A Proposal to Conduct an Executive Recruitment
for the Position of
TOWN MANAGER
on behalf of the
1544 Eureka Road, Suite 180
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 784-9080
(916) 784-1985 fax
May 6, 2026
Mayor Margie Mohler and
Members of Town Council
Town of Yountville
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Submitted via email to: [email protected]
Dear Mayor Mohler & Members of Town Council:
Bob Murray & Associates is pleased to submit a proposal to conduct the Town Manager recruitment for the Town of Yountville. The following details our unique qualifications and describes our systematic—yet flexible—method of identifying, recruiting, and screening outstanding candidates on your behalf. Bob Murray & Associates is proud to offer straightforward, all-in pricing, eliminating surprises and making the experience simple and stress-free. This proposal includes information on our proven process, a timeline, and a guarantee.
As the premier public sector executive search firm specializing in positions that report directly to elected boards/councils, we understand the unique dynamics, high expectations, and political acumen required of leaders in these critical roles. We don’t just fill positions—we ensure the candidates we present to Town of Yountville are wellaligned with your organization’s goals, values, and culture. Our team is composed of experienced executive recruiters and former public-sector executives—professionals who are passionate about public service and attuned to current trends in government leadership. With over 34 years of experience and a network of more than 40,000 professionals and organizations, we’ve built a strong reputation for delivering exceptional candidates and achieving repeat success with our clients.
Bob Murray & Associates recognizes that we work at the pleasure of the Town Council and our job is to facilitate the Council in finding the Town’s next Town Manager. Our best practice is to establish a strong partnership with the Council, to ensure the placement of a Town Manager who is ideally suited to its needs. In developing this collaborative approach, we will seek the opportunity to meet with the council members individually to discuss their expectations for the Town’s new Town Manager. The feedback received from the council members will be essential in providing guidance when recruiting and screening candidates for the position.
Current and recent recruitments we have completed similar in scope to your upcoming search include the following:
2026
Sonoma, CA (City Manager) – current
Lemon Grove, CA (City Manager) –
current
South Lake Tahoe, CA (City Manager) –
current
Pacifica, CA (City Manager) – current
Sausalito, CA (City Manager) – current
Concord, CA (City Manager)
Santa Rosa, CA (City Manager)
Monterey, CA (City Manager)
Eugene, OR (City Manager)
Cathedral City, CA (City Manager)
Hanford, CA (City Manager)
2025
Hayward, CA (City Manager)
Apple Valley, CA (Town Manager)
Davis, CA (City Manager)
Live Oak, CA (City Manager)
Oakdale, CA (City Manager)
Fowler, CA (City Manager)
Louisville, CO (City Manager)
Manhattan Beach, CA (Deputy City
Manager)
2024
Vernon, CA (City Administrator)
Folsom, CA (City Manager)
Murrieta, CA (City Manager)
Aliso Viejo, CA (City Manager)
Manhattan Beach, CA (City Manager)
Emeryville, CA (City Manager)
Reno, NV (City Manager)
Clovis, CA (City Manager)
Clayton, CA (City Manager)
Vancouver, WA (City Manager)
Orinda, CA (City Manager)
Pinole, CA (City Manager)
Novato, CA (City Manager)
Saratoga, CA (City Manager)
Sparks, NV (City Manager)
Salinas, CA (City Manager)
Pacific Grove, CA (City Manager)
Marin County, CA (County Administrator)
We work as a team on every search at Bob Murray & Associates. Your Project Lead would be Gary Phillips who would not only direct and supervise the project team from beginning to end but also serve as the Recruiter for the project.
To learn first-hand about the quality of our services and why the majority of our engagements come from repeat and referred clients, we invite you to contact the references listed on page 14 of the attached proposal.
We look forward to your favorable consideration of our qualifications. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (916) 784-9080 with any questions.
Sincerely,
Valerie Gaeta Phillips
President, Bob Murray & Associates
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS ........................................................................2 STEP 1 DEVELOP THE CANDIDATE PROFILE........................................................ 2 STEP 2 DESIGN/DISTRIBUTE BROCHURE AND ADVERTISEMENTS ........................ 3 Reaching Diverse Candidates...................................................................... 4 STEP 3 RECRUIT CANDIDATES ............................................................................ 4 STEP 4 SCREEN CANDIDATES............................................................................. 5 STEP 5 CONDUCT PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS...................................................... 5 STEP 6 SEARCH PUBLIC RECORDS...................................................................... 5 STEP 7 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................... 5 STEP 8 FACILITATE FINAL INTERVIEWS ................................................................ 6 STEP 9 CONDUCT BACKGROUND AND REFERENCE CHECKS ............................. 6 STEP 10 ASSIST IN NEGOTIATIONS..................................................................... 7 COMPLETE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE ................................................7 COSTS AND GUARANTEE ..............................................................................8 PROFESSIONAL FEE AND EXPENSES ................................................................... 8 Optional Services ........................................................................................... 8 GUARANTEE....................................................................................................... 9 RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE .......................................................................... 10 FIRM PROFILE ................................................................................................ 11 REFERENCES ................................................................................................. 14
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 2
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Bob Murray & Associates’ recruiters are specialists in finding positive placements and providing security and fairness to candidates and clients while ensuring the integrity of the search process. Outlined below are the steps in our proven recruitment process, refined through our 34+ years of experience in executive recruiting.
STEP 1 DEVELOP THE CANDIDATE PROFILE
Our understanding of the Town of Yountville’ needs will be key to a successful search.
Gary Phillips will meet virtually with the Town Council and key stakeholders to learn as much as possible about the ideal candidate for the Town Manager position. Key stakeholders often include:
• Council/Board Members – up to five virtual one-on-one meetings with the Recruiter
• Internal Stakeholders (e.g. Department Heads) – up to two virtual group meetings with the Recruiter
• External Stakeholders (e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Community Groups) – one virtual one-on-one or group meeting with the Recruiter
Internal and External Stakeholders
We find that many of our clients value a recruitment process that opens the opportunity for employees, community members, business leaders, and organization representatives to provide input regarding the ideal candidate. Our recruiters are skilled in virtually facilitating group staff meetings, forums for the business community, and/or town hall meetings that provide for equitable involvement from a variety of constituencies.
If the Town of Yountville desires, we will work with the Town Council to create a customized virtual community and/or staff input process. Please note: Virtual facilitation of stakeholder meetings is included in the professional fee. On-site Recruiter facilitation is available for an additional fee – please refer to “Costs and Guarantee” on page 7 for pricing information.
Online Stakeholder Surveys
Sometimes clients are seeking input from a wider range of stakeholders—such as community members, business leaders, and organization representatives—online surveys are ideal to solicit input regarding qualities of the ideal candidate. Our experienced recruiters excel at crafting targeted, thoughtful, open-ended questions and can design a customized survey, providing a link for easy sharing on your website.
After closing, your dedicated Recruitment Coordinator will send you the survey Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 3 response data for your review and analysis. This proposal includes one Online Survey.
Additional Online Surveys are available under Optional Services (please refer to page 8).
We want to become familiar with the values and culture of the organization, as well as to understand the current and future issues, challenges, and opportunities in the Town of Yountville.
Mr. Phillips will review and help define the Town’s wish-list regarding the ideal candidate’s personality, management style, knowledge, skills, and abilities and will work with the Town to identify expectations regarding education and experience. The Town Council and your Recruiter will discuss compensation, benefits, and other key information necessary to ensure that outstanding candidates are attracted to this opportunity. The profile we develop together at this stage will drive subsequent recruitment efforts.
STEP 2 DESIGN/DISTRIBUTE BROCHURE AND ADVERTISEMENTS
Your Recruiter and your dedicated Recruitment Coordinator will use the candidate profile developed with the Town of Yountville to create a professional recruitment brochure, with the assistance of our professional graphic designer. The four-page, fullcolor brochure will describe the community, organization, position, ideal candidate, and compensation and will include pictures provided by the Town of Yountville that you feel best represent your organization and your community.
Upon your approval, your Recruiter will send the brochure by email (and postal mail if desired) to a targeted audience, personally inviting potential candidates to apply for the Town Manager position. We will also place the recruitment brochure on our website, which attracts over 11,000 unique hits weekly and is a trusted resource for candidates seeking executive and professional positions. Two sample brochures are included in this proposal package for your reference.
Your Recruiter will also design an effective advertising campaign appropriate for the Twon Manager recruitment. Our broadest outreach comes through our active social media involvement on LinkedIn as well as our monthly newsletter where upcoming and current positions are featured. Sources such as Western City Magazine, PublicCEO, and the Careers in Government website will be used to reach an extensive local government audience, while position-specific postings will be chosen to attract candidates who have built their careers in and are committed to the City/Town Management field.
Suggested Town Manager-specific advertising sources for the Town of Yountville’s search include but are not limited to:
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 3 California City Management Foundation
International City County Management Association
League of Women in Government
National League of Cities
League of California Cities
Bob Murray & Associates does not typically place ads with job aggregators or general job posting sites such as CareerBuilder, Monster, or Indeed, as we have found that the broad reach of these sites does not necessarily lead to quality candidates for executive and professional positions.
Reaching Diverse Candidates
Bob Murray & Associates, a woman- and minority-owned business, is proud of its commitment to attracting and placing diverse candidates. Nearly 50% of our last 100 placements were women; Hispanic placements 25%; African American placements 13%; Asian placements 21%; and Native American placements at 1%. Not only do we place advertisements with websites designed to attract minority and female candidates, but our President, Valerie Phillips, is a member herself of many diversity-focused organizations including the Local Government Hispanic Network, the League of Women in Government, the Professional Women’s Network, Mexican Professionals, and Women Leading Government. She networks frequently with fellow members to gain insight into which potential candidates are leaders in their field.
Your Recruiter will seek to reach candidates in communities and organizations with demographic profiles and populations served like that of the Town of Yountville, to maximize the potential for individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences to be considered for the Town Manager position.
STEP 3 RECRUIT CANDIDATES
The strongest candidates are often those who are successful and content in their current positions and need to be sold on a new opportunity. Our extensive network of contacts, developed through over 2,100 successful placements, is a primary source for identifying and obtaining referrals for these candidates. Our in-house database of 40,000 current and former executive and professional candidates is a valuable resource that can only be built over time—time that we have invested into perfecting our process for finding the right candidates for our clients. Our aggressive outreach efforts are focused on phone calls to personally invite potential applicants, answer questions, and allay any reservations, and these efforts are essential to the success of the Town Manager recruitment.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 4 STEP 4 SCREEN CANDIDATES
Following the closing date for the recruitment, your Recruiter will screen all resumes we have received, using the criteria established in the candidate profile as a basis upon which to narrow the field of candidates. Internal candidates receive sensitive consideration, and your Recruiter will discuss with the Town Council how the Town of Yountville wishes to proceed with these candidates.
STEP 5 CONDUCT PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS
Mr. Phillips will personally interview the top 10 to 15 candidates from the resume screening, with the goal of determining which candidates have the greatest potential to succeed in your organization. To reduce travel-related expenses to our clients and increase efficiency in the search process, these interviews are typically conducted via Zoom, Teams, or other convenient videoconferencing applications.
STEP 6 SEARCH PUBLIC RECORDS
Under the direction of your Recruiter, your dedicated Recruitment Coordinator will conduct a review of published print and online articles for each recommended candidate. Sources include Lexis-Nexis™, Google, social media, and our contacts in the field. This will alert your Recruiter to any further detailed inquiries we may need to make before our recommendations are finalized.
STEP 7 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on our findings during the preliminary interview process, your Recruiter will meet with the Town Council virtually or on site to share the complete applicant list and recommend a limited number of candidates for your further consideration. Your Recruiter will make specific recommendations and will help facilitate discussions regarding the candidate pool, but the final determination of interviewees will be up to you.
We typically recommend 6-8 candidates that we feel best match your expectations and prepare a detailed report on each candidate. This virtual “Recommended Finalist” eBook is provided to each member of the decision-making body and includes:
Candidate list with Recommended Finalists identified in Group 1 and Group 2 (primary and secondary recommendations), as well as Internal candidates Summary of experience and education for each Recommended Finalist candidate
Complete cover letter and resume for each Recommended Finalist candidate List of Other Applicants (those who did not meet minimum qualifications or were otherwise unsuitable, based on our screening process)
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 5 Bob Murray & Associates maintains all search records for a period of seven (7) years following each recruitment, and we are happy to forward cover letters and resumes for each applicant by postal mail or email as soon as the recruitment closes to new applications.
STEP 8 FACILITATE PANEL INTERVIEWS
Our years of experience will be invaluable as we help you develop an interview process that objectively assesses the qualifications of each candidate. We will work with the Town of Yountville to craft and implement an interview approach that fits your needs.
This may include panel and/or individual interviews by the Town Council; key stakeholders, community/employee interview panels; writing and presentation samples; meet-and-greets; or other specialized process elements your Recruiter helps the Town of Yountville to design.
Mr. Phillips will be present on-site during the panel interviews to facilitate as necessary during the process and to guide discussion to consensus regarding final candidates.
Bound interview books will be provided for each interview panel member containing:
Recruitment brochure with candidate profile
Interview schedule
Suggested interview questions
Experience summary, cover letter, resume, and rating form for each candidate
Ranking forms for use during the panel interview process We will work closely with your staff to coordinate and schedule interviews. Our goal is to ensure that each candidate has a positive experience, as the way the entire process is conducted will influence the final candidates’ perception of your organization.
STEP 9 CONDUCT BACKGROUND AND REFERENCE CHECKS
Mr. Phillips and your Recruitment Coordinator will conduct detailed reference checks for up to two (2) final candidates. To gain an accurate and honest appraisal of the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, we will talk candidly with people who have direct knowledge of their work and management style. In addition to gaining a 360-degree view of candidates from the perspective of their supervisors, subordinates and peers for the past several years, we will make a point of speaking confidentially to individuals who may have further insight into a candidate’s abilities but who may not be on their preferred list of contacts.
Your Recruitment Coordinator will work with the two (2) final candidates and our professional backgrounding firm, HireRight, to conduct credit, civil litigation, and motor vehicle record checks and verify candidates’ degrees.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 6 STEP 10 ASSIST IN NEGOTIATIONS
We recognize the critical importance of successful negotiations and can serve as your representative during this process. Your Recruiter will know what other organizations have done to put deals together with great candidates and what the current market is like for Town Manager positions in organizations like the Town of Yountville’. Your Recruiter will be available to advise you regarding current approaches to difficult issues, such as housing and relocation. We will represent your interests and advise the chosen candidate and you regarding salary, benefits, and employment agreements, with the goal of putting together a deal that results in the appointment of your chosen candidate.
With our proven experience and vested interest in a positive outcome, we can turn a very difficult aspect of the recruitment into one that is straightforward and agreeable for all parties involved.
COMPLETE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE
We receive many unsolicited testimonials each year from clients and candidates alike noting our prompt, considerate, accurate, and professional service during the search process. Throughout the recruitment, in time intervals that suit the Town of Yountville, we will provide you with updates on the status of the search and attend to all administrative details on your behalf.
Candidates receive immediate acknowledgement of their applications, as well as personal phone calls and/or emails (as appropriate) advising them of their status at each critical point in the recruitment. Candidates who receive preliminary or final interviews and are not chosen to move forward in the interview process will receive personal calls from your Recruiter on behalf of the Town of Yountville.
It is our internal company standard that all inquiries from clients and candidates receive a response within the same business day whenever possible, and certainly within 24 hours if the inquiry is received during the work week. Your Recruiter will be available to the Town of Yountville by office phone, cell phone, and email at any time to ensure a smooth and stress-free recruitment process.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 7
COSTS AND GUARANTEE
PROFESSIONAL FEE AND EXPENSES
The all-inclusive professional services fee for conducting the Town Manager recruitment on behalf of the Town of Yountville is $29,900. Services provided for in this fee consist of all steps outlined in this proposal, including design and distribution of the recruitment brochure, advertising, marketing and promotion, administrative support, public records research, comprehensive background reporting on the final candidates, postage, technology, and three days of on-site meetings. This proposal is valid for 60 days from the date of the proposal.
Optional Services are listed below and are in addition to the professional services fee.
Expense reimbursement for Consultant travel related to additional on-site meeting days is billed at the actual rate (airfare/mileage, lodging) and is the responsibility of the Town of Yountville.
The professional fee does not limit the amount of time invested by Bob Murray & Associates in promoting a successful outcome for this project. In fact, our mission for this project is to ensure we assist in identifying the right candidate for the Town of Yountville. Therefore, your Recruiter will contact the Town at the first anniversary of the placement to confirm an effective transition has occurred.
Optional Services
Additional virtual stakeholder meetings: $250/meeting
Additional on-site meeting days: $1,500/day/Consultant, plus travel expenses Online Surveys: $500/each (includes preparing recommended questions, preparing and sharing the survey link, closing the survey, and sending the survey response data for your review and analysis
Additional background checks: $300/candidate
Additional reference checks: $500/candidate
Additional hires: $9,000/candidate
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 8
GUARANTEE
In the event a candidate recommended by our firm resigns or is terminated within the first 12 months of employment, Bob Murray & Associates will provide the Town of Yountville with professional services to secure a replacement. Services will be provided at no cost, aside from the following reimbursable expenses incurred on the Town of Yountville’ behalf during the new search:
Brochure design and distribution ($695 reprint only, $1,275 edit/reflow/reprint)(if needed)
Advertising actual costs (estimated at $2,975)
Public records search for all new candidates ($500)
Background Checks ($300/candidate)
Reference Checks ($500/candidate)
Consultant travel reimbursement (if travel is needed)
Plus any applicable Optional Services, if desired
In the event that a placement is not made from the initial recruitment, Bob Murray & Associates will provide professional services to conduct one additional recruitment.
Services will be provided at no cost. However, the Town of Yountville will be responsible for the reimbursable expenses as noted above.
We are confident in our ability to recruit outstanding candidates and do not expect the Town to find it necessary to exercise this provision of our proposal.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 9
RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
We are prepared to start work on this assignment upon receipt of a signed professional services agreement or other written, authorized notification. A full search can be completed in 13-16 weeks from the date of initial meetings with our client.
The final recruitment schedule will be determined in collaboration with Town of Yountville. A typical timeline of tasks and events is included here for reference.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 10
FIRM PROFILE
OUR STAFF
Bob Murray & Associates is a small firm focusing exclusively on executive search services. We have a team of seventeen (17):
Bob Murray, Founder
Valerie Gaeta Phillips, President
Gary Phillips, Executive Vice President
Joel Bryden, Vice President
Yasmin Beers, Senior Executive Recruiter
Adele Fresé, Senior Executive Recruiter
Stacy Stevenson, Senior Executive Recruiter
Jon Lewis, Executive Recruiter
Stephanie Dietz, Executive Recruiter
Melanie Richardson, Executive Recruiter
Jeff Mori, Executive Recruiter
Michael Ishii, Executive Recruiter
Ian Schmutzler, Executive Recruiter
Alexandria Huesca, Recruitment and Operations Manager
Kathy Lolas, Senior Recruitment Coordinator
Grace Marshall, Senior Recruitment Coordinator
Steph Souza, Recruitment Coordinator
Please see your lead recruiter’s biography below:
GARY PHILLIPS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND RECRUITER
Since joining Bob Murray & Associates, Mr. Phillips has completed over 125 searches for executives and professionals in a wide variety of fields including animal services, city and general management, planning, legal counsel, cyber security, and human resources. Gary’s clients have ranged from municipal government to non-profit and private sector organizations, and he has sourced outstanding candidates for positions from the level of division managers up to City Managers, Executive Directors, and General Managers.
Gary started his career with a New York-based Fortune 100 company and quickly became a Senior Manager, building and running a large customer service organization that eventually expanded to 13 countries in Europe. He proceeded to hold senior leadership positions in several Fortune 500 companies, with noted successes such as Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 11 building an organization from two to 250 employees worldwide and growing a company from 800 to 1200 employees.
As part of an executive acquisition and recruiting team, Gary helped build a start-up enterprise software company in San Francisco, recruiting top-notch talent and building a world-class organization. He has maintained customer relationships in the public sector and the private sector, including medical and financial institutions. He prides himself on finding key talent and offering the best customer service to his clients.
Mr. Phillips, along with Ms. Gaeta-Phillips, is involved in his community as a soccer coach, as an organizer of fundraisers for Autism Speaks and the UC Davis M.I.N.D.
Institute, and as a sponsor of the Northern California Special Olympics. Mr. Phillips received his Associate of Science degree and completed additional coursework at Rochester Institute of Technology, NY.
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 12
CORPORATION
Bob Murray & Associates was founded in May 2000 and operated under the corporation name MBN Services, Inc. until June 2014; our new corporation name is GVP Ventures, Inc., incorporated in California in 2014. Contact information for the corporation and the firm is as follows:
GVP Ventures, Inc. OR Bob Murray & Associates
1544 Eureka Road, Ste. 180
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 784-9080
[email protected]
Our corporation and firm are financially sound (and have been so since 2000), with documentation from our accountant available to your organization prior to final execution of a professional service agreement. We have never been involved in any litigation, aside from our personnel serving as expert witnesses when called to do so.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Our firm, represented by either our President or our Executive Vice President, are involved in the following organizations to remain engaged with current and future issues relevant to the work we conduct on behalf of clients like Town of Yountville:
California Special Districts Association
California City Management Foundation (CCMF)
Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) International Network of Asian Public Administrators (I-NAPA) League of California Cities
League of Women in Government
Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)
Members of our leadership team not only attend events sponsored by these associations but are also frequently called upon to serve as panel members and to provide specialized lectures regarding industry-specific issues. Recent and upcoming speaking engagements and trainings provided by our staff include:
“Role of the Chief” class, annually presented by Jon Lewis on behalf of the California Police Chiefs Association;
MMANC and MMASC annual mock interviews;
Annual League of California Cities Booth; and
Annual League of California Cities City Manager’s Conference (City Manager hosted event).
Bob Murray & Associates Proposal for the Town of Yountville Page 13
REFERENCES
Clients and candidates are the best testament to our ability to conduct quality searches.
Clients for whom Bob Murray & Associates has recently conducted similar searches are listed below:
CLIENT: City of Folsom, CA
POSITION: City Manager
REFERENCE: MS. Allsion Garcia, Human Resources Director (916) 461-6050
CLIENT: City of Concord, CA
POSITION: City Manager
REFERENCE: Ms. Sara Castro, Human Resources
(910) 523-6608
Ms. Jasmin Loi, Human Resources Director
(925) 671-3310
CLIENT: City of Monterey, CA
POSITION: City Manager
REFERENCE: Mayor Tyller Williamson
(831) 760-5173
We appreciate the Town of Yountville’s consideration of our proposal and look forward to working with you.