The City Council has tapped Assistant City Manager Sean Crumby to serve as Irvine’s interim top exec, effective July 7.
Crumby will take over for the departing Oliver Chi, who recently accepted the city manager position with Santa Monica. Chi has served as Irvine’s city manager since December 2021.
Before that, he worked for Huntington Beach — with Crumby, whom he recruited over to his Irvine staff.
At Irvine City Hall, Crumby has been overseeing public works, transportation and sustainability operations, including the construction of the $1 billion Great Park.
Recently, he has received some pushback about the way his team, along with Chi, has handled community outreach related to proposals to hire a transportation start-up to build an aerial transit system over the park.
Other residents have expressed enthusiasm for Crumby’s preference for innovation.
“I’m honored by the council’s trust and the opportunity to serve Irvine in this new capacity,” Crumby said. “I look forward to working alongside our dedicated staff and community members to advance the priorities that make Irvine one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking cities in the nation.”
Crumby has nearly three decades of executive leadership experience in municipal government. His previous roles include director of public works for the city of Huntington Beach, assistant city manager and public works director for the city of Seal Beach, and multiple leadership positions in Long Beach.
He is a registered civil engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Nevada.
The Irvine City Council is set to consider Crumby’s contract at the June 24 City Council meeting.