(Here is my full, unedited, most recent article for West Newsmagazine.)
After the
announcement that he was moving on to become the CEO of the Great Rivers
Greenway (GRG), the June 23, 2025 Creve Coeur Council meeting ended with Mark
Perkins, city administrator for 26 years, beginning a nationwide search for an
organization to lead the quest for his own replacement. MGT was that eventual
chosen entity.
Fast forward to the Jan. 12, 2026 meeting,
and ironically, no one really had to look very far to complete the selection
process among some 44 applicants.
Kristoffer Simpson, who is no stranger to
Creve Coeur, was unanimously voted into the city administrator position after
Mayor Bob Hoffman read the resolution.
(Photo is courtesy of the city of Creve Coeur.)
“It’s my
pleasure to present Kris Simpson this evening as my nominee for the position of
city administrator for the City Council’s consideration and vote,” Hoffman
said. “Kris is a St. Louis native with more than 15 years of municipal
government experience and a deep commitment to public service. He currently
serves as City Administrator for Crestwood—a role he’s held with distinction
for the past 10 years. Prior to that, he worked for Chesterfield and Maryland
Heights, building a strong reputation as a thoughtful, collaborative, and
result-driven leader.”
Before those
achievements, Simpson attended Priory School in Creve Coeur. He then moved on
to earn a Bachelor of Ats in Political Science from Loyola University of
Maryland and a Masters of Public Policy Administration from the University of
Missouri-St. Louis.
Hoffman
added that, “Kris is a credential manager through the International City/County
Management Association, reflecting his dedication to the highest professional
standards in local government.”
The highlight of Simpson’s recent
accomplishments was leading a significant financial turnaround that nearly
doubled Crestwood’s General Fund reserves, which resulted in a major boost to a
AAA credit rating. Other accomplishments noted in an official Creve Coeur report
was Simpson’s ‘guiding the redevelopment of a 47-acre former mall site into a
vibrant mixed-use community, leading a $33 million bond initiative to fund a
community center construction project, and implementing strategic technology
investments to enhance city services.’
In
addition to all that, Simpson
serves on the Board of the St. Louis Area City/County Management Association, the
St. Louis Area Insurance Trust, the Missouri Municipal League, and several
other professional municipal organizations.
In a previous statement to the city staff,
Simpson said, “I am honored to serve as Creve Coeur’s next city administrator. This
city has a highly engaged community, a talented staff and leadership team, and
exciting projects underway. I look forward to working with the Mayor, City
Council, staff, residents, and local partners to build on the city’s strong
foundation and achieve its long-term goals.”
Hoffman
ended his resolution speech by thanking Council President Mark Manlin (Ward 1),
members of the City Council, City Attorney Carl Lumley, and Interim City
Administrator Sharon Stott for all their hard work in the process.
“The
selection of a city administrator is one of the most consequential decisions we
will make for the future of our community,” he said. “Based on where Creve
Coeur is today and where we want to be in the foreseeable future, I firmly
believe Kris Simpson is the right leader at the right time to serve our city.”
Simpson will officially
begin his duties as Creve Coeur city administrator on Feb. 17.
