PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline today announced that Bruce T. Miller has been appointed the new finance director for the City of Providence, effective Oct. 15.

Miller – currently the director of municipal finance in Plymouth, Mass., where he oversees an annual budget of $155 million budget – will fill the position left vacant by former Finance Director Alex Prignano, who retired last October to become business manager for the Cumberland School District. (READ MORE)

“Bruce Miller has a strong background in public sector finance, and his track record at successfully implementing long-term financial strategies for several municipalities makes him uniquely qualified to manage the City of Providence’s finances,” Cicilline said in a statement today.

“He takes on the position at a time when Providence has earned ‘A’ grades from all three bond rating agencies and made progress towards implementing meaningful pension reform,” the mayor added. “I’m confident Miller has the experience and skills needed to help the city’s financial team build upon that success and face the challenges ahead.”

Cicilline also thanked Deputy Finance Director Matt Clarkin for being a “strong and dedicated steward of the city’s finances” during the transition.

As director of finance for the Town of Plymouth, Miller has implemented long-term strategic planning for the town’s capital and operating budgets; has revised Plymouth’s debt, and cash management and investment policies; has restructured the back-office operations of the town treasury, collector and accounting departments; and has overseen the modernization of the town’s financial operations via an integrated systems conversion to Munis Financial Software.

From 2000 to 2004, he served finance director for the Town of Provincetown, Mass., where he oversaw a $30 million annual budget. Miller is credited with improving Provincetown’s internal and external financial reporting; enhancing cross-departmental efficiencies; and implementing financial, accounting and debt policies and controls.

From 1993 to 1999, he managed the finances of the Town of Nantucket, Mass., where he is credited with overhauling municipal financial management systems and procedures, restructuring Nantucket’s capital and operating budgeting practices and implementing aggressive tax-collection procedures that yielded more than $6 million in municipal revenue.

Miller earned his bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Baltimore.