| byAllana Wooley |After less than an hour of deliberation, David Cooke was unanimously voted in as Fort Worth's new city manager, May 20.
This vote ends the search initiated by City Manager Tom Higgins" retirement announcement last October. Higgins had been with the city for 30 years.
Fort Worth first narrowed the field to four candidates in February before striking these and beginning again, determined to find a perfect fit. Cooke, a finalist for the city manager position in Dallas earlier this year before the position was filled internally, was among the three new finalists announced in May. Cooke is known for his accountability and transparency with budgets, as well as his penchant for collaboration and efficiency.
Cooke hails from North Carolina and is expected to start his new position with the city by late June or early July.
13; years Cooke worked as county manager for Wake County, North Carolina
21:12; ratio of city employees, Fort Worth to Wake County
13; successful bond referenda Cooke led as Wake County manager
30; total years of municipal government experience over the course of Cooke's career
3;hours the Fort Worth council interviewed Cooke before his unanimous selection
11; years employed by Charlotte, North Carolina in various positions, including budget analyst and manager of internal operations
2; degrees Cooke holds, a bachelor of arts and master's in public administration from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hil
