Brittaney Johnson just started her position as CEO and President of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation (GOEDC) on Monday, Dec. 17, but she said she already feels a closeness with the city and the people who live in it.
“Everyone has been so kind, and so helpful,” Johnson said of her co-workers and colleagues she’s gotten to know over the last week. “I feel like everything happens for a reason. I’ve been here for five days, and everyone’s been phenomenal so far.”
Johnson, who will soon be moving to Owensboro from Poseyville, Ind., with her husband and two daughters, said she’s familiar with Owensboro because of past visits she’s taken with her family.
“I’ve always been impressed with Owensboro. I’ve brought my husband and two girls here for lunch. We’ve been to the museums and have come for the fireworks,” Johnson said.
For now, Johnson is commuting between Poseyville — a community of 25,900 — and Owensboro.
As for her new role as CEO of GOEDC, Johnson said she hasn’t been nervous about her career, despite taking on such a prominent job in a much larger city. Johnson is looking forward to learning the ins and outs of the community and helping to improve it.
Previously, Johnson served as the executive director of the Posey County, Indiana Economic Development Partnership.
“I ran the economic development organization for two years. It was new, so I was only the second executive director for that organization,” Johnson said. “In the last two years, we’ve redone the focus of that organization.”
In restructuring the focus of the Posey County EDP, Johnson achieved many firsts for the county and the organization. One of Johnson’s big focuses was creating workforce initiatives, and she previously lead her team in designing advanced manufacturing pathways from the public schools to the local industries that focused on welding and fabricating and process operator certificates.
Even more, Johnson secured an $80 million expansion at a Mount Vernon, Ind. facility, where employees manufacture heavy components for naval nuclear reactors used in submarines and aircraft carriers.
Johnson’s achievements are in line with many current Owensboro officials’ as she worked with a focus group of young professionals who implemented programs that would attract young professionals in returning to Posey County after graduating college. This endeavor of Johnson’s led to TIF (Tax Increment Financing) funds to motivate residential developers to build more single family homes that would meet the needs of young professionals looking for housing options.
As for Owensboro, Johnson is creating a plan to better the community, and she said two of her focuses will involve workforce initiatives and quality of place, which is an economic focus that many economists believe is gaining ground in attracting more people to a certain area based on the amenities a community provides. Quality of place often revolves around amenities from parks and bike lanes to arts and cultural venues, which retain talent and bolster residents’ happiness.
“I want to help Owensboro grow, but I also want to retain the businesses we have here,” Johnson said.
