By By MICHELE GERLACH-Publisher
The Tri County Industrial Development Authority announced Tuesday it has tapped Wiley Blankenship to lead the organization, naming him president.
Yank Lovelace, board chairman, made the announcement during Tuesday's festivities at the group's new office, located at Hwy. 41 and I-65.
Blankenship, who has been a partner in the Austin, Texas, based firm of Funding Solutions since 2000, worked with TCIDA in that role to raise the $2.2 it has had pledged to it so far.
In his role with Funding Solutions, Blankenship has worked with the Marshall County Economic Development Council, Henry County Economic Development Authority, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, The American Village – Montevallo, AL, Carnegie Visual Arts Center – Decatur, AL, and Madison Chamber of Commerce, Gadsden Commercial Development Authority, Elmore County Economic Development Authority, and Baldwin County Economic Development Authority, as well as TCIDA.
Prior to joining Funding Solutions, he served as the vice president of business development for the Decatur-Morgan Co., Ala., Chamber of Commerce from 1996-2000. In that role, he developed a retail/commercial development program that created more than $100 million in new tax revenue and more than 2,000 jobs.
Blankenship earned a degree in public administration from Auburn University and is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Institute of Organizational Management. Additionally, he has completed course work in economic development at Georgia Tech.