David Free has heard a lot of high praise during the course of his thirty-plus year career, but none may have been sweeter than what he heard after he developed and implemented an economic turnaround strategy for the Municipality of Meaford, Ontario, where he was the Municipality’s’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer.

“David Free is a master of economic development,” said a Meaford Municipal Councillor, “securing relationships, major assets and important commerce for our community and region that everyone did not think possible. The effect of his work, vision and dedication will live for decades if not a century in our region.”

Very high praise, indeed. It has been matched, if not exceeded, by similar raves. ”Mr. Free did not back down from [a] fight but at the same time he never went looking for one,” a citizen wrote in a Letter to the Editor. “His sense of community and ethics always played to his side and left others looking foolish.”

As part of his economic strategy, David Free of Meaford created a highly effective and professional senior management team that strategically focused on community and corporate success. He was the Project Executive for several mission-critical corporation projects, ranging from infrastructure to operations, and updated the organization in technology, leveraging leading-edge business processes and systems to improve productivity and responsiveness. David Free of Meaford also established contemporary customer service management systems to improve service levels, while creating internal efficiencies.

These achievements earned David Free of Meaford widespread applause. “David has the courage to always do what is right despite the political consequences,” a corporate CFO said anonymously. “His high level of ethics has made him one the best examples to follow.” An anonymous ratepayer added, “Thank you, David, for bringing sanity to an otherwise crazy situation.”

In addition to his public service, David Free of Meaford is a 34-year member of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, and a thirteen-year member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. He has been a guest lecturer and teacher at Georgian College and the Ontario CAD/CAM Centre, and for four years was a Board member at Georgian College.