New County Manager Expected at the Helm by Year’s End
(Aspen, CO) The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has announced five final candidates for the County Manager vacancy.
“The Board is very pleased with the experience and caliber of these finalists from which we hope to choose our next County Manager,” said BOCC Chair George Newman.
These finalists will be invited to Pitkin County for county tours and an interview process on November 18th and 19th, 2010. The candidates will be assessed through interview panels on Friday, November 19, 2010. The interview panels will include the BOCC, community members, and a large cross-section of Pitkin County employees.
The finalists are:
Tom Baker – Mr. Baker is the Town Manager of Carbondale, Colorado, where he has served since 2004. He is the former Town Manager of Basalt, Colorado, where he served from 1998 – 2004. He has also served as the Executive Director of the Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority, and as Assistant City Manager for the City of Aspen. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a Bachelor of Science degree in City and Regional Planning from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Frank Lancaster – Mr. Lancaster is currently the County Manager for Larimer County, Colorado (County seat: Fort Collins). He has served as the Larimer County Manager since 1994. He has also served as the Director of Natural Resources for Larimer County, which includes mountain and tourism areas such as Estes Park. He has earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Colorado State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Horticulture from CSU.
Phylis Mattice – Dr. Mattice is currently the Interim County Manager for Pitkin County. She has served as the Internal Services Director for Pitkin County since 2007, and was also the Director of Human Resources and Risk Management for Pitkin County, starting her career with Pitkin County in 2005. She served as the Director of Human Resources for La Plata County (Durango) for seven years as well. She has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Services from Antioch University, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Administration from Kennedy-Western University.
John Peacock – Mr. Peacock has most recently served as the County Administrator for Mesa County (County seat: Grand Junction) from 2005 to 2010. He also served as the Assistant County Administrator for Mesa County for three years before being appointed County Administrator. He has been a policy and fiscal analyst in state government, as well as a management analyst for the City of Laramie, Wyoming. He is an adjunct faculty member (lecturer) for the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver. He has earned a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Wyoming.
Scott Vargo – Mr. Vargo is the Assistant County Manager for Summit County, Colorado (County seat: Breckenridge), where he has worked since 1999. Mr. Vargo has served as the Assistant County Manager for over six years, having served as the Human Resources Director for Summit County as well. His current responsibilities include Information Systems, Library, Health and Human Services, and the 911 Communications Center. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota.