VINTON–Town Manager Chris Lawrence has announced the selection of Richard “Pete” Peters, Jr., as the next Assistant Town Manager and Director of Economic Development for the Town of Vinton.
Peters was selected from a highly competitive pool of 30 applicants. He will be responsible for continuing the successful economic development program of the town, special projects, downtown revitalization, and general administrative functions.
He will also work in partnership with Roanoke County and the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce to coordinate the town’s efforts to retain and recruit new businesses to the community. His first day on the job will be Monday, December 7th.
Peters currently resides in Botetourt County. He is a native of the Mount Pleasant area and previously resided in Vinton for seven years. As part of his job requirements, he is required to reside in the town or surrounding service area.
Peters is a 1993 graduate of William Byrd High School. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Management of Recreation and Leisure Services with a minor in Business from Ferrum College in 1997. He also received a Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management in 2010 from Virginia Tech—a program co-sponsored by the Virginia Local Government Management Association.
Peters has been married to his wife Cameron for 15 years and has two children.
He is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys organized team sports as well as camping, hunting, hiking, mountain-biking and kayaking.
Peters has been employed by Botetourt County for ten years as Director of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department and previously worked for Roanoke Catholic School for two years and for the City of Roanoke for six.
He has represented Botetourt County on the Board of Directors for the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce, on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors for the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and on Botetourt’s Leadership and Development Team.
He has been actively involved with the development of numerous quality-of-life improvement initiatives and tourism-related development projects which assisted Botetourt County in expanding numerous small businesses and recruiting new businesses in the visitor services and hospitality sector of the local economy.
