Terry Holzheimer, director of economic development for Arlington County for nearly a decade, died early Saturday, March 1, 2014 of a heart attack. He was 66.
His death came six weeks after his wife of 34 years, Mary Benedette Pelletter-Holzheimer, died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Holzheimer's death will have a major impact in the greater Washington business community, according to the Washington Business Journal. Jim Dinegar, president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, called Holzheimer "one of the deans in the economic development profession, not just in the region, but nationally."
Stephen Fuller, director of George Mason University's Center for Regional Analysis, worked with Holzheimer professionally for more than two decades. The loss, Fuller said, leaves a "major hole to fill," according to a story in the Business Journal. "He was one of those people who because of their longevity here, their long professional career here, he brought to his position this accumulation of insight about how the region's economy is changing," he said. "And Arlington is the epicenter of that. It was a suburb and now it's a central employment area with more jobs than people. He understood that."
Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan said that "Arlington County has lost a dedicated public servant and a leader who worked for decades to build one of our nation's most successful and stable communities."
Before coming to Arlington in 2005, Holzheimer served as Loudoun County’s director of economic development from 1989 to 1996. His career also includes heading a management consulting firm, Development Advisory Service Inc. that provided services to local governments throughout the country in housing and economic development. Earlier, he worked for the National League of Cities, consulting with city and county governments on redevelopment and rehabilitation programs.
Holzheimer had a Ph.D. from George Mason University in public policy, with a specialization in regional development. He held a B.A. in economics from the University of Florida. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) College of Fellows and was certified in economic development by the International Economic Development Council. He also was an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech and George Mason Universities, in urban affairs and planning.
Holzheimer is survived by a daughter, Francesca, and her husband, Joseph Hammerstrom; a son, William McDermott and his wife Jennifer of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a sister, Dawn Swartz and niece and nephew, David Brewer and Sara Swartz of New Port Richey, Fla..
Services
Saturday March 8 12:00pm
at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in McLean
Reception at Artisphere from 2 to 5 p.m.