Hartford City Hall (Courtesy Photo / Grondemar / CC BY-SA 3.0)

Real estate’s new point person in Hartford City Hall will be a leading local tech executive.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced Monday he’d appointed Jeff Auker as the new leader of the Department of Development Services (DDS).

Auker is the current associate vice president and senior service delivery manager at Hartford-based IT firm Infosys. He’s also the board chair for Ready CT, a group of business and academic leaders trying to improve student success across the state, a position he’ll leave once he begins his new city job. The Hartford City Council is scheduled take up Auker’s nomination June 10.

“It is remarkable that a corporate leader of Jeff’s stature with such extensive leadership experience has chosen to leave the private sector to use his talent to make this city stronger. Hartford’s Department of Development Services is and will be a key part of making our city more vibrant and livable, and Jeff’s background in technology and strategic leadership make him a great fit to lead this agency,” Arulampalam said in a statement. “With Jeff at the helm, DDS will focus on innovation and growth across all our great neighborhoods, to the benefit of Hartford families and businesses. His proven track record in driving digital transformation and empowering communities will be instrumental as we build a prosperous future for Hartford.”

In his new role, Auker will oversee a diverse range of functions related to real estate and new businesses, from issuing permits and business licenses and assisting with small business development, to managing the safety and disposition of city-owned property and city planning and zoning work. In announcing Auker’s appointment, Arulampalam’s office noted his experience driving digital transformation.

“I’m grateful to Mayor Arulampalam for placing his trust and confidence in me,” Auker said in a statement provided by the Hartford mayor’s office. “I’m committed to the future of the City of Hartford, and I’ve dedicated my career to making change and providing quality services to our constituencies. I’m looking forward to building on the progress the Department has made towards building an equitable and economically vibrant Hartford.”

Randal Davis, the acting director of DDS, will remain as deputy director. In the same statement announcing Auker’s appointment, Arulampalam thanked Davis, saying “[t]he growth, vibrancy and progress Hartford has, and will continue to see is in large part thanks to his leadership and willingness to step up and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our City.”