Chief Administrative Officer Announces His Retirement
Chief Administrative Officer W. Paul Dial today announced that he will be retiring after more than 20 years of service with Frederick County Government, effective August 31.
“Paul has done a fabulous job as CAO and will be missed greatly,” Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner said. “I will miss his calm demeanor, leadership and top-notch organizational skill.”
As CAO, Mr. Dial oversees daily operations for all 17 divisions under the direction of the county executive. Prior to being appointed Acting CAO in June 2016, Mr. Dial spent 19 years as Director of the Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation. In that role, he managed 80 year-round and approximately 250 seasonal employees at park locations and on the county’s security and custodial staffs.
“It is hard to express my level of gratitude to Frederick County Government and the opportunities that it has provided me over my career,” Mr. Dial said. “I want to thank County Executive Gardner for allowing me the privilege to serve as Chief Administrative Officer. It was truly an honor. I would like to recognize the Division Directors, Cabinet members and staff who serve this County so well on a daily basis. I enjoy my work as CAO, but I have been given the opportunity to serve as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Tampa, Florida, which is an opportunity that I personally felt I could not pass up.”
Executive Gardner has named Ray Barnes as interim CAO. Mr. Barnes retired January 1, 2017, as Chief Operating Officer for Frederick County Public Schools. He brings 35 years of experience in government, including more than a decade working in the Planning and Zoning Department of Frederick County Government.
“I’m thrilled that Ray has agreed to serve as interim CAO,” Executive Gardner said. “His experience and immense wealth of knowledge will be a great asset to the County.”
