Charles Harris Rudd, MPA, CPM
Florida City & Town Manager
Florida, United States · [email protected] · charlesharrisrudd.com
Profile
Charles Harris Rudd is a Florida local-government executive with 29 years of public service across city and town management, community redevelopment, and economic development. He has served as city manager of both small and mid-size Florida communities, building a reputation for downtown revitalization, disciplined operations, and partnering effectively with elected officials to deliver strategic priorities.
As a coastal-Florida manager, Charles has led full-service cities — police, fire/EMS, utilities, public works, finance, and planning — through both growth and crisis, including back-to-back major hurricanes. He is known for forming and financing community redevelopment agencies (CRAs), launching and reviving Main Street programs, and aligning long-term vision with day-to-day execution.
Experience
Population: 25,800 · Budget: $120M · Staff: ~350
Chief executive of a full-service coastal city — police, fire/EMS, utilities, public works, finance, planning, and the community redevelopment agency — accountable to a five-member commission.
- Directed response and recovery for Hurricanes Helene and Milton (2024), managing historic coastal and downtown flooding.
- Secured state funding for stormwater-infrastructure improvements following major flood events.
- Reestablished the Florida Main Street program to drive downtown revitalization.
- Launched updates to the Downtown and Parks & Recreation master plans and a citywide rebranding.
- Completed a compensation-and-classification study and established a Police Marine Unit for the city's extensive coastline.
Budget: $5.7M · Staff: 25+
Chief administrative officer of a full-service municipality, leading day-to-day operations and a downtown-redevelopment agenda.
- Secured $5.1M in grant funding for critical water-infrastructure improvements.
- Revitalized a dormant CRA and launched new redevelopment grant programs.
- Directed Downtown and US-17 corridor master plans and earned Florida Main Street designation.
- Modernized the Land Development Code and Code of Ordinances.
CRA budget: $3.7M · Focus: Downtown & US-19
Led redevelopment and economic development for a Gulf-coast community, advancing its community-redevelopment agency and corridor plans.
- Directed Downtown and US-19 corridor master plans guiding redevelopment.
- Led citywide branding and strengthened business recruitment and retention.
Managed CRA operations and a $1M budget, aligning projects with the city's long-term vision.
- Directed the Downtown Vision Plan that produced a new town center and streetscape improvements.
Nearly two decades building downtown districts and Main Street programs across Central and North Florida — the foundation of a career in redevelopment and stakeholder engagement.
- Advanced downtown revitalization through public-private partnerships.
- Built redevelopment incentives and streetscape programs through periods of rapid growth.
Education
- Master of Public Administration (MPA)
University of Central Florida - B.S., Communication
Florida State University
Credentials & Affiliations
- ICMA Credentialed Manager Candidate
- Member, International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
- Member, Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA)
- Board of Directors, Florida Redevelopment Association
- Certified Public Manager — Florida State University
- Certified Redevelopment Administrator — Florida Redevelopment Association
- Certified Main Street Manager — National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Member, Rotary International
Areas of Expertise
Full-service municipal operations · Downtown & CRA revitalization · Main Street program leadership · Emergency management & disaster recovery · Coastal resiliency · Economic development · Budgeting & financial oversight · Council–commission relations