County Commission narrows manager search to four

The Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners announced the selection of four finalists as the county prepares to select its next county manager.
The finalists include two locals and two people from out of state. Stephen Lopez, the current interim county manager, and Barbara Bencomo, a long-time top administrator of the City of Las Cruces, are joined by Scott Andrews, an assistant city manager in Bakersfield, California, and Mark Tyner, a former County Administrator from Alabama.
"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 the news release announcing the candidates.
The board’s determination follows the Commission’s decision to move on from Fernando Macias, who served as County Manager for seven years until this year. Macias and the board could not come to terms on Macias’ contract. The board wanted to allow county elected officers—like the sheriff, the clerk, and the assessor—to have a role in evaluating Macias, something she firmly rejected.
"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."
The county also included a slew of resume details in its news release. The county said locations and times for interested residents to meet the candidates would be announced.


Scott Andrews
Andrews has served as Assistant City Manager in Bakersfield, California (pop. 415,000) for the last two years and has more than 21 years of experience in various public sector roles.
He oversees Human Resources, Finance, Parks and Recreation, Information Technology Services, economic development, Community Relations, and Risk Management.
His prior experience includes another three and a half 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/Univ. of Phoenix, a Master of Public Administration from Strayer University, and a Doctor of Education from Argosy University.


Barbara Bencomo
Bencomo has served as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Las Cruces (pop. 114,000). Bencomo has worked for 14 years with the City of Las Cruces and has a background in both the technology and healthcare business sectors.
Her current role includes oversight of financial services, information technology, and organizational development. Prior experience at the City includes developing organizational and legislative policies and implementing the City’s key priorities, including reimplementing 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. Before her work at the City of Las Cruces, she was an independent consultant in the healthcare sector with Wellspring Group, Huron Partners, and Memorial Medical Center. 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 is the current Interim County Manager of Doña Ana County (pop. 225,000). Lopez was appointed as Interim County Manager on May 1.
Prior to his current role, he was the county's Emergency Manager for three years. In that role, he worked closely with the Board of County Commissioners, other County Departments, and many other organizations throughout the county, developing a strategic plan and community collaboration efforts.
Lopez has extensive law enforcement experience, having served as the Chief of Police for New Mexico State University for ten years, Deputy Chief for seven years, and in various other law enforcement assignments before those leadership positions with New Mexico State University.
Lopez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructure from New Mexico State University.


Mark Tyner
A recently retired County Administrator, Calhoun County, Alabama (pop. 116,000).  As County Administrator for six years, Tyner oversaw general operations, services, and capital improvement programs of the 350-employee organization. This experience included budget oversight and collaboration with several elected officials in the County.
Before Calhoun County, Tyner was County Administrator for fifteen years in Bibb County, Alabama, overseeing multiple operations and services. Early career experience includes City Clerk and a Special Assistant to a City Administrator, both in Alabama communities. Tyner has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alabama.