The following represent the personal statements / biographies of candidates for the 2018 BREI Board of Directors Ballot.
Angela Groenveld
“Hello” or as we say in Canada “Oh eh how are you?” Because we are nice up north😊 Hmmm,
Now that I have you smiling and your attention my name is Angela Groeneveld from Alberta, Canada. I am running for the position of president as I know first-hand the importance of knowing what business, retention, expansion and investment attraction is and more importantly, how to execute it. Just five short years ago I was assigned the task of business recovery for High River, Alberta. Our entire community of 14,000 was evacuated. 1300 businesses were impacted.
Since 2013 I have taken every training course I can on economic development, business retention, expansion and attraction and business resiliency after a disaster. You name it, I took it. I am proud to say I, and the team of 2 HR personnel have attracted over 285,000 sq. ft. of new commercial development to High River. Through policy, process and advocacy, we are now one of the most ‘flood proof’ communities in Canada. In 2016 my expertise in BRE was called to action again to assit Fort McMurray on the wild fires. I recognized businesses don’t have a big-time window to recover after a recession or a disaster. I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel. There are excellent organizations that have tools and resources we can customize and adapt. I believe BREI can be one of those organizations. World renowned for BREI training and connectivity.
I continue to grow innovative BRE programs by recently Project Managing a Coworking Pilot Project joint with Rural on Purpose. This has brought world attention to rural communities as the model/study is a first in North America. Tremendous success!
The best part about me is my fun, passionate and an inspiring personality. I am wife, mother of three and own a Business Development consulting company. I partner with a company called 13ways. Which wrote the book on ‘13ways to Kill your community.’ We deliver community building services. I am also contracted by the Canadian government networking – the Business Link. I provide business one on one coaching and many other support services. I also provide Business development services for the Town of High River as part of phase 3 Disaster recovery projects. Do you sense a theme here? I am passionate about helping business. I want to and will continue to support entrepreneurs.
I am proud to be certified in BRE, BIA and CED. As a professional Economic Development practitioner I believe in foundational training to keep our profession qualified, relevant to business needs and respected. Organizations to deliver the gold standard for credentials are key. BREI can do this, we have the brand and scope.
I am trained and experienced I have been a business owner for over 25years and know first hand the importance of BRE to keep our business ecosystem strong and Thriving in our communities. Yes, I am the real Alberta deal, I am cowgirl who operates a cattle ranch with my family.
I am asking you to support me in supporting BREI. Please vote Angela Groeneveld together we will build and remind the world BREI is the #1 elite organization to support your business community.
For further information on my profile please google my name to see many media reports on my work.
I am optimistic, I look forward to meeting and working with you.
Dan Lang
I would like to serve on the BREI Board because I recognize the value of retaining and growing business within the community. Whether you are a small community or a large City, a healthy local economy relies on maintaining and expanding your existing business base. I would welcome the opportunity to serve the membership.
Catherine Proulx
As an Economic Developer, my passion is to work with community and business leaders to help them overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their own success. Sometimes all that is needed is an outside perspective – a fresh set of eyes – to see through the noise of the day to day and zero in on the opportunities that lie ahead. With close to 20 years of experience working with municipalities and small businesses as a marketing and business consultant, these are a few of my strengths:
- An inclusive leadership style that motivates, empowers, and challenges colleagues; recognition that it is the people within the organization that create the success of the organization
- Extensive experience launching and building award winning brands, developing and managing multi-channel marketing strategies, and leveraging innovative ideas to create marketing programs that convert customers to vested stakeholders and brand advocates
- Successful entrepreneur, knowledge leader, and mentor who actively supports continuous learning and providing counsel to start-ups and small business owners and leaders
As the Manager of Economic Development for the City of Chestermere, I am currently developing a city wide BRE campaign that will address the importance of small, local businesses to community growth and development; as well as looking at ways to help the local Chamber become more established and relevant to its membership. On a personal note, I am passionate about culinary tourism and am always eager to explore ways in which culinary projects can be leveraged to create new experiences for locals and visitors alike.
Dennis Williamson II
Dennis been the Economic Development Administrator for the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District. His current role for the Planning and Development District is WIOA Administrator over 2 of 10 workforce areas in Arkansas. He works with municipalities, counties, and directly with businesses throughout the region to coordinate local, state, and federal resources focused on community and economic development. He currently is aimed at creating partnerships with industry and area workforce agencies to insure the local labor pool can meet business needs to promote longevity and growth of key sectors. Throughout his tenure he has worked with several communities and assisted the state economic development commission on business outreach and retention. This year his objective will be on the creation of a more intensive BR&E program centered on the challenges that companies face in rural communities. Prior to his tenure with WAPDD he has thirty years of experience in business primarily focused in retail, construction, and manufacturing. Dennis has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Liberty University and is a certified BRE coordinator and EPA Brownfield Quality Project Manager.
Kelly Kinsey Overby
Ms. Overby joined the Longview Economic Development Corporation in June of 2007 as a talent recruiter presenting the “Career Choices in East Texas” program in local junior high and high schools, informing students about their career and education opportunities. She has spoken to over 20,000 students, counselors, ESL and GED students in the past ten years. Ms. Overby now serves as the Director of Business Retention & Expansion, where she is responsible for encouraging the growth and expansion of Longview companies. Her primary responsibility is developing, maintaining and strengthening relationships with the CEOs, plant managers and human resource representatives of Longview’s existing business and industry. This focused strategy of internal business development assists in identifying new target companies, as well as workforce needs.
Ms. Overby serves as a council member and secretary for the Texas ACT State Organization. She serves as a board member on the Greater Longview Organization of Business and Education (GLOBE) as well as on local advisory committees for TSTC-Marshall, Kilgore College and several local high school Career and Technology programs. She serves her community as a Board member of the Greater Longview United Way.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from LeTourneau University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler. She is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.
She recently married her cowboy Bill Overby and they have nine children and eleven grandchildren. She enjoys spending her free time with family on their farm in Diana, TX.
Business Retention and Expansion International 