It’s a bittersweet time for Alex Trefry as he prepares to leave his position as public information officer for the city of Manitou Springs. It’s a job he loves in a community he loves.
But, at 25, Trefry is ready to take this next step on the career ladder.
His last day will be Friday, Feb. 2, and he’ll join Colorado Springs Utilities’ strategic communications and community engagement team the following Monday.
There, he’ll deal with day-to-day public relations needs, as opposed to the long-term strategic communications other team members will handle.
That will entail a lot of quick-turnaround press releases — something that Trefry has had a lot of practice with in Manitou.
“I think that it will be a very great fit for me,” he said. “I enjoy not knowing exactly what’s going to happen when I come to work.”
He was the city’s first public information officer, and that was a challenge he embraced.
Trefry started the job in early March 2020 — just as COVID-19 started impacting this area and city staff began working from home.
“Alex had the personality and the skill set needed for the position,” said Denise Howell, Manitou’s city administrator.
“He was resident-focused, believed in transparency and understood servant leadership. He has always been focused on the team. He was always looking at giving credit to others instead of taking credit himself.”
Trefry grew up in Byers, a tiny town on Interstate 70 about 40 minutes southeast of Denver International Airport. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Colorado State University Pueblo and interned with a county commissioner candidate’s campaign. That gave him a taste of public service that left him wanting more, but he knew he wanted to work for an entire community, not one person.
“When I saw this job posted, I wasn’t the most confident on what a public information officer does. It’s obviously public relations, communications, things like that, but I wasn’t fully aware of everything that it would entail,” Trefry said.
He knew that he was needed to help residents, property owners, business people and so many others have a positive experience interacting with city government. That often involved being available 24/7.
If he could travel back in time, what would he tell Alex, the 21-year-old recent college graduate?
“I would let him know that it was the right choice, that he would love this job,” Trefry said.
He’s immensely grateful to Howell, Deputy City Administrator Roy Chaney, the department heads and City Council members.
“The team here is just phenomenal. And I cannot stress enough how amazing it is to just know that everything is ethical, as well,” he said. “The state of mind here is so customer service-based in helping people that it’s just so great to be able to have been a part of it.”
He’s enjoyed being on a team of people who share his goal of improving life here, who accomplish great things despite being small in number and who never say that something isn’t their job.
“Alex is an individual with integrity, a team player and is passionate about serving others. He will always be a part of the Manitou family,” Howell said.
Trefry appreciates the community members who volunteer to be on boards and committees and show up for City Council meetings.
“Becoming involved in making your community better is how you get great communities,” he said.
He didn’t see that while growing up in Byers, which doesn’t have any community organizations, he said. And his hometown certainly doesn’t host the “amazing” potlucks like those in Manitou, where people can put aside their differences and break bread together.
He will always be a part of the Manitou family – Denise Howell
“People love to live here, and they want to continue to love to live here. So they work toward that,” he said. “I think that the best decisions, the best cities, the best local governments are ones where people are involved with them.”
He’ll miss that, working for Utilities, but he’ll still serve a community of customers that includes Manitou residents.
Trefry couldn’t name the greatest accomplishment of his tenure, but he’s proud of creating the city’s public engagement plan and standardizing the way it obtains feedback and engages the community.
“Public engagement is not easy. It is so hard to do correctly, genuinely and effectively,” he said. “You need the people who live through things every day to provide the best feedback and ideas and ask the best questions to really make the best decisions.”
It hasn’t been all fun for him, of course. He’s represented Manitou at late-night media updates and has crafted enough press releases and social media posts about water main breaks to last a lifetime.
“There are times when it’s hard and frustrating, but it’s just so rewarding,” he said.
He gave four weeks’ notice so he can finish some projects and establish continuity for the city’s next PIO.
“The success of this position is important to me,” he said.
What advice would Trefry give his successor?
“The most important thing … is to learn about Manitou Springs. And I’m not saying the cookie-cutter history, but to meet people and learn what the community is passionate about.”
Trefry acted as the master of ceremonies at the Jan. 19 ground-breaking ceremony for the Carnegie Library project, and plans to return for the ribbon-cutting, tentatively in late summer or early fall.
And then, he can catch up with the great people of this great community.
Alex Trefry has made a difference in Manitou, and Manitou has made a difference in him.
“It’s been tremendous, tremendous,” he said.
TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
Trefry’s going-away party will take place 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, in Memorial Hall/City Hall, 606 Manitou Ave.
THE SEARCH FOR A SUCCESSOR
City Administrator Denise Howell said the city has received 15 applications for the public information officer position and has conducted four interviews. Applications are closed.
“We are looking for a candidate who has experience in communications for a local government, but also the ability to build great relationships with the community, wear many hats and provide extraordinary customer service,” Howell said.