Craig Whittom

Craig Whittom provides advice and support in project management, community development and public/private real estate agreements. He is a solution-oriented management professional, with significant experience in staff development, performance-based management, and problem-solving with limited resources.  Craig is skilled at negotiations and has experience leading teams providing a variety of municipal functions including economic and community development, information technology, affordable housing programs, asset management, city clerk administration, public information, and code enforcement. As a program manager, department head, and Assistant City Manager during his 31-year public sector career, Craig supported the development of key staff, led successful negotiations, leveraged City assets, supported technological enhancements to City processes, and facilitated the resolution of complex problems.

Before affiliating with MRG in 2016, Craig worked for a variety of Bay Area public agencies.  MRG clients have included the cities of: Pinole (City Manager support), San Bruno (Community and Economic Development Department support), Emeryville (Financial forecasting and budget strategies), Concord (Rental housing policies), Benicia (Project management training for management teams), as well as Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass (Expert declaration regarding municipal agency surplus land disposition), Yolo Habitat Conservancy (Management services RFP) and the Town of Fairfax (Building and Planning Services Department support).  Craig has also been a member of MRG teams assisting the following clients: the City of Lathrop (Feasibility analysis and negotiations regarding City provided law enforcement services), Truckee area public agencies (Formation of a joint powers authority to support workforce housing for agency employees), and Ironhouse Sanitary District (Real estate asset evaluation and management of developer solicitation process).

Craig has held key management positions with the cities of Vallejo and Fremont. As Assistant City Manager with the City of Vallejo for nine years, Craig was a key member of a management team that led the City through the Chapter 9 bankruptcy process. During his municipal career, he was responsible for developing recommendations for City Councils on a variety of financial, labor, and community development topics.  He managed ballot measure education campaigns, regularly served as Acting City Manager, and supported enhanced City Council agenda processes. He understands the importance of ensuring projects are adequately planned, project schedules are met, and policy objectives are consistent with those of the City Council and City Manager. 

In addition to his Bay Area program and policy experience, Craig earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Economics and Public Policy from Duke University in 1983 and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Public Policy in 1985.