Ben Barnes leaving state government to become CSCU CFO

Ben Barnes, the secretary of the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) since Gov. Dannel Malloy took office in 2011, is joining the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system as chief financial officer, effective Jan. 4.

The move will reunite Barnes with CSCU President Mark Ojakian, who served as Barnes”™ deputy at the OPM and later oversaw the department as Malloy”™s chief of staff.

Before joining OPM, Barnes was the operating officer for the Bridgeport Public Schools, overseeing the school system”™s facilities, transportation, technology and $215 million budget. He previously was Stamford”™s director of operations.

He will replace CSCU CFO Erika Steiner, who is retiring at the end of this week.