James M. Zeoli

James M. Zeoli is the First Selectman of Orange, Connecticut, a position he has held since first being elected in 2005. A lifelong resident of Orange, Zeoli was educated in the Orange school system before attending Fairfield College Preparatory School and the University of Connecticut School of Agriculture. He has been an active member of the Orange Board of Selectmen since 1999 and was most recently reelected to his eleventh term in the November 2025 municipal election.

Prior to his tenure in elected office, Zeoli worked for 24 years as a school bus contractor, providing student transportation services. He served for 23 years with the Orange Volunteer Fire Department before retiring from that role. Zeoli has also been a longstanding member of the Orange Fair Committee, with over 43 years of service. In 2007, he was appointed to the Connecticut Farmland Preservation Advisory Board. His additional public service includes membership on the District Animal Control board, where he served as chairman for two and a half years, and as a board member of the Orange Economic Development Corporation.