Stuart Ed says he’s looking forward to becoming Las Cruces’ next city manager.
Courtesy photo
Stuart Ed
“It’s had a lot of success, it’s got great potential, and I’m just really excited to be a part of that,” Ed said in a phone interview Monday.
Las Cruces city councilors voted 7-0 on Monday to name Ed the city’s next manager.
The city and Ed must still reach an agreement on terms. The Council plans to vote to approve a formal agreement at a later date.
“I’m hopeful to finalize everything as quickly as possible,” Ed told NMPolitics.net shortly after the Council’s vote.
Ed, 52, was most recently president and chief executive officer of Goodwill Industries of El Paso, a job he left in July. He currently lives in El Paso, Texas. His background includes municipal government work, including five years as the director of El Paso’s General Services Department. You can view his résumé here.
Ed, who will be required to move to Las Cruces, is no stranger to the area. His parents were in the military and came to Las Cruces with him in 1982 to be stationed at White Sands Missile Range. On Monday, Ed recalled working summer jobs back then, including at the Wienerschnitzel on El Paseo Road and doing landscaping off U.S. Highway 70.
While here, Ed also earned a master’s in public administration from New Mexico State University.
After graduating, Ed joined the U.S. Army and spent time in Germany and Hawaii before moving to El Paso. He began working for that city’s government in 1995.
“I love the desert. I’ve been an Army brat my whole life. I’ve traveled the world, graduating high school in Belgium and living in Hawaii twice,” he said. “I just love this area. It’s my favorite place on the planet.”
Ed said he was pleased and humbled by the Council’s selection. “I’m really looking forward to working with them and coming to Las Cruces,” he said.
Assuming the city and Ed work out terms of an agreement, Ed will replace Robert Garza, who retired in May.
Mayor Pro Tem Gregory Z. Smith praised Ed on Facebook.
“I believe he will be the right man at this time for that job, and I hope negotiations are both quick and mutually satisfactory so that we can get him on board sooner rather than later,” Smith wrote.
This article has been updated to include Smith’s comments.