Ask Michael Dominguez how snowboarding’s start in the 1980s affected ski resorts. There’s a good chance the former ski instructor will articulate every possible facet: mountainside wear and tear, increased user risk and cost concerns due to heightened liability and insurance assessments.

The new city administrator for Coeur d’Alene doesn’t miss a beat.

The same can be said about his seasoned knowledge and fascination for operating local government institutions.

“It’s a puzzle, and you want to make it work,” Dominguez said Friday morning at his office window looking out on McEuen Park and Lake Coeur d’Alene. “It takes everybody.”

Dominguez, who recently replaced former longtime City Administrator Troy Tymesen, is in his second week with Coeur d’Alene. Prior to arriving, he worked for the city of Irvine, Calif., for nearly 10 years as a customer services department administrator.

Dominguez was originally born and raised in Los Angeles, to a father from Spain and a mother from Ireland. He’s passionate about sports and has a working knowledge of professional soccer teams like Real Madrid and Galatasaray. He also said he’s “not your average Southern Californian” due to his family’s great love for, and participation in, ice hockey.

Aside from sports, operating “to the benefit of others” is what fuels Dominguez’s interest in public administration. 

His first professional taste of this core belief came while working for the Los Angeles Office of Education between 1994 and ’97. Dominguez, who received his undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University, then went on to obtain his MBA from the University of Notre Dame before coming back to California to work for the city of Santa Monica.

There, his titles included senior management analyst, public information manager and, simply, manager. His purview in these positions included building and safety, planning, code enforcement, housing and human resources.  

“I liked all of them,” Dominguez said of these responsibilities. “They're all critical in a driving community, just like here.”

Apart from the public sector, Dominguez was a chief operating officer for a private equity commercial real estate investment firm that turned $40 million in valuation into $400 million. After the market cooled down and that portfolio was sold, however, Dominguez began working for the city of Irvine.

As to what attracted Dominguez to Coeur d’Alene, he said it has deep roots, while the blend of outdoors and its downtown “is rich.” 

“There’s a sense of personal efficacy and power in a community like this, because you can come downtown and enjoy a wonderful restaurant, or you can drive 20 minutes or less and go on a gorgeous hike,” he said. “So that's a really high quality of life.” 

When it comes to the totem pole of municipal positions, the city administrator is its highest-ranking member, and for good reason. The position oversees 14 departments, including its own and for fiscal year 2026, the city budgeted between $143,062.40 and $201,240 for the city administrator’s annual salary.

Dominguez said running a city successfully is based on “the impact of leadership.”

“We have the experience and the leadership to ensure that the entire operation is as successful as possible,” he said. "I, hopefully, will help make this city, and/or save this city, over time, millions of dollars working with the council making high-quality decisions. That’s the piece of the puzzle. I need to be adding value significantly beyond my salary.”

Mayor Dan Gookin praises Dominguez's expertise.

“I’m really happy,” Gookin said of Dominguez. “He brings a wealth of experience when it comes to negotiation and presentation. He has a great familiarity with working with municipal organizations.”

In his off time, Dominguez is a family man who loves to walk around the city. He also loves to ski and has been doing it most of his life.