Reflecting on your career, what first drew you to local government, and what kept you there? 
What drew me initially to local government was chance. I started out in aerospace for 10 years, then tried my hand at real estate and owning a coffee franchise. These ventures met with various degrees of success and failure, but none provided a true sense of purpose. In my early 30’s, with a young family, I basically needed to “start over” professionally. I took an intern position with the LA MTA (now METRO) in 1992 and was able to progress at that organization. In 1995, I had the opportunity to work closer to home for the city of Lancaster, where I stayed until retiring as city manager in 2018. What kept me in local government is simple, for the first time professionally, I felt a true sense of purpose. Unsolicited advice: if you don’t feel a deep sense of purpose working in local government, you are probably in the wrong profession.
Which project or initiative are you the most proud of from your time as a city manager?
There are many things I am proud of in my 11 years as Lancaster city manager, working with our City Council and staff. Two come to mind. We were able to weather the Great Recession without laying off any city employees, while many other cities were slashing staff and services. This was due to sacrifices by our employees, alignment with out City Council, and innovative ways to more efficiently deliver the same level of city services. The other point of pride is that we were able to completely redevelop our downtown area into an award-winning entertainment district and community space. Lancaster did not have a city center; by developing The BLVD, we created a town square that continues to grow and thrive to this day. By a stroke of luck, we also used almost all of our Redevelopment funds on the projects, leaving virtually no funds to forfeit when the state killed Redevelopment!
What did you find most fulfilling about the role of city manager? How did it evolve over time?
As stated previously, what I found most fulfilling was a true sense of purpose in serving and bettering my community. This didn’t evolve over time as much as it hit me and stayed with me from the beginning of my time in local government. What did evolve over time and was exceptionally fulfilling was truly appreciating the opportunity to work with and lead our staff and along the way getting to know staff as individuals. We had a very motivated and creative staff and that was a great blessing and point of pride for us.
What leadership qualities do you believe were most critical to your success as a city manager?
This is so important because your leadership style as a city manager is one of the key factors you yourself fully control and one of the biggest factors critical to your success. People may try to get you to “change” your leadership style when you become a city manager to fit their view of what a CM should act like. That is a mistake in my opinion. Your style got you to this point in your career. Hone your leadership style, don’t change it. Lean into your strengths and sharpen and improve areas that need improvement. Something that may prove helpful as you navigate the rapid pace and numerous issues you face as a CM is to have a leadership touchstone, something simple by which you hold yourself accountable for the leadership of your city. My touchstone was Calm/Confident/Adaptable/
How did you manage work-life balance as a city manager?
Horribly. While proud that I rarely missed our kids school or sports events, many times I unnecessarily prioritized work over family, friends and even my own health. No matter how one tries to rationalize a work-life balance overly tilted towards work, it is not a good recipe for professional or personal success. In my opinion, it signals that you don’t fully trust or empower your staff and even yourself. An effective and high performing organization should be able to operate without the constant presence of a city manager. I wish I would have had a good mentor in this regard.
How did you engage with the residents of your city/cities? Any memorable experiences?
I was fortunate to live in the area where I worked, the Antelope Valley and raise a family with my wife at the time I was city manager. Through youth sports leagues, school events and frequenting local restaurants and events, I was afforded the opportunity to truly engage residents and businesses and gain a sense of their concerns and priorities. There are really no memorable experiences, just an ongoing, organic opportunity to be a member of the community and understand the community.
What were some of the most significant challenges you faced as a city manager in California?
The most significant external challenges were navigating the Great Recession, managing the fallout from the state eliminating Redevelopment, and ongoing management of Public Safety. Public Safety is almost always the number one concern of residents and one they hold the City Council and city staff directly responsible for. With many state and county initiatives that weakened or eliminated effective law enforcement tools and ongoing cost and recruitment issues with law enforcement agencies, this was and is a constant and growing challenge. The most significant internal challenges for me personally tended to be personnel matters, which many times are complex, involve shades of grey and can have an outsized impact on staff.
What emerging trends or challenges do you think current city managers should be prepared for?
I am sure I am not the best person to comment on emerging trends or challenges, as I have been out of city management for more than 6 years. But there are a few things I believe city managers should always focus on and be prepared for. I think it is important to think like a citizen as to what is most important to your residents and what they expect of their city. While it’s exciting sometimes to pursue new initiatives and the next shiny object, the residents you serve tend to value what is important to them day-to-day: feeling safe; well maintained city facilities such as roads and parks, a level of activities, entertainment and options that keep them engaged and being able to feel proud when they tell someone where they live. Also, as mentioned previously, personnel issues are always challenging and are getting even more so; a good HR Director and City Attorney are worth their weight in gold.
Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you first became a city manager?
I became city manager somewhat by default when the prior City Manager separated from the city. To say I was naïve is an understatement. Beyond being nervous and not truly understanding the role, one of my first thoughts was that at least I was finally my own boss. That lasted less than a day when I realized I had just traded one boss for five bosses. What I wished I would have know is how important it was to have honest conversations with your City Council members as to the different roles of the City Council and CM and the expectations of both parties. As a new CM, with a newly elected Mayor and Council, we got there very well, but it was a rough first year.
What advice would you give to someone entering the city management profession today?
I think this has likely been covered previously. One thing I might add is that you will likely never feel truly ready for your first turn as CM. Almost every first time CM feels that way. But know that it is incredibly rewarding, interesting, will challenge you and make you a better professional and leader and will likely be the high point of your professional career in local government.
What are some accomplishments from retirement you’re most proud of?
First and foremost, finally finding a measure of work-life balance later in my professional life. After retirement, I am now a partner in a consulting firm, The Bayshore Consulting Group. This has been very rewarding and a point of pride for me. And allows me to continue to work with cities and private development firms in work that I truly enjoy.