By unanimous vote of the Lomita City Council, Andrew Vialpando has been appointed to serve as the next City Manager for the South Bay community. With a wealth of experience spanning over two decades in local government and numerous functions within cities, Vialpando brings critical skills and leadership energy to the City. 

“Vialpando has a record of effective governance and leadership. We’re excited to have his fresh perspective, but also know he is committed to building upon the great progress we have experienced with our team at city hall,” commented Mayor Bill Uphoff. “TS Talent Solutions was a tremendous partner with the City Council throughout the search process. We were presented with a deep pool of talented candidates, and it is clear that the firm has an extensive local government network to tap into. TS Talent Solutions’s support was vital to the success of this process and I am appreciative of their guidance.” 

TS Talent Solutions Executive Recruiter Cathy Thompson took the lead on the project with support from Principal Ryder Todd Smith and Business Analyst Kylie Sun. Building on the previously established relationship between the City and Tripepi Smith, TS Talent Solutions was chosen by the City Council to lead the recruitment based on the firm’s knowledge of the community and strong track record of delivering for the City on other major projects.

“I am honored to join the City of Lomita as its new City Manager and thank the City Council for their support. I am committed to advancing the City Council’s goals and look forward to working with the great team at city hall,” said Andrew. “TS Talent Solutions demonstrated professionalism in the recruitment process, and I appreciated their responsiveness and accessibility through its entirety.”

Vialpando’s experiences include work in public safety, human resources, community development, risk management and economic development. Prior to his role as Assistant City Manager in the City of Paramount, he served as an Administrative Deputy to the City Manager/Assistant City Manager at the City of Long Beach. He cites mentors such as former Long Beach City Manager Pat West, Paramount City Manager John Moreno and Lakewood City Manager Thaddeus McCormack as mentors who helped him develop his city management mindset. Lomita will be Andrew’s first City Manager position. His official start date in Lomita is May 1, 2024. 

“I so appreciate the City Council entrusting us with this critical hiring process. Lomita’s City Council has a good reputation among the city management community, and we were able to yield 49 candidates interested in the position making it highly competitive,” said Ryder. “The prior City Manager, Ryan Smoot, did a tremendous job building a team at city hall, and I am confident Andrew will sustain the great culture and can-do attitude that permeates the City Staff today.”

About TS Talent Solutions

TS Talent Solutions is a California-based executive search and talent development organization focused on the local government sector. A division of Tripepi Smith, TS Talent Solutions leverages the expertise and digital acumen of its parent firm to deliver next-generation recruitment solutions for public agencies. The quest for talent never ends, but progress is made with TS Talent Solutions. 

We’ve sourced talent for: 

City of American Canyon, Town of Atherton, City of Bainbridge Island (WA), City of Bell, City of Commerce, City of Fairfield, City of Indian Wells, City of Indio, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lomita, City of Manteca, City of Morro Bay, City of Needles, City of Palos Verdes Estates, City of Paramount, City of Pasco (WA), City of Rosemead, City of San Luis Obispo, City of Saratoga, City of Tracy, Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, Humboldt County Association of Governments, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Ventura Council of Governments, West County Wastewater District

We’ve developed strategic plans for: 

City of Bellflower​, City of Carpinteria, City of Cerritos​, City of Foster City​, City of Hercules​, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lomita​, City of Westminster, Heartland Fire & Rescue