Wunderkind. Humbly Confident. Cut Off Sleeves
Today we recognize one of the stalwarts of SW ELGL. Matt Mueller, Little Elm (TX) town manager, has been with SW ELGL since the beginning. We first met Matt at the SGR Conference in January and ever since he has been instrumental in establishing our presence in the SW.
Matt has been profiled in the 50 Nifty Project, offered Little Elm as the host of the first SW ELGL forum with Tom Muehlenbeck, and will participate in the ELGL/SGR “Cookingham Connection” series.
But Matt does have one flaw which you will read about below in the “Word on the Street.”
Background Check
Matt Mueller became town manager of the Town of Little Elm on September 17, 2012. Matt oversees a consolidated budget of more than $30 million, serving an 11 square-mile community of 28,000 residents.
Before coming to Little Elm, Matt served as the city manager for the City of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Some of Matt’s major accomplishments in Guthrie included completing a new water treatment plant in Guthrie that will serve the city for the next 40-50 years. He has also aided in providing for infrastructure needs and long-term financial needs.
Matt received his bachelor’s degree in Political Scince from the University of Central Oklahoma. While there, he was the president of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society and was awarded the political science department’s student leadership award. He received his Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
Word on the Street
Natasha Richer, Assistant to Little Elm EDC Executive Director, HR Coordinator
“Matt Mueller has been a great asset for the Town of Little Elm. He has the ability to captivate a room, whether it be potential business owners or members of the community, and his pride in Little Elm shows. He is a great supporter of the of all aspects of the Town, a dynamic leader and very pro-growth. He is a great example to others in regard to leadership and is a huge proponent of fostering a team oriented environment with his staff. He is a visiable Town Leader. You will often find him walking our current projects, attending the Town’s weekly events and supporting our local businesses. The Town of Little Elm is fortunate to have someone that is as passionate about his vision Matt is. He is a man of great ideas and great things can only come to the Town of Little Elm under his leadership.”
Troy Powell, City Manager, The Colony (TX)
“Matt is the Wunderkind of City Management. Not only is he successful in his professional life; he hasn’t forgotten that a great career means nothing without a good work/life balance. Matt is the future of our profession and changing the perception of government every day. His only drawback is that when off work he enjoys wearing shirts that he has cut the sleeves off of…. But then who doesn’t have a few flaws right…..”
Greg Anderson, Online Curriculum Developer, Strategic Government Resources
“I have a rather unique description for Matt – he is humbly confident. By that I mean, he is a highly competent leader but one who understands “we” is a much more powerful pronoun that “I.” Local government is better because of his presence.”
Leonard Martin, City Manager, City of Carrollton, Texas
“In his secret life, Matt is a guitar-playing rocker. While he may never reach rock star quality in the music industry, he is definitely a rock star city manager. He is an energetic, innovative, and ethical city manager. I am proud to have Matt as a friend and colleague.”
Supplemental Reading
Matt Mueller: Town experiencing momentous change
Meet the Southwest ELGL Advisory Board
The Dynamic Duo of Carrollton, Texas: Creating a Culture of Competition in City Government