Cumberland hires first female county manager

Cannon, 49, replaces James Martin, who retired in March after serving 14 years as county manager. Her hire was unanimously approved by commissioners.

Cannon became deputy county manager in February 2011 after previously serving as the assistant county manager for financial and administrative services. She was the county’s finance director from 1998 to August 2013 and has worked for the county’s finance department since 1990.

Under her leadership, the county’s finance department has received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting every year from 1998 to 2013, according to the county.

Cannon will manage North Carolina’s fifth largest county by population, overseeing 34 departments, about 2,300 employees and a budget of $312 million.

Cannon's hire is effective immediately. Her annual salary is $187,695.

“Ms. Cannon has really had a two-month interview with the commissioners, complete with a recommended budget presentation on May 29,” county commissioner Chairwoman Jeannette Council said. “She has the experience and skills to manage our county government team and has already introduced new initiatives in her recommended budget as we face economic challenges on the state and federal level.”

Cannon, a Fayetteville native and graduate of Seventy-First High School, holds an accounting degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a certified public accountant and state certified government finance officer.