Travis Myren, who has served as Orange County’s Deputy Manager since June 2015, will succeed Bonnie Hammersley as Orange County manager, Board of Commissioners Chair Jamezetta Bedford announced Thursday, June 13.
“The Board is excited to appoint Travis Myren as our next county manager,” Bedford said. “Mr. Myren brings nine years of Orange County experience across all departments serving our residents, which will make for a seamless transition. His experience combined with his quick intellect, sterling character, collaborative nature and listening skills will move us forward in accomplishing our mission to be a visionary leader in providing governmental services valued by our community, beyond those required by law, in an equitable, sustainable, innovative, and efficient way.”
As Deputy Manager, Myren has led several high-profile initiatives. He facilitated the development of a general obligation bond plan for November 2024 in collaboration with the Schools Capital Needs Workgroup and led several high-profile planning projects, including the Countywide Strategic Plan, County Long Range Facility Plan, Orange County Transit Plan, Pandemic Workplace Transformation Plan, and LME/MCO Disengagement Plan.
He worked with the Orange County Broadband Task Force and negotiated a contract to provide broadband access to over 6,300 underserved homes, utilizing $10 million of the county’s share of ARPA funds. He also served as the lead executive staff person on COVID-19 response and recovery and coordinated efforts related to pandemic service delivery and distribution of federal funds.
“We are lucky to be able to hire Travis into this crucial role,” said Orange County Vice Chair Sally Greene. “As Bonnie Hammersley’s deputy, he has proved more than ready for this next step, sharing wise and thoughtful counsel across the whole range of county operations.”
Prior to coming to Orange County, Myren worked in county administration for Dane County, Wis., from 1998 through 2015. He began his career as an intern and worked his way up to Director of Administration, a job he held from 2009 through 2015.
In this role, he served as Chief Administrative Officer responsible for countywide administration of daily operations, including the development, implementation, and management of the county’s $508 million operating budget, $45 million annual capital budget, 2,300 full time equivalent employees, and oversight of major policy initiatives and projects.
Myren earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and earned a master’s in public administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since arriving in Orange County, he has completed numerous advanced training courses, including the Public Executive Leadership Academy, offered by the School of Government at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
“Orange County is an extraordinary community, and I am so grateful and excited to lead this county into its next chapter,” said Myren. “I am proud of the work we have done over the past nine years and look forward to building on those accomplishments to help the county and its residents thrive.”
Hammersley announced in April she would retire in July. Myren will take the oath of office on July 17 and begin his service at 5 p.m., when Hammersley’s retirement becomes official.