City of Columbus

Kathy Owens was appointed by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther in June 2022 to lead the Department of Finance and Management. Director Owens leads a staff of 300 employees responsible for the facilitating, crafting and monitoring the City of Columbus’ operating and capital budgets, city fleet, facilities maintenance, procurement, real estate and construction management.

Prior to being named Director of the Department of Finance and Management, Director Owens served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Operations for Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's office. Prior to the position in the Mayor's office, Director Owens served as Deputy Director of Finance and Management.

Kathy has also held roles with City Council's legislative research office, served as a City Council aide, and worked in the mayor's office during the Lashutka and Rinehart administrations.

Director Owens holds degree in business administration and MBA from Ashland University. Director Owens grew up in Columbus and is a graduate of Linden McKinley High School.

Director Owens Is Supported By The Following Team Of Directors:

Finance Deputy Director Christopher Long

Available Bios For Director Owens' Director's Team Can Be Found Below

Chris Long is Deputy Director of the Department of Finance and Management. His responsibilities include overseeing the Financial Management operations within the department, which include the development and administration of the City’s operating and capital budgets.

Prior to joining the City, Chris served as Fiscal Officer for the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, where he monitored financial management systems and developed/administered ADAMH’s annual budget.

As part of the department’s leadership team, Chris is responsible for overseeing the budget management as well as capital & debt management sections. This includes development of the City’s annual operating and capital budgets, as well as the multi-year capital improvements program.

Chris also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Franklin University, where he instructs courses in Finance, Economics, and Metrics & Analytics. Chris is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association, Association of Government Accountants, and the International City/County Management Association. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University, as well as a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree, also from Ohio State.