NOLA.com / The Times Picayune
After serving for five years as executive director of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s business development department, Iain Vasey, will soon become president and CEO of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation.
Originally from Newcastle, England, Vasey joined BRAC in 2010 to help build the business development group. Prior to joining BRAC, Iain served as vice president at Grubb & Ellis and Trammell Crow companies where he represented several major corporations on development strategies, site selection and disposition of corporate assets.
He previously served as economic development director at the city of Glendale, Ariz. and business development director at the city of Las Vegas.
“This was a logical next step up for me, a big promotion, CEO-level position” Vasey said Wednesday (Feb. 4). A headhunter approached him about the position months ago, and “it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Vasey said the move to Texas is bittersweet. “I met some really good friends here and worked with a team of really strong good folks and found some really fun and interesting projects to work on,” Vasey said.
While at the chamber, Vasey lead business recruitment, development, retention, and expansion of companies within the nine-parish region.
“He possesses great instincts for the work — particularly in assessing viability of prospective deals,” BRAC President and CEO Adam Knapp said in a statement. “During his tenure at BRAC, he contributed significantly to the Capital Region’s growth and we’ve enjoyed some very successful years while he has been with us. It’s been a team approach too, and he has helped us build our bench depth among BRAC’s business development team, so we foresee continued success from the team who have been making it happen for years.”
Vasey will wrap up his work in Baton Rouge by the end of the month, joining Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation in early March. Spokeswoman Ansley Zehnder said BRAC will conduct a “thorough and diligent search to fill the role.”