Roanoke
- The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) presented Executive Director (retired) Tim Ware, with the Robert W. Baker Achievement Award at the Association's Summer Conference in Roanoke last week.
Tim
Ware served as Executive Director of the George Washington Regional Commission in Fredericksburg, VA for five years. "During his five years of service in Virginia, Tim brought with him a wealth of knowledge, an approachable style and willingness to tackle any initiative before the state association; many of which he brainstormed and fully developed with his peers across the state," said Kevin Byrd, Executive Director, New River Valley Regional Commission in his nomination of Ware. "In his role of Second Vice President of VAPDC, he oversaw the coordination of several statewide conferences that helped elevate awareness of VAPDC and inform key partners of work underway at PDCs. Most recently, Tim led the coordination of VAPDC's first congressional briefing held on the Hill in Washington, DC in March of 2018. Although Tim was nearing retirement from his position, he never hesitated to put time and energy into worthy causes such as the congressional briefing and serving on the committee to hire the first Executive Director for VAPDC."
Tim started his career with Planning District Commissions in North Carolina, first by serving as Director of Finance for the Mid-East Commission in Washington, NC. After serving as Director of Finance, he was selected to be their Executive Director, a position he held for 10 years prior to coming to Virginia in 2013. Having served as President of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) in 2011, he arrived in Virginia with a depth of knowledge in the industry and a cadre of colleagues across the country.
"Through his service to VAPDC and the executive directors he has influenced along the way, Tim exemplifies the values of the Robert W. Baker Award," stated Bob Coiner, VAPDC President. "He has served as a mentor, listener and advisor to numerous directors across the country. His calm demeanor and willingness to serve will aid him in his next adventure in life, taking him back to his roots in North Carolina, where he will be the director of the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Government. He will be sorely missed, fondly remembered, and always available to those in the industry."
Planning District Commissions were established by the General Assembly in 1969. There are 21 PDCs and Regional Commissions in Virginia made up of elected officials and citizens appointed by local government. The purpose of the Planning District Commissions is to encourage and facilitate regional solutions to problems of area-wide significance. This is done by promoting the efficient development of the physical, social, and economic policies of all districts by assisting local governments to plan for the future. The PDCs of Virginia have joined together to create the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions to share best practices, and further regionalism across the Commonwealth. For information about VAPDC visit the website at www.vapdc.org.
