Seven months after the former economic development director left the position, the county is still vetting his replacement.

Last week, the department began advertising for the position. Former director Larry Rosenstrauch announced he was resigning on Dec. 4, 2009 after 13 years in the position. Bob Chirles currently serves as interim director.

Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (I-at large) said he’s looking for an individual who will provide the necessary leadership that had been lacking in the organization during the past several years. He declined to give specifics. The ideal candidate will be able to put forth a progressive plan to attract and recruit businesses to Loudoun, he said.

The county economic director is arguably the second most important county position after the County Administrator.

The director recruits companies that will bring new jobs and help shore up the tax base in Loudoun, according to York. In the future, the county hopes to welcome businesses in the life sciences, aerospace, government and defense sectors, as well as to add and support small businesses, York said in a previous interview with the Times-Mirror.

Rosenstrauch joined as director in 1996. He was at the helm during a commercial boom in Loudoun, which included the development of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Lansdowne, the George Washington University campus in Ashburn and the AOL, Verizon, Orbital Sciences and Raytheon campuses in the Dulles area.

The extensive job description for his replacement, as listed on the website of executive hiring firm Colin Baenziger & Associates, includes a lengthy history of Loudoun, details of the county’s commerce, geography, demographics, government, and a summary of Loudoun’s economic development.

The county is looking for someone who is a “strong, savvy and seasoned leader ... who has strong management skills encompassing both people and projects,” the ad says. More specifically, the next director must have outstanding communication skills, experience in government and a knowledge of Loudoun.

The county will conduct a nationwide search that will ideally conclude in September, with the new director beginning in Oct. 2010.

The past seven months have given the department time to reorganize, Mears said. During that time, the department created an assistant director position, which is held by Robyn Bailey. The department is also seeking an agricultural development officer.

Interim director Bob Chirles has done an outstanding job of getting the department refocused, York said.

“The reason we have this department is to help us to be able to recruit businesses coming into the county to offset the residential requirements and needs for services,” York said.

Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce President Tony Howard said he’s pleased with the hiring firm’s processes. The firm brought in several stakeholders – including Howard – to talk about what attributes they were looking for in a director.

“They were very open to the insight and commentary of the folks around the table about ideal attributes,” he said.

Howard said he’s interested in finding someone who can truly harness the county’s assets, tell its story to the right people at the right time, and be an overall salesman for the county.

The new director needs to be in front of the decision makers of any business looking to locate here, so when they’re ready to decide to come to Loudoun, the director is there, Howard said.

The Board of Supervisors will hire the economic development director and will serve at the will of County Administrator Tim Hemstreet. The salary range will be between $125,000 and $150,000.

Contact the writer at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).