Pruitt

Ken Pruitt began work July 24 as the town's new energy and project manager.

Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine appointed him to the position. Ruthy Bennett, who is now director of facilities, started with the Town in a similar position. Pruitt's salary is $74,024.

The primary responsibilities of the energy position are to administer and manage Green Communities grants and projects. The manager will aim to help Arlington achieve goals of energy reduction and sustainability.

"I am pleased that Mr. Pruitt will coming to Arlington," Chapdelaine said in a news release. "Ken brings a wealth of expertise in the areas of energy and specifically the Green Communities program. I am confident he will be a tremendous asset to the town."

Pruitt added in the release: "I'm very excited at the prospect of helping Arlington continue its leadership in reducing energy use and promoting clean energy like solar. Arlington is a wonderful town, and I'm privileged to be joining such a successful team."
From 2008 until the end of June, Pruitt served as executive director of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, an organization founded in 1898 and dedicated to protecting the land, air and water of Massachusetts.

From 2003 to 2008 Pruitt was executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to education and advocacy on behalf of the Commonwealth's 351 Conservation Commissions, which are charged with protecting wetlands, waterways and conservation land in every city and town.

From 1998 to 2003, he was director of conservation for the Town of Boxford, where he led efforts to protect important town natural resources.

Previously, Pruitt was a land-use and natural-resources analyst with Science Applications International Corp. in the Washington, D.C., area, where he worked on assignment with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency on forestry, water quality and land use projects.

Before graduate school, he worked at the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies based in Boston, helping to promote a 10-point code of corporate environmental conduct. 

Pruitt is a graduate of Macalester College (B.A.), the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (M.F.S.) and the Yale Graduate School (M.A.).

He lives in Winchester with his wife and two children.

This news announcement was published Thursday, July 27, 2017.