Orangeburg County Development Commission: County seeks new development director

“We are looking for the best we can find,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Board Chair Kenneth Middleton said.

“We are at a historically good position based on the hard work of our staff, our executive director and our board over the last years,” he said.

Middleton specifically cited former OCDC executive director Gregg Robinson’s leadership.

“We had one of the best economic developers at our helm for 17 years,” Middleton said. “Our target here is for there to be no drop in service. We are working extremely hard. The effort must be ridiculous.”

Robinson left July 8 to become the chief executive officer of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership.

The OCDC is a nonprofit public/private partnership which recruits capital investment and jobs to the county. The organization was founded by the county as the lead agency promoting industrial development.

The commission has put out a request for proposals to engage a professional executive search organization to help it through the process of finding a new executive director.

About six firms have expressed interest with expectations a firm will be selected in the coming week, Middleton said.

In addition to the national search firm, Middleton said an internal search committee has been formed that will vet candidates presented by the search firm.

The internal search committee consists of the OCDC executive committee, including Middleton, Vice Chair Joey Williamson, Treasurer Margaret Frierson, Secretary Bob McCurry and at-large member Sidney Fulton.

In addition, former OCDC Board Chair Jeannine Kees, former Holly Hill Mayor William Johnson and Orangeburg County Deputy Administrator Marion Lloyd are members.

Frierson and OCDC board member Charles Artis will serve as co-chairs of the search committee.

Middleton said the entire board will ultimately approve the new executive director and then the decision will be brought to County Council for its blessing.

He said an ideal candidate will have the necessary professional experience, skill set and ideally have a “shorter learning curve.”

“This will be one of the most important hires for Orangeburg County for years to come,” Middleton said. “We are taking it extremely seriously.”

Middleton hopes are a new director will be hired by the end of the year, but said the search committee will defer to the search firm about the timeline it believes is needed to ensure the county hires the right person.

Meanwhile, the OCDC has put in place a transition team that is tasked with helping the daily operations continue seamlessly.

This includes the entire OCDC board, the OCDC staff and Central South Carolina Alliance Director of Business Development Stephen Roddey. The CSCA is also assisting the county in its project management efforts.