On July 22 Wyoming City Council announced that Acting City Manager Rusty Herzog was hired as the new City Manager for Wyoming following the completion of a search process that reviewed dozens of applicants from across the country.
“After reviewing numerous resumes and conducting day-long interviews, we ultimately determined that the best candidate was in our own backyard,” said Mayor Thaddeus Hoffmeister. “City Council voted unanimously to hire Rusty as Wyoming’s City Manager.”
Herzog has served as acting city manager for the past nine months following the retirement of former City Manager Lynn Tetley. He has a long career with the city that includes top leadership roles. Prior to being named city manager, he served as police chief for more than four years. He was hired as a police officer in 1995, promoted to sergeant in 2005, lieutenant in 2006, and chief in 2016. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Dayton.
Hoffmeister said the city went to great lengths to find the most qualified candidate for the role. A search firm hired by the city in March helped attract more than 30 applicants for the job, including candidates who were not actively seeking new opportunities in order to ensure the city received a diverse slate of candidates. After months of combing through resumes, five finalists were identified and four were invited to visit the city July 20-21 for interviews and tours after one dropped out. After this round, three finalists were invited for a second round of interviews, which included meetings with department managers and another round of interviews with city council. Herzog took part in the complete interviewing process.
“Since the role of city manager is so important to Wyoming, we hired a top-notch consultant and conducted an extensive search, leaving no stone unturned,” said Hoffmeister. He said, ultimately, Herzog’s history with the city and his talent for building relationships showed he was the best person for the job.
“Rusty has an impressive reputation in the community and does an amazing job of building relationships with the people who work and live in the city. I have complete confidence that Rusty will continue to build upon the strong performance he demonstrated as acting city manager,” Hoffmeister said.
Herzog said he is honored to continue to serve Wyoming in his new role as official city manager.
“I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity,” he said. “I look forward to working with the residents and staff of Wyoming to continue the city’s path forward as an outstanding place to live and work.”
He said he would use the city’s master plan as a blueprint for forging the administrative goals of the city, giving special attention to customer service, promoting a welcoming atmosphere for people from all walks of life, and building relationships with neighboring communities.
Brooke Brady will serve as Acting Police Chief until a permanent replacement for Herzog is identified. She has served with the Wyoming Police Department for 14 years, 10 years as a patrol officer, four as a sergeant, and most recently as lieutenant.
Herzog says he welcomes questions or concerns from residents regarding city administration or any other topics related to life in Wyoming. To contact him, email rherzog@wyomingohio.gov.
