There are many good people connected to state government. One is retiring whose departure we can’t let go unnoticed.
Judd Everhart’s career spanned 8 governors – Meskill to Lamont. You may know him from his 14-year tenure as Communications Director for the DOT, but he started in journalism, with early stints at Connecticut radio stations WLAD in Danbury and WNAB in Bridgeport . For 11 years he was the Associated Press Capitol Correspondent (1980-1991) and a fixture at the state capitol.
Judd is kind and funny and irreverent, and some in the capitol press corps still quote what he said to a gubernatorial press secretary who was a former reporter: “ Do you have ANY recollection of being a reporter?” (Name of that press secretary available upon request.)
Judd went into the private sector handling communications for Xerox and the WWF, but came back to Hartford in 2005 to work in Governor Rell’s press office and then the DOT.
We forced him to give us a quote: “I’m proud of what I consider a great career,” Judd said. “People complain about reporters and state employees. Having been both over more than four decades, I can tell you that in most cases, the people complaining have no idea what it takes to do those jobs well.”
Judd and his wife, Becky, will move to their longtime vacation home on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, in November. We’ll miss you, Judd.
