Mayor Victor Cumming presenting Deb Law, Vernon's director of financial services, with the Government Finance Officers Association's Canadian Award for Financial Reporting (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

City of Vernon

Vernon earns finance award, announce new director & staff promotions

Mar 26, 2024 | 1:35 PM

The City of Vernon’s director of financial services earned a prominent award in her final weeks on the job.

Deb Law was presented with the Government Finance Officers Association’s Canadian Award for Financial Reporting for the 2022 fiscal year.

“The award represents a significant achievement by the city and by its finance staff,” Mayor Victor Cumming said at the regular council meeting Monday, March 25.

“It reflects the commitment of management and staff to meeting the highest principles of financial reporting. In order to receive the financial reporting award, the city has to publish an easily readable and efficiently organized annual report that goes beyond the minimum requirements to the generally accepted accounting principles.”

This was the fifth year in a row that Vernon’s finance department earned the award.

Council grants

Vernon to distribute over $50k in Council Discretionary Grants, $20K to the food bank

4h ago

Possible firearm involved

One person apprehended in connection with suspicious activity in Coldstream

Dec 13, 2025

Fatal Collision, Highway Closed

One person dead in crash near Revelstoke

Dec 13, 2025

“It is a team effort that makes that report and it even extends beyond finance because there are others in the room that help with that,” Law told council.

“So it’s been my pleasure, to date, to be a representative for the city.”

Law is retiring in the spring and, after receiving the award, the city’s new director of financial services, Elma Hamming, was introduced to city council.

“I’m very happy to be here, continuing with the high financial standards that Vernon has grown accustom to and supporting mayor, council and staff with achieving your strategic priorities,” Hamming said Monday.

“A little bit about myself: I started [work in] local government with the Town of Smithers just over 20 years ago and worked there for 16 years. [I] then moved into management as CFO (Chief Financial Officer) for the City of Rossland fo five years, where I helped them to attain their budget presentation award, which they’re continuing to this day.

“Then I worked a year as chief financial officer for the Town of Oliver, then an opportunity came up with the City of Penticton and I was manager of finance there for two years.

“When I saw the opportunity to come here with the City of Vernon, I seized it, and I’m here.”

Elma Hamming, Vernon’s new Director of Finances (submitted photo)

Law noted she would stay on with the City of Vernon for a few months to help get Hamming settled into her new job.

Speaking with Vernon Matters following the meeting, Cumming said the city was excited to have Hamming join the team.

“[She’s] clearly experienced, clearly able, and every once in a while you get a senior staff person that’s obviously got the capabilities and this is one, so we’re very pleased with that,” Cumming said, noting she not only has a lot of experience on the financial side, but also in adminstration roles.

“So we’re very pleased with that, and we’re also very pleased that there’s a crossover so that we can have a significant hand over in our finances. Deb [Law] has been with us for quite a while, so this is really going to make a smooth transition from one to another.”

Additionally, it was announced Monday that two staff members had been promoted to managerial roles from within the city.

“We had the opportunity to take a look around at people that had many years of experience right across Western Canada, and it’s with great satisfaction that I truly belive that the best candidates for these jobs were two people that were part of our existing staff,” Terry Barton, director of planning and community services, said Monday.

“So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce the new Manager of Transportation Danielle De Vries, and our new General Manager of City Planning Roy Nuriel.”

Cumming stated the two new managers had previously provided important services to the city and it was great to see them promoted to their new roles.