Anderson picked as Deschutes Co. administrator
After interviewing five candidates, Deschutes County commissioners on Wednesday stayed within the county “family” and chose interim Administrator Tom Anderson for the permanent post.
The Prothman Company of Bellevue, Washington conducted a national recruitment for the position.
Five candidates participated in a two-day interview process that included a public reception held on Monday and a series of panel interviews on Tuesday.
Board Chair Alan Unger stated, “It is my pleasure to welcome Tom Anderson as our county administrator. This interview process gave the commissioners, county staff, and the public the opportunity to make sure that Tom is the right person for the job.”
Anderson had been serving as interim administrator since October of last year, but his work for the county goes back 15 years.
He started in 1998 as a Senior Management Analyst in the Community Development Department and was promoted to the director of the department in February 2005.
Earlier, Anderson worked for the city of Long Beach, CA for 12 years in progressively responsible positions in a several departments, including General Services, Community Development, Budget Office, and City Manager’s Office.
Anderson has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Commissioner Tony DeBone said, “The outcome of the interview process has confirmed that Tom Anderson is qualified and capable to be the Administrator of Deschutes County. He has been effective as the interim administrator and I am pleased to work with him.”
Commissioner Tammy Baney added, “I was very happy with the pool of candidates and believe we would have been well served by any one of them. Tom stood out by conveying a visionary message of shared services with our local government partners, prudent fiscal management practices to keep the financial heath of our county strong, investing in technology to streamline internal processes, and a passion for serving the people of Deschutes County.”
The county administrator is appointed by and serves at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners.
