The city of Pasadena has named a new public works director.

Greg de Vinck, the former public works director for the city of San Gabriel, has been appointed as Pasadena’s new public works director, city officials announced this week.

Starting Dec. 2, de Vinck will take the helm of Pasadena’s Public Works Department, leading a team of 273 full-time employees and managing an annual budget of $93.5 million.

“Greg will be a tremendous asset to our City. He has a robust public works background, a proven track record delivering projects both big and small, and is known for his innovative and forward thinking mindset,” City Manager Miguel Márquez said in a statement.

“I am confident he will work well with both the community he serves and his nearly 300-person team, engaging their expertise to bring about creative solutions to the challenges that lie ahead,” he added.

De Vinck has 28 years of public works experience under his belt. Prior to his transition to Pasadena, de Vinck served six years as San Gabriel’s public works director, overseeing areas such as administration, engineering, field operations, fleet maintenance, parks and facilities, as well as wastewater.

During his tenure, San Gabriel’s Pavement Condition Index rose from 58 to 85, transforming the city’s streets from the worst to the best among neighboring communities.

De Vinck also enhanced operational efficiency, led the design and construction of a police station addition using only in-house staff, completed a survey and model of the city’s sewer system to support capital planning, as well as expanded GIS software use to streamline maintenance, work-order tracking and public data access.

Before his role in San Gabriel, de Vinck spent 22 years in the engineering division for Santa Monica, where he managed dozens of capital improvement projects, including many of the city’s largest and most complex initiatives, including several LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) — certified projects.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Rutgers University, specializing in structural design, and has six years of private-sector experience in bridge design and inspection in New Jersey and Ottawa, Canada.

“I am thrilled to join Pasadena as the next Public Works Director. I love public works and the essential services that support and enhance a community’s quality of life,” de Vinck said. “It’s highly rewarding to deliver successful Capital Improvement Projects as well as efficient and reliable services to the public. Making lives better through public infrastructure and municipal services is what public works is all about.”

De Vinck feels a strong connection to Pasadena, he said. He lives nearby and often visits the city for shopping, dines and plays weekly ice hockey games. He and his wife, Christina, enjoy traveling abroad, exploring new restaurants, cooking together and spending time with family.