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Isle of Wight County supervisors didn’t have to look far to find County Administrator Randy Keaton’s successor.

On April 3 the board voted unanimously with Supervisor Joel Acree absent to appoint Assistant County Administrator Don Robertson to the role, effective July 1.

The vote followed a nearly 10-minute closed-session.

Robertson’s elevation as Isle of Wight’s top administrator comes after more than 30 years in county government. He’s held multiple positions in Isle of Wight since 1990, including his current dual role as Keaton’s second-in-command and the county’s spokesman. 

Robertson’s contract specifies an annual salary of $208,000 with 5% going to a deferred compensation account, which allows employees to defer payment to a future date, typically retirement, and pay taxes on that income only when it’s received. The salary is slightly lower than the $213,356 Keaton makes.

A provision of Robertson’s contract states he is to receive the same percent increase when raises are given to other county employees.

Robertson’s past roles, according to a county news release, include assistant county administrator of operations, assistant to the county administrator, director of human resources and director of information resources and legislative affairs. He is a recipient of the Hampton Roads Conference of Minority Public Administrators Distinguished Service Award.

“God is faithful. I am extremely grateful to the Board of Supervisors and humbled by the opportunity to serve our County in this new role,” Robertson told the Times. “I am blessed to be surrounded by an awesome team of individuals that care deeply about service to our community, and I look forward to the work, the challenges, and the successes that lie ahead.”

“Don has worked for the county for a long time in many different positions including HR and I think he’s just done an exemplary job. He has stepped to the plate in every area that we needed and I think he’s an excellent choice by the board,” said Board Chairman Don Rosie.

Robertson said he didn’t know yet who would succeed him as assistant county administrator.

As county administrator, Robertson will develop future county budgets and oversee all county departments save for the Sheriff’s Office, treasurer and commissioner of the revenue, which are each headed by elected constitutional officers.

Keaton, whom the board hired in 2016, announced his retirement in an Oct. 17 letter, at the time listing an effective date on or before Aug. 31.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime and has been my pleasure to work with each one of you,” Keaton wrote to the supervisors. “I hope that I’ve been able to make a small contribution to Isle of Wight County’s success during my time here. The county’s been blessed with great leadership from the Board of Supervisors and extremely talented and dedicated staff who made my job possible. It has been a challenging and a rewarding experience and I’m extremely proud of the projects and programs that we have completed or initiated for the benefit of our citizens.”

Robertson is a graduate of Smithfield High School and holds a master of public administration degree from Troy State University. He received his bachelor’s degree in communications studies from Virginia Tech.

He obtained an electrician certification from Newport News Shipbuilding’s Apprentice School and spent five years at the shipyard before making his foray into local government, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Robertson is vice chairman of the Virginia Aviation Board and serves on the board of directors for several local and regional agencies including the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, The Children’s Center and Early Childhood Western Tidewater. He is an active member of First Gravel Hill Baptist Church in Rushmere and he and his wife, Lucy, are the parents of two daughters, Jazmine and Jerika.