The City of Loveland has hired Sharon Israel as its next utilities director. Israel was selected from three highly qualified finalists following a national search and will begin her new role on Dec. 30.

"Sharon is a highly experienced and respected leader in the utilities sector, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the City," said Acting City Manager Rod Wensing. "Loveland utilities are essential to our residents' daily lives and are deeply valued by the community. Her proven expertise, commitment to public service, focus on safety, and dedication to fostering a culture of continuous improvement make her the ideal leader for our water and power utilities, as well as Pulse Fiber Internet."

Most recently, Israel served as director of utilities with the City of Arvada where she led a team of more than 120 employees to provide water resources, water treatment and distribution, wastewater and stormwater collection, regulatory compliance, fleet, solid waste, sustainability, finance, utility billing and customer service to a growing city of 124,000 people.

She began her career in public service in 2000 and, since then, has worked for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the City of Westminster. Israel holds a master's degree in public administration, a master's degree in civil & environmental engineering from Stanford University, and a bachelor's in mechanical engineering.

"It is truly an honor to be joining Loveland's talented and passionate team. Loveland is a very special place, with its natural beauty, public art, vibrant downtown, trail networks, and longstanding publicly owned utility operations," said Israel. "I am excited about the opportunity to become part of this community and to advance the work we need to do to ensure high-quality, resilient and affordable utility services."

As the City’s utilities director, Israel will lead the department's strategic planning and operations, working closely with the City Manager's Office and Executive Leadership Team. She will oversee a $259 million budget, which includes operations, maintenance, and capital projects. Israel will also manage a team of over 220 dedicated professionals who:

• Deliver high-quality water service to 28,577 customers
• Provide reliable wastewater service to 37,816 customers
• Ensure affordable and dependable electricity for more than 35,000 homes and businesses across 74 square miles
• Expand affordable, high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, phone, and TV services to residential and business customers in Loveland and beyond

Through the City's Knowledge Transfer program, Israel will work alongside current Utilities Director Kevin Gertig throughout January as Gertig prepares for his retirement in February 2025, following more than three years of dedicated service to our community.

"As we welcome Sharon, I want to extend my deep appreciation to Kevin for his dedication and leadership to the City of Loveland. As an experienced utilities leader, Kevin raised the bar for our utilities work and focused on improving infrastructure, safety, and a collaborative culture. We thank him for his dedication to our community and wish him the best in retirement," said Wensing.

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CONTACT: Nicole Yost, Communication and Engagement Director, 970-962-2302, Nicole.Yost@cityofloveland.org