The town manager talent search that current and former Whiteland town officials called a “herculean” task is complete.
After receiving more than 50 applications and interviewing several viable candidates, the Whiteland Town Council selected Kevin McGinnis, former Bargersville town manager, as Whiteland’s new town manager.
McGinnis, a 40-year White River Township resident, was tapped to lead the town due to his experience leading Bargersville, land development expertise and enthusiasm for public service, said Brad Goedeker, a member of the town council’s search committee.
Goedeker and others have said the loss of current town manager Norm Gabehart to retirement will be felt deeply. However, the council is confident McGinnis can seamlessly step into Gabehart’s shoes and keep moving the town and its many ongoing housing and industrial development projects forward, he said.
“Kevin’s unique experience, vision and enthusiasm for the job made him the clear choice,” Goedeker said. “We are enthusiastic that he will be the right pick to succeed Norm Gabehart.”
McGinnis has been job-shadowing Gabehart since Dec. 15, to familiarize himself with projects and processes before fully taking over all town manager duties. McGinnis will become town manager Jan. 15, following Gabehart’s final state of the town address.
To start, the council hired McGinnis on a six-month trial basis for an annual salary of $75,000, Goedeker said. After six months, the council will evaluate how the trial period has gone and consider a pay raise to $84,040, and permanent employment, he said.
For McGinnis, the town manager job is another chance to help Johnson County grow, a major theme of his work and volunteer life.
McGinnis has been a land developer in Johnson County since 1995, most recently working for Bargersville-based Duke Homes. McGinnis has developed more than 700 homes in nine subdivisions and several commercial and industrial sites in Johnson County, he said.
Before making the move to development, McGinnis ran a home building company, Homes by McGinnis, from 1984 to 1995, and worked as a financial analyst for two years.
As Bargersville town manager from 2013 to 2015, McGinnis helped guide the town through the beginning stages of the housing and development boom that is still ongoing.
McGinnis had to step away from that role after the town council decided to consolidate the town manager and utility administrator positions. Bargersville operated without a town manager position until mid-2019, when the current town manager, Julie Young, was appointed.
McGinnis has also served on numerous county boards throughout the years, including 24 years on the plan commission. He currently serves on the boards of directors for Johnson Memorial Health and the Johnson County Public Library.
Now, McGinnis is heading east to pick up Whiteland’s ongoing projects where Gabehart left off and help the town council carry out its vision for the future, he said.
Main goals for McGinnis are to effectively serve the council and Whiteland residents, he said.
“It is not about me. I get more pleasure out of helping people,” McGinnis said. “Norm has painted a picture of doing what is best for the town of Whiteland and I believe in that.”
While McGinnis will share his expertise and opinions with the council, the vision for Whiteland remains up to them, he said. He plans to approach the town manager role as an ambassador to residents, businesses, school leaders and developers on behalf of the council.
With weeks of job shadowing under his belt, McGinnis is still watching and absorbing everything.
“My top priority is to come in, absorb, watch and look for improvements,” he said. “I don’t want to come in and start changing everything. Once I’m in here long enough, I can start to look at things, as an outside mind, that can bring in changes.”
McGinnis also wants to revisit the town’s 2011 comprehensive plan, which was called out as being outdated by unincorporated Johnson County residents during the Mohr Logistics Park approval process.
“It is not at the top on my list, but it is something that I would like to look at,” McGinnis said. “With how we are booming, it is something we need to look at as far as the trajectory of how things are going.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”The McGinnis File” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Name: Kevin McGinnis
Title: Whiteland Town Manager, effective Jan. 15
Residence: White River Township for 40 years; born and raised on Indianapolis’ southside
Education: Corporate finance degree, IUPUI
Experience: Bargersville Town Manager; land developer; home builder; financial analyst
Memberships: Johnson Memorial Health and Johnson County Public Library boards of directors; formerly Johnson County Plan Commission
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