New Hanover County Manager Chris Coudriet serves as Chief Administrator of county government and maintains responsibility for administering all departments under the general control of the five-member Board of Commissioners.
The county manager’s work includes the development of the county’s annual budget. The budget is the policy document, financial plan, and operations guide and communications device of county government. The multi-fund budget of $508 million for fiscal year 2022-2023 reflects the county’s response to the needs of its 230,000 residents and their requests for services.
In addition, the manager and his executive leadership team are responsible for aligning the operations of the county to the adopted strategic plan and advancing the county’s mission and vision through five key focus areas: superior public health, safety and education, intelligent growth and economic development, productive strategic partnerships, strong financial performance, and effective county management.
Mr. Coudriet has served as the County Manager since July 2012. Prior to his appointment, he served as Assistant County Manager for New Hanover County for four years and as county manager in Franklin and Washington counties, N.C.
Coudriet has more than twenty-five years of public administration experience, with twenty years as a county manager or assistant county manager in North Carolina. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from East Carolina University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
In 2019, Coudriet received District Attorney Ben David’s 2019 Service Before Self Award in recognition of his service in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence and in 2018, he was awarded the Cape Fear Council of Governments Outstanding Local Government Manager. In 2021 Coudriet received the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Presidential Recognition, and in 2022 the Wilmington Rotary Club’s Leaders in Service public service award.
Coudriet is a member of the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board and International Economic Development Task Force, and is vice chair of the Resilient Counties Advisory Board. In addition, he serves on UNCW’s Masters of Public Administration (MPA) Advisory Board.
He is a native of eastern North Carolina. Chris and his wife, Leigh, reside in Wilmington and their two children attend East Carolina University.