Carl Harness has been with the county since October 2003. Harness had more than 19 years experience in local governments prior to joining Hillsborough County in Florida and Ohio, most recently as the Assistant City Manager of Gainesville, Florida, for five years.

Harness was one of the first group of individuals who completed the management accreditation program by the International City County Management Association (ICMA) in 2002. The ICMA is a professional and educational organization for chief appointed managers, administrators, and assistants, that seeks to create excellence in local government by developing and fostering professional local government management.

During his five-year tenure as Assistant City Manager, Harness was responsible for overseeing five departments, including Building Inspections and Economic Development. He also coordinated all federal grant lobbying efforts for the city. Harness also has worked for the Dade County government and the cities of Opa-Locka, Florida, and Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Harness has bachelor's degrees in political science and biology and a Master in Public Affairs from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio.