Spencer Suter: ‘It’s Time’
County Executive Retiring This Fall
Spencer Suter, Rockbridge County administrator since 2012, announced last week that he is retiring in early September.
“It’s time,” Suter said this week. “I’ve been at it 30 years,” he noted, referring to how long he’s worked in county government. Most of that time has been split between Botetourt and Rockbridge counties.
Suter, 57, a native of Rockingham County, also had shorter stints in Stafford County and at Hayes, Seay, Mattern and Mattern, an architectural and engineering firm in Roanoke. He and his wife Tina, a teacher at Waddell Elementary School, have lived most of the past 30 years in Rockbridge County. “This is home,” he remarked.
His steady, competent leadership has left an indelible impression on those who have worked with him in Rockbridge County over the past 14 years.
“It is with both regret and joy that we congratulate Spencer Suter on the announcement of his retirement,” the Board of Supervisors said in a joint statement issued in a press release last week.
“His thoughtful, concise, professional and sensible approach to any incident, crisis or opportunity can be described as, ‘What is best for Rockbridge County, and what can I do to make that happen?’” the statement continued.
“He truly gave all of himself in the service of our citizens and aside from his technical administrative work, it was not unusual to find him shoveling snow at 6 a.m., volunteering at community events or simply picking up trash along the road. No job was beneath him and he always advocated more for his staff than he did for himself. While it is sad to see his tenure as our county administrator come to an end, we are very thankful for all his contributions to our community and for the thoughtful approach he brought to his role every day. We wish Spencer and his family the absolute best in the next chapter of his life.”
Suter commented, “After 30 years of public service, I felt that this decision was best for me and my family. Rockbridge is truly blessed with an amazing team of public servants, and I’m very proud to have been able to work alongside them for the past 14 years, in the service of our citizens. I will count them as friends always and urge the Board to always provide them with support and encouragement.”
Suter was known by his colleagues in neighboring jurisdiction for his affability and commitment to regional cooperation.
Jason Tyree, until recently Buena Vista city manager who is now a Rockbridge County zoning administrator, said, “Even though we represented different localities, we were often around the same table on regional committees, working through issues that affected our entire community. It was clear even then that Spencer approached every discussion and every decision with professionalism, thoughtfulness and a genuine desire to find practical solutions. I believe this is because Spencer has a deep love for Rockbridge County and this entire region that he proudly calls home.”
One of the qualities Tyree said he most admires about Suter is “his calm and steady leadership. Local government often presents difficult decisions and competing priorities, but Spencer has always approached those challenges with patience, fairness and a level-headed perspective. Those qualities have earned him the trust of his employees, elected officials and the community.”
