AMERICUS — The Mayor and City Council of Americus announced Friday that Charles L. Coney has been chosen as a finalist to fill the position of city manager of the City of Americus. Coney comes to Americus with over 25 years of professional experience.

He most recently served as the city manager of the city of Hampton. In addition, he also formerly served as the assistant county manager, and then the interim county manager of Macon-Bibb County Consolidated government.

According to information provided by the City of Americus, Coney has lived across the United States and in each city has connected with the local administrations and leaderships offering his talents in business and service. His national and global corporate stints include Arby’s Inc., MCI Telecommunications, Cotelligent, and REXAM and consulting experiences with Coca-Cola, Pepsi- Cola, Home Depot, City of Atlanta, City of Denver, City of Fitzgerald, Macon-Bibb County, City of Hampton, and many other governments. These organizations sought his expertise relative to organizational development, technology implementations, and data-driven processes towards higher service delivery.

Coney is a summa cum laude master of business administration graduate from Keller University with a concentration in project management and human resources. He earned his bachelor of science in technical management from DeVry University, studied industrial engineering at Mercer University, and graduated with an associate of science in engineering technology from Middle Georgia College. Additionally, he has received extensive municipal training and certifications from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at The University of Georgia and disaster and crisis management from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He has membership and/or service with the International City/County Management Association, National League of Cities, Georgia Municipal Association, Japan-America Society of Georgia, Government Finance Officers Association, Georgia School Board Association, Boys & Girls Club of America, National School Board Association, Society for Human Georgia, Certified Literate Community Program, American Payroll Association, and the Project Management Institute.

Coney has provided organizational and program implementation internationally with the Japanese and German governments encompassing over 10 transatlantic and transpacific journeys. He provided leadership and support to the 26th Japan-America Grassroots Summit in Atlanta (2016) by welcoming 25 persons between his administrative responsibility in Macon-Bibb County and his elected responsibility in the City of Fitzgerald. He led a delegation of 20 persons (students and adults) to the 27th Japan-America Grassroots Summit in Nara, Japan (2017) with an extended excursion to Macon-Bibb County’s International Sister City in Kurobe, Japan, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Tomodachi Foundation and The John Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center for International Exchange.

An announcement of a decision will be released soon.