Las Cruces administrator Bencomo among finalist for Doña Ana County manager

Doña Ana County has moved closer to hiring a county manager.

The Board of County Commissioners released a list of four finalists this week. According to a news release, the candidates will be on-site for interviews and community visits Aug. 9 and Aug. 10. Community feedback will be collected in-person and through an online portal on the Doña Ana County website at that time.

"The Board of Commissioners is excited about this pool of qualified candidates and hopes to have a new county manager identified in the coming weeks," Commission Chair Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez said in a news release. "We are committed to including our community in the selection process and look forward to introducing the finalists to residents, highlighting their expertise, while showcasing the unique features that make Doña Ana County a great place to live, work and thrive."

Who are the finalists?

Among the four finalists are two out-of-town candidates and two who currently hold positions in local governement.

Scott Andrews

Andrews is the current Assistant City Manager in Bakersfield, California. According to a news release, Andrews has more than 21 years of experience in various roles in the public sector. He has been in his current role for more than two years and oversees Human Resources, Finance, Parks and Recreation, Information Technology Services, Economic Development, Community Relations, and Risk Management. He spent over three years as city manager in Covington, Georgia, and over two years as assistant city administrator in Smyrna, Georgia. Additional public sector executive experience includes three years as economic development director in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Andrews has a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of South Florida/University of Phoenix, a master's degree in public administration from Strayer University and a Doctor of Education from Argosy University.

Barbara Bencomo

Bencomo is currently the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Las Cruces . Bencomo has held numerous positions within the city throughout her 14 years in government. Her current role includes oversight of financial services, information technology, and organizational development. Prior experience at the City include developing organizational and legislative policies implementing the City’s key priorities, including reimplementation of the Munis ERP system. She also served in prior roles with the City of Las Cruces as Chief of Staff, Deputy Finance Director, and Interim Assistant City Manager. Bencomo is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration in Finance.

Stephen Lopez

Lopez was named interim county manager of Dona Ana County in April and has been in that role since May 1 after the Board of County Commissioners voted to end the contract of former county manager Fernando Macias. Prior to his current role, he was the Emergency Manager for the County for three years. Lopez joined the County in 2021 as emergency manager, where he coordinated emergency response efforts both both the City of Las Cruces and the County. Lopez began his career in law enforcement at New Mexico State University in 1987. He worked there for 33 years, with the last eight years as chief of police. Lopez also served as adjunct faculty for 14 years, teaching courses in public health and criminal justice, demonstrating his commitment to both community safety and education. Lopez holds Bachelor of Arts degrees and a Master of Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructure from New Mexico State University.

Mark Tyner

Tyner is currently retired after six years as County Administrator in Calhoun County in Alabama. He was County Administrator for six years, where he oversaw general operations, services and capital improvement programs of the 350-employee organization. Prior to Calhoun County, Tyner was County Administrator for 15 years in Bibb County, Alabama overseeing multiple  operations and services. Tyner has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alabama.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces administrator Bencomo among finalist for Doña Ana County manager