Person County honors departing county manager and hires Developmental Associates to lead manager search

The board adopted a resolution recognizing County Manager Katherine Kathy for six years of county service and presented her with a plaque on Sept. 21; Kathy delivered brief farewell remarks thanking staff and family. County leadership described her tenure (assistant county manager beginning Aug. 24, 2020; county manager from Oct. 4, 2022 to Sept. 21, 2026) and commissioners offered public appreciation.

Following the farewell the board held interviews with three executive‑search firms (Developmental Associates, MGT, and SGR). After deliberation the board voted to move forward with Developmental Associates LLC, a North Carolina–based firm, to lead the manager recruitment and directed staff to complete reference checks and negotiate the contract so work may begin according to the RFP timeline. During her remarks Kathy said the role had been "an honor to work for Person County for these past six years," and commissioners praised her responsiveness and leadership. Developmental Associates' Steve Strauss explained his evidence‑based, skills‑assessment process and gave an approximate success statistic in his presentation; the board described Developmental Associates as a local, experienced option and approved contracting pending references.