After a highly competitive search, the Mill Valley City Council unanimously chose Todd Cusimano to serve as City Manager of Mill Valley. Cusimano has served as the Town Manager of Corte Madera since 2016. Before that, he served as the Chief of the Central Marin Police Authority and Twin Cities Police Department.
“I am very pleased to make this announcement today,” Mill Valley Mayor Jim Wickham said. “We cast a nationwide net in order to find an excellent City Manager with experience in all aspects of executive government administration and a familiarity with the unique concerns of our community. Todd has a proven background of being a hands-on problem solver, and excels at seeing innovative solutions through to completion.”
“We want to thank everyone that participated in the recruitment and selection process,” he added, noting the Council prioritized community engagement.
Following City Manager Alan Piombo’s retirement announcement, Council hired Heather Renschler of Ralph Andersen & Associates to conduct a national executive search for the new City Manager. Renschler met with Council, key City Staff and community members to gather input on desired attributes and qualities for the next City Manager, as well as top community issues and priorities. The interview process involved two review panels with representatives from the municipal sector and the Mill Valley community.
Victoria Lim, Commissioner on the City’s Emergency Preparedness Commission, served on the community panel and reviewed the final candidates. “Todd has a clear track record of results in key areas that are important to Mill Valley,” she said. “What makes him exceptional is his humble leadership style, strategic and innovative growth mindset, outstanding communication skills, and genuine passion for public service. I am confident Todd will engage our community with compassion and deliver on goals that make Mill Valley more thriving, inclusive, and resilient.”
Current City Manager Alan Piombo has worked with Cusimano as a fellow city manager for the past few years. “Todd’s breadth of experience and deep knowledge of municipal operations will greatly benefit Mill Valley,” he said.
“He brings strong expertise in organizational development, succession planning, financial stewardship, public-private partnerships, employee relations, and economic development. I believe Todd’s experience and leadership, along with his exceptional interpersonal skills and sense of humor, will benefit Mill Valley moving forward.”
As Town Manager in Corte Madera, Cusimano demonstrated his leadership and relationship building skills with key accomplishments that resulted in cost savings and improved service delivery to multiple agencies. He led two successful consolidations of police and fire services, developed and implemented a plan to reduce Corte Madera’s Retiree Health and pension liabilities, and successfully passed an annual $4 million sales tax measure to improve Corte Madera’s infrastructure and disaster preparedness capabilities.
Cusimano has taken several leadership roles in Marin and recently completed a term as the President of the Marin Managers Association. Additionally, he serves on the Executive Boards/Operations Committee for the Bay Cities Risk Pool, Marin Emergency Radio Authority, Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, and currently serves on the Management Committee for the Central Marin Police Authority and the Central Marin Fire Authority.
Cusimano holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Kaplan University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on Public Administration from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Berkeley Executive Leadership Program and the Sherman Block Supervisory Institute.
Cusimano spent many weekends and summers in Mill Valley during his childhood years. He shared that his Grandmother lived in Mill Valley most of her life on Meadow Drive and watched him while his parents worked. He currently lives in Petaluma with his wife Jaesa and children.
“I want to thank the Mill Valley City Council for this honor,” Cusimano said. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with a strong City Council, along with a high-quality staff and an engaged community. Mill Valley has a rich history of volunteerism, community support, creative partnerships and top-rated services. I look forward to adding my experience and expertise to position Mill Valley for long-term fiscal sustainability, deliver infrastructure improvements, and to provide strong community engagement. I will work to prioritize outstanding customer service, and continue to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout all levels of the City government and community.”
The City Manager transition is anticipated for the Fall of 2022.