Search firms apply to find new Oak Ridge city manager

Donna Smith, Oakridger
·2 min read

Seven of 15 executive search firms contacted by the city of Oak Ridge have applied to help City Council hire a new city manager after Mark Watson's retirement in May.

Information from each of the companies that applied were given to Oak Ridge City Council on Monday before the monthly council meeting in the Municipal Building courtroom. At the meeting, Watson presented the list publicly. They are:

  • Ralph Andersen & Associates, Rocklin, California

  • BakerTilly, Chicago

  • Strategic Government Resources, Kellar, Texas

  • GovHR USA, Northbrook, Illinois

  • Mercer Group Associates, Athens, Georgia

  • Integrated Design Consulting, Bel Air, Maryland

  • SoftSages Technology, Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Council members will provide information on their schedules for the next two to three weeks to City Clerk Beth Hickman so she can schedule a meeting for the council to discuss or narrow the number of search firms. Mayor Warren Gooch said the council also could discuss the search during its work session on Feb. 21.

One council member asked if the city had any connection or prior relationship with any of the search firms that had applied. Watson said the founder of Mercer Group Associates, Jim Mercer, had died but other principals in the firm were now running it.

The company, then called The Mercer Group, was used by past Oak Ridge City Councils in the search for city manager that resulted in Watson's hiring and the search for a police chief that resulted in the hiring of James "Jim" Akagi, predecessor to current Police Chief Robin Smith. Serving on council when those selections were made were current members Ellen Smith and Charlie Hensley.

Watson announced at the Jan. 17 council meeting that he would retire on May 5 after serving as Oak Ridge city manager for more than 12 years. He and his wife, Jenna, will continue to live in Oak Ridge, he said.

The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith covers Oak Ridge area news. Email her at dsmith@oakridger.com and follow her on Twitter@ridgernewsed. Support The Oak Ridger by subscribing. Offers available at https://subscribe.oakridger.com/offers.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Search firms apply to find new Oak Ridge city manager