By Amy Evans, AICP

Planners in the southeastern part of the state probably know Brian O’Leary from his almost 30 years at the Montgomery County Planning Commission, and most recently, his nine years as Executive Director of the Chester County Planning Commission.

Brian has also been an APA Pennsylvania mainstay, serving the Chapter in many different ways throughout his career. Brian is a long-time member of the Chapter Awards and Communications & Membership Committees, has held various offices within the Chapter Board and the Southeast Section, and served two terms as the President of APA Pennsylvania starting in 2012.

One of Brian’s more unsung contributions to the Chapter is his service as editor of the Chapter e-newsletter. For the past several years, Brian has diligently gathered materials for the e-newsletter, edited and proofed the articles of others, and penned the introduction that ties everything together, on top of his frequent article contributions.

As Brian told his Chester County colleagues, “In my retirement, I am looking forward to enjoying the fruits of everyone’s labor, including riding my bike on the Chester Valley Trail over the Downingtown Trestle, participating in 250th anniversary events, viewing new interpretive signage at historic sites, watching attainable housing being built, taking the Amtrak train to Phoenixville for a movie and the SEPTA train to Coatesville for lunch, buying cheese and produce at newly-preserved farms, and driving to Lancaster County on a widened and improved Route 30.”

On behalf of the entire APA Pennsylvania Chapter, we thank Brian for his commitment to the planning profession and wish him well in achieving his retirement goals. Congratulations, Brian!