COLEMAN TO BE REMEMBERED WITH FIELD OF DREAMS;

SHIVAR TO SERVE AS INTERIM TOWN OF CARY MANAGER

CARY, NC – In recognition of his years of service to and countless accomplishments for the citizens of Cary, the Cary Town Council has named the main field at the USA Baseball National Training Complex the “William B. Coleman, Jr. Field” , to honor Town Manager Bill Coleman who retires today after more than 30 years of public service; in addition, the Council has named current Assistant Town Manager Ben Shivar Interim Town Manager until a permanent successor for Coleman is selected by the Council via a national search. 

Coleman Field features spectator seating for 1,754 people and additional grass seating for approximately 250 people. Also, the stadium field has a press box that includes two suites, official scorer’s room, a sound room and press row.   Located inside the Town’s Thomas Brooks Park at 111 Brooks Park Ave. , the National Training Complex is home to USA Baseball, the national governing body for the sport that represents amateur baseball as part of the United States Olympic Committee and the International Baseball Association. 

An avid baseball enthusiast with family roots in professional baseball, Coleman said to the Cary Town Council, “It’s not often that I’m speechless, but I’m close.  Thank you for the opportunity to play a small role in the success of this community.”  In addition to naming the main field after Coleman, the Town Council has, on behalf of the State of North Carolina , conferred upon Coleman the Order of the Longleaf Pine, which is the highest civilian honor bestowed upon a civilian in North Carolina .  These Council actions were taken as part of their regular meeting last night.

In light of Coleman’s impending retirement, the Cary Council decided at their September 11, 2008 meeting, to hire a consultant to help them search for the best candidate in the nation to lead Cary ’s staff of nearly 1,200.  The entire process is expected to take several months, and Assistant Town Manager Ben Shivar has agreed to lead the Town in the interim.  Shivar, 56, has worked in North Carolina local government for over 32 years, the past 13 of which as the Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Cary .

“We very much appreciate Ben’s willingness to step in while we do our due diligence and certainly hope that he will apply for the permanent position,” said Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht.

“I’m committed to the Cary Council, this organization, and our community, and I appreciate the opportunity to keep the Town running smoothly and successfully,” said Shivar.

Prior to coming to Cary , Shivar served as the Chatham County manager for six years and as the Town Manager of Siler City for eight years. He began his career with the City of Greenville, NC, holding the positions of planner, Director of Community Development, and Assistant to the Manager over a span of five years. 

A native of Charlotte , NC , Shivar has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Public Affairs degree from North Carolina State University , where he and Bill Coleman were classmates.  Over the years, his community service has included the Cary Rotary Club, the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America.  He and his wife, Laura – a public school teacher -- attend Apex United Methodist Church and are the parents of two adult daughters, Kate and Lindsay.

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