Kitchener CAO Jeff Willmer to retire after 28 years

Chief administrative officer Jeff Willmer has announced he will retire in August after working for Kitchener for 28 years.

He began his career as a city planner in 1989 where he worked on plan policies and zoning bylaws.

Aside from his brief two-year break to work in the private sector, Willmer took on various roles in the city.

As the interim general manager of development and technical services, he co-authored the 1992 official plan policies and zoning bylaw for downtown Kitchener. The plan laid out the first stages to revitalize the Innovation District, now home to the city's top tech companies.

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In May 2012, he was appointed chief administrative officer.

In a statement announcing his retirement, Willmer said some projects in his career didn't see results for a long time and he pointed to the importance of long-term planning.

"It is a real privilege to serve this community, and it is a bonus to see how the work we do is helping transform the community in very tangible ways," Willmer said.