City of Wilmington Announces Hiring of Becky Hawke as City Manager

Published on May 20, 2025

Wilmington City Council voted unanimously to appoint Becky Hawke as Wilmington’s next City Manager. The vote at council’s May 20 regular meeting concludes a national search for the city’s top administrator.

Hawke comes to the city from Matthews, North Carolina, where she has served as Town Manager and previously Assistant Town Manager since 2016. She brings more than 18 years of local government experience to the role, with broad executive experience in organizational leadership and community engagement.

“Becky Hawke is exactly the leader Wilmington needs at this moment in our city’s history,” said Mayor Bill Saffo. “Her broad experience, steady leadership, and commitment to community engagement make her uniquely qualified to help guide Wilmington through a period of significant growth and opportunity. We are thrilled to welcome her to our city and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

During her time in Matthews, Hawke advanced major community and economic development initiatives, including impactful partnerships with Hendrick Companies and Central Piedmont Community College, which will result in high-wage jobs and a new public safety training facility. Under her leadership, the town also earned its first-ever AAA credit rating from both Moody’s and S&P, a milestone that reflects strong fiscal stewardship and long-term financial stability.

Prior to Matthews, Hawke spent over nine years in local government in Virginia, serving in executive roles for the Town of Christiansburg and City of Radford.

Hawke is a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association (ICMA-CM). She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Hollins University, an M.S. in Corporate and Professional Communication from Radford University, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds a Master’s Certificate in Human Resources Management from Cornell University and is a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA) through UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Government.

Throughout her career, Hawke has remained active in the communities in which she serves. She is the past President of the Matthews Chamber of Commerce, served on the Board of Directors for a short-term crisis assistance non-profit, and volunteers with animal rescue organizations.

“It is truly an honor to be selected as Wilmington’s next City Manager and I am thankful to the City Council for this opportunity. I am sincerely looking forward to working with staff, as well as local and regional partners, to deliver high quality services to the Wilmington community while we also work to turn council’s vision for the city into reality.” 

Hawke will begin her tenure as Wilmington City Manager on June 30.