London city manager Art Zuidema, a two-time Western graduate, is bullish on the university and the role it can play in revitalizing the city after tough economic times.
With his recent move to London’s City Hall, Art Zuidema’s career has come full circle. The Western alumnus and former director of corporate initiatives with the city of Hamilton took up a new post as London’s city manager on Aug. 13.
“I’m really looking forward to working and participating in the community. London is a wonderful city and I’m thrilled to have the chance to work to make sure it continues to stay that way,” Zuidema said, one month into his new job.
While convinced he’s exactly where he needs to be, the route he took to get there was both roundabout and direct.
Originally from Whitby, Ont., Zuidema, 49, studied law at the University of Windsor after receiving his bachelor’s degree in urban planning from the University of Waterloo. He then worked as a litigation lawyer before starting in Hamilton’s City Hall, some 21 years ago.
“As is often the case, you do (something) and then decide you want to try something different. So I went back to school to Western and took the MPA (Master of Public Administration) part-time, and then did a couple of stints – I call them ‘tours of duty’ – in the city manager’s office in Hamilton,” Zuidema explained.
“My first tour, I really enjoyed it – it was a secondment for me and I knew I wanted to make that transition from legal to administration.”
To complement the MPA, he decided to do an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) part-time through Western’s Richard Ivey School of Business. Shortly after, Zuidema returned for a second stint in the city manager’s office in Hamilton, on a second secondment, where he stayed for two years before moving on to London.
But it isn’t just about work for Zuidema.
Following a move to Brantford, Ont., he wanted to volunteer in the community and got involved with the hospital board, successfully working to keep a small Paris, Ont., hospital open after it was earmarked for closure.
His long-term involvement with Habitat for Humanity also shows his drive to mobilize change while working outside the limits of city hall.
“I started (volunteering) with the local affiliate in Brant County. We had concerns about what was going on at the head office (of Habitat for Humanity) and rather than just complaining, I ended up sitting on the national board for six years. I was the chair the last few years I was there. It was a segue from volunteering in the not-for-profit sector to what I am going to do with the rest of my life.” he said.
“It’s a great way to transition from being a lawyer, or a volunteer, to being in an organization, to working in a city where you have the opportunity to collaborate and make a better community.”
Zuidema’s time volunteering has given him perspective and reassurance that the career path he had chosen and invested in was the right one for him.
“The takeaway from my volunteer experience was you very frequently come to a charity or volunteer organization with the greatest of intentions and you think you can change the world. I realized there’s only so much we can do as a charity because there are so many other good causes, so many other needs, and that the best way to affect change was to either work in government or with government,” he noted.
“I feel I understand the pressures in the community and the challenges people have. I have a fair amount of empathy and a fair amount of responsibility in terms of my role here. I feel honoured.”
As for his time at Western, Zuidema, who completed his MPA in 1998 and his EMBA in 2005, had a great time. He sees the university as a key player in revitalizing the city after tough economic times.
“My vision for London is that we get through the challenging economic times and work collaboratively and continue to be a city where people want to work, study and have fun,” he explained.
“Western plays a critical role. It is a top-tier university and it is world recognized. That’s something we are all proud of, something we want to continue to foster. I read a book called Good Strategy Bad Strategy and it said ‘Find your strength, work with your strength and that will make you stronger.’ I think one of the real strengths of London is that we have a great education system and a great health-care system and these are the sectors we really have to work with to have great success.”
