GLOUCESTER COUNTY — Gloucester County announced County Administrator Carol Steele recently appointed the county’s chief financial officer, Maria Calloway, to Deputy County Administrator, effective Sept. 1.
Calloway fills the position left vacant by the recent retirement of George Bains, who had served as deputy county administrator since March of 2021, the county said.
“We wish George well on his much-deserved retirement after many years in public service,” Steele said. “We will miss him tremendously, but we are excited to utilize the immense skills and talents that Maria will bring to the position.”
Bains had a long tenure of public service, beginning with serving as Director of Engineering and later Director of Information Technology for over 23 years in Gloucester, according to the county. He then served an eight-year stint as Assistant Director of IT for Henrico County before returning to Gloucester as Chief Information Technology Officer in 2019.
Calloway brings a mixture of public and private sector experience, the county said, having spent seven years in public accounting and served two years in the county’s Financial Services group as Accounting Manager and Interim Director in 2014-15. She has risen through the ranks from Chief Deputy Treasurer to Fiscal Services Manager to Director of Financial Services and then Chief Financial Officer, it added.
“I am extremely excited, humbled, and honored to be Gloucester’s next Deputy County Administrator,” Calloway said. “I truly love being a part of this community, and I remain committed to serving the citizens of Gloucester with integrity and respect.”
The county said as she assumes her new role, Calloway said one of her priorities is to continue working to make local government finance and operations clear and understandable, encouraging citizens to share their input and stay connected to their community. She will also make it a priority to continue strengthening relationships within the county’s workforce and with local and regional partners.
“Communication is key, and sharing experiences, ideas, and perspectives helps us improve together,” Calloway said.
Calloway received a B.S. in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University and received her M.S. in Accounting from Liberty University. She has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Virginia since 2013. She resides in Gloucester with her husband and their son.
