Mayor John Hickenlooper today announced the appointment of Diedra Garcia as Manager of the City and County of Denver’s Department of General Services.

"Diedra is a recognized leader and a great addition to our City team," Hickenlooper said. "Her wealth of experience in management and the construction industry will greatly benefit our overall City operations."

Garcia will join General Services Nov. 2. She replaces Kevin Patterson, who, as previously announced, begins a new role as Manager of Parks and Recreation Sept. 15. Derek Brown, Deputy Manager of General Services will serve as Interim Manager for the agency until Garcia assumes her new post.

The Department of General Services manages and directs agencies responsible for the City’s printing, reproduction and mailing services; facilities planning and management; and purchasing. General Services also provides strategic direction and management coordination to Theatres and Arenas and the Utilities Division, and is the liaison to the Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Garcia is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of DRG Construction Corp., a family-owned commercial construction company. Her project oversight experience with the company includes successful management of major building projects with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, West Denver Preparatory School, Tafolino’s Restaurant, KeyBank and Invesco Field at Mile High.

DRG Construction Corp. will continue operations under the leadership of Garcia’s husband Ray, who founded the company 15 years ago.

Prior to her leadership experience at DRG Construction, she held key positions as Human Resources Executive Team Leader with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado and Human Resources Area Manager at the University of Colorado at Denver. Garcia is also a managing broker with Clairbridge Development.

Garcia has served as chair of the Small Business Development Centers of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, as well as a Chamber board member. She currently serves on the board of the Rocky Mountain Community Foundation and the Gateway Battered Women’s Shelter and is a member of the Junior Achievement Hispanic Advisory Committee.

A former chair of the State’s largest workers’ compensation insurance company, Pinnacol Assurance, Garcia also holds a certification in compliance with the federal Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which mandates transparency and accountability by public corporations and their executives. Garcia received her bachelor’s degree in human resources management and is pursuing her master’s in management/leadership and organization development from Regis University.

She has received a number of local and national awards, including Outstanding Business Woman of the Year by the Denver Business Journal, Business Woman of the Year by the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and selection for the U.S.-Spain Young Leaders Program by the U.S.-Spain Foundation.