Scott Ochoa

Scott Ochoa began his career in local government as an intern with the City of Monrovia in 1993 while in his senior year at Claremont McKenna College.  In 1996, Ochoa earned his Master’s in Public Administration from USC with an emphasis on public-sector entrepreneurship.  By 2004, he had risen through the organization and was appointed City Manager by the Monrovia City Council.  During his tenure as City Manager, Monrovia continued its aggressive economic development program, dealt with the impacts of the Great Recession, and worked to balance development pressure while maintaining the community’s quality of life.

In January 2012, Scott moved to the City of Glendale to serve as their City Manager for nearly six years. During his time in Glendale, Scott evaluated and streamlined City operations and forged community partnerships to keep Glendale on a trajectory toward sound financial management, innovative and resourceful leadership, and outstanding public services. He was keenly focused on utilizing economic development and leveraging private investment to create place value and new revenue for City services. This success was seen throughout the community with the development of over 4,100 new multi-family units, the influx of new and exciting businesses in the Downtown area, and the reinvestment in public infrastructure and quality-of-life amenities.  During Scott’s tenure, Glendale emerged from the Great Recession trim, efficient, and balanced.  

In October 2017, Scott was appointed Ontario’s City Manager. He has since utilized his skills, abilities, and experiences to continue the community’s forward progress toward achieving the vision and goals established by Ontario’s Mayor and City Council.  Balancing business needs with residents’ high standards and expectations, Scott seeks to maximize the effectiveness of expert and high-performing City staff.  In doing so, he believes that Ontario will preserve its standing as a leader of the region and further establish the City as the Premier Community of the Inland Empire.

Scott’s management philosophy is predicated on exceptional customer service, values-based management, and precision execution. His focus on building leadership capacity at every level has been essential to ensuring the organization’s ongoing success. Throughout his career, Scott has been engaged in the communities he serves, participating in local service clubs and community organizations. Scott also strives to stay at the forefront of local government issues. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association and has served as an adjunct instructor and lecturer at USC’s Price School of Public Policy.  Scott and his wife, Sophia, have two children, Nicolas and Tessia.