After nearly two decades of City stewardship, Director of Public Works Eric Lopez announced his departure from Long Beach.
Lopez is leaving his position to be the senior vice president of Pacifica Services, a construction and project management company in Pasadena. His last day with the City will be around Sept. 19, according to a public statement.
City Manager Tom Modica has appointed Deputy Director Joshua Hickman to serve as the Acting Director while the City searches for a permanent replacement.
“Few Public Works departments can match the scale and complexity of what we’ve achieved in Long Beach,” Lopez said in a public statement. “From delivering more than $1 billion in infrastructure investments to maintaining the everyday systems that keep our city running, we’ve expanded what public service can look like, advancing sustainability, mobility and equity throughout the community. Having grown my career with the City, it’s been the greatest honor to lead this work and this team. Together, we haven’t just built infrastructure and provided everyday services, we’ve shaped Long Beach to better serve residents and visitors alike. And now I look forward to helping other agencies improve operations and deliver major capital projects under my new role at Pacifica Services.”
Lopez served in a number of City positions before taking on the Public Works Director role in 2020. Before then, he led several City departments as Management Assistant, Administrative Analyst, Capital Projects Coordinator, Tidelands Development Officer, Special Assistant to the City Manager, Project Management Officer and Bureau Manager.
With an annual departmental budget of approximately $300 million, Mr. Lopez led a broad portfolio of City services spanning the repair, rehabilitation and upkeep of streets, sidewalks, public trees and municipal structures.
Under his direction, the department also delivered innovative micromobility programs, stormwater and waste diversion initiatives and citywide emergency support services. A key milestone under his tenure was the launch and implementation of the Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, which has become the largest public infrastructure investment in Long Beach’s history with over 180 projects and $1.1 billion in funding to enhance Long Beach parks, streets, mobility, community facilities, water quality, climate resilience and cultural assets.
“We are deeply grateful for Eric’s many years of dedicated service and outstanding leadership,” said City Manager Tom Modica in a public statement. “His commitment to innovation and community-focused solutions across a wide, complex variety of projects has not only strengthened our city but improved the quality of life of our residents. From leading the City’s biggest ever infrastructure investment plan to modernizing our Public Works operations, he has revitalized Long Beach, and we wish him the very best in this next chapter.”
