City Manager George Chavez has announced that he will retire this December after a 35-year career serving the City of Beverly Hills. 

“George Chavez is a beloved treasure,” said Mayor Lili Bosse. “For more than three decades, he has been the fiber of our community. As City Manager, his calm and strong leadership and heartfelt connection to the essence of what makes Beverly Hills so special has always made him a cherished leader. On behalf of the City Council and our entire community, we are deeply grateful to him for being the heart and soul of our community and wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Chavez began his career with the City of Beverly Hills in 1988 as a Building Inspector and has held a number of positions over the years. He served as Assistant Director of Community Development and Director of Public Works before being named Assistant City Manager in 2016. Chavez was appointed Beverly Hills City Manager in June of 2019. 

He has presided over interesting times in that capacity. 

His tenure as City Manager coincided with several multi-million-dollar payouts in lawsuits involving allegations of wrongdoing by then-Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli; the selection of interim Police Chief Dominick Rivetti; unprecedented civil unrest and protests in the city in the wake of the George Floyd verdict; the filing of a class-action civil rights lawsuit against the city’s police department; an increase in violent crime in the city, as well as throughout the country; the hiring of current Police Chief Mark Stainbrook, and of course, a global pandemic.

In a statement released by the city, Chavez said that he “could not have predicted” the challenges that awaited him in the position. 

“From civil unrest to the global pandemic and its financial impacts to our city, it was the commitment and resilience of our City Council, employees and community that helped us emerge stronger and ready for the future. I leave the city in very good hands and will treasure the friendships I’ve made for the rest of my life. Thank you, Beverly Hills.”

Among the awards and accolades Chavez has accumulated over the years are the Fred C. Cunningham Award for Distinguished Service. On May 9, Chavez, along with members of the Beverly Hills Police Department and Beverly Hills Fire Department, was honored with a Vocational Service Award from the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills. 

The City Council will determine Chavez’s successor.