The Greater Mason City Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Aaron Burnett, City Administrator of the City of Mason City, as the 2025 Boss of the Year.
Aaron has served as City Administrator for seven years, overseeing 250 city employees and guiding Mason City through a period of tremendous growth and transformation. His nominators describe Aaron’s leadership style as both principled and empowering. He is a confident decision-maker who sets high expectations, while giving staff the freedom to determine the best approaches. He challenges employees to perform at their best, celebrates their successes, and leads with integrity. Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director Brent Hinson calls Aaron “ethical to a fault,”
setting a high standard for everyone in the organization to follow.
During his time in Mason City, Aaron has played a central role in numerous community achievements. He provided the vision and leadership for the $17.5 million Bike North Iowa project, vastly expanding biking options and enhancing quality of life in the region, including the development of the River City Riverwalk. Under his leadership, Mason City has vastly expanded housing availability and earned the Thriving Communities designation from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Aaron was also instrumental in the River City Renaissance initiative, which brought to life the multi-purpose arena and performing arts pavilion, and continues to advance downtown hotel, convention center, and mall improvements.
Aaron’s legacy also includes a focus on people. He has hired and developed department managers with an eye toward service and vision, and he actively mentors future local government leaders through a management internship program—both of his interns were North Iowa residents who gained valuable real-world experience under his guidance. Brent summarized, “Aaron has built a great City team of like-minded and capable leaders. He empowers and supports his staff, and he has tremendous vision for the community.”
Through his vision, integrity, and commitment to both his staff and the community, Aaron Burnett has strengthened Mason City in countless ways. While it’s not typical to see a city administrator honored by a chamber, past Boss of the Year recipients on the judging panel all agreed he was the most deserving candidate this year. Congratulations to Aaron on being named the Chamber’s 2025 Boss of the Year, and thank you for your extraordinary leadership!