09 Sep NEWS: TRIDEC team expands to support regional growth

The Tri-City Development Council is shaking up roles.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 9, 2019
CONTACT: Ashley Stubbs, Director of Communications
509.735.1000 | astubbs@tridec.org

The Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) team is shaking up roles. According to CEO and President Carl Adrian, two shifts and one new addition to the TRIDEC team include the following: 

• Traci Jao has been named Director of Business Recruitment. Jao, who joined TRIDEC in 2007, has served as a Project Manager and, most recently, as Director of Communications and Member Services.Jao said her new role specifically aims to support and manage the rapid expansion of the greater Tri-City region. She will focus on showcasing the region’s potential to new investors, talent development, and increasing opportunities for collaboration between local industry and STEM projects.

• David Chavey-Reynaud has been named Director of Business Retention and Expansion (BRE). Chavey-Reynaud joined the team in 2016 as a Business Recruitment Specialist before taking on his current role.As Director of BRE, Chavey-Reynaud works closely with established local businesses and industries to facilitate conversations with local leaders, help navigate complex regulations, and provide resources to thrive and expand within the greater Tri-City region.

• Ashley Stubbs has joined the TRIDEC team as Director of Communications and Investor Relations. Prior to joining TRIDEC, Stubbs helped develop programs and strategic messaging for business chambers and economic development organizations throughout California, worked as a Public Information Officer in the Washington state House of Representatives, and most recently served as Communications Director for the Cathy McMorris Rodgers Campaign. She is a Benton City native and graduate of Kiona-Benton High School and Central Washington University.

According to Adrian, plans for the reorganization have been in development for nearly a year and come in response to rapid growth throughout the region.

“Businesses from all around the nation are increasingly looking to the Tri-Cities,” said Adrian. “We have the resources, education, and the workforce – it’s just about connecting the dots.”

The rapid growth of the Tri-Cities hasn’t gone unnoticed. A June release by the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business highlighted Franklin County as the fastest growing county in Washington state and Benton County close behind at No. 3. Kennewick and Pasco were listed among the top-ten fastest growing cities in Washington, with Richland named No. 11. 

“Restructuring and expanding the TRIDEC team increases our ability to support and facilitate the recent growth in a way that’s sustainable,” said Adrian. 

Adrian reaffirmed that personalized and tailored approaches remain key to driving economic success. A larger team with more focused roles, he notes, helps accomplish this.  

“Call it a tune-up,” Adrian added. “We’re determined to uphold TRIDEC’s legacy of facilitating sustained economic growth, and now we’re positioned to continue doing just that.”

With more than 300 members, TRIDEC is the region’s leading economic development organization. Originally established in 1963 as the Tri-City Nuclear Industrial Council, TRIDEC aims to stimulate and sustain a vibrant regional economy by facilitating economic growth and prosperity.   

For more information, visit www.tridec.org// 

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