Joseph C. Ritchie
Encyclopedia
Joseph C. Ritchie was the mayor of Newport News, Virginia
for ten years, from July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1986. Ritchie was the first Republican
mayor for the city; in fact, his election to City Council in 1970 was the first time a Republican had been chosen to serve as a Councilman.
Ritchie's decade as mayor saw significant growth in the city. Major improvements to the infrastructure of the city were carried out during his terms. Ritchie himself considered the lowering of tax rates, a cause with which he was particularly involved in, to be key to growth in the city during this time. Ritchie also signed a "sister city" agreement with the city of Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan
.
After serving as mayor, Ritchie returned to his career as a contractor, as owner and CEO of the Ritchie-Curbow Construction Company. The company is responsible for building several sites of interest in the Hampton Roads
area. Ritchie is also a managing member of Newport News Town Center, LLC, responsible for the managing of the city's new City Center at Oyster Point district. In addition, Ritchie is an "organizer-director" of Virginia Company Bank, a new bank expecting to start serving residents and businesses in August 2005.
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
for ten years, from July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1986. Ritchie was the first Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
mayor for the city; in fact, his election to City Council in 1970 was the first time a Republican had been chosen to serve as a Councilman.
Ritchie's decade as mayor saw significant growth in the city. Major improvements to the infrastructure of the city were carried out during his terms. Ritchie himself considered the lowering of tax rates, a cause with which he was particularly involved in, to be key to growth in the city during this time. Ritchie also signed a "sister city" agreement with the city of Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan
Neyagawa, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 238,549 and the density of 9,650 persons per km². The total area is 24.73 km².The city was founded on May 3, 1951....
.
After serving as mayor, Ritchie returned to his career as a contractor, as owner and CEO of the Ritchie-Curbow Construction Company. The company is responsible for building several sites of interest in the Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
area. Ritchie is also a managing member of Newport News Town Center, LLC, responsible for the managing of the city's new City Center at Oyster Point district. In addition, Ritchie is an "organizer-director" of Virginia Company Bank, a new bank expecting to start serving residents and businesses in August 2005.