County’s past wardens donate portrait to honour first CAO Jim Andrews

GUELPH – The County of Wellington’s very first chief administrative officer, the late James (Jim) C. Andrews, was honoured for his years of service with a portrait unveiled during the June 27 county council meeting.

“He was recognized all over Ontario as one of the CAOs of one of the great counties of Ontario,” past warden John Green said of Andrews in a speech preceding the unveiling.

Andrews was hired as county clerk in 1982, and later officially became the county’s first CAO, a role he held until his retirement in 1998.

Green described him as a “gentleman,” and a “very honourable person,” who was also very personable.

“You could approach him at any time with anything you wanted to do . . . and he would have some advice for you,” Green said.

He called Andrews one of the county’s great leaders, a person who was sincere and “very honest with everything he did,” and also a friend.

The Wellington County Past Wardens Association provided the funds for the portrait after the association was dissolved in 2023.

“We do these things so that the people here currently and those in the future will have some idea of what happened in the past,” Green said. “Jim’s portrait will be a portion of that history.”

Andrews’ wife Susan Andrews expressed her “heartfelt thanks” to the county for the honour.

“Jim would be so pleased and humbled to be remembered in this way,” she said.

“Jim truly loved working here at the county. He cherished the time spent with staff, the county council and the wardens.

“To say that his years here were the best and happiest of his working life would be an understatement.”

With children and grandchildren by her side, Susan helped Green unveil her late husband’s portrait, which will hang outside the council chamber in the county’s administration building in Guelph.

“I know it will mean a lot to our grandkids to be able to come to the county building and see their papa’s picture here where he worked,” Susan said.