CITY OF FRESNO PRESS RELEASE:
FRESNO, CA – On Tuesday, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced the retirement of City Manager Thomas Esqueda.
Esqueda has spent 13 months serving in this role. During his tenure he’s worked hard to advance the One Fresno mission. He’s been instrumental in organizing and carrying out programs that help address homelessness, housing, beautification, and youth leadership.
“Having been born in Sanger and being afforded the opportunity to return home to serve as the City Manager for the City of Fresno has been a dream come true,” said Esqueda. “It was an honor and privilege to serve as Mayor Dyer’s City Manager, and to serve the residents of the City of Fresno.”
Esqueda is retiring and moving to South Carolina with his wife. They want to spend more time with his son, daughter-in-law, and two-year-old grandson.
“Tommy has been a dedicated and tireless leader who loves this city and has worked hard to improve the delivery of services to our residents,” said Mayor Dyer. “He is often the first one in the office and still sending emails late into the night. Tommy has been an enthusiastic and encouraging partner and I will miss him.”
City Manager Esqueda’s final day will be February 1st, 2022.
When Dyer was faced with the challenge of filling Esqueda’s shoes, and thought about who could hit the ground running, who would strive for continuous improvement, and who already shares his heart and passion for One Fresno, Assistant City Manager Georgeanne White was the clear choice.
Georgeanne White has nearly two decades of experience in executive leadership with the City of Fresno. She has served as a Council Chief of Staff, Assistant Department Director, and Chief of Staff for former Mayors Alan Autry and Ashley Swearengin. Most recently, White has been responsible for the City of Fresno’s internal service departments- Budget, Finance, Personnel, Information Services and Facilities.
“I am excited and honored to take the next step in my career as the City Manager,” said White. “I am thankful for the opportunity that Mayor Dyer is providing me and I look forward to working with him and the entire City team.”
“Georgeanne is a strong leader with an incredible amount of knowledge about every department in the city,” said Dyer. “She is a sound decision maker who is fiscally prudent and very experienced in organizational management, government affairs and public policy.”
“Georgeanne is the perfect choice for these times, and her leadership expertise is only surpassed by her passion and love for the City of Fresno. She is the ultimate advocate and ambassador for this City, and she is committed to its success,” added Esqueda.
White will take on her new role on February 2nd, 2022.
