Over the course of his career, John Putney has worked in federal, state, and local government as well as higher education. He served as a legislative aide for State Senator Kevin Miller, as Northern Virginia regional director for U.S. Senator George Allen, and spent 15 years at James Madison University as state director of government affairs. In 2021, he joined Bedford County in 2021 as their broadband director. He also currently provides services in research, RFP response, and general consultation for the public safety and professional communications company L3 Harris. Originally from Bedford, Putney attended James Madison University where he received a bachelor’s degree and taught freshman composition while doing graduate work.

1. What was your first job and what did it teach you?

My first full-time job was in high school at the company Piedmont Label, now called Smyth. I operated a forklift, packed and wrapped boxes, and loaded them onto 18-wheelers. My shift started at 7:00 a.m. and lasted for nine hours. It taught my structure, the importance of hard work, and teamwork. While a good job, it also showed me that it was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and that I needed to be prepared to get an education in order to have the career I wanted.

2. What is your favorite part of your job as broadband director for Bedford County?

In our modern world, internet connectivity is no longer a nicety; it is a necessity. In Bedford, there are unfortunately still too many people who don’t have reliable broadband options. I have been working with board members, the county administrator, staff and a variety of different Internet service providers to implement Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grants to help pay for the installation of broadband throughout the parts of Bedford County that previously have not had viable service. It’s some of the most rewarding work I’ve done in my life. The fact that fiber optic broadband is being deployed into remote parts of Bedford County is a pretty amazing accomplishment.

3. Do you have a favorite moment or memory from your time on the Region 2 council?

Probably when I learned I was selected, as that meant a lot to me. I knew GO Virginia was in the works before it was official, and I wanted to be a part of it because I’ve lived all over the commonwealth and have seen how some areas are really thriving. Part of my reason for getting involved was I wanted to see more good quality jobs in Bedford and do more to increase opportunity in the region in a responsible, appropriate prudent way.

4. What do you look forward to seeing GO Virginia Region 2 do more of in the future?

I thought the Stopping the Brain Drain Strategy Development study was exactly what we needed to do as it identified how we go about keeping students in the region. I appreciate that’s something our region has been focusing on, and I hope we do even more to keep talent here.

5. Who has been your greatest mentor and what did you learn from them?

I’ve been blessed to have a lot of great mentors in my life. My dad was a lawyer for 54 years and only retired a couple of years ago. His work ethic is inspiring. I learned a lot from my uncle, Lacey Putney, who served 52 years in the Virginia House of Delegates. I always admired that he became an Independent and fashioned myself that same way. My former boss at James Madison University, Charlie King, was a mentor as well, in terms of commitment and know-how. Frank Atkinson, who I worked for at McGuire Woods Consulting, is also a hero of mine. He’s a great legal mind and has written the best nonfiction accounts of politics in Virginia. And I would certainly include Ray Smoot. One of the highlights of my five years on the council has been seeing how Ray does things, and he’s a man of enormous capability and integrity.

6. What is your favorite place to travel?

My family owns a place on the Outer Banks, and we go down there as much as we can. Also, I can't wait to go back to Yellowstone National Park. After I graduated from James Madison University, my friend and I drove across the country and worked at Yellowstone as room attendants. We proved we were good workers and got promoted to driving trucks and delivering supplies. It was a great job, and I loved being out there.