The City of Newark announced Bhadresh Patel accepted the role of Electric Director, succeeding Rick Vitelli, who retired in September. Patel is currently serving as acting director and will formally assume the role on Monday, November 20. He first joined the City of Newark last October as an electrical distribution engineer and deputy director.

"Bhadresh has been a tremendous addition to the Electric Department since joining the team last fall and we are grateful he will continue to serve as part of our leadership team," said acting city manager Tom Coleman. "His comprehensive knowledge of designing and maintaining electrical systems and components will be an asset to his team and will serve the City of Newark well."

Prior to joining the City of Newark, Patel was an electric/substation engineer for the City of Dover, where he was responsible for project management, budget development, and the design and development of key electrical components for the City's infrastructure.  

"It has been an honor working with the men and women of the City of Newark and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve in a leadership role," said Patel. "We will continue to build on the achievements of our predecessors and ensure we maintain customer service excellence for our residents and businesses."

Patel earned an associate's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Delaware Technical Community College and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Delaware. He and his family reside in Wilmington.