About the City Manager
About Andrew Persons
On Sept. 4, 2025, Andrew Persons was selected as interim city manager by the Gainesville City Commission. Persons began his more than two decade public service career in the City Clerk’s Office at the City of Orlando. While earning his master’s degree in urban and regional planning, he was a neighborhood planning intern for the City of Gainesville. After graduation, he worked for Marion County as a senior planner before accepting a role with the City of Gainesville in 2012. Persons quickly rose through the ranks, and has served the City of Gainesville as a senior planner, principal planner and the director of the Department of Sustainable Development.
Immediately prior to this interim appointment, Persons was the chief operating officer for the City of Gainesville, implementing the policies set by the city commission. He ensured that the directives of the city manager were effectively carried out by coordinating with various departments and overseeing key city initiatives.
Persons’ current work allows him to foster collaboration between city leadership, staff and the community. Through these efforts, he transforms policy decisions into tangible actions that support Gainesville’s growth and development. Whether advancing affordable housing efforts, coordinating infrastructure projects or addressing public transportation challenges, Persons works to align city operations with the broader strategic goals.
Persons holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning, both from the University of Florida, and is an American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certified planner. He completed the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative in 2024, and is a frequent presenter at professional, government-related conferences.
Role of the City Manager
The City Manager is the administrative head of the City of Gainesville general government, responsible for the administration of all departments, except those city agencies under the direction of other charter officers. The City Manager's Office oversees all general government programs and services; is responsible for enforcement of all city laws, ordinances and policies; acts as purchasing agent for the city; prepares the city’s budget and performs other duties as assigned by the City Commission. These tasks are accomplished through the selection and supervision of the City Manager's executive, leadership and administrative support teams.
Administrative Team