Rob Boyer

City Manager
William R. (Rob) Boyer III

Phone: 815.297.1166
Fax: 815.238.1216

I serve as the City Manager for Freeport, Illinois, where I lead a team dedicated to strengthening city operations, infrastructure, and community well-being. I was originally hired as Public Works Director in June 2020, appointed Deputy City Manager in 2022, and sworn in as City Manager on May 1, 2023.

My leadership approach was shaped by my service in the United States Marine Corps as a CH-53 helicopter plane captain and crew chief in Hawaii. The discipline and teamwork learned there continue to guide how I lead — with accountability, precision, and purpose.

After my military career, I worked my way up to CEO of an automotive industry supplier, where competing with foreign manufacturers required a relentless focus on efficiency and effectiveness. That experience taught me to manage with data, discipline, and continuous improvement — principles that now define my work in government.

In Freeport, that philosophy drives our progress. We are completing a $60 million wastewater treatment plant renovation, finishing the final phase of our lead service line replacement program with more than 1,300 completed, and approaching full staffing within the Police Department. We also developed our own full-width paving crew, with the mission of maintaining and reconstructing all 135 miles of city streets within the next 20 to 30 years. Each of these efforts reflects disciplined planning and a shared commitment to long-term community health.

I hold a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational and Professional Development from Eastern Illinois University.

My wife, Kate, and I have been married for 25 years and are blessed with six children and five grandchildren. They share my values of faith, service, and hard work, and continually remind me that leadership begins at home.