G I L R O Y ’ S G O T P R OS
Meet Richard Spitler , new EDC President / CEO
The Gilroy Economic Development Corporation , funded by the City of Gilroy , the Chamber of Commerce , and a variety of business partners recently hired Richard Spitler as their President / CEO . His mission is to foster economic development in Gilroy .
By Larry Mickartz
Richard is no stranger to contrasts or challenges . He graduated from UCSC with a degree in Biology and Environmental Science . He quickly got a real world education as a community planner in Alaska . It did not take him long to learn some serious life lessons on the delicate balance between the environment , employment , culture , planning and economics . A total commitment to any one probably spells disaster for many . Early in his career Richard vividly remembers presenting a planning issue to the elders of a remote Native American community . They quietly and respectfully listen to his presentation . He was then asked to leave the room . From outside the room he could hear people shouting , fists pounding on tables , extreme agitation . He figured his proposal was dead . A while later he was invited back in . Calmly one of the elders explained how they would comply with the planning issue . Lesson learned ? Outsiders do not always get to be part of the process . Lessons learned in Alaska have stayed with Richard as he worked various jobs and raised a family . Richard ’ s wife is a teacher in the Healdsburg area and will be joining him after school gets out . His kids learned the diversity lesson well . He has a daughter in Portland ; a son in Australia ; and another son in South Korea !
Richard has been on both sides of the planning counter . He has represented a city as a planning director but he has also represented a redevelopment agency that had to secure planning and permits from the city . With both perspectives in his repertoire Richard is well prepared to bring development to the City of Gilroy . Richard Zahner , the interim EDC Director and the EDC Board spent the better part of last year studying and preparing for a new EDC plan .
Richard Spitler has been very impressed with the existing cooperation between the Chamber , EDC , the Visitors Bureau and the City . This spirit eliminates one major hurdle to accomplishing an effective and focused economic development plan . Richard believes that , at this point , we need less introspection and more outreach and more investment in the community .
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