Cecil R. "Rhu" Harris Jr., B'80
As 2014 approaches its end, Cecil R. “Rhu” Harris Jr., B’80, a native of Goochland County, Va., counts his 10th year as county administrator for Hanover County, Va. and his 30th year overall with the county. Having risen through the ranks over the years, he has helped Hanover grow from a mostly rural community to a major player in the Richmond region.
Harris reflected on his early life. “Watching and working with my dad, who owned and ran an oil delivery business and service station, gave me an appreciation for business. I took a bookkeeping class in high school, and of all the subjects I studied these concepts made the most sense to me. Having grown up in a small community I looked for a college where I would feel comfortable, and University of Richmond’s size and the Robins School of Business’ outstanding reputation made the choice easy; I applied early decision, and it was the perfect match for me.”
Upon graduating with a B.S. in accounting, Harris set off to become a certified public accountant (CPA). “After passing the CPA exam and spending several years working for CPA firms, I came to work for Hanover County as their first assistant finance director in 1984, the first-ever CPA to work for the county. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to grow into positions that extend beyond finance and supervise nearly all aspects of local government. In 2004 upon the retirement of the county administrator, I was appointed to the position.”
He shared, “As county administrator for a growing community I get to work with citizens and businesses to help solve their concerns and plan for the future. We always look for ways to provide the most cost-effective services to our residents and visitors. A great part to this work is the many varied issues I encounter every day, from public safety and education issues to the need for trash collection in a given neighborhood. Luckily I have exceptional staff who transform our policy decisions into day-to-day accomplishments. Hanover County and Richmond have so many people who care about making our community the best place in the country to do business and raise a family, and that’s what makes my job great.”
A testament to Harris’ contribution to the community, Hanover County became the smallest county in the U.S. to earn AAA bond ratings from each of the “Big Three” credit rating agencies, Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s, in 2010.
Harris is known not only for his dedication to his work, but also his passion for adventure. “One of the most enjoyable things my wife Peggy, a fellow Spider and finance major, and I’ve done is tour several countries in Europe by bicycle. We generally bike for six days and travel about 200 miles. Our most adventurous trip was a six-day journey from Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary. We saw three countries and their capitals along with over 100 miles of countryside.” He joked, “My wife says we don't take vacations and that she always needs a vacation after our adventures. We love the outdoors, and as long as we remain in good health we’re considering future cycling and hiking vacations in both Europe and the U.S.”
Harris concluded, “The Robins School gave me a strong foundation in so many ways. I use accounting and finance to prepare budgets, issue debt and help elected officials and citizens understand the impacts of financial decisions. Marketing is used to attract new businesses and help our current businesses expand. The foundation I received in management and human resources is essential to supervising staff and working with our citizens. Local government management is a challenging business, and we make tough choices to ensure we serve our citizens in the most efficient and effective way. Going forward I hope to continue helping to make Hanover County one of the best places in Virginia to live, work and raise a family.”