Tom Bonfield

Thomas J. Bonfield is the current City Manager for the City of Pensacola, having served since he was appointed by the City Council in November 1998.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Bonfield received a bachelor's degree in accounting from St. Leo University, after which he was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1977. He went on to earn an MBA from the University of South Florida. He served as the city manager of Temple Terrace for thirteen years.

Bonfield is a Credentialed Manager of the International City-County Management Association and past president of the Florida City County Management Association. In a 2005 interview with the Pensacola News Journal, he described his management style:

You can't be involved in every decision. But I'm much more involved than [the city staff is] used to. I like to know what's going on. From a community standpoint, I see myself as a bridge builder. I enjoy it very much, and I think I've done a pretty good job of helping to build bridges and maintaining good relationship between business community, neighborhood community, youth groups, African-American community and senior citizens. I feel pretty confident that everybody would generally respond that maybe I'm not the most personable person — I'm kind of poker-faced person — but in terms of listening, I will go out of my way to form a relationship.

He has two sons and a daughter with his wife Karen.

Community involvement

• Five Flags Rotary Club
• Sacred Heart Hospital Advisory Board
• United Way Board of Directors
• Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Western Gate Economic Development Committee
• Workman Middle School, student mentor

References

• City of Pensacola profile