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Episode 245 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What would make someone turn down the NFL to serve in local government?
For Ifo Pili, it wasn’t about walking away from football, it was about running toward purpose.
Born and raised in American Samoa, Ifo grew up watching his father dedicate his life to public service. That early example planted a conviction that would eventually pull him from the stadium lights of the NFL to the steady, unseen work of city management.
When chaos struck the City of Eagle Mountain, Utah, a young intern found himself thrust into leadership, managing a city from a cubicle after its mayor was forced to resign. Within weeks, he was asked to step in as the acting city administrator. And when the New York Jets called to bring him back to the NFL, he said no.
Why? Because the city needed him.
That decision set the trajectory for a career defined not by fame or fortune, but by faithfulness. Over the next 15 years, Ifo helped build one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, landing Facebook, Google, and Tyson Foods while also overseeing hundreds of “firsts”: the first grocery store, first library, first cemetery, and more.
But perhaps his most powerful legacy came later, as City Manager of Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he introduced a single word that would change the culture of city hall: Cariño.
“Cariño means love, care, and passion. Everything we do, from fixing potholes to serving residents, should be done with Cariño.”
It became more than a theme; it became a movement. Employees wore it on shirts. Residents adopted it as the city’s slogan. It was proof that culture change in government doesn’t start with policy; it starts with people.
Today, as City Manager of West Valley City, Utah, Ifo continues to model what it means to lead with purpose and care in a world that often forgets both.
• How family legacy and faith shaped Ifo’s approach to leadership
• What he learned from the NFL about teamwork, resilience, and ego
• The story behind Cariño and how culture can transform city government
• Why falling in love with your city might be the most powerful leadership tool of all
Listen to Episode 245: “From Gridirons to Government: Building Cities and Culture with Cariño”
Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. [Click Here for Links]
Supported by our Sponsor:
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Tyler Technologies partners with local governments to modernize services, strengthen transparency, and empower staff to deliver the kind of efficiency residents actually feel.
Discover how Tyler is helping cities build resilience, trust, and connection at www.tylertech.com/winter
The HaltingWinter Podcast celebrates and elevates the people who power local government. Through in-depth conversations with leaders from cities, counties, and communities of all sizes, host Seth Winterhalter explores the journeys, challenges, and innovations happening in municipal leadership across America.
