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Nutter's chief of staff to leave

Mayor Nutter's chief of staff, Clay Armbrister, is leaving after spending nearly four years overseeing efforts to implement the mayor's reformist agenda and helping balancing the city budget in some of its toughest economic times.

In a news conference this afternoon, Armbrister said it was not a sudden decision but one he was mulling for awhile. He said he was discussing a position with a new employer, but would not say more.

He will stay until the end of the budget process - likely a few weeks - and then Suzanne Biemiller will take over as interim chief of stff. Biemiller is currently director of policy, planning and coordination.

Nutter called Armbrister his "right-hand person" and said he was "outfront when he needs to be, but I've never met a more selfless person who went out of his way to stay out of the limelight."

A talented but low-key aide, Armbrister, who is a lawyer, served as city treasurer under Mayor Ed Rendell in 1994. He went on to become managing director of the School District of Philadelphia for four years before joining UBS Paine Webber in 1998 as director of the municipal bonds division.

Since 2003, he worked as Temple University's chief operating officer.

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