City Staff

City Manager
John Kachmar

John Kachmar has 21 years of experience as a county administrator for full service county governments in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota and South Carolina. As a full service county administrator, Kachmar was responsible for all municipal functions, including police, fire, public works and community development and also airports, school systems and 911 services.

Kachmar began his career in local government management in his native Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in 1986 following a six-year stint on Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff for US Rep. Don Ritter (R-PA). He then served as County Administrator for St. Louis County, MN (1993-1996), St. Mary's County, MD (1996-1999) and Beaufort County, SC (1999-2003). In 2003 Kachmar formed Atlantic Coast Consulting to develop infrastructure financings for public/private partnerships.

He served with the US Marines in Vietnam from 1966 through 1968 and was awarded 2 purple hearts, a Navy achievement medal with combat V and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Kachmar spent 15 years in the Marine, Army, and Navy Reserves.

He holds a BA from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, with further studies at the JFK School of Government, Pepperdine University and the National Institute of Corrections.

Kachmar is a member of the International City Managers Association (ICMA), the South Carolina Managers Association and the Capitol Hill Former Administrative Assistants Association.

City Attorney
William F. Riley, Esq.

A native Atlantan, Riley is a founding partner in the Marietta law firm of Riley Lewis & McLendon, one of only two Georgia firms experienced in representing cities in government/private service partnerships and one of only three Georgia law firms to have brought a new city online.

As a volunteer counselor, he helped draft the Johns Creek incorporation legislation and represented the Governor's Commission for the City of Johns Creek.

Primarily a trial attorney until he was appointed to the bench in 1995, Riley served as Chief Judge of Atlanta Municipal Court until he retired in 2004 and returned to private practice, focusing on municipal law, eminent domain and development authority representation.

Riley received his law degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law and was admitted to practice before the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 1981.

He has been honored with the Central Atlanta Progress Civilian of the Year award, the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board's President's Award and the State Bar of Georgia's Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Service. He is a two time recipient of the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism.

Sheryl Boell
Director, Operations

Boell has a 22-year public service career, serving as City Manager for La Habra Heights, CA and Assistant City Manager for Redondo Beach and Dana Point, CA. In addition, she has served several Southern California cities in mid or senior management capacities including, Public Works, Community Development, Public Safety, Finance, Administrative Services, Emergency Services, Parks & Recreation and Information Services.

She was most recently a Project Development Manager with Regent Development, Inc. during its construction of the new Lathrop, CA City Hall and the $126 million Stockton Event Center Arena & Ballpark facilities, California's largest 2004-2005 redevelopment project.

Boell has a B.S., Business Administration (Minor, Business Law) from California State Polytechnic University and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from California State University. She's a graduate of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Academy as a Level III and II Reserve Police Officer and is a two-time graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Training Program.

Boell is the author of "Construction Management of the 90's", published by the American Public Works Association (APWA).

Mike Williams
Director, Community Development

Williams is a native of Atlanta and brings 28 years of experience in municipal and county planning to his position as Director of Community Development for the City of Johns Creek.

He most recently served as Director of Planning and Development for Gwinnett County, ending 20 years of service to that county.

Prior to his work in Gwinnett, Williams served in planning positions for St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, and Fulton County.

He holds a BS from West Georgia College and a Master's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Ken Hildebrandt
Director, Public Works

A native Atlantan, Hildebrandt has over 26 years of experience in the civil engineering field, serving most recently as a City Engineer for Smyrna, GA, for the past 16 years.

In that capacity, Hildebrandt was responsible for budgeting, scheduling and implementation of $43 million dollars SPLOST Programs for road Improvements; overseeing the widening of Atlanta and Spring roads; and helping develop the Smyrna Market Village, a mixed-used community/redevelopment project.

His expertise includes road design, site development, hydrology studies, erosion and sedimentation control, traffic signalization and storm water management.

Hildebrandt holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Kirk Franz
Recreation & Parks Manager

Franz has lived and worked in the Johns Creek Community since 1997 and brings over 10 years of experience in Parks and Recreation to the City.

He most recently served as Director of Newtown Recreation, a non-profit youth athletic association which supports programs at Johns Creek's Newtown Park. In that position, Franz oversaw all of Newtown Park's programs, which serve 5,000 participants each year.

Prior to his position with Newtown Recreation, Franz served as the Youth Athletics Coordinator for the City of Alpharetta.

He earned a Business Management Degree from Kansas State University.