EDA dealt a staffing blow as executive director joins administrative assistant in moving on to new horizons

On Tuesday, September 7, both Warren County Economic Development Authority (EDA) Board of Directors Chairman Jeff Browne and Executive Director Doug Parsons confirmed Parsons’ resignation, effective October 1. So, the EDA will lose its two post-financial scandal staffers within three weeks. As previously reported, Administrative Assistant Gretchen Henderson resigned last week to take a higher-paying job in the field of accounting across the EDA office hallway at the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC).

Parson’s new job will require a little more travel than across the hallway – 18 extra miles each way from his West Virginia home, he told us – as he will assume the Economic Development Authority Executive Director’s position in Fauquier County.

Doug Parsons, upper right white shirt and tie, joins his Administrative Assistant Gretchen Henderson, below under the watchful eye of the Royal Examiner camera, in accepting offers ‘they couldn’t refuse.’ Both EDA board meeting file photos are from Dec. 27, 2019, when this dynamic duo was still relatively new on the job. Royal Examiner File Photos by Roger Bianchini

We first spoke to Browne, who, while admitting the staffing losses were a blow coming in rapid succession as they have, preferred to look on the bright side. “Certainly it is tough short term. We were lucky to have them both for two years as they helped us through difficult times in recovering from what we inherited here,” Browne said of the re-tooled EDA Board’s navigating the aftermath of a $26-million to $62-million financial scandal alleged to have revolved around the EDA’s former executive director, Jennifer McDonald.

“But long-term, I look at this as an opportunity to find folks who will help navigate us into the future as we finish resolving our legal situations, and continue to refocus on this community’s economic development and retention. In the meantime, EDA Board members are stepping up to keep working with prospects and developing opportunities. I can only wish both Doug and Gretchen the best in their new endeavors,” Browne concluded.

We then reached Parsons by phone at the EDA office and asked about his experience of landing in the Warren County EDA job at a rather chaotic point in its half-century-plus history.

“It’s been a pleasure to serve as Executive Director of the Front Royal/Warren County Economic Development Authority over the last 28 months. The Board of Directors here has been the best I’ve ever worked with. Many of them have volunteered an incredible amount of their time to rebuild this organization. Chair Jeff Browne is essentially working 40 hours a week, and several others are putting in nearly that amount of time. I want to thank the Board of Directors, the Warren County Board of Supervisors, the County Department heads and staff, and everyone else that worked in collaboration with us to untangle the past and to help us with recruiting new business and assisting our current businesses.

“The taxpayers of Front Royal and Warren County now have an EDA they can be proud of that is working to bring more jobs and investment to the community. My successor will have many assets with which to work and great people to help accomplish the goals in the EDA’s strategic plan. I wish the people of Front Royal and Warren County the very best,” Parsons concluded.

And on that bright side that Browne chose to focus on – the multi-talented and very committed EDA Board of Directors Parsons lauded, remains in place as the County endeavors to fill the EDA staffing gap with people of comparable character and talent to those it has lost in this ninth month of 2021.