Having been with the City of Long Beach since 2005, Assistant City Manager Suzanne Frick has announced that she will be leaving her position to take on the role of City Administrator for the City of Ketchum, Idaho.

“It is a very difficult decision for me to leave Long Beach,” said Frick in a press release. “But I have always had a special place in my heart for the City of Ketchum and the Sun Valley area, and always hoped to live there one day.”

Frick’s professional life has always been SoCal-centric, having served with the City of Santa Monica for 11 years in their Planning and Community Development department before first joining Long Beach as its Director of Planning and Building. She moved onto serving as Assistant City Manager in December of 2007.

“We are losing one of the City’s very best, but I wish Suzanne all the best as she pursues her dream,” said City Manager Patrick West. “This City has benefited tremendously from Suzanne’s passion, dedication, and talent. We see the results of her efforts all around us, and her presence will be sorely missed.”

The move to Ketchum is an idyllic one, with the town being known for its playful side as both a summer and winter vacation destination in the center of Sun Valley. Ketchum only has about 2,600 permanent residents while catering to tourists year-round who visit Bald Mountain for skiing and Trailing of the Sheep for amusement.

“The opportunity to become City Administrator was something I knew I had to try for if ever given the chance,” Frick said. “My experience in Long Beach has been nothing short of incredible, and I am constantly impressed by the professionalism, dedication and ability of City of Long Beach employees. This team has risen to every challenge presented to them, and I am proud to be a small part of the success Long Beach has achieved over the past several years.”