Mayor Dan Horrigan Announces New Deputy Director of Finance
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of City of Akron Press Office
Published: 10-20-2022
Akron, Ohio, October 20, 2022 — Today, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan announced that Mike Wheeler will take on the role of Deputy Director of Finance. Wheeler will join Mayor Horrigan’s Cabinet effective immediately. He will bring additional experience and expertise to the Finance Department serving under Director of Finance Steve Fricker.
“I’m very excited to have Mike join my Cabinet and help us fill out our Finance Department,” said Mayor Horrigan. “Mike brings a lot of valuable experience to the role and was one of the key players in launching our current financial system at the City. I’m glad to have him on board.”
Mike has nearly a decade of experience in the City’s Audit and Budget Division, where he most recently served as the Audit and Budget Manager. Over the course of his career with the City, he has implemented various accounting standards for the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and was instrumental in the launch of the Workday Financial System. A 2003 graduate of Akron’s Firestone Highschool, he went on to graduate from the University of Akron in 2008. A member of Greater Akron Torchbearers, he was honored to be selected for the class of 2018 and served in a leadership role. Additionally, he is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with the ability to practice accounting in the states of Ohio and New York. Prior to his experience at the City, he worked at Rockit Solutions, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rockefeller Financial Services, as a Tax and Financial Analyst.
As Deputy Finance Director, Mike will oversee the annual budgets, audits, and the 7 departments in the City’s Finance Department. He will work with the city’s Supplier Diversity and Contract Compliance Officer to continue the city’s efforts on procurement reform and diversifying the City's spend.
The City of Akron Finance Department oversees the City’s $772 million operating budget, which supports Mayor Horrigan’s priorities of increasing economic opportunity, improving public life, and strengthening Akron neighborhoods. The Department of Finance consists of the following divisions: General Accounting, Audit & Budget, Utilities Business Office, Income Tax, Purchasing, Information Technology, and Treasury. For 37 consecutive years, the City of Akron has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its annual budget. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental budgeting and represents a significant achievement by the City of Akron and its management team.
For further information, contact:
Stephanie Marsh
Chief Communications Officer
Phone: 330-375-2754
E-mail: [email protected]
