Jayne Kirkpatrick, Director, Public Affairs

Prepared by: Sharon Felton, Communications Administrator, Planning and Development

 

For more information: Mitchell Silver, Chief Planning and Development Officer and Planning Director, 919-996-2625

 

Oct. 29, 2013

 

Raleigh Names James Sauls Economic Development Manager

 

James Sauls is the new economic development manager for the City of Raleigh. He begins his duties on Monday, Nov. 4.

 

Mr. Sauls is a familiar name to Raleigh and to economic development as he previously served as a contractor for the City of Raleigh while working through the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce on business recruitment and retention efforts. In addition, he has been instrumental in marketing Raleigh to businesses interested in relocating to the Capital City while focusing on specific industry clusters and site selection.

 

“It is great that I already have relationships with Raleigh’s economic development partners. Now it is just a matter of strengthening those relationships,”

Mr. Sauls said.

 

As manager of the City of Raleigh Office of Economic Development, Mr. Sauls will continue to help drive businesses to Raleigh while expanding his scope to include coordinating with Raleigh economic development partners to create a sustainable program of economic development. He will be responsible for a staff dedicated to economic development, providing data and data analysis, site acquisitions and assemblage, request for proposals and developer agreements, and pre-entitlements.

 

“After three rounds of searches over the past nine months, I am thrilled we found the best candidate right here in Raleigh for the economic development manager’s position,” said Mitchell Silver, the City’s chief planning and development officer and planning director. “James is a proven leader. He knows Raleigh and has brought jobs and great projects to our city.”

 

Mr. Sauls also has served as economic development director for the Town of Fuquay-Varina. In this position he was responsible for the overall economic development strategy for the fast-growing community in southwestern Wake County. He worked on several economic development strategies including the development of a revolving loan fund using federal grant money to stimulate small business recruitment and retention. He also established a shared-office center, named “SPHERE”, to recruit start-ups in the areas of gaming/simulation and defense technologies. 

 

Mr. Sauls is actively involved in civic and business committees. He is on the board of the North Carolina Economic Developers Association, is a member of the Wake Technical Community College Business Advisory Board, and is an associate member of Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. He also is a member of the Association of the United States Army and is a master mason in Holly Springs Masonic Lodge #115.

 

Mr. Sauls has a bachelor’s of science degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management with a business management minor from North Carolina State University. He resides in Fuquay-Varina with his wife Sandra. They have two daughters, Abigayle and Delaney, and two dogs, C.J. and Bella.