Ian's Story
A long-time Virginia resident, Ian is a devoted husband, former City Council member, small business leader, and entrepreneur with a proven track record of working alongside community advocates and public servants to get things done.
Born to a working-class family in rural West Virginia, Ian learned early on the values of family, hard work, and community. As one of the first in his family to attend college, he worked his way through school as a youth mentor — an experience that shaped his character and inspired a lifetime of service.
After making Northern Virginia his home, Ian quickly became active in the community.
Over the years, he has served in numerous volunteer roles, including President of the Manassas City Public Schools Education Foundation, Board Member of the Caton Merchant House, Member of Friends of SERVE, and Chairman of the Tri-County Walk to End Alzheimer’s — an effort that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in honor of his grandfather, Clennie Lovejoy.
Ian’s dedication has been recognized throughout the region. He was named to Prince William County’s 40 Under 40, honored as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International, and elected to two terms on the Manassas City Council.
Education and Work
Ian graduated summa cum laude from Concord University, where he earned the distinction of being the school’s first Rhodes Scholar nominee. He went on to pursue graduate studies at Virginia Tech (go Hokies!), earning a master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on demography, survey design, and data analysis.
After teaching at Radford University, Ian transitioned to the private sector, serving in a series of leadership roles. He worked as Director of Operations for a leading national medical equipment supplier and later managed the area’s largest home care agencies.
Recognizing the growing need to connect quality candidates with meaningful careers, Ian founded Reliant Hiring Solutions — a national recruitment firm specializing in live hiring events across a range of industries, including law enforcement, healthcare, and veteran placement.
Through Reliant, Ian has organized hundreds of hiring events across the country, helping thousands of job seekers find rewarding work. The company has been recognized for its strong commitment to the community, earning a nomination for Small Business of the Year in 2020 and being named InsideNoVA’s Best of Prince William Recruitment Company for 2024.
Public Service
In 2012, at just 29 years old, Ian was elected to the Manassas City Council, making him the youngest member in modern city history. During his tenure, he was a passionate and effective advocate for citizen engagement, fighting for smart growth, lower taxes, increased affordability, improved transportation, and policies that strengthened the local economy. Ian supported initiatives that brought thousands of new jobs to the region and positioned greater Prince William for long‑term success.
As Chairman of the Manassas City Economic Development Committee, Ian played a pivotal role in securing the largest economic development project in Virginia’s history — a $3 billion investment that created thousands of jobs and fueled economic growth throughout the area.
Throughout his career, Ian has served on numerous boards and commissions and has been a dedicated member and benefactor of many of the region’s leading community service organizations.
Past and present Boards, Committees, Appointments and Awards:
Past President/Board Member, Manassas City Public Schools Education Foundation
Board of Directors, Caton Merchant House
Paul Harris Fellow, Manassas Rotary
Board Member, Omniride/PRTC
Alternate, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority
Benefactor, CASA
Benefactor, ACTS
Benefactor, Carried to Full Term
Chairman, Manassas City Economic Development & Land Use Committee
Chairman, Manassas City Council Finance Committee
Chairman, Manassas City Council Personnel Committee
Member, Manassas City Council Legislative Committee
Council Liaison, Manassas City Utility Commission
Council Liaison, Manassas Regional Airport Commission
Council Liaison, Historic Resources Board
Walk Committee Chairman, Tri-County Walk to End Alzheimer's
Director, HISC Gives Back Philanthropy Endowment
Board Member, City of Manassas Family Services
Attend, Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church
Member, Friends of SERVE
Vice President, Point of Woods HOA
Mentor, Virginia Tech Upward Bound
Member, Manassas Architectural Review Board
