Photo Courtesy: St. Louis Business Journal

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership

Rodney Crim Named Interim CEO

Board begins national search for permanent CEO

Today, the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP) Board announced that Rodney Crim has been named Interim CEO replacing Sheila Sweeney.

“Our board has determined that a new direction is necessary to fulfill our mission of building this region’s economic engine. We are proud that our organization is one of the first combined efforts of the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, and are committed to ensuring it can focus on our mission in the most efficient and effective way possible,” said Karlos Ramirez, Chairman of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership board.

Since the organization combined in 2013, SLEDP has played a critical role in expansion and growth of the St. Louis region supporting efforts to attract and retain businesses in an effective way. From 2015-2018 more than $4.5 Billion has been directly invested in projects in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.

“As current President, Crim is an able leader with broad perspective on economic development issues and has been a key part of the SLDEP team. Crim is committed to making St. Louis a better region, and our board looks forward to working with him for a smooth transition,” said Ramirez.

As interim CEO, Crim will help the board to conduct a thorough review of the organization’s operations and structure to determine the structure and leadership to most effectively fulfil the mission of the organization.

“Our board is committed to building this region. We are all volunteers who care about these issues. This is an opportunity to determine the best way to structure our organization moving forward to build on the momentum in our region. We look forward to this opportunity,” added Ramirez.

There will be a national search for a permanent CEO.

In 2013, SLEDP unified the economic development efforts of the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County and has been an effective example in cooperative efforts to strengthen the St. Louis region.

About the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP) is the leading economic development organization for the St. Louis region. Its mission is attract and retain businesses to the St. Louis area by accelerating the growth of innovation, business creation, global connectivity and equitable employment opportunities. In 2013, SLEDP was created by a strategic merger between the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County economic development organizations. It holds the rigorous AEDO accreditation and has been recognized among the top economic development agencies in the United States.

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