HHJ sits down with Perry’s new finance director to talk about leading her department

PERRY — The City of Perry welcomed Lyn McDonald as its new Finance Director earlier this month, and the Houston Home Journal sat down with her to hear about her goals in the role.

During the May 19 city council meeting, previous finance director and current Assistant City Manager Mitchell Worthington passed the torch to McDonald. 

McDonald joins the city in the midst of its budget season as they discuss their FY 2027 operating budget. She considers joining at this stage an opportunity to get up to speed with the city’s finances. 

“I think starting midcycle has been really helpful,” McDonald said in an interview. “It’s giving me a chance to listen, to learn what’s working well through the cycle and really identify where we can improve in the future.” 

McDonald has been a financial professional for more than 25 years. Her focus is on strategic financial leadership, budgeting, accounting, finance and complex multi-entity environments. 

Before the city, McDonald worked in manufacturing at Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley. Blue Bird designs, builds, and sells school buses nationwide.

After Blue Bird, she served as a Portfolio CFO for Vencora, a division of the Volaris Group.

Vencora is a software technology company with a mission to change the financial services industry. In her role, McDonald supported the acquisition of companies. 

Born and raised in Peach County, McDonald moved to Perry shortly after getting married. 20 years later, she has made a home in the city alongside her husband and two daughters. 

She said she takes pride in being part of the community. 

“I’m honored to have joined the City of Perry and I’m excited for the opportunity to serve a community that is continuing to grow and thrive,” McDonald stated in a press release about her appointment. “I look forward to working alongside city leaders, local organizations, and the community to make a positive impact and support the city’s future success.”

She believes the city staff has a genuine commitment to preserving what makes the city special while growing responsibly. 

“[Finance director] is a direct role with the community and the ability to serve,” she told HHJ. “To me it’s really rewarding to think about the work that you’re doing… supports everything from public safety and infrastructure to the recreational opportunities that residents get to enjoy every day.”

McDonald earned her Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting from Macon State College, now Middle Georgia State University. McDonald also has an MBA from Georgia College and State University. She holds three professional certifications in management accounting, treasury, and strategy. 

So far, the role has been a learning experience for McDonald. As finance director, she serves as the chief financial steward and advisor to the mayor, councilmembers and city manager. 

“I really want to be a strategic partner for the leaders of the city and make sure that we’re planning services effectively and confidently,” she said. 

McDonald will ensure public funds are collected, managed and reported accurately and transparently. The finance director also oversees key areas like the accounting functions, financial reporting and annual audit. According to the job announcement posted in February, the starting salary is $102,100. 

She will work closely with other departments to ensure they are operating effectively within their budgets. 

The finance department leads the annual budget process from working with the departments to council adoption. 

McDonald said internal control is a strong part of the role, which is making sure the city complies with audit and accounting standards. 

She will also focus on long-term planning, such as capital planning, debt management and long-term financial forecasting. 

McDonald will present the information in a simple way for the public and city council to understand. 

As finance director, she hopes to achieve strong financial stewardship, ensure the city maintains strong reserves, accurate forecasting and clear audits. 

McDonald wants to continue the city’s positive track record.

During the city’s February 18 council meeting, a local auditor reported the city had a clean 2025 financial audit. McDonald hopes to continue the city’s strong track record. 

Another priority is improving the budget process. She noted the city’s process has been strong, as evidenced by its recognition for excellence in financial reporting. In November 2023, the finance department received a Certificate of Excellence from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. 

McDonald, being a newcomer to city government, allows her to bring a fresh perspective to the data. 

She considers accessibility and transparency to be very important in the public sector. This ensures financial information is understandable to not only city leadership but also residents. 

McDonald hopes to create an environment where it’s more than reporting numbers.