By Steve Kidd - Penticton Western News Published: June 19, 2012 2:00 PM
The City of Penticton has finally named a new economic
development officer, after having the position empty for more than three
months. During the regular council meeting Monday, city
manager Annette Antoniak announced that the city was in final
negotiations with a person to fill the position, and by Tuesday morning
had announced that Colleen Pennington was the successful candidate for
the position. “Colleen is a seasoned senior executive with
extensive experience in leadership, strategy, management, business
development and operations,” said Antoniak. “We are incredibly pleased
to have her join the team and lead economic development for the area.” Pennington officially joins the city effective
July 9, a little more than three months after the Penticton terminated
the contract with the previous EDO, Dave Arsenault. Until earlier this
year, the economic development contract had been dealt with at arm’s
length through the Penticton Chamber of Commerce. But in late March, the
city decided to bring those services in house and make the EDO a city
employee. Arsenault’s contract was terminated immediately,
leaving the position vacant while the city conducted an extensive job
search and interview process. Mayor Dan Ashton said bringing economic
development services in house was such a radical change that leaving the
position vacant while they conducted their competition to find an
individual to fit the new criteria was a necessity. Pennington previously worked at the
Transportation Investment Corporation and spent 16 years at Telus as a
portfolio assessment director for the venture capital division and as a
director of business development. As EDO, Pennington will be responsible for
attracting, expanding and supporting the City of Penticton’s commercial,
industrial and public enterprises to positively affect the economic
health of the city. While the position was vacant, those duties were
shared by the mayor and city manager, a situation Antoniak admits was
less than ideal. “We have done our best to deal with any economic
development issues that have come forward,” said Antoniak. “I have been
handling it over the last three months to the best of my abilities.”
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