Durham County names assistant Greensboro manager its new county manager

The Durham County commissioners voted unanimously Monday night to appoint Kimberly J. Sowell, an assistant city manager for Greensboro since 2019, as new county manager.

Sowell is scheduled to begin work March 14 at a salary of $255,000, according to a county news release.

“Following an extensive search, the Board believes Dr. Sowell is a great fit, and the leader we need to help us move into the next phase of county operations to best serve Durham County residents,” board Chair Brenda Howerton said in a news release.

Sowell joined Greensboro in 2015, working in the Human Resources and Water Resources departments before becoming an assistant city manager in 2019.

According to the news release, Sowell began her career with Deloitte, where she audited financial statements of clients in the government, nonprofit and insurance industries before transitioning into higher education. And she served as N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University treasurer, special assistant to the vice chancellor for Business and Finance and as assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Administration.

She has served on the National Forum for Black Public Administrators Executive Leadership Institute, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Other Voices Executive Program and the N.C. Office of State Human Resources Leadership Institute for Female Employees.

Sowell has her B.S. in Accounting, an M.S. in Adult Education from N.C. A&T and recently defended her dissertation as a Ph.D. candidate in Leadership Studies at N.C. A&T. She is originally from Kannapolis, N.C.

“I am thankful to this historic Board and honored by the Board’s confidence in my leadership,” she said. “I look forward to building on the progressive work of Durham County’s talented employees and implementing the vision established by our Board and the wonderful residents of this community.”

Sowell succeeds former Durham County Manager Wendell Davis, whose contract was not renewed by the county commissioners in a 3-2 vote in May 2021. Claudia Hager has served in the role on an interim basis.

This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 11:27 AM.