SALISBURY – Wicomico County officials this week appointed Dawn Mitchell Parks as the new director of finance.
Parks most recently served as the systems project manager for the Department of Information Technology and, since May, has served as the acting director of finance.
In a legislative session of the Wicomico County Council Tuesday, councilmembers unanimously approved a resolution to confirm her appointment as the new director of finance.
“I don’t think there are many questions, but I thought it was at least a good opportunity for you to meet with the council one-on-one and for the public to recognize who’s going to be responsible for one of the most important departments in the county, which is the finance department of course,” said Council President John Cannon. “I appreciate you taking that role and accepting that role.”
The Wicomico County Executive Office on Tuesday released a statement on Parks’ new position.
“We are excited for the opportunity to continue having her on our team because she has been an integral member of the administration since 2005,” the statement reads.
Parks began working for Wicomico County 12 years ago, taking a position as the financial systems program manager and later the assistant director of finance for operations.
Parks served as the acting director of finance for a period of time before accepting a position in the Department of Information Technology as a systems project manager.
Prior to working for Wicomico County, Parks worked for a financial systems software company.
Parks graduated from East Carolina University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She also studied accounting at both Salisbury University and North Carolina State University.
The Executive Office said Parks is currently working to become a certified public finance officer, which will give her licenses in multiple subject areas, including governmental accounting, auditing and financial reporting, treasury and investment management, debt management, operating and capital budgeting, and retirement and benefits risk management and procurement.
Parks will replace Leslie Lewis, who was terminated from her position in recent months by County Executive Bob Culver.
