Photo courtesy of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce
The City of Frisco announced Thursday that Frisco Economic Development Corporation President Ron Patterson will begin June 21 as a Deputy City Manager.
Mr. Patterson replaces outgoing Deputy City Manager Nell Lange, who retires June 18 following two decades of service to the city.
Word of the leadership change began circulating earlier this week following the Frisco Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City luncheon, at which Mr. Patterson participated in a panel discussion.
Jason Ford, vice president of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation, has been promoted to EDC president.
Having served as a Frisco Assistant City Manager from 2007-2018, Mr. Patterson was asked to return to City Hall by City Manager George Purefoy, who is projected to retire in June 2022.
In a news release, Mr. Purefoy said, “When I do leave, this alignment provides a great performer with the knowledge of what’s been done in the past to provide the new city manager the best structure for success.”
He said Mr. Patterson “brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to take economic development to a higher level by aligning the city’s engineering and planning efforts with the work being done by the FEDC staff.
Joining Henry Hill as a deputy city manager, Mr. Patterson will oversee Development Services, Engineering Services and Economic Development.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of Frisco with this return to the City Manager’s Office. I am very blessed to be part of such a great team of professionals,” he said.
Ms. Lange was hired in 2001 as the city’s Finance Director. She was promoted by Mr. Purefoy in 2007 to assistant city manager and earlier this year was promoted to deputy city manager.
During her time with the city, she administered the city’s annual budget and debt service, superintended numerous departments and city functions including Financial Services, Purchasing, Risk Management, Fleet Services, Building Services, Human Resources, Revenue Collections, Municipal Court, Budget & Treasury, Social Services and the City Secretary’s Office. Under her leadership, the city achieved the highest municipal bond ratings awarded by both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, and also received the State Comptroller’s Gold and Platinum Leadership Circle Awards on numerous occasions.
Mr. Purefoy said of Ms. Lange’s years with the city, “As great of a leader as she’s been for Frisco, Nell is an even better person. … She will be sorely missed, but we wish her the absolute best as she goes forward.”
“I feel so blessed to have spent the last 20 years of my career here at the City of Frisco,” Ms. Lange said. “It has been an amazing time, watching this city grow into the organization it is today.”
