Nebraska and South Dakota have both named new state economic development directors in the past week.
South Dakota Governor Kristy Noem picked Chris Schilken as Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development while Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen chose K-C Belitz as Director of the Department of Economic Development,
Belitz has been chief operating officer of the Nebraska Community Foundation for almost 5 years and was executive director of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce for 18 years. He was in radio before that.
Governor Pillen is also from Columbus, but told reporters Belitz isn’t his “hometown buddy,” but rather a “lifelong Nebraskan that’s dedicated his life to serving rural Nebraska” and is committed to serving long term.
Belitz says he’ll focus on both attracting new jobs and new workers since Nebraska has tens of thousands of jobs that are open because there aren’t people to fill them..
He succeeds Tony Goins, who resigned April 5 from the $215,000-a-year-job amid conflict of interest questions reported by the Nebraska Examiner. Belitz will get the same salary and is scheduled to start on July 5th.
In South Dakota, Chris Schilken is being promoted from Deputy Commissioner and Director of Business Development in Noem’s Office of Economic Development. He joined the agency 5 years ago.
Noem says Schilken understands that his job is to help keep communities growing to welcome new residents to the state while continuing to care for existing businesses, so he’ll work to develop initiatives to create a South Dakota that we will be proud to pass on to the next generation.