A one-on-one with Coppell’s new Deputy City Manager

Courtesy of Kent Collins

Coppell Gazette
By Arianna Morrison | Star Local Media
February 1, 2023

Last week, Kent Collins was selected by the City of Coppell to serve as the new Deputy City Manager.

This is not Collins first role with Coppell since he has served as the city’s Director of Public Works since 2018 and he has worked for various organizations in the state of Texas including Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and the Town of Flower Mound.

Since working in Coppell, Collins has been involved with several projects including the reconstruction of Freeport Pkwy and Parkway Blvd., Denton Tap Road, and S. Belt Line Road.

Continue reading to learn more about Collins and some things he is looking forward to in his new role as Deputy City Manager.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Born and raised in North Texas, college at Texas A&M University (BS & MS in Civil Engineering), worked in public service my entire career (almost 28 years), married to my wife Amy for 29 years, lived in Grapevine since 1997, have twin daughters who are seniors in high school.

How did you know being Deputy City Manager was something you wanted to pursue as a career?

I have been fortunate to work for some great city managers and assistant/deputy city managers so I have had really good mentors and role models. I also served in a similar role in Flower Mound, so I knew if an opportunity came open to compete for a deputy position in Coppell I wanted to be prepared to pursue it. And I was fortunate to be selected to serve in this role to help the organization do great things for the community.

What are you most excited for when it comes to this new role?

Just the opportunity to bring my background and experience to help the organization be in a position to succeed in what we do as an organization, which is to serve the community. Helping others succeed is what really makes me happiest at work.

In what other ways have you served the city of Coppell?

I worked for Coppell originally as a young engineer between 1998 and 2000. I returned in 2016 as Assistant Director of Engineering and then was selected to serve as director of the department (Public Works) in 2018. I have been in that role since 2018.

What are you most looking forward to when it comes to engaging with the Coppell community as Deputy City Manager?

I will have more interaction with City Council, and I look forward to those opportunities. With the expanded role I expect to have more direct involvement with business and civic organizations, opportunities to meet with neighborhood groups, and generally be more involved in city-related events. I enjoy meeting with groups and individuals to understand their needs and how they experience the services we provide. Those conversations help us understand where we are excelling, how we might improve, and help us understand our customers.

What is your favorite part about working at the city of Coppell?

The organizational culture. We have a culture built around service to the community and to each other. We emphasize service and teamwork in everything we do. It makes it fun to come to work because we are all pulling for each other’s success.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, cooking/baking, reading, watching sports, playing tennis and playing golf. I have just started playing pickleball as well.

Please share anything else you'd like to share that you think Coppell residents should know.

I am very excited for this next chapter of service in Coppell. I know I will learn a lot, will be challenged, but mostly hope that I can help the organization continue to provide outstanding services and experiences to the community.