Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) welcomes the addition of Ryan Culp as Sunriver/La Pine Area economic development director.
In this role, Culp is responsible for executing the plans and programs of business retention, expansion and recruitment within the La Pine and Sunriver communities and assisting in the creation and retention of traded-sector employment in South Deschutes County. Additionally, he will work with area leaders to assist in projects, initiatives and activities that directly or indirectly make the community an easy, cost effective and friendly place to do business.
Culp hails from Mississippi, where he most recently worked as a senior project manager for the Mississippi Development Authority, the economic equivalent of Business Oregon. In 2016 alone, he helped recruit nearly 1,000 jobs and $220 million in private investment to Mississippi, while guiding businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies on site selection, project financing and workforce development.
“It’s not often we are able to hire team members with applied economic development experience,” noted Roger Lee, CEO of EDCO. “Ryan comes to us with invaluable recruitment knowledge and a track record of bringing together all the necessary elements of complex business development projects that will help him to make a difference in La Pine and Sunriver.”
Culp holds a bachelor of business administration in marketing from Mississippi State University. An avid climber and outdoorsman, he and his wife recently relocated from Mississippi to Central Oregon. While initially attracted to the region’s natural beauty, his excitement about the economic potential of southern Deschutes County motivated their move to the Pacific Northwest.
“We’re fortunate to be able to recruit talent from across the country. This wouldn’t have been possible without the help from Karen Turner and the thorough staff at Express Employment Professionals, who continue to set the bar high in finding incredible talent,” said EDCO Chief Operations Officer, Erin Chaiet.
