Arturo García Jr., P.E., has been named the City’s Utilities Director, effective August 28.
García fills the vacancy left by former director Riazul Mia, who was recently promoted to Assistant City Manager.
Garcia brings over 37 years of engineering and management experience to the department. He has been part of the City of Laredo since 2019 when he joined the Utilities Department as its Engineering Manager, primarily overseeing the growth of subdivisions and ensuring that infrastructure met state and local requirements.
Interim director Michael Rodgers will resume his role as assistant director.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been proud of my reputation of meeting customer needs. I hope to assemble multidisciplinary teams that will allow the department to provide its customers with the specialized attention and service they merit,” said Garcia. “My goal is to be a driving force in the growth and economic development of our city and its residents.”
Garcia’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the city as growth across new subdivisions and districts requires special attention to detail to certify that the areas will have the resources to continue flourishing in years to come.
“This is one of our largest and most critical departments. Over the past year Arturo truly showcased his leadership abilities and his vision for where the department should be,“ said City Manager Robert A. Eads. “I’m excited to see his vision for the department come to fruition and to work with him to make it happen. We also thank Mike Rodgers for his great work during this transition.”
Garcia, a native of McAllen, is a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He began his professional career in Dallas, and later returned to McAllen to serve as its utilities director. He also held the position of City Engineer of South Padre Island. In 2003 he started his own consulting firm and continued serving the South Texas area.
Through his experience and leadership, Garcia aims to develop young engineers and promote the importance of customer service.
