By Mary Hladky
Deputy City Manager Jim Zervis has been appointed as Boca Raton’s interim city manager, replacing Mark Sohaney, who resigned on Oct. 15 after serving just over one year in the city’s top position.
The City Council tapped Zervis to take the reins on Oct. 27 after Sohaney recommended that Zervis temporarily replace him, saying that Zervis knows all aspects of city operations.
Zervis, who also held the title of chief financial officer, assumed his new job the next day.
“I can tell you there is nobody finer,” Sohaney told the council. “I’ve got tremendous confidence in his leadership, judgment and understanding of the organization.”
“I think it is a blessing we have Mr. Zervis here. He is immensely qualified,” said Mayor Andy Thomson. “Take it from me, Jim is the right guy from my perspective.”
The council now must decide when and how to select a new city manager. Sohaney’s resignation is effective Nov. 11.
Zervis joined the city in 2024 as chief financial officer and was quickly promoted to also serve as a deputy city manager.
He previously was chief administrative officer for Kern County, California, which at the time had a $3.5 billion annual operating budget and a population of more than 900,000.
Council members also praised Sohaney and gave him a standing ovation.
“The feedback I have gotten is that everybody was very pleased to have you as the city manager,” said Council member Stacy Sipple. “They felt you really reached out to the public and the public was heard for the first time in a very long time.”
In his remarks, Sohaney thanked the city’s 1,900 employees. “They are the strength of our city,” he said.
“It has been a privilege and honor to serve, and thank you for allowing me to serve.”
Sohaney is a retired U.S. Navy captain who served for nearly four decades. His positions include commanding the Naval Air Station in Key West and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.
He is departing to become senior vice president of global military operations at the University of Maryland Global Campus, based in Adelphi, Maryland.
He will oversee the university’s worldwide military operations and serve as its senior leader for military and veterans affairs. The campus serves working adults and military service members through online and hybrid courses.
The campus is part of the University System of Maryland but operates separately from the University of Maryland in College Park.
Sohaney said his new job will allow him to return to serving the military community.
Sohaney actively sought a city manager job in Florida after retiring from the Navy. He was selected as a finalist in five cities, including Boca Raton. He lost out in three cities and withdrew from consideration from the fourth. He also was unsuccessful in a bid to become Palm Beach County’s top administrator.
Since joining Boca Raton, he has been actively involved in decisions concerning where to build a new police headquarters, planning to make over the city’s downtown government campus and has advanced initiatives to deal with homeless persons while also making services available to them.
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