Posted: March 5, 2010

Darryl W. Gosnell
President and CEO
Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance

Darryl W. Gosnell became president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance in October 2008, taking the helm of a business-attraction organization ranked in the top 10 percent of economic development groups in the nation.

Prior to joining HREDA, Gosnell was senior vice president, economic development, for the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce in Oklahoma. He held similar regional economic development positions in Des Moines, Iowa: Dayton, Ohio; Gainesville, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; Miami, Fla.; and with both the West Virginia and the Florida departments of commerce. He holds both a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's in public administration from West Virginia University.

A certified economic developer, Gosnell is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of the Executive Advisory Council for the College of Business and Public Administration at Old Dominion University; the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees; the Opportunity Inc. Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board; the Hampton Roads Partnership Board of Directors; the Virginia Economic Developers Association; the Southern Economic Development Council; and the International Economic Development Council.

Which industries are the best to generate jobs in Hampton Roads?

Some of the business sectors that we have particular strengths and assets in include advanced manufacturing, modeling and simulation, and maritime and logistics. The alliance has seen an increase in inquiries and activity in these areas and in general over the last year.

How do we get those jobs here?

A variety of factors come into play, but some critical components include a pro-business environment at the state and local level, competitive incentives, and most importantly to many companies, a qualified workforce. One of our ongoing challenges in attracting any type of new business is raising the awareness of Hampton Roads' business and lifestyle advantages nationally and internationally.