City Announces Leadership Changes

The City of Bedford will soon see several leadership transitions as Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Caryn Riggs prepares to retire from local government after accepting a position in the private sector. Her last day with the City will be April 10.

“Caryn Riggs has been an exceptional leader for the City of Bedford, and we are grateful for the professionalism, financial expertise, and dedication she has brought to our organization,” said City Manager Andrea Roy. “While we will certainly miss her leadership, we are fortunate to have a strong team in place. Mark Long and Brady Olsen are both experienced and respected leaders, and I am confident they will continue building on the strong foundation Caryn helped establish while moving Bedford forward.”

As part of this transition, Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Director Mark Long has accepted the position of Assistant City Manager and will begin stepping into the new role over the next few weeks.

Long brings over 25 years of leadership experience in parks, recreation, and community services. Prior to joining the City of Bedford, he served in several leadership roles with the Town of Flower Mound and the cities of Euless and Mesquite, including supervisory positions, Recreation Superintendent, and Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation. In these roles, he oversaw programs, major community events, facility operations, and strategic planning initiatives.

Since joining Bedford, Long has led the Parks and Recreation Department, which includes Cultural Arts, as well as the Facilities Department, supporting his team while consistently taking on additional responsibilities.

With this transition, Director of Finance Brady Olsen will step into the role of Chief Financial Officer.

Olsen has served Texas cities for the past nine years and brings strong experience in municipal finance, budgeting, investments, and long-term financial planning. Prior to working in local government, he worked with Moody’s Investor’s Service as an Associate Analyst reviewing and rating municipal bonds across Texas. Olsen is also a Certified Government Finance Officer and Registered Tax Assessor-Collector.

The City of Bedford extends its sincere appreciation to Riggs for her many contributions and years of service to the organization and the community.