Mecklenburg commissioners pick Mike Bryant, a 22-year county veteran, as next manager
Retiring Manager Dena Diorio promoted Mike Bryant twice during her 18 years working for Mecklenburg County. And he’ll get one more promotion before she calls it a career.
The county is hiring Bryant, the current deputy county manager, as new county manager. The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners approved the hire at their Tuesday meeting with a unanimous vote.
Diorio, who has led the county since 2013, announced last summer she would retire July 1. The commission hired executive recruitment firm MGT to conduct a “nationwide search” for her replacement in November. More than 40 people applied for the position, Commissioner George Dunlap said ahead of Tuesday’s vote.
“We found out we had the best,” Commissioner Laura Meier said of the internal hire.
Diorio lauded Bryant as a “tremendous leader” who “loves to learn” and collaborate with others.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of you,” she told Bryant at Tuesday’s meeting.
The county manager is Mecklenburg’s chief administrator, leading an array of county departments, helping develop the county’s multi-billion dollar annual budget and executing the county commission’s decisions.
“I will proudly step into this role with dignity and honor ... We exist for one reason and one reason only: to serve the residents of this community,” Bryant said.
Who is Michael Bryant?
Bryant has been with Mecklenburg County since 2003, when he was hired as a management and budget analyst. He was promoted to director of the Office of Management and Budget in 2014 and deputy county manager in 2020. Both times were under Diorio’s tenure.
As deputy county manager, he oversaw the county’s Financial Services Department, the Office of the Tax Collector, the County Assessor’s Office, Information Technology and Human Resources.
He also managed the county’s distribution of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from North Carolina Central University. He previously worked for the city of Durham, Duke University, Granville County, and the North Carolina Governor’s Office.
His current salary is $324,272, according to the Observer’s county employee salary database. As county manager, that figure will increase to $420,000. Bryant will also receive $30,576 in deferred compensation, a $26,460 expense allowance and $23,237.78 in 401K matching funds — bringing his total compensation to $500,273.78.
Bryant received high praise during Tuesday’s meeting from commissioners, who said he’s been a reliable resource for them and devoted county employee.
Dunlap noted Bryant followed a similar career path to Diorio’s rise through county leadership.
“If you think about it, every time she got promoted, she promoted Michael Bryant behind her,” he said.
Bryant’s priorities
Bryant will lean on his finance background, including working through the 2008 financial crisis and COVID pandemic, to navigate potential budget issues brought on by federal spending cuts.
”The loss of any of that will be impactful to this community,” he said of federal dollars. “... We’re going to be responsive to whatever, you know, comes down the pipeline from the federal and state government. But we’re going to utilize it as an opportunity to become an even stronger organization.”
Bryant said his priorities align with that of the county commissioners, including economic development, workforce development, senior services, education, health equity and wellness and environmental stewardship.
He pledged to form strong relationships with county leaders, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the leadership of Mecklenburg’s municipalities, the private sector and nonprofits.
”I want to develop a regional approach,” Bryant said.
Diorio’s impending departure
Diorio also was an internal hire. A native of New York, she first arrived in Mecklenburg County in 2007 as the county’s chief financial officer. She helped lead the county through the 2008 financial crisis in that role.
She took over as county manager in 2013 following the ouster of Harry Jones, who faced controversy over issues with property revaluations and social services.
Diorio’s time in office included the COVID-19 pandemic and the launches of the MECK PreK program to provide free education to 4-year-old children, two Community Resource Centers and a partnership with Community Land Trust on affordable housing. County commissioners voted in September to give Diorio an 8% raise in her final year in office, bringing her total compensation to $545,024.92.
Current board leadership told the Observer when Diorio announced her plans there would likely be strong internal candidates to succeed her.
Board Chair Mark Jerrell said at the time Mecklenburg was “very fortunate as the county to have some phenomenal, phenomenal internal staff” who could be considered. And Vice Chair Leigh Altman described Mecklenburg’s deputy county managers as “fantastic” and said she’d like to see them apply in addition to a nationwide search.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 2:31 PM.
