Rob Ritson, Sen. Ward's chief of staff, on his local impact

To Rob Ritson, public service is an “intimate responsibility.”

When people seek a public official’s help, it’s typically with concerns about their homes, neighborhoods and communities, he said.

It’s personal.

“In that moment, they don’t care if you’re a Republican or Democrat,” said Ritson, who has been a key player in Hempfield and Westmoreland County politics for 27 years. “They just care that you’re going to help take care of their problem. It’s a unique opportunity to see on a large scale (in Harrisburg).”

The Hempfield native began his political career as aide to former Democratic county Commissioner Tom Balya.

He’s now chief of staff for Republican state Sen. Kim Ward as she moves into her new role as Senate president pro tempore.

Hometown to Harrisburg

Local government first piqued Ritson’s interest in high school, partially influenced by the Hempfield Area graduate’s mother, Patty, who worked for the local recreation department.

After high school, Ritson attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in political science. He became active in local politics, and knew he wanted to pursue a career in government and administration.

“I can’t really pinpoint exactly what it was that drew me to (government),” he said. “I just knew it was where I wanted to be.”

Shortly after receiving his bachelor’s degree, Ritson was hired as Balya’s aide in 1996. At 24 years old, Ritson was “pretty young” for county government, Balya recalled.

Though Ritson’s age made him an atypical aide in Westmoreland County, Balya said he wasn’t looking to be a typical county commissioner, either.

“I wanted someone who was energetic and an outsider to county government like myself,” Balya said.

The former commissioner described Ritson as bright, willing to listen and someone who properly represented his perspective.

Six years later, Ritson took those characteristics to Hempfield, where he served as the township’s first manager.

“I’m excited,” a 30-year-old Ritson told the Tribune- Review in 2002 when supervisors hired him. “This is a good professional move for me, and an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up.”

His words then proved to be true. Ritson knew Ward from his tenure in county government, but the management role allowed him to work more closely with her as she was a township supervisor at the time.

And when Ward won state office in 2008, the Republican wanted Ritson to lead her staff. He knew the area, people and issues, she said.

“I think he was a really good choice, as you can see, because here we are 20 years later,” Ward said.

As Ward’s chief of staff, Ritson oversees the senator’s offices in Harrisburg and Southwest Greensburg. His Harrisburg importance has increased with Ward’s when she became the first woman to serve as the Pennsylvania Senate majority leader in 2020 and is now the first woman to serve as Senate pro tempore.

Ritson has assisted Ward through budget debates and redistricting. The senator said she has full confidence in Ritson’s ability to manage.

“When Rob says to me, ‘I’ll take care of it,’ I know I can take it to the bank,” Ward said. “He’s going to take care of it. That’s one of the most important things to me, that I can count on him.”

39th District a priority

While many of Ritson’s jobs have been behind the scenes, he completed a nearly four-year tenure as a Hempfield supervisor between 2018 and 2021.

He enjoyed the supervisor stint, he said, as it gave him the opportunity to create, rather than administer, policy. As Ward and Ritson’s Harrisburg responsibilities grew, however, increased demands ultimately caused him to step down from the post.

Ritson’s experiences as a township supervisor and manager — as well as his county and state experiences — have a “tremendous amount of value,” said Jason Rigone, county director of planning and development and executive director of the county Industrial Development Corp.

Rigone has known Ritson in all of those capacities, as the pair began to work together 25 years ago. As Ward’s chief of staff, Ritson speaks to Rigone about county issues monthly.

Rigone described Ritson as a “problem solver” who understands the importance of improving Westmoreland County.

“That means a lot when someone can take on the biggest challenges and identify and implement solutions,” Rigone said.

Right now, Harrisburg takes up most of Ritson’s time. While he said he finds his job “extremely rewarding professionally,” he misses home. He drives back to Hempfield on the weekends to spend time with his wife, Maureen, and two adult daughters, Taylor and Megan.

“This isn’t home to me out here (in Harrisburg),” Ritson said. “Hempfield’s home. Westmoreland County is home.”

As Ward makes history as president pro tempore — she is also the first 39th District senator to fill the role — Ritson didn’t shy away from acknowledging the impact that Ward and her staff can have on the district.

“It matters to us,” he said. “We’re incredibly focused on making sure (the 39th District) gets the most out of this opportunity, because you don’t know how long these opportunities last.”