Kelly DiMartino thought she would only spend a couple of years in Fort Collins. Instead, it’s turned into a 25-year career with local government that has culminated with her being selected as the city manager.
“I’m very grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to serve the community in a lot of different ways,” said DiMartino, who grew up in Nebraska and received her bachelor’s degree at Hastings College.
Since coming to Fort Collins in 1997, DiMartino’s done everything from work as the communications and public involvement director to the acting human resources director. She was appointed interim city manager in fall 2021, and the Fort Collins City Council voted to appoint her to the full-time role earlier this summer.
Fort Collins City Manager Kelly DiMartino diversified her skillset with an MBA from CSU.
Back in 2011, when DiMartino wanted to further her education, attending CSU was a no-brainer. She ultimately received an MBA from the College of Business in 2013.
“I was intentional,” DiMartino said. “I had a lot of experience in local government, and I wanted to diversify my skill set by pursuing a business degree rather than something tailored toward the public sector.”
She said her evening MBA classes helped her connect with the very members of the Fort Collins community that she spent her career serving, as well as taught her details about supply chains and logistics that would ultimately help her as she moved into a role in the city manager’s office.
Now, her job is to oversee all of the daily operations within the City of Fort Collins. Partnering with CSU is a key part of that.
Emily Seems, CSU’s associate vice president of community affairs and engagement, worked with DiMartino at the city before she returned to the University. She said she remembers DiMartino’s “heart for the work” she did for Fort Collins as well as her “genuine compassion.”
“On behalf of CSU, we are grateful to have a city leader who recognizes the importance of a strong town and gown partnership,” Seems said. “She knows, and has seen, the value of a strong partnership to accomplish incredible things on behalf of the community we all love.”
DiMartino may not have intended to stay in Fort Collins for her entire career, but she said she has no regrets about serving the city that has become her family’s home.
“The people in the community, how much everyone cares and the fantastic colleagues and staff over the years have made me want to stick around,” she said.
About CSU’s College of Business
The College of Business at Colorado State University is focused on using business to create a better world.
As an AACSB-accredited business school, the College is among the top five percent of business colleges worldwide, providing programs and career support services to more than 2,500 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students. Faculty help students across our top-ranked on-campus and online programs develop the knowledge, skills and values to navigate a rapidly evolving business world and address global challenges with sustainable business solutions. Our students are known for their creativity, work ethic and resilience—resulting in an undergraduate job offer and placement rate of over 90% within 90 days of graduation.
The College’s highly ranked programs include its Online MBA, which has been ranked the No. 1 program in Colorado by U.S. News and World Report for five years running and achieved No. 16 for employability worldwide from QS Quacquarelli Symonds. The College’s Impact MBA is also ranked by Corporate Knights as a Top 20 “Better World MBA” worldwide.
