Christopher M. McGuire
City of Altoona
ALTOONA,PA
13
years of professional experience
City Manager directing municipal operations, fiscal planning, and intergovernmental coordination across departments, boards, and five collective bargaining units. Leads budget development, labor relations, and policy execution while managing resources to keep services aligned with council priorities. Strengthens community outcomes through ERP modernization, $10M+ per year in grant funding, and long-range planning.
Work History
City Manager
1 Year 9 Months- Secured over $10 million in public works grant funding for stormwater, traffic, downtown, and public safety projects, while also advancing Main Street Matters with additional funding.
- Managed labor relations across five collective bargaining units, including firefighter, police, and AFSCME negotiations.
- Deployed OpenGov ERP to streamline financial management, budgeting, tax collection, procurement, payroll, human resources, and permitting workflows.
- Maintained fiscal discipline through clean audits, stronger pension contributions, and compliance with audit and accounting policies.
- Grew capital reserves and fund balances, including over $40 million in capital reserves and capital improvement funds, over $500 million in capital assets, and a stronger long-term financial position.
- Strengthened the general fund balance to over $47 million and lifted the unassigned balance by over $8 million during tenure.
- Leads city departments, advises Council and department heads, presents to boards and civic groups, and coordinates plans, schedules, and workflow.
- Board of Directors member of the Altoona Parking Authority, Altoona Blair County Economic Development Corporation, Central Blair Recreation Commission, and the Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank of Altoona.
City Administrator / Executive Director of Economic Development
3 Years 10 Months- Negotiated relocation and tax incentive packages that recruited 21 new businesses since 2021 and strengthened local economic growth.
- Secured over 35% sales tax revenue growth while supporting more than $65 million in new construction projects.
- Developed inter-local agreements and land transfers that enabled 28 acres of school land for a $15 million youth sports complex.
- Secured $2 million in sponsorship agreements and coordinated facility funding for community recreation and public use.
- Obtained over $3 million in grant funding and $1 million for public safety equipment, vehicles, and station construction.
- Directed department leaders, resolved administrative issues, and implemented policy changes aligned with city goals and ordinances.
- Prepared annual operating, capital, and bond-related budgets, then administered internal controls and advised council on fiscal decisions.
Deputy Commander, Area Support Group– Balkans, Europe
1 Year 1 Month- Directed strategic planning for over 20,000 U.S. and NATO troops across the Balkans and Black Sea region, coordinating embassy engagements in seven countries.
- Managed over 800 staff in base-sustainment planning and execution supporting more than 5,000 personnel through a $149M annual budget.
- Oversaw long-range planning, resource allocation, and infrastructure repair across the Area of Responsibility, aligning personnel, finances, and equipment with mission needs.
- Developed and published community policies and procedures that supported compliant base operations and coordinated implementation across stakeholder groups.
- Led weekly review boards to approve funding for equipment, services, and facility changes while maintaining control over acquisition decisions.
- Secured $100M in area development planning for congressional approval, modernizing aging facilities and infrastructure through the Corps of Engineers.
- Completed a power distribution business case that secured $8.1M in funding and reduced fuel consumption by $6.5M annually while improving energy security.
Executive Officer
2 Years 5 Months- Managed day-to-day operations for a population of 30K, aligning organizational strategy with mission priorities and change initiatives.
- Directed strategic planning for a local economy with a $2.4B impact, briefing boards and senior officials on program performance.
- Modernized workforce structure and performance routines, establishing goals and continuous improvement practices across programs.
- Planned and executed a $110M+ annual budget, approving expenditures, allocations, overtime, awards, travel, purchase cards, and contracts.
- Oversaw $170M in construction and infrastructure development, coordinating resource allocation and capital priorities.
- Built public-private partnerships and intergovernmental agreements that delivered $5.8M in cost avoidance and $3.4M in cost savings.
- Negotiated a land lend/lease agreement that reduced taxpayer costs by $5M for school development.
Director of Emergency Services
3 Years 5 Months- Within 30 days, developed a detailed risk document identifying unknown and inherent risks across key installation functions.
- Championed leadership development efforts that increased capacity across the enterprise and 80+ tenant organizations.
- Led solicitation requirements, scope of work, and quality assurance planning for a $20M MEDEVAC services contract.
- Managed contract performance for $4M in fire and emergency services programs, strengthening oversight and delivery.
- Directed physical security system work under a $1.2M agreement, supporting operational reliability and readiness.
- Drove $2.1M in gained efficiencies by tightening contract performance and improving service delivery across programs.
- Realized $750K in savings and agency cost avoidance by refining mutual aid support and launching joint training with the United States Forest Service and CAL FIRE.
Education
Master of Arts - Executive Leadership
Executive Certificate - Leadership & Management
Bachelor of Science - Management
Doctor of Business Administration - Public Administration Specialty
Skills
Operational leadership
Strategic analysis & planning
Change management
Intergovernmental relations
Budget management
Resource management
Grant & fund management
Fiscal oversight
Labor relations
Conflict mediation
Training & facilitation
Leadership development
Project planning & management
Capital planning
Operational improvement
Policy implementation
Stakeholder engagement
Economic development strategy
Capital improvement program management
Ordinance drafting
Public works oversight
Stormwater management
Municipal procurement
Bond financing
Audit compliance
Board presentations
Public relations
Civic engagement
Affiliations
- International Association of Fire Chiefs – Board of Directors, Fairfax, VA, September 2006 -September 2009
- Federal Managers Association – January 2010 – September 2011
- President, FMA Chapter 252
Publications
Army Management & Staff College – Human Capital Management | Foreign Direct Investment International – Where Innovation Meets Opportunity | Multimodal Access to the World | Why the City of Clyde and West Texas Make Perfect Sense | Why Doing Business in Clyde Makes Perfect Sense | Small Cities Big Opportunities | Expansion Solutions Magazine – Youth Sports as an Economic Development Catalyst.
Timeline
City Manager
City of Altoona
02.2025 - CurrentRead More
City Administrator / Executive Director of Economic Development
City of Clyde
04.2021 - 02.2025Read More
Deputy Commander, Area Support Group– Balkans, Europe
Department of the Army
02.2020 - 03.2021Read More
Executive Officer
Fort Lee
09.2017 - 02.2020Read More
Director of Emergency Services
Fort Hunter Liggett
04.2014 - 09.2017Read More
South College
Doctor of Business Administration from Public Administration Specialty
Read More
Bellevue University
Bachelor of Science from Management
Read More
University of Notre Dame
Executive Certificate from Leadership & Management
Read More
Liberty University
Master of Arts from Executive Leadership
Read More