Zuercher started with the city in 1993 as a management intern and served in a variety of executive roles including Assistant to the City Manager, Public Transit Director, Deputy City Manager, Mayor’s Chief of Staff, and Assistant City Manager before being appointed City Manager in October 2013. As the Chief Administrative Officer for the city, Zuercher oversees the largest council-manager form of government in the United States, with nearly 15,000 city employees.
“As city manager, I have worked hard to place the city on a sound financial footing, to build a strong bench of leaders and employees, and to further sustainable economic growth in the city that I love,” Zuecher said. “I believe these goals have been advanced significantly in my eight years of service as city manager, and so it is now time for me to move forward.”
At the time he was appointed City Manager, the city was experiencing a $37 million dollar deficit. He will leave the city with a $30 million dollar budget surplus.
In a note to employees announcing his retirement, Zuercher offered his thanks to the Mayor and City Council, as well as employees. “I want to thank each city employee for the work you do every day to make Phoenix a diverse, dynamic and desirable community,” he wrote. “It is my hope to be able to thank as many of you as possible between now and October 8 for what you do to serve the residents of Phoenix.”
