Lyonel Doherty
Times-Chronicle
A new chief financial officer will start crunching numbers for the Town of Oliver on July 19.
Elma Hamming has been hired to look after all fiscal responsibilities for the municipality.
She brings significant experience in local government from the Town of Smithers and City of Rossland.
“I look forward to providing insight into sensible financial planning that will assist council, staff, and the community in achieving Oliver’s strategic objectives for a long-term vibrant future,” Hamming said.
She has a CPA/CMA and is completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree with Thompson Rivers University.
Hamming has been keeping her eye out for CFO postings, and when the Oliver job came up, it checked all of the boxes for her – climate, proximity to lakes, proximity to larger cities, walkability, trails, and access to health care.
“I also have a nephew and his wife and their four young children that moved to Oliver in early 2020 from the Coast, and they confirmed it was a wonderful, friendly town.”
Hamming said she chose number crunching as a career because she loves the stories that the numbers can tell.
“Accounting is the recording of historical information, but what gets exciting is analyzing that data to inform the future and providing forecast scenarios depending on options chosen.”
Hamming said we can’t predict the future, but we can use numbers to help us plan and prepare for it.
“It actually goes hand-in-hand with report writing because numbers only provide quantitative data.”
She pointed out that finances not only address economic concerns, but also finds balance with social and environmental concerns.
Another very important career that Hamming has had is raising four boys, which she is still “recuperating” from (laugh out lout).
She loves kayaking, cycling and hiking. And of course, sampling what local vineyards have to offer.
WhenHamming starts her new job in Oliver, she will replace current CFO Doug Leahy, who is retiring for the second and final time. His plan also entails hiking, biking and hopefully some travelling when it’s allowed.
“I will miss crunching the numbers but not the politics. Thirty-six years in local government takes its toll.”
Hamming’shiring comes at the same time that the Town has won (again) the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting. The municipality has continually won this prestigious award since 2012.
This year’s award is for the Town’s 2019 financial report, which was impartially judged by a special committee to meet high standards, including “demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure.”
Cathy Cowan, the Town’s chief administrative officer, said Hamming looks forward to continuing to attain this award.
