Bryan Announces OMB And Fire Service Directors

Governor Albert Bryan late Thursday night announced Jenifer O’Neal as director of the Office of Management and Budget, completing a financial team that he says has the acumen for the job at the territory’s current financial juncture. The announcement follows a Consortium story revealing that Ms. O’Neal had been on the job earlier this week introducing herself to OMB employees as the new director, even as the administration had failed to notify the public of her appointment.

Ms. O’Neal served as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, Government House said, adding that she has in-depth policy knowledge and experience managing components of the territory’s budget. Ms. O’Neal also served as the chief financial officer of the Department of Human Services, where she conducted analyses of federal funds awarded to the department and was employed by the Government of British Virgin Islands as a Senior Policy Analyst.

On her LinkedIn profile, Ms. O’Neal described herself as “a visionary, driven by challenge and undaunted by obstacles, I devise strategies that eliminate barriers, while providing the facts, tools and financial foundation for decision execution. I have prepared budgets of up to $800M and administered budgets of up to $1.3 billion.”

Governor Bryan thanked Ms. O’Neal for taking up the new role while expressing confidence in the finance team he assembled. “We are at a critical point in the territory’s history, given our financial challenges, and our administration has put together a financial team that is implementing a comprehensive financial strategy to utilize the key functions of the Department of Finance, OMB and IRB to right-the-course of the territory’s fiscal standing. We have the right people in place, and I thank Ms. O’Neal for her willingness to serve the people of the Virgin Islands in our administration,” he said.

Mr. Bryan also announced Daryl A. George Sr. as director of the Virgin Islands Fire Service (VIFS).

Mr. George, who campaigned for Mr. Bryan during the 2018 election season, is a veteran firefighter with 20 years experience in the profession. He is also a former assistant director and former special assistant to the director of VIFS, according to Government House. Mr. George was also program coordinator of the Junior Fighter Corps from 1997 through 2014.

“I appreciate Mr. George’s enthusiasm to serve,” said the governor. “I look forward to him leading the Virgin Islands Fire Service in a collaborative working relationship with our Commissioner of Health and the Director of the Virgin Islands EMS. This collaboration will move the merger of Fire and EMS forward, and to improve our emergency response times and overall efficiency within our VIEMS and VIFS.”

Government House said Mr. George has extensive training in the areas of fire service management, emergency operations, and incident command. During his tenure at the VIFS, he played an integral role in the construction of the Emile Berry and Omar E. Brown Fire Stations, and the establishment of two warehouses for ladder apparatuses in the St. Croix and St. Thomas districts, according to the release. Mr. George also played a key role in the acquisition of office space for the Arson and Prevention Unit on St. John and many initiatives to enhance the Fire Service Operation territory-wide, Government House said.