CORVALLIS, Ore. — Benton County has officially appointed Rick Crager as its new county administrator, effective June 1, following three months of service as acting and interim county administrator.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously during its May 26 meeting to approve Crager’s appointment, opting to promote from within rather than conduct a national search for the position.
Crager joined Benton County in 2021 as chief financial officer and was promoted to assistant county administrator in March 2024. He assumed the role of acting county administrator after the position became vacant in February. In March, the Board appointed him interim county administrator through June 30 while evaluating long-term options.
After reviewing those options, commissioners concluded that a lengthy and expensive nationwide recruitment process was unlikely to produce a stronger candidate.
“Rick has been a huge asset to Benton County in all his roles,” Board Chair Pat Malone said in a statement. “He has decades of experience in various areas of government, and tremendous professionalism. The Board is thrilled that he agreed to step up and permanently fill the county administrator position.”
Malone said Crager’s extensive knowledge of county operations, developed through his leadership of the county’s last two biennial budgets, made him especially qualified for the role.
“Rick created the last two biennial budgets, so he knows the big picture of County operations better than anyone,” Malone said. “He is also very well-liked and respected by the leadership team and everyone who works with him.”
County officials said the appointment also supports efforts to address ongoing budget pressures. Like many local governments nationwide, Benton County has faced financial challenges stemming from reductions in federal funding that began in 2025. County departments were directed to reduce spending during the 2025-27 budget cycle.
As part of the transition, the county will not immediately fill the assistant county administrator position. Instead, officials plan to reorganize the Board of Commissioners Office to maintain operational support while allowing the county administrator to focus more strategically on countywide priorities and community services.
During his tenure as chief financial officer, Crager led development of the county’s $485 million budget for the 2023-25 biennium and helped secure a credit rating upgrade from Moody’s Investor Services. He later oversaw the creation of the county’s $540 million budget for the 2025-27 biennium while serving concurrently as assistant county administrator and acting CFO.
In his role as assistant county administrator, Crager supervised seven public-facing departments, including Assessment, Community Development, Community Health Centers, Health Services, Juvenile Services, Natural Areas, Parks & Events, and Public Works.
Before joining Benton County, Crager spent more than 30 years in public service with the State of Oregon, holding leadership positions in finance and policy across housing, education, transportation and public safety sectors. In 2006, then-Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed him to lead the Ending Homelessness Advisory Council, which developed Oregon’s first 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.
Crager also served as assistant superintendent of finance and information technology for the Oregon Department of Education, where he helped oversee the allocation and administration of more than $9 billion in resources for Oregon schools.
A lifelong Oregonian, Crager graduated from Linfield University (formerly Linfield College) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, specializing in finance. He is also known as a dedicated supporter of the Oregon State Beavers.
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