When I was hired as Fort Lauderdale’s City Manager five years ago, I reached out for Mark’s help in rebuilding the City’s management team so we could better address a government in organizational meltdown. I needed a management team that could quickly and effectively address a financial crisis that had left the City with no reserves, a major insurance deficit, reductions in services, downgraded bond ratings, an employee exodus, and general public dissatisfaction. I had worked with Mark before and I knew how effective he was at getting a group of people to excel individually and collectively.Mark’s team building and peak performance strategies produced amazing results and our team started winning games in a big way. In a very short period of time, we were able to restore the City’s financial health and improve City services. Today, the City’s financial position is stronger than it has been in the City’s history, with a record high fund balance, a $10 million insurance surplus, an upgraded bond rating that ranks among the best of Florida’s largest cities, and property taxes and fees that rank among the lowest of Florida’s largest cities.Our ‘peak performance’ team has also produced significant results on quality of life issues. Since 2006, Fort Lauderdale has enjoyed its lowest crime rate in over 30 years. Property crimes reached their lowest levels in over 30 years. The streets and sidewalks are cleaner, the medians are better maintained, and code violations are resolved more quickly.
As a manager of an organization of 2,600 employees with two decades of government experience, I can honestly say that Mark Armiento is the best I have ever seen at inspiring greatness in government employees.
