Assistant County Manager Joe Connor to retire after nearly 40 years of public service

Joseph M. Connor, assistant county manager for Johnson County Government, will retire after nearly 40 years of public service to the Kansas City region. His last day will be Dec. 20, 2024.
Connor began serving as assistant county manager on Jan. 14, 2019. Prior to that he served in multiple roles for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, including assistant county manager and director of public health, in his nearly 35 years there.
County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson said Connor builds bridges between people. “I have greatly appreciated Joe’s focus on building relationships within and outside the organization, his depth of understanding about how county governments operate and his commitment to serve the community,” she said.
His public health expertise was leveraged during all stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Connor led a cross-organizational team to quickly open a vaccination clinic. Charlie Hunt, director of the Department of Health and Environment, said Joe was a pivotal piece in the COVID-19 response for Johnson County and the region.
“His steady leadership, relationships with Johnson County staff and partners throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and collaborative nature were key to the many successes we had in an otherwise devastating pandemic,” Hunt said. “Our community is undoubtedly better off thanks to Joe and his efforts.”
Connor also took the lead in creating an interdepartmental innovation team tasked with finding solutions to improve county services and the quality of life for Johnson County residents. He provided executive oversight for planning the future Health Services Building, worked with rural fire districts and liaised with countless boards and commissions during his six years with the county.
Connor received his Bachelor of Accounting at Emporia State University and his Master of Business Administration at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth. He has served on the board of directors for Harvesters Community Food Network and the Information Network of Kansas, as well as advisory boards for LISC-KC and Providence/St. John Medical Center.
A national search for an assistant manager county manager is currently underway.