courtesy of Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County Administrator Jay Stegmaier announced Friday, Feb. 12, the retirement of a key leader in the county, Millard “Pete” Stith Jr., deputy county administrator for community development. 

Stith has held numerous management positions with the county since joining Chesterfield 26 years ago. In February 1984, he began his service as executive assistant to the county administrator for intergovernmental affairs. After three years, he was named director of parks and recreation, where, among other achievements, he oversaw the acquisition of the Eppington Plantation and Henricus Historical Park. In particular, he creatively used U.S. Navy “Seabees” to build the county’s first community center in Bensley Park.

In 1992, after a national search, he was promoted to deputy county administrator for community development, where he directs the county’s regulatory agencies, including the departments of Building Inspection, Economic Development, Environmental Engineering, Planning, Utilities and Transportation, and the Community Development Block Grant Office.  He is credited with launching the county’s celebrated “fast-track” review process for commercial development, instituting a Web site for developers’ projects, and recruiting new businesses totaling millions of dollars in new investment in the county.

“Pete and I worked closely as a team and his contributions to the organization and community deserve the highest accolades,” Stegmaier said.  “Although he will be sorely missed, I am pleased that Pete plans to continue his service and involvement in the county.”

Stith leaves a profound legacy that includes the creation of the county’s nationally acclaimed Black History Month Program 20 years ago and fostering new partnerships between the county government and Virginia State University while helping the university raise funds to educate Chesterfield County youths. He was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from VSU in 2006.

Stith will retire on April 1, 2010.