WESTPORT — The Board of Finance on Tuesday night appointed two new members to fill vacancies.

Jeff Hammer, a Democrat, is senior managing director and global co-head of secondaries, private markets, for Manulife Investment Management, a Toronto-based insurance company. He attended Princeton University and the Harvard School of Business. Hammer and his family moved to Westport in 2005.

Perry Winter, a Republican, had a career with underwriting and management roles in commercial reinsurance and insurance. His family has lived in Westport since 1987, with two children going through the Westport schools. He said his daughter recently returned to town with her husband, bought a house, and the couple is raising a child here.

Hammer fills a vacancy created when Nancy Dupier, a Democrat, said in July that business and family commitments would prevent her from continuing to serve. She had been a board member six years.

Winter fills a vacancy created when Jay DesMarteau, a Republican, stepped down last month to accept a new job and moved from town.

The two new members were suggested by their respective political parties, though the board’s remaining members were not bound by that.

The finance board’s remaining members, minus Brian Stern, interviewed the two candidates after going into executive session.

Chairman Lee Caney said after the meeting that both were appointed unanimously.

“We’re looking forward to working with both of them,” he said.

The appointments are only for a few months since both seats are up for election Nov. 7.

Winter is one of the GOP’s nominees for the Board of Finance in the election. Fellow Republicans Rich Hightower and Tom Lasersohn also will be on the ballot.

Dupier was endorsed last month by the Democrats as a placeholder, even though she’d announced she was stepping down.

Hammer was subsequently backed by the party both to finish out her term and run for the seat in the fall election.

Board member Sheri Gordon, another Democrat, is not seeking re-election. The Democratic Town Committee also endorsed Danielle Dobin to run for that seat. Dobin is chairwoman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. If she doesn’t win, she still has two years left on her P&Z term.

Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 35 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.