Werner is replacing Kristi Aday, who left her position after nearly eight years with the City to move to Plainview, Texas, to be closer to family.

Werner began his career with the City in 2007 when he served as an intern in the Parks and Recreation Department. During the past 14 years, Werner has gained broad knowledge and experience with the City having served in a number of progressively more challenging roles including Athletic Program Supervisor, Management and Budget Coordinator, Assistant Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources, and, most recently, Chief Financial Officer. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation and Park Administration, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and was named a Rising Star of New Braunfels in 2018.

“Jared’s long-term commitment to the City and extensive knowledge of our organization made him an ideal candidate for this role,” said City Manager Robert Camareno. “He has spent his career preparing for this opportunity and, when the time came, he was the right fit for the position. I have full confidence in his ability to continue moving this organization forward in service to our wonderful and growing community.”

Previously housed in the Public Works Department, several City functions will now fall under the newly created Transportation and Capital Improvements Department, including the transportation, facilities, and capital programs divisions. Ford will lead transportation planning, traffic engineering, capital public improvements, and street, bike, and pedestrian design. The Public Works Department will manage the solid waste, fleet, streets and drainage, development engineering, and watershed management.

Ford has been with the City for nearly 10 years and served most recently as the Assistant Public Works Director and City Engineer. He is a veteran of the Air Force Reserves, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, a Master’s Degree in Transportation Engineering, and is certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer. Ford also serves as the Chair of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Advisory Committee and is a member of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Regulatory/Warning Signs Technical Committee.

“The creation of this new department will place a greater emphasis and attention on transportation and capital projects,” said Camareno. “With the continued growth of the community, these projects are more important than ever. Garry will continue the important work of building, maintaining, and improving vital infrastructure for our community.”