Mayor Tom Watson

Tom Watson is the former president and co-owner, along with his wife Barbara, of Tom Watson's Prosthetic and Orthotics Labs, Inc. He recently retired after fifty years in the prosthetics industry. Tom studied at the Northwestern University Medical School at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. He entered the field of prosthetics and orthotics in 1972 after a construction accident left him in need of a prosthesis but without resources to procure one.

Tom has served on numerous local, state, and national boards, and spent many years as a paraprofessional football and baseball coach at both the high school and collegiate levels. He was a founding member of the KFL youth football league, for which he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with youth sports. Watson is also a recipient of the Owensboro Public School Hall of Achievement Award and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his excellence in prosthetic care for individuals with limb loss. Currently, he serves on the You Decide, Kentucky! Board, as well as the Kentucky League of Cities, Inc. Board of Directors.

Watson first served as Mayor of Owensboro from 2005 to 2008. He was re-elected in 2017 and again in 2021. Following his recent re-election, he is now serving his fourth term, holding the distinction of being the longest-serving mayor in Owensboro's history. Tom and Barbara have two sons, David and Jeff Phelps, two daughters-in-law, Trisha and Krystal, seven grandchildren, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of two great-grandchildren.

Commissioner Bob Glenn

City Commissioner Bob Glenn rejoins the commission after a two year hiatus. He looks forward to serving the community and moving Owensboro forward.

Bob Glenn is a long-time resident of Owensboro and Daviess County. He is an award winning veteran educator at Owensboro Community College (Professor of Communication/Director of Forensics), a Lay Pastor at Bethlehem UMC, a certified High School sports official, and a tireless advocate for our community. As an educator, Bob has coached the award winning OCTC Speech and Debate team for over three decades.

Bob serves on several community non-profit boards including as chair of the H.L. Neblett Center, and as a member of St. Benedicts Homeless Shelter, Crossroads Women’s Emergency Shelter, Imagination Library of Daviess County, and the Bold Promise Scholarship Committee boards.

Bob served three successful terms as an Owensboro City Commissioner (from 2012-2018). In 2016, he was elected Mayor Pro Tem by earning the most votes among 10 challengers. He is married to Holly, his wife of 30 years, and they have two adult children, Bobby (a Firefighter) and Caitlin (a Nurse). Bob and Holly are longtime members of Settle United Methodist Church.

If you have questions or need help with a city service or issue contact Commissioner Glenn at [email protected] or (270) 929-7471.

Commissioner Jeff Sanford

Jeff Sanford, son of Gerald and Linda Sanford, graduated from Apollo High School in 1986 and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Western Kentucky University in 1991. Jeff is a real estate advisor for Hartz Real Estate LLC. He and his wife, Dr. Misty Brey Sanford, have two children, Dylan and Payton, and are parishioners at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Jeff previously served as City Commissioner from 2011 to 2016 and from 2019 to 2022, and is returning for a sixth term. He is the former CEO of American Classifieds in Bowling Green, KY and Nashville, TN, and has served on numerous community boards, including the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County, City Employees’ Pension Board, the Owensboro Housing Authority, Owensboro Family YMCA, and the Lighthouse Recovery Board. He has been very active in youth sports through the years and has coached basketball at Owensboro High School and Owensboro Catholic High School.

Commissioner Curtis Maglinger

Curtis Maglinger, a lifelong resident of Owensboro, KY, is a dedicated community leader and family man. The son of former Commissioner Larry Maglinger and Peggy Maglinger, Curtis values the legacy of service instilled in him. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 24 years and are the proud parents of Brooklyn Maglinger, age 21. Curtis feels especially blessed after Brooklyn’s successful heart transplant in 2023, which has given their family renewed hope and excitement for the future.

Curtis understands the needs and aspirations of the younger generation and is passionate about representing their interests. A graduate of Daviess County High School and Owensboro Community College, he has built a successful career over the past 30 years with Custom Audio-Video, where he now serves as owner alongside his brother, Bradley Maglinger.

Curtis’s commitment to Owensboro is evident through his service as a past board member of several organizations, including the RiverPark Center, Owensboro Museum of Science and History, Chamber of Young Professionals, Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, Daviess County High School PAWS, Red Cross, and Dream Riders of Kentucky. He is also a member of Walnut Memorial Baptist Church.

Curtis has honed his leadership skills, emphasizing fairness, open-mindedness, collaboration, and the ability to make tough decisions. These qualities will guide his work as Owensboro City Commissioner, where he strives to create a brighter future for all residents.

Commissioner Sharon NeSmith

Commissioner Sharon NeSmith was appointed by the Owensboro Board of Commissioners on May 17, 2023, to fulfill the 2023 vacant seat of Commissioner Larry Maglinger, who had passed away.  She won the 2023 general election, to continue serving through 2024.  She has filed to run for the seat of City Commissioner for the 2025-2026 term. The primary will be held on May 21, 2024, and the general election is November 5, 2024.

Parents, Anna and Duff Gray, were long-time residents of Owensboro.  Her father worked at Green River Steel as an electrician.  Her mom co-owned a beauty shop with Mr. Jim, earned her teaching degree from Murray State and taught cosmetology in the Owensboro/Daviess County vocational system. Sharon, along with her brother Jeff and husband Gene, worked and retired from BellSouth/AT&T.  Sharon has previously worked with the Elizabeth Munday Senior Center and currently is the General Manager for the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown.

She holds a Master of Science in Management from Brescia University, a Bachelor of Science in Business from McKendree University, and is a graduate of Daviess County High School.   Currently, Sharon serves on the following boards:  Owensboro Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, BBQ & Barrels, American Association of University Women and the Steering Committee of the Alliance for a Drug Free Owensboro & Daviess County.  Previous community board service includes Telephone Pioneers of America, American Red Cross, Owensboro Museum of Science & History, and the International BBQ Festival.  She is a member of the Leadership Class of 2016 and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award – Council on Service and Civic Participation 2009-2014.

Sharon and her late husband, Gene NeSmith, have a blended family with 3 daughters and 1 son: Kay Thompson –KY (David), Sandy NeSmith –FL (Clayton), Sherri NeSmith –KY (Tim) and Michael Stewart – FL (Teresa), along with their respective families.

As a Commissioner, Sharon’s objectives include: finding the facts, collaborating with impacted parties and ensuring everyone has information and a voice when opportunities or concerns arise.  Assisting Owensboro in finding common ground to initiate changes is critical for the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of government services to serve and represent the community and individuals.

City Manager Nate Pagan

Nate Pagan has served as City Manager for the City of Owensboro since June of 2018 after briefly serving as Assistant City Manager. Prior to coming to Owensboro, Nate was City Administrator for the City of Hopkinsville, KY for approximately 5 years and has over 17 years of local government management experience. He has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Bachelor of Science from Murray State University. Nate currently serves as a Vice President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the first ICMA VP from Kentucky since 1953, is a Past President of the Kentucky City/County Management Association, and is an ICMA credentialed manager. Nate’s wife Michelle is a high school math teacher, and they are parents to two sons, Andrew and Griffin.