RA COO Larry Butler Announces Retirement
(Posted Jan. 27, 2023) RA Chief Operating Officer Larry Butler, one of the association’s longest-serving employees has announced his retirement effective June 23, 2023.
Throughout his more than 40-year career at RA, Butler has served in various positions at the association including director of parks and recreation and community resources and director of open space. He currently serves as chief operating officer.
“It has been a great run at RA. I have appreciated the organization’s support over the many years, and I have many lasting memories. Most memorable for me are the life-long friends I have made with the staff and many in the community with whom I have worked,” Butler said. “For the next chapter of my life, I look forward to many adventures including hiking, biking, fishing and spending more time with my family and friends - preferably in the woods somewhere.”
RA President Sarah Selvaraj-D’Souza said, “Larry has been an integral part of the fabric of RA. He has truly been Mr. RA. The familiar face of the organization for decades bringing continuity and stability even during some rocky times. The RA Board is forever grateful to Larry for his leadership, historical knowledge, and most of all his service and commitment to Reston and all Restonians. He will truly be missed. We wish Larry the very best for this next chapter in his life. I'm sure it will be filled with camping trips, bike rides, chopping wood and stories around the fire with family and friends. Thank you Larry for being a friend to all of Reston. We wish you the very best.”
“The impact Larry has made on many Reston families’ lives, and the community in general, is profound," said RA CEO Mac Cummins. “He has served in nearly every capacity in our organization and has led our operations and various services in leadership capacities throughout his career here. The community owes him much, and the staff is blessed to have had a chance to work with him. He has truly made a difference in Reston and helped lead many important initiatives. I’d like to thank Larry for his service and contribution to building community in Reston.”
Butler started his career with RA as a seasonal employee in the spring of 1982. He briefly left the association in the mid-1990s to serve as general manager for the Ashburn Village Community Association and then returned to RA as director of parks and recreation. During his tenure at RA, Butler was instrumental in starting RA’s lakes and watershed management programs and was active in the Virginia Lakes and Watersheds Association (VLWA) and the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS). Butler spent several years serving on the NALMS Board of Directors and as the organization’s president. In addition, some of the other successful projects that Butler led at RA include the Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank program, assisting with the fund-raising and approvals for Nature House, converting the Southgate Pool to a well-utilized and County-operated community center, and getting lights on the Browns Chapel Little League Field.