The mayor and city council have announced three finalists for the City of Greenville’s city manager position, which has been filled temporarily by Deputy City Manager Nancy Whitworth.
Find Great People (FGP) proactively recruited over 357 targeted candidates for the city manager position from government and private sector professionals nationwide. City council thoroughly reviewed the top applicants whose qualifications, skills and experience would most effectively meet the needs and challenges of a growing community.
“City council is very pleased with the deep experience and talent of the city manager candidates brought to us by our Greenville-based search team,” said Mayor Knox White. “All of them bring a proven record of accomplishment and superb people skills to the position. Additionally, all of them know what it means to provide leadership to a diverse community that wants to balance its growth with quality of life.”
The top three finalists for the city manager position are:
John McDonough
Currently serving as the City Manager of Sandy Springs, GA, McDonough is responsible for oversight of the City’s 500 staff members and additional outside contractors, as well as its $463M operating, capital and special fund budgets. Prior to serving as Sandy Springs’ City Manager for the last 13 years, McDonough served as the City Manager of Beaufort, SC. With over 27 years of municipal government leadership, McDonough has significant experience managing large, complex capital projects, building public-private partnerships and addressing challenges caused by exceptional growth. McDonough earned a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University at South Bend and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The Citadel.
Jeff Jones
Jones is currently serving as the Deputy City Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Mesquite, TX. Jones oversees 1,000 employees and a $90M operating budget and is primarily responsible for nine service areas, including Economic Development, Planning, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Public Safety, Human Resources, the Arts Center and the Mesquite Metro Airport. Prior to his role with the City of Mesquite, Jones served as the Assistant City Manager of Hurst, TX. Jones has 25 years of municipal government experience and holds a Master of Public Administration in City Management from Texas Tech University, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Sociology from Black Hills State University and a Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association.
Dan Hoffman
Currently serving as the Assistant City Manager of Gainesville, FL, Hoffman oversees 700 employees and manages $126M of the City’s operating budget. Hoffman has an extensive background leading smart city initiatives and addressing complex issues such as mobility and traffic abatement. Prior to joining the leadership team in Gainesville, Hoffman served as the first Chief Innovation Officer for Montgomery County, MD, where he managed innovation programs that included smart city initiatives, Internet of Things (IoT) projects, a business incubator and more. Hoffman holds a Master of Science in Organizational and Strategic Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Washington University.
“It was an honor to work with the City of Greenville for such a critical role given where Greenville is today in support of its future growth. City Council and the staff have been great partners throughout the process,“ said John Uprichard, FGP president and CEO.
The finalists have undergone an extensive interview process with elected officials and the city’s senior leadership team, whose input has been integral to the decision-making process. The city hopes to have a new city manager in place by late August.