Branson promotes veteran employee to utilities director

The city of Branson has promoted one of its own to fill its newly created utilities director position.

Mike Ray, a 22-year veteran of the city's Public Works department, is taking the position, according to a city news release. Ray has been serving as interim utilities director since October, when the Public Works department was reorganized and a separate Utilities department was created.

The city conducted a national recruitment effort for the position, and Ray was among five finalists, according to the release.

"After performing a national search, I am pleased the result found the overall best candidate to lead this new department is already employed by the city of Branson," City Administrator Dean Kruithof said in the release. "I have been very impressed with Mr. Ray's performance on an interim basis and look forward to working with him in the future as a key member of our management team."

Ray started with the city in 1988 as a maintenance operator, working his way up to head of administrative services for public works in 2005.[[In-content Ad]]