The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has hired a new general manager of infrastructure and engineering services.
“I am very pleased to advise we have finalized an employment contract with Mr. Edward Soldo to serve as Chatham-Kent’s general manager of infrastructure and engineering services,” Michael Duben, Chatham-Kent’s top administrator, announced in a media release Monday.
Soldo is a professional engineer who comes to Chatham-Kent from the City of Hamilton, where he held the position of chief roadway official, the release said. He will begin his new role in Chatham-Kent in mid-January.
With prior leadership and management positions with the City of London, the City of St. Thomas, the County of Haldimand, and the Region of Halton, Soldo brings considerable experience in transportation, operations, asset management, construction, drainage and other public works disciplines , the release added.
Soldo graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Engineering degree before earning a diploma in public administration from Western University and a master certificate in municipal leadership from York University.
Duben said Soldo is an avid cyclist and also volunteers with a number of professional technical organizations and is the district director for Canada with the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
Soldo will begin in Chatham-Kent on Jan. 17.
He replaces Thomas Kelly, who made an abrupt departure from the municipality in March.
Duben shared appreciation for the efforts of engineering director Chris Thibert and public works director Ryan Brown, “who have done a remarkable job alternating the role of acting general manager for the last nine months.”
The administrator also recognized and thanked Tomo Matesic, president of Entegrus Transmission, and Tim Sunderland, general manager of the Chatham-Kent public utilities commission.
He said both Matesic and Sunderland, working along with him and human resources, “played an integral role in the recruitment process and demonstrated a true commitment to the ongoing partnership between our respective organizations.”