Township of West Lincoln boss Bev Hendry is heading to the nationals.
Bev Hendry, chief administrative officer (CAO) of West Lincoln, will be starting her role as president of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) on Jan. 1, 2023.
CAMA is a national network of over 650 municipal administrators that focuses on improving municipal management through partnerships, training and the sharing of best practices.
The organization holds annual conferences for professional development and learning opportunities to enhance members’ leadership skills and competencies to support them in achieving good local government management with council, staff and citizens.
Hendry said the organization is known for its tool kits helping CAOs with information on topics such as employment contracts and performance evaluations with their councils, political acumen, human resources, and council orientations.
The West Lincoln CAO previously served as CAMA’s first vice president and was elected as president during a virtual board meeting held on Nov. 24, 2022.
Hendry said she was excited about working on the organization’s five-year plan, which focuses on member engagement and support, professional development, resilient leadership, strategic relationships, and continuing to create a strong, sustainable organization.
“I have been passionate about local government my entire life, and sometimes it can be lonely at the top as a CAO,” she said. “I have met so many great people in the municipal field, and every day, I, too, learn new things.
“I have worked in a number of different roles in public service throughout my career, and I hope to continue to promote excellence in municipal government to all of our communities, large and small, as we all navigate the same challenges together.”
Hendry is also hoping that her experience working in different sizes of municipalities will help her in the role.
“Sixty per cent of our members are from municipalities with a population under 20,000, so my experience working in all-size communities I think will help. I am excited about the opportunity to lead a great Board through an ever-changing environment.”
Chris Pickles is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Niagara This Week. His reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.
