The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has hired one of its own to move up the ladder and become the new general manager of community development.
Chatham-Kent Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire announced the appointment of Bruce McAllister, the former director of planning services, on Tuesday.
McAllister said he is looking forward to "a number of exciting projects" that are moving forward in Chatham-Kent as he takes on this new role.
His appointment comes after a nation-wide search to fill the position was done in September.
"In the end, the interview panel was unanimous in selecting Bruce as our preferred candidate," said Shropshire in a statement. "Bruce’s in-depth knowledge of our community, his strong relationships with Council, Municipal colleagues, developers and a host of community stakeholders set him apart from all of the other candidates."
John Norton previously held the position of general manager of community development but stepped away from the post in July to become the chief administrative officer for the Township of Georgian Bluffs. However, Norton is now the CAO for the Town of Kingsville.
Bruce McAllister, GM of Community Development. (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent).
After completing his post-secondary education at the University of Waterloo, McAllister started his career with Kent County in planning services. He then spent 20 years working with Storey Samways and Dillon Consulting Ltd. before returning to the public sector in 2015.
"A number of foundational pieces have been put into place over the past few years to encourage growth and development in Chatham-Kent. However, there are a number of other initiatives that are in progress and further steps required to appropriately plan for future sustainable growth in the Municipality," said McAllister. "Despite the various challenges related to COVID, there are a number of exciting projects currently moving forward. I am looking forward to the opportunity and this next chapter in my career."
Aside from his role within the municipality on a professional level, McAllister has also played a role within the community as a coach in minor hockey and baseball. McAllister was also a fundraising co-chair with the United Way of Chatham-Kent and was a committee member of the Wallaceburg Community Task Force.
