Kent economic development director applicants under review

Application reviews for the City of Kent’s new economic development director are underway after the application deadline ended Friday, Sept. 26. The position has been vacant for over a year following the extended illness and death of former director Dan Smith.

“We’re looking for a person that brings a sense of optimism, energy and community pride to the job first and foremost; the administrative expertise can be learned over time,” Kent City Manager Dave Ruller said in an email.

The economic development director “works to promote the maintenance and expansion of the local economic base and your investment in Kent,” according to the City of Kent website.

Duties include providing assistance to existing businesses, facilitating the creation of business startups and attracting new businesses within the City of Kent.

Selecting a new economic development director

Seventeen applicants are in the process of being reviewed and will be selected and scheduled for interviews as soon as possible, said Human Resources Manager Elizabeth Zorc. Applicants will be reviewed and interviewed by Zorc, Ruller and Community Development Director Bridget Susel.

Applicants include 17 candidates from Ohio, neighboring states like Illinois and states as far as Connecticut, Zorc said. Salary ranges from $64,396 to $80,790 for the new director, according to the City of Kent website.

“I’m hoping the process is as quick as possible but depending on where the candidate is relocating from it could be the end of the year before our new Economic Development Director comes on board,” Ruller said.

“We’re looking for a person that brings a sense of optimism, energy and community pride to the job first and foremost; the administrative expertise can be learned over time.” – Kent City Manager Dave Ruller

The position was advertised on Ohio Job Finder.com on The Record-Courier’s website, local papers and organization websites such as Ohio Conference for Community Development and the Ohio Community Development Association where job postings can be made, Zorc said.

“I found we get the best results by going to the websites of organizations that various candidates would belong to,” Zorc said. “And, most of these are free.”

Until the position is filled, Susel and Ruller will continue to divide the economic development director’s duties.

Filling the vacancy

The position has been vacant for over a year due to Smith’s extended illness from brain cancer, Ruller said. Smith died in July at the age of 45 after being economic development director since 2008.

“(Smith) inherently understood the privilege of what it meant to serve his community,” Ruller said in his blog Kent360. “He took that responsibility seriously but he never took himself too seriously or let the daily grind beat him down. Dan provided our daily dose of optimism and together we used humor to laugh our way out of every insurmountable problem.”

Smith was responsible for much of downtown Kent’s revival and was awarded the key to the City of Kent in 2012 and the 2013 International Economic Development Council’s Silver Award for his work.

Temporary employment was first used to fill Smith’s position, but continuity of workers was difficult, Ruller said, leading him and Susel to divide the full-time duties of the position. Susel said in an email they are fulfilling these duties without more pay.

“Our positions have always been involved in (economic development) work so it was natural for us to pick up the slack,” Ruller said in an email.

Susel has carried forward numerous economic development jobs including direct contact with existing business owners, assisting with site selection for new businesses and working with various stakeholders on the structuring of potential new projects, Susel said in an email.

Ruller said he continues to be involved in the larger projects like the downtown redevelopment.

“The increased workload has been a bit challenging at times,” Susel said in an email. “But it has been manageable and the City has still been able to meet the needs of the City’s existing businesses and finalize new economic development initiatives, such as the new Marc’s and O’Reilly’s stores, which will create new job opportunities and generate capital investment in the community.”