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PODCAST

The Clear Voice

Clear Career Professionals

The Clear Voice features candid talks with City Managers and public sector leaders on growth, council dynamics, and culture. Produced by Clear Career Professionals. Learn more: clearcareerpro.com

government careers

All Episodes

44:39

#55 - Ruidoso, NM Finance, Economic Development, and...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/04/10

Certainly a lot to unpack as we feature three amazing opportunities from Ruidoso, New Mexico.Ruidoso is entering a defining moment. In this PositionCast™ episode of The Clear Voice, Mayor Lynn Crawford and City Manager Ron Sena join recruiter Kelly Kuenstler and Host James Groom to outline three critical leadership roles that will help shape the future of the Village of Ruidoso. This is more than a recruitment. It is an opportunity to step into a community that is rebuilding, growing, and

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49:01

#54 - LaShon Ross | Developing Leaders in Local...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/04/07

Episode Summary What does it take to develop strong leaders in local government, and why do so many high performers struggle when they move into leadership roles? In this episode of The Clear Voice, James Groom, Clear Vice President and Host of The Clear Voice, is joined by Michael Boese, President of Clear Career Professionals, for a conversation with LaShon Ross, Deputy City Manager for the City of Plano, Texas. With more than 30 years of experience in municipal government, LaShon shares practical

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29:02

#53 - Chief of Police Carrie Ellis | Women in...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/04/03

In this episode of The Clear Voice, James Groom is joined by Chief Carrie Ellis, a law enforcement leader with more than three decades of experience and the author of Ma’am In Command.Chief Ellis currently serves as the Chief of Police at Central Texas College and was recently sworn in as President of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, becoming only the second woman to hold that position in roughly thirty years. This conversation explores the realities women face in law enforcement, but more

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47:49

#52 - Successful Public Sector Projects with AG|CM

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/31

In Episode #52 of The Clear Voice, Marty Schmitt, President and CEO of AGCM, and Kendra Hickman, Director of Operations for AGCM South Texas, join the show to discuss what it actually takes to deliver successful public sector projects. They are joined by Michael Boese, President of Clear Career Professionals, and James Groom, Host of The Clear Voice. From city facilities and infrastructure to school district bond programs, public sector leaders are often responsible for multimillion dollar projects

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44:00

#51 - Marshall, Texas City Manager Recruitment...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/27

Marshall, TX City Manager Recruitment | PositionCast™Marshall, Texas is at a pivotal moment. In this PositionCast™ episode of The Clear Voice, Mayor Amy Ware joins Clear Career Professionals Vice President and recruiter and Retired City Manager Brad Stafford along with Host, James Groom, to provide a detailed look at the City Manager opportunity in Marshall. This conversation goes beyond the job brochure to explore the leadership expectations, community culture, and real opportunities for

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39:40

#50 - Lufkin, Texas City Engineer PositionCast™

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/24

Lufkin, Texas is Seeking a City Engineer The City of Lufkin, Texas is at a pivotal moment, focused on steady, intentional growth and delivering tangible improvements that residents can see and experience every day. In this PositionCast™, Host of The Clear Voice and Retired Police Chief James Groom is joined by Retired City Manager and President of Clear Career Professionals, Michael Boese, Lufkin City Manager Kevin Gee, and Lufkin Assistant City Manager Brian Bray to break down a City Engineer

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49:12

#49 - The Coming Water Crisis | Andrew Weber

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/17

In this episode of The Clear Voice, we sit down with Andrew Weber, a Texas attorney and public policy leader focused on groundwater, water governance, and aquifer sustainability.Andrew is a partner at Kelly Hart and Hallman, where he leads the Austin office and chairs the firm’s Public Law practice, working at the intersection of law, policy, and government relations before the Texas Legislature and state agencies. He currently serves as President and Executive Director of the Trinity Edwards

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47:41

#48 - The Dirty Side of Leadership with Ron Ward

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/10

Leadership is often portrayed as vision, strategy, and motivation. But experienced leaders know there is another side. The difficult conversations, personnel decisions, and moments when doing the right thing carries real consequences for people and organizations.In this episode of The Clear Voice, host and Retired Police Chief James Groom sits down with Ron Ward, Amazon bestselling author of The Dirty Side of Leadership, executive coach, and founder of 4Ward Operations. Ron spent more than 26 years

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41:44

#47 - Collateral Hope: Dena Petty and Mentors Care

The Clear Voice ·

2026/03/03

#47 - Collateral Hope: Dena Petty and Mentors CareStrong communities are built one life at a time, and at the center of every strong community are its kids. Episode 47 features Dena Petty, Founder and Director of Mentors Care, in conversation with host and Retired Police Chief James Groom. This episode explores how structured mentoring programs create measurable impact for at-risk students and strengthen schools, cities, and entire communities. Episode Summary Founded in Midlothian, Texas in 2009,

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38:20

#46 - Assistant Chief of Police at Bridgeport, Texas...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/27

Assistant Chief of Police at Bridgeport, Texas PositionCast™Are you exploring command-level law enforcement leadership opportunities or preparing for a future Chief of Police role? In this PositionCast™ episode of The Clear Voice, retired Chiefs of Police James Groom and Jeff Spivey sit down with Bridgeport Chief of Police Steve Stanford to discuss the newly created Assistant Chief of Police position in Bridgeport, Texas. Clear Career Professionals partners with cities to recruit Chiefs of Police,

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39:35

#45 - Building Strong Public Sector Teams with Cheree...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/24

Building Strong Public Sector Teams with Cheree BontragerHow do Texas cities attract, hire, and retain strong executive leaders? In this episode of The Clear Voice, host and Retired Police Chief James Groom and Retired City Manager Michael Boese speak with veteran municipal Director of Human Resources Cheree Bontrager about municipal hiring strategy, executive interview preparation, retention, and building a workplace culture that attracts leadership talent. For councils preparing to hire a City

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39:56

#44 - Morgan's Point Resort, Texas City Manager...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/20

In this PositionCast™ episode of The Clear Voice, Host James Groom, Clear Vice President and Retired Police Chief, sits down with Mayor Jimbo Snyder of Morgan’s Point Resort, Texas, alongside Retired City Manager Kent Meyers, Vice President at Clear Career Professionals, to provide a detailed look at the City Manager recruitment.Listeners gain direct insight into council expectations, organizational structure, leadership culture, and the real priorities facing the next City

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47:02

#43 - To A Better Place with Bobby Quinten

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/17

Bobby Quinten, PCC, Founder of To A Better Place Executive Coaching, joins James Groom, Retired Chief of Police and Host of The Clear Voice, for a powerful conversation on executive coaching, emotional intelligence, work life balance, culture transformation, and sustainable leadership in both public and private sector organizations. With decades of experience in leadership development, nonprofit governance, and municipal advisory service, Bobby helps executives strengthen communication, performance,

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42:53

#42 - Depopulation and the Future of Local Government...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/10

Episode 42 of The Clear Voice looks at a shift many public leaders are not planning for, the possibility that population growth cannot be assumed.Author and public policy researcher Bill King joins the show to discuss how changing demographics are reshaping the long-term outlook for cities, school districts, and public infrastructure. The conversation moves beyond theory and focuses on practical implications for capital planning, facilities, and financial strategy. King explains why growth has

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36:02

#41 - What Engineers Wish City Leaders Knew | Craig...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/02/03

Infrastructure problems rarely start the day a pipe breaks or a road fails. Most begin years earlier with decisions cities did not realize carried long term consequences.In this episode of The Clear Voice, Host James Groom and Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese sit down with municipal engineer Craig Kerkhoff, Managing Partner at BHC, to discuss the infrastructure realities city leaders face but often cannot see coming. Craig explains what engineers regularly encounter once

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18:36

#40 - Odessa, Texas CFO Opportunity PositionCast™

The Clear Voice ·

2026/01/29

What does it take to lead municipal finance in one of the most economically dynamic regions in the United States?In this PositionCast™, James Groom, Host of The Clear Voice, is joined by Kelly Kuenstler, Vice President with Clear Career Professionals, and Aaron Smith, City Manager of Odessa, Texas, to discuss the Chief Financial Officer opportunity with the City of Odessa. This conversation goes beyond a job posting and gives candidates a direct look at executive leadership expectations,

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33:17

#39 - Brad Stafford on City Manager Burnout

The Clear Voice ·

2026/01/27

Episode #39 of The Clear Voice features Brad Stafford, retired City Manager and Vice President at Clear Career Professionals, in an honest and important conversation about city manager burnout, leadership stress, and mental health in local government. Brad is joined by Kelly Kuenstler, Vice President at Clear Career Professionals and former city and county manager, along with James Groom, Host of The Clear Voice and public sector leader. After 28 years serving as a City Manager, Brad Stafford

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43:25

#38 - The Next Generation of Public Service with Max...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom is joined by Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese to welcome Max Fisher, a recent Texas Tech Master of Public Administration graduate and emerging local government professional. Together, they explore what the next generation of public service looks like and how cities can build stronger leadership pipelines.Max shares his journey from considering law school to discovering a passion for city management, policy development, and

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40:40

#37 – Nederland, Texas PositionCast™ | City Manager...

The Clear Voice ·

2026/01/16

This PositionCast™ episode of The Clear Voice focuses on the City Manager search for Nederland, Texas. Clear Voice Host James Groom is joined by Michael Boese, President of Clear Career Professionals, and James Hopper, Vice President of Clear Career Professionals, along with special guest Mayor Jeff Darby of Nederland to discuss the expectations and opportunities for the next City Manager.The conversation provides direct insight into the priorities shaping Nederland’s future, including renewal of

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23:09

#36 - Wichita Falls, Texas Chief Building Official

The Clear Voice ·

2026/01/13

Wichita Falls, Texas is hiring a Chief Building Official during a period of major growth and development. In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom is joined by Clear Career Professionals recruiter Michael Boese and Assistant City Manager Paul Menzies to discuss the Chief Building Official opportunity in Wichita Falls, Texas. The conversation explores the city’s compliance focused inspections culture, same day inspection model, leadership expectations, and the role’s importance in

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55 results

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