Keller City Manager Mark Hafner will retire next year, capping off a public service career that spans more than four decades.
Hafner announced his plan to retire at the end of February to the Keller City Council on Tuesday. The council plans to announce an interim city manager early next year.
"Serving citizens for 43 years and making a difference each and every day has been an honor and privilege that has filled my heart, and the opportunities the City of Keller has afforded me to serve and grow have been a dream come true,” Hafner wrote in a statement. "I plan to remain a resident and enjoy my retirement with all the amenities this special place has to offer."
Hafner has served as city manager since June 2015. Prior to that, he had a public safety career that spanned 35 years and included a 14-year stint as Keller's police chief.
During his tenure with Keller police, the department was given state and national accreditations.
“[Hafner] has lived a life of putting service above self and has brought those values to Keller in his various roles, first as police chief and later as city manager,” Mayor Armin Mizani wrote in a statement.
Mizani said finding a replacement for Hafner would be difficult, but that council members would work hard to find someone who aligns with the city's "family-friendly" vision.
The city's efforts to become the "most family-friendly city in Texas" were recognized in 2021 by U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, at the U.S. Capitol.
Both Hafner and Mizani went to Washington D.C. in 2021 for the recognition.
"As a friend and colleague, I congratulate [Hafner] on the legacy he leaves behind and wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement," Mizani said.
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