NASHVILLE – Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced today the appointment of Amy New as the department’s first Assistant Commissioner for Rural Development.
New, a department veteran working with business and community development programs, most recently served as director of the department’s primary community development program ThreeStar.
Boyd said New would lead a new division within TNECD that reorganizes all community programs under her leadership. The move will allow the department to put a greater emphasis on assisting rural communities.
“While TNECD has done many good things for our rural communities, from the ThreeStar program to the Select Tennessee site development efforts, I believe we need to double down on our efforts,” Boyd said. “Many of our rural areas are still struggling, and we need to reorganize and align to serve them even better. That includes considering new programs, improving existing ones, and reallocating resources, both personnel and financial. However, the most important first step is to put in place a great leader, and I believe Amy New is that leader. She has the experience, the passion and the leadership ability to move our state forward.”
Since 2012, as ThreeStar Director, New worked to restructure and expand Tennessee’s community development efforts by launching a more focused activity based program, with incentives and grant monies. The reconstituted ThreeStar focuses on five key areas critical to ensuring the success of Tennessee communities: Jobs & Economic Development, Fiscal Strength & Efficient Government, Public Safety, Education & Workforce Development, and Health & Welfare.
“Amy was raised in rural Tennessee and understands our challenges and opportunities,” Boyd said. “Amy’s leadership abilities, relationships and grasp of rural policy will allow us to up our game on behalf of rural communities.”
A native of Monterey, Tenn., New worked at both the county government and chamber level, was a Business Profiles host with WCTE-TV and an account executive with MMA Creative prior to her work with TNECD.
“When our communities engage actively in community development to improve their quality of life, education, workforce and overall health they are building a foundation for economic development,” New said. “The private sector will only invest in communities that first invest in themselves. We will use the opportunity to proactively work with partner agencies and our communities to attract investment and jobs to rural Tennessee.”
Boyd also announced the hiring of Jody Sliger as TNECD’s new ThreeStar director.
Sliger was most recently the interim president and tourism and marketing director of the Sparta-White County Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that Sliger was a journalist in the Upper Cumberland region, including as lifestyles editor of The Expositer newspaper in Sparta.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Tennessee was named 2014 and 2013 “State of the Year” for economic development by Business Facilities magazine. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.
###
