Sarasota County promotes insider to director of general services

Sarasota County government has promoted from within to replace Director of General Services Jeff Lowdermilk, who will retire in June. 

County Administrator Jonathan Lewis has named Evelio (Dan) Rodriguez as the new director. He moved into the position April 8 and will work with Lowdermilk to facilitate a seamless transition. Lowdermilk has been with the county since 2015.

Rodriguez joined the county government in 2021 as a senior manager in the General Services Department. Previously he was a contractor with the Department of Defense. He also served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, where he developed a foundation in logistics and operations management. Rodriguez is a Legion of Merit and multiple Bronze Star recipient for exemplary service and actions taken. 

"Dan is an exceptional public servant and has demonstrated remarkable leadership and expertise in logistics and maintenance operations during his time with the county,” said Lewis in a news release. “Dan is the perfect person to continue our strategic mission of increasing cost savings, efficiency and sustainability at county facilities and through county services.”

A Chicago native, Rodriguez holds a bachelor’s degree in information technology and is nearing completion of a master’s degree in business administration.

The General Services Department is responsible for a range of services including building maintenance and fleet management. Rodriguez will oversee the day-to-day operations of the department, and develop and implement long-term strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the department.