Commissioners appoint new Cabarrus County Manager
Published on March 11, 2025
The Board of Commissioners has named Sean Newton as the new Cabarrus County Manager.
Following a closed session on Monday, the board emerged and voted unanimously to appoint Newton as manager and enter into an employment contract. He starts his new role on March 24.
“I am thrilled and honored to be selected as the next County Manager of Cabarrus County,” Newton said. “I am grateful to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners for the opportunity to serve this great county, which has provided me many fond memories throughout the years. I plan to use my extensive leadership within the private sector, along with my passion to serve to create increased efficiency and transparency for the residents of Cabarrus County. I have always had a passion for local government, and I am extremely excited for the opportunity to lead the County through the next chapter of its journey.”
Following the board vote at the March Agenda Meeting, Newton addressed board members, County employees and residents.
“I can’t wait to get to know community members and County employees over the coming weeks and I truly look forward to partnering with this board to deliver on priorities and to serve all of you,” Newton said.
As County Manager, Newton will oversee day-to-day operations performed by more than 1,400 employees across multiple departments.
Newton has 14 years of private sector experience, working in leadership roles at Lowe’s and Wells Fargo. Most recently, he served as senior director of Enterprise Analytics at Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA). He said he plans to drive success through his breadth of knowledge and experience in finance, analytics, human resources, information technology and risk management.
Newton holds bachelor’s degrees in finance and political science from UNC Charlotte and a master’s degree in business administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
He grew up in the mountains and Piedmont of North Carolina. He attended school in Ashe and Iredell counties before college.
Newton is joining Cabarrus during a key budget planning period. Following the annual board retreat in February, departments are now presenting their budget requests. The County Manager is responsible for preparing and submitting the annual budget in June. The new budget year begins July 1, 2025.
“I am aware of the recent conversations around budget deficits and funding priorities, and I have full confidence that with the leadership from each member of this board, along with support from myself and the rest of the County employees, we will be able to usher in positive change through this year’s budget cycle,” Newton told the board.
Following Monday’s vote, Board Chair Chris Measmer thanked Board Vice-Chair Laura Lindsey and Commissioner Kenny Wortman for being an “integral” part of the hiring process. Wortman and Lindsey served on the committee that reviewed dozens of applications and conducted multiple candidate interviews.
“We feel we have the absolute best candidate for the job,” Measmer said. “Sean’s private sector experience will bring fresh perspectives, innovative solutions and a results-driven approach to operations in Cabarrus County. He’s the right leader at the right time.”
Watch the full Agenda Meeting here.