Two longtime Kennewick leaders named deputy city managers

Two longtime Kennewick department heads are now deputy city managers.

The City of Kennewick announced Thursday that Finance Director Dan Legard and Public Works Director Cary Roe have been named deputy city managers, according to a news release from the city.

Legard previously served in the role before leaving the city for a short stint last year with Chelan PUD. The city has had more than one deputy city manager in the past, but a second slot hadn’t been filled since former police chief Ken Hohenberg retired in 2021.

They’ll help Kennewick’s new City Manager Erin Erdman with a variety of duties.

“Both Dan and Cary have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to public service,” Erdman said in the news release. “Their combined experience and skills will be invaluable as we continue to grow and develop our city. I am thrilled to have them on our executive team and look forward to the positive impact they will undoubtedly make.”

Dan Legard

Legard has been with the city for more than two decades. He was a finalist alongside Erdman for the City Manager role.

He started as an Accounting Supervisor in 2002 and quickly moved up the ranks. He became the Finance Manager in 2003 and then the Finance Director/Deputy City Manager in 2011 after former Finance Director Marie Mosley was named City Manager.

The city said that Legard’s expertise in financial management has been instrumental in overseeing the City’s $521 million biennial budget and ensuring robust financial health.

He also served as President of the Washington Finance Officers Association (WFOA) from 2022-2023 and is actively involved in various community non-profit organizations, including recently serving as the Chair of the Board for the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties in 2022. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Western Washington University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Cary Roe

Roe joined the city in April 2014 as the Public Works Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his tenure in Federal Way.

Over the past decade, he has led significant infrastructure projects, enhancing the city’s public works and setting a high standard for excellence.

His leadership has been crucial in transforming major transportation projects for the city, including Bob Olsen Parkway and the major transformations to the Steptoe and Gage intersection throughout the past decade.

He’s earned numerous accolades, including a national award for flood control projects.