Peabody Hires New Community Development Director

PEABODY, MA – Peabody has hired Curt Bellavance as the city's new community development director. Bellavance previously worked as a senior planner in Peabody, but was most recently the Tyngsborough town administrator.

"The City of Peabody will benefit greatly from Curt’s vast experience in community and economic development," said Mayor Ted Bettencourt in a statement. "This is a very complex and ever changing realm of local government. I believe that Curt’s background and his knowledge of Peabody make him uniquely qualified for the position."

Bellavance is taking over the position after Karen Sawyer Conard left Peabody to serve as executive director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission last winter.

Bellavance worked as a senior planner during Mayor Peter A. Torigian's term. He has also served as town planner in Plymouth, and director of planning and economic development for Methuen and North Andover.

He's a member of the American Planning Association, American Institute of Certified Planners, the International Economic Development Council and the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors. He served on the Peabody Planning Board, the Peabody Community Preservation Committee and chaired the Peabody Cultural Council.

A graduate of Rhode Island College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Bellavance earned his Master’s Degree in Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island. He also served in the United States Naval Reserve at the NATO Command Center in Keflavik, Iceland.

Bellavance lives in Peabody with his wife Mary and daughter Emily, who was recently appointed to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.