City Manager Rob Lyons announced today that Jennifer Moody has accepted the position as Assistant City Manager for the City of Murfreesboro, effective June 1. Moody becomes the second assistant city manager for Murfreesboro, joining Assistant City Manager Jim Crumley. Moody will report directly to Manager Lyons. She was selected among a pool of 150 applicants for the position.

"As the city of Murfreesboro continues to grow rapidly, we need additional assistance and expertise going forward," said City Manager Rob Lyons. "As one of the fastest growing cities in the country, the pace is fast and the workload is growing. Jennifer will assume significant responsibilities in meeting the demands of the City Manager's Office. She will be a great addition to our leadership team."

Moody joins the City of Murfreesboro after serving as assistant city manager in Columbia, Tennessee, a position she has held since June 2010. Moody's experience also includes working for the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (UT-MTAS) and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in Chicago, Illinois. During her MTAS internship, Moody spent several months with the City, where she worked on projects for Police and Fire & Rescue.

Moody's knowledge and work in grant writing and program implementation has helped Columbia to develop several urban renewal and neighborhood revitalization opportunities. A new Youth Empowerment Center for expansion of Boys and Girls Club services, improvements to the Columbia Duck Riverwalk Park and the Ridley Park Sports Complex are projects that Columbia developed with critical outside matching funds due in part to Moody's grant writing leverage.

Moody will assist in economic development for the administration and recommend strategic grant funding opportunities to the City Manager and City Council.

Moody has an undergraduate degree in International Affairs from the Xavier University and a Master's in Public Administration from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Finalists for assistant city manager interviewed with both a city panel and a community panel in addition to interviewing with City Manager Lyons. The second assistant city manager position was created following the departure of Shannon Logan, who had served as an assistant to the city manager. The Murfreesboro City Council authorized the upgrade from assistant to the city manager to assistant city manager to create two positions with that title.