Guilford County has been without a public relations director for almost all of 2024; however, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, the county announced that the position finally has a new occupant. Linda McElroy, who has more than two decades of experience in communications and marketing, will be the county’s new communications and public relations director.
In that job, McElroy will lead the county’s communications, marketing and public relations strategies.
She’ll also be responsible for seeing that county residents are kept informed of Guilford County services and she will oversee internal communications for county employees.
Of McElroy’s 20 years of experience in communications and marketing, 18 of those have been in government communications. In that capacity, she’s had quite a bit of experience in crisis communications management, strategic communications planning and community outreach.
Guilford County Manager Michael Halford said he believes McElroy will be a great fit for the county.
“We’re dedicated to ensuring open and accessible communication for all Guilford County residents,” he said. “‘Transparency and communication’, one of our core values, is key to delivering high-quality public service. With Linda’s vast experience in communications and resident engagement, she will be a valuable asset to Guilford County.
The county manager added, “We’re excited to welcome her as our new communications and public relations director, and we are confident she will excel in her role as she leads the county’s communications and public relations department.”
Before taking the job with Guilford County, McElroy served as the communications director for the city of Salisbury for nine years. She’s also held various communications positions with organizations such as Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Henrico County Public Schools in Richmond, Virginia, and the Virginia State Bar.
McElroy stated in a press release that she’s looking forward to helping Guilford County government get its messages out to residents.
“I’m excited to bring my experience in communications and local government to lead and elevate the communication strategies for Guilford County,” McElroy said. “I look forward to working closely with the Guilford County team to foster meaningful engagement with both internal and external partners to enhance the county’s communication efforts.”
McElroy holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Slippery Rock University in, where else, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and a Master of Business Administration in marketing from Strayer University. She has also continued her training by completing professional programs such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy in 2023, as well as the school’s Municipal and County Administration course in 2020.
In addition, she holds an Advanced Public Information Officer certification from FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and was named the 2021 North Carolina City and County Communicators Chris Coulson Government Communicator of the Year for her work with the city of Salisbury.
She’ll begin her new job on Monday, Sept. 9.
Paid to lie. Think about that. Any wonder America is circling the drain?
This spin doctor position is relatively new in Guilford County.
As government becomes more and more divorced from the people, and more a law unto itself, so it needs a propagandist to convince us that this isn’t so.
That is the purpose of this office.
Duh. Saved me the trubble tooting another one of my blurbs.
I love your blurbs !
In other words, Linda McElroy has fed at the trough of taxpayer government jobs her entire career. Did Guilford County Manager Michael Halford interview anyone who has held a real job? A real job requires performance or be fired, unlike a government job that is for life regardless of performance. The exception to this rule may be the county and city workers who are doing real jobs outside government buildings.
Her resume does include some non-government jobs.
The article reads that “McElroy’s 20 years of experience in communications and marketing, 18 of those have been in government. What non-government job has she had, working for a nonprofit? If so, same thing. Only government jobs in the past 18 years.
Your characterization of public sector jobs is accurate.
The famous economist Friedrich Hayek correctly termed the dichotomy in mixed economies as The Productive Sector and The Parasitic Sector.
That is the terminology we should be using.
Seems about par for Guilford County. What is the real purpose of this position? Communications director? Huh?
Spin/Lie… The name of the game today.
Tax money should go to support ESSENTIAL government functions. How is a public relations director essential to running a government?
They’re essential to totalitarian governments, and so increasingly needed here in the US.
Remember The Ministry of Truth?
2+2=5