Ward Komers Email & Phone Number

Located in the high desert area of southern California, Adelanto is a diverse, small-disadvantaged community with a growing population of 35,000. A contract city with its own water/sewer utility, the organization has a budget of $60 million and more than 60 full time/contract employees. As a direct report to the City Manager, oversee the Finance, Utility Billing, Human Resources, and Information Technology departments with five direct and seven indirect reports. Prepare and present reports before City Council on organizational priorities, controversial matters, and general topics of interest that are raised by the public and City Councilmembers. Serve as thoughtful, steadfast, and trusted advisor to the City Manager, working closely and collaboratively on a variety of citywide issues and possible solutions.Key Accomplishments:• Pioneered a first of its kind vacant land tax measure intended to raise $6.2 million annually for parks and recreation, public safety, and blight reduction programs.• Designed tax policy to encourage economic development and reduce blight, while providing needed services to the community.• Eliminated a four-year backlog of outstanding financial audits, bringing clarity to the City’s financial position.• Implemented the cannabis excise tax and tax compliance programs, generating $3.0 million in annual revenue.• Overhauled the City’s organizational structure, reducing salary and benefit costs by more than 50%, while maintaining service levels.• Negotiated favorable changes to memorandums of understanding with three bargaining units.• Initiated a citizen satisfaction survey, revealing community priorities and informing the decision-making process.

• Spearheaded strategic planning process and guided development of organizational mission, vision, and values.• Headed successful implementation of enterprise accounting software (ERP), resulting in increased operational efficiency.• Orchestrated organization-wide process improvements, increasing productivity while improving the quality of work product.• Designed and implemented sales and marketing strategies, leading to doubling revenues.• Developed branding and public relations strategies to enhance organizational reputation.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Plan, organize, and direct the Administrative Services department, which is comprised of Finance, Human Resources/Risk Management, and Information Technology divisions.Major accomplishments include:Restructuring the City’s budget to close a $3.5 million budget gap. Presented balanced budget to City Council.Implementing “best practices” City Council policy manual and safety manual.Negotiating a “win-win” labor agreement with the City’s largest union.Increasing the City’s return on its $14 million portfolio by 25 percent.Serving as a member of the City’s Oversight Board.Recommending and implementing strategies to maximize the City’s share of funds of its dissolved redevelopment agency.

Plan, organize, and direct the Administrative Services division of two departments. Responsible for budgeting, records management, accounting/cost recovery, personnel, purchasing, facilities, and analytical/fiscal operations.Provide leadership and supervision, through subordinate managers and supervisors, to twenty-nine (29) management, supervisory, accounting and clerical staff.Direct and lead the preparation of departmental budgets totaling more than $37.5 million.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Leveraged in-depth knowledge of public sector challenges to fill market needs; Grew annual revenue to more than $1 million and profitably sold business interest.Directed the company’s marketing, sales, and accounting functions including payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable; Prepared and developed monthly, quarterly, and annual operating plans, including variance analysis and corporate investment strategy recommendations. Acted as company Controller.Established and directed the company’s customer service division. This included developing processes, escalation procedures, and quality of service metrics. Lead the selection and implementation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.Established and directed the company’s project management division. This included creating a framework for Statement/Socpe of Work (SOWs), project planning, and managing customer expectations.Developed and implemented staffing strategies to assure timely recruitment of high quality, diverse candidates in concert with business priorities and consistent with company policies, practices, and legal considerations.Drove the conception and development of the company’s web-based Software as a Service (SaaS) flagship product, Insight. This public sector focused applicant tracking software quickly gained customers and became dominate in the market.Spearheaded the development of salary and benefits surveying/comparison software, SalaryStudy.com. This landmark software program reduced data collection efforts by up to fifty percent and was hailed a “significant advance” in the spring 2002 issue of Public Personnel Management.Directed the creation and deployment of GovernmentJobs.com--the website won several awards and was featured in USA Today as a “HOT Site.”

Planned, coordinated, and prepared the budget for the USAF’s Global Positioning System (GPS) program totaling more than $4.7 billion.Conducted cost research and performed financial analysis.Designed and developed custom cost estimating models.

Ventura, California

Inspected County capital construction projects to ensure compliance to applicable laws, ordinances, standards, plans, and specifications. Co-lead inspector for $250M County jail facility. Acted as liaison between contractors, project managers, architects, and engineers.

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa

B.A., Economics

Associate Of Sciences, Construction Technology