FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2023
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jeff Lueders, Media and Communications, jlueders@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054
Hyun Kim to Join City of Tacoma as Deputy City Manager
Overseeing Internal Services Functions Beginning June 20
TACOMA, Wash. -- Hyun Kim has accepted City Manager Elizabeth Pauli’s offer to join the City of Tacoma as a Deputy City Manager overseeing internal services functions beginning June 20, 2023, pending completion of a standard background check. In a nationwide recruitment that produced a diverse and exceptional pool of candidates, Mr. Kim’s deep executive leadership experience in local government made him a top candidate for this position.
Mr. Kim comes to the City of Tacoma with firsthand knowledge of local government in the Pacific Northwest. He joins us from the City of Gillette, Wyoming where he served as the City Administrator since 2021. In this role he assembled the team that would transition a coal-dependent community away from fossil fuels. He also spearheaded an ethics case study on rebuilding public trust while managing City operations and keeping public policy on track. And he led a team that would onboard more minority and female officers than at any time in the Police Department's history.
Prior to joining the City of Gillette, Mr. Kim spent four years as the City Manager for the City of Fife. Some in the community may remember partnering with him on projects of mutual interest and concern, such as the extension of State Route 167.
“I am excited that we are bringing Mr. Kim back to the Pacific Northwest as our next Deputy City Manager,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards. “His breadth of experience and local connections are clear strengths, and he will be an asset as a member of the City of Tacoma’s Executive Leadership Team.”
“In his city leadership positions and as a board member of the International Network of Asian Public Administrators, Mr. Kim has a record of leading out on anti-racist systems transformation and advancing diversity in local government employment,” said City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. “His firsthand knowledge of the South Puget Sound region will add great value and allow him to hit the ground running.”
Mr. Kim holds master’s degrees in Public Administration and Business Administration and is a Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) by the International City/County Management Association.
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