Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 8, 1994                   TAG: 9412300040
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NEW VINTON OFFICIAL ALMOST AT HOME

The area was familiar to the Buena Vista native, who graduated from Virginia Military Institute with a degree in civil engineering.

Even when working in Richmond, he did not lose touch with his home territory. Two jobs with the state and federal governments kept him in contact with the area.

When he worked with the Virginia Bureau of Flood Protection from 1989 to 1991, his territory was Southwest Virginia. In his most recent job with the Federal Soil Conservation Service, he worked closely with local governments throughout the state.

In Vinton, Secrist, 28, succeeds Bob Benninger, who joined the Roanoke County government to work with the new Spring Hollow Reservoir project.

Secrist will work mostly in public works - water, sewer, traffic - and in building and zoning regulations. He also will assist Town Manager Clay Goodman in administrative duties, a function in line with his pursuit of a master's degree in public administration at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Secrist said one reason he took the Vinton job is that local government is a place where an individual can make a difference.

Local government "really counts," he said.

All of his government jobs so far have been with state or federal agencies.

Secrist and his wife, Donna, have a 2-year-old daughter, Caitlin.