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, organizational direction, and the financial complexity facing Odessa’s next CFO. Odessa operates in the...

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 shares the personal and professional realities that led him to step away from city management, not...

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 community impact. He reflects on the transition from classroom theory to real world municipal...

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 aging infrastructure, grant development and outside funding, emergency management readiness...

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 supporting major commercial and data center development projected in the billions. This PositionCast...

In this episode of The Clear Voice podcast by Clear Career Professionals, we explore a significant development in local government leadership in Surfside Beach, Texas. For the first time in the community’s history, Surfside Beach is creating a City Administrator position to lead day to day operations, implement strategic priorities, and work closely with the Mayor and City Council. This PositionCast highlights a rare opportunity for an experienced public sector leader interested in municipal leadership in a coastal Texas community. The conversation examines what makes Surfside Beach unique,...

The Clear Voice closes out the year with a reflective wrap-up conversation between host James Groom and Clear Career President Michael Boese, looking back on the moments, lessons, and impact that shaped 2025 while setting the stage for the year ahead. Together, they revisit key themes from the past twelve months, discuss how leadership and service continue to evolve in local government, and reflect on the mission-driven work that defines Clear’s approach to recruitment, consulting, and community impact. This episode explores how meaningful relationships, intentional leadership, and a focus...

In this special year-end episode of Clear Voice, host James Groom takes us on a reflective journey through 2025, sharing personal and professional milestones of the Clear Career Professionals team. Listeners will hear from various team members, including James Hopper, Marty Schmitt, Deanna Hendrix, Kevin Boese, and Kelly Kuenstler, as they share their own reflections on the past year. From leadership lessons to personal anecdotes, each guest offers unique insights into what made 2025 a year to remember. The episode also looks forward to 2026, with discussions on upcoming goals, exciting...

The City Manager position in Lamesa, Texas offers a rare opportunity to lead a full service West Texas city at a moment of real transition. In this City Manager PositionCast, Mayor Hayden Davis, Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese, and The Clear Voice host, James Groom, provide a candid discussion about the Lamesa City Manager role, including council expectations, governance philosophy, economic development strategy, infrastructure priorities, and community culture. This episode covers what it is like to live and work in Lamesa TX, the City Manager salary and benefits, TMRS...

In this episode of the Clear Voice, host James Groom is joined by Clear President Michael Boese and City of Weatherford leadership for a PositionCast highlighting an exceptional municipal finance opportunity, Director of Finance for the City of Weatherford, Texas. City Manager James Hotopp and Assistant City Manager and CFO Dawn Brooks provide an in depth look at Weatherford’s culture, values, and strategic approach to growth. They discuss why the city has intentionally pursued steady, well managed expansion, how fiscal discipline supports quality of life and public safety, and what makes...