Finalists named in Forest Lake's administrator search

Six finalists have been named in Forest Lake's search for a new administrator after the council’s special meeting on Monday, May 20.

The finalists and their information, according to a press release sent by DDA Human Resources, Inc., are as follows:

Renae Fry, the former city administrator in North Branch, held that role for nearly seven years after a brief stint as the administration coordinator for Sauk County, Wisconsin. Prior to that, she was a longtime practicing attorney and dean at Hennepin Community College, where she held various roles for 24 years. She received her Juris Doctor degree from William Mitchell College of Law.

Joe Gaa has held the position of city administrator/manager for four cities in three states, including South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa in just under a decade, with his most recent experience coming from Marshalltown, Iowa where he was in the role for five months. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwest Missouri State University.

Thomas Hutska is the only candidate outside the Midwest, most recently serving as the town manager for Newington, Connecticut for six months. Prior to that he also served as an administrator for Port Huron, Michigan for five years, and a director of public works in Broward County, Florida for 11 years. Hutska received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and master’s degree from Harvard.

Pat Oman’s most recent position was the administrator for three years for Becker County, Minnesota. He has also served as the county administrator for Mille Lacs County for six years, and was the city administrator for Moose Lake for two years. He received his master’s degrees in manufacturing systems and business administration from the University of St. Thomas.

Eric Johnson had the longest single tenure in a city administrator role, with 20 years managing Oak Park Heights. He also has served in administration in Wisconsin cities. He received his master’s degree from George Washington University and a doctorate degree from Hamline University.

Devin Swanberg is still in his role as the administrator for the village of Osceola, Wisconsin, and prior to that was a city administrator for the city of Harmony, each for a year and a half. He has also been a track coach and substitute teacher for the Forest Lake Area School District. Both Swanberg’s bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration are from Hamline University.