Mr. Carter is the City of Carson's first Director of Information Technology and Security. He is an accomplished professional with over 15 years of experience in public sector information technology and 10 years in the private sector. Gary's extensive knowledge and expertise were honed during his tenure with City of Santa Monica's IT department where he launched the 100 Gigabit Santa Monica CityNet fiber network, serving tech, entertainment, hospitals, and startup firms in Silicon Beach. He began as the IT administrative analyst in 2008, rose
through the ranks, and after establishing the Community Broadband Division served as the Community Broadband Manager for over 8 years.
The Community Broadband Division became a profit center for the City of Santa Monica, remaining profitable from the inception year and entire program history under Mr. Carter's leadership, with $3.3M annual revenue of $3.3M at Gary's departure.
Prior to working for Santa Monica's IT department, Gary worked in the private sector as the Information Account Executive for Travelers Insurance Commercial Lines IT department. Managing Travelers' proprietary risk management software for Fortune100 clients with annual premium excess of $1M, he was responsible for software implementation, product development, custom data reporting, SQL updates, and small/large group user training.
Gary's successful IT initiatives won Harvard Kennedy School's Top 25 Programs in American Government award three times. Mr. Carter has a track record for innovation and technology and has assisted numerous U.S. and global cities with strategic planning of their municipal broadband networks, IT strategy, and establishing a culture of innovation. He is a leader in Smart City and government IT, with past consulting and speaking engagements with UCLA Anderson School, Pepperdine Graduate School, Intel, Federal Highway Administration, The World Bank, IEEE, and the White House Office of Science and Tech Policy. He holds an MBA in Strategy and Marketing from the prestigious Drucker School of Management. Gary has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, with an emphasis in ethics and political philosophy from West Chester University.
Gary is committed to advocacy for neurodivergent youth and serves as chair on his local school site council, superintendent parent advisory council, and committees dedicated to inclusive education models for K-12 schools. He is the founding president of AFSCME Local 4819, Santa Monica Management Team Association union. As AFSCME 4819 President, he established the first DEI performance measures for management staff and negotiated labor contracts until his departure from Santa Monica. Gary is most passionate about his family, spending time with his wife and young children playing sports, going on exploratory nature hikes, and sailing when his children allow him.
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