WINTON – For John P. Rankins Jr., there’s no place like home.

After spending the majority of his adult life away from his boyhood home of Ahoskie, Rankins returned to his roots in 2008 when he accepted the position of Human Resources Director at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

Now, two years later, his job title will remain partly the same, just at a new location.

At their meeting on Monday night, the Hertford County Board of Commissioners cast a majority vote to lure Rankins away from R-CH by offering him the position of Assistant County Manager and Human Resources Director. His first day on the job will be Dec. 6 at an annual salary of $75,000.

Hertford County Manager Loria Williams told the commissioners at Monday’s meeting that Rankins, following interviews conducted among several individuals, was the leading candidate for the job and had agreed to accept the position upon approval of the board.

On a motion by Commission Vice-Chairman Curtis Freeman and seconded by Commissioner Howard Hunter III, Rankins was approved by a 4-1 vote. Commissioner Ronald Gatling cast the lone “nay” vote.

When asked about his new job, Rankins remarked, “I saw this as a great opportunity to work for and with the citizens of Hertford County. I look forward to working with Ms. Williams, she possesses a vast wealth of knowledge. I also look forward to working with the county commissioners, the department heads and the county employees.

“I’m looking forward to working with these government officials and help shape what can be and will be an exciting future for this county,” Rankins added.

Rankins is no stranger to local government in Hertford County. Hired by former County Manager David Thompson, Rankins served a summer internship, as part of his Public Administration studies at Winston-Salem State University, working with Patricia Weaver, a local government icon who retired earlier this year as the county’s Assistant Manager.

“That was some of the best training I ever received,” Rankins stressed. “I’ve always said that if you want to learn something from the ground up, do it in eastern North Carolina. People here care about you. They’ll show you the mistakes you made and then roll up their sleeves and help you make it right.”

Rankins, the son of Margaret and Calvin Odom, is a 1985 graduate of Ahoskie High School. His uncle, Rev. Dr. Claude Odom, is a former Hertford County Commissioner who later became the Eastern Area Administrator for the NC Department of Juvenile Justice.

He has a broad background in Human Resources – serving as manager or assistant manager for such firms as Z.C. Sterling (Raleigh), Cingular Wireless, Novartis Animal Health, Inc. (Greensboro), Stockhausen (Greensboro) and Sara Lee Knit Products (Winston-Salem).

Rankins also worked as Staffing Manager for B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Winston-Salem) and Senior Management Recruiter for Wachovia Corporation (Winston-Salem).

He has served as chairman of the Davie County Speakers Bureau as well as the Mayor’s Human Relations Commission for the City of Winston-Salem. He served a two-year term (1988-89) on the Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees, representing the student body as its SGA President.