TEDA CEO decision anticipated today

In what has turned out to be a challenging process during the past six months, the Terrebonne Economic Development Council Board of Commissioners is expected to select a new CEO today during a special session at the Courtyard by Marriott at 9 a.m.

The three candidates, Steve Vassallo, Bill Rodier and Thad Chambers, span neighboring states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and offer a combined 63 years of pertinent experience in economic development, business consulting, marketing, sales and organizational realignment.

Steve Vassallo

Currently operating his own business, Global Colors of Economic Success, from Oxford, Miss., Steve Vassallo has focused his work since 2007 on economic development projects around the world.

He previously worked as an economic development specialist with Johnson & Associated, the same firm TEDA has used in its candidate search, in Austin, Texas between 1999 and 2007.

Vassallo’s career specifically in economic development took him to four separate leadership positions from Texas to Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi between 1987 and 1999. During his career he has assisted 50 international companies and 64 municipalities with development plans.

Vassallo earned a B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi and graduated from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute with a thesis paper that addressed the benefits of sister city relationships for economic development.

“I think Louisiana, like Texas, is one of the better areas to be in right now for job creation because there is such a diverse inventory of assets,” Vassallo said. “I think [economic development] is an occupation that really agrees with me and [the TEDA] position is natural to me. [If selected] I’m going to hit the ground running from day one.”

Bill Rodier

Since 2007, Bill Rodier has dedicated his services to the Louisiana Workforce Commission and Department of Economic Development, where he is currently division manager for customized business and workforce solutions.

Prior to the LWC position, Rodier oversaw strategic planning and real estate initiatives as a consulting partner for White Sands Development in Pensacola, Fla. from 2003 until 2007. Before that, he also worked in direct sales in the automotive industry for nine years. From 1987-1994 he was a flight leader for the U.S. Pacific Air Force Elite Guard at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.

Rodier holds a masters of business administration from the University of Phoenix and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute and the University of Southern Mississippi National Development Council.

“I’m excited about the opportunity for a couple of reasons,” Rodier said. “No. 1, I’m very committed to Louisiana and what I can do for Louisiana. That’s what brought me from working in the New Orleans area to state government. Making a difference for the greater good. What I think I can bring to the table is taking a large component of what I do on the state level, at a larger perspective in including all the relationships and different tools I’ve become familiar with and in some cases created, and be able to focus those into a local and regional effort.”

Thad Chambers

Marketing and sales with Mobile Electric Power Solutions of Garland, Texas, has been the focus of business career activity for Thad Chambers since March 2010.

Chambers worked as development manager for the Woodmont Company for five months in 2008 and was director of economic development for the city of North Richland Hills, Texas between April 2006 and March 2008.

His listed work in economic development dates back to 1995 and includes a five-year stint with the Gainesville, Texas, Economic Development Corp., an original 2 ½ year stay with the City of Richland Hills, Texas, one year with the City of Kennedale, Texas, and 2 ¼ years working in economic and small business development at the University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas.

Chambers earned his B.B.A. at the University of Texas Permian basin and like the other two TEDA candidates graduated from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.

Chambers did not return repeated messages left on his cell phone by press time.

“It has been a challenge,” TEDA Board Chairman Don Hingle said of the selection process, which originally resulted in a CEO recommendation being withdrawn from consideration when a questionable financial background was exposed.

“I am not going to guess [on a selection],” Hingle said Monday. “I think we’ve got three decent candidates here. We’ll just have to wait and see how it turns out.”

Hingle admitted that the selection effort has been a learning experience for the TEDA board.

“I guess it was challenging because of the unknown. Normally you depend on your consultant and [Chloe Johnson of Johnson & Associates] had never gone through [having a negative background on a candidate revealed] before. The second round is going quick and I’m glad we got some good candidates quickly. I don’t want to cast a negative light on the process.”

An update on the TEDA CEO selection will be posted online at tri-parishtimes.com.