City Manager

Overview

Zerry Headshot 2

Dr. Nzeribe (Zerry) Ihekwaba was appointed City Manager of Homestead in March 2024, bringing more than three decades of experience in civil engineering, public administration, and infrastructure management across the public, private, and academic sectors. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the city by implementing City Council policies, managing city employees and the annual budget, while guiding the City with a commitment to innovation, accountability, and service excellence.

About Dr. Zerry Ihekwaba

A licensed Professional Engineer in Florida and Georgia, Dr. Ihekwaba began his career as a civil/structural engineer before earning a doctorate in Structural and Materials Engineering from Queen’s University in Canada. His public-sector leadership includes approximately 8 years with Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department, and 14 years with the City of Miami where he ultimately served as its Deputy City Manager.

Since joining Homestead, Dr. Ihekwaba has advanced a transformative agenda emphasizing resilient infrastructure, community revitalization, and organizational modernization. Under his leadership, the city has completed major infrastructural upgrades in water and sewer facilities that ended years of a consent decree moratorium, secured significant state and federal appropriations, and accelerated master planning for water, sewer, stormwater and transportation systems. He also led a landmark public-private partnership for the 85-acre Homestead Regional Park/Sports Performance Hub, anchored by a future stadium for Miami FC, a professional soccer team, as well as a sports academy, and which will double as host for the Homestead Rodeo Association, all at no cost to taxpayers. Additional milestones include adoption of Homestead’s first Strategic Plan, introduction of electronic permitting through the new B.U.I.L.D. platform, enhanced digital engagement, police accountability initiatives, and major grant acquisitions supporting long-term capital improvements.

Dr. Ihekwaba is an established thought leader, holding several specialized certifications including strategic management and crisis leadership. His professional affiliations include ASCE, FCCMA, FLC, Leadership Florida, and ICMA (from which he received the ICMA-CM designation as a credentialed manager). His leadership has been recognized through awards from regional engineering and construction associations, along with commendations from the Board of Miami-Dade County Commission and the City of Miami City Commission including the Key to the City of Miami. 

He is married to Miami-Dade County Judge Chiaka Ihekwaba with children, and together they remain dedicated to public service and strengthening communities.