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Jan 08, 2024
Henry Matlosz knows that his new position as the City of Rehoboth Beach’s public works director will require more than magic and pixie dust. That’s why the 23-year veteran of Disneyland, who started his new role today, also is bringing with him his experience in engineering, leading teams, managing budgets, and solving complex problems as well as critical thinking skills and an ability to remain composed under pressure.
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Following five years in the U.S. Navy (more than three of them on a fast-attack nuclear submarine) and brief stints as a construction supervisor and vending company owner, Matlosz began his career with Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in 2001. Over his 23-year Disney career, Matlosz worked across all three shifts providing facilities and attraction maintenance services. Most recently, as senior manager for attraction maintenance, he led a team of more than 150 employees.
One of his favorite achievements while at Disney was being part of the team that worked to get the park reopened safely and in a timely manner after it was shut down for more than a year due to covid.
As the city’s new public works director, Matlosz will lead the city’s building and grounds, fleet services, streets, wastewater, and water departments. He’ll also play a key role in managing many of the city’s capital and construction projects. Matlosz will take over the role from Kevin Williams, who was hired as the city’s first public works director in 2018. Williams, who is retiring, will remain on staff for a couple of months to help onboard Matlosz.
Matlosz, who grew up in Cranford, New Jersey, and his wife, Connie, who is from western Pennsylvania, have been looking to move back east for a few years. Though neither of them was very familiar with Delaware, their search brought them to Sussex County, and they fell in love with the Rehoboth Beach area. The couple recently moved into their new home in Lewes with their 7-year-old shih tzu, Tashi.
“Once we knew we were moving here,” Matlosz says, “I started looking for work in the area. I saw the Rehoboth Beach public works position in the city posting on LinkedIn and knew that was a perfect fit with such clarity.”
Matlosz is a 1984 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in control systems engineering. He also has a Master of Business Administration degree from Western International University and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from California State University Fullerton.
