With a specialty in digitized processes and data analytics, Glenys Salas, the finance director and treasurer of the City of Saco, Maine, will be the new finance director of Newtown.

First Selectman Jeff Capeci made the announcement on March 6, and Salas will start on April 1.

“Glenys is very qualified and is a great fit to replace Bob Tait as Newtown’s finance director when he retires in mid-April,” said Capeci. “[Salas] will start April 1 and spend her first two weeks with Bob to ensure a smooth transition. I look forward to her onboarding and the success of Newtown under her financial leadership. I wish Bob all the best in his retirement.”

Salas will move from Saco which, in spite of being the 10th largest city in Maine, has less population than the Town of Newtown, with her husband, two children, and their dog. Salas said she is excited to move to Newtown, which she said is a “beautiful town” with plenty of “civic engagement” and full of “lovely people.” She is looking forward to New England charm with walkable downtowns and a “sense of community.”

“I think it’s going to be a wonderful transition,” said Salas.

Salas will replace retiring Finance Director Bob Tait, who will depart from his position of 16 years on April 12. Salas, who met Tait during the interview process, said Tait was “really great and a smart guy.”

“Newtown was lucky to have him,” said Salas. “I’ll be walking into a situation where I’ll be inheriting a great department and will have the privilege of continuing the great work he’s been doing.”

Salas said her first few months on the job are expected to be a “learning process” and she’s looking forward to attending Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, and Legislative Council meetings as Tait did.

“That’s a lot of evening meetings, which is a great development opportunity,” said Salas. “I’ll be sitting with the elected bodies, which will help me get up to speed on the Town’s policies and processes. It will help me understand how the Town runs.”

Salas grew up in Newburgh, N.Y., and went to college at Elmira University. She earned her master’s degree in business analysis from Villanova University.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business with a focus in marketing, she moved into marketing analytics roles with Unilever, NUK USA, and Ai Media Group. Salas said her interest was in how to use data to make businesses run smoother.

In 2017, with a newly kindled interest in electoral politics and local government, she joined the City of Saco as finance director and treasurer.

Using data was the “lens” she used in her first role in government.

“I was looking to make better use of available data to help stabilize taxes for the taxpayers,” said Salas.

“I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to serve the Town of Newtown as finance director,” said Salas. “During my visits to Newtown, I have been charmed by its friendly population and unique combination of green suburbs, charming downtown, and recreation facilities. I was especially impressed by the culture of civic engagement and volunteerism I encountered and am excited to be a part of the next chapter for this wonderful community.”

Salas says she is “really excited” to start her new position and is “ready to hit the ground running in April.”

Capeci said he found Salas’ data analytics background “intriguing” and said that “resonated” with him because he also has a background in data analysis. He said Salas was the best fit for the finance director position of the four candidates that applied. Salas had “broader” experience than the other applicants, who were “all focused in one area or another.”

“While we didn’t have a large number of applicants, [Salas] would have been at the top of the field even if there had been more choices,” said Capeci.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.