Wake County officials announced on Mar. 20 that Ruffin Hall has been appointed as a new deputy county manager, with his tenure set to begin on May 11.
The appointment is significant for Wake County, as Hall brings more than thirty years of experience in local government to the leadership team. He will be one of three deputy county managers reporting directly to County Manager David Ellis.
“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 expressed enthusiasm about returning to local government service. “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.”
Before joining Wake County, Hall served as President and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy in Raleigh, where he led a $75 million fundraising campaign and oversaw projects such as the Gipson Play Plaza and Thomas Dambo trolls public art exhibit. Dix Park Conservancy Board Chair Bill Ross said, “We are grateful for Ruffin’s leadership and many contributions to the Conservancy and to Dix Park. 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.”
Hall’s previous roles include co-founding Walton & Hall, LLC—a management consulting firm—and serving as city manager for Raleigh from 2013 to 2020, where he managed over 4,300 employees and oversaw a $1 billion budget during challenging periods including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier in his career, Hall held positions with several North Carolina municipalities including Charlotte—where he managed budgets up to $1.6 billion—Durham, Chapel Hill, and Wilmington. He holds both a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
