Watauga County Economic Development Commission to Meet February 9
WATAUGA COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
TO MEET FEBRUARY 9TH
The Watauga County Economic Development Commission will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 9, 2023, from 11am-1pm at the Appalachian Enterprise Center, located at 130 Poplar Grove Connector in Boone, NC. The meeting is open to the public.
This is the first meeting since the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce has assumed administrative responsibility for the of the Watauga EDC, which took effect January 1, 2023. This also marks the first meeting of the newly appointed board, including three at-large members that were approved by the Watauga County Board of Commissioners on January 17, 2023.
This meeting agenda will include a review of current bylaws, meeting dates and frequency, currently established economic development priorities, and an election of officers. The 11-member Watauga EDC roster includes:
At-Large Appointees (3)
Suzanne Livesay, Executive Director, Appalachian Theatre of the High Country
Dan Meyer, Retired Boone Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO
Lee Rankin, Owner, Apple Hill Farm, President, NC Agrotourism Networking Association
Appointed by Municipality (5)
Bob Bertini, Town of Seven Devils, resident (appointed by Seven Devils Town Council)
Tim Futrelle, Town of Boone, Mayor
Pete Gherini, Town of Blowing Rock, Councilmember
Barry Kaufman, Town of Beech Mountain, Mayor
Larry Turnbow, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, Chair
Appointed by Position (3)
Matthew Dockham, Director of External Affairs and Community Relations, Appalachian State University
Charles Hardin, President/CEO, Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce
David Jackson, President/CEO, Boone Area Chamber of Commerce
Joe Furman serves as the Director of Economic Development for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and serves as staff to the Watauga EDC. Furman held the same position for Watauga County from 2003-2022. He recently retired from Watauga County after a 38.5-year career that also included his service as Director of Planning and Inspections.