Sean C. Morgan
The City of Sweet Home’s new finance director brings several years of experience in budgeting from a post at Western Oregon University.
Brandon Neish, 29, succeeds Pat Gray, who retires at the end of the month.
“Brandon has experience in all the areas we really need,” said City Manager Ray Towry. “He’s got a ton of experience in budgeting and payroll, and he’s done some innovative things in his past.”
Neish brings knowledge of different technologies and different ideas, Towry said, and he has flourished and climbed the ladder with his former employer, gaining new responsibilities.
“We’re excited about his potential,” Towry said.
Neish said he loves Sweet Home.
“Small communities have something I’ve enjoyed,” he said. “I think the community has a lot to be proud of. I’m really happy to be here. I’m very excited to work here for the city and the residents.”
Neish and his wife, Samantha Neish, currently live in Albany. She works for Trillium Family Services in Corvallis. They have a 2-year-old son, Lucas.
Neish grew up in Beaverton, graduating from Sunset High School in 2006. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business accounting at WOU in 2011, then went to work for WOU and began pursuing a master’s degree in public affairs with an emphasis in local government at Portland State University.
He started his career as office coordinator in the WOU student government office before moving to the budget and payroll office, where he worked for five years.
“It was a good job,” Neish said, noting that it enabled him to continue his education.
“I chose local government because I thought it would fit best with what I was doing at Western,” Neish said. He wanted to work in city or county government.
“You have a lot more ability to work directly for citizens,” he said, providing services that are useful and not wasteful.
“For me, numbers are fun,” Neish said. “It’s always different. Everything changes in the finance field, and there’s always something different.”
Part of the appeal, he said, was getting his own personal budget under control.
As an undergraduate, he had some financial stumbles, Neish said. He ultimately was able to solve them, and it was fun.
“I’m not good with physical puzzles, but financial puzzles and numbers, I love it,” Neish said.
At WOU, he initially was a “grunt worker,” he said. Ultimately, he became budget manager for the school.
“That’s when it got interesting,” he said.
Gray has laid “a solid foundation,” Towry said. “We can account for every penny.”
Neish said he’ll just pick up what she has already started.
“She’s done some fantastic work here. I have some very big shoes to fill.”
Neish began working with Gray this month to smooth the transition.
As he comes into Sweet Home, the city is working on two major projects that will involve the Finance Department heavily, upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the remodel of the new City Hall.
“They’re both things I think the city will definitely benefit from,” Neish said.