Cheyenne LEADS has selected Betsey Hale as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Hale currently serves as the President of Three Rivers Development Corporation located in Corning, NY. Three Rivers is a 54-year-old economic and community development organization which serves a three-county region in the Finger Lakes Wine Country. Prior to her work in New York State, Hale was the Business Development Manager for the City of Loveland, Colorado from 2006-2011 and their Economic Development Director from 2011-2015.
“It is an honor to be given the opportunity to serve as the next CEO of Cheyenne LEADS,” states Hale. “I am so excited to be engaged in economic development on behalf of the City of Cheyenne, Laramie County and the State of Wyoming. With Wyoming’s adoption of 13 blockchain enabling laws, the growing diversification in the energy and agriculture sectors, Cheyenne’s location at the intersection of I-25 and I-80, as well as being the northern gateway to the Front Range, we are poised for substantial economic growth.”
This move offers Hale the chance to be closer to her children and grandchildren who live in Loveland and Fort Collins.
Hale will replace long time LEADS CEO Randy Bruns. Bruns was hired in 1999 by then CEO Jack Crews and was later named CEO in 2002. Bruns announced his retirement in August of 2019. Since that time a search committee was formed, and The Next Move Group was hired to perform a nationwide search. These steps were based on the Cheyenne LEADS succession plan that called for a five-person search committee that included the current Chairman, Vice-Chairman and three other voting board members. The process included phone and video interviews as well as a personal interview of the final candidates.
“Not only is Betsey a successful economic development professional,” Heithoff, Chairman of the LEADS Board states, “she has owned two landscape construction companies, helped run a family ranch and has served as a Colorado county commissioner. Her background in agriculture, education at Cornell University and Colorado State University coupled with her track record of success in the City of Loveland made her the right candidate for the position at this time.”
Mayor Marian Orr believes that Hale will be a welcomed addition to the economic development efforts being made in the community.
“I would like to welcome Betsey Hale to the community, her accomplishments speak for themselves,” says Mayor Orr. “I look forward to working with Betsey as the city continues its long and successful relationship with Cheyenne LEADS.”
The search committee feels confident that Hale will be a great addition to the LEADS team. “Randy Bruns has done an amazing job these past 18 years,” states Heithoff. “We are confident Betsey will lead our highly talented professional team on a continued trajectory of success.”
Hale will start as the new CEO on April 13, 2020.
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