The City of Newton has announced a new administrative staff structure to better support economic development and advance community growth.
Newton has had tremendous success recently in new industrial recruitment, business expansions, and housing development. To manage the increasing demands, Director of Administrative Services Rebecca Likiardopoulos will head up a new Economic Development Department as the new Assistant City Manager of Economic Development.
“With so many projects and so many moving parts to coordinate, it has become increasingly clear that a dedicated economic development department will be important for driving and managing growth in our community,” City Manager Daniela Rivas said. “With her experience and knowledge, Rebecca is the right person to help grow our capacity for future development.”
Likiardopoulos has played an invaluable support role in development in recent years, leading initiatives for housing rehabilitation, state incentives and tax credits, grant projects, historic preservation, and most recently, the Choose Newton Main Street program.
In the new position, Likiardopoulos will work closely with Harvey County Economic Development on industrial recruitment and expansion, workforce development and regional initiatives. She will be integral in the City’s long-range strategic planning.
She will directly oversee the Meridian Center, Convention and Tourism/Main Street, Community Development (focused on commercial development, housing, and small business retention), and Historic Preservation.
“What I am most excited about is how this new department will bring together all of our internal and external stakeholders to facilitate conversations,” Rivas said. “Newton is at a pivotal moment, with so many growth opportunities ahead for us. We are fortunate to have Rebecca on our team, and I’m eager to support her as she transitions into this new role.”
Likiardopoulos has been with the City of Newton since 2020. Prior to that, she had over 13 years of leadership experience in public and nonprofit entities ranging from government to education and mental health care.
She is a Wichita native and has a master’s degree in public administration from the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College.
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