Reston Association CEO resigns, will leave position next month

Reston Association CEO Hank Lynch has resigned after roughly two-and-a-half years in the position, the organization announced in a news release on Friday (Aug. 6).

RA says Lynch told the board of directors last week that his last day will be Sept. 3 after he “accepted another opportunity.”

“We all wish Hank well in his new endeavors,” RA President Caren Anton said in a statement. “His leadership has been invaluable during his entire stay in Reston and especially during the trying times caused by the pandemic. Hank has provided a steady hand and brought new and innovative ideas to the table. He will be missed.”

Reston Now reached out to Lynch for further comment but did not hear back by press time.

Hired in December 2018, Lynch joined RA at a time of uncertainty for the association, which had been without a chief executive officer for nine months after his predecessor Cate Fulkerson abruptly stepped down on March 1 of that year and the acting CEO who filled in for her left a month later.

A former Norfolk resident with a background in horticulture, Lynch moved to Reston as an outsider in January 2019. His initial priorities included modernizing RA’s operations by using more data to make decisions and finding revenue sources outside of member assessments.

In its press release, RA points to IT security upgrades, fiscal stability, and improved customer service as highlights of Lynch’s tenure, along with efforts to improve lake management and covenants operations.

However, the association has hit its fair share of bumps in the road over the past couple of years, from a botched election rollout and other ongoing security concerns to algae blooms and a dispute with local boat owners.

Lynch drew some scrutiny last summer for pursuing a $1.3 million Paycheck Protection Program loan without consulting the Board of Directors in a formal meeting. The loan was later returned since RA didn’t actually qualify for it.

The RA Board of Directors will hold a special virtual meeting at noon on Wednesday (Aug. 11) to discuss the search process for a new CEO.

Tasks awaiting the new hire will include the 2022 budget — accompanied by debates over a possible assessment increase and the future of RA’s pools — as well as a laundry list of increasingly expensive capital projects.