Houston mayor appoints interim finance director after Will Jones resigns
HOUSTON - Houston Mayor John Whitmire has appointed Melissa Dubowski as the city’s interim finance director.
According to the mayor’s office, Will Jones has resigned as the city’s finance director for a position in the City Controller’s Office.
Melissa Dubowski (Photo provided by City of Houston)
Dubowski has worked in the city’s finance department since August 2014 and has served as deputy finance director since 2019.
The mayor’s office says the appointment highlights Whitmire’s "commitment to transparency and tackling the City's financial problems, which will be one of the hallmarks of his administration."
"Melissa Dubowski is a trusted, knowledgeable, and experienced leader in municipal finance and understands that I will operate a transparent city government and resolve the City's financial crisis because we can no longer kick the can down the road. My team will conduct audits of every department with a priority to eliminate wasteful spending and save taxpayers money as we prepare for my first budget," said Mayor Whitmire.
Who is Melissa Dubowski?
The mayor’s office shared the following information about the new interim finance director’s background:
Dubowski joined the City of Houston's Finance Department in August 2014 and has been deputy finance director since 2019. As deputy director of the Finance department's Treasury and Capital Management division, Dubowski manages the team that oversees existing and prospective debt citywide and forecasts the City's property and sales tax collections. She also chairs the City's debt finance working group and actively monitors the credit markets.
Dubowski oversees the City's $11.5 billion five-year capital plan. She had a key role in developing the Houston pension solution that required approval and issuance of $1 billion of pension bonds in 2017. She is also a trustee for the Houston Police Officers' Pension System.
In 2020, Dubowski was awarded the Bond Buyer's Rising Star, which recognizes municipal finance professionals under 40 who have made positive contributions to their community while demonstrating exceptional leadership, excellent collaboration skills, innovation, and creativity in their roles.
Dubowski previously worked for the New York City Office of Management and Budget, overseeing the operating and capital budgets for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Before that, she was a financial analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.