This story was compiled with material from a press release.
Almost four months to the day after news broke that former Wilton CFO Dawn Norton had been holding down a second full-time job in Wyoming, Town of Wilton officials have finally named her replacement — also named Dawn.
“After an exhaustive and thorough search, I am pleased to announce that Dawn Marie Savo will be assuming the office of Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Wilton starting today, Dec. 8, 2025,” First Selectman Toni Boucher said in a press release issued Monday at noon.
The Board of Selectmen conducted Savo’s final-round interview last Monday, Dec. 1, in an executive session before voting to extend an offer to her at its regular meeting that followed.
According to Wilton’s press release, Savo brings 33 years of municipal finance experience. Most recently, she oversaw 21 employees as the finance director for the Town of Stratford, after being promoted from assistant finance director five years ago. Before that, she had been the assistant finance director/risk manager for Trumbull for eight years.
She started her municipal career in Bridgeport, where she held several roles including financial manager of central grants.
The press release cites Savo’s “broad technical expertise” which includes “operating, supervising and training Munis software.” Norton’s departure revealed the failure of the town to implement and transition to that software program, something that interim CFO Joseph Centofanti has said been at the root of much of the Finance Department’s challenges.
The press release also notes Savo’s experience “overseeing federal grant applications[;] managing large budget, treasury [and] Pension/OPEB accounts, capital planning campaigns and debt issuance[;] audit preparation[;] and financial reporting for sizable municipalities.”
Savo earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting, Summa Cum Laude, from Fairfield University. She also currently serves as first vice president of the Government Finance Officers Association of Connecticut (GFOA-CT) and has been a standing committee member of the National GFOA.
Boucher called Savo’s experience in municipal finance “considerable” and said it makes her “particularly suited” to be Wilton’s new CFO.
“Her work history shows her strong commitment to developing and leading a Finance Department with strong financial controls, dependable financial reporting and excellent customer service to Town departments, boards and the public,” Boucher said in the release.