Rick Daniels: City Manager with Leadership Experience

Rick Daniels, City Manager of Desert Hot Springs in California, has held positions of leadership for many years. He exhibits the traits required to achieve his goals as a leader and to thrive in whatever position he takes. From Oregon to California, he has left his mark, making improvements along the way.

Successfully leading and managing cities requires much dedication and time. Rick Daniels gives his all in whatever position he acquires. His track record proves he is a man who goes above and beyond the requirements of the job.

What has he accomplished as City Manager?

Daniels has pushed a small town on to the road of recovery. Through improved code enforcement and community efforts, the city received a makeover. Graffiti was removed from structures and debris was removed from the streets and vacant lots. He reduced Part One (major) crime by 46 percent last year. This was made possible by using community policing, additional officers, community surveillance cameras, interoperable radio systems and crime tracking innovations.

He led the rebuilding of over 60 miles of streets and roads, as well as the renovation of over 100 owner occupied housing units and other structures. Some of the places that were improved upon include a dog park, a recreation center and an emergency operations center. He was also involved in the development and planning of Cabot’s Pueblo Museum and a Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

As City Manager, he has received statewide awards. One was for the economic development strategic plan that has resulted in over $250 million in new development applications. The other award was for a community policing initiative, which included an increase in officers and a reduction in felons.

Rick Daniels of Desert Hot Springs also has accomplishments in regards to the town’s citizens. He was able to substantially increase voter confidence by stabilizing the government. Stable leadership resulted in the passage of two ballot measures in 2009 and 2010 that committed $40M in public safety funding by margins of 73% and 83% respectively. He has also initiated major citizen engagement on budget, public safety, and planning issues.

What did he accomplish in his past leadership roles?

As Executive Director of the Salton Sea Authority, he took steps to revitalize the Salton Sea. He managed to resolve longstanding objections from environmental organizations. He also headed up legislative efforts, which led to over $100 millions of dollars in funding.

Rick Daniels served as President/CEO of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership. During his term, he assisted with the expansion of the Coachella Valley economy. He created a Career Pathways Initiative and assisted in the re-certification of the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone.

As President of his own private corporation, he facilitated a congressional federal land exchange. Using his past experiences, he was able to build a successful corporation. He also identified new business opportunities for the world’s largest company specializing in engineering, environmental concerns, and construction.

In Oregon, he was Vice President of Oregon Waste Systems, Inc. and Washington Waste Systems, Inc. He was primarily responsible for the  operations for the Columbia Ridge Landfill.He was the Director of Land Use and Transportation in Washington County, Oregon, for a number of years. During this time, he developed the eighteen mile western extension of the Light Rail Transit System. He also led a new economic development that facilitated major expansion locations of multiple high tech  operations.

What organizations is he involved with?

As a leader, Rick Daniels, City Manager, has many different interests. Currently he is involved in several philanthropic organizations, including Food Now and the United Way. Food Now is a food bank that is honoring Rick and his wife Joyce in October as the “Sponsor of the Year.” In the past, he involved himself in the community by participating in local groups. These groups include the Board of Education for Trinity Lutheran Church and Preschool, Agua Caliente Development Authority, and La Quinta Planning Commission.

Rick Daniels: The Makings of a Leader

There are some people who were born to lead. Other people have to work at it a little more. Regardless of the scenario, there are definite qualities and traits that good leaders have. The following is a sample of some of the most significant characteristics of the best leaders:

Outgoing – In order to lead a group of people, you must have the desire and ability to speak readily to individuals and groups. Networking plays a significant role in leadership. In order to network, you must reach out to people of all backgrounds and initiate conversations.

Confident – If confidence is seeping from your pores, people will listen to you. Know your topic of discussion well so you can answer questions without hesitation.

Logical – A good leader needs to have the ability to think through any situation or problem rationally. Always approach solutions in a step-by-step manner, making the process more manageable.

Honorable – In order to gain trust and loyalty from your followers, you must represent honorable values. Respectfulness and integrity are just a couple of the values people look for in a great leader. When people disagree with your ideas, respond in a respectful and positive manner. Have integrity and stick to what you believe.

Enthusiastic – To successfully lead or persuade a group of people, you need to show enthusiasm about the subject. Along with this, your conversations should contain energy, making it obvious you want to succeed.

Organized – Organization makes the business world go ’round. It is a necessity to know exactly when and what is going on at all times. Some people are perfectly capable of staying on top of things themselves. Others need the help of an assistant to keep everything straight.

Committed – A great leader is committed to achieving the highest of goals. You must strive for excellence in all that you do. Second place is not good enough in the long run. Do what it takes to get to the top.

Rick Daniels City Manager has all of these character traits and more. By displaying outstanding leadership qualities, Rick Daniels has achieved so much with the people and groups he has managed.

Currently, the citizens of Desert Hot Springs depend on him to make the right decisions on behalf of their city. Rick Daniels has a following of people who look to him to lead them in the right direction.