Tom Franzen
Who? He's the second highest paid employee and is the Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic Development. He's been around since 2013. Has anybody ever heard of him? Seen him?
2/4/20252 min read
Tom Franzen is listed as Assistant City Manager and Director of Economic Development at $167K annual salary (2023), second only to Heck.
He's been Assistant City Manager / Director of Economic Development since 2013.
In 2019, Thomas Franzen's base salary was $135,092 by working as an Asst City Manager / Economic Dev Dir at the City of Springfield. In 2022, his base salary would be $146,480. Then, in THAT year, 2023, when Heck was passing out other people's federal tax money like it was water, Franzen jumped to $167,825. Same job, but a jump of 23% in 4 years, 14.5% of that from 2022 to 2023.
He's never been mentioned at any commission meeting, not by the panel or the audience or in any presentations.
Who is he? What has he done? What is he doing? Why is he nowhere on the Google? Why does AI not even know who he is, except the job title above?
There was an article about vertical flight at the Springfield airport (lol) in 20....
But that's it. He's a phantom.
I did find a very few Facebook posts:
Facebook said he and Heck went to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) conference in Austin, Texas in October of 2023. International city manager conference. You read that right. (They attend together every year.)
He was quoted in a 2017 Facebook post about bringing boat racing to Springfield. You read that right, too.
Something about Springfield serving as the industry leader in advanced air mobility technology in 2022. You read that right again!
In 2019, City Manager Bryan Heck and Assistant City Manager Tom Franzen completed the Firefighter Physical Agility test. Because that's what you need in a city manager's office.
From July to September 2024, the airport was testing a vertical drone system. Franzen was responsible for this, I think? In April 2024, Franzen was given an award at the Dayton Business Journal’s Aerospace and Defense Awards ceremony.
Something in 2022 about the Construction on $8.2M area advance air mobility research facility start in June. Did it start? Did it finish? Did it happen? Is he running this or something?
He gave a flight presentation in 2023 at a convention in Dayton. I think?
This August 2025 article in the Springfield News Sun about Springfield-Beckley Airport to update taxiway with federal dollars had nary a mention of Franzen. If he's the "flight guy", one would think... But then again, Estrop was quoted and he's the first one at the federal teat, so maybe this was his win. Regardless, still no Franzen sightings or news. Nothing to see here yet.
Update: I stand corrected. I just rewatched Commission meeting videos from Fall 2024, and in the September 10th citizens speaker portion, a lady wanted to give SASE envelopes to the commissioners, and Rue said, "You can hand them to Tom Franzen; he's right behind you." So there is ONE mention! 2024-2025 one mention. In attendance.
He was part of the delegation that went to Paris with Heck in 2023.
And, in the December 3, 2024, City Commission meeting, he was called upon to talk about the 5C data center debacle and the FAA funding request for the runway to be repaved.
And Heck must've been in Paris or Switzerland in September 24, 2025, meeting, because Franzen sat in his seat and introduced the new President of Wittenberg.
Oh, and in 2016, he put his name on a press release about Rue buying the funeral home from the City.