Richard Caywood / Photo courtesy of Teresa Hall, Roanoke County

Roanoke County Administrator Clay Goodman announced the selection of Richard Caywood as the new Assistant County Administrator. Caywood, 44, will begin work at Roanoke County on March 18.

Caywood is currently the Senior Project Manager for Fielder’s Choice Enterprises, Inc. (FCE), a civil construction company based in Charlottesville, Va. In this position, Caywood is responsible for the management and delivery of FCE’s construction projects across central and southwestern Virginia, including the City of Lynchburg’s Midtown Connector project ― the largest project in the firm’s 25-year history.

Prior to joining FCE, Caywood worked for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for more than 20 years. He is knowledgeable about the Roanoke Valley, having served eight years as VDOT’s Salem District Administrator. In this role, he oversaw construction, maintenance and operations for a 12-county region of southwest Virginia, which included more than 9,200 miles of roadway, 750 employees and an annual budget of more than $250 million. His career at VDOT also included work as VDOT’s Lynchburg District Administrator, Resident Engineer for VDOT’s Petersburg Residency and as Assistant Resident Engineer for VDOT’s Charlottesville Residency.

Roanoke County conducted a comprehensive search to fill the Assistant County Administrator position. Caywood, who was selected from a pool of more than 130 applicants, received the approval of an interview committee led by the County Administrator. “Richard is an excellent hire and brings a wealth of valuable experience to Roanoke County,” Roanoke County Administrator Clay Goodman said. “His expertise in the areas of transportation and development will be of great benefit to our community in the years ahead.”

Caywood replaces former Assistant County Administrator Diane Hyatt, who retired in August 2012 after 30 years of service with Roanoke County. Caywood will work alongside County Administrator Goodman and the County’s other Assistant County Administrator, Dan O’Donnell.

Caywood is a licensed professional engineer. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech’s Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Program and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia. Caywood and his family reside in Roanoke County.

–Submitted by Teresa Hall, Roanoke County