Chatham-Kent has ended its search and unanimously approved appointing Michael Duben as the new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) during the Monday, June 13 council meeting.
After months of searching, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent has named a new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) who has local roots.
Michael Duben will start his new role effective September 8, 2022. Duben's hiring must still be approved by councillors and the Mayor at the council meeting on Monday evening.
Council is also being asked to extend the appointment of Interim CAO Tony Haddad until September 7, 2022 and that his consulting services be retained until September 9, 2022 to support Duben during the transition.
Duben was previously CAO in Oxford County and the District Municipality of Muskoka. He also served for four years as Vice President for EnWin Utilities in Windsor and over five years with the City of Windsor as the General Manager responsible for a number of departments including Parks, Licensing and Enforcement, Planning, Building, Recreation, Fire Services, and Cultural Affairs.
Duben was the preferred candidate of the three final candidates after the search closed in late April of 2022. The search started after the municipality announced in mid-March that incoming CAO Thomas Kelly was no longer an employee after a workplace harassment investigation and that then CAO Don Shropshire was retiring.
Mayor Darrin Canniff said Duben is a very welcome addition.
“Michael joins us at a critical juncture as we work to recover from the challenges of the pandemic, including its economic and societal impacts, along with a vibrant level of growth and development," said Canniff. "We are confident Michael’s comprehensive leadership experience, relationship building and past achievements in managing partnerships and driving value in the delivery of public services, will greatly benefit the Municipality and help Council to realize its strategic goals.”
