- Organization: City of Niagara Falls
- Posted: April 12th, 2021
Niagara Falls City Council has announced the appointment of Jason Burgess as the City’s next Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
Burgess is currently the Chief Administrative Officer at Norfolk County, a single tier municipality with a total budget of over $300 million and 700 full time employees. From 2014-2018, Burgess served as the Commissioner of Corporate Services and Treasurer for the Niagara Region, as well the Director of Procurement and Strategic Acquisition. In addition to his work in municipalities, Burgess has extensive work experience in the private sector. He was previously a partner with MNP, a large national consulting firm, where he led the municipal practice for southwest Ontario. He also was employed as the Senior Manager and Vice President at Deloitte, and a member of the firm’s National Tourism Hospitality and Leisure team.
Burgess holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Brock University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). He was past recipient of the Queens Jubilee Medal for Community Involvement, Past Chair of the United Way, and was previously named to Niagara’s “Top 40 Under 40.”
“I am very excited about this opportunity. The City of Niagara Falls has a solid foundation and is poised for dynamic and exciting growth for years to come,” Burgess said. “I look forward to working with city council, city staff, residents, and the community in making this happen.”
The CAO is the sole position in the city directly accountable to council. After an extensive recruitment process, supported by Waterhouse Executive Search and involving all of city council, Mayor Jim Diodati lauded Burgess as an ideal choice as CAO.
“Jason brings considerable leadership experience in the public and private sectors that, along with an impressive skill set, makes him an excellent choice for this position,” Diodati said. “We are excited about him joining our team at this critical time. His familiarity with the Niagara Region, tourism, and the community issues will make him a great asset to our city.”
This appointment takes effect on July 26, following the retirement of Ken Todd, who has served the city for the past 12 years.
“Ken has been an outstanding CAO for Niagara Falls and we can’t thank him enough for his strong leadership and exemplary commitment to serving city council and our community,” Diodati said. “He has earned his retirement, and we wish him well with immeasurable gratitude for all he has done for the city.”
