SALISBURY – After eight years as Wicomico County’s director of administration, Wayne Strausburg will retire from his position at month’s end.
“I am appreciative of the service rendered by Wayne to the citizens of Wicomico County and wish him well in his retirement,” Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver said.
Strausburg, who joined the county as director of administration in February of 2012, had previous spent years in the private sector. From 1972 to 1996, for example, he worked his way from assistant treasurer to president of Fair Lanes Inc., a former Baltimore-based bowling alley chain.
After AMF Bowling Centers Inc. bought Fair Lanes in 1995, Strausburg moved to Wicomico County as president of the English Company, one of Fair Lanes’ holdings prior to its acquisition.
“I was in the private sector in executive positions for the better part of 40 years,” he said. “When I relocated to Wicomico County in 1996, I got involved in community work for a couple of the county agencies as a volunteer on some of the boards. That’s how I got interested in public service.”
In 2012, Strausburg was appointed as director of administration under the former county executive, Rick Pollitt.
“Pollitt was doing a search for someone with experience running large organizations …,” he said. “I contacted him, gave him my resume and went in for an interview. I’ve been here ever since.”
For the past eight years, Strausburg has worked under both Pollitt and Culver, overseeing county departments that report to the executive branch.
But after decades of holding both public- and private-sector jobs, Strausburg said he and his wife are ready for the next chapter of life. His wife, who works for the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, will retire from her position in April.
“We are at a stage of life where you are thinking of quality of life and being able to do the things you want to do,” he said. “We decided this was a good time for us to make this life decision and do something else with our lives.”
Strausburg said he and his wife are looking forward to spending their retirement with their children and grandchildren. He noted, however, that he has enjoyed working for the county and its people.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it …,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of good people here.”
