Interim CAO appointed and recruitment process underway at City of West Kelowna

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024

At the Feb. 13 Regular Council Meeting, West Kelowna Council announced the appointment of Mr. Ron Mattiussi, of R.L. Mattiussi Advisory Services Inc., as the Interim Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the City of West Kelowna, effective immediately through mid-May 2024.

With the departure of CAO Paul Gipps on Feb. 9, Mr. Mattiussi will assume the Interim CAO position while the recruitment process is underway.

“With over 40 years’ experience in public service, 28 at a senior level, our Council is delighted to welcome Mr. Mattiussi to West Kelowna as our Interim CAO,” says Mayor Gord Milsom. “Ron brings significant planning and operational experience that will benefit our growing City. We recently retained him to lead the City’s McDougall Creek Wildfire recovery efforts and our Council and citizens were extremely grateful. Council has full confidence in Mr. Mattiussi’s leadership and expertise, and we look forward to working with him in the months ahead.”

Mr. Mattiussi’s professional planning career began with The Sault North Planning Board in Northern Ontario. He moved to Edmonton as a consultant with A.E. LePage's Research and Planning Division. In 1980, Ron became a Planner with the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission and in 1990 became the Executive Director (CAO). Ron was appointed Director of Planning and Development Services at the City of Kelowna in 1995 and was appointed City Manager (CAO) from 2006 through 2018.

As CAO, Ron led over 10 incidents with the Central Okanagan’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Since then, he has advised the Alberta government during the Wood Buffalo Wildfire, and he was retained to help rebuild Lytton, B.C. after the Lytton Wildfire. Ron has also conducted interim CAO work with the District of Summerland, City of Grand Forks, and City of Revelstoke, as well as planning reviews with the District of Lake Country. Ron has also conducted Council orientation and strategic planning sessions for nine municipalities across the province, including in the Haida Gwaii.

Ron received the Distinguished Member Award in 2016 and the President's Award in 2018 from the Local Government Management Association (LGMA).