Pima County names 3 finalists for top administrator job

The three final candidates for the county’s top appointed role are: Carmine DeBonis Jr.; Leonard Hernandez; and Leah Rhineheimer.

— Carmine DeBonis Jr. DeBonis is currently one of three deputy county administrators and has been with the county for his entire professional career, according to a news release. He currently oversees the county’s public works, economic development, environmental quality, and finance and risk management. He was previously director of development services for the county for 15 years.

— Leonard Hernandez: Hernandez is currently the county manager of Thurston County, Washington and has 25 years of local government experience, including 13 in San Bernardino County, California. He was chief executive officer of the county for three years until 2023, when he prepared a budget of $8.7 billion, according to his résumé.

— Leah Rhineheimer: Rhineheimer is currently an assistant town manager for the Town of Gilbert, and has been in the job for five years. She has been in Gilbert government since 2011, working her way up from assistant to the town manager and deputy town manager before her current role. She currently oversees Gilbert’s public works, engineering, water resources and quality of life initiative, according to her résumé.

All three candidates will meet with county employees and the public over two days next week, before a special session to conduct interviews on Oct. 20, a county news release said. Supervisors are aiming to make a final hiring decision on or before Oct. 27.

Lesher makes $330,000 a year. The county placed the salary range between $299,042 and $416,041, according to the job listing. Contract negotiations will start after the board makes a final decision.

The public is invited to meet the candidates from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, in the courtyard of the Pima County Historic Courthouse. County employees and the public can provide online feedback to the recruiting firm during these events, which will be compiled for the board before its final decision.

It has been almost 40 years since Pima County held a candidate search for its top job. Former County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry was in the role for 28 years before a serious bike accident forced him to retire in 2022. Lesher, previously chief deputy county administrator, was appointed after Huckelberry’s retirement.

Board Chair Jen Allen expressed her support for all the finalists in a news release statement.

“I believe that any of these three could be an outstanding County Administrator who will continue to move Pima County forward in making our County a prosperous, healthy, and equitable place to live, work, and play,” she said.

The county also released members of its search committee, including Allen. They are:

— John Bernal, Former Deputy County Administrator

— Dr. Andrea Romero, Vice Provost of for Faculty Affairs at the University of Arizona

— Amy Krauss, Board President of the Catalina Foothills School District

— Kristen Sharp, President and CEO of the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce

— Jacob Bernal, CEO of the Tucson Indian Center

— Carlos Valles, CEO of the Sahuarita Resource Center

— Sylvia Lee, retired District 3 Board Member and Pima Community College Board Member

— Eric Schindler, Former CEO of Child and Family Resources

— Randy Graf, President/CEO of Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce

— Carlos Ruiz, President of HT Metals

— Felipe Garcia, CEO of Visit Tucson

— Carolyn Campbell, former Director of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection

— Javier Soto, President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers labor union

— David Godlewski, President of Southern Arizona Home Builders Association

— Daisy Jenkins, President of Jenkins + Associates