MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) – Saturday, May 1, the Marquette City Commission will conduct public interviews with six individuals being considered for the role of City Manager.

Richard Downey of Kronenwetter, Wisconsin holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University and a degree in political science from Kent State. He has served as Kronenwetter’s Village Administrator since 2012 and has previously served as a City Administrator in Illinois and Kansas.

Sean Hobbins of Marquette, Michigan holds a Master of Public Administration degree, as well as a political science degree, from Northern Michigan University. He is currently the Assistant City Manager in Marquette, where he previously spent five years as the Management Analyst. Prior to working in the City of Marquette, Hobbins held a fellowship role at the City of Royal Oak, Mich.

Karen Kovacs of Milan, Michigan holds an accounting degree, with a minor in applied technology in business, from Oakland University. Currently, she is the City Administrator of Milan, Mich., a position she stepped into in July of 2019. Previously, she spent nearly four years as the Finance Director and Treasurer in Milan. Prior, she was employed as a Governmental Accounting Professional Consultant for Plante & Moran, PLLC.

John Kramer of Aurora, Illinois, holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Illinois’ Aurora University, as well a bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. He has been employed as the Director of Operations for Aurora’s Fox Valley Park District since 2016 and worked previously for the Chicago Zoological Society and the City of Wood Dale, Ill.

Gary Simpson of Marquette, Michigan earned a degree in business administration from South Carolina’s Winthrop University and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Michigan. He has been employed as Marquette’s Chief Financial Officer since 2000, with previous experience in municipal finance in East Lansing and South Haven, Mich., as well as in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Dan Stoltman of Kremmling, Colorado earned a Master of Public Administration degree and a Graduate Certificate in Public Land Planning from Eastern Michigan University and a degree in Political Science from Oakland University. He has served as the Town Manager of Kremmling, Colo. since 2019 and worked previously as the Assistant City Administrator and Interim Public Works Director in Washburn, Wisconsin.

The interviews are each scheduled to last for one hour and will be conducted in a special meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 1. The meeting will be held in City Commission Chambers at City Hall and will be broadcast live on Chanel 191 and YouTube. Due to the current public health situation, members of the public will not be allowed to attend the meeting in person, but participation will be guaranteed through remote means.