Pender County Manager, City of Raleigh Budget Director tapped for the roles
The City of Wilmington has selected Chad McEwen of Pender County and Mary Vigue of Raleigh to serve as Deputy City Managers.
“Both Chad and Mary bring a wealth of experience to the City of Wilmington and will undoubtedly help advance our organization and service delivery for residents,” City Manager Tony Caudle said. “Chad’s experience in coastal North Carolina is very valuable. He helped lead the regional coalition on flood resilience after Hurricane Florence, understands the unique challenges our city faces, and is prepared to help lead us through them. Mary’s background is a perfect fit for this position. She is well equipped to ensure that our internal support services operate smoothly and efficiently and will play a key role in making strategic plans and decisions to guide our organization forward. I am pleased to bring these talented and highly qualified professionals on board and look forward to working with them and learning from them as we serve the City of Wilmington.”
McEwen will begin his career in Wilmington on July 5, joining the city from Pender County where he has served as County Manager since 2019. He previously served as Assistant County Manager of Pender County and Town Manager of Burgaw. McEwen will oversee the Fire Department, Emergency Management, Planning and Development, Economic Development, and Downtown Services. He received his Master of Public Administration from UNC-Wilmington.
“I am eager to begin the next chapter of my career with the City of Wilmington, an organization that I have long admired, and to continue the important work of emergency management and economic development,” McEwen said. “I am honored to be chosen for this role and believe it is a perfect match for my professional background and desire to build a strong and resilient community.”
Vigue will begin her career in Wilmington on May 23, joining the city from the City of Raleigh where she has served as Budget & Management Services Director since 2017. She previously served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Greensboro and executive director of an education foundation. She will oversee Finance, Internal Audit, Budget, Information Technology, and Human Resources. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.
“Internal services are a passion of mine, so joining the City of Wilmington in this capacity presents an ideal opportunity to help lead a highly efficient and mission-driven city organization. I am excited to become a member of this community and put my experience to work for the people of Wilmington,” Vigue said.
Thom Moton, who joined the City of Wilmington as Deputy City Manager in 2017, will continue to oversee Community Services, Public Services, Engineering, and the Wilmington MPO.