Mashantucket ― The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe has hired two top executives to help it achieve “economic diversity” and better serve tribal members.

In recent weeks, Michael Purcaro, Vernon’s former town administrator, and Chris Chiappa, former vice president of acquisition and business development for the Waterford Hotel Group, have been named chief of government administration and executive director of business operations and development, respectively.

“We are pleased to bring on board two very talented executive team members, both of whom will provide strategic support for the Tribal Council’s goals and objectives,” Rodney Butler, chairman of the tribe, which owns Foxwoods Resort Casino, said in a statement. “We look forward to them leveraging their expertise for the betterment of our tribal government and community.”

Before joining the tribe, Purcaro, 52, an Ellington resident, worked for Vernon, a Tolland County town of about 33,000 people, for 20 years. He spent the last seven years reporting to the mayor as town administrator.

Purcaro previously served as chief administrative and finance officer for the state Department of Public Health and also has administrative experience at the federal level. As chief of government administration for the tribe ― an expanded version of a job held in the past by a chief of staff ― he will oversee implementation of the tribe’s strategic plan and lead its Government Services and Infrastructure departments.

He has long been a member of Vernon’s volunteer fire department.

“I see this as a unique opportunity to bring my experience in public health, safety, administration and finance to a job,” Purcaro said of his new post with the sovereign tribe. “All those hats I’ve worn ― I can wear them all for the tribe.”

Purcaro said he will initially focus on developing best practices for the tribe’s day-to-day operations.

“We need to make sure we’re doing business in the most cost-effective way,” he said.

Although the tribe’s roughly 1,200 members represent a far smaller constituency than the 33,000 Vernon residents he served as town administrator, Purcaro said the Mashantucket job is much larger in scope.

“We are nation-building here,” he said. “It’s a much broader, bigger scale than a municipality. It’s an awesome responsibility.”

He noted Pequot Health Care, the tribe-owned pharmacy and manager of health care plans, serves clients across the country.

Chiappa, 36, was raised in Niantic and now resides in Old Saybrook. He has worked in a variety of jobs in the regional hospitality industry, culminating in his last post with the Waterford Hotel Group, where he was responsible for hotel acquisition and management opportunities with such partners as private equity firms, high net worth family offices, colleges and universities.

As the tribe’s executive director of business operations and development, he has taken on a newly created position.

Part of his charge, he said, is to grow the tribe’s portfolio of nongaming enterprises.

That portfolio includes Lake of Isles, the 36-hole golf club located in North Stonington, across the street from Foxwoods; The Spa at Norwich Inn, which has locations in Norwich, Providence and the casino; Pequot Agriculture, which includes maple syrup production; Meechooôk Farm, a farm stand off Milltown Road in North Stonington, which supplies hydroponic lettuce to restaurants and schools; Pequot Outpost, a gas station/convenience store adjacent to the casino; and the Two Trees Inn hotel.

“Many of these are mature,” Chiappa said. “We’re looking for ways to build on them, to reinvigorate them. And with the opening of Great Wolf, there’s an opportunity to attract more families than we’ve ever attracted. Great Wolf will bring some fresh eyes.”

Great Wolf Resorts’ $300 million indoor water park project, including a 549-room hotel, is scheduled to open adjacent to Foxwoods by June 15, 2025.

“It’s an exciting time to join the tribe,” Chiappa said.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com