Movers and shakers
George Thomas is taking over as president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, and the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance added Alfonso "AJ" Leggette as director of business development. This week also brings a new leader for a major CRE finance association, an industrial hire at Newmark and new leadership in Bloomington-Normal. On the jobs side, utilities' pursuit of data centers is creating a new class of economic development position.
George Thomas → Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
George Thomas is taking the helm of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, following his appointment in June to succeed Victor Hoskins as president and CEO.
Thomas previously led Connected DMV, where his work included Quantum World Congress and spaceNEXT. He now takes charge of economic development for Fairfax County, with a focus that includes AI, quantum technologies, aerospace, defense and space commercialization.
Paul T. Vanderslice → CRE Finance Council
The CRE Finance Council named Paul T. Vanderslice president and CEO, effective Sept. 30.
Vanderslice joins CREFC from BMO Capital Markets, where he serves as head of CMBS. He previously served as CEO of CCRE and spent more than 30 years at Citigroup. He will lead CREFC's advocacy, market intelligence, education, industry standards, member engagement and events.
Tyler Cravens → Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council
The Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council selected Tyler Cravens as president and CEO, effective Sept. 14.
Cravens has served as interim CEO since late March. Before that, he spent four years as chief operating officer of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and previously worked for a decade as a senior congressional staffer.
Dana Miarmi → Newmark
Newmark named Dana Miarmi vice president, project management, national industrial lead, a newly created position.
Miarmi will work across the firm's national platform on complex capital projects for occupiers, developers and investors. Newmark says the role is designed around the increasingly important intersection of facilities, operations and real estate.
Miarmi brings more than 20 years of experience across manufacturing, aviation, defense, cold storage, food and beverage, logistics and distribution.
Alfonso "AJ" Leggette → Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance
The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance added Alfonso "AJ" Leggette as director of business development.
Leggette previously worked with the Greenville Area Development Corp. and Florence County Economic Development Partnership in South Carolina. At AREA, he'll work with companies going through the site selection process and support business attraction and expansion across Greater Albuquerque.
His experience spans mobility, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and professional and technical services.
Open Seats
Economic Development Director | Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is searching for a new economic development director to help shape the city's investment, job creation and economic growth strategy.
The position carries a listed salary of $150,000 to $179,079.
Wichita anchors one of the country's most important aerospace manufacturing clusters, which puts the city's recruitment, retention and expansion work in the middle of competition for advanced manufacturing investment.
Business Development Director | Pflugerville Community Development Corp. | Texas
The Pflugerville Community Development Corp. was looking for a business development director to lead domestic and international business attraction and recruitment.
The listed salary was $93,418.40 to $116,773. Applications closed Sept. 23.
The listing shows what economic development recruitment involves today. The director would manage competitive site selection projects from initial inquiry through the location decision and work directly with corporate executives, site selection consultants, CRE professionals, developers, property owners, utilities and state and regional economic development partners.
CLOSED: This listing is no longer accepting applications (closed Sept. 23).
Director of Data Center Development | Black Hills Energy
Black Hills Energy was hiring a director of data center development, with the position listed in Golden, Colorado; Rapid City, South Dakota; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The salary range was $170,000 to $280,550. The position closed Sept. 17.
The director would identify and cultivate new data center clients while managing existing relationships and strategic partnerships.
Why we're watching: The opening shows how the data center boom is changing the economic development function inside utilities. Black Hills Energy is building dedicated business development capacity around attracting and serving data center loads, an organizational shift EDOs, developers and site selectors should notice.
CLOSED: This listing is no longer accepting applications (closed Sept. 17).
Director, Government & Economic Development Institute | Auburn University
Auburn University is searching for a director of its Government & Economic Development Institute.
The position carries a listed salary of $150,000 to $185,000 and provides strategic and operational leadership for an institute serving local governments, economic development organizations, public agencies, nonprofits and community leaders across Alabama and beyond.
The work includes education, training and technical assistance aimed at strengthening governments and economic development organizations.
Making a move? Hiring?
Location Decision welcomes personnel announcements and job openings involving economic development organizations, site selection and CRE firms, utilities, developers and other organizations involved in making location decisions happen.
Send personnel news and job openings to [email protected].
Movers, Shakers & Open Seats is a curated roundup. Inclusion is editorially selected and is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of industry personnel changes or available positions.