NEWS

Austin Nantz following the Town Board Meeting where she was appointed Davidson's next Town Manager. (News of Davidson photo)

On June 9, the Davidson Town Board voted to appoint Austin Nantz as the new Town Manager. Austin Nantz has served as Assistant Town Manager for five years, working alongside Town Manager Jamie Justice to implement the town’s often ambitious strategic priorities. Justice will retire from his 10 years as Town Manager at the end of June.

On July 1, Austin will begin her new leadership role. She brings considerable experience in the areas of public safety, economic development, finance, affordable housing, public works, and parks and recreation. In this Q&A, she gave us a bit of time to get to know her better as a person, and as a leader.

Austin Nantz (left) at the ribbon cutting for the Public Safety Building. (News of Davidson photo)

How are you feeling about your new position as Town Manager? You are the first woman who has served in this role.

You know, it really hasn't sunk in completely, but I'm very excited. I love this town and this group of people that I am just so blessed to work with every day. Since my first interview here in 2021, it felt like I was supposed to be here. It all just clicked.

I went home from my interview for Assistant Town Manager and told my husband that I didn’t know if I got the job or not, but it was the most at peace I've ever felt after a job interview because it just felt like a conversation. The panel who interviewed me was made up of members of the management team and one external panel member. The way we started out just talking openly and comfortably on the day of my interview, those same types of conversations have continued. We've just built on that momentum.

Everyone on this team is authentic. They just show up as who they are. I really enjoy getting to work with this team every day.

I must shout out to my husband Shane too. Working in local government is demanding and requires a lot of weeknight meetings and weekend events. I would not be where I am without his support and encouragement.

Where were you raised?

I am from Sanford, North Carolina. Lee County. My mom and my dad are both North Carolina natives. I am a proud North Carolina native, and I grew up in a family of educators and servant leaders who instilled in me a deep appreciation for public service at an early age. Their example helped shape my work ethic, values, and belief in the importance of serving others.

Austin (center) and staff members at the Fall Festival in 2023.

And now, where do you call home?

My husband Shane (a Charlotte native) and I live in Charlotte. My son, Price, lives in Chicago. He works in the legal field as a paralegal and plans to go to law school. We also have a golden retriever named Teddy.

Shane and I both work in North Mecklenburg now. Shane is retired from Charlotte Fire Department and now works as an Assistant Chief with the Town of Huntersville Fire Department.

Before you came to Davidson, you had several responsible positions in Charlotte. What were those jobs, and what did they teach you?

I spent a long time, over 20 years, working for the City of Charlotte in three different departments.

I spent over a decade with the Charlotte Fire Department where I worked first in Human Resources, including responsibility for the firefighter hiring process and eventually as Administrative Services Director. The experience of interviewing and getting to know individuals who are so motivated to serve and protect the community was profound. I felt a direct connection between what I did and the impact on the community.

My next job in Charlotte was with Charlotte Area Transit Services (CATS) as Budget Manager. I supervised a talented and capable team. This was during the time that Charlotte was negotiating a full-funding grant agreement with the federal government for the Blue Line extension. The project was adding over 9 miles of track and 11 new stations to the line and connecting the University Area directly to Charlotte Center City. The job was fast paced and very demanding and I learned so much.

My next job in Charlotte was, surprisingly, I ended up in IT, I&T (Innovation and Technology). This was a newly combined City department, Charlotte’s CIO at the time, Jeffrey Stovall, hired me to establish an Administration section within the new I&T department. This involved the merger of two previously separate tech departments to create something really new and different.

We did extensive work around leadership development and performance. We were encouraged to experiment and test new ideas. When you have a leader who is committed to innovation, everybody feels safe trying new things. And I learned so much from that experience and from working for Stovall. He was a great boss, and a really nice human.

When you saw the Davidson job show up in 2021, what captured your interest? How does Davidson, a relatively small town, pull you away from all of that energy in Charlotte?

Austin Nantz at the Davidson Town Hall Auditorium. (News of Davidson photo)

I think it was just the right job at the right time. I knew Karen Whichard, who was the Assistant Town Manager before me. When I heard that she was leaving Davidson for a new job, I called her.

The pandemic had been a challenging time in Charlotte, like it was everywhere. As government employees, the idea of working from home and not being accessible to the public was so foreign. In Charlotte, we already had laptops and lots of access to technology, so we could stay connected to our work from home. And there was plenty of work to do, but working online, alone, was disorienting. Even when we began going back to work in person two or three days a week, the government offices still felt like ghost towns.

The more I learned about Davidson and the type of person they were looking to hire for the Assistant Manager position in Davidson, I thought this might be the perfect opportunity!

I interviewed, got the job, and started work in August of 2021. At that time, the world was still living under the Covid cloud. We were still having most meetings online, practicing social distancing, following the mask mandate.

It was an intense time to start a new job. I guess looking back on it now, what feels strange to me is that I didn’t get to interact with any Davidson residents for about six months. I met so many people virtually in Zoom meetings, and then I finally got meet to them in person months later.

As a staff, we took advantage of the big shady trees around Sloan House. We would meet outside at the little tables because we didn't have to wear masks. I miss having those outside meetings in that environment.

How do you feel about making the leap from Assistant Town Manager to Town Manager? What is the process of preparation for that next level?

I have to give Jamie such huge credit, because from day one, he established the idea that he and I were “the manager's office.” Together. He included me in all the meetings. There wasn’t a creation of silos, or tasks that were differentiated. He never said, this is mine, and that is yours. We were just very much on the same page and worked as a team.

I think he recognized that the way I approach things and the way he approaches things are not always the same, but they are very complementary. And we had a really good dynamic where we could share our thinking with each other and approach things from different perspectives. It has worked well.

Also, working with Jamie has taught me a lot about working with an elected board. Because Jamie's been doing this so long, he has worked with many, many different elected officials. He was Town Manager in Troy, N.C. – pretty much right out of college - then Mooresville, Matthews, and Davidson. Getting to watch how he navigates communication and interaction with our elected officials has been so instructive.

I also appreciate the opportunities I have been given to run with big projects. I've had bosses who were not confident enough to put their people out front and let them take the lead on certain fronts. That is not the case here. I have been given opportunities, and collectively we are always looking for ways to give staff more experience and exposure in their role.

(Left to right) Jamie Justice, Mayor Rusty Knox, and Austin Nantz. (News of Davidson photo)

What do you have to keep in mind when leading a municipality in North Carolina?

North Carolina is a unique place in terms of what we are allowed to do as a municipality. The state constitution limits how much power and authority a municipality has, and if you exceed your scope, there can be serious problems, lawsuits, costs. We are really fortunate to have Karen Walter as our town attorney. She's so competent and confident in her knowledge of local government law in North Carolina, she makes us all better.

Understanding the intersection of federal, state, county, and town government is really important, especially in today’s political and economic climate.

Another important aspect, at least in our region, is the benefit of collaboration with our neighbors, both in Iredell and Mecklenburg County.  We are all dealing with similar challenges and opportunities, and it is helpful to have those relationships.

The Town employees do a lot. In Davidson, it seems like there is always some new initiative, or a higher level of service that we are trying to achieve. How do you protect against stress and burnout in your teams?

Yes, it's a lot. We ask for a lot.

After the last Board election, we had a strategic planning retreat to develop the Town’s new 2-year strategic plan. It was very productive to have that time with the management team and with the new Board and to do that important thinking and planning. At the same time, I thought, you know, we really do ask a lot of our people. In addition to all that our staff does every day, now we're asking for three days away from family. I try not to lose sight of those details.

Also, much of our staff is public facing, which can be both wonderful and stressful. Our Public Works Department accomplishes so much, but they typically only hear from people when something is broken and people are frustrated. They get very few calls that say, “I just want to call and tell you that things are lovely in town. Thanks for fixing that sidewalk. I really appreciate that.”

In Civics 101 classes, someone made a point of telling me that during the snowstorm she was floored at how quickly the streets were cleared in her neighborhood. I remember saying to her, “Well, I will be sure and share that because the workers mostly hear from people who want to know why they haven’t cleared their neighborhood yet.”

The Fire Department is pretty lucky. People in town are friendly to the firefighters and tell them they’re doing a great job. And our Police Department is highly regarded. I've never been anywhere that the police were so community-centered. They work so hard to convey that they are really members of the community and they're here to help. They set the right tone and that comes from the heart.

We have the best employees and try to always be aware of the stress of the job and the workload. The culture here in Town didn’t build itself. We are intentional about seeking input from staff, listening to their concerns and responding.

Austin Nantz and members of the Town Staff following the dedication ceremony for 251 South Street. (News of Davidson photo)

I know that we could do a deep dive into budgets and taxes and priorities, but there will be time for that later. For now, what would you like the readers of News of Davidson to know about you?

I would like the readers of the News of Davidson to know how much I truly love this community. From my very first day here, I have been welcomed with open arms, and that sense of connection has only grown stronger over time. Davidson is made up of an eclectic, informed and engaged mix of people, many with fascinating personal and professional backgrounds, and that diversity of experience is part of what makes this community so special.

I strive to lead with honesty, directness, loyalty, and dependability. I consider myself both process-oriented and people-centered because the two are inherently connected and cannot be mutually exclusive. Strong organizations require thoughtful systems, but they are ultimately built on relationships, trust, and people.

My leadership style is highly collaborative. I am fortunate to work alongside a management team that is not only exceptionally competent, but also deeply invested in this community and genuinely proud of the work they do and the employees they lead. Their commitment to public service and organizational excellence is evident every day.

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