News Release
Friday, December 30, 2016
Mayor-Elect Purzycki Announces Department and Staff Appointments
The new administration is ready to get to work on Wednesday, January 4
Wilmington’s Mayor-elect Mike Purzycki today announced several departmental director and
senior staff appointments for his new Administration which officially begins on Wednesday,
January 4. The Mayor-elect will be sworn-in as the City’s 56th Mayor on the evening of Tuesday,
January 3 when he takes the oath of office at a ceremony at the Grand on Market Street.
“I am fortunate to have assembled a talented and dedicated team comprised of individuals who
have vast experience in government service and well as others who will serve in government
for the first time,” said Purzycki. “All of these appointees have the knowledge, skills and
backgrounds to make City government more efficient in the delivery of services, more
responsive to the needs of citizens and much stronger and smarter when it comes to managing
our City’s finances. We are ready to get to work to make our City and our neighborhoods more
vibrant by creating jobs, reducing crime and blight and advocating for a better education
system for our children. I express my thanks to those who have agreed to join me in serving the
people of Wilmington.”
Mayor-elect Purzycki’s departmental appointees announced today include:

Luke Mette, nominated to be Wilmington City Solicitor - Mette is a partner in the
business litigation group in the Wilmington office of the law firm of McCarter & English.
He served as the Global Head of Litigation and Deputy General Counsel with the global
biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Mette is a recognized innovator in the areas
of litigation strategy, conflict resolution and cost reduction with extensive experience
operating in highly regulated environments. Because Mette is being nominated as the
chief litigator and legal counsel to both the Executive and Legislative branches of City
government, his nomination by the Mayor-elect must be approved by Wilmington City
Council.

Earl Jeter, nominated to be Wilmington City Auditor – Jeter is currently serving as
Wilmington’s Auditor, having been appointed to a four-year term in 2013 by Mayor
Dennis P. Williams and confirmed by City Council. The Auditor serves both the Executive
and Legislative branches of city government. Mayor-elect Purzycki is nominating Jeter to
serve another four year term subject to approval by City Council. As Auditor, Jeter
provides an independent examination of the City’s internal control systems to
determine whether the City is collecting revenue to which it is entitled, that
expenditures are properly authorized and that City assets are safeguarded. Jeter is also
an Adjunct Professor at Wilmington University and was previously employed as Chief
Financial Officer for Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware and by the Internal
Revenue Service.

Patrick Carter as Director of the Department of Finance - Carter has been the Director
of Finance for the State of Delaware since May of 2003, overseeing a staff of 200 and
responsible for the administration, enforcement and collection of the personal and
business income taxes for the State of Delaware. He previously served as Deputy
Director of the division from 1994 to 2001. Carter was Wilmington’s Director of Finance
from 1989 to 1993. Prior to his government service, he worked for J.P. Morgan Bank in
Delaware and Coopers & Lybrand, a CPA Firm in Philadelphia. He has been a member of
the Delaware Society of CPA's since 1988.

Herb Inden as Director of the Department of Planning and Urban Development - Inden
has served as a Principal Planner for the State of Delaware’s Office of Planning
Coordination since 1993. Prior to joining State government, Inden served his first stint as
Director of the Planning Department for the City of Wilmington from 1988 through
1993. As a principle State planner, Inden's duties include improving the coordination
and effectiveness of land use decisions that are made by state, county, and municipal
governments. Inden will lead the City’s planning efforts which are intended to ensure
that physical, social, and economic development occurs in a rational and comprehensive
manner that addresses community needs and governmental priorities.

Michael Donohue as the Chief of the Department of Fire - Donahue has been Deputy
Chief of the Wilmington Fire Department’s Operations Division since January of 2013.
Prior to assuming that position, Donohue was a Battalion Chief for nearly 12 years. His
33 years of service with the fire department have also included the position of Captain
of the Safety and Training Unit as well as extensive experience as a Captain and
Lieutenant with fire suppression. Donohue is the son of former Wilmington Fire Chief
Jerome Donohue who led the department from 1978 through his retirement in 1986.

Jennifer Prado as Director of the Office of Constituent Services - Prado has served in
various capacities in the City’s constituent service office since 2006. She began her city
government career as a Constituent Services Representative and then assumed the
position of Community Referral Specialist in 2010. Prado has developed productive
community relationships throughout the City while researching and resolving citizen
concerns in a timely manner. She has also served in an administrative capacity for the
City’s Nuisance Property Working Group. Prior to being employed by the City, Prado was
a Customer Service Representative for the Department of Public Works in Nashville,
Tennessee.

Kevin F. Kelley, Sr. as Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation - Kelley has
been the Director of the Division of Management Services for the State of Delaware’s
Department of Health and Social Services since 2013. Kelley has been responsible for
budget and program analysis within his State division as well as contract management,
facility operations and human resources management. He served for 20 years as a
member of the Wilmington City Council from the 6th District and is the founder of the
Browntown Community Association. Kelly was one of eight people who sought the
Democratic nomination for Mayor of Wilmington earlier this year.

Leonard Sophrin as Director of the Department of Real Estate and Housing - Sophrin
most recently served as Director of the Wilmington Department of Planning and
Development. Prior to becoming a department director, he was Director of Policy for
Mayor Dennis E. Williams. Before entering government service, Sophrin was owner and
principal architect of his own firm and formerly worked as a principal architect with
Homsey Architects, Inc. He is also a co-founder of the Delaware Greenways Coalition
and a founding member of the 9th Ward Civic Association.

Charlotte B. Barnes reappointed as Director of the Department of Human Resources Barnes has been with the City for 28 years. She has served as the City's Director of
Human Resources for more than two years. Prior to becoming director, she was the
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff in the Office of Mayor Dennis E. Williams and
served as the Chief of Staff for Wilmington City Council for eight years.

Jeff Flynn re-appointed as Director of the Office of Economic Development – Flynn has
served for 15 years in the City’s economic development office and has been the City’s
chief economic development director since 2014. Flynn was also a Deputy Director of
the department and an economic development manager in the office. His pregovernment service included various business development positions in the private
sector.

Jeff Starkey reappointed as Commissioner of the Department of Public Works - Starkey
has served as Public Works Commissioner since May of 2014. Prior to that, he was the
Commissioner and/or Deputy Commissioner of the City’s Department of Licenses and
Inspections for 13 years. Starkey began his career with the City as a plans examiner with
the L&I Department.
Mayor-elect Purzycki also announced today that two individuals have agreed to serve in an
acting director capacity for their respective departments until further decisions are made about
permanent leadership positions. They include:

Bobby Cummings to be Acting Chief of the Department of Police while a nationwide
search is conducted to identify both internal and external candidates who are interested
in serving as the City’s next Police Chief.

Leo Lynch to be Acting Director of the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Lynch
has been with the department for 16 years and is currently the Deputy Director of the
department responsible for supervising the work of building and code inspectors.
Mayor-elect Purzycki’s senior staff appointments for the Mayor’s Office include:

Tanya (Tanny) Washington as Chief of Staff – Washington is a 25-year veteran of City
government service with extensive experience with both the Executive and Legislative
branches of the government. She served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff for
former Wilmington Mayor James Baker during the Mayor’s 12-year term and was
appointed by two Council Presidents as Legislative Director for Wilmington City Council.
Washington was also a legislative analyst and fiscal analyst for City Council. She has
wide-ranging experience in formulating the City’s operating and water/sewer budgets,
determining citywide staffing levels and advising Mayors and other elected officials on a
wide array of policy matters with particular focus on operating and capital budgetary
needs.

John Rago as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Communications – Rago has more
than 35 years of experience as a government policy and communications administrator
for the Federal, State of Delaware, New Castle County and Wilmington governments. He
was Deputy Chief of Staff as well as Policy and Communications Director during former
Wilmington Mayor James Baker’s 12-year term in office. Rago previously served as a
policy and communications assistant to former Delaware Congressman Michael N.
Castle, former New Castle County Executive Rick Collins and the former Secretary for the
Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, Charles Hayward. He has
extensive experience in crafting government law and policy and specializes in
communicating government issues and positions to larger audiences to improve the
public’s understanding of government.

Tom Ogden as Deputy Chief of Staff for Fiscal and Operations Management – Ogden
was the former development director and a member of the leadership team at St.
Mark’s High School for 16 years. Most recently, he was co-owner and operator of his
own general contracting firm, Heritage Construction. Ogden’s previous government
service includes administrative positions with former Delaware Congressman Tom Evans
and former New Castle County Executive Rick Collins. Ogden will monitor the City’s fiscal
condition and assist the Chief of Staff with management of the City’s operating
departments.

Lossie Freeman as Special Assistant to the Mayor for Employment Initiatives –
Freeman, who is new to government service, will coordinate the Purzycki
Administration’s efforts to promote job creation in partnership with the local business
community and identify job skills training opportunities. Because creating employment
opportunities are central to the Administration’s efforts, a senior staff person is being
assigned to head up this task. Freeman previously served as the Vice President of Global
Business Development for the Parnassus Global Agency and was a former consultant for
JP Morgan Chase with expertise in developing and sourcing business partnerships with
an emphasis in technology, financial services and global business development.

David Curtis as Best Practices/Innovation Specialist – Curtis is a former budget analyst
and operations efficiency specialist with the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs, and was
employed for more than four years in that capacity at the Philadelphia Veterans Medical
Center. He is the owner of Maneto Strategies LLC, a government and management
consulting firm and is a co-founder of 5th Square, a Pennsylvania-based non-partisan
political action committee that advocates for pro-growth strategies regarding
transportation systems, land use and public parks. Curtis will focus on government
efficiencies with the new Administration and research best practices or innovative
government and non-government programs that are successful throughout the United
States and globally.
Mayor-elect Purzycki said he will made additional announcements in the days ahead regarding
other City management positions which have yet to be filled.
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