Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg has added a business development specialist to his already beefed up economic development team. Kevin Clegg moves to Pierce County from Sandpoint, Idaho, where he was executive director of the Bonner County Economic Development Corp.
Clegg, who has 17 years of economic development experience, will focus on retaining manufacturing businesses in Pierce County.
His primary duties include surveying companies about their business needs, offering technical expertise, and connecting businesses with resources that could improve profitability.
Ladenburg upgraded Pierce County Economic Development earlier this year by moving the group from 88th and South Tacoma Way, where it was a division of the Community Services Department, to downtown Tacoma.
The offices location in the Commerce Building at 950 Pacific Ave. enables economic development manager Denise Dyer and her staff ready access to key partners, including the Economic Development Board, World Trade Center and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.
Now Dyer reports directly to Ladenburg.
The team, working with its partners, helps companies work through the permitting process, hire quality employees, find new locations and acquire appropriate financing.
Team members, besides Dyer and Clegg, are Rob Allen, research and data analyst; John Bolender, business retention and expansion; Joe Phillips, new business location and existing business expansion; Sheree Clark, economic development loans; and Kathy Sorgenfrei, administrative support.
