Follow-Up: San Diego Council Confirms Bezak as Chief Operating Officer in 8-0 Vote: Sworn In Immediately After the Vote
San Diego, in San Diego County, California: The San Diego City Council on October 19 unanimously confirmed Mayor Todd Gloria's appointment of Bethany Bezak as the city's Chief Operating Officer by a vote of 8-0, and Bezak was sworn into the post immediately following the vote. Council President Joe LaCava moved the confirmation; Councilmember Stephen Whitburn was absent.
In a statement posted on the city's official website, Gloria said: 'I selected Bethany to be the City's new Chief Operating Officer because she is a proven leader who understands this organization, respects the employees who keep our city running and has the experience and judgment to turn priorities into results. I'm grateful for the City Council's unanimous vote of confidence in her leadership as well, and the thoughtful consideration they gave this appointment.' He listed the work ahead: building more homes, keeping neighborhoods safe, repairing infrastructure, maintaining fiscal discipline, and making city government more responsive to the people it serves.
Background: Gloria announced the appointment on October 15, subject to City Council confirmation, and GSM reported the announcement on October 17. Gloria had assumed direct oversight of city operations in February 2025 to address a substantial structural deficit for a second consecutive year, restructuring the organization, appointing new executive leadership and implementing budget reductions; the city says its historic structural deficit has been nearly eliminated. Bezak will oversee day-to-day city operations and report directly to the mayor, ending roughly 20 months in which the mayor also ran daily operations.
Bezak has served as the city's Chief Performance and Logistics Officer since December 2025, overseeing Transportation, General Services, Purchasing and Contracting, and Performance and Data Analytics, a portfolio that includes streets and sidewalks, city facilities and fleet, contracting, and the Get It Done program. She previously led the Transportation Department and its approximately 550 employees from 2023 to 2025, and served in successive leadership roles in the Stormwater Department from 2020 to 2023, advancing from Assistant Deputy Director to Deputy Director and then Director. She holds bachelor's degrees in civil engineering and architecture from Lawrence Technological University and a master's degree in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech. (GSM, based on the City of San Diego's official statement and the City Council meeting record)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：San Diego 市中心天际线全景，市政中心位于市中心区。经 Wikimedia Commons 发布（Commons 精选图片），依 Creative Commons 署名授权使用。Photo: Panoramic view of downtown San Diego, where the city's Civic Center is located. Via Wikimedia Commons (Featured Picture), used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
- 2026-10-17San Diego Mayor Gloria Appoints Bethany Bezak as City's Chief Operating Officer
- 2026-10-20Follow-Up: San Diego Council Confirms Bezak as Chief Operating Officer in 8-0 Vote: Sworn In Immediately After the VoteThis story
