Eric Carpenter, a public servant with over 20 years of experience, was appointed Miami Beach city manager in July. With a decade in various senior roles within the city, Mr. Carpenter replaces Alina T. Hudak, who became the first woman to hold the role in 2021 before retiring from government this year. A licensed professional engineer, Mr. Carpenter’s introduction to municipal government began in 2006 as the public works director for Doral, a municipality incorporated just three years prior. At the time, the department was minimal, comprising only a foreman and a few laborers. During his seven-and-a-half-year tenure, Mr. Carpenter transformed the department into a comprehensive, fully functional entity, instrumental in establishing a stormwater utility, creating public transportation and developing an engineering department and permitting system. His contributions also included overseeing the construction of crucial infrastructure like City Hall, public works, and the police and fire facilities, alongside several new parks.  Mr. Carpenter’s career with Miami Beach began in 2013 as public works director. He quickly ascended, becoming assistant city manager by 2015 and deputy city manager by 2021. Over the years, he has managed an impressive range of departments, from Building, Capital Improvement Projects and Code Compliance to Economic Development, Environment and Sustainability and Transportation. His portfolio also includes significant projects like the General Obligation Bond program and the Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel. As a negotiator, Mr. Carpenter was pivotal in securing development agreements worth over $750 million, which resulted in 15 acres of additional parkland in some of Miami Beach’s most densely populated areas. He oversaw more than $75 million in public improvements and facilitated affordable housing, diversifying the city’s residential landscape. A major contributor to the 2018 $439 million voter-approved bond issue, Mr. Carpenter was instrumental in finding innovative financing for the city’s adaptation to sea-level rise, raising over $300 million through tax increment financing and stormwater utility reforms. He also led the nearly $600 million renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center, enhancing its competitiveness for premier events.  Additionally, Mr. Carpenter played a key role in the formation of the Community Redevelopment Agency in North Beach, securing long-term funding for local improvements, and he navigated the fiscal challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, balancing budgets and avoiding mass layoffs through strategic furloughs. Inspired by his father’s work as a chemical engineer, Mr. Carpenter earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering with a minor in chemistry from the University of Maryland in 1997. He also holds certifications in OSHA-40 safety training, Florida Department of Transportation Maintenance of Traffic and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Quality Management for Contractors. He was recognized as the 2010 Government Engineer of the Year by the Miami-Dade Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is also an active figure in the South Florida Branch of the American Public Works Association, where he served as executive board chairman from 2017 to 2019.  Now, as Miami Beach city manager, he oversees a workforce of over 2,300 across nearly two dozen departments, including Miami Beach Police and Fire. Mr. Carpenter’s focus is on sustaining the city’s services while prioritizing affordable housing, sustainability and infrastructure upgrades, all while preserving Miami Beach’s unique historic character.  When he’s not working, he enjoys coaching his children’s basketball teams, playing beach volleyball and tennis, and cherishing downtime at home with his family. Mr. Carpenter spoke with Miami Today reporter Genevieve Bowen.  This week’s profile will appear in next year’s Book of Leaders. Miami Today publishes a Book of Leaders every year. This book is a compilation of all The Achievers profiled in every edition. The information in this book is available nowhere else – the stories of the women and men who are shaping the development of Greater Miami. If you would like to order a copy of the Book of Leaders from 1997 to 2023 or a complete set, click here to place your order. Related Posts:Flood resilience plan channeling funds to Miami BeachDarlene Fernandez: Steers Miami-Dade Expressway…Zerry Ihekwaba: Manager plans Homestead as a space…Rafael Casals: Envisioning redevelopment for Cutler…Redrawn boundaries may add affordable housing in AllapattahThe post Eric Carpenter: Miami Beach’s city manager looks for workforce housing appeared first on Miami Today.