The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
SIERRA VISTA — After a leave of absence was announced in October, Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Barry Albrecht’s resignation was announced Monday.
Nobody has given any reason for Albrecht’s leave or departure — “can’t respond to that,” EDF Board President Sheila DeVoe Heidman said Monday — but she praised Albrecht’s 14 years of service.
Now that Albrecht’s status is resolved, DeVoe Heidman said Monday that her focus is to seek a new executive director.
She said, “the board will begin an immediate national search for a new executive director.”
 Albrecht |
DeVoe Heidman also stated, “We are looking forward to working closely with the city of Sierra Vista to develop a new strategic plan that will lead to the development of meaningful and measurable economic development objectives. The foundation will continue to actively promote and preserve the economic strength of the city through actions focused on business recruitment, expansion, and retention.”
Since 1994, DeVoe Heidman noted in Monday’s news release, Albrecht has been involved in many economic development projects to include the location and recruitment of Aegis Communications, Federal Express, Lutz Machinery, the expansion of Northrop Grumman and the creation of a loan program to assist the redevelopment and improvement of facilities on Sierra Vista’s west side.
“It has truly been an honor and a pleasure serving the greater Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca community,” Albrecht said Monday when reached for comment. “In the past 14 years, I’ve had the liberty to see some dynamic changes throughout our community.”
Albrecht said he is currently assisting a new regional economic development organization in Southern Arizona, an entity that he said is yet to be unveiled. Also, he said he is volunteering consulting services for a national development organization, and he is thrilled to take some time off to spend some quality time with his wife, Regina, whom he wed last June.
City officials, when contacted, offered comments.
“The city and the staff of the city, and the Economic Development Foundation have worked closely together, on a great many projects over the years, during a period of change,” Mayor Bob Strain said. “We look forward to working together to hire a new executive director.”
The mayor said he expects continued positive collaboration between the foundation and the city, and the mayor reiterated his confidence in the foundation’s board.
The goal of the foundation is to broaden and diversify Sierra Vista’s business community. It was founded in 1987, as a private, nonprofit company to serve in that capacity as a city-service contract.
That contract dynamic allows for the foundation to facilitate dialogue in the private business sector, independently from city government procedure, which is often crucial not to spook businesses with an eye on Sierra Vista, Albrecht explained last May.
The foundation’s board of 14 comprises people with expertise in fields such as law, real estate, public relations, avionics and engineering.
Devoe Heidman, who became the board president last year, works as the dean of Cochise College Community & Business Development. Other officers and their professions, according to svedf.org, are: Tim Dickerson, justice of the peace, Div. V, vice president; Ron Kline, aerospace and defense, secretary; and Keith Newlon, Pioneer Title Agency, treasurer.
Albrecht was recognized in May, by the Arizona Association for Economic Development at its spring conference in Lake Havasu City, with the Economic Developer of the Year Award (small community).
While operating as a separate entity from the city, the city budget annually appropriates to the foundation, this year in the amount of $139,000, with an additional $100,000 available to the foundation in a given year, up for City Council approval if there is a special foundation project at hand, City Manager Chuck Potucek said.
Potucek said he doesn’t anticipate any significant variance from that budget landscape in the upcoming 2009 fiscal year.
“When you have a change like this, I view it as an opportunity to discuss potential new directions or new policy and working together with the foundation board, and I think that gets to the point of Sheila (DeVoe Heidman) talking about the foundation’s new strategic plan,” Potucek said. “I worked with Mr. Albrecht for more than 10 years, and I wish him well in his future endeavor.” Potucek reiterated that Albrecht’s resignation was a matter of policy among the board and Albrecht, and not the city’s.
Before Albrecht left, Potucek said there were discussions about a new strategic plan for the foundation that remains in the works. The upcoming strategic plan is just a concept, but is hopefully forthcoming, he said.
“We know we want to do it. We just haven’t gone there yet,” Potucek said.
Herald/Review reporter Gentry Braswell can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at gentry.braswell@svherald.com. Herald/Review City Editor Ted Morris can be reached at 515-4614 or by e-mail at cityeditor@svherald.com
Economic Development Finance wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:13 AM: