HASTINGS, NE — A panel of Hastings officials is preparing to interview finalists vying to become the next city administrator.

The city announced the 12-member panel on Friday. It includes the mayor, two city council members, people from the planning and utility boards, the city’s human resources director, chamber of commerce representatives, and a few businesspeople. The panel will interview four candidates over the next week.

  • Corey Stutte, Mayor 
  • Ginny Skutnik, City Council President 
  • Matt Fong, City Council Member 
  • Bill Hitesman, Utility Advisory Board Member 
  • Lou Kully, Planning & Zoning Board Member 
  • Greg Sinner, Planning & Zoning Board Member 
  • Lori Hartman, Human Resources Director 
  • Mikki Shafer, President, Hastings Chamber of Commerce 
  • Sheana Smith, Chair-elect, Hastings Chamber of Commerce 
  • Pat Mertens, Hastings Citizen representing manufacturing community 
  • Chris Johnson, Hastings Citizen representing local developers 
  • Becky Sullivan, Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings Public Schools Board Member 

Last week, the city announced Lou Leone, Shawn Metcalf, Eric Rindfleisch and Matthew Schmitz as the finalists. A search firm developed a list of candidates and the city council narrowed the list down to the finalists. Following interviews, the candidates will be further vetted and narrowed down.

The new administrator will replace Dave Ptak, who was placed on leave in April and stopped working for the city in May. Hastings Utility Manager Kevin Johnson is serving as interim administrator.