Mayor Jorge Elorza is appointing Russell Knight as director of the Department of Public Works.
"Mr. Knight's over 30 years of operational and administrative experience in the U.S. Navy will be an incredible asset to Providence," said mayor Elorza. "I am confident that with his caliber of leadership in the Department of Public Works, we will provide better services to all of our residents."
Knight's career spans more than 30 years as an aviator and officer in the U.S. Navy. He served as Vice President for Administration and Operations at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, where he oversaw more than 600 employees and a $95 million annual budget. Prior to the Naval War College, Knight was chief executive officer for Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi.
Since retiring from the Navy in 2012, Knight has worked as an independent consultant for offshore oil drilling operations in North America. Knight is a graduate of Tench Francis Business School, holds a Masters Degree from the U.S. Naval War College and a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
The Department of Public Works oversees the construction, reconstruction and maintenance of highways and bridges; snow removal; sidewalks and curbing; street cleaning; refuse collection and disposal, including operation and maintenance of incinerators and dumps; and street lighting within the City of Providence.