Local Politics · Pima County
Pima County Board Names Carmine DeBonis as New Administrator
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to appoint Carmine DeBonis as the county's next administrator, replacing retiring Jan Lesher. The selection followed a year-long national search—the first for the post since 1989—and concluded with DeBonis beating finalists Leonard Hernandez and Leah Rhineheimer. DeBonis, who began his career as a Pima County intern and most recently served as deputy county administrator, will assume the role on Jan. 8, 2027, overseeing a $1.4 billion operation with 7,000 employees across 34 departments. Contract negotiations are expected to be finalized for the board's Nov. 10 meeting.