After holding a seat in Ohio’s 20th Senate District for just over two months, State Senator Brian Hill is stepping down to take on a new role in the private sector.

Come April 1, Hill will officially leave office and step in as CEO for the Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative.

“It is difficult to leave my role as a state senator, but there will be better people coming along and people with different ideas will have an opportunity to serve,” said Hill. “I believe in the end it will all be alright, but it is a struggle today to make that announcement.”

After being re-elected to the State Congress representing the 97th District for a fourth and final term in November, Hill crossed the Rotunda one month later to fill a seat left vacant in the Senate when U.S. Congressman Troy Balderson took office in the nation’s capital.

“The people have been great to me,” said Hill. “[It has] been great to work with people there in the 97th House District and now in this 20th Senate District, which I just got started in.”

Hill said the timing of his departure should allow him to finish his part in the transportation budget while giving his replacement enough time to begin work on the State’s operating budget bill.

The decision to leave did not come easily for Hill, who tried to balance the duties working part-time for the co-op while serving on the Senate.

“I tried to find a way to do both for a while, and that was just going to be pretty difficult to where I don’t feel like that I could give the attention that both of them need and deserve,” said Hill.

Hill said he came to the decision independently and was not asked to leave the Senate.

“This was what’s best for my family,” said Hill. “That’s why we’re doing this.”

The CEO position will give Hill more structured hours and put him a little closer to home.

“I think it will be good for my family that I can be there closer to home but still be involved in the community working on issues that I love,” said Hill.

Those issues include energy, electric and broadband expansion.

“I just want to thank everybody that’s been so supportive over the years,” said Hill.  “I really, truly hate to walk out like this. I just thought that this had been put in front of me for a reason, and I need to take this on and make the best of it, make Guernsey-Muskingum a better cooperative for all.”