Meet Eric Rudd
Eric Rudd’s connection to Garfield County is both personal and practical. He grew up here, built his career here, and has spent years serving the community through county planning, local organizations, agriculture, construction, and development.
Hometown: Raised in Carbondale and Committed to Garfield County
Carbondale has always been home. Eric attended Carbondale schools and graduated from Roaring Fork High School in 2004. Growing up in Garfield County gave him a firsthand understanding of the people, places, and values that shape life across Garfield County. Those roots continue to guide his approach to community service and county leadership.
Eric’s experience spans county planning, construction, development, agriculture, nonprofit service, and public land stewardship. Together, those roles have shown him how county decisions affect residents, businesses, landowners, and communities across Garfield County.
Garfield County Planning & Zoning Commission:
More Than a Decade of County Leadership and Service
Since 2013, Eric has served on the Garfield County Planning and Zoning Commission, reviewing complex land use applications and advising the Board of County Commissioners on decisions affecting growth, housing, land use, and communities throughout Garfield County.
His experience includes land use planning, Comprehensive Plan updates, and code revisions. The work has required him to consider community input, private property rights, environmental responsibility, and the county’s long-term needs before making a recommendation.
Experience in Construction and Development
Construction has been part of Eric's life for as long as he can remember.
After college, he joined his family's construction company, taking on roles ranging from laborer and equipment operator to carpenter and project manager. Today, he works alongside his father in the family's development company, giving him firsthand experience with the opportunities and challenges facing local businesses, builders, workers, and property owners.
That background has also shown him how county policies, permitting, housing costs, and economic conditions affect the people responsible for building and maintaining local communities.
Serving the Community from an Early Age
Long before serving on boards and commissions, Eric volunteered with the Computers for Kids Foundation, refurbishing donated computers for children who otherwise wouldn't have access to one.
Working alongside mentors Bob Elmore and Bob Rankin, Eric learned how practical skills and community service can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. That experience continues to influence how he approaches public service today.
Keeping Public Lands Accessible and Well Managed
Eric has volunteered with the Mt. Sopris Rec Riders since 2010, helping maintain more than 120 miles of winter trail systems.
As Trails and Grooming Chairman and later President, he worked with state and federal agencies to navigate permitting, operations, and regulatory requirements, while helping keep public lands accessible and responsibly managed.
The role required planning, coordination, and a practical understanding of how local organizations and government agencies can work together.
A Lifelong Connection to Agriculture
Agriculture has always been part of Eric's life.
He spent his early years on a working ranch in the Roaring Fork Valley, where he developed a deep respect for the people who care for the land and make their living from it.
Today, Eric raises cattle and continues to work alongside local ranchers, giving him firsthand experience with the challenges facing Garfield County's agricultural community and the importance of keeping local agriculture and working lands viable for the future.
