County Board Chairperson Nancy Coffey has announced the names of the final candidates for the position of County Administrator. The Board’s Committee on Administration, which has been leading the search, met on July 8 to review applications for the position, ultimately advancing four candidates for further consideration. The Committee is hoping to recommend a candidate to the full Board for confirmation later this month. The next County Administrator will replace Kathryn Schauf, who announced her retirement earlier this year.
In May, the County retained the executive search firm, Public Administration Associates, LLC, to assist the Committee in finding qualified candidates. According to Coffey, “the Committee on Administration has been thorough in its search to date to arrive at our final candidates, adding that we are pleased with the quality of the four candidates that we are considering.” Coffey stated that, “the finalists will be vetted further to determine which one will be the best fit for this position.” It is anticipated that the successful candidate will be presented for confirmation by the full Board later this month.
The following are the four finalists who will visit Eau Claire County on July 16 and 17 to participate in a variety of assessment activities.
Richard Hough. Mr. Hough currently serves as the Director of Public Works for Walworth County, Wisconsin (Population 106,029), a position he has held since 2018. Before joining Walworth County, Mr. Hough served in the Army for thirty years, retiring as a Colonel. Highlights of his military career include serving as Senior Research Fellow, Brigade Commander, Chief of Operations and Strategic Plans, Operations Officer, Battalion Commander, Program Manager, Engineer Plan Officer, and Senior Engineer. Mr. Hough has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University and a second Master’s in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Jon Johnson. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Eau Claire County Highway Commissioner, a position he has held since 2015. Before that, he served as Highway Commissioner in Washburn County from 2009 to 2015. Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management with a minor in Business Administration from UW-Stout.
Chad Roberts. Mr. Roberts currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Retirement Officer for the State of North Dakota, a position he has held since 2022. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy County Administrator of Polk County, WI (Population 45,726), from March 2020 through July 2022, and as the Polk County Chief Deputy Sheriff from
August 2018 through April 2020. Mr. Roberts served as Chief of Police in Murphysboro, IL, from September 2016 through August 2018. He was a Lieutenant in the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Department and served there from June 2000 through June 2015. Mr. Roberts has both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama. He anticipates receiving a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Mary in North Dakota in 2026.
Angela Weideman. Ms. Weideman currently serves as the Eau Claire County Human Services Director, a position she has held since April 2023. From March 2016 through April 2023, she served as the Chippewa County Public Health Director/Officer. From September 2014 through March 2016, she was the Director of the Western Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Care Needs (Chippewa County Health Department). Ms. Weideman received a Doctor of Public Health degree from Indiana University Indiana, Global Public Health Leadership, a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from UW-Stout, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UW-Green Bay.
