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PEDC hires executive director
By Connie Beard
Published November 17, 2009
Steve Gilbert has been named as the executive director of the Paris Economic Development Corporation, culminating a search which took more than two months to complete.
Gilbert was unanimously chosen by the board this past week to head the day-to-day operations and continue the corporation’s work to further the industrial base and bring new businesses and opportunities to the area.
“My passion is economic development,” Gilbert said. “I love to be involved in communities and economic development.”
Gilbert resigned from his position as city manager and director of economic development for the City of Stroud, Okla., Thursday. Stroud is a city of 2,500 located on Interstate 44 midway between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Gilbert grew up in Stroud and returned to his home town in 2004. He has assisted the area in a $30 million oil company project and was instrumental in acquiring a grant for a building for an aerospace company there.
The PEDC assigned a five-member committee in the middle of August to conduct the search for a new executive director. Dan Smith, PEDC board president; John Wright, PEDC board vice-president; Dr. Pam Anglin, PJC president; Chad Brown, PEDC board member; and Kevin Carruth, Paris city manager, whittled down a list of more than 50 applicants, holding telephone interviews with eight prospects. Face-to-face interviews took place with three applicants on Oct. 31.
“We are very pleased to find and recruit a director of Steve’s caliber,” Smith said. “He has an excellent track record of recruiting industry and jobs in his most recent position, as well as an impressive experience base in workforce development and city management.”
In addition to his recent work in Stroud, Gilbert has held positions with Chambers of Commerce for Metropolitan Tulsa, Memphis Area and St. Louis. He was the CEO for Workforce Tulsa and director of the mayor’s office of workforce and economic development. He has secured nearly $15 million in grant awards for communities he has served.
He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in communication in 1986 and has 36 hours of graduate education in public administration and attended the Center for Creative Leadership, Total Quality Management training and is a certified examiner using the Malcolm Baldrige critera through the Oklahoma Quality Awards Foundation.
As part of his interview process in October, Gilbert took a guided tour of the area, touching on the assets and the base of existing industry he will be working to maintain and improve.
“I’m amazed at the diversity of businesses here,” Gilbert said.
The first six months on the job, Gilbert will be busy studying the PEDC strategic plan, getting familiar with the board and the partners he will be working with, getting up to speed on what deals are currently in progress and familiarizing himself on how to sell Paris.
“This position is very appealing,” Gilbert said. “There’s a solid board to work with and an excellent industrial base to build and support. The assets and tools are in place to pursue business. And that beautiful industrial park is just waiting to happen.”
Gilbert and his wife, Erin, are visiting Paris this week. They have three children — Eric, 17, Scott, 13, and Mary, 8. Eric is a senior in high school, and plans to graduate this spring in Stroud as valedictorian.
Gilbert will be in and out of Paris until January, while his family will stay in Stroud through the end of the school year before moving to Paris.
“Everyone here is so friendly, we already feel at home,” Gilbert said. “I’m chomping at the bit.”
Gilbert will officially take the reins as executive director for the PEDC January 1, 2010.
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