day-to-day financial administration of the city but also help to plan for and succeed in our future economic challenges,” said Hopkins. 

“Tom Zidelis brings a keen understanding of public finance, will bring a fresh approach and has worked with rating agencies on public finance issues. Together we will keep Cranston going in the right direction with a sound long-term financial plan.”

Hopkins noted that in the spring he had undertaken spending controls and a reorganization of city government which resulted in a reduction of personnel and substantial long-term savings. 

“I will work with Tom Zidelis on further budget strategies to enhance our financial health,” Hopkins said.

“As we recover from the pandemic, we are faced with challenging budget times and historic inflation that is impacting our city government just like Cranston taxpayers. Difficult choices and priority spending decisions will continue,” Hopkins said.

The mayor said the new finance director joins an experienced team of division heads and dedicated employees who perform critical functions such as assessment, tax collection, purchasing, auditing and cash management. 

“Tom will benefit from their institutional knowledge and day to day experience,” Hopkins said.

The mayor thanked City Controller Michael Igoe for his service as acting Finance Director since the retirement in April of Robert Strom, Cranston’s former Finance Director.

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