Wes Pierson will begin in his new role for Frisco Aug. 2, according to a city news release. Pierson has more than 13 years of city management experience, including nearly seven as city manager in the town of Addison, where he currently serves. Pierson also has other experience serving in the cities of Corpus Christi and Allen.
Frisco’s first and only City Manager George Purefoy is set to retire June 30. He was appointed in November 1987, according to the Frisco website. His retirement was first announced in a June 17, 2021 news release shared by the city and was officially announced in January.
“I’m thrilled and honored to join an amazing team,” Pierson said in a statement. “Frisco is a phenomenal city. I’m going to start by being focused on learning from our people and understanding how our culture works.”
Pierson was selected from four finalists who were selected after what Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney called an “extensive” search. The final candidates engaged in two rounds of in-person interviews with City Council members, which included sharing a presentation about their vision for Frisco’s future, the news release stated.
“We knew this was the biggest decision we would ever make as a council,” Cheney said. “In fact, we knew it could be one of the most important decisions in the history of Frisco. We promised to find a city manager who aligned with our culture, priorities and vision for the city’s future. ... We’re confident and unanimous in our support for Wes Pierson stepping into the role of Frisco’s next city manager.”
Pierson has a master's of public administration from George Mason University. He earned a bachelor of arts in international studies at Brigham Young University. He also holds a certificate in public finance from Texas Tech University, and completed the Leading Educating and Developing Program from University of Virginia and finished the Public Executive Institute Program at the University of Texas at Austin. Pierson also spent three years as a project manager at the International City/County Management Association in Washington, DC, according to the city news release.
In the period between Purefoy’s retirement date in June and Pierson’s first day in August, Frisco’s Deputy City Manager Henry Hill will act as interim city manager, the release stated.
“Frisco is already extremely well-managed,” Pierson said in the release. “But I’m prepared to provide a new perspective and balance it with the city’s strong foundation to then prepare Frisco for its future as a world-class city.”
The city of Frisco has offered Pierson a contract with a base starting salary of $285,000; annual merit increases in line with percentage raises awarded annually to city employees; a performance bonus not to exceed $12,000 in any fiscal year; an annual car allowance; 7% participation in retirement system; 32 personal leave days per year; two weeks of vacation available for use immediately and $15,000 in moving assistance, according to the city news release.
“As we’ve said before, this is the city George built,” Cheney said in the release. “Admittedly, our council is emotional as we transition. But George’s leadership prepared our city for this. We want to thank his executive team and all our city employees for their support during this important time in our city’s history. We’ll move forward together, embracing change and inviting new possibilities.”
