Dallas Assistant City Manager Donzell Gipson, who oversaw facilities, real estate, fleet management, procurement, and other key operations for the City of Dallas, will retire on April 30 after 28 years of service.
Gipson had served as interim assistant city manager since 2024 before his promotion to the permanent role in 2025. He previously directed Equipment and Fleet Management and held leadership posts across Facilities and Real Estate Management, Procurement Services, Information and Technology Services, and the Civil Service Department.
In a memo to Mayor Eric Johnson and the City Council, City Manager Kim Tolbert credited Gipson with thoughtful leadership, innovation, and a strong commitment to public service. Among his accomplishments, he developed a preventative maintenance program for public safety facilities aimed at reducing deferred maintenance, expanded GPS technology to improve oversight of the city’s vehicles and equipment, and led the relocation of the city’s data center from City Hall to a modern facility to strengthen organizational resilience.
He also revamped City Council engagement on real estate transactions through the Finance Committee and Executive Session briefings. In procurement, Gipson supported an interdepartmental strike team that increased the city manager’s signatory authority for greater efficiency and helped create a monthly Procurement Accountability Report. He additionally facilitated the new Developing Regional & Inclusive Vendor Enterprises, or DRIVE, program to expand opportunities for small and local businesses.
