Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) Board of Directors Announces Matthew Tackett as New President
Atlanta, GA – Today, Frank McCrady, chairman of the SEDC Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the East Montgomery County (Texas) Improvement District, is pleased to announce that Matthew Tackett will be the new President of SEDC.
Beginning in June 2022, Tackett will lead one of the largest professional associations for economic developers in North America, which covers 17 states and includes over 1,000 members. Tackett will be charged with implementing SEDC’s mission to provide useful information and dynamic leadership to economic development practitioners throughout the American South. In this role, Tackett will provide leadership, vision, and continuity as the organization grows its membership, program offerings, and strategic initiatives. SEDC engages and collaborates with its leaders and stakeholders through relevant communications, policy, and educational programming and initiatives and facilitates multiple events, including the Annual Conference and Meet the Consultants. The Logan Development Group and their strategic partner VisionFirst Advisors conducted the executive search, and the SEDC Search Committee was chaired by Will Williams.
“I feel Matthew’s engaging demeanor, experience in association management, and clear understanding of economic development will place our association on firm footing for continued growth. A special thanks goes out to Will Williams, President & CEO of the South Carolina Economic Development Partnership and SEDC Past Chairman, who led the search committee to find a new president,” said McCrady.
“I am thrilled to engage with this historic and impactful organization,” said Tackett. “The members of SEDC represent one of the world’s most powerful and well-positioned economic regions. Together, we will continue to capitalize on the unparalleled opportunity our convergence provides to forward SEDC’s impact and accelerate economic development in the American South. I thank SEDC for welcoming my family, and I look forward to strategizing with our entire membership.”
“The Search Committee worked hard to get to a good candidate. There was strong interest in the job, which we were pleased with. Matthew has done great things at the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED), and we are confident he will do the same for SEDC. I want to congratulate Matthew and wish him much success in this new endeavor,” said Will Williams, Chairman of the SEDC Search Committee and President/CEO of the Economic Development Partnership, Aiken, SC.
Prior to accepting the position at SEDC, Tackett served as the President and CEO of the Kentucky Association for Economic Development, a multi-business economic development membership organization representing 965 members across the state. Appointed in October 2017, he led KAED through an administrative and programmatic reimagination as the Association creates strategic platforms designed to enhance professional capacity and to assist, analyze, and accelerate economic development in the Commonwealth. Within the KAED portfolio, Tackett spearheaded a multi-million-dollar grant-making program, a global marketing platform, research and legislative initiatives, and a COVID recovery and resilience project designed to amplify economic success in the Commonwealth. Prior to KAED, he served as Executive Director of the Kentucky Gas Association, where he created a holistic membership service portfolio that included legislative affairs, workforce development initiatives, and legal services. Tackett has served in federal grant programs and the Office of the Governor of Kentucky and is the owner of a consulting firm that has focused on economic advocacy and governmental affairs. Tackett holds a B.A. in Political Science and Master of Public Administration from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, and is a native of Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
Longtime SEDC President and CEO Gene Stinson announced his retirement in August 2021. He has served in this role since June 1998. Under Stinson’s leadership, the organization quadrupled the number of programs and membership services, established multiple alliances to provide added value to SEDC members, and tripled its non-dues revenue. Stinson also led a successful effort to purchase an office in downtown Atlanta that more than doubled in value in just six years. Recently, Stinson spearheaded a successful effort to move from an individual membership structure to an organizational structure creating a substantial increase in the volume of membership. Stinson is a Certified Economic Developer, Professional and Community Economic Developer, Certified Association Executive, and an Honorary Life Member of SEDC.
About SEDC: SEDC is the oldest and largest regional economic development association in North America. Founded in 1946, the Council is a nonprofit membership organization of 1,000+ active and influential economic development professionals representing: local, regional, and state economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, business and industry, utilities, transportation, finance, and education. Through conferences and meetings, research and publications, networking, and educational opportunities, SEDC enables members to advance their common interest–the promotion and enhancement of the economic development profession. For more information, visit sedc.org.
