City Manager Reyes Medrano, Jr.

As the city manager of Tolleson, Reyes Medrano, Jr. is charged with the utmost quality delivery of municipal services to the community, economic development initiatives, budget creation and administration, strategic planning for the city, fiscal accountability, and employee relations.  As a Tolleson native, Reyes has borne witness to the growth of the city from a small farming community dubbed “the Vegetable Center of the World,” to a strong commercial and industrial base that allows for the delivery of many amenities and cultural activities to Tolleson’s citizens.

Reyes began his involvement with the City of Tolleson in 1992 as a police dispatcher and administrative assistant to the Chief of Police where he served for five years while completing his Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology and Human Relations from Northern Arizona University.  Upon completion of his graduate education, her served as the management assistant to the City Manager’s office.  Two years later, at the age of 29, he was promoted to Assistant City Manager.  He was ultimately appointment City Manager in October 2005.  In addition to his roles with the city, he is a former Adjunct Faculty member of Estrella Mountain Community College where he taught courses in business management, leadership and psychology.

As a proponent of smart economic development, Reyes was instrumental in the attraction of numerous Fortune 500 companies that employ over 30,000 people from throughout the region.  His current focus is to ensure that Tolleson is seen as a viable and attractive option for retail developers through economic development strategies and the development of a new civic center and aquatics center.

His passion for employee empowerment and the evocation of greatness in all people has led to the implementation of a Total Quality Management paradigm shift, which ensures educational opportunities for all city personnel.  He has been a powerful mentor for the city’s youth and organizational teammates alike, imparting the knowledge he has gained throughout his 32 years of community service.

Professionally, Reyes has been a keynote speaker on a variety of topics for numerous organizations including the Arizona Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, the Maricopa Community College District, and the Gas Light Sustainable Design Expo.  He has also been selected to serve the Housing and Urban Development Agency as a member of the Federal National Review Committee and moderated a panel on Diversity and Inclusion in Arizona Municipalities for the Arizona City Manager’s Association.  In addition, he was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” for Leadership West Class IV, selected as a member of the inaugural Arizona Business Journal’s Forty under 40 Class of 2001.  He was honored by West Valley Magazine as their first “Mover” of the Movers and Shakers program for 2007.  Most recently he was appointed to the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation Board of Directors by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Community involvement has been a cornerstone for Reyes throughout his lifetime.  He has served as a Little League coach, the PTA president for Porfirio Hurtado Gonzales Elementary School, and assisted with the introduction of civic involvement and heightened awareness of careers in public affairs through the Tolleson Teen Council.  Further, he has worked with teen parents in the parenting program at Tolleson Union High School District.

Reyes has been married for 32 years to wife, Elisa, and is the proud father of six children and 10 grandchildren who are actively involved in the West Valley.  Reyes holds firm in his belief that public service should evoke joy in the served and the public servant.