These 5 Columbus residents are advising the mayor in selection of the next city manager
Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson provided an update Tuesday about the selection process for a new city manager ahead of Isaiah Hugley’s retirement at the end of the year.
Hugley confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer in December that he plans to retire Dec. 31, 2025. By then, he will have worked for the Columbus Consolidated Government for 41 years, including 20 years as city manager.
The selection process for his replacement has begun, Henderson confirmed to the council during Tuesday’s meeting.
An advisory board with five members of the community has been assembled to begin the process, he said. They plan a selection process similar to what was done when appointing a new police chief.
Members of the advisory board are:
- Audrey Boone Tillman, general counsel for Aflac
- The Rev. Marcus Gibson, pastor of Greater Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church
- Richard Bishop, former assistant city manager and former CEO of Uptown Columbus
- Billy Blanchard, director of Covey Equity and former executive vice president of Columbus Bank & Trust
- Robert Wright, founder and chairman emeritus of Dimensions International and former Columbus Councilor.
“We were looking for a predominance of people who have been engaged in high-level executive searches,” Henderson said.
They also were looking for people active in the community when choosing the advisory board, he said.
The advisory board has recommended that the city engage with an organization that specializes in government searches, Henderson said.
There will be a nationwide search to find top talent, he said, and those candidates will be narrowed down to a “manageable number.”
The public will be involved in the process, Henderson said, and they’re looking for ways to ensure transparency. It’s important to keep the council and the public informed because this is the first time the city has had to search for a city manager since 1996, he said.
“We understand it’s a significant hire, not just for the council, but also for the people in the community,” Henderson said. “We’re going to make sure that it’s transparent.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM.
