Paul Grimes was appointed as the City Manager for McKinney, Texas (pop. 211,000) on Aug. 1, 2016. Grimes reports to a seven-member city council, and he serves as the chief executive officer for the municipal organization, providing executive direction to over 1,400 city employees across 17 operating departments and divisions. Since joining McKinney, Grimes has presided over a city organization that is managing one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. Since 2016, the city has averaged over 1,800 residential housing permits per year, and the city has been experiencing a population growth rate of about 5,000 new residents each year. Grimes oversees the City’s annual operating budget of $191M, and an all-funds budget of $640M in FY 2023.
Prior to joining McKinney, Grimes served for eight years as the Village Manager for the Village of Orland Park, Illinois (pop. 58,000). While in Orland Park, Grimes ushered forward various high-profile development, transportation, and infrastructure projects, a AA+ credit rating, and 95% citizen satisfaction.
Mr. Grimes previously served as the Director of Administration for the City of Cranston, Rhode Island (pop. 80,000). Reporting directly to the mayor, he served as the chief administrative officer and was responsible for managing all administrative and operational aspects of the city.
Previously, Grimes was Vice President with Alsace Development International (ADI), an international foreign direct investment agency, where he was responsible for leading trade, investment, and other economic development initiatives between North America and the Eastern region of France. Prior to joining ADI, Mr. Grimes was Strategic Planning Analyst with the City of Anaheim, California.
Mr. Grimes served as both an officer and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He holds master’s degrees from Indiana University (Public Administration) and the University of Texas at Dallas (International Political Economy) as well as a B.A. in history and political science from Purdue University. Grimes is also an alum of the Senior Executive Institute for Local Government Professionals at the University of Virginia and is credentialed with the International City-County Management Association (ICMA).
Grimes serves on the board of directors for the North Texas Commission and is a member of the McKinney Sunrise Rotary. He also serves on the MPA Advisory Board for the University of Texas at Dallas. He and his wife, Lusine, are proud parents of three sons.