With the current county manager set to retire later this year, the Chatham County government chose to promote within the same office to fill the position.
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners announced at its meeting Monday the appointment of Assistant County Manager Bryan Thompson to the lead role, which will go into effect once Dan LaMontagne officially retires on December 27. Thompson has served with the county since July 2019 and previously served as the town manager for Siler City, Erwin and Mount Gilead in North Carolina.
“I am honored and grateful to be given the opportunity to serve our community as County Manager, and I want to express my appreciation to the Board of Commissioners for their trust in my ability to take on this important role,” said Thompson in a release by the county. “I also want to express my deep gratitude to Dan and his exceptional leadership, support, and friendship. I am humbled to work alongside our fantastic staff, whose commitment to public service is truly inspiring. As we look toward the future, I am excited about working with the Board, our staff, and community partners to address the needs of our community and help shape a remarkable future for Chatham County.”
Bryan Thompson, future county manager for Chatham County. (Photo via Chatham County.)
In his current role, Thompson oversees multiple aspects of Chatham County’s operations. Finances, budgeting, taxes, emergency communications and management, information technology, GIS services, and parks and recreation all fall under his purview. Before his 18 years of experience in local government, Thompson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government/Public Administration from Campbell University and a Master of Public Administration in City and County Management from Appalachian State University. Additionally, he’s completed a variety of leadership programs — like the Duke North Carolina Leadership Forum, University of North Carolina School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy, and the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Institute.
“Bryan’s contributions over the last several years have demonstrated his deep knowledge and understanding of the issues we face, and the Board has every confidence in Bryan’s ability to lead Chatham County through the challenges and opportunities yet to come,” said Chair of the County Commissioners Mike Dasher. “My fellow Board members and I are delighted that we are able to hire the best person for the job from our existing leadership team, and to provide our staff and community members with consistent, steady leadership they have come to expect.”
LaMontagne publicly announced his plans to retire in July, having served as county manager for six years. Prior to that, he worked as Chatham County’s solid waste director, a leader in its environmental quality department, and director of its Public Works and Utilities department. The county has worked through a variety of major projects during his tenure, including the initial buildout of the Chatham Park community in Pittsboro and significant economic development deals with companies like Wolfspeed and VinFast.
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