News Brief: Nutter picks fellow alum as chief of staff

Mayor-elect Michael Nutter appointed Temple University Executive Vice President and Penn alumnus Clarence Armbrister as chief of staff for his administration yesterday.

Nutter, who made the announcement yesterday in City Hall, said Armbrister's "background in finance, education, management and law makes him perfect for the position."

Armbrister, who graduated with Nutter from Penn in 1979, served as the city's treasurer from 1994 to 1996 and managing director of the city's School District from 1996 to 1998.

At Temple since 2003, Armbrister managed all the University's administrative offices, including student affairs and facilities.

Penn's own chief of staff, Gregory Rost, who hired and worked with Armbrister at Temple, said the appointee was "a smart and hardworking public-service executive."

"Clarence has headed up an unprecedented capital program at Temple that has included more than $450 million dollars of new construction," he added.

In a press release, Temple President Ann Weaver Hart also commended Armbrister for promoting "the safety of the Temple community by increasing campus security personnel, technological assets and safety training."

Nutter's spokesperson Melanie Johnson said Armbrister's impressive teamwork skills would also help the mayor-elect focus on three main goals: "safety, education, and jobs."

Armbrister is the second Penn alum to join Nutter's team after Rob Dubow was announced as his finance director earlier this month.

"It shows that he's reaching out to best and the brightest," Rost added. "It's a great reflection on the outstanding talent we have."

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