The North Miami Mayor and Council have begun interviewing some of the fifteen finalists for the position of City Manager. We reviewed the applications and resumes submitted by all of them and compiled a brief synopsis of each of the applicants. For the sake of brevity, we simply listed their names, degrees, and job histories, cited directly from their applications, including the populations of the municipalities they served as listed on their resumes.
Our synopsis is intended to give you an idea of the qualifications of the candidates for the most important position in the City of North Miami. Keep in mind that this summary is for informational purposes and does not include any of candidates’ many awards, achievements and career highlights. As such, we encourage you to carefully review each of the applications and decide for yourselves who you believe is the best choice for City Manager.
Included among the group are two attorneys, an Air Force Lieutenant, a Marine, and an individual who dedicated five years of his career to international development and infrastructure. Pay special attention to those individuals whose experience includes working for governmental agencies serving large, diverse populations, as well as the various work environments most of them have undertaken in order to expand their horizons and round out their careers.
Once you’ve made up your minds, we also encourage you to contact your Mayor and Council, who were elected to serve your best interests – not the other way around, and let them know which of these candidates they should appoint.
Here are the candidates in alphabetical order:
1. Calvin L. Anderson, Masters in Public Administration from Long Island University Graduate School of Management in Brooklyn, New York
Work Experience:
- Compliance/Performance Manager, Coconut Creek, FL from 3/2/17 to the present
- Township Manager, San Antonio Charter Town, TX from 1/15/14 to 3/2/17
- Director/Chief Internal Auditor, Botswana, Southern Africa from 1/11/10 to 1/10/13
- CFO, Genesis Business Corp., Fort Lauderdale, FL from February 2010 to December 2009
- Deputy City Manager, Pompano Beach, FL from June 1993 to January 2002
2. Lyndon Bonner, Master of Business Administration from Webster University, St. Louis, MO
Work Experience:
- County Administrator, Jackson County Florida County Commission (pop. 49,746) from 5/5/18 to 5/26/18
- Interim City Manager, Brooksville, FL (pop. 8,074) from May 2017 to November 2017
- County Manager, Henry County, GA (pop. 240,000) from October 2015 to January 2017
- City Manager, North Miami Beach, FL (pop. 41,523) from 3/29/11 to 9/30/12
- County Administrator, Okeechobee, FL (pop. 39,996) from April 2008 to February 2011
- Interim Assistant County Administrator, Sumter County, FL (pop. 93,420) from February 2007 to December 2007
- City Manager, Bunnell, FL from May 2002 to May 2006
- Director of Public Services, Dunnellen, FL from December 1998 to July 2001
- Project Planner, Senior Planner and Emergency Management Coordinator, Wildwood, FL from November 1993 to November 1998
3. Michael Brillhart, Master of Public Administration from University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Work Experience:
- Executive Consultant, MLB Consulting, Royal Palm Beach, FL from 2017 to the present
- County/City Manager, Camden, NJ (pop. 10,250) from 2016 to 2017
- Interim County Administrator, Barnstable County, MA (pop. 215,000) from 2013 to 2016
- Strategic & Economic Development Director, St. Lucie County, FL from 2004 to 2013
- Senior Executive Consultant, Professional Planning Services Group, Clearwater/Orlando, FL from 1995 to 2004
- Concurrency Infrastructure Manager, Pinellas County, FL (pop. 900,000) from 19990 to 1995
4. Louie Chapman, Jr., Master of Science in Planning, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Work Experience:
- Private Consulting Services, Delray Beach, FL from July 2014 to the present
- City Manager, Delray Beach, FL from April 2013 to July 2014
- Town Manager, Bloomfield, CT from June 1993 to April 2013
- Assistant City Manager, Charlottesville, VA from July 1986 to May 1993
5. Marc-Antonie Cooper, Doctorate of Business Administration from Argosy University, Atlanta, GA
Work Experience:
- Interim City Manager, Deltona, FL from January 2020 to the present
- Deputy City Manager, Deltona, FL from October 2019 to January 2020
- Assistant City Manager/Interim Director of Water & Public Works, Deltona, FL from August 2018 to October 2019
- Chief Customer Service Officer/Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Detroit Water and Sewer Department, Detroit, MI from November 2015 to July 2018
- Director of Operations, Office of Customer and Business Services, Department of Watershed Management, Atlanta, GA from December 2013 to November 2015
- Director of Operations, Department of Community Health-State Health Benefits Plan, State of Georgia, Atlanta, GA from December 2012 to November 2013
6. Juan G. Guerra, Masters of Business Administration from University of Texas-Pan American
Work Experience:
- City Manager, Edinburg, TX (pop. 100,000) from 2018 to the present
- City Manager, Pharr, TX (pop. 81,000) from 2015 to 2018
- Chief Financial Officer, Pharr, TX from 2012 to 2015
- Finance Director, Pharr, TX from 2007 to 2012
- Accounting Manager, Fort Worth, TX from 2006 to 2007
- Director of Finance, Sherman, TX from 2005 to 2006
- Director of Finance, La Feria, TX from 2002 to 2005
- Finance Accountant, La Feria, TX from 2000 to 2002
- Volunteered for Active Duty, U.S. Marine Corps in 2001
- Logistical Operations Auditor Supervisor, U.S. Marine Corps from 1998 to 2000
- Logistical Operational Data Analyst, U.S. Marine Corps from 1996 to 1998
7. Stanley D. Hawthorne, Master of Arts in Public Administration from University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Work Experience:
- Assistant City Manager, Fort Lauderdale, FL from 2011 to 2019
- Assistant City Manager, Lakeland, FL from 2005 to 2011
- General Manager, Sun ‘n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, Highlands County, FL from 2002 to 2004
- City Manager, Lauderdale Lakes, FL from 1998 to 2002
- Assistant City Manager/Director of Finance, Tamarac, FL from 1994 to 1998
- Director of Management and Budget, Hollywood, FL from 1992 to 1994
- Assistant to the City Manager, Saginaw, MI from 1985 to 1992
8. Odis Jones, Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University
Work Experience:
- City Manager, Hutto, TX (pop. 36,000) from 2016 to 2020
- Chief Executive Officer, Public Lighting Authority of Detroit, Detroit, MI from 2013 to 2016
- Executive Director of Economic Development, Cincinnati, OH (pop. 301,000) from 2012 to 2014
- Director of Real Estate & Economic Development, State of New Jersey (pop. 8,875,000) from 2008 to 2012
- City Administrator, Keokuk, IA (pop. 12,000) from November 2007 to February 2008
- President/CEO, Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, Columbus, OH (pop. 901,000) from 2004 to 2007
- Interim City Manager, Centralia, IL (pop. 17,000) from January 2004 to July 2004
- City Manager, Obetz, OH (pop. 16,000) from 2000 to 2004
- Special Projects Manager for City Manager, Battle Creek, MI (pop. 55,000) from 1995 to 2000
9. Ricardo Mendez-Saldivia, Master of Business Administration – Magna Cum Laude – Finance & Management, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Work Experience:
- Vice President/President/Forensic, RA Consulting Engineers/Civil Infrastructure Corporation/Donan, Miami, FL from 2008 to the present
- Director, Finance Department, Sweetwater, FL from 2014 to 2016
- Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Harrisburg, PA (pop. 250,000) from 2012 to 2013
- Chief Administrative Officer, Seminole Tribe of Florida, five reservations, 2009
- Director, Program Management Department, Palm Beach County School District from 2006 to 2007
- Project Executive, Roger Development, Keyes Company, Coral Gables, FL from 2002 to 2005
- Director, Public Works Department, Miami Beach, FL (pop. 100,000) from 1999 to 2001
- Special Administrator, Miami-Dade County, FL (pop. 2,500,000) from 1993 to 1999
10. Don Rosenthal, Master of Business Administration in Finance & Accounting, Regis University/1st Lieutenant, United States Army
Work Experience:
- Assistant County Manager/Development Services, Pasco County, FL from 2014 to the present
- Director, Office of Buildings, Atlanta, GA from 2010 to 2014
- Building and Safety Manager, Reno, NV from 2007 to 2010
- Director of Community Development, Village of Downers Grove, IL from 2005 to 2007
- Director of Code Services, Village of Downers Grove, IL from 2000 to 2005
- Building Commissioner, Bellwood, IL from 1994 to 2000
- Electrical Inspector, Oak Park, IL from 1989 to 1994
- Code Enforcement Officer, Oak Park, IL from 1985 to 1989
- Purchasing Clerk, Oak Park, IL from 1983 to 1985
- United States Army from 1980 to 1983
11. Jane K. Shang, Juris Doctorate (JD) from Suffolk Law School, Suffolk, MA/Admitted to the Massachusetts Bar 1985
Work Experience:
- City Manager, Deltona, FL from June 2014 to January 2020
- Deputy City Manager, El Paso, TX from 2008 to 2015
- Director, Engineering and Development, HART, Tampa, FL 2004 to 2008
- Manager, Logan Airport, Boston, MA from 1996 to 2004
- Assistant Director, MBTA, Boston, MA from 1990 to 1996
- Senior Real Estate and Contracts Attorney, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Charleston Navy Yard, MA from 1987 to 1990
- Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Boston, MA from 1986 to 1987
12. Arthur H. Sorey III, Master of Public Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Work Experience:
- Interim City Manager, North Miami, FL from February 2020 to the present
- Deputy City Manager, North Miami, FL from March 2016 to February 2020
- Interim City Manager & CRA Executive Director, North Miami, FL from October 2015 to March 2016
- Deputy City Manager, North Miami, FL from July 2015 to October 2015
- Administrative Analyst, Department of Public Works, Hallandale Beach, FL from October 1998 to July 2001
13. Leonard B. Sossamon, Master of Arts in Urban Geography, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC
Work Experience:
- County Administrator, Hernando County, FL (pop. 188,500) from 2012 to 2019
- Owner and Operator, Jordan Brown Management Corporation, from 2006 to 2012
- Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President, Alliance Development Group, LLC, Charlotte, NC
- County Administrator, Newberry County, SC (pop. 45,000) from 2004 to 2006
- Co-founder, Hunter and Brown, Inc., Concord, NC from 1998 to 2003
- City Manager, Concord, NC (pop. 89,891) from 1985 to 1988
- Planning and Community Development Director, Concord, NC (pop. 89,891) from 1980 to 1985
- Planning and Community Development Director, Roanoke Rapids, NC from 1977 to 1980
14. Theresa Therilus, Juris Doctorate, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA/Admitted to the Florida Bar 2005
Work Experience:
- County of Santa Clara, CA from November 2019 to the present:
- Interim Director of Procurement
- Deputy Director of Procurement
- Miami-Dade County, FL from March 2013 to June 2018:
- Assistant Director, Internal Services Department
- Legal Advisor/Assistant to the Deputy Mayor, Office of the Mayor
- Legal Advisor, Regulatory and Economic Resources Department
- Assistant Attorney General, Florida Attorney General’s Office from October 2011 to March 2013
- Principal Attorney, Therilus Law Firm, Coral Gables, FL from June 2006 to October 2011
- Litigation Associate, Tew Cardenas, LLP, Miami, FL from August 2004 to May 2006
15. Bogdan Vitas, Master of Arts in Public Affairs, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, IL
Work Experience:
- Independent Consultant, Beni Suif Governorate, Egypt (pop. 3,214 million), USAID Workforce Improvement and Skill Enhancement Project AmidEast, Washington, DC from March 2019 to November 2019
- Interim Town Manager/Independent Consultant, Pembroke Park, FL (pop. 6,102) from July 2018 to February 2019
- Town Manager, South Palm Beach, FL (pop. 3,000) from October 2015 to October 2017
- City Manager, Key West, FL (pop. 24,649) from July 2012 to July 2014
- Independent Consultant, Management Systems International, Washington, DC from January 2012 to March 2012
- Village Administrator, Lake Zurich, IL (pop. 19,964) from December 2007 to December 2011
- Independent Consultant, The Mitchell Group, Inc., Washington, DC from September 2007 to December 2007
- Vice President, Community Municipal Economic Development Programs, America’s Development Foundation, a 501c (3) corporation, Belgrade, Serbia from October 2006 to September 2007
- Deputy Operations Manager, New Orleans, LA; Regional Program Manager, South Central and South Western Louisiana; U.S. Department of Homeland Security-FEMA Long Term Recovery Program, AECOM International Development, Washington, DC from January 2006 to September 2006
- Country Director, Project Manager, City of Belgrade Metropolitan Project, Chief Local Government Advisor-Financial Management and Citizen Participation; USAID Serbia Local Government Reform Program, Republic of Serbia; AECOM International Development, Washington, DC from November 2001 to December 2005
- City Administrator, Lewiston, ME (pop. 35,960) from November 2000 to November 2001
- Deputy Director, Division of Urban Management, Finance and Governance; Senior Financial Advisor, short term, USAID contract, Republic of Zambia; Planning & Development Collaborative International, Washington, DC from May 2000 to November 2000
- Government Finance Advisor, USAID contract, Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, International City and County Management Association, Washington, DC from February 1998 to April 1998
- Local Government Advisor, USAID contract, Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, International City and County Management Association, Washington, DC from December-March 1996
- Town Administrator, Menasha, WI (pop. 17,546) from July 1991 to May 2000
We don’t have to tell you that there are many excellent candidates to choose from.
We also don’t have to tell you that interim city manage Arthur “Duke” Sorey is nowhere near the top of the list.
Especially with all the problems he’s already caused for the City of North Miami, not the least of which is his personal pet project, the money pit known as the Red Garden Sinkhole.
Just saying.
At this time, we will refrain from voicing our opinion as to who we believe is the best candidate since the choice is not ours to make.
As taxpaying residents of the City of North Miami, your voices are the only ones that matter.
Because all of you deserve the very best.
Stephanie
I never knew there was so much incredible talent out there available for a City Manager position. Why do cities always end up hiring buddies and incompetents and corruptoids to fill these positions. Good luck to all of the applicants. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out in public for scrutiny by tiny minded soulless individuals.
I agree with Cheryl, I too “did not know there was “so much incredible talent out there available for a City Manager position.”
Therefore, why in Bay Harbor Islands, after our previous Town Manager resigns, and goes to Aventura, the Assistant Town Manager becomes Town Manager and is allegedly fired, the Assistant Town Manager turns down the job as interim Town Manager, and instead, we get stuck with a Council “appointed” Town Clerk as the Interim Town Manager?
Some would say there is a diverse talent out there, I would disagree. In my twenty plus years of governmental service I would say that anyone brought in from outside of South Florida that you think can run a City in South Florida is a joke. Can point to many City Managers that came from out of the area that one year after being here didn’t have a clue, South Florida is a different animal. in the case of North Miami where the inside story is that there is a 24 million dollar shortfall you need to hire an experienced city manager that will be able to come in and cut and slash and hit the floor running. Looking at the candidates it is limited to very few. Bonner is one who ran into the same conditions in NMB and turned the City around when they showed him the door because he alienated too many of the bargaining units. Once again politicians looked at votes rather than what was good for the citizens. What is happening in North Miami is going to be a problem for the many years to come and the elected officials have to stop looking at buying votes and do what is right for the City in the long run!
Philippe and Mary are in re-election mode. All they know how to do is buy votes in the hopes of retaining their seats next May. While they’re at it with all their “free” food and rent/water/electric subsidies, they are succeeding in raping the reserves, hurting the employees, pissing off the unions, and bankrupting the city. Even if these two idiots manage to get re-elected, this won’t end well.
Four of the five are in reelection mode. If you want to see buying votes just look at the lines by City hall for the past week or so and lines that will appear after Tuesday’s meeting. A million here a million there does make a difference, especially if there are NO funds to cover it. If you want to start to recover here are the items that need to be done:
1st: Elected officials need to take a pay cut, but three of the five do not have a real job
2nd: Remove the $3,000,000 plus that was added to housing rehabilitation it is nice to do this, but do it from a cash basis not from reserves or in this case wish and a prayer
3rd: Roll back the new departments that were created during the last budget process, this was done to help buy votes.
4th: Roll back pay raises and promotions, a large number of individuals were promoted and received pay raises either during the budget process or before Larry Springs left.
5th: Remove all the friends and family members. Yes they do exist and are still there, can we say clean team which the Mayor demanded be on the City payroll rather than a private
contractor.
6th: STOP the elected officials from spending money like drunken sailors on shore leave, you can look at almost any meeting and see them spending money that is not there, if they where to wait a year or two and development continued they could do it from a cash basis and that would make them a wise council instead of individuals buying votes.
One persons thoughts
I agree with you deep inside nmb on all your points. This is political hubris at its best, and will not end well. I wish you could be the mayor or city manager due to your sound fiscal and monetary items that need to be done and are listed above, but it takes the entire council and manager to be of the same mind to be effective as you know. Currently they are all in the opposite mindset. Thanks to all for the guts to speak out.
It is time for the citizens, taxpayers, and business community to speak out and demand an outside to lead and operate our city as a professional municipal government in providing excellent city services with reasonable cost. In every screw up incident, situation, and news story involving North Miami for last six years, whose name is a constant factor in every scandal or poor PR news event?
Here is the result of what happen when a scandal and mismanaged city goes outside and finds a qualified professional administrator:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/625492794/?terms=Larry%2BCasey%2BNorth%2BMiami%2BCity%2BManager
We can learn from our past history and make a good hiring decision by choosing an outsider and a professional as our next city manager. I don’t care if the person is either Hispanic, African American, Haitian American, or Chinese, or the person is straight, gay, bisexual, married, swinging single, et .. and if the person is from the planet of Mars. We do need a competent person who knows how to add and subtract, how to manage a checkbook and develop an actual budget, release audit report on time, and provide alternatives, plans, and solutions in fixing our 92 year old falling apart water system and our 65 year old sewer system.
Cheryl Cook, we do not need to keep the city manager position as an internal award for participating like a good little dude with the local political combine of past 20 years for the constant 5 ring circus with its revolving door of city managers, city attorneys, and elected city clerks. You have the same right as this mindless soul to voice your opinion and demand our city council to select the best candidate for this critical position at this critical crossroad for this city that we loved as our hometown.
All the citizens truly want and deserve is a well run efficient and effective local government . It does not matter what district or what part of the city they live in, they all need and deserve good and dependable basic services, and public safety. The continuing budget deficits and shortfalls and lack of reserves will definitely end in a disaster.
The 10 and a quarter million dollars for the sale and transfer of the fee simple interest in the units at the the Oaks 1 and Royal Oaks Lane at Biscayne Landings that is shown on tab D of this Tuesdays council meeting raises the question of why the city is doing it ? I think the citizens deserve to know the truth about what is the true value of this proposal and what are the benefits to the city and citizens.
I agree that all we need is a competent and qualified manager who is not beholden to the mayor or council whether local or outside, and has the integrity, education and skills to lead us out of the mess we are in. This can not be blamed on the current Covid -19 pandemic, but years of unbridled spending that has been allowed by the council.
Yes , another fine mess. Will it still continue? Yes until the citizens decide they have had enough suffering get mad, angry or pissed off and realize that the people responsible whether council or management need replacing. PUBLIC SERVICE PLEASE , NOT SELF SERVICE !!! IS IT THAT HARD TO DO ? Lord help us please.
Make your voice heard this Tuesday, grab your microphone or phone to call in to the meeting and let the council know we are not happy with what’s going on. The meeting link from North Miami’s agenda for Tuesday is https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6627303444662232333. Let’s get our voices heard before they sell this land to balance their deficit driven budget (or give it all away to buy votes) and hire a Manager that will drive the City to be the next Opa-Locka 2.0. The instructions on how to participate are posted in their website at
https://www.northmiamifl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8275/Virtual-Council-Meeting-Procedures-Revised-PDF
Do your duty as fellow residents and speak up!