Whittingham Gordon, who is currently the Deputy City Manager of Miramar City in Florida, has been appointed the first Jamaican-born individual to serve in the position of City Manager, beginning November 6, 2021. Gordon is a 26-year veteran of the city and has been the Deputy City Manager since 2020. He will succeed Vernon Hargray, whose contract expires on November 5.

Gordon earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and received an honorable discharge from the United States Army after four years of service. Before going to work for the City of Miramar, Gordon was employed in various departments of Miami-Dade County, including Water and Sewer and Building and Zoning. He rose through the ranks over the years and when he was with the Engineering Department, he was responsible for the oversight of land development projects during the period when Miramar was the fastest growing city in the county.

Gordon has also served in leadership positions with the Utilities Department and was Assistant City Manager. In that role, he initiated several new programs, including two that received the National Smart 50 Award presented by the Smart City Connect Foundation. These were the Smart Water Meter project and the Building Energy Management Systems project.

Commenting on his appointment as City Manager, Gordon said it was “truly a dream come true for me and it has been a long journey to get here.” He noted his 30 years’ residence in Miramar and 26 years as a city employee, saying he has seen the city grow over that time. He thanked the City Commission for their confidence in him and said he was proud to serve “this great All-America City. He particularly thanked Hargray for his service and leadership as City Manager and for his contributions to moving the city forward.

Gordon is committed to working with city residents, elected officials, and local businesses to keep the city “beautiful, progressive, and a safe place to live, work, and call home.” He added that outgoing City Manager Hargray “led the city well and will leave some big shoes to fill.”