Kevin Lembo was elected State Comptroller in 2010 following decades of experience in government, finance and health care. As the state's fiscal guardian, he is committed to eliminating wasteful spending, strengthening budget transparency, delivering government services more efficiently and addressing the state's health care challenges.

 Immediately upon taking office, Comptroller Lembo implemented several financial and operational efficiencies within the Office of the State Comptroller and throughout state government.

Those ongoing efforts include transitioning tens of thousands of employees and retirees to new technologies for payroll to significantly reduce state costs; improving the state's purchasing policies to achieve millions more in rebates from its purchasing card vendor; overseeing a municipal prescription drug partnership that will save the state and participating towns and cities money on health care; and expanding efforts to provide payments electronically to towns, cities and vendors to reduce costs for each.

As a longtime advocate of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Lembo's office plays a critical role in transitioning the state to a new era of financial transparency and accountability. On a monthly basis, he reports on the state's financial status to ensure that Connecticut proceeds on a secure financial track.

Comptroller Lembo's office oversees the procurement of and administers health care for tens of thousands of lives, and has led implementation of the Health Enhancement Program (HEP) that will provide significant long-term financial savings by reducing costs associated with untreated chronic conditions.

As the administrator of state accounts, Comptroller Lembo successfully advocated repeal of a federal law that would have forced the state and municipalities to reduce payments to thousands of vendors that do business with government. This legislative victory protects the state and businesses from being deprived full payments in exchange for the services they provide the state and municipalities.

Going forward, Lembo is pursuing additional efficiencies, transparency and accountability statewide, including greater consolidation of state purchasing; and a comprehensive review of state tax expenditures to ensure that various tax incentives are providing their intended return on investment to taxpayers.

In 2011, Lembo served as panelist to discuss state economic and financial issues at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and moderated the Fiscal Chairs meeting at The Council of State Governments National Conference & North American Summit.

Before serving as State Comptroller, Lembo served two terms as Connecticut's first Healthcare Advocate where he helped thousands of Connecticut residents navigate the complexities of the health care system; advocated for patients denied coverage or treatment; and returned more than $25 million to consumers. As co-chair of the state's health care reform effort, Lembo led the charge for more affordable and higher quality health care in Connecticut.

As Comptroller, Lembo continues those efforts as a member of The SustiNet Healthcare Cabinet that advises the Governor on federal health reform implementation and development in Connecticut.

In addition to serving as Comptroller, Lembo has been reappointed by Yale School of Nursing as Clinical Instructor in the Nurse Management Policy & Leadership Specialty in Nursing.

Lembo previously served as Assistant Comptroller where he helped manage state finances and health care for state employees, retirees, municipalities, non-profits and small businesses.

Before coming to Connecticut, Comptroller Lembo helped design and implement a successful and innovative long-term home health care program in northeastern New York that helped prevent premature and permanent admissions to nursing facilities and enhanced the quality of life for participants.

Lembo was also Program Director of an AIDS education, prevention and primary care program.

Comptroller Lembo holds a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University and is a member of the Pi Alpha Honor Society. He has served as a clinical instructor at the Yale School of Nursing.

Lembo was named a Toll Fellow of the Council of State Governments in 2004, and has been honored for his leadership by many groups and associations.

In 2004, Comptroller Lembo was commissioned a “Kentucky Colonel,” the highest honor awarded by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in recognition of his advocacy on behalf of children in foster care.

A native of Paterson, New Jersey, Lembo resides in Guilford, CT with his spouse; they have three children.

This page was last updated on: May 07, 2012