Staff & Board

Lisa Denton is the Executive Director for the Kilgore Economic Development Corporation in Kilgore, Texas. Having served in this position since August 2021, she oversees all aspects of economic development for the city, including primary employer retention and expansion, recruitment, marketing, property development and sales, budgeting, project finance and incentives and property management.

Ms. Denton is a graduate of the Advanced Economic Development Leadership Program where she earned her Master Practitioner credential (MEDP) through Clemson University, Texas Christian University, University of Alabama and University of Southern Mississippi. She has also earned her Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) Certification through the National Development Council, as well as Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED) certification through the Community Development Institute at Lone Star College in The Woodlands. She is certified as a Business Retention and Expansion Professional (BREP) through Business Retention & Expansion International. She attended the Basic Economic Development Course at Texas A & M.

Before coming home to Kilgore, Ms. Denton served as Executive Director for both Palestine Economic Development Corporation and Athens Economic Development Corporation. She began her economic development career in Kilgore, TX, where she held the position of Assistant Director for KEDC for 10+ years.

Ms. Denton has been a member of, and held positions with, several organizations, including:

Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC)-Board Member 2023-current; 2017-2021, Executive Committee 2023-current, Workforce Committee 2015-current; Committee Co-Chair 2023-current, PAC Committee Co-Chair 2017, Budget Committee 2018, Nominating Committee 2019, 2022, Certified Texas Economic Developer Committee 2023-current
East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD) Board Member 2018-current
East Texas Regional Development Company-Board Member 2014-current
Northeast Texas Economic Developers Roundtable (NETEDR)-President 2010-2011
Marketing/Communications Committee Chair 2007-2010
I-20 Corridor Marketing Association-President 2015-2019, Vice-President 2021-current
Northeast Texas Economic Alliance Marketing Association (NETEA)
International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC)- College of Fellows 2019
Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC)
Team Texas State Marketing Association- Advisory Board Member 2022-2023
Business Retention & Expansion International (BREI)-President 2012-2013, President-Elect
2011-2012, Board Member 2009-2011, Marketing/Communications Committee Chair 2008-2010;
State Chair 2007-2010
Kilgore Chamber of Commerce-Ex-Officio Board Member 2021-current
Leadership Kilgore Graduate 2007
Kilgore College Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Technology Council (AMIT) 2021-current
Kilgore College Workforce Development Advisory Committee-Chair 2008-2014
Kilgore College Process Technology Advisory Committee
Kilgore ISD Career & Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Committee
Kilgore Boys & Girls Club Founding Council Member 2008-2011

James Wright is the Director of Real Estate and Development for Kilgore Economic Development Corporation in Kilgore, TX. His responsibilities are real estate property management, expansion facilitation, land acquisition and development.

James retired from Halliburton Energy Services after twenty-three years of loyal service. He held various roles during that time, each increasing in responsibilities. One of his most influential positions was primarily here in Kilgore. As Real Estate Facilities Manager, he presided over all district properties for the company. He was promoted and relocated to Houston as the Southern Region Real Estate Manager. In this capacity, James was tasked with overseeing the acquisition and development of new properties, involving capital investments of up to $120 million.

A Marine Corps combat veteran, James brings a wide range of valuable qualities and experiences to this leadership role. James also brings experience as a project manager for design and construction, affording him a deep understanding of industry requirements and end-user needs through collaborative efforts with builders.

James holds certification as a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist from LSU, underscoring his unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of the community, workforce, contractors, and all those impacted by the projects he oversees. He has further honed his leadership skills by attending Business Leadership Development courses at Texas A&M's Mays Business School.

In May 2024, KEDC welcomed Katherine Kirkpatrick as its new Marketing and Business Development Lead.

She is responsible for expanding awareness of Kilgore as an ideal site for manufacturing operations, and also works as a liaison with local businesses to optimize their success.

Kirkpatrick brings extensive corporate marketing experience and a fervor for East Texas economic growth to her role. She attained her Business Retention and Expansion Coordinator certification from Business Retention and Expansion International during her first week.

Prior to joining KEDC, Kirkpatrick served as Vice President of Marketing for Ag Research Management, a Fort Worth-based ag lender with 25 offices in 18 states. While in that position, she received the National Association of Agricultural Marketing’s Best of NAMA Award for Public Relations. She also won regional awards in the categories of advertising and sales collateral. Kirkpatrick was Chief Marketing Officer for New Alternative Green Energy and also held Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations roles for Quadrem and Allegiance Capital. She spent most of her 20+ year career in the Dallas area.

Kirkpatrick recently selected East Texas for her home and can attest to the draw Kilgore and the surrounding areas offer to businesses and residents alike.

She and her husband James raise Missouri Fox Trotting Horses and travel to horse shows as time allows.

Stephanie Moore brings 17 years of experience as an apartment manager to KEDC, where she is responsible for office management and staff support services.

During the last ten years in the apartment industry, she worked with Dial Equities Inc., where her properties consistently won awards for best net operating income and best renewal program, among others. Before her career in the apartment industry, Moore worked in the plastics industry with quality control at Southern Plastics in Kilgore.

She attended Kilgore College and is a graduate of the Basic Economic Development Course. She is also a graduate of Leadership Kilgore through the Kilgore Area Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of the Northeast Texas Economic Developers Roundtable and the Texas Economic Development Council.