WYOMING, Mich. -- Four finalists for the Wyoming city manager's position will interview publicly for the position on Thursday and Saturday.
Forty-eight municipal leaders from around the country applied for the position. The city says Jen DeHaan, John McCarter, Mark Meyers and John Shay are the four finalists. It provided a brief bio on each of those four candidates:
- Jen DeHaan, who currently serves as the assistant township manager/superintendent of Plainfield Charter Township and as the executive director of the Kent County Dispatch Authority both since 2018. DeHaan also has prior experience in Michigan serving as deputy county administrator for Grand Traverse County and as a management analyst for Kent County. DeHaan started her career as an intern for the City of Wyoming.
- John McCarter, who currently serves as interim city manager for the City of Wyoming. McCarter has served as Wyoming’s deputy city manager since March 2021. Prior to that, he served in several roles as interim finance director, assistant finance director and budget and procurement manager for the City of Pearland, Texas. Prior Michigan experience also includes serving as a management analyst for the City of Novi.
- Mark Meyers, who currently serves as the city administrator for the City of Norton Shores since May 2004. Prior to that, he served as the director of administrative services/assistant to the city administrator since beginning work in Norton Shores in 1995. Meyers also worked in Michigan as an assistant city manager for the City of Grand Haven from March 1992 to May 1995.
- John Shay, who most recently served as county administrator for Ottawa County from August 2021 to January 2023. Shay also served as deputy county administrator from July 2018 to August 2021. Additional Michigan experience includes serving the City of Ludington as city manager from February 2003 to July 2018, and prior to that was the village manager of Almont from August 1998 to January 2003.
Former City Manager Curtis Holt retired in February after 27 years on the job. The council aims to have a new city manager on the job by the end of May. The city will be holding public interviews for the four finalists at Wyoming City Hall on Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The city issued a statement:
"Baker Tilly, an executive recruitment firm, is overseeing the search process. Baker Tilly has provided candidate application materials to the city manager search subcommittee comprised of Mayor Kent Vanderwood, Mayor Pro-Tem Rob Postema and 2nd Ward Councilmember Marissa Postler."
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Jen DeHaan
John Shay
Mark Meyers
John McCarter