City Manager A.C. Gonzalez
A.C. Gonzalez has built a strong record in municipal management for more than 28 years, with 14 years serving the City of Dallas as an Assistant City Manager. During his tenure, he has spearheaded projects that have changed the face of Dallas, including the development of the Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel, management of the Love Field Modernization Program, negotiations of the Dallas Stars Reunion Arena lease, which brought the professional sports franchise to Dallas.
The Dallas City Council appointed Gonzalez as City Manager on January 21, 2014. As City Manager, Gonzalez is responsible for the daily operations of the municipal organization. He manages a staff of approximately 13,000 employees and a budget of nearly 3 billion.
Most recently, Gonzalez served as interim City Manager beginning in June 2013. He was also the First Assistant City Manager overseeing Aviation, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Municipal Courts, Office of Emergency Management, and the Dallas Police Department. Over the past 5 years, he has also managed Convention and Event Services, Housing/ Community Services, Economic Development, Planning and Development Services.
In those roles, Gonzalez not only led the effort to build the Omni, but also organized street car advocates in order to win a federal grant expanding street cars back into downtown Dallas. He was responsible for several Tax Increment Finance zones and negotiated numerous development projects growing the city’s tax base.
Gonzalez has served two stints as Assistant City Manager of the City of Dallas. The first, from 1988 to 1995, and the current one starting in 2006. Before returning to the City of Dallas, Gonzalez was the President of Buerger Investments, a privately owned investment company.
Previously, Mr. Gonzalez was the Deputy Superintendent and then Superintendent of the Austin Independent School District from 1995 to the end of 1999. His most recognized achievements include: executing a $437 million bond program which built 11 new schools, 156 classroom additions and renovated 96 campuses; developing the district’s first historically underutilized business program; and leading the development of the district’s first joint building project with the City of Austin, which connected an elementary school with police, social services, library and park and recreation facilities.
Gonzalez has served as City Manager for three Texas communities: City of San Marcos, from 1979 to 1988; City of Carrizo Springs from 1976 to 1979; and City of Dilley from 1974 to 1976, where he started his career at age 23 as one of the youngest city managers in the U.S.
Mr. Gonzalez earned his Bachelor’s Degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973 and his Masters Degree in Urban Studies from Trinity University in 1976.