LVEDC may hire interim director: Temporary leader could provide stability to economic development group
BYLINE: Jeanne Bonner, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.
Apr. 10--A regional economic development organization is leaning toward hiring an interim director after its chief executive officer resigned abruptly last month.
Officials at the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. say hiring an interim director will allow the organization to move on after CEO Beth Gorin's departure, and avoid choosing a new permanent leader in haste. Officers of the organization met last week to weigh the advantages of hiring an interim leader, and voted informally on candidates. They will meet again today to discuss candidates for the temporary position and possibly conduct interviews.
The interim director might serve a term as short as three to six months. In the meantime, a group that includes the officers of LVEDC will review resumes from people who have applied for the permanent position.
LVEDC is often the first point of contact for companies considering a relocation to the Lehigh Valley, and hence one of the key organizations involved with stimulating the local economy. It also provides loans to existing companies that want to expand.
After taking office in August 2006, Gorin quickly became a lightning rod for criticism. Her eight-month tenure at the region's main agency for attracting companies was shorter than the 10-month search to fill the position. LVEDC said Gorin left for personal reasons, but sources say the former New Jersey economic development official was pressured to step down after a rocky start.
Her tenure was marked by high staff turnover. Two longtime high-level employees were let go, including one who now works for the state's economic development department. A third left without lining up a new job.
When LVEDC announced Gorin's departure, some officials said it might be best to choose a leader from the Lehigh Valley. Northampton County Executive John Stoffa said it took a while for Gorin to learn about the Valley and meet local leaders as well as legislators.
Hiring someone local for the interim position would be a relatively quick process that could provide stability to the organization.
"LVEDC needs someone to make decisions," said Joe McDermott, an LVEDC spokesman. "Someone to handle basic CEO duties. There are certain duties a CEO has to do that are now falling to board members."
Officials on the search committee believe dividing the process into two parts will make it more thorough.
"Instead of doing something to rush the process, I think we should err on the side of caution," said Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski in an interview Monday. "I think it's a great idea."
Among the people LVEDC is considering for the interim position are Tom Stine and Edie Ritter, according to sources who did not want to be identified.
Stine, 50, was a co-founder of OmniE Labs, a New Jersey software design and network architecture company. In 1995, he co-founded Luminous Technology Corp., a spin-off of Adobe Systems that was later sold to Imation Corp.
Reached by phone Monday, the Upper Saucon Township resident said some friends have approached him about the position, but no one from LVEDC has spoken to him formally about it.
"Frankly, I have had some friends who say I should throw my hat into the ring," said Stine, who sits on the board of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an agency that provides capital to startup firms. "I am curious."
Ritter served as director of the Manufacturers Resource Center from its creation in 1987 until she retired in 2005. The nonprofit MRC assists small and mid-size manufacturers improve their productivity and quality, lowering costs and advancing competitiveness.
Ritter, 67, also of Upper Saucon Township, did not immediately return a phone message Monday.
LVEDC officials declined to comment on possible candidates for the interim or permanent CEO position.
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