Centre Region Council of Governments Names New Executive Director

The Centre Region Council of Governments has appointed a new executive director who will begin in the role in August.

Benjamin Estell will succeed Eric Norenberg , who retired on Thursday after four years as the COG's executive director. The COG General Forum — the governing body made up of elected officials from its six member municipalities — approved hiring Estell on Monday, though his name was not disclosed at the time.

Estell has been borough manager/secretary of the Borough of Dormont, a Pittsburgh suburb of about 10,000 residents in Allegheny County, since 2015. He brings 20 years of municipal services management experience to the position.

"After nine wonderful years in the Borough of Dormont, I am thrilled to continue my professional journey with the Centre Region Council of Governments,” Estell said in a press release. “Partnerships have been a cornerstone of my career, and the COG has been a national leader in cooperative governance. I look forward to becoming a part of the Centre Region team and finding new ways to provide superior service throughout our communities."

Estell was previously assistant to the service-safety director and then service-safety director for the City of East Liverpool, Ohio. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association, serving as a speaker, presenter and host committee member for the organization's conferences, and the Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Managers, as well as having been a multiyear internship host and presenter for the Local Government Academy’s Newly Elected Official Courses and Educational Series.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State and an MBA from the University of North Carolina.

Recruitment for the next COG executive director position began following Norenberg's announcement in January that he planned to retire. Working with consultant GovHR, a six-member search committee received 23 resumes from 10 states, including 14 from Pennsylvania. The committee screened 14 candidates in April and virtually interviewed four candidates in May.

Estell was selected for a final in-person interview with the COG General Forum Executive Committee and met with staff and stakeholders earlier in June.

"We are confident that Mr. Estell will hit the ground running to serve the CRCOG based on his wealth of experience and successes in his 20 years of managing municipal services,” search committee chair and Ferguson Township Manager Centrice Martin said in the release. “His commitment to professional leadership with a demonstrated approach to relationship and consensus building will support sustainable partnerships and decision-making,”

As COG executive director, Estell will work with the 32 elected officials from the organization's member municipalities — State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships — while overseeing a staff of nearly 100 full-time and 40 part-time employees and a budget of $27 million.

He will be responsible for the overall guidance and fiscal management of the COG and will lead the planning, coordination and administration of its programs, which include: regional fire protection; emergency management; regional refuse and recycling; code administration; local, regional and transportation planning; parks and recreation; and operation of Schlow Centre Region Library.

Established in 1969 to provide shared public services, the COG's service area covers about 150 square miles with a population of about 96,000 residents. Estell will be the fourth executive director in the organization's history, following Tom Kurtz, Jim Steff and Norenberg.

"On behalf of the Centre Region Council of Governments, we are looking forward to welcoming Ben to be its next executive director," COG Chair and Halfmoon Township Supervisor Ron Servello said. "We look forward to his success in his new role and his leadership of the COG staff to provide excellent service to the municipalities in the Centre Region served by the COG."

Estell was hired at an annual salary of $165,000 and will receive a $20,000 relocation stipend, COG officials confirmed.

He is scheduled to begin work on Aug. 26.

Human Resources Director Becca Pettit is serving as acting executive director through Sunday and Centre Region Code Administration Director Walt Schneider will be acting executive director from July 1-7.

College Township Manager Adam Brumbaugh will serve as interim executive director from July 8 until Estell begins. The General Forum approved Brumbaugh for the interim role in April .

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