County Manager Dena R. Diorio Announces Retirement

Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio announced today her plans for retirement. Diorio is currently serving her 11th year as County Manager.  She informed the Board of County Commissioners during a closed session on Wednesday, August 7. Diorio’s retirement will be effective July 1, 2025.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve the residents and employees of Mecklenburg County,” said Diorio. “When I took this role, I wanted to make sure the County was always at the table to discuss issues, find solutions, and improve lives for our residents. I have always believed that to serve our community, we must be bold and have a vision of how things could be. We needed to see what is possible, and how best to help people.”

Diorio was a groundbreaker when she was hired as Mecklenburg County’s first female County Manager in December 2013. She started with the County in 2007 as the County’s Chief Financial Officer.  She steered the County through the economic crisis of 2008 that crippled the nation and impacted every locality across the country.  Diorio’s financial vigilance allowed the County to maintain the much coveted AAA bond rating, which was transformational for the County’s financial landscape.

Diorio’s career highlights include creating the MECK PreK program that has given thousands of four-year-olds the opportunity for a high-quality preschool education. The opening of two Community Resource Centers to streamline and consolidate the delivery of critical human services, and to bring them closer to where residents live and work.

She launched a County effort to understand the impact of corporate-owned housing and built a County initiative to find, create, and sustain affordable housing units. She was instrumental in creating a partnership with a Community Land Trust to rehabilitate and protect 32 houses and to keep them affordable in perpetuity.

She spearheaded the County’s commitment to the environment by prioritizing sustainable initiatives in County-owned buildings, its vehicular fleet, and the protection and growth of green spaces.

Diorio was a key member of North Carolina’s government leaders to ensure Mecklenburg County’s receipt of National Opioid Settlement funds for 18 years. She has improved and expanded access to healthcare and increased pathways for workforce development across the County. 

Diorio shared, “I have been steadfast in facing challenges while ensuring fiscal responsibility and security. My goal was to leave Mecklenburg County a better place than when I arrived, and I believe I have accomplished that. When I became County Manager, a national study showed that we were 50 out of 50 in economic mobility. We are now 38 out of 50, I know the County made great efforts to do our part in moving that needle in the right direction.”

Diorio created a culture of accountability and transparency in County government. She was hired following the fallout from the County’s 2011 Tax Revaluation, which the state rejected and forced the County to redo at a cost of $100 in 2013. She immediately hired Ken Joyner, a tax assessment professor from the UNC School of Government, increased the Tax Assessor’s staff, and implemented a revaluation schedule that now occurs every four years instead of eight. 

Diorio was also at the helm during multiple crises. She was widely praised for her, “take charge attitude,” while leading the County, Public Health, and the Emergency Operations Center’s Policy Group during the pandemic between 2020 and 2022.

Diorio also made national headlines in 2017 by refusing to pay a ransom demand after a cybercriminal hacked the County’s network and shut down multiple County services for several weeks. Diorio created a cyberinfrastructure that continually works to keep the County safe.

Many organizations have recognized Diorio for her leadership. Awards include Public Policy Leader of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, Leadership in Action award by Career Mastered, one of the 50 Most Influential Women by the Mecklenburg Times, Most Admired CEO by the Charlotte Business Journal, Businesswoman of the Year by Queens University, the first woman from the public sector to receive the honor. She was awarded the prestigious Whitney M. Young Jr. award by the Urban League of Central Carolinas for her thoughtful leadership that is vital to serving the black community. She received the Gem Award from the Charlotte Museum of History for her support in saving and revitalizing the last still-standing Siloam School in the County, built to educate black children. Diorio was also recognized this year for her work to support formerly incarcerated residents.

Diorio is a native New Yorker and began her public service career 36 years ago as a social worker in New York. As for what’s next, Diorio says her priority is to continue to lead the County while helping the Board search for her replacement and ensure a smooth transition to a new manager.  

County Commission Chair George Dunlap said the Board will appoint a search committee and begin the process of finding a new manager. “Dena is a visionary and Mecklenburg County has transformed under her leadership. I am sad this day has come, but she has earned this time for herself, and I wish her and her husband all the best. I know we will find a new County Manager,” said Dunlap. “But there will only be one Dena.”