Salina City Manager Finalists Participate in Public Meet-and-Greet, Interviews

SALINA — The search for Salina’s next City Manager moved forward this week as three finalists participated in community tours, a public meet-and-greet, and formal interviews with the Salina City Commission.

Following a nationwide search conducted by Government Professional Solutions, the finalists are Darrin Tangeman of Orleans, Massachusetts; Michael Tremblay of Fort George G. Meade, Maryland; and Jacob Wood of Salina, Kansas.

On Monday, August 11, the candidates toured Salina before attending a public reception at the Stiefel Theatre’s Watson Room, where residents had the opportunity to meet and speak with each finalist. The event ran from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and drew community members interested in learning more about the candidates’ backgrounds and vision for the city.

The following day, August 12, the three finalists took part in closed interviews with the Salina City Commission.

Candidate Backgrounds

• Darrin Tangeman has more than 11 years of executive local government experience, having served as Chief Administrative Officer, City Manager, and Town Manager in Massachusetts and Colorado. He previously served as a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer in the Green Berets for 11 years. Tangeman holds degrees from the University of Kansas, Naval Postgraduate School, University of Colorado, and Harvard University’s Senior Executive in State and Local Government Program. He is an ICMA-Credentialed Manager and co-founder of the ICMA Veterans Local Government Management Fellowship.

• Michael Tremblay has served in the U.S. Army since 1995, with recent leadership roles including CEO of Talent Management for the 1st Brigade, Chief of Staff at Fort Benning, and Garrison Commander at USAG in South Korea, a position comparable to a City Manager. He holds master’s degrees from the National War College and Central Michigan University.

• Jacob Wood has over 13 years of executive local government experience in Kansas, including positions as Assistant City Manager, Deputy City Manager, City Administrator, and Interim City Manager. He has also served 19 years as a Logistics Officer with the U.S. Army Reserve. Wood holds a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Administration from Kansas State University and is an ICMA-Credentialed Manager.

The City Commission is expected to make its selection following deliberations on the interviews.