The City of Glendale appointed Don Bessler as Director of Engineering Services.

Bessler has extensive experience in municipal government, most recently as Glendale’s Chief Capital Improvement Officer.

As Director of Engineering, Bessler will manage, supervise and coordinate the activities and operations of Glendale’s Engineering Department. He will lead the department in the design and construction delivery of the city’s Capital Improvement Program for infrastructure, including streets, water, wastewater, parks, facilities and stormwater projects.

The position is also responsible for partnering with city departments to work together to bring Glendale’s Capital Improvement Plan to life. The department also handles permitting for activities in the public right of way and land and real estate services.

“Don brings extensive technical knowledge and has a history of overseeing complex projects which are important to be finished on time,” Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps stated. “We brought him on originally as a consultant and he has brought great value to our organization as we continue to grow and make critical investments in our city’s infrastructure.”

Prior to joining the City of Glendale, Bessler held similar and related positions for cities in Arizona, Colorado and Vermont.

“Working with Glendale the past few years, I am fortunate to have a good working knowledge of city processes and the community,” Bessler stated. “I understand the philosophy of the city manager and the priorities of the City Council. Progress proceeds at the speed of trust and I am excited to be part of a great high-trust team.”

Among his many accomplishments, Bessler was awarded the honor of Public Works Leadership Fellow in 2015 by the American Public Works Association for outstanding achievement. His teams have been honored with a number of Best in Class awards for outstanding capital projects.

Bessler has a Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Wyoming.