18 Apr Austin Economic Development Corporation Board Elects New Leadership
The Austin Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), announced today the new board leadership for the public development corporation created by Austin City Council in October 2020. “Many community stakeholders recognize the need for an organization focused on equitable and inclusive development,” said President and CEO Theresa Alvarez, “AEDC is now staffed with a highly qualified professional team and is prepared to advance an increasingly self-supporting business model – one that will solidify our organization’s complete autonomy, public-private engagement, and oversight.”
Following the approval of 2022 Board Nominees by the Austin City Council on March 23, 2022 (Resolution 20220324-007), the board approved the following appointments to the organizations Executive Committee for leadership and governance:
Board Chair: David Steinwedell of Affordable Central Texas
Board Vice Chair: Carl Settles of E4 Youth
Board Treasurer: Sylnovia Holt-Rabb of the City’s Economic Development Department
Board Secretary: Xavier Peña of St. David’s Foundation
Immediate Past Board Chair: Rosie Truelove of the City’s Housing and Planning Department
Tina Cannon of the Austin LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce
Suchitra Gururaj of the University of Texas
This comes shortly after the organization confirmed its initial Executive staff through competitive, professional search processes. Those Executive staff of AEDC includes:
Theresa Alvarez, President and Chief Executive Officer
David Colligan, Chief Operating Officer
Anne Gatling Haynes, Chief Transactions Officer
“AEDC is entering the development arena at a much-needed time, with an established executive staff and a very engaged and energized board,” said incoming Board Chair, David Steinwedell. “The need for responsive public-private solutions has never been greater and the unique governance structure aligned with the professional efforts the organization offers incredible support for integrating racially equitable and just outcomes. I am thrilled that the AEDC is poised to have a timely impact in different economic sectors and various geographic areas across Austin.”
Background and Contact Information
In October 2020, recognizing the increasing pressures of rising real estate prices on affordability, equity, and the City’s iconic venues and small businesses, the City of Austin created Austin Economic Development Corporation as a public real estate developer, working for purpose instead of profits. AEDC can speed the pace of the public response to decreasing affordability and equity by moving at the pace of the market to blend the best of public and private deal making. The organization is governed by a “blue-ribbon” board consisting of 20 voting-members who are nominated by the City and other external agencies or partners in the community, each seat representing a key expertise/voice within the landscape of the economic and community development field. As aligned with the mission of the organization and representative of the community it serves, the majority of AEDC’s board is made-up of self-identifying minority community members.
Please contact AEDC President and CEO, Theresa Alvarez at 512-844-2972 or theresa@austinedc.org, or David Colligan, AEDC Chief Operating Officer, at 512-431-6271 or david@austinedc.org