Dallas business leaders are praising Kimberly Bizor Tolbert’s appointment as city manager.
DALLAS — This story was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. Read the original version here.
Dallas business leaders have expressed widespread optimism about the appointment of City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, the first Black woman to serve in the role.
After Tolbert officially won the job Jan. 22, many prominent voices in the Dallas business community offered support and shared congratulations. They also discussed some priorities they’d like to see Tolbert focus on now that she’s dropping the interim title and taking on the chief executive role at City Hall on a longer-term basis — those included further streamlining of the permitting process and addressing public safety and homelessness.
The Real Estate Council believes Tolbert’s interim tenure showcased her “pragmatic and proactive approach to governance,” especially her decision to combine the departments overseeing permitting and planning and attention to development services.
“Kim Tolbert’s extensive experience and dedication to Dallas make her an exceptional choice for city manager,” TREC CEO Jamee Jolly said in a statement. “As interim city manager, her commitment to addressing critical issues and fostering collaboration with the commercial real estate industry ensured that Dallas remains a vibrant and competitive city. We look forward to supporting her leadership as she continues to drive meaningful progress for our community.”
The Dallas Builders Association said it looks forward to working with Tolbert to streamline the development processes and address the need for affordable housing.
“We are excited to work alongside Kimberly Bizor Tolbert as she steps into this vital role,” Gena Godinez, executive officer of the DBA, said in a statement. “Her collaborative approach aligns with our mission to ensure that Dallas remains a thriving community for families, businesses and builders alike.”
Dale Petroskey, CEO and president of the Dallas Regional Chamber, and RedBird developer Peter Brodsky both listed public safety and homelessness as important issues deserving of the newly appointed city manager’s focus. Petroskey said an adequate police force and concerted effort to reduce homelessness will help the city and region attract companies and business opportunities.
“[Tolbert] has demonstrated great leadership in her career with the City of Dallas, including in her role as interim city manager,” Petroskey said. “She knows Dallas, believes in the city’s potential and will serve us well. We look forward to working with Kim and our other partners at City Hall to set Dallas up for success for the next 30 years and beyond by ensuring our infrastructure can support growth and that the city is nimble enough to respond to great economic development opportunities.”
Brodsky said he looked forward to seeing Tolbert making Dallas “more efficient and effective as it works to … revitalize downtown, invest in southern Dallas and generally make Dallas the most attractive place for people to live and businesses to operate.”
“I am thrilled that Kim Tolbert has been appointed as our city manager,” Brodsky said. “Having worked closely with Kim on a variety of issues over the last several years, I have seen firsthand Kim’s potent combination of smarts, compassion, teamwork, leadership and vision.”
Mark Cuban, current minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, told Dallas Business Journal in an email that he is a “huge Kim Tolbert fan.”
“All my interactions with her have shown she is focused on running the city like an efficient, cost saving business that can also get results that Dallas citizens want,” Cuban said.
In a December council meeting, then-CEO Cynt Marshall touted Tolbert’s efficient team and noted the Mavericks have enjoyed a “responsive and fair” relationship with her office.
Downtown Dallas Inc. CEO Jennifer Scripps congratulated Tolbert on her appointment in a LinkedIn post. Scripps interviewed Tolbert during DDI’s 2024 State of Downtown event, where Tolbert spoke candidly on her love and appreciation for downtown Dallas, where she lives.
“She has been an extremely accessible and responsive partner,” Scripps said in the post. “She sets a tone of accountability and urgency that has shifted the culture at Dallas City Hall.”
Dallas Cothrum, president of land-use and lobbying firm Masterplan, said Tolbert demonstrates “strong work ethic, determination and grit. That’s been lacking in the manager’s office.”
Adam Keith, a senior business development manager for construction contractor TDIndustries, said in a statement that continuity is very important for the city of Dallas right now.
“Dallas is facing numerous major challenges, and losing time to allow a new person to get up to speed may be a luxury the residents of Dallas simply can’t afford right now,” he said.
While there was a lot of praise for Tolbert’s selection, some did voice concern. Council Member Paul Ridley expressed concern about her contract and a possible severance payout. Council Member Cara Mendelsohn said she had wanted a new perspective that would prioritize the maintenance of city properties and public safety.
Tolbert will have a salary of $450,000, which ranks behind the $470,000 salary her predecessor T.C. Broadnax now has in Austin and the $461,000 salary of Erik Walsh in San Antonio, according to the Dallas Morning News. For comparison, Fort Worth City Manager Jay Chapa has an annual salary of $435,000, WFAA reported.
Dallas Business Journal’s Holden Wilen contributed reporting.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more reaction to Kimberly Tolbert’s selection as Dallas city manager.
