Contact: Mayor Jim Ridenour  (209) 571-5597
No. 08-106
April 2, 2008

City Manager Appointed

The Modesto City Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Nyhoff to the position of City Manager effective June 1, 2008.

"This has been a long process and the decision was not an easy one to make," said Mayor Jim Ridenour. "We had two extremely talented candidates and after a comprehensive process, the Council has decided to appoint Greg Nyhoff to the position of City Manager."

Nyhoff has most recently served as Assistant City Manager of Operations in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In this capacity, Nyhoff has been responsible for operational functions including Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services; Planning and Community Development; and the Colorado Springs Airport. With a comprehensive background in strategic planning, community visioning, growth management, economic development, finance and utility management; Nyhoff brings a broad base of knowledge to the position.

Nyhoff has also served as the City Manager of Fountain, Colorado for eight years and prior to that served as City Manager for the City of Montague, Michigan.

James E. Niskanen had been appointed as Interim City Manager to lead the City between the retirement of George Britton and the appointment of a new City Manager. Niskanen joined the City of Modesto in 1990 as the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation and was appointed in 1999 as the Director of the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department. In 2005, Niskanen was appointed as Acting Public Works Director for six months and in 2006, was appointed Acting Director for the Community and Economic Development Department for approximately nine months while retaining the Director responsibilities for the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department.

"Jim has served Modesto well in all of his interim assignments and the Council and I would like to express our sincere gratitude for his exceptional leadership," said Mayor Ridenour. "Jim is a visionary and has led the Council and the City organization in a time of need and I know he will help us with this transition to a new City Manager. I look forward to the exciting things Jim will do upon his return to the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department."

Over the next few months, Niskanen will be preparing the Office of the City Manager and the entire city organization for Nyhoff's arrival. Niskanen will aide in the transition as Nyhoff assumes the responsibilities of City Manager and becomes familiar with Modesto.

The recruitment process took about five months from beginning to end and began with a national search through CPS Human Resource Services, an executive recruitment firm with vast government experience. The finalists were required to interview with three different panels: the City's Senior Executive Team (department directors), a panel of community members and the City Council.

The base salary for the new City Manager will be $16,250 per month, with a three year contract.

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To contact the City of Modesto Public Information Office, 
call Jessica Smart at (209) 571-5125. Email: jsmart@modestogov.com