Getting the Job Done:
Top 10 Economic Development Practitioners the Last 10 Years

Some folks can close any deal. There are none better than this top 10

By Don Hampton

Economic development isn't always glamorous or easy. It's the kind of job that requires dedication, consistency, hard work and vision. Sometimes it even requires a little luck.

Our list of the top ten economic development practitioners in the South over the past ten years is a who's who of people who know how to close the deal. They've each demonstrated the kind of perseverance and understanding it takes to successfully meet the needs of prospects.

Wayne Sterling has been called the "Tiger Woods of economic development." Currently, he serves as CEO of the Henry County Office of Commerce in Virginia, SD&B's #1 small market of the decade.

In previous professional roles, Sterling has been chief of staff for the South Carolina Department of Commerce, executive director of Virginia Economic Development Partnership and group vice president of economic development for Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. He got started in economic development as a volunteer.

The deal Sterling is most associated with is bringing BMW to South Carolina. In 1992, the company was estimating it would invest $410 million and employ 1900 people at its North American manufacturing plant in Spartanburg County. To date, BMW has invested almost $2 billion in the state's economy and employs 4,400.

But Sterling is most proud of the deal he closed with Hoffman LaRoche. He says, "We won because we didn't give up. We figured out exactly what the company needed and we were able to determine a solution for every one of its needs."

Meeting corporate needs is something Greg Wingfield knows all about. As president and chief executive officer of the Greater Richmond (VA) Partnership, Inc., he is responsible for overseeing a public-private initiative with more than $15.6 million in funding and goals of creating 50,000 new jobs by June 2004. He was named to his current post in 1994.

Since that time, the Partnership has earned national recognition, and closed the "Top Economic Deals" in the US for the years 1995 and 1996. Wingfield says, "I have had a very rewarding career. It is wonderful to see the businesses you assist come to your community and provide jobs for the people and tax revenue to fund better roads and schools."

Fred Harris loves his work. He must - he's been in the economic development field for 42 years now. He began as an Industrial Economist in the Jackson (TN) field office in 1960 and has been closing deals ever since.

As the director of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Harris has been responsible for a number of significant corporate announcements. But the two he's most proud of are Nissan (employing 6,500) in 1980 and Dell (3,000) in 1999.

Harris has also served as president, vice president and secretary of the Tennessee Industrial Development Council.

United States Senator George Allen is a busy man. He serves as Deputy Whip for the 107th Congress, is a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and is Chairman of the High Tech Task Force. Prior to serving as a Senator, Allen was Governor of Virginia.

In this capacity, he prided himself on the development of Virginia as a technological leader. During his tenure as governor, Virginia took huge strides forward in attracting technology companies - two of the most notable being Dominion Semiconductor and Infineon.

Jim Anderson played college football at East Tennessee State University and served as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Army Air Defense Artillery. He brought that same toughness to the arena of economic development. He's spent the past thirty years in the field, working to bring business to Northeast Tennessee.

Anderson says, "I'd like to believe the most successful business locations I've been involved with are those dozens of small companies that have elected to build in the suburban and rural areas - making such a huge impact on those economies. But, for sure, I won't forget Excide Battery." How could he? The company built the world's largest battery plant in Bristol, TN, which produces 44,000 auto batteries a day.

A true ambassador of the South, Anderson owns and manages a 300-acre cattle farm, holds a commercial pilot certificate and flies a World War II biplane. He will soon assume a position as general manager of the Holston Business Development Center - a general-purpose business incubator to be located on a 7,000-acre military reservation.

Michael Olivier has been the CEO of the Harrison County (MS) Development Commission since 1987. He's facilitated more than $500 million in industrial revenue bond financing for commercial and manufacturing projects. He's been involved in economic development for 20 years now.

In 1999, Olivier was named the Outstanding Economic Developer in Mississippi, and he's been named as a Fellow Member of the American Economic Development Council (now the International Economic Development Council).

Mark Kilduff has been building the economy of Virginia for 35 years. He started in 1967 as an economist, and has served as director of industrial development and deputy director of economic development. He is a board member for the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, the Virginia Workforce Council, the Virginia Geographic Information Network Advisory Board and the Virginia Employment Commission's Trust Fund Advisory Committee.

As president of the Community Development Foundation, Harry Martin saw more than his share of successes over the years. He currently serves as president emeritus of the organization, with which he has overseen the more than 100 plant locations and expansions. Martin has been with the CDF since 1956.

Martin has always been a believer in community ownership of projects. In 1994, Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice presented him with the "Harry A. Martin Award for Excellence in Economic Development."

Perhaps Fred Humes (Aiken/Edgefield Counties, SC) is the most surprising addition to our "Top 10 of the last 10 years" list. It's surprising because Humes has only been in the "business" for slightly more than a decade. Garnering this distinction testifies to the determination and heart with which this man approaches his work.

A retired Air Force pilot and bringing a wealth of private-sector experience, Humes assumed the position as director of Economic Development Partnership (EDP) in 1991, having served on the board and as assistant director prior to that time. During his tenure, EDP has attracted over $5 billion in capital investment and created 10,000 jobs for his two-county area.

"Several years ago, while I was touring a plant," he remembers, "one of the guys working stopped me to say on behalf of himself and his family how much he appreciated his job. That's the essence of economic development for me. If you peel away the layers, it's about helping my community. The greatest pleasure of my work is to bring jobs for the people."

Sharing a spot on our Top 10 are two men who have been instrumental in making Alabama an automotive capital of the South. The first is Neal Wade. With the goal of helping Alabama become more competitive in attracting business, Wade was instrumental in starting the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA). Under his leadership, EDPA helped attract the likes of Mercedes, Honda and Boeing.

In his current job, Wade is still working to promote the South's many advantages. He serves as Vice President of Economic Development for St. Joe Company, which owns more than a million acres in Florida. What drives him to be so successful in the field? According to Wade, it's the opportunity to improve the quality of life among the people he serves.

The second member of Alabama's "dynamic duo" is Billy Joe Camp. During the last decade, Camp has served as Secretary of State in Alabama, has worked with TVA and with EDPA, as well. In these roles, he has been vitally important to Alabama's rise in the automotive industry. As a visionary leader, he was early to recognize the problems facing the state as textiles moved offshore. He saw automotive as a solution for replacing the jobs being lost. His list of projects reads like a who's who of sought-after companies.

"I always had a strong belief that we (Alabama) could do it. Persistence is key," he explains. "While most people looked at how much a project would cost the state, I chose to look at how much it would cost us if we didn't get it."

There you have it-10 great leaders whose work has changed the economic landscape of the South over the last decade. With attentiveness, drive and determination, these men know what it takes to close a deal. And each of them recognizes that landing a big company is a team effort - without the backing of community, staff and state officials, it's impossible to be truly successful in economic development. They've each had to discover the secret of team building. That's what makes the job interesting-- and brings about great results.

Other economic development practitioners who were nominated: Jimmy Heidel, former executive director of the Mississippi Department of Economic & Community Development, now the ED of the Vicksburg/Warren Co. EDF; Wes Stucky, president, Ardmore (Okla.) Development Authority; Enterprise Florida's Steve Mayberry; Dr. Gerald L. Gordon, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority in Fairfax County, Virginia; Marc Jordan, president of the Memphis Chamber; Ernie Faucett, Arkansas Electric Cooperative; Randy Cardoza, former commissioner of the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, now economic development director of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce; Peter Arnoti, executive director of the Greenwood Co. (S.C.) Economic Alliance; Charlotte Regional Partnership President Mark Heath; and Andy Burke, president of Forward Greenboro (N.C.).