It's important to know the people who are leading your community, so with that in mind I'd like to share a few things about myself:

• I believe that there is nothing more essential to an organization than good management of both human and financial resources; that will always be my primary aim as a leader.
   
• I feel strongly that Greater Sudbury has a vital role to play in the provincial, national, and international arenas, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that our voice is heard.
   
• I like technology put to good and effective use, and I look forward to seeing how we as an organization can use technology to improve services to citizens.
   
• I am a big believer in knowing – and knowing well – what we do, why we do it, and how we do it, because the right decision can only be made with the right information. I will work hard to make sure that I have the information I need to make the right decisions.
   
• Finally, my vision for Greater Sudbury is truly that – a greater community, with greater citizen involvement, greater resident satisfaction, and a fulfilled and empowered municipal employee base.

I realize these aren't your typical biographical sketch points, but I think they say more about me as a leader than the fact that I have a background in technology, that I received the Northern Ontario 1992 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, or that I've worked in this municipal government since 2000, as General Manager of Economic Development and Planning Services, and then as General Manager of Growth and Development.

What these bullet points say about me is that I like to lead change and growth, and I like to push myself and my staff in new and challenging ways. It says that I want to grow our city – and that under the direction of our Mayor and Council, and with the assistance of our citizens, I intend to do just that.

I've been Chief Administrative Officer since November 2008; I was first appointed Acting, then my appointment was made permanent in April 2009. During that process, I remember my kids asking me what exactly I did as CAO, and it's a question I know many in the community have. I'd like to take this opportunity to explain the different roles I perform on a daily basis.

First, I lead an employee base of 2,897 people, with jobs as wide-ranging as snow plow operator, call centre operator, engineer, librarian, accountant, and lawyer. I directly supervise the eight members of the City's Senior Management Team. These eight people manage the full spectrum of municipal services, including but not limited to financial services, transit, building services, roads, water and wastewater, communications, legal services, parks and recreation facilities, emergency services, and housing. I've learned a lot about every one of those services since I became CAO, and I learn more about them every day. I also continue to take a deep interest in the city's economic development, maintaining a close relationship with the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation.

Second, in terms of 'chain of command,” I take my direction from the Mayor and Council and report directly to them. My main function is to help staff achieve the goals of Council and provide service (and excellence in service) to the community.

Third, I work with the community to make sure that the City is a true partner to our businesses, industries, and residents. It can be easy to let bureaucracy overpower development and change, but I resist that idea of the City and work every day to bring about powerful growth. The role of the CAO is to make sure that the City as an organization and the city as a community are working together efficiently, effectively, and with drive and ambition.

I believe that a municipality's CAO has to be that municipality's champion – not only to the community, but to the employees that he or she leads. The CAO has to believe in the community not only as it is, but as it could be. The CAO has to be able to see a community's potential, define the elusive and localized concept of 'improvement” to determine what the community needs, set tangible objectives, and assist in achieving them.

So, with that being said, I'd like to share my vision of Greater Sudbury, both as a corporation and a city – first prefacing that to me, a vision is not an imagined state of being, but rather something that is eminently achievable.

• We work together for the benefit of all: corporations working for the good of the community can come together as a team to achieve more than can be accomplished in isolation. In my vision of our city, this synergy allows us to extend our collective impact more deeply into the community.
   
• We actively benefit from the size of our community and the wealth of our resources: Greater Sudbury is unique, not only in north-east Ontario, but across Canada. In addition to our vast geography and abundance of lakes, the combination of our population size and economic activity allows almost anything to be possible. In my vision of our city, we are large enough to bring together the resources to accomplish any task, and flexible enough to allow for maneuverability.
   
• We balance the pride of our past with the promise of our future, without compromising either: when our community became a 'community of communities,” different cultures, histories, and futures were brought together – this is one of the strengths of Greater Sudbury. In my vision of our city, we do more to empower citizens to act as ambassadors for the community.
   
• We are recognized as the leader in the North, both within and outside our own community: given our history and our progress, many communities look to Greater Sudbury for leadership and advice. In my vision of our city, we continually find ways to leverage our history and geography to build a presence that is amongst the most respected in the province – if not the country.
   
• City Hall is respected in the community as a contributor to progress: residents or businesses wanting to affect growth and effect change in our community often work with the municipality to achieve their goals. In my vision of our city, City Hall at all times, and in all capacities, makes Greater Sudbury the best place in Canada to do business, and City staff are recognized across the community as leaders, facilitators, and problem-solvers.

I think our community does amazing work; I think our municipal government does amazing work. And I am excited about bringing the two together to see what we can achieve.

Finally, I'm committed to understanding what residents of our city want and need – so if you have an idea or a concern you want to share with me, I invite you to contact me. I promise that whatever input you provide, I will use to achieve what we all strive for – a strong, vibrant Greater Sudbury.

Sincerely,

Doug Nadorozny