Press Release: The City of Pensacola announced today that Tamara Fountain would step down as Chief Operations Officer in order to pursue other opportunities.
During her tenure, Fountain has managed the City’s enterprises – including Pensacola International Airport, Pensacola Energy, and Port of Pensacola – and oversaw the establishment of the Mayor’s Constituent Services office. Fountain also managed legislative affairs, serving as both the Mayor’s liaison to the City Council and as the City’s point person on the state level, working to help secure funding for numerous capital improvement projects at both the Airport and Port.
In 2013, Fountain spearheaded the “Sunshine in the City†initiative, overhauling the City’s public records system, establishing sunshine training for staff, and rolling out a new citizen-focused website – changes which helped Pensacola be recognized as having the third most transparent municipal website in Florida. More recently, Fountain led the effort to conform the City’s EDATE tax abatement process to state and county requirements.
“As the scope of the challenges I assigned Tamara increased, she met each one“ said Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward.
Fountain initially joined the Office of the Mayor in 2012 on a contractual basis to review the City’s marketing and advertising contracts. After successfully transitioning the contracts to local vendors, Fountain assumed the role of Communications Administrator and later Chief Operations Officer.
“It has been an honor to work for the citizens of Pensacola. I will always treasure the friendships I have made at the City and am humbled and proud of what we’ve accomplished together,†said Fountain.
In order to effect a smooth transition, Mayor Hayward announced that the COO’s responsibilities would be managed by City Administrator Eric Olson and other senior staff members.
“I wish Tamara and her family well,” said Mayor Hayward.