Robert Layton has been involved in local government management for nearly 30 years. He served as City Manager from 1984 to 2008 for Urbandale, Iowa, where he focused on planned growth, quality service delivery and sound fiscal condition.

Before going to Urbandale, he was an assistant to the City Manager in Des Moines, Iowa from 1980 to 1984; prior to that he was a budget analyst and public management intern for Kansas City, MO.

Bob earned a graduate degree in public administration from of Syracuse University and he earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Drake University.

He is a member of the International City/County Management Association, a former president of the Iowa City/County Management Association and a former executive board member of the Iowa League of Cities.

His other activities include Chair of the City Finance Committee for the State of Iowa; Board of Directors for Public Technology Inc.; Board of Directors of Iowa Municipalities Workers Compensation Association; Board of Directors for Iowa One Call; Practitioner in Residence at Iowa State University; Wichita Art Museum, Inc. Board of Trustees; Vice Chair of the Community Unit of United Way of the Plains 2010 Campaign Cabinet, and United Way Board of Directors.

Bob became Wichita’s City Manager on Feb. 2, 2009. He reports to a seven-member City Council and he oversees 3,000 employees, a $500 million annual budget and a $2.6 billion Capital Improvement Program.

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