Allegheny County Manager William McKain is a CPA who has worked in government and not-for-profit accounting and finance for more than 25 years, including a seven-year stint as Mt. Lebanon’s finance director.
He and his wife, Francine, live in Mt. Lebanon with their sons, Connor and Bryce.
[1]What does a county manager do? The County Manager runs day-to-day operations, and implements the policies formulated by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. With more than 6,000 employees, an $800 million operating budget and a total of all funds budgets of over $1.5 billion, the county touches everyone in some way. It could be when you drive over one of our 522 bridges or 820 miles of road, or enjoy one of our nine parks; when your police department receives forensic services from our medical examiner’s office; when you make a 911 call, record a deed, receive a marriage license or have services delivered by the long arms of our human services department.
What’s your typical day like? There is no typical day. Although I provide daily briefings to Mr. Fitzgerald, schedule daily meetings with individual directors and agencies and meet with county council, one event can turn the day on its side. It could be activating the emergency operations centers due to storms, an issue at the jail, rolling out our summer concert series, or unveiling the zipline at North Park. No day is the same, which makes it stimulating, demanding and fun.
How has your experience as finance director here helped you in your county job? To be part of a premiere municipal government has served me well. Mt. Lebanon residents can be proud of the professionalism, from the manager through all of the municipal departments, that consistently meets their high community expectations. I have taken many of those high standards with me to county government.
First job? Bus boy at B&G restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh
Worst job? Bus boy at B&G restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh.
—merle jantz