Jim Roddey served as the first chief executive of Allegheny County from 2000 to 2004. He and his wife, Elin, made a home in Valencia. Butler Eagle File Photo

Jim Roddey, the first chief executive of Allegheny County, died on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Roddey, a prominent business owner and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps., moved to the Valencia area of Butler County nearly eight years ago. In an op-ed for the Butler Eagle, Roddy said his decision to move to Butler was because it was the “right place” for him and his wife to spend the remainder of their lives.

“The area is vibrant, growing and attracting young people seeking a safe environment, attractive neighborhoods, good schools, low taxes, good local government, convenient shopping and a large choice of restaurants, entertainment and easy access to Pittsburgh,” he wrote.

Allegheny County Republican Chairman Sam DeMarco said in a statement that Roddey “helped to re-imagine a once-moribund party into a force for change.”

“Long before he came to Pittsburgh, Jim Roddey was a pioneering business owner and a Marine Corps veteran,” said DeMarco. “Once here, he established himself as a civic leader unlike any other. Not only did he chair the Allegheny County Port Authority; he instructed board members to ride the buses and fully understand the needs of their riders.”

He served as the Allegheny County Executive from 1999 to 2004.

Rich Fitzgerald, who served as Allegheny County executive from 2012 to 2024, also released a statement on Thursday, saying:

“It is with great sadness that I learned about the passing of Jim Roddey this evening. Jim helped to usher in the County's new government in 2000 and served our community in so many ways. From his philanthropic efforts to improving our economic climate, the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and all of Southwestern Pennsylvania was made a better place to work and live because of his public service.

“Having been a native son of the South, he never lost his accent but he became a true black and gold Pittsburgher. From his hard work ethic to his tenacious spirit — he embodied the values of our region.”