Former Algoma Steel superintendent appointed deputy CAO at city

Brent Lamming was also former CEO at Community First Credit Union

Brent LammingSupplied image

Brent Lamming, the city's director of community services, is expected to be promoted tonight to deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services.

City councillors will be asked to approve Lamming as replacement for Tom Vair, who left the deputy CAO post at the end of January to become the city's chief administrative officer.

"Mr. Lamming has served as the director of community services for just over six years and brings senior level experience from the private sector, a certified management accountant designation and board experience with non-profit organizations in the community to this position at the city," CAO Vair said in a report prepared for tonight's city council meeting.

Lamming has been recommended by a selection committee including Mayor Shoemaker, Ward 2 Coun. Lisa Vezeau-Allen, CAO Tom Vair, city solicitor Karen Fields and Nicole Ottolino, director of human resources.

The position was posted internally and externally.

Five candidates were chosen for first interviews.

Four were asked to participate in second interviews, which included additional questions as well as preparing a presentation and a written report.

Lamming's work experience prior to the city is remarkably diverse:

senior vice president of strategy and president Community First Credit Union at Your Neighbourhood Credit Union
CEO at Community First Credit Union
superintendent of material reprocessing, cost control accountant, senior credit analyst at Algoma Steel Inc.
commercial relationship manager at Scotiabank
financial advisor at TD

Tonight's city council meeting will be live-streamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.

Find the full news release from City of Sault Ste. Marie on the appointment of Brent Lamming below:

Following a recruitment process led by the Deputy CAO Selection Committee, City Council has voted to appoint Brent Lamming as the next Deputy CAO, Community Development and Enterprise Services for the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

“Brent brings several years of municipal government experience and executive management leadership to the position of Deputy CAO,” said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker. “He has extensive knowledge of the municipality and community and has been an instrumental part of several important developments such as the Soo Market and the City’s efforts related to the YMCA.”

“It has been a pleasure working with Brent in his previous role,” said, Tom Vair, CAO. “His dedication to our community is exceptional and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new position.”

Lamming brings a wealth of experience as a senior leader in the financial services industry, complemented by a strong background in municipal government. With a Certified Management Accountant of Ontario (CMA) designation, Lamming’s expertise in budgeting, accounting, operations, and asset management plays a valuable role in the City’s future. His previous senior roles include President of Community First and SVP Strategy Your Neighbourhood Credit Union, CEO of Community First Credit Union, Superintendent of Material Reprocessing at Algoma Steel, and most recently, Director of Community Services with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, overseeing critical community services such as City transit and parking, cemetery, community centres, arenas, and recreation and cultural initiatives.

“I am honoured to be selected as the next Deputy CAO for the City of Sault Ste. Marie,” said Brent Lamming. “I look forward to working with Mayor Shoemaker, City Council, our dedicated City staff, and the community to advance our City’s development.”

Lamming is a graduate of Algoma University where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He is a Certified Management Accountant of Ontario, holds a Personal Financial Planning Designation from the Institute of Canadian Bankers and has completed Project Management at the University of Waterloo and Strategy Certification from the Smith School of Business at Queens University. Mr. Laming has also completed the Municipal Administration Program through the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

He is the proud husband of Danielle Lukenda and their children Keira and Joshua Lamming.