Hendersonville Appoints Longtime City Employee as City Manager

A man in a dark blue suit is smiling.

City Council appointed Brian Pahle as Hendersonville's new City Manager at their regularly scheduled August meeting. This shift comes as previous City Manager, John Connet, takes a new role serving the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) as its Director of City Relations. 

"Brian has served in several leadership roles and brings extensive knowledge of the organization and community to this position," said John Connet. "As I step away from this role, I do so with confidence, knowing the City is well-positioned for continued success with Brian's leadership. He is also fortunate to be supported by an exceptional team." 

Pahle has served as Hendersonville's Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Manager for the last nine years, with an additional three years of service as the City's Budget & Evaluation Director Manager, Assistant to the City Manager, and Budget & Management Analyst. He is a Credentialed Manager (CM) with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and serves as the Treasurer on the Carolina Public Entity Cooperative Board of Trustees. Pahle has served as the President and in other leadership roles with the NC Local Government Budget Association and is a Certified Local Government Budget Officer. He is also a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA), Municipal and County Administration, and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) Fellows programs. He earned his Master of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Professional Legal Studies from Appalachian State University.

Pahle will assume the role of City Manager beginning October 1, 2026, leading a team of approximately 330 employees across multiple departments. Working in partnership with City Council, Pahle will advance the City's strategic priorities, guide long-term planning efforts, manage the City's operations and budget, and continue fostering a culture of excellent public service for the Hendersonville Community. 

"Council has full confidence in Brian's ability to lead our organization," said Mayor Volk. "His leadership, experience, and commitment to serving our community has earned the trust of Council, and we look forward to working together as Hendersonville continues to move forward." 

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