Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993 TAG: 9302020161
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ROANOKE CITY MANAGER PICKS ASSISTANT
Roanoke City Manager Bob Herbert has chosen an 18-year veteran of city government, James Ritchie, to be his top assistant.Ritchie, the city's director of human development since 1975, will become assistant city manager, effective today.
He succeeds Earl Reynolds, who resigned a year ago to become Martinsville city manager.
City Council unanimously confirmed Herbert's nomination of Ritchie for the post on Monday.
Mayor David Bowers said Ritchie has the confidence of council and other city officials.
"He's one of the nicest and most competent people we have in the city," Bowers said.
"You made an excellent choice," Councilman James Harvey told Herbert.
Ritchie, 49, was chosen from 254 applicants from across the country.
His salary will be $75,000, the same as Reynolds.
Herbert said he was looking for someone who was skilled in working with people and who could anticipate problems. He also wanted someone with management skills in planning, budgeting and coordinating.
Ritchie said he was happy in his job as director of human development, but he looked forward to the challenge of the new job.
As a director, he has overseen 11 municipal departments, including social services, juvenile detention, federal job training and libraries.
Ritchie also has led projects such as the homeless task force, drug strategy task force, the building of a new crisis intervention center for teen-agers and the establishment of such organizations as the Fifth District Employment and Training Consortium.
Ritchie began his government work in 1964 as a child welfare worker for the Henry County Department of Social Services. Within 18 months, he was named director of the department. From 1970 to 1974, he was director of Social Services for Albemarle County.
He worked for the state as director of the Roanoke Regional Welfare Office in 1974 and was named director of human development for the city in l975.
Herbert said he will begin work in the next 30 days on filling Ritchie's old position.