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Mayor, Asheville, N.C.

There are people with a fascination for the machinations of local government, and people who like beer.聽Esther Manheimer聽(Anth鈥�93) is at home in both camps, and among the lucky few to combine the two for her work: She鈥檚 mayor of Asheville, N.C., a place that 鈥渢akes its pleasures seriously,鈥� as the聽New York Times聽put it.

鈥淟ike many folks who run for local office, I have a love for my community and a desire to serve,鈥� says Manheimer, whose family settled in Asheville when she was a teenager. 鈥淭his is one of the ways I thought I could best serve.鈥�

A city of about 87,000 in the state鈥檚 far west, Asheville is thriving 鈥� not least because of its dedication to the fun things in life, which attracts 9.8 million visitors each year. This includes everyone from foodies to garden hobbyists to fans of early electronic music. (Asheville was home to late synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog.)

The city has become a hub for microbreweries, which provide many of the higher-skilled, better-paying jobs. Manheimer recently performed the ceremonial 鈥渇irst pour鈥� at the newly expanded Hi-Wire Brewing facility 鈥� one of 18 breweries in town.

The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has even established a new beer-making degree program, 鈥淏rewing, Distillation and Fermentation.鈥�

鈥淧eople used to say, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 a hobby,鈥欌�� Manheimer says, 鈥渂ut now it鈥檚 an industry.鈥�

Manheimer found politics early 鈥� protesting apartheid as a teenager and learning firsthand the complex sensitivities of the Middle East during two lengthy stays in Israel, the first before she came to CU-Boulder.

It was at CU that she grew serious about local politics, partly through a political science course that took her to state legislature and county commission meetings.

鈥淭hat may be a bit of an eye roll for some people, but I think it鈥檚 fascinating how local people made decisions about greenways, zoning and trash pickup 鈥� for me, that鈥檚 what affects people鈥檚 everyday life.鈥�

Manheimer, now 44, says her CU days 鈥渟haped my life today more than any other place or experience in my life. That was when I got my political feeling and learned how to participate in politics.鈥�

After CU, she returned to Asheville and earned public administration and law degrees at the University of North Carolina. She was elected to Asheville鈥檚 city council in 2009, and four years later, mayor.

Living in a vacation destination isn鈥檛 always a vacation for the locals, an issue she works hard to manage.

鈥淭he balance between the locals and tourism is a constant issue,鈥� says Manheimer. 鈥淵ou have locals who say they鈥檝e been downtown and they didn鈥檛 even recognize it because it was so packed.鈥�

But on the whole, tourism has been good for Asheville, and it鈥檚 hardly the only game in town.

鈥淥ne of the things that has made Asheville successful is that we鈥檙e not a boom-or-bust town,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 put all our eggs in one basket.

Photography by Max Cooper