Milpitas Appoints Brian Sherrard as Fire Chief
Seasoned professional comes from Portland, Oregon, metro area
Milpitas, Calif. — Brian Sherrard has been named fire chief for the City of Milpitas by City Manager Julie Edmonds-Mares.
Sherrard comes to Milpitas from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue based in Tigard, Oregon, where he has served in
roles of increasing responsibility for the past 26 years, most recently as division chief for the past nine years.
“In his long career as a professional fire fighter and fire services administrator, Brian has managed every aspect
of protecting public safety for a complex, diverse, and growing community,” said Edmonds-Mares. “His broad
experience and leadership will be an excellent fit for Milpitas during a period of growth, change and challenge.”
As division chief for Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Sherrard has been responsible for fire protection for five
cities, parts of three counties, twelve fire stations, and nearly 200 district personnel in the Portland metropolitan
area. Brian grew up in California, and he began his professional career as a fire fighter and paramedic in Salinas,
Calif., before moving to Oregon in 1992.
“As a fire service leader, I know it is essential to collaborate and communicate with our communities and our fire
fighters on public education, fire prevention, and effective emergency response,” said Sherrard. “My experience,
education, and training have prepared me to be the next Milpitas Fire Chief, and I’m looking forward to joining a
great organization and building on a strong foundation.”
The Milpitas Fire Chief reports to the City Manager and leads a department of nearly 70 full-time employees,
including fire suppression, fire prevention and inspection, and emergency services staff. The Milpitas Fire
Department operates four fire stations.
Sherrard holds a master’s degree in leadership from City University of Seattle, as well as bachelor’s degrees in
sociology and social work from Pacific University and in fire services administration from Western Oregon
University. He is also designated as a Chief Fire Officer through The Center for Public Safety Excellence.
About the City of Milpitas
Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Milpitas is a progressive community that is an integral part of
Silicon Valley. As a full-service city of about 400 full-time employees with water utility, sewer utility, police and
fire services, Milpitas serves a diverse population of nearly 80,000. The city has an annual $191 million operating
budget and a $315 million capital improvements budget.
Milpitas is the eighth-fastest growing city in the United States according to the US Census, and the second-
fastest in California. It has the third-highest job growth among the 515 qualifying cities rated by Wallet Hub. The
homeownership rate is close to 70%, and the Milpitas housing market remains relatively affordable in Santa
Clara County. Milpitas is often called the “Crossroads of Silicon Valley” with most of its 14 square miles situated
between two major freeways (I-880 and I-680), Route 237, and a County expressway. In June 2018, Livability
Magazine ranked Milpitas fifth by out of more than 2,000 American cities for “Best Cities for STEM Workers.”
More information at: https://www.milpitas.gov/
