Press Room > 2004 :

Vaux is New Regional Representative for GOED

RELEASE DATE: Wednesday, August 18, 2004

For More Information Contact: Mary Lehecka Nelson, 773-3301

Pierre, SD – Mark Vaux recently joined the team at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development as a regional representative for the northern part of the state, Jim Hagen, secretary of the Department of Tourism and State Development, announced today, August 18.

Vaux will cover the following counties: Potter, Walworth, Campbell, McPherson, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Beadle, Spink, Brown, Day, Marshall, Roberts and Grant. “A great deal of Mark’s time will be spent visiting with company and community officials in the region,” Hagen said. “As part of the state’s 2010 Initiative to increase the state’s Gross State Product by $10 billion, we are placing a renewed emphasis on our retention and expansion efforts. The only way we can truly understand the needs of our companies is to get out there and visit with them,” Hagen said.

Tina Van Camp, director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, noted that the regional rep concept has been around for several years, but this is the first time that all of the reps will be living in the region they serve. “In the past we had about half of our regional reps based out of Pierre. We made the decision that the most effective way to serve the people of South Dakota is to have our reps physically living in the region,” she said. “Not only will this help increase our GSP, it will also contribute to our efforts to stabilize rural populations through community development,” Van Camp said.

Vaux, a native of Aberdeen, still calls the Hub City home. He was most recently employed with the Northern State University Foundation. Prior to that, he served as the Northeast Field Director for then Congressman John Thune. “Mark comes with a tremendous amount of experience,” Hagen said. “He also has a keen understanding of the importance of regional development,” he added. Vaux will be housed out of the Aberdeen Development Corporation office and can be reached at (605) 725-2700.

“Northeast South Dakota is home and it’s a great place to live and raise a family,” Vaux said. “I’m excited about this opportunity to enhance economic development opportunities for all people across the region. In the short time I’ve been on the job, I’ve already heard about numerous projects which reaffirms the importance of having a representative from the GOED who is actually in the region,” he concluded.