Joan Girone
Joan C. Girone and Lane B. Ramsey were recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards from Chesterfield County during the county’s Investiture of Elected Officials last month.
Joan Girone, an outspoken advocate for regional cooperation, marked a milestone for Chesterfield County when, in 1976, she became the first woman to serve on the Board of Supervisors. She would serve three terms before retiring from the board in 1987, having served as vice chairman from 1976 through 1980.
A commercial real estate agent who has resided in the Bon Air community since 1965, Mrs. Girone continues her decades-long service to the county and community as a member of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and the Chesterfield Business Council. She also attends monthly meetings with the current Midlothian District supervisor to address concerns of the business community.
Mrs. Girone served on a small group that led the effort to create the Chesterfield County Public Library and pushed for the bond referendum that funded the construction of the county’s newest library facility. She also is a founder of the Friends of Chesterfield County Public Library.
In 1995, the county appropriately named the Midlothian Library building in her honor. Among the many groups and teams on which she has served, Mrs. Girone was part of a small group that led the effort to establish the Midlothian YMCA. Other notable service includes that to the Gateway Business Association, Social Services Board, Chesterfield County Transportation Safety Board, the Cooperative Extension Service Advisory Board, Chesapeake Bay Committee, Midlothian Beautification Committee and the Bon Air Village Preservation Committee.
Lane Ramsey
Lane Ramsey has demonstrated an uncommon commitment to public service. When he retired as county administrator in 2007, following a career that spanned more than 35 years, a resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors stated “It is unlikely that any one person will ever again exert the insightful, long-tenured and exemplary leadership of Chesterfield County.”
Hired by the county in 1972, Mr. Ramsey would rise in the ranks and eventually serve 20 years as county administrator. Under his leadership, the county became known as one of the top local governments in the nation. The county also attained a trip-AAA bond rating from the nation’s top three rating agencies, the U. S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award, and hundreds of recognitions from the National Association of Counties.
In 1997, Mr. Ramsey’s demonstrated leadership earned him the national Academy for Public Administration’s prestigious national Public Service Award. Ramsey’s commitment to public service did not end with his retirement. He has since served as interim administrator for two other counties and was appointed by the governor as chair of the Virginia College Building Board Authority.
A North Carolina native and two-tour Vietnam veteran, Ramsey continues to reside in Chesterfield and is a member of the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation and has active memberships with many other local and regional organizations. He is also a partner with DecideSmart, a consulting company to local and state governments, universities and K-12 education entities.
