From Staff Reports

DURHAM —  W. Bowman “Bo” Ferguson, who served as Hendersonville’s city manager for five years, recently was named the new city manager of Durham.

Hendersonville has a population of 15,466 citizens, while Durham is much larger at 296,186 residents. (Both population numbers are from 2023.)

Following the retirement of City Manager Wanda Page on Dec, 31 Durham City Council elevated Ferguson from his second-in-command role as deputy city manager to the top executive.

In a new release, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams said, “Bo Ferguson is the right leader to guide Durham’s future.

“With more than a decade of dedicated service to our city and nearly three decades of experience in local government, he has the expertise, vision and a deep commitment to our organization’s values and our community’s values.

“The City Council is hiring someone who can lead a workfoce of nearly 3,000 people and truly loves Durham. Bo has shown that he can be present for the Durham community at large.

“He has proven his ability to lead with innovation, inclusivity and fiscal responsibility. He’s vested in Durham and so are we.”

Prior to his move to Durham, Ferguson served as city manager in Hendersonville from 2008 to 2013. From 2005 to 2008, he was assistant town manager in Black Mountain. From 1996 to 2005, he held leadership roles in Rockville, Md., and Greenbelt, Md.

Ferguson holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in political science and urban studies from Furman University.