Bedford County names new economic development director

Pam Bailey will be the new Bedford County Economic Development director, County Administrator Robert Hiss announced Monday. She had been serving as the interim director.

“Pam brings energy, passion and creativity, along with a high work ethic, to this position,” Hess said in a statement. “I’ve been completely impressed with her accomplishments over the past three months as interim director. She is a fantastic example of growing incredible talent from within the organization.”

Since February 2018, Bailey has served as the county economic development office’s marketing and business development coordinator, leading marketing, managing the departmental and EDA budgets and assisting with securing grants. She has worked with Lynchburg-based firm Blair Marketing, Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson and United Way of Central Virginia.

“It is my great pleasure to accept the position of economic development director and transfer my business-to-business experience in the private sector to the public sector,” Bailey said in a statement. “Over the next several months, I’ll be working to establish goals for the department including, but not limited to, working with the EDA to revise their strategic plan [and] creating a small business development grant program.”

Bailey has also been involved with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Virginia Economic Developers Association, the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce and other organizations.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design with a minor in marketing from Meredith College.

Bailey succeeds Traci Blido, who is now the director of the Central Virginia Workforce Development Board.