Paula Ryan, David Jordan and Tara Powdrill Crain were approved for hire to fill the deputy city manager, chief operations officer and director of communications positions, respectively, by the Missouri City City Council during a March 7 special session.
The deputy city manager and communications director positions were approved through a 6-1 vote, with Council Member Vashaundra Edwards voting against. The chief operations officer was approved unanimously.
The positions for the deputy city manager and chief operations officer are brand new to the city, officials confirmed with Community Impact Newspaper. These positions will support City Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson, who has managed Missouri City solo since his hire in early December, according to a city email.
Meanwhile, the new director of communications fills a role that was once held by Stacie Walker, who was released by the city during a Jan. 18 special City Council meeting.
As the new deputy city manager, Ryan comes to the city with more than 20 years of local government service. She most recently served as the assistant city manager for the city of Bellaire, according to the city of Missouri City.
“Meeting people where they are and having a servant leadership heart is at the core of Paula’s success as a leader, mentor, manager and director,” city officials wrote in a statement to Community Impact Newspaper. “She has a unique and proven ability to obtain results under challenging, diverse and competing-interest environments by building teams and demonstrating impeccable ethics, integrity and sensitivity.”
Jordan, meanwhile, comes to Missouri City with more than 30 years of experience serving in numerous capacities at the federal, state and local levels of government, according to the city. He last served as city manager in Bandera, Texas.
For the position of director of communications, Crain brings 12 years of experience, serving as the director of marketing and communications at the Center for Child Protection along with experience in the health care industry and public relations agency settings in East Texas, Austin, Houston and New York, according to the city.
