Altavista Town Council Appoints a New Town Manager

The Altavista Town Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Gary Shanaberger as its new town Manager. Mr. Shanaberger is the currently the manager in the Town of Appomattox and has a background as a small business owner and business analyst in addition to his experience as a local government manager. He replaces Waverly Coggsdale, who resigned in August to take a new role as Town Manager of Strasburg. At its meeting on Tuesday November 9th, the Town Council unanimously approved an employment agreement with Mr. Shanaberger.

Mayor Mike Mattox said, "We  are glad to welcome Mr. Shanaberger to  our community and look forward to his leadership of the Town workforce in the implementation of Council's vision for Altavista. Council was impressed by his small business background, his local government knowledge and experience, and his demeanor. We already knew about some of his achievements in Appomattox and are glad that he can continue to be a regional asset. We think that Gary will be an excellent fit for the Town of Altavista."

The Town Council conducted a national search for the new Town Manager, assisted by The Berkley Group, of  Bridgewater, Virginia. The Berkley Group received applications and conducted initial interviews with the most qualified candidates. It then assisted with selecting finalists for  interviews with the Town Council.

Mr. Shanaberger received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and an MBA from Longwood University. He was the owner/manager of his family's outdoor power equipment business in Farmville before becoming the Business Analyst and Special Projects Coordinator in the Office of Community and Economic Development/Small Business Development  Center at Longwood University. He became the Appomattox Town Manager in 2017.

Mr. Shanaberger shared these thoughts about his appointment, "I am excited about this opportunity to be of service to the Town of Altavista. The Town Council has a great vision for the community that is focused on good government and enhancing the  quality of life for residents. I particularly  look forward to working with partners such as Altavista On Track and the Economic Development Authority on important downtown revitalization and economic development  projects. I appreciate  the  confidence that the Council has shown in me and am looking forward to getting to know and serve the employees and citizens of Altavista."

Mr. Shanaberger will assume his duties as Altavista Town Manager shortly after the first of the year.