Tell us about yourself and how your career path led you to Hagerty Consulting.
After serving as Chief of Staff for the City of Detroit’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer and helping Detroit recover post-bankruptcy, I became more convinced that times of crisis can create unique opportunities for the government to reform itself and improve outcomes for its constituents. Hagerty Consulting’s work enables me to help all levels of government and communities not only when they are most in need, but also when the opportunities are greatest.
What do you find most rewarding about public service?
At its core, public service focuses on improving people’s lives and helping solve some of our largest challenges. Being able to help governments organize and operate better, and then seeing how that helps people in their daily lives, is what I find most rewarding about public service.
Given your experience with financial and change management, what fiscal issues should local governments and communities be paying close attention to as they continue to recover from COVID-19?
In my experience, the most impactful fiscal and economic recoveries are strategic and comprehensive. They re-imagine how services, programs, and investments are delivered in the short- and long-term.
Here are a few considerations that local governments should think about:
- Evaluate each funding source and determine the best approach to leverage available funds and maximize their impact. Consider centralizing grants management, as Detroit did, to establish a government-wide approach and help drive recovery.
- Identify eligible Federal fund recipients, including American Rescue Plan recipients, in your community and collaborate to the extent possible. This will help create a community-wide approach, speed up recovery, and may create cost-savings.
- Prioritize using one-time, Federal funding for one-time expenditures. Doing otherwise may create a structurally imbalanced budget. Plan for any ongoing expenses created by one-time expenditures and conduct long-term financial planning to understand how decisions today may impact the community in the future.
FUN FACTS
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I enjoy reading, spending time outside, and traveling. I also enjoy wine and learning about wine’s impact on a place’s culture and identity.
What author do you admire most and why?
A specific author is tough, but I enjoy memoirs and other non-fiction. I am currently reading “The Overstory” by Richard Powers.
John Hageman is a Senior Manager in Hagerty’s Recovery Division. Prior to joining Hagerty, John was Chief of Staff for the City of Detroit’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer, helping Detroit recover post-bankruptcy. He also has a background in management consulting with a focus in strategic project management, public sector finance and administration, and restructuring all of which he employed working with the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico (FOMB) as well as during his tenure with the City of Detroit.