JENNY EMERY
A native of Wisconsin with strong mid-western values, Jenny met her future
husband, Dave, in college, and followed him back to the Farmington Valley. In
1981 they discovered Granby and rented part of an old farmhouse across from
Holcomb Farm, where she now volunteers as Executive Director. Since 1992 she
has resided in North Granby – the “old Kellogg Place” now known as Emery Farm.
This is where they raised and launched their three kids – all proud graduates of
Granby Public Schools, where the 5 (so far) grandkids love to visit, and where she
and Dave plan to stay to the bitter end.
After retiring from a career in local government risk management, Jenny agreed to
serve on the Granby BOE, and is now in her 10th year, including the past six as its
Finance Committee chairperson. She also serves as its liaison to the Granby
Education Foundation.
Jenny believes the Board of Finance can and should be a stronger force for
collaboration amongst Granby’s town boards and throughout the region, and a
more engaged communicator with the public, and that is why she is asking for your
vote.
Jenny’s entire 40-year professional career involved local government risk
management and finance. As Risk and Benefits Manager in West Hartford in the
early ‘80’s, she helped launch CIRMA, an insurance pool which Granby benefits
from to this day. In ensuing years, through various corporate leadership positions,
her passion was her pioneering work with thousands of towns, schools, counties,
and states across the US, as they collaborated in ‘risk pools’ estimated to have
collectively saved billions of taxpayer dollars.
Since retiring, this experience and expertise has been re-focused on Granby,
notably through her 10 years on the BOE. Her deep understanding of Granby’s
finances, coupled with her love of the place and its people, is best channeled, now,
through the Board of Finance. She promises to give to the BOF what she has given
to all she has done: clear communication, expert-informed analysis, pragmatic and
strategic vision, transparent actions, and passion for the people served.
JIM LOFINK
Jim and his family chose Granby in 2005 because of its great schools, farms, open
spaces and mix of rural and residential character, and included community and
public service as central themes in his life. Jim has kept those core values
foremost in his mind as he’s served Granby in many capacities, including 5 years
on the Board of Selectmen. Jim has also served on the Town Charter Revision
Commission, the Plan of Conservation and Development Committee, two Building
Committees, the Senior Center accreditation team and on several community
organizations and clubs. Jim is a US Army veteran, UCONN graduate, former Vice
President of a Connecticut manufacturing company and currently teaches at the
University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business. Jim’s Hidden Acre Vineyard
grows grapes for making white wine, and he enjoys the out-of-doors and working
on anything mechanical – including his MGB and VW bus.
Jim and his family chose Granby in 2005 because of its great schools, farms, open
spaces and mix of rural and residential character, and included community and
public service as central themes in his life. Jim has kept those core values
foremost in his mind as he’s served Granby in many capacities, including 5 years
on the Board of Selectmen. Jim has also served on the Town Charter Revision
Commission, the Plan of Conservation and Development Committee, two Building
Committees, the Senior Center accreditation team and on several community
organizations and clubs. Jim is a US Army veteran, UCONN graduate, former Vice
President of a Connecticut manufacturing company and currently teaches at the
University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business. Jim’s Hidden Acre Vineyard
grows grapes for making white wine, and he enjoys the out-of-doors and working
on anything mechanical – including his MGB and VW bus.
DAVE ROBERTS
Connecticut native Dave Roberts is a retired businessman now dedicating
his time to his family, church and serving the Granby community. His love
of history led him to join the Salmon Brook Historical Society where he
serves as Secretary of their Board of Directors. His commitment to
preserving our quality of life led to his appointment to the Granby
Conservation Commission where he was recently elected Chairman and also
his service as a Granby Justice of the Peace. Dave is active in his local
church as a Sunday School coordinator. In 2020, Dave was appointed to
represent Lions Clubs International’s 1.4 million members on the United
Nations’ Council of Organizations. He has volunteered in many of his six
children’s local Granby schools and he is on the leadership team of the
Granby Men’s Breakfast Group. Dave and his family reside in West Granby
and are certified service dog home handlers.
Experience matters! As a former appointed advisor to both a Republican
and Democratic U.S. President, Dave knows how to work collaboratively
with those holding differing viewpoints. As a former financial analyst for
the U.S. Air Force in both the Pentagon and overseas, and a former
professional aide on the U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations
Committee, Dave understands the impacts of state and federal budgets and
how local communities can leverage outside funds. As a former corporate
executive and a small business-owner, Dave has the right public AND
private sector budget experience to successfully serve as a member on our
Board of Finance. With a bachelor’s degree in economics and master’s
degree in public financial management, and as a former elected official for
over 12 years in another community, Dave has over four decades of directly
relevant experience analyzing and overseeing financial matters to make
critical recommendations. He understands how to balance competing
community priorities to preserve Granby’s quality of life under tight fiscal
constraints. His outgoing personality and strong work ethic have made him
a key leader in a number of local organizations and his strengths make him
an ideal candidate to serve on our Board of Finance. Experience matters!
Granby Democrats 