Marinette County selects finalists for county administrator

MARINETTE – Marinette County has selected Brian Chapman and Colin Kennedy as finalists for the position of county administrator.

The Marinette County Board’s Executive Committee is leading the recruitment with assistance from Public Administration Associates, LLC, an executive search and local government consulting firm.

The finalists will visit Marinette County on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 to participate in the final assessment process. The assessment will give the county an opportunity to evaluate each candidate’s experience, leadership approach and ability to work with elected officials and staff before making a final selection.

The recruitment attracted 15 applicants. Candidate materials and preliminary interviews were reviewed in relation to the county’s priorities, including financial management, capital planning, employee recruitment and retention, strategic planning and effective communication.

The two finalists are listed below in alphabetical order.

Brian Chapman — Chapman is municipal strategy manager for Definable Solutions, a company providing data analytics and performance management tools for local governments. He previously served as city manager of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., from 2019 to 2025 and city manager of Vassar, Mich., from 2015 to 2019.

His earlier experience includes administrative and organizational development work for the City of Oshkosh and consulting for Wisconsin local governments. He holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science from Northern Michigan University.

Colin Kennedy — Kennedy’s municipal experience includes serving as city manager of Newport, Rhode Island, beginning in July 2024, where he directed a full-service municipal government with 365 employees and a $227 million multi-fund operating budget. He previously served 22 years as a United States Navy officer, including command assignments in Newport and Milwaukee.

He holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and a Bachelor of Science from the United States Naval Academy.