JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Lenny Curry announces that the chief administrative officer for his first term, Sam Mousa, will retire.
Mousa, who led Curry’s transition after the May 2015 election, then led the daily management and operations of all city government. In prior addition to years in the private sector, Mousa was chief administrative officer for mayors John Delaney and John Peyton and Public Works director under previous mayors.
“While considering a campaign for mayor five years ago, every person I met told me if I wanted to understand how to effectively run our city I needed to talk to Sam Mousa," Curry said in a statement. "That was how Sam and I started our partnership, and not a day has passed since where I didn’t rely on Sam’s expertise, insight, and friendship to help turn bold ideas into action. Sam is without question the most skilled city administrator Jacksonville has had in our history, and I believe Sam is one of the best municipal policy experts in the entire nation."
Mousa had more than 40 years of executive management and engineering experience in both the public and private sectors. His non-governmental experience included roles as executive vice president with J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. and managing principal with JBC Planning & Engineering LLC.
Before his tenure with the Coxwell companies, Mousa served 16 years in government. Mousa has a total of 20 years working for the city under five different mayoral administrations. Mousa is also a licensed professional engineer in the State of Florida, and he is a graduate of the University of Florida.
Curry has selected his chief of staff, Brian Hughes, to serve as the city’s next chief administrative officer. Hughes also currently serves as the interim CEO of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority.
“For almost a year and half, Sam and Brian have worked side-by-side,” Curry said. “Brian has learned from one of the best, and as CAO he will help me continue our success into the second term of my administration.”
A 90-day transition period began the first week of April leading up to Mousa’s final day in City Hall on June 28.