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The Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council (KREDC) recently announced some leadership and staff changes.
Linda Niebanck, President of McCormick Land Company, will replace Karl Jonietz as Chair of the Board of Directors on August 15th. Jonietz, President of Olympic College (OC), publicly announced his resignation from OC at the end of the school year, and selected the successful re-accreditation of the college as a landmark from which to initiate a departure and move on to new challenges in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has led the KREDC for the past two and half years.
Pete Crane, Vice President of Solomon Smith Barney, will assume the Vice Chair position being vacated by Niebanck’s elevation.
Both Niebanck and Crane have a history of civic and business achievements in Kitsap, including active participation in the KREDC’s recent successes with rescuing the Kitsap Physicians Service, incorporating Port Blakely Properties’ Lake Kitsap development into the City of Bremerton, and recruiting Nextel Communications Inc. and American Financial Services (AFS) to the county.
Kevin Dwyer, the man who originated the concept of attracting call centers such as Nextel and AFS to Kitsap, will also be leaving. Dwyer has served as KREDC’s Business Recruitment and Marketing Director for the past four years. Previous to that, he was the business editor of The Sun.
Dwyer has been selected by the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce to fill the executive director position being vacated by Jack MacArthur who is retiring. Dwyer, a longtime Bainbridge Island resident, will remain with the KREDC until the end of August. He will begin his new position the day after Labor Day.
Zoltan Szigethy, the KREDC’s Executive Director,, said the KREDC is actively seeking applicants for two business recruitment and retention manager positions. Application details are available at www.kitsapedc.org, and applications are due by August 17th.
Szigethy, reinforced that “Our Board and staff composition is changing, but our resolve and strategy to diversify Kitsap County’s economy is very much on track.” He added, “Karl and Kevin, in their respective Board and staff roles, have been integral to the KREDC’s successes. We wish them well in their new pursuits and welcome our new team.”
He also noted that the KREDC is seemingly a great launching pad for career advancement in other ways as well. In addition to Dwyer, another former staff member who served with him working on business retention and development, Silvia Klatman, left the KREDC last year to take the helm of the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce.
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