Albany, Ga. – The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission announced today that Andrea Schruijer would be leaving the agency to take an economic development director’s position in a south Georgia community.
Schruijer, who has served as senior vice president of the EDC, has accepted the role of executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority, the organization charged with economic development in that community.
“I really hate to lose a talented person from our team, but I am pleased that Andrea is moving forward in economic development and that she’ll continue to be a colleague of ours that will help bring growth to the region,” said Ted Clem, CEcD, president of the Albany-Dougherty EDC.
Schruijer, who has a sales and marketing background with more than 10 years experience with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., joined the EDC in 2007. Schruijer was key in leading the EDC through its restructuring in 2008. She designed and implemented the agency’s Business Retention and Expansion Program (BREP), an initiative that in 2010
assisted existing industries that invested more than $25.5 million in the community. Schruijer’s day-to-day responsibilities also included management of Parkway Industrial Centre and Pecan Grove Corporate Park, and development of the new 224-acre Albany-Dougherty Industrial Park.
Schruijer’s last day with the Albany-Dougherty EDC is Friday.
The EDC’s immediate steps will be to fill the roles and responsibilities internally with existing staff, and, down the road, evaluate its future staffing needs.
“We have a talented team here with our existing staff,” Clem said, “and I’m fully confident that they can take on added responsibilities.”
Aside from Clem, EDC staff members are Justin Strickland, Bárbara Rivera Holmes and Suzanne McKinney.
