Sheryl Sculley

Sheryl Sculley served as San Antonio City Manager from 2005-2019. She was recruited to San Antonio to turn-around an underperforming organization. Sculley quickly evaluated talent and initiated changes in the entire executive staff, worked with her new team to get the city’s financial house in order achieving triple AAA bond ratings, and developed the largest infrastructure bond programs in the city’s history totaling more than $2 billion.

During Sculley’s tenure, she also worked on the development of her staff implementing executive, mid-management and first-line supervisory academies; a fellowship program for Public Administration graduates; and a Women’s Leadership Program for female city employees. She elevated wages and benefits for city employees who compensation was inferior to the regional competition. One of her proudest accomplishments is the high-performing team that was built during her tenure and the service improvements to the residents of San Antonio.

Sculley’s work as city manager focused on the center city and downtown redevelopment. As a downtown resident herself, she saw the potential of making San Antonio a home for residents and local business and a destination for leisure travelers. With partnership organizations, the Riverwalk was extended more than 10 miles, Hemisfair was redesigned, the Tobin Performing Art Center was created and the Alamo was reimagined into a project that befits its prominence in Texas history.

Outside of her work at city hall, Sculley served on the United Way board for more than 10 years and was chairwoman of the 2013 annual campaign raising a record $51.5 million for community social service organizations. As a marathon runner herself, Sculley also was instrumental in bringing the Rock and Roll Marathon to San Antonio and worked to turn San Antonio into a healthier and physically fit city.

After 45 years of public service in three cities in three states, Sculley retired from city management in 2019. Today, she is a professor of public management and serves on several non-profit and corporate boards. In 2023, Sculley received the Distinguished Service Award from the International City Management Association.