New Economic Development Director Named

A fifteen year veteran of economic development has been selected as the new Executive Director of the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation. Kent Sharp will start his new duties for the GEDC on October 1, 2006. Mr. Sharp is currently the Executive Director for the Economic Development Corporation in Big Spring, Texas where he has been employed in that capacity since January of 1998. Prior to the Big Spring post, Mr. Sharp was the executive director for

the Development Corporation of Stamford, Texas from 1993-1998 and the Shamrock Economic Development Corporation from 1991-1993.

Sharp received his B.S. in Economics and Finance from Texas Christian University in 1991 and he has done graduate work for the Master of Public Administration at Texas Tech University. He and his wife Angela have two children, Austin (13) and Bailey (9), and look forward to making their home in Gainesville.

"I am very excited about the opportunity in Gainesville," Mr. Sharp stated. "After visiting with local officials and spending some time in the community, it is apparent that Gainesville is experiencing quality growth in many facets of its local economy. I believe that my unique background and experience will help this effort continue."

Aside from economic development, Mr. Sharp was elected to the Big Spring School Board in 2001 and served in that role for three years. Sharp has served on the Permian Basin Workforce Development Board. Largely due to his contributions to the field of economic development, Mr. Sharp was also appointed as one of the Charter Board Members of a state agency called the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) by former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives James "Pete" Laney. He was appointed in 2004 by former U.S. VA Secretary Anthony Principi to serve as one of ten LAP Members for the National Capital Asset and Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) process for the nation's VA Hospitals.