LOWER MERION — Lower Merion Township has a new Chief Technology officer.

During a board meeting this past week, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners appointed Dong-Ya Zhou to head its technology office.

Ernie McNeely, township manager, made the apartment.

“Dong-Ya has been serving as acting chief technology officer since February,” McNeely said. “She’s a nine-year employee with the township and has gone through at least one promotion already.”

Zhou has been working as acting chief technology officer since the retirement of Jim Weiman in February.

According to township officials, the recruitment process included 21 applicants, including three internal candidates and 18 from outside the township.

“It is felt the [t]ownship will be best served by promotion of our internal candidate Ms. Dong-Ya Zhou,” according to a staff memo to the commissioners. “She has done an excellent job as Acting Chief Technology Officer for an extended period. She has almost nine years of experience with the [t]ownship starting as a Database Administrator in 2015, and then promoted to Senior Application Specialist in 2018. She understands how the [t]ownship and its departments function, how to get immediate results, and already knows the menu of excellent programs and services the [t]ownship provides to residents.”

Just before the vote, board President Todd Sinai expressed his support for McNeely’s pick for the position.

“Dong-Ya has served the township already for nine years, and it’s delightful to have someone who’s been successful in the township work their way up through the township and deserves promotion within the township,” Sinai said. “It’s great to see a sign that the township is developing its employees. It’s wonderful to be able to reward those who’ve already worked very hard, proving themselves in the job as the acting person in the position.”

Following the vote, Zhou thanked the board.

“I want to thank everyone who has the confidence in me, and thank you for the opportunity to allow me this continuing chance to advance the technology of the township,” she said.