Wilmington officials have chosen the next city manager, who will replace current city manager Tony Caudle when he retires at the end of this month.

The Wilmington City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to appoint Becky Hawke as the next city manager. Hawke’s appointment concludes a national search for the city’s next top administrator, which began last fall after Caudle announced his plans to retire.

At Tuesday’s meeting, members of the Wilmington City Council thanked Caudle for his work and the impact he’s had on the city. Caudle came to the city in 2008 as deputy city manager and was named city manager in 2021.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo thanked Caudle for the role he played in several major efforts, including the development of River Place, work on the once-proposed downtown baseball stadium project, and helping guide the city during Hurricane Florence and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You are a true professional, you’ve been a standard bearer of what city managers should be,” Saffo said. “I really just want to say on behalf of all the citizens, thank you for your public service to this community, but also thank you for your public service to the state. You did an outstanding job, my friend. You should be proud of what you’ve been able to do; you have made a difference.”

Hawke will begin her tenure as city manager on June 30. She comes to Wilmington from Matthews, North Carolina, where she has served as town manager and, previously, as assistant town manager since 2016, according to a news release.

During her time in Matthews, Hawke “advanced major community and economic development initiatives, including impactful partnerships with Hendrick Companies and Central Piedmont Community College, which will result in high-wage jobs and a new public safety training facility,” the release stated.

The town earned its first-ever AAA credit rating from both Moody’s and S&P under her leadership, according to the release, a milestone that “reflects strong fiscal stewardship and long-term financial stability.”

Before coming to Matthews, Hawke spent more than nine years working in local government in Virginia, where she served in executive roles for the Town of Christiansburg and City of Radford.

According to the release, Hawke is a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association. She holds a B.A. in communication studies from Hollins University, an M.S. in corporate and professional communication from Radford University and a master of public administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

She also holds a master’s certificate in human resources management from Cornell University and is a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy through UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Government.

“Becky Hawke is exactly the leader Wilmington needs at this moment in our city’s history,” Saffo wrote in the release. “Her broad experience, steady leadership, and commitment to community engagement make her uniquely qualified to help guide Wilmington through a period of significant growth and opportunity. We are thrilled to welcome her to our city and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

Following her appointment on Tuesday night, Hawke briefly addressed council members.

“It is truly an honor to be standing before you today for you to put your faith and trust in me to continue to carry the torch that has been carried so well by Mr. Caudle,” she said. “Wilmington has long been a city that I have admired and that I have loved, and the opportunity to call it my home while working to deliver your vision for the community, working with staff, working with local stakeholders … I just can’t wait to get to work.”

Deputy city manager Thom Moton will serve as interim city manager between Caudle’s retirement on May 30 and Hawke’s June 30 start date.