Coalhurst will have a new chief administrative officer in May. Former Fort Macleod mayor Shawn Patience will take on the role. He served three terms as mayor and one as councillor and he holds both a Local Authority Administration and Land Use Planning certificate from the University of Alberta.
“We are very pleased to welcome Shawn to our administrative team,” says Mayor Lyndsay Montina, adding that Patience comes to the role with a wealth of experience. “He is a well-respected leader with a demonstrated commitment to efficiency, community development, and building strong organizational cultures.”
His background includes experience in community and regional economic development including leadership roles with numerous local and regional organizations such as the Alberta Southwest Regional Economic Development Alliance and the Fort Macleod Historical Association.
“Coalhurst is a great community with such tremendous potential,” says Patience. “Every community presents new challenges and opportunities and I look forward to building on the strong relationships the Town has already established to help them achieve even more in the years ahead.”
He served most recently as chief administrative officer in Diamond Valley, a new amalgamation of the former towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley. Being involved in that unique transition has been incredibly rewarding but Patience says he is looking forward to working closer to home.
“You don’t get many chances to come home,” he says. “This opportunity lets me do the work I love closer to the people I love. I am hoping to bring the experience, best practices and collaborative approach I’ve gained in other communities to the administration in Coalhurst.”
Patience Will report to Coalhurst town council and will oversee town administration and employees,.
