Fresno County’s top administrator is retiring. His replacement has already been chosen
Fresno County’s top administrator will retire at the end of the year, and will be replaced by another top county employee, officials said this week.
Chief Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau said he will retire in December, a plan he’s had for some time.
The plan became official on Tuesday after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved his replacement, Chief Operating Officer Paul Nerland. He starts Dec. 6.
Formerly the human resources director, Nerland was hired as COO in November 2020. Supervisor Steve Brandau said Nerland has been given the chance to learn the CAO job in that time.
“We were able to keep an eye on him over the past nine months,” Brandau said. “He’s done a fantastic job for Fresno County.”
Nerland is well respected by the department heads in the county, making him a good fit for the top spot, Brandau said.
Nerland started his career with the county in 1997 as a personnel analyst and held different management roles in the human resources department for 13 years. He became director of that department in August 2015.
“It will be one of the greatest honors of my life to serve as the next county administrative officer for Fresno County,” Nerland said in a news release. “I’ve had the privilege to work with exceptional people at the county who care deeply about the community we serve and aim to provide excellent public service.”
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he’s a Clovis High graduate and got a bachelor’s in business administration from Fresno State.
His salary and benefits package is expected to go before the board in October.
Rousseau said the county is in capable hands with Nerland. “Great guy, super honest,” Rousseau said. “He’ll do a great job for the county.”
Rousseau retires
Rousseau said he has been a lifelong San Joaquin Valley resident, working for the county for 14 years before getting the assistant county administrative officer job in Tulare County in 2004.
He also worked in Fresno Mayor Alan Autry’s administrative team before becoming Tulare County’s CAO from 2007 to 2015, when he came back to Fresno County for the top spot.
Rousseau said he’s proud of his work getting Fresno County’s finances in order, and working on projects to upgrade county buildings. That includes projects like the department of social services’ new location in Clovis, as well as upgrades underway at the county jail.
Brandau also praised Rousseau’s efforts as “a numbers guy” who will leave the county with about $63 million in its reserves.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 11:56 AM.
