An unexpected resignation by Del. Glenn Oder from the Virginia House of Delegates will leave an open seat.
Governor Bob McDonnell announced on Tuesday that Oder had been appointed as the next Executive Director of the Fort Monroe Authority (FMA), succeeding the retiring current Executive Director Bill Armbruster. Oder will resign from the House of Delegates effective August 31.
“As we move into the next phase of conversion of Fort Monroe over to the Commonwealth, it is essential that the next head of the Fort Monroe Authority is a proven leader and visionary who is personally vested in its success. Delegate Glenn Oder fills all of these attributes,” remarked Gov. McDonnell.
He continued, “Glenn is a highly-respected member of the House of Delegates, who has enthusiastically served Newport News since 2002. More importantly, his professional expertise lies in landscape architecture, land development and land planning. He is a respected landscape architect with immense knowledge of real estate and community management in the Hampton Roads region. I cannot imagine someone more qualified for this important role than Glenn. I know he will effectively lead the conversion of Fort Monroe from a military base to an important historic site for people across the Commonwealth and the country to visit and learn about our nation’s history for many years to come.”
Oder is a lifelong resident of the City of Newport News and a graduate of Virginia Tech where he received a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. He is currently licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia as both a Landscape Architect and a professional real estate agent.
During the mid to late 1990’s, Glenn served 5 years on the Newport News Planning Commission and in 1998 he was elected President of the Peninsula Housing and Builders’ Association.
From 1999 to 2001 Glenn served as the Principal Deputy Director for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for the State of Virginia. Oder just finished his ninth year in the Virginia General Assembly where he serves on the Transportation, the General Laws and the County, Cities, and Towns Committees. In 2008, he was appointed by the Speaker to serve as vice chair of the House Transportation Committee. He also serves as the chair of the Housing subcommittee of General Laws.
The Fort Monroe Authority (FMA) is the legal entity created by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia to oversee the transition of Fort Monroe from federal to state ownership. The FMA is governed by a 12-member board of elected officials, business and civic leaders. The board retains experts in BRAC law, environmental engineering, historic architecture and preservation planning, structural engineering, housing, commercial/retail, public relations/marketing, and tourism planning. The FMA team and consultants are working collaboratively to create the best outcome for the future of Fort Monroe.
From press release by Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office
Cross-posted on SWAC Girl
