Robert (Dr. Robert M.) Perez (May/July 2024 – present) — ongoing (as of late 2026). How long will he make it?

 Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr. (often called Norton Bonaparte) was Topeka’s first permanent city manager.

Topeka switched to a council-manager form of government in 2005 (after earlier mayor-council and commission systems). Bonaparte started in March 2006 as the first person hired for the role on more than an interim basis.

List of Permanent City Managers

Here is the list of the five permanent (non-interim) city managers based on available records:

• Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr. (March 2006 – ~2011; terminated by council) — ~5 years.
• Jim Colson (August 2012 – October 2016; resigned) — ~4 years.
• Brent Trout (October 2017 – end of 2021; resigned) — ~4 years.
• Stephen Wade (September 2022 – July 2023; fired) — ~10 months.
• Robert (Dr. Robert M.) Perez (May/July 2024 – present) — ongoing (as of late 2026).

Interims (e.g., Richard Nienstedt, Doug Gerber, others) served between some of these but are not counted as permanent.

Average Tenure

Using approximate completed or current tenures for the first four (to allow a full calculation): roughly 5 + 4 + 4 + 0.83 years = ~13.83 years total → average of about 3.5 years per permanent city manager.

This is a bit below the national average for city managers (often cited around 5–7 years in studies, though it varies), which aligns with Topeka’s pattern of relatively short stays, often due to resignations for personal reasons, firings, or better opportunities elsewhere.

Note: Exact start/end dates can vary slightly by source, and interims fill gaps. For the most authoritative details, check the City of Topeka’s official site or archives.

Me. Barber

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXIb_HM0J9U&t=397s 

Topeka Factor

Summary: "Henry McClure 'Live'" (YouTube video)

This is a casual, lengthy live stream (about 1 hour 13 minutes) by Henry McClure, a licensed real estate broker in Topeka, Kansas, and former mayoral candidate.

Key Details:

• Format: Informal live broadcast, likely on Facebook/YouTube, featuring conversation, local commentary, and audience interaction.
• Main Topics (from transcript snippets):
  • Light-hearted banter (e.g., "Sober October" jokes).
  • Local Topeka government discussion, including city salaries, hiring an assistant city manager, bureaucracy, and costs (e.g., criticizing high salaries for administrators while promoting his own business experience).
  • Real estate and business talk — McClure highlights his deal-making experience as a real estate professional.
  • Personal promotion: Mentions his real estate listings, career (started in 1979), and contact info.

The description notes some segments are sponsored by SNCO First (with McClure listed as Treasurer), and he promotes his real estate work and blogs.

Context on Henry McClure:

He ran for Mayor of Topeka in 2025 but lost to Spencer Duncan. He positions himself as an advocate for reducing bureaucracy and bringing business sense to local government.

The stream feels like a personal update/live chat style video rather than a polished, structured presentation. The user-linked timestamp (t=397s ≈ 6:37) falls early in the casual conversation portion.

If you want a more detailed breakdown of specific sections or topics, let me know!

Henry McClure’s Real Estate Strategies (MCRE, LLC, Topeka, KS)

Henry McClure is a veteran real estate broker with ~45 years of experience. He founded MCRE, LLC in 2000 after earlier roles at Coldwell Banker and the MaceRich Company (a major mall owner/operator). His career emphasizes commercial real estate, with a strong track record in redevelopment, leasing/sales, and navigating local government processes.

Core Focus Areas

• Commercial & Retail Specialization: Heavy emphasis on shopping mall redevelopment, commercial leasing, and sales. He also handles mixed-use developments and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects.
• Residential Involvement: Consistent work in residential sales alongside commercial activities.
• Advisory & Deal-Making Role: Acts as a broker, advisor, and "dealmaker," helping clients with site selection, investments, partnerships, zoning, platting, and complex transactions.

Key Strategies & Approach

1. Redevelopment Expertise McClure specializes in revitalizing underperforming retail properties (e.g., malls) and mixed-use/TIF projects. This involves working with public incentives, infrastructure improvements, and repositioning assets for new tenants or uses. He stresses making land "shovel-ready" through utilities, demolition, and site clearance.
2. Local Market Knowledge He frequently notes that "Real Estate is local in Nature," shaped by economic conditions, regulations, demographics, and community factors. His strategies prioritize deep understanding of Topeka/Shawnee County dynamics over generic national approaches.
3. Government Navigation & Bureaucracy Reduction A recurring theme is fighting bureaucratic hurdles in zoning, platting, incentives, and approvals. In his mayoral campaign, he advocated for uniform TIF and CID (Community Improvement District) agreements to streamline deals, reduce legal costs, and create predictability for developers.
4. Client-Centric Deal Making
   • Provides tailored solutions for new locations, profitable investments, strategic partnerships, or smooth transactions.
   • Strong negotiation focus to deliver favorable deals.
   • Long-term relationships (e.g., family involvement, such as working deals with his daughter).
5. Marketing & Visibility
   • Active content creator: Live videos, vlogs, blogs, and social media (YouTube @HenryMcClure, personal site) to share insights, listings, and build community trust.
   • Listings promoted via platforms like Crexi and LoopNet (commercial focus).
   • Personal branding as an experienced, creative, and accessible broker ("Inspiring creativity through the art of Real Estate").
6. Investment & Development Mindset
   • Encourages exploration of real estate investment opportunities.
   • Example: Developing land at 37th & Gage in Topeka for fast food, coffee shops, restaurants, and other users (including selling parcels to growing organizations like a church).

Business Model Highlights

• Independent Brokerage: Runs a lean operation (MCRE, LLC) rather than a large firm, allowing flexibility and direct client service.
• Long-Term Leasing: Interestingly, McClure himself leases his office (10-year) and home (20-year), which may reflect a strategy of preserving capital for deals rather than heavy personal ownership.
• Diversified but Specialized: Balances commercial redevelopment (higher complexity/value) with steady residential/commercial leasing.

Strengths

• Deep experience in complex, incentive-driven projects.
• Strong local network and government navigation skills.
• Personal branding through media builds visibility and trust.
• Pragmatic, results-oriented "dealmaker" approach.

Potential Limitations (Observed)

• Primary focus on Topeka metro may limit scalability for clients seeking broader regional/national opportunities.
• Emphasis on fighting bureaucracy suggests strategies rely heavily on local policy and incentives, which can be unpredictable.

Overall Assessment: McClure’s strategies suit clients needing an experienced local expert for commercial redevelopment, leasing, or TIF/mixed-use projects in the Topeka area. His approach combines traditional brokerage with modern content marketing and a pro-development, anti-bureaucracy philosophy. He positions himself as a practical problem-solver who leverages incentives and local knowledge to close deals efficiently.

Dr. City Manager

 

Trump's past rhetoric gives ammunition for holding any candidate accountable to results, outsider energy, and winning — regardless of who gets the endorsement. Kansas voters can weigh records, platforms, and that "drain the swamp" standard directly.

Trump's 2015-2016 Outsider Message was a core theme of his campaign. He repeatedly positioned himself as a successful businessman and non-politician who would "drain the swamp" and fix Washington from the outside, contrasting himself with career politicians and the establishment.

Key Quotes and Moments

• June 16, 2015 Announcement Speech (Trump Tower): Trump declared his candidacy and hammered on the need for an outsider. He said things like the system was rigged by insiders and that "we will never fix Washington from the inside unless we send someone to Washington from the outside." He emphasized his business success as proof he could get things done where politicians had failed. Full video is widely available on C-SPAN and YouTube.

• Liberty University Commencement Address (May 13, 2017) — though slightly after the initial campaign, this crystallized the theme he pushed in 2015-2016:

  “Treat the word ‘impossible’ as nothing more than motivation. Relish the opportunity to be an outsider. Embrace that label — being an outsider is fine, embrace the label — because it’s the outsiders who change the world and who make a real and lasting difference.”

  Video clips of this speech are easy to find online, where Trump directly encourages embracing outsider status against critics and the broken system.

Trump's broader 2015-2016 rhetoric framed the election as a battle against the "Washington ruling class," "career diplomats," "pinstriped bureaucrats," and establishment insiders who put America last. Supporters cited his outsider status and business experience as top reasons for backing him (per Gallup polling at the time).

This anti-establishment populism was central to his appeal: he wasn't beholden to lobbyists, had self-funded much of his early campaign, and promised bold action that career politicians wouldn't deliver.

On Tim (Ty) Masterson

Ty Masterson (often referred to as Tim in casual talk) is the longtime Kansas Senate President (since 2021) and a state legislator since 2005 (House 2005-2008, Senate since 2009). He's a career politician with over 20 years in elected office, including time on the Andover City Council. He's a realtor and small business owner by background.

President Trump endorsed him on May 24, 2026, for the Republican primary for Kansas Governor, calling him a "fantastic candidate" who "will never let you down" and praising him alongside Sen. Roger Marshall. Masterson has leaned into the endorsement, highlighting alignment on taxes, energy, borders, etc.

Your point on the contrast: You're tracking the tension between Trump's historical "outsider vs. establishment" pitch and endorsing a long-serving legislative leader in a state race. Sarnecki's campaign explicitly runs on being the true political outsider/businessman in this race — self-funding heavily, criticizing career politicians for Kansas's losses to Laura Kelly despite Trump's strong wins here, and promising business-style results on taxes, economy, etc.

Voters in the August 4, 2026 Kansas GOP primary have a choice: Masterson (establishment insider with Trump backing) or alternatives like Sarnecki (self-described outsider/business success story). It's a classic primary dynamic where endorsements can clash with the original outsider ethos that propelled Trump. Many supporters feel the same frustration you do when long-time politicians get the nod over fresh blood.

Trump's past rhetoric gives ammunition for holding any candidate accountable to results, outsider energy, and winning — regardless of who gets the endorsement. Kansas voters can weigh records, platforms, and that "drain the swamp" standard directly. 

Tim Gibbons --- You're Invited! Please join us for a special Meet & Greet with Tim Gibbons

 You're Invited!

Please join us for a special Meet & Greet with Tim Gibbons

Come say hello, enjoy great conversation, and connect with Tim in a relaxed setting.

Date: Monday, June 1, 2026 Time: 5:30 PM – to whenever

Location: The Cyrus Hotel 920 South Kansas Avenue Topeka, KS 66612

Whether you’ve known Tim for years or are just meeting him for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to chat and spend time together. Light refreshments will be served.

We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP or just show up 

Updated Profile on Tim Gibbons

Timothy "Tim" Gibbons, a Topeka, Kansas native (Topeka West High School connections), had a long and successful career as a commercial real estate leasing executive, most notably with Macerich Company (often stylized as MaceRich in earlier references). He specialized in regional mall and shopping center leasing, working on tenant mix strategies, major retailer deals, and property revitalization across markets like California and Arizona.

His tenure at Macerich spanned decades (roughly mid-1980s into the 2010s), during which he served as Vice President of Leasing. He was involved in deals for properties such as Huntington Beach Mall (early 1990s) and later Phoenix-area centers like Arrowhead Towne Center. He helped navigate the evolving retail landscape, including post-recession recovery and the shift toward experiential retail.

Retirement and Current Life

Per your update, Tim has retired from Macerich and relocated to North Carolina. This marks the end of his active executive role in mall leasing after a notable career in the REIT sector. Public profiles (e.g., LinkedIn) had previously listed him in the Phoenix, AZ area, which aligns with Macerich’s strong Western portfolio, but your info indicates a post-retirement move east.

No high-profile public announcements about his retirement appear in recent news, which is common for senior leasing VPs who operate behind the scenes rather than as C-suite figures. He maintains ties to his Topeka roots, as evidenced by local conversations and references (including your own mentions of speaking with him about real estate and his “Topeka Boy” background).

Suggested News Article / Update Piece

Here’s a polished, ready-to-adapt draft in news/feature style:

Topeka Native Tim Gibbons Retires from Macerich, Settles in North Carolina

Topeka, KS — Tim Gibbons, a hometown success story in commercial real estate, has retired after a distinguished career with Macerich Company, one of the nation’s leading owners and operators of regional shopping centers.

A Topeka native with deep local connections, Gibbons rose through the ranks at Macerich (formerly often referred to as MaceRich), serving as Vice President of Leasing. Over decades, he played a key role in leasing strategies for malls and retail properties, securing major tenants and adapting centers to changing consumer demands—from the 1990s California market to Phoenix-area developments in later years.

Friends and colleagues describe Gibbons as a knowledgeable industry veteran with a strong work ethic rooted in his Kansas upbringing. Local real estate voices, including Topeka connections, have recalled conversations highlighting his insights into the sector’s evolution amid e-commerce pressures and the need for vibrant, experience-driven retail spaces.

Now retired, Gibbons has made the move to North Carolina, where he is enjoying the next chapter of life. While he steps away from day-to-day leasing responsibilities, his contributions to Macerich’s portfolio and the broader retail real estate industry leave a lasting mark.

For a more personal angle: Include quotes from you or mutual contacts about his career reflections, favorite deals, or advice for today’s market.

Additional Notes for Your Deep Dive

• Challenges in the Sector: Macerich faced headwinds common to mall REITs (department store closures, online shopping shifts, pandemic effects). Gibbons’ work likely involved repositioning assets during these times.
• Sources: Primarily professional directories, historical press on Macerich deals, and local Topeka references. Retirement/move details come directly from you.
• Next Steps: If you have contact info or want to reach out for a direct quote/interview, that would add great color. Public records searches for NC could yield more (property, voter, etc.), but privacy limits what’s openly available.

Would you like me to expand this into a longer article, suggest interview questions, research specific Macerich properties he worked on, or help with anything else (photos, related industry context, etc.)? Just let me know how to build on this!