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Bruce Warner, executive director of the Portland Development Commission, announced his retirement during a staff meeting this morning.

Warner, who has been with the PDC since June 2005, will stay with the PDC until April 2011. He originally announced his last day would be Dec. 31 of this year, Mayor Sam Adams and PDC Board Chair Scott Andrews convinced him to stay until April to help the agency through the budgeting process.

“This has been one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, and it’s also been one of the most demanding,” Warner said.

Andrews pointed to an array of projects that were completed under Warner’s tenure. These include the University of Oregon’s move to Old Town’s White Stag Building, the extension of the streetcar tracks for the Portland Streetcar Eastside Loop project and the 102^nd Avenue Streetscape project.

The mayor’s office and the PDC board will start the search for a new executive director immediately, Andrews said. He expects an announcement on the decision sometime after Jan. 1, 2011.

“We will look internally, but hopefully today’s announcement will peak interest both nationally and internationally,” he said.

Warner was previously director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, chief operating office of regional government Metro, director of land use and transportation for Washington County and city engineer for the city of Hillsboro.