Ben Hecker Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis

As Deputy Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Minneapolis, served as the chief of operations for the chief executive of the largest city in the state overseeing 4,000 employees and serving over 400,000 citizens. While the public face of the Mayor is often in the large-scale vision of the City, the day to day of running a massive city enterprise includes oversight of all of the major departments, selection and oversight of department heads, developing and supporting the management of a budget of over $1 billion, and shifting priorities as the city adapts and grows. Seamlessly operated in two worlds, carrying forward the Mayor’s vision while supporting strategic planning, results management, and program management for the City enterprise. Accomplishments include shepherding the creation and adoption of a financing package for a landmark 20-year, $600 million capital investment in local parks and streets and securing a $2.7 million grant to increase innovation capacity at the City. Led and directly supervised a six-person staff while serving as the Mayor’s lead in the development, adoption, and management of the City’s annual budget, and as her liaison to City leadership, including the City Council, department heads, senior staff across the enterprise, and business leaders.

Served as the Interagency Coordinator for the City’s Public Works Department, in an advisory role for the Director and the department leadership team. Role included policy and data analysis, support of the development of and advocacy for the department’s policy priorities, and department communications to elected officials, internal and external stakeholders, media, and the public. Helped lead the department’s legislative team and took on complex and high-profile interdisciplinary special projects, including the redesign and reconstruction of Nicollet Mall, and the re-establishment of the Downtown Improvement District, a public-private partnership to enhance downtown life. Bringing these projects to life required tenacity, a start-up mentality, a talent for advocacy, and an ability to successfully navigate and balance diverse competing interests.