Retired Gilroy Fire Division Chief Mary Gutierrez has been hired as Seaside’s fire chief, the city announced Dec. 14.
Gutierrez was hired by Gilroy in 2014 and retired in January.
Her 31-year career includes service as a battalion chief in the San Jose Fire Department.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara.
Gutierrez was selected following an open, national recruitment, with 32 applicants, according to Seaside City Manager Craig Malin.
Gutierrez said she was drawn to apply for the Seaside position “given the excellent reputation of the Seaside Fire Department and clear spirit of teamwork across the city’s departments.”
The conditional job offer includes a $182,148 starting salary, reduced to $163,933, to be consistent with the 10 percent compensation reduction other Seaside employees have volunteered to help the city’s finances in the pandemic.
