Greensboro, High Point and Guilford County as a whole are having to find some new blood to fill a couple of key economic development spots that have opened up in the county.
Recently, former Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President David Ramsey took a job as the director of business development for Landmark Builders, and High Point Economic Development Corp. President Loren Hill announced that he’ll be stepping down at the end of the year.
As life moves closer to normalcy despite the ongoing coronavirus executive orders keeping businesses closed or their operations heavily restricted, Guilford County leaders want to have a fully loaded roster for the team that’s working to attract new business to the area.
Greensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brent Christensen said this week that he’s currently engaged in the process of filling the void left by Ramsey’s departure. He said one good thing in regard to that search is that he’s been in the economic development business for a long time and he already possesses a good deal of knowledge who would and would not make a good replacement for Ramsey.
Christensen, who can be seen often these days wearing a Duke Blue Devils face mask for virus protection, said he had been on the phone a great deal as part of the process and he said right now he is “in the middle” of that search for the ideal candidate.
Hill has been a prominent force in economic development in High Point and in Guilford County for over two decades and High Point will now have to find a new commander and chief for its economic development efforts. Hill has had a good deal of success bringing in new business to the area over the years and those will be big shoes to fill. So far there’s no public indication as to who might take Hill’s place.
Marlene Sanford, the president of Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (TREBIC), said this week that this is a very important time for economic development in Guilford County.
“Earlier this year when the pandemic hit, for a while, everything just stopped dead in its tracks,” she said of business relocations, adding that now activity was starting to pick back up and people were once again beginning to make major business decisions.
“Now it’s being done more by Zoom and video,” she said of recruitment efforts, “but some companies who put things on hold are getting back into action.”