00Florida, United States
Charles Harris Rudd
City & Town ManagerFlorida local government
Specializing in full-service city management, downtown and community redevelopment, coastal disaster response, and the kind of steady, consensus-driven leadership that elected boards and residents can count on.
- MPA
- Certified Public Manager
- Certified Redevelopment Administrator
- Certified Main Street Manager
- FRA Board of Directors
- 29 years
Twenty-nine years, stated plainly.
- 29 years
- in Florida local government
- 8
- communities served across Florida
- $120M
- municipal budget managed
- $5.1M
- in grants secured
- MPA
- University of Central Florida
Steady, hands-on leadership for Florida communities.
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.
Read the full biographyAreas of expertise
- 01Full-service municipal operations
- 02Downtown & CRA revitalization
- 03Main Street program leadership
- 04Emergency management & disaster recovery
- 05Coastal resiliency
- 06Economic development
- 07Budgeting & financial oversight
- 08Council–commission relations
Where the work was done.
Insights on the work.
- 01Economic DevelopmentJune 23, 20264 min read
Rebranding and Marketing: Critical Components of Economic Development and Redevelopment
Rebranding a community — and building the toolbox for the marketing that follows — is one of the most fun and most misunderstood parts of this work. Here are the stories from five Florida communities I have served: Palatka, Maitland, New Port Richey, Crescent City, and Tarpon Springs.
- 02Downtown RedevelopmentMay 31, 20264 min read
Downtown Redevelopment: A Field Guide for Florida Communities
After nearly 30 years reviving Florida downtowns, here is how the pieces fit together — Main Street as economic development, the buildings as a community asset, and the elected commitment that makes it all happen.
- 03Community RedevelopmentMay 27, 20265 min read
Starting — or Reviving — a Main Street Program: The Critical Elements
Standing up a downtown organization from scratch is a different animal than restarting one that has gone quiet. Here is what I have learned about each — being honest about why programs die, leading with organization, finding champions, and rebuilding the city partnership on purpose.
Corroborated by third parties.
- 01
Tarpon Springs approves boutique hotel to boost downtown growth
Bay News 9
News coverage2025 - 02
$4M boutique hotel is officially coming to Tarpon Springs
Tampa Bay Times
News coverage2025 - 03
Tarpon Springs working on new branding, with downtown focus
Bay News 9
News coverage2025 - 04
Meet Charles Rudd, City Manager
Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA)
Member spotlight2022 - 05
A Little Town With Big Plans
Comcast Newsmakers
Video interview2022 - 06
Board of Directors
Florida Redevelopment Association
Leadership listingCurrent
06The next chapter
Seeking the right Florida community to serve — and intending it to be the last.
A 29-year city and town manager open to select council–manager opportunities across Florida. The best first step is a confidential conversation.
Start a conversation