The district’s new deputy chief administrative officer is excited to be a part of Mission and looks forward to helping the community grow in the next decade.
“Mission is a big community, geographically,” said Paul Gipps, who started the position in late December. “It’s very dynamic.”
Gipps is still learning about Mission and catching up on issues, but he believes downtown has tremendous potential and adds to the community.
As deputy CAO, his role includes overseeing several departments, such as inspection services, human resources, corporate administration and RCMP, communicating with the media and coordinating legal services.
“I’m a doer,” he said. “I like seeing things happen and helping the community achieve goals.”
A key element in attaining success is through communication and the way service is delivered, according to Gipps.
“I got into government because when I was in construction, I didn’t have a good experience with local governments,” said Gipps. “I wanted to make a difference.”
Customers may not like the message, but it should still be delivered through good customer service, said Gipps, who is impressed Mission holds that paramount in the way it does business.
Gipps grew up in Kemano, a small town south of Kitimat and embraced outdoor living at a young age, learning to hunt and fish. He first came to the Lower Mainland for high school because school in Kemano topped out at Grade 8, said Gipps.
After finishing high school, he joined the construction industry and worked as a journeyman carpenter for 10 years before becoming a building inspector.
In 1990, he took a job with the City of Terrace and ran that department together with bylaws, animal control and planning.
Gipps returned to school for a diploma in public administration and was promoted to deputy CAO in Terrace. In 2004, Gipps became CAO in Houston, B.C.
He stayed there for three years before moving to Gibsons where he worked as the town’s CAO for 3.5 years.
“[Mission] is where I want to be,” said Gipps.
Besides spending time with family, he also enjoys playing badminton, hockey, rebuilding an old 1966 mustang and travelling.