Kettering’s choice to head business growth brings Dayton-area experience

Amy Schrimpf has been named the new Kettering economic development after serving several years with the Dayton Development Coalition. She was also elected to two terms as an at-large member of Kettering City Council. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Amy Schrimpf has been named the new Kettering economic development after serving several years with the Dayton Development Coalition. She was also elected to two terms as an at-large member of Kettering City Council. CONTRIBUTED

KETTERING — A familiar name in Kettering and Dayton-area economic development is now overseeing business growth in Montgomery County’s most-populated suburb.

Former Kettering City Councilwoman Amy Schrimpf is that city’s new economic development manager. Schrimpf, 48, took the job and its $106,500 annual salary after several years with the Dayton Development Coalition, where she was project manager and government affairs director.

Schrimpf succeeds Gregg Gorsuch, who retired last month after 18 years with the city, in heading a department responsible for attracting and retaining businesses and jobs.

The city’s income tax base accounts for about 79% of Kettering general fund revenues, records show.

“Kettering offers a broad spectrum of opportunities,” she said. “Economic development is an important piece of the overall health of this community.”

City Manager Mark Schwieterman said Schrimpf’s experience and commitment to the city “are unique and will have a positive impact” for Kettering.

“Amy is very passionate about Kettering’s future for both businesses and the community at large,” Schwieterman said in a statement.

“She has proven that she can successfully lead innovative projects and collaborate with businesses on solutions — even during economic downturn,” he added. “She has worked with global companies, locally-owned businesses, as well as business organizations and community groups.”

Kettering last week approved a plan to offer a Miami Valley Research Park medical device business $200,000 in job-creation incentives.

Schrimpf called the deal to keep Resonetics’ 140-plus jobs and add more than 90 others “important as their manufacturing and research and development facilities are located throughout the nation.”

Schrimpf worked a combination of about 10 years with the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District and the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, records show.

In November 2009 she was also elected to her first of two terms as an at-large city councilwoman. Schrimpf gained the most votes among six candidates that year, and won re-election going unopposed for one of two city-wide seats in 2013, according to election records.

“I obviously love the city,” she said. “And taking the economic development experience I have from previous jobs I’m happy to put that to work for the city.”

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