(Lawrenceville, Ga., March 27, 2012) - Gwinnett County Administrator Glenn Stephens has tapped Ron Seibenhener to serve as the director of the Department of Water Resources for the next 24 months. The Board of Commissioners ratified the employment agreement on Tuesday. His first day of work will be April 16.

During this limited-term assignment, Seibenhener will conduct a comprehensive review of the overall operations and develop long term goals to ensure the department is best prepared to provide quality services to the community in the most cost effective manner. In addition, he will participate in the recruitment process to fill the director's position once his term expires.

County Administrator Glenn Stephens said, "Ron has a long history with Gwinnett County government, both on the inside and outside the organization. With his impressive professional credentials, I am looking forward to getting his take on where Gwinnett's Water Resources department is, where it needs to go in this new economy and how to get there."

A longtime resident of Gwinnett County, Seibenhener has worked in his own consulting practice since 2006. He previously worked as president of Jordan Jones and Goulding, Inc., a regional engineering, planning and consulting firm headquartered in Norcross, where he retired after 14 years of service. Additionally, he served Gwinnett County as director of public utilities in the late 1980s and early 90s. Seibenhener holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in environmental engineering from Auburn University.

The department had been under the leadership of an acting director. Lynn Smarr will move to the position of assistant director, a position she held prior to taking on the acting role. Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said, "Lynn has served Gwinnett County Water Resources and its customers admirably over the years. All of us at the County owe her a debt of gratitude for running the department not only during extremely challenging economic times but also during a period of severe drought. It was a big job and one that she did well."