The City of Palm Coast has made two new hires to senior leadership positions. Brian Roche has been brought on as utility director, while John Zobler is the city’s new community development director.
Both hires were made by acting City Manager Lauren Johnston with interim Assistant City Manager Mark Strobridge. The two men began in their roles on Monday, July 28th.
“These two individuals bring a wealth of experience and a passion for public service that will benefit every Palm Coast resident,” Strobridge said. “We’re excited to welcome Brian and John to the team and look forward to their contributions in shaping the future of our city.”
Utility Director Brian Roche
Brian Roche will be in charge of seeing the city’s utility operations. Prior to joining Palm Coast, he worked for over 20 years with Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), rising to the position of Vice President and General Manager of Water & Wastewater Systems. He returned to JEA for a brief stint in 2020 and 2021 as interim Chief Financial Officer. Further experience includes Amoco Oil Company, the Orlando Utilities Commission, and CH2M.
In their statement announcing the hire, a Palm Coast spokesperson emphasized Roche’s ‘blend of operational and engineering expertise’ in order to maintain a high level of service even as the strain on Palm Coast’s utilities increases with population growth. With Palm Coast increasing in population at one of the fastest rates in the nation, Roche’s work will be cut out for him.
Community Development Director John Zobler
John Zobler will be overseeing the Palm Coast Community Development Department, which coordinates strategy for growth and regulation of development. It’s one of the most highly-scrutinized roles in the city, especially as residents become more angst-ridden over the ratio of residential to commercial development.
Prior to joining Palm Coast, Zobler was the Deputy City Manager and later City Manager of Ocala from 2010 to 2019. He retired from that role as a relatively popular figure, having put in two decades in various roles with the city. At one point he led an attempt to lure the Triple-A minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees from Pennsylvania to Ocala, in part earning him Ocala Magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year distinction. The state of development prior to Zobler’s arrival will present him an uphill battle to obtain similar popularity in Palm Coast.
