Former Assistant City Manager Rob Hauck began duties as Tomball’s city manager April 2 after being appointed to the role during a special City Council meeting March 9. Former City Manager George Shackelford retired from the position April 2. Shackelford announced in October that he would retire from city management after nearly eight years in Tomball and more than 30 years of city management experience in Texas. “I actually did a rough estimate of how many council meetings I’ve attended over 38 years [in city government], and with council meetings—regular, budgets and special meetings—it was about 2,200 council meetings,” Shackelford said at a March 19 meeting, his last in attendance as Tomball City Manager. Shackelford is headed to Texarkana with his wife, Kathy, to be closer to his children, grandchildren and other family members. To fill Shackelford’s position, Tomball City Council members sifted through 32 applications from around the U.S., according to a statement from the city. Applicants completed a questionnaire and attended an assessment center—a daylong activity involving interviews with City Council members, a former city manager and local business representatives. As part of the assessment, candidates also responded to a scenario about the city budget before the council. “Throughout the whole interviewing process, it proved to me and it proved to my fellow council members that we have selected the best candidate throughout the whole process, and Rob earned this position,” Council Member Mark Stoll said. “You are definitely the best candidate.” Hauck has served as assistant city manager in Tomball since 2014. Before serving as assistant city manager, Hauck served as Tomball’s police chief from 2008-14. Prior to Tomball, Hauck served as a captain in the Los Angeles Police Department. “I feel humbled and honored,” Hauck said. “I just feel so fortunate that I’ve been able to be here for 10 years and grow professionally here. I love the idea that we’re going to be able to continue to work as a staff and a council and a community together, and it just thrills me. And I think that’s a big part of our responsibility is to develop people within, and George has done that and council has done that. I’m going to continue to do that all the way through the organization. I’m excited.”