DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Tullahoma’s economic development arm did not have to look far for their new Executive Director. Last week the members of the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation recommended to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tullahoma resident Kelly North as their new Director.

At Monday night’s Board meeting, the Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to ratify the TAEDC’s recommendation.

TAEDC Vice President Dave Bond told the board that they have looked very hard to find an executive director and have interviewed candidates.

“Our selection was unanimous,” Bond revealed. “We believe she is imminently qualified and we are excited to get to work with her on meeting and addressing the needs of the community.”

City Administrator presented North to the city board for consideration.

“She possesses a wealth of knowledge, experience and energy to her new position as executive director,” he said, noting that she has spearheaded economic initiatives for local municipal organizations for over a decade. “Her background in business recruitment and retention, workforce development, tourism promotion has helped her and her organization secure tens of millions in private investments and millions more and state grant funding. She has developed a strong reputation for a being results oriented, out of the box thinker who creates opportunities that advance the common good for all.”

Following is Ms. North’s statement to the Board:

“I am deeply honored to accept this appointment and serve as the next Executive Director of the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation. For me, this is more than a professional step – it’s a personal commitment to the community that has shaped my life and that of my family.

I would like to express my gratitude to the TAEDC Board of Directors for their confidence and for entrusting me with this responsibility. Our path is clear and full of promise: to build on the strengths already here – our businesses, our workforce, and our quality of life – while positioning Tullahoma to capture the opportunities that lie ahead.

I look forward to working with the TAEDC Board, the City of Tullahoma, and our many partners across the region to advance that vision. I’m grateful for the opportunity, eager to get to work, and confident in the potential we have.”

North will take the position vacated by Winston Brooks in June who left to take the position of Director of Economic Development and Entrepreneurship in Chattanooga. He took the TAEDC position in Tullahoma in March 2022.