town news

For immediate release – Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Coalhurst Town Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Shawn Patience as the new Chief Administrative Officer, effective May 2023.

“We are very pleased to welcome Shawn to our administrative team,” says Mayor Lyndsay Montina, adding that Patience comes to the role with a wealth of experience. “He is a well-respected leader with a demonstrated commitment to efficiency, community development, and building strong organizational cultures.”

Patience is a familiar face to many in the region, having served four terms on municipal council in Fort Macleod, Alta. including three as mayor. He holds both a Local Authority Administration (NACLAA) and Land Use Planning certificate from the University of Alberta, and his background includes extensive experience in community and regional economic development including leadership roles with numerous local and regional organizations such as the Alberta Southwest Regional Economic Development Alliance and the Fort Macleod Historical Association.

“Coalhurst is a great community with such tremendous potential,” says Patience. “Every community presents new challenges and opportunities and I look forward to building on the strong relationships the Town has already established to help them achieve even more in the years ahead.”

Most recently, Patience has been serving as CAO in the newly established Diamond Valley, Alta., an amalgamation of the former towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley. Being involved in that unique transition has been incredibly rewarding but Patience is looking forward to working closer to home.

“You don’t get many chances to come home,” says Patience, who is married with two grown children and four grandchildren. “This opportunity lets me do the work I love closer to the people I love. I am hoping to bring the experience, best practices and collaborative approach I’ve gained in other communities to the administration in Coalhurst.”

Patience will officially step into his new role in May. Reporting to Coalhurst Town Council, he will oversee Town administration and employees, ensuring that the organization effectively provides services to the community, plans for growth and delivers on Council’s key focus areas.