Agenda 03-21-2017-11-e - Economic Development Advisory Board

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4 ORANGE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NORTH CARMA & 131 W.Margaret Lane,Ste 205 PO Box 1177 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone(919)245-2325 February 22, 2017 Donna Baker Clerk to the Board of Orange County Commissioners 200 South Cameron Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Donna: The Orange County Economic Development Department Advisory Board has 3 current vacancies,to include 1 opening on the board's hotel,tourism & restaurant specialist category. This vacancy is due to the recent written resignation recently submitted by Mr. Nitin Khanna (former General Manager of the Chapel Hill Sheraton Hotel). He has resigned from our advisory board due to the end of his local employment managing the Chapel Hill Sheraton, and, because he is not an Orange County resident. (1) Hotel/Restaurant Sector Nominee: Mr.Anthony Carey In response, the entire Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board has reviewed all volunteer applications and enthusiastically endorsed the application of Mr.Anthony Carey to fill this vacancy. Mr. Carey is the local General Manager of the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill. Mr. Carey also comes highly recommended by the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau board and the executive director, Laurie Paolicelli. Mr. Carey previously served on the Visitors Bureau board as a member and as Chair. It is strongly felt that Mr. Carey has very relevant hotelier and restauranteur work experience operating a business in Orange County, employing our local residents, and contributing to the Orange County economy. On behalf of the Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board Chair (Jim Kitchen) &Vice Chair (Paige Zinn), I am asking the BOCC to favorably consider the appointment of Anthony Carey. In addition, our advisory board has 2 remaining vacancies in the Entrepreneurial sector&Core Business sectors. Those vacancies occurred recently due to former board appointees Nick Thomas& Ron Kiser moving their employment out of Orange County. Our advisory board and department staff have worked to identify and recruit new potential applicants, and would like to make the following nominations to the BOCC for consideration: (2) Entrepreneurial Sector Nominee: Ms.Sharon Hill Ms. Sharon Hill is talented, qualified and highly recommended by current Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board member Delores Bailey(of Empowerment, Inc.), who writes: "I encouraged Sharon Hill to apply. I believe she will fill the entrepreneurial seat left vacant by Nick's departure nicely.