FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 1, 2006

City appoints downtown coordinator and CIMO acting manager

City Manager Wayne A. Cauthen announced Dec.1 the appointment of Rick Usher as the new City of Kansas City, Mo., downtown project coordinator and the appointment of Ralph Davis as the acting manager of the Capital Improvements Management Office.

Usher will report to the city manager and work closely with the Public Works Department, Capital Improvements Management Office, Law Department, Finance Department, and City Planning and Development Department.

"The position of downtown coordinator is a great fit with Rick's skill set. We look forward to his concentrated effort in assisting in the fulfillment of Mayor Barnes' River-Crown-Plaza vision for a continuous and inter-connected downtown," Cauthen said.

As the downtown project coordinator, Usher will be responsible for expediting downtown development; reducing delays resulting from working with various jurisdictions; accelerating construction and completion of downtown improvements; ensuring that downtown organizations are adhering to directives and policies as dictated by the City; serving as the master facilitator, action plan coordinator and resource expert; and evaluating existing program effectiveness and developing new plans to improve initiatives.

Usher has worked in the City Planning and Development Department since April 1985. As the manager of the Permits Division of the City Planning Department since 1996, he resolved complex issues surrounding the development process.

His background also includes serving as the supervisor of the Permit Center (1989 -- 1996), supervisor of the Investigations Branch (1988 -- 1989), construction code inspector (1985 -- 1988), and engineering aide for the Public Works Department (1985).

Usher has a bachelor's degree in construction engineering technology from Louisiana Tech University. He is a certified building official.

Usher will begin his new duties on Jan. 2, 2007.

Davis will manage the Capital Improvements Management Office, which serves as a clearinghouse for $1.2 billion in projects. It was created to more efficiently and quickly deliver previously funded improvement projects like streets, bridges, fire stations and sewers. Among the more high-profile projects it manages are the Power & Light District, the Sprint Center, the Liberty Memorial Museum expansion and Kansas City Zoo improvements. The office was established in January 2004.

"Ralph has been an integral member of the Capital Improvements Management Office since its beginning. I am confident that with his leadership skills, knowledge of the staff and experience working on many high-profile City projects, Ralph will keep CIMO running smoothly," Cauthen said.

In this position he will manage professional engineers, construction managers and project support personnel, and he will be responsible for ensuring the timely and cost-effective management of capital projects.

Most recently, Davis was the interim manager of the Project Delivery Division of the Capital Improvements Management Office. In this position, he was the project manager of the Sprint Center and the Music Hall. He has been a City employee since 1994 and all of his other positions have been in the Public Works Department.

His background in the Public Works Department includes serving as the manager of the Project Administration Section of the Engineering Division (2001 -- 2004), manager of the Street Design Services Section of the Engineering Division (1997 -- 2001), group leader of the Sidewalk Design Group in the Street Design Services Section of the Engineering Division (1996 -- 1997), and registered engineer in the Urban Drainage Design Group in the Engineering Division (1994 -- 1996). Before working for the City, Davis served as a civil engineer at Juneau Associates Inc. in Granite City, Ill. (1990 -- 1994), and as a project resident engineer in the Construction Division at the St. Louis County Department of Highways and Traffic (1988 -- 1990).

He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He is a registered engineer in Missouri and Illinois.

Davis will begin his duties immediately.