Sanford will play a pivotal role in the growth of Alexandria, Virginia – an Amazon HQ2 finalist city.
Alexandria, VA. — The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) is pleased to announce the hiring of Jerry T. Sanford as the organization’s new Vice President, Business Development. Sanford will lead and expand AEDP’s business attraction and retention team, executing a targeted plan built around the City of Alexandria, Virginia’s unique strengths within the Washington, DC region and beyond. Capitalizing on Alexandria’s positive momentum and growth, Sanford and the Business Development team will use several economic development tools and incentive programs to assist with attraction and retention of businesses that create new jobs and improve the economy for all Alexandrians.
“Jerry is joining the AEDP team at a time when both our City and staff are growing,” said Stephanie Landrum, President & CEO of AEDP. “His mix of previous experience, ideas, and expertise will be a great match for the opportunities ahead in Alexandria, and will be put to great use as we continue to exceed our community’s high expectations for growth and quality of life. As Jerry takes the helm of Business Development, our colleague Christina Mindrup is transitioning into a new role as Vice President of Real Estate, allowing AEDP to focus on product development for the new pipeline of businesses we expect to result from our increased business development efforts.”
Sanford has more than twenty years of utility, state and local economic development experience. He was most recently Economic Development Manager for Washington Gas, an investor-owned utility serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Prior to joining Washington Gas, he served as Director of Business Recruitment and Location Services for the Maryland Department of Commerce where he led a staff who marketed the state’s strategic advantages and provided confidential business location assistance.
Sanford also previously managed the Downtown Silver Spring Urban District, a special taxing district of Montgomery County, Maryland, and has held various leadership roles in economic and community development throughout the region.
“I’m excited to join the AEDP team and to be part of a community poised for significant growth,” said Sanford.
Alexandria’s workforce, education, infrastructure and quality of life make it an excellent location for business operation, expansion, and relocation. The community’s recent success includes partnering with Arlington County to bring Amazon’s HQ2 to Northern Virginia, which includes a $1 billion Virginia Tech Innovation Campus to be built in Alexandria.
Scott Shaw, Chair of the AEDP Board of Directors, said, “Over the last two years, the Board has encouraged efforts to increase AEDP’s impact and supported requests for additional resources to devote to business development activities. After a nation-wide search, we are confident in the decision to hire Jerry Sanford and look forward to his leadership in assuring AEDP remains a strong economic development organization in this competitive market.”
Sanford is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College with a B.S. in Business Management. He has received further training in economic development through the International Economic Development Council and is a Fellow of the Industrial Asset Management Council.
Alexandria Economic Development Partnership is a 501(c)6 public-private partnership that promotes the City of Alexandria as a premier location for businesses of all sizes, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and cutting-edge institutions of science and learning. AEDP promotes Alexandria by showcasing the transportation capabilities, workforce, location, scale, and livability to help #growALX.