At the Tuesday, March 21st Village Board meeting, Mayor Mark Kownick and the Village Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Erik Morimoto as Cary’s next Village Administrator. Morimoto was serving as the Interim Administrator after former Administrator Jacob Rife moved out of state in February. Prior to this appointment, Morimoto served as the Village of Cary’s Director of Public Works and Engineering since 2014, with the duties of Assistant Village Administrator added to his responsibilities in 2020.
“I am excited to announce Erik Morimoto as our next Village Administrator,” said Mayor Kownick. “Erik’s leadership and experience will continue to help the Village of Cary prosper and achieve our long-term goals. The Village Board is also proud to have been able to promote a village administrator from within our organization.”
Morimoto brings nearly 25 years of experience with a diverse background in administration, community development, public works, and engineering. With a passion for collaboration and strategic planning, he has served in a variety of roles in his career, including Chairperson for the McHenry County Municipal Partnering Initiative, Vice-Chair of the McHenry County Stormwater Management Commission, and the Director of Engineering and Building for the City of Crystal Lake.
During Administrator Morimoto’s nine-year tenure at the village, he led the planning and implementation of Cary’s recent award-winning projects, including the new Metra Station, the Cary Municipal Center, and the biological phosphorus removal system at the wastewater treatment plant. He also led the development of the Village’s downtown streetscape improvements, which are scheduled to begin construction later this month.
“It is an honor to continue serving the community in this new role and I am truly grateful for the trust the Mayor and Village Trustees have placed in me,” said Morimoto. “I am looking forward to building upon the positive momentum of Cary’s recent achievements under the guidance of our former administrator and Village Board. With the support of our amazing staff, I am confident we will continue raising the bar even higher.”