Ruffin Hall’s first government job was a summer internship in the Wake County Manager’s Office in 1994. Thirty-two years later, his career is coming full circle. He will start his new role as a deputy county manager on May 11.
“Hall brings more than three decades of local government experience to this important leadership position,” said Wake County Manager David Ellis, who hired Hall. “His passion for public service combined with his extensive knowledge, skills and experience made him the right choice for this position.”
Hall will oversee the following departments:
- Emergency Medical Services
- Fire Services and Emergency Management
- Bureau of Forensic Services
- Emergency communications
He will be one of three deputy county managers reporting to Manager Ellis.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to serve the residents of Wake County in a new way,” said Hall. “Although leaving the Dix Park Conservancy was a difficult decision, I look forward to returning to my local government roots and working hard to address the needs of our growing community.”
Professional Experience
Hall most recently served as President and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy in Raleigh. During his tenure with this organization, he oversaw completion of a $75 million fundraising campaign, opened the widely heralded Gipson Play Plaza and launched the unique Thomas Dambo trolls public art exhibit.
“We are grateful for Ruffin's leadership and many contributions to the Conservancy and to Dix Park,” said Dix Park Conservancy Board Chair Bill Ross. “We're coming off a wonderful year, our momentum is strong, and great things lie ahead for this world-class park. We wish Ruffin well as he continues his public service career.”
Prior to joining the conservancy, he co-founded a management consulting firm, Walton & Hall, LLC, which offered services such as executive coaching, strategic planning and organizational assessment to local governments and nonprofits.
Hall served as city manager for the City of Raleigh from 2013 to 2020. In this role, he managed more than 4,300 full-time employees and oversaw a $1 billion budget. Hall developed Raleigh’s first overall strategic plan and led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as periods of civil unrest.
Previously, Hall held multiple positions in the City of Charlotte. He started as the assistant budget and evaluation director and moved into the director role a year later. After nine years managing Charlotte’s $1.6 billion budget, he was promoted to assistant city manager. His responsibilities included developing a capital investment plan and overseeing non-public safety operations for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Early in his career, Hall held roles with the City of Durham, the Town of Chapel Hill and the City of Wilmington. He has also earned a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
