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KEDC Board & Staff

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2020-2021 Board of Directors  
President Bob Davis
Vice-President Bobby Beane
Secretary Ricardo Viloria
Asst. Secretary Bryan Johnston
Director Jeff Stone
KEDC Staff  
Executive Director Lisa Denton
Assistant Director Jana Russell
Office & Property Manager Stephanie Moore
Business Retention Specialist Austin Clark

Board


Bob Davis | President
 


Bobby Beane | Vice-President


Ricardo Viloria | Secretary


Bryan Johnston | Assistant Secretary

Jeff Stone | Director

  

Staff

 

 Lisa Denton | 903 983 3522

Lisa Denton is the Executive Director for KEDC. Denton was previously Assistant Director for KEDC in 2004 for 10 years before leaving Kilgore to lead the Athens Economic Development Corporation and the Palestine Economic Development Corporation. 
 
Having served as the Economic Development Director in Palestine since May 2020, she handled 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. She also served as department director for Tourism, Visitor’s Center and Main Street.  Her career path also includes office manager, corporate off-site trainer/auditor and project coordinator positions.
 
She 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 also has 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 and the University of Central Arkansas.  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.
Denton has been a member of, and held positions with, several organizations, including:
  • Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC)-Board Member 2017-current, Workforce Committee 2015-current, PAC Committee Co-Chair 2017, Budget Committee 2018, Nominating Committee 2019
  • 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
  • International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
  • Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC)
  • Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC)
  • 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
  • Leadership Kilgore Graduate 2007
  • Kilgore Boys & Girls Club Founding Council Member 2008-2011
 

     Jana Russell  |  903 985 8118

Jana Russell is the Assistant Director for KEDC. Having served KEDC since 2009, she directs economic development in the city.  She was previously Marketing Director.
 
Jana has worked in economic and community development for more than 15 years, serving communities through strategic planning, marketing and project management.  Before KEDC, she served SWEPCO/American Electric Power Company communities as regional project manager, assisting in AEP prospect leads and community economic developers with local activities.  
 
She earned a BFA in Journalism at Southern Methodist University. She is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and the Basic Economic Development Course at Texas A&M. 
 
Jana is active in several organizations including:
  • Texas Economic Development Council, Past Member of the Board of Directors and Education Committee Co-Chair
  • TEDC Team Texas
  • Southern Economic Development Council
  • North East Texas Economic Developers’ Roundtable, Past President
  • East Texas I-20 Corridor Marketing Organization
  • Northeast Texas Economic Alliance Marketing Association
  • Transatlantic Business Investment Council
 
 
   
     Stephanie Moore  |  903 983 3522
Stephanie Moore brings 17 years of experience as an apartment manager to KEDC, where she is responsible for office management and staff support services as well as property management. 
 
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.   
 
She attended Kilgore College and is a graduate of the Basic Economic Development Course. She is a member of the Northeast Texas Economic Developers Roundtable and the Texas Economic Development Council.
 
 

     Austin Clark | 903 985 8120

Austin Clark is the Reseach Specialist for KEDC.
 
A graduate of UT Austin with a BA in Government and Economics, Austin is positioned to be an asset to KEDC and the Kilgore community.  His college volunteer experience includes serving on the Executive Board of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity as well as membership in the Texas Advertising Group and Texas Economics Association.
 
He is a graduate of the Business Retention Expansion International certification course and the Basic Economic Development Course. He is a member of the Northeast Texas Economic Developers Roundatable and the Texas Economic Development Council.
 
He worked as a Senate Messenger in the 85th Session of the Texas Legislature.
 
 
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