MOULTRIE, Ga. — A week ago, Moultrie City Council narrowed its search for a city manager to two candidates. One that made the cut is Moultrie’s own Peter F. Dillard and the other is  J.D. Cox of Alliance, Neb.

The Moultrie Observer requested a copy of their resumes and the following is an overview of the two candidates:

Dillard has 43 years of business experience, working as a financial analyst for two Fortune 500 companies. In that role, he has served as plant controller, production manager and plant manager.

Later he moved to a small privately-owned business and became general manager of the corporation where he directed sales that grew from $3 million annually to $12 million.

Dillard established Colquitt Columns as a new privately-owned company manufacturing and selling aluminum and fiberglass columns. After operating that firm for 18 months, he sold it to Digger Specialties Inc. and was hired by that firm to establish fiberglass manufacturing and outsourcing agreements for the company’s product line. Later he consulted on aluminum and fiberglass column lines.

From 1971 to 1974, Dillard was a general accountant/cost analyst with American Hospital Supply Corp.; 1974 to 1978, plant financial analyst for Celanese Corp.;  1978-1982, plant controller of Celanese Corp; 1982-1988 he was plant manager of Dominion Textiles – Mirafi Division; 1988-2011, he was vice president and general manager of Moultrie Manufacturing Co.; from 2012-2014, owner and general manager of Colquitt Columns; 2014 to present, column specialist with DSI Columns.

Dillard received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in accounting at Georgia College in Milledgeville where he also earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 1974.

He has been active in civic affairs in Moultrie and Colquitt County where he has served as past president of Moultrie Rotary, twice the United Way fund drive chairman, board of directors of the Moultrie YMCA, vestry member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, presenter for Choices program in Colquitt County schools, fund raiser for American Cancer Society and American Heart Association and vice chairman of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Planning Commission.

Cox is currently city manager of Alliance Nebraska, a post he has held since 2011. Prior to that job, he was city administrator of Neodesha, Kan., from 2004 to 2010. He also served as mayor of Neodesha from 1998 until 2004. From 1993 until 2004, he was IT manager for M-E-C Co. in Neodesha.

Business activities prior to 1993 include business relations manager for Electronic Data Systems, Vehicle Division, Plano, Texas, 1992 until 1993; Sooner Federal S&L, Tulsa, Okla., 1991 until 1992; Service Bureau Woburn, Ma., 1990 until 1991 and AT&T City of Chicago, 1989-1990.

Cox received his Masters Degree in Business Administration at the University of Mississippi. Prior to that he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas. He also attended Independence Community College, majoring in business and was active in student government.

He was invited to be a participant in the Leadership Neodesha program and became president of the Neodesha Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Board of Leadership in Neodesha and later transitioned to the post of Chairman of Leadership Wilson County. 

In 1997 he was elected mayor of Neodesha, a post he served for seven years. In 2002, he was named Kansas Mayor of the Year. 

In Alliance he has managed a $44 million annual budget and a $13.2 million capital budget. The City of Alliance has 110 full-time employees.

During his service in Alliance he has served as a coach and mentor for other city managers.

Cox said he is a strong advocate of openness and transparency in government. He offered this comment in his resume relative to his leadership style:

“I strive for consistency with applications of rules, ordinances and treatment of staff. I am very careful to use my authority sparingly, choosing instead to encourage decisions as a team.”