Larry Lindsey

Montgomery County has named Larry Lindsey the new director of social services, replacing Linda Nisbet who will retire toward the end of the year.

Lindsey has worked for the Montgomery County Department of Social Services for seven years, most recently as assistant director of social services, a position he has held for three years. He will take over as director Dec. 1.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be in the position and be a part of the county system," Lindsey said.

He said his original goal wasn't to progress through the ranks in the department. Lindsey said he just had an interest in using his skills to meet the needs of the department, which assists families and individuals to become socially and economically self-sufficient. The director positions are where he ended up, he said.

Nisbet, the director of eight years, said that she's "very happy" to be retiring. She said she's been working hard for a while now and feels as if it's time.

Nisbet said her proudest accomplishments serving the department include implementing participatory management and securing grants to improve welfare and independent living for foster kids. Nisbet said she takes solace in the fact that Lindsey will be replacing her.

"He's just been great as assistant director so I'm really happy that he's going to be director," she said.

"There's a real comfort level and trust level there."

Before joining the department, Lindsey spent 13 years in direct care working for the Southwestern Virginia Training Center and another 13 years with the early prevention program at New River Valley Community Services.

He met his wife, Susan, at the training center, where she also worked. They have been married for 30 years and have two children, a son who is a captain in the National Guard and a daughter who is finishing graduate school to become a speech therapist.

Lindsey lives in Pulaski but grew up in Galax, where he graduated from Galax High School in 1974. He later obtained a bachelor's degree in organizational management and development from Bluefield College.

Though he's taking on a new position, Lindsey said his job will still be rewarding for the same reasons that drew him into public service 33 years ago.

"I like what we do for people who are in need of some type of assistance or protection. The other part as an administrator is to help give them [the department] what it is they need to do their job and have a good place to work," he said.

He said creating a good work environment in the department will "trickle down into good, quality services" for those in need.

One of Lindsey's biggest goals as director is to continue work that the agency has been doing with foster care. He said both the state and local departments have been undergoing child welfare transformation efforts to research new alternatives to residential placements, particularly with teens. Lindsey hopes to continue finding individual homes for foster kids in lieu of sending them out of the area to foster facilities.

When Lindsey takes over as director, he will have to continue his work with less money than the department has previously budgeted because of state budget cuts. Lindsey said a tighter budget will present a challenge but is nothing new to him.

"Anytime you have mandates or expectations and you have programs and services that people depend on, and there's only so much money to deliver those, it's always challenging," he said.

With more than three decades of experience in the field, Lindsey has seen the economy affect his profession before, and he said he remains optimistic about an eventual upturn.

Lindsay will earn $67,000 in his new job.

When he wants to unwind, Lindsey said, he enjoys playing bluegrass music, woodworking, hunting and any other type of outdoor activity. He describes himself as a "typical guy from this part of the country."