PHARR — The city of Pharr has hired Juan Guerra, a former Marine who worked in finance for the city of Fort Worth, as its new finance director.

Guerra was chosen to replace the previous finance director, Ruben Luna, who was fired last month.

The new hire said he will start working for Pharr on July 30.

City commissioners met behind closed doors during executive session for more than two hours at a meeting last week to discuss hiring the new finance director.

City Manager Fred Sandoval said he did not need the commissioners’ permission to make Guerra an offer, but he was consulting them.

“From looking at his resumé and what (Sandoval) talked to us about, it seems he’s a very qualified individual,” Mayor Pro-Tem Adan Farias said of Guerra.

Guerra, 29, was born in Chicago but moved to McAllen when he was 11.

“With Pharr being right next door, I am excited and looking forward to working for the citizens of Pharr,” Guerra said in an e-mail.

He graduated from McAllen Rowe High School and received his undergraduate degree from Campbell University in North Carolina.

Guerra earned his MBA from University of Texas - Pan American, and he holds a Certified Public Accountant license, among other professional licenses.

Guerra said he’s worked for the city of Fort Worth as an accounting manager since December 2006.

He worked for the city of La Feria for four and a half years, including two and a half years as finance director. And he was the finance director for the city of Sherman for about two years.

Luna worked for the city for about 25 years before he was fired.

City officials and Luna have declined to elaborate on the circumstances of the dismissal.

Rick Navarro, an attorney who represents the city on some issues, said Luna has filed a complaint against the city with the Texas Workforce Commission.

____

Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-5135. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.