Lakewood City Manager John J. Caulfield announces retirement

City Manager John J. Caulfield announced this week he will retire on June 5, 2025, after almost 12 years of dedicated service to the Lakewood community.

Mayor Jason Whalen shared the Lakewood City Council’s sentiments regarding Caulfield’s retirement:

“It is with sincere appreciation as well as sadness that the Council received and accepted City Manager John Caulfield’s retirement notice, effective June 5.

Since his appointment in September 2013, John has served Lakewood incredibly well, achieving much success for the community and regional accolades for our work together as Manager and Council.

During his tenure, John led staff to dramatically improve Lakewood’s finances, to aggressively pursue legislative agendas that brought much-needed attention and funding to improve our parks, our road and sidewalk infrastructure, our public safety initiatives, and our critical relationships with JBLM, the Nisqually Tribe, and other regional partners. As a result of John’s leadership, years of professional management, and investment in his key staff, Lakewood has prospered in all areas.

While Council will miss John’s steady hand at the helm, we are thankful for his hiring of capable, smart staff, and for his longstanding commitment to mentoring young professionals desirous of a career in public service. His efforts have positioned Lakewood well. We will formally bid John farewell in June and look forward to hosting a community celebration to express Lakewood’s appreciation for a job well done.”

In his letter to the Lakewood City Council announcing his plans, Caulfield reflected on his time in Lakewood with appreciation, stating:

“Serving this incredible community has been a great honor, and I am so fortunate to have worked alongside such talented, dedicated individuals since being appointed City Manager in September 2013. 

Throughout my tenure, I have been inspired by the resilience and spirit of this organization and community. Together, we have achieved significant milestones that have made Lakewood stronger, more vibrant, and more connected.”

Caulfield expressed gratitude to the City Council, city staff, and the residents of Lakewood for their trust and partnership, adding that he will always remain connected to the community, dating back to his time at Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord).

The Lakewood City Council will lead the process of selecting the next city manager. Details of the process will be shared at a later date once they are finalized.