City Manager
City of Rochester

Jaymes is city manager of Rochester where has developed a team who works diligently for the community. The team is especially proud of the $7.6 million project makeover of Main Street in downtown Rochester. After four years of planning and seven months of building, the project successfully improved water service and added streetscape improvements to enhance the overall downtown experience. Occupancy rates improved during the project and continue to grow. Most importantly, it rededicated the community's support and commitment to Main Street.

As an adjunct faculty member at Rochester College and local government manager, Jaymes can illustrate for students the similarities and differences between the public, non-profit and private sectors. His experience with teaching made him committed to developing opportunities for young people to learn more about public service as a career.

He was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the Michigan Municipal League for his work to change the laws and internal policies of the Municipal Employees' Retirement System to recognize needed changes in how local governments address pension funding obligations. On his watch, the city received the International City/County Management Association "Voice of the People" award, which recognizes outstanding customer service by a local government; an American Society of Civil Engineers "Outstanding Civil Engineering Project of the Year" award, which the city received with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the Main Street project; and the Keep Michigan Beautiful "President's Award," which recognized the Paint Creek restoration project. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his master's degree from Lehigh University.

The information presented here was accurate as of January 1, 2015.