Dan Koh Resigns From Andover Select Board To Join Biden Admin

ANDOVER, MA — Andover Select Board Member Dan Koh resigned Tuesday to become chief of staff to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Koh announced his resignation at Monday's Select Board meeting. He was sworn in to his new position Tuesday morning.

"I was recently offered a position to join the Biden-Harris administration in a role that fights for working people," Koh said at the Select Board meeting. "I've decided to accept that position."

Koh is set to serve as chief of staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Walsh, Biden's nominee for secretary of labor, has not yet been confirmed by the senate.

Koh previously served as Walsh's chief of staff from 2014 to 2017, during Walsh's first mayoral term.

The new Labor appointee narrowly lost a 2018 run for congress before being elected to the Select Board in 2019. He considered running for congress again in 2020 but decided against it.

"Two years ago the residents of Andover gave me one of the greatest honors of my life by electing me as Select Board member," Koh said Monday. "The experience has been better than I could possibly imagine."

Koh and his family will remain in Andover, he said, but he will not be able to devote sufficient time to remain with the Select Board.

"It's a difficult decision but the right thing to do and the right thing for Andover," he said.

Other members of the Board praised Koh's two years' service with them and wished him luck.

"While we're very sorry to lose you, we're so happy that you'll be bringing your talents to the national level," Board Chair Annie Gilbert said.

"I suspect we'll all be saying in a few short years, 'I knew Dan Koh when...'" joked Board Member Laura Gregory.

The Board agreed to hold a special meeting Monday, March 1 to discuss filling the vacancy.

The full meeting is available here from AndoverTV.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.