(URBANDALE) – At a news conference this morning, Gov.-elect Terry Branstad announced that Debi Durham will serve as head of the Iowa Department of Economic Development in the Branstad/Reynolds administration.
Durham has been president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce since being named to the post in July of 1995. She also serves as president of The Siouxland Initiative (TSI), the economic development corporation serving the tri-state metropolitan area, and the Siouxland Chamber Foundation.
“Today, I am excited to name Debi Durham as head of the Iowa Department of Economic Development,” said Branstad. “When I began my campaign for governor, I stated my ambitious goal of creating 200,000 new Iowa jobs over five years. With Debi spearheading these efforts, I have no doubt we will reach this goal.”
Branstad says Durham’s experience as head of a private-public partnership will be valuable as the department begins its transition to the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress.
“I am honored to be named as head of Terry Branstad’s Department of Economic Development,” said Durham. “His bold, hands-on leadership was very successful in leading Iowa through the Farm Crisis to our state’s economic resurgence in the 1990s. Iowa is fortunate to have his leadership at its helm, and I am ready to get to work creating jobs across the entire state.”
Durham was the 2002 Republican lieutenant governor candidate, and in 2003 was named to the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame.
In both 2007 and 2008, Durham’s leadership contributed to the Siouxland metro’s recognition as the top economic development community in the United States by Site Selection magazine.
For more information on the Branstad/Reynolds transition team, please visit www.GovernorBranstad.com.