Bob Belden has brought his leadership talents to Brookfield for the past 20 years.  He was first elected to the Board of Finance in 2003 where he served eight years, the last two as chair of that committee.  During that time, Bob was the primary presenter of the budget at the annual town meeting; many remember his clear and succinct presentations.  In 2015, Bob was elected to the Board of Education, where he has served the past eight years, four of which he served as chair of that committee.  During this period, new Candlewood Lake Elementary School project was crafted, approved, and built.  The school opens in September 2023, a fitting capstone to Bob’s time on the Board of Education.

In addition to these two key town roles, Bob has also served on the town’s Retirement Benefits Advisory Committee (RBAC) since 2008, and on the town’s Capital Planning committee since 2022.  Prior to that, Bob was active in youth sports coaching, PTO, and the high school marching band and guard parents group.  He also served on the Board of Directors of the Regional YMCA for 8 years, where he was chairman for the last three. Bob is also currently president of the Brookfield Library Foundation.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School, Bob built a successful 42-year career at IBM.  As Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions Implementation, Bob played a pivotal role in the growth and transformation of IBM in the 2000’s.  Bob retired from IBM in 2022.

Bob and his family have lived in Brookfield since 1988 and his public service efforts have been deeply rooted in “giving back” to the town he adores.  Many in town know his family, especially his wife Janice who taught middle school science at St Joseph’s School and is very active around town.  Bob and Janice have five adult children and nine grandchildren.