This news item expired on Friday, February 3, 2023 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
As Buncombe County’s Information Technology Department moves forward, its new leader will be someone familiar with existing operations. In-house candidate Eric Grau has been selected from a group of highly qualified candidates to be the County’s next IT Director. “[His] knowledge of IT systems stood out, but most importantly, his ability to build relationships with departments and our community partners enabled him to succeed during the interview process,” explains Assistant County Manager Sybil Tate. “Buncombe County IT has always been innovative, and Eric’s leadership will ensure that Buncombe County continues to provide excellent customer service with the most efficient and effective technology available.”
Grau has been with the County since 2014 gaining valuable institutional knowledge while also earning his Master of Public Administration. “As a technical person, I love creating IT solutions to business problems. However, I’m a people person first. Throughout my career and during my time at Buncombe County, I’ve built relationships based on mutual trust and respect,” says Grau. Ready to hit the ground running, the new IT Director says he already has sights set on short- and long-term goals such as increasing cybersecurity, providing more online services for citizens, and bolstering partnerships with other agencies. “I’m excited for the opportunity to work closer with County leadership, department heads, and other partners to provide secure, reliable, and efficient IT solutions,” exclaims Grau.
Buncombe County knows how critical and foundational IT is for our internal and external operations, especially when it comes to delivering high-quality service to our residents. County management is confident and excited about building on the prior success of our IT department under new leadership. Grau officially started his new position on Feb. 1.
Eric Grau’s professional biography
Eric Grau graduated with a degree in Mathematics from University of Texas, Austin. After that, he worked in public, private, and academic settings in environmental and life sciences sectors with a focus on software design, software development, and bioinformatics. Eric has a strong emphasis on project management and communicating with a variety of stakeholders to resolve technical challenges.
In 2014, Eric moved to Asheville to start a family and enjoy all the great things Buncombe County has to offer. He has worked for Buncombe County since 2014 and was initially hired as a Software Developer. For the past five years, he worked as the Software Services Manager with his teams supporting the County’s software needs by working with third-party software vendors or building custom solutions. Eric earned his MPA from Western Carolina University in 2019.