Today, Mayor Toby Barker announced Dr. John G. “Greg” Ladner
as assistant to the mayor. He will work specifically with developing a strategic plan for Hattiesburg, reviewing the city’s administrative structure and working on other specific initiatives.
Ladner most recently served as interim superintendent of the Hattiesburg Public School District. In that role, he successfully kept the school district financially solvent, engaged community stakeholders and stabilized administrative costs.
“As we continue to hire the best possible talent to serve the citizens of Hattiesburg, I think it’s equally important for us to look at how we can identify current issues and also plan for the future,” said Barker. “Dr. Ladner has tremendous experience in organizational management with a variety of municipalities and school districts, including recently with Hattiesburg Public Schools. It’s a great win for our city for him to guide us through a strategic plan.”
Ladner will look at the city’s organizational structure. This process will likely take between 18 and 24 months.
“I was excited to serve the citizens, students and taxpayers of the Hattiesburg School District during the 2015-2016 school year and I’m thankful to continue serving the citizens and taxpayers of Hattiesburg,” said Ladner. “Working in this new role with Mayor Barker and the council will allow the city of Hattiesburg to progress at a rapid, exciting pace.”
A Lumberton native, Ladner currently resides in Hattiesburg. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in education from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. He retired in 2010 after serving four years as superintendent of the Pearl Public School District.
Prior to Pearl Public School District, he served as superintendent of Lumberton School District and as interim superintendent of Moss Point Public Schools. He also has experience in working as a trainer for school boards and superintendents with the Mississippi School Board Association for more than 30 districts across the state.
Ladner is the fifth person to be added to Barker’s administrative team, joining Ann Jones as chief administrative officer, Kermas Eaton as city clerk, Samantha McCain as chief communications officer, and Andrew Ellard as director of urban development.