Farhad Tavassoli began his new job as senior planner for the Town of Fountain Hills in late February and is beginning to settle into the new job.

Tavassoli is an Arizona and Phoenix area native. He attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale and received his bachelor’s degree in planning and master’s degree in environmental planning from Arizona State University.

In the 10 years previous to his coming to work for Fountain Hills Tavassoli worked for Maricopa County, at first with the Flood Control District and then with the county’s planning department. Before the county he worked for the City of Goodyear.

As a planner it is his job to maintain the character and quality of life in the community and balance that with inevitable growth.

“You must have growth happen in a responsible, efficient manner,” Tavassoli said.

Tavassoli remembers visiting Fountain Hills as a child.

“It was always in to the Fountain and back out to home,” he said. “In a short time I’ve learned there is so much more than [the town’s] namesake.”

He said he has had the opportunity to meet members of the community and developers and is looking forward to working with them.

“Fountain Hills is such a lovely community – the whole Verde Valley is beautiful,” Tavassoli said.

He lives in the northeast Phoenix area with his wife of six years and four-year-old son.