ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, June 12, 1996 TAG: 9606120064
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON
As expected, Wayne Sterling, the state's chief of economic development, will lead a new public-private partnership created by the Virginia General Assembly and Gov. Allen to market the state to industry, officials said Tuesday.
Sterling, who has led economic development efforts for the state since June 1994 and came from a similar job in South Carolina, will take charge of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership when it officially comes into being July 1.
The partnership was created out of concerns about a lack of consistency with past marketing efforts caused by governors restructuring programs when they took office.
State leaders vested the new partnership with independence, by staggering the terms of its 15-person board of directors so no governor can appoint them all. The board members will be volunteers from the business community and general population and include Mary Rae Carter of Collinsville, a self-employed public relations, legislative and economic development consultant.
The state's existing Department of Economic Development will transfer to the partnership the duties of national and international industrial marketing and export development and the funding to carry those programs out, while the Department of Commerce and Trade will surrender the task of tourism marketing.
Sterling is one of dozens of state employees who will transfer to the payroll of the new public-private organization.
Replacing the economic development department will be a new Department of Business Assistance, which will handle small business and worker training programs and services to existing industry, while overseeing the Virginia Employment Commission, the state's unemployment insurance and job placement agency.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB