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AEDC announces new executive director
From staff reports
Harry Whalen, formerly with the Caldwell County, N.C. Economic Development Commission, has been named the new executive director for the Allen Economic Development Corporation. Whalen assumed office Monday, April 16.
According to a press release from the AEDC, Whalen has worked in the field of economic development for more than 37 years. In his most recent position with the Caldwell County EDC, he was instrumental in the identification of new targeted industry sectors, the development of a new website, and applying to designate Caldwell County as an EB-5 Regional Center to attract international investment. Whalen's direction included an aggressive search for new business park locations, the establishment of a Caldwell Plant Managers Association to network existing industries for expansion and retention, and support for numerous new investments leading to over 600 new jobs in one year.
Prior to working for Caldwell County, Whalen served as the director of international development for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). He was responsible for defining markets for target industry sectors and new international development with investment missions to Asia, Europe, India and Canada. He chaired the Michigan Global Partnership, a public-private initiative comprised of EDC organizations and private sector service providers focused on investments from Asia and Canada. The MEDC has been recognized as one of the top economic development organizations in the United States.
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| Harry Whalen |
Whalen has also worked for the Fayetteville Area Economic Development Corporation and the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission. He served for ten years as an international representative with the South Carolina State Development Board. He has served as chairman of a school-to-work council, on workforce development boards and as a state-level representative to the National Association of State Development Agencies.
Whalen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design from the University of South Carolina and has taken graduate studies in journalism. He is also a graduate of the Industrial Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. He retains membership in the International Economic Development Council and the Southern Economic Developers Association.
"I am excited about the economic development opportunity in Allen," Whalen said. "Allen is an already growing area with the DFW Metroplex as a nearby asset. I look forward to the creative challenge to advance Allen to the next level of business development by bringing my enthusiasm and extensive contacts to Allen as we innovate positive growth."
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