MARBLEHEAD — The Select Board filled two vacancies on the town’s Finance Committee at its meeting Wednesday, appointing Michael Janko to a three-year term expiring in 2025 and Eric Knight to a one-year term expiring in 2023.
Marblehead’s Finance Committee acts as an advisor to the town, reviews department budgets, and holds a public meeting on all Town Meeting warrant articles calling for the use of town funds. Janko, who described himself as a “seasoned investment professional with experience across finance disciplines” has lived in Marblehead with his family for 24 years. Knight joins the committee following his retirement from the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General, where he worked for 26 years.
The Select Board also interviewed three other candidates for the position. They were Rebecca Linhart, Larry Schall, and Jim Zisson. Linhart, a professional financial advisor, received two of five votes from Select Board members for the one-year term position.
“One of the hardest parts of our jobs is having to make tough choices between truly outstanding candidates. I don’t think we can express enough our gratitude for everybody standing up,” Select Board Chair Moses Grader told candidates. “Our town completely depends on volunteers like yourselves who step up.”
Janko spent 25 years at BNY Mellon, a corporate investment banking company, serving as a senior portfolio manager and the national director of the corporation’s endowment and foundation group. In September, he started a position as a senior institutional investment advisor at Northern Trust Corporation, a financial services company.
“I’ve actually had a long-standing interest in [the Finance Committee,]” Janko said. “I believe I can be a contributor to the ongoing efforts to keep Marblehead fiscally sound.”
Knight previously served as the treasurer and vice president of the Marblehead Festival of Arts from 2006 to 2012. During his time at the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General, he served as an operations manager, IT specialist, and consultant.
“My professional career was largely spent working in the public sector of watchdog agencies that ensure public entities deliver services to the citizens of the commonwealth in the most efficient and cost-effective manner,” Knight said. “Now that I have retired, I would welcome the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the town.”
