Out of 31 applicants, eight candidates who applied fill the open position for the City Manager of San Antonio have moved forward after the first phase.

Out of 31 applicants, eight candidates have been selected to move forward in the first round of interviews for the open City Manager position in San Antonio.

"City Council reviewed and evaluated 31 applicants from across the country and within city government for consideration of the City Manager position," Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. "We have narrowed the list to our priority candidates and I am confident this process will result in a top-notch City Manager who will assist us in moving our city forward."

The eight applicants advancing in the process are:

Majed Al-Ghafry, Assistant City Manager, City of Dallas

Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager, City of San Antonio

Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager, City of San Antonio

Orlando Sanchez, Deputy City Manager, City of Las Vegas

Rod Sanchez, Assistant City Manager, City of San Antonio

Maria Villagomez, Assistant City Manager, City of San Antonio

Erik Walsh, Deputy City Manager, City of San Antonio

Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager, City of San Antonio

Last week, San Antonio officials released the list of 31 people vying to replace outgoing City Manager Sheryl Sculley.

The other applicants 23 were:

Celeste Brown, Bexar County judge in Bexar County

Sylvia Carrillo, assistant city manager in Corpus Christi, Texas

Michael Ciaravino, city manager in Newburgh, New York

James Dinneen, county manager in Volusia County, Florida

Simon Farbrother, city manager in Edmonton, Albert, Canada

Michael Idrogo, unknown

Charles Jackson, city manager in Pearsall, Texas

Andy Joslin, city manage in Alice, Texas

Kelly Kuenstler, city manager in Leon Valley, Texas

Matthew McDermott, director of administration and chief clerk in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

Ricardo Mendez, chief operating officer in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Willie Morales, town administrator in Northfield, Massachusetts

Patrick O’Connor, finance director in College Park, Georgia

Bobby Parker, adjunct professor at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida

Gilbert Perales, deputy city manager in Arlington, Texas

Nazarite Perez, unknown

Hernan Ponce, managing director at Digi ROI & Consulting, a technology company

Randy Robertson, city manager in Aberdeen, Maryland

Diana Rodela, special projects at the department of homeless services in New York, New York

Pietro Scalera, village administrator in Bloomingdale, Illinois

Kevin Woods, city manager in Thornton, Colorado

Marc Woolley, business administrator in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Alan Yoshida, special warfare development manager with the Air Force

Sculley announced her intent to retire from the position on Nov. 29. She's held the office for 13 years.

Among the initial list of applicants were 17 individuals with city manager, assistant city manager or deputy city manager experience. Six of those already worked for the City of San Antonio, with other applicants coming from Las Vegas, the U.S. Air Force, Canada, New York City, Dallas and elsewhere.

While the list included the applicants' former or most recent positions, two instead said “Unknown” where that information would be.

City councilors began the process of identifying finalists on Monday. A public symposium is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 23, with a council vote to approve the new city manager set for Jan. 31.

Due to new voter-approved ordinances that passed on Election Day, the salary of Sculley's successor will be capped, as well as the number of years they hold the position.