After 30 years of public service, County of Essex CAO Mike Galloway will be retiring from the public sector. He informed the Warden Thursday afternoon and has graciously offered to assist County Council as it begins a search for his successor.
Galloway started his municipal journey in his hometown of Kitchener and has had the pleasure of working as the Chief Executive for municipalities in the Niagara and Peel Regions before coming to the County of Essex in 2020.
He also served on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Board of Directors for 15 years and has been a sought-after speaker and instructor across the province in the field of Executive Management. He lectures at Brock University and has been an instructor for the Executive Diploma in Management program for close to 20 years.
“It’s a bit surreal. My first municipal job was back in 1988 and serving the public has been a focal part of my life ever since. When I did a recap recently on how many elected officials I have worked with over my career it was difficult to come up with an exact number, but I know for sure I have worked directly with seven mayors and I estimate over 100 members of council,” said Galloway.
Galloway continued: “I would like to thank all the members of council I have worked with over the past few decades for the honour and trust they placed in me as their CAO. I would also like to thank the hardworking and dedicated staff I have had the pleasure of working with and leading for their commitment to delivering high quality public service.”
“I have come to know Mike as one of the most capable and experienced municipal executives in the province. His professionalism and leadership will be sorely missed in Essex-Windsor. Big shoes to fill, but I wish him well after so many years serving the public,” said County of Essex Warden Hilda MacDonald.
“I had the pleasure of getting to know Mike over 20 years ago as a member of the Board of Directors of AMO. What struck me immediately was how well respected he was among his fellow board members and mayors from large to small municipalities across the province. They regularly turned to him for guidance and advice because they knew him to be a straight talker who brought a practical viewpoint to difficult province-wide issues,” said Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara and past AMO President.
Galloway will immediately begin to assist County Council with the search for a replacement and will officially retire from public service in the first quarter of 2023.