GANNAWARRA Shire Council has appointed its corporate services director as its new chief executive officer.
Tom O’Reilly’s appointment was confirmed by council on Wednesday night.
Mr O’Reilly has been employed as a shire director since March and has 15 years’ experience in senior Local Government positions and further experience in the corporate sector as chief executive of a chartered accountancy firm and more than a decade in the water industry.
Gannawarra mayor, Cr Brian Gibson said that Mr O’Reilly had been appointed for a three-year term to succeed Eric Braslis, who left the shire to take on a similar position with the Shire of Golden Plains.
Mr O’Reilly said that he felt privileged to be appointed and pledged his commitment to the shire and its community.
“Gannawarra certainly has its challenges, but it also has opportunities,” he said.
“I bring energy and enthusiasm to the job.”
Mr O’Reilly said that he had developed a good working relationship with council, staff and the community this year and also had a good network of contacts in the industry.
He said that a key priority was to ensure that council delivered the first year of council’s plan.
“There was extensive community consultation and the community has determined its aspirations. It’s up to us to deliver,” he said.
“We have a lot of opportunities to use our collective strengths to achieve more and I look forward to councillors and the community leveraging their strengths.”
Mr O’Reilly has worked in municipal corporate services, finance and governance roles since commencing at Greater Shepparton City Council in 1997, where he was employed for 11 years, six of them as director of business and finance.
Prior to joining Gannawarra Shire Council, he was an associate with the CT Management Group undertaking local government assignments with the Shire of Buloke, Latrobe City Council and King Island Council. He also worked with Goulburn-Murray Water for 11 years and seven years with Goulburn Valley Water.
Mr O’Reilly has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree and is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA). He is a Fellow of CPA Australia and also a Fellow of the Goulburn Murray Community Leadership Program.
He is also a Northern District Community Health Service board member.
Gannawarra Shire Council will now commence a recruitment process for the vacant corporate services director position. It is also seeking a community well-being director following the recent departure of Mandy Hutchinson to the position of Northern District Community Health Service chief executive officer.
