CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--REDI Cincinnati, LLC, the region’s leading economic development initiative, has named Johnna Reeder as the organization’s President & CEO effective May 5.
Reeder, a resident of Fort Mitchell, KY, will be relinquishing her current role as Vice President of Community Relations, Local Government Affairs and Economic Development for Duke Energy, Ohio and Kentucky Region. In her new position, Reeder will oversee REDI in leading efforts to attract and grow businesses and jobs in the region.
Unveiled last month, REDI (Regional Economic Development Initiative) Cincinnati evolved from the Cincinnati USA Partnership for Economic Development and features both top-level CEO involvement and collaboration with public and private investors to spur economic development growth in the greater Cincinnati region.
“I am excited to take the helm at the newly energized REDI and look forward to continued collaboration with its key stakeholders and investors to grow jobs and investment in our region,” said Reeder.
Reeder will manage a staff of 12 economic development professionals and execute a cluster-focused strategy that in 2013 helped create and retain 16,000 jobs, representing $571M in capital investment in the region.
“This role is vital for continuing the growth that our region is experiencing, and Johnna’s ability to build alliances and extensive knowledge of economic development made her the ideal candidate,” said Tom Williams, Board and Executive Committee Chairman of REDI Cincinnati. “It’s rare to find someone who has the leadership and experience that this role demands, in addition to a deep level of commitment to our area,” Williams added.
Reeder will replace Matt Davis, who served as Interim Executive Director for both the Cincinnati USA Partnership and REDI Cincinnati since early September. Davis will remain in his current role until Reeder begins, and then will take another position with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
“Matt has been an excellent steward for REDI, and his results have been outstanding, and we look forward to him continuing to be a leader for our region in his new role with the Chamber,” said Brian Carley, President & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
Before serving Duke Energy in her current capacity, Reeder served the company as Senior Communications and External Affairs Manager. Additionally, she was employed by The Kroger Company, Citi, and The United Way in various capacities, including government relations, public affairs and foundation management. She currently serves on several community boards, including: the Executive Board of Cincinnati Regional Business Committee (CRBC), Economic Development Committee of Cincinnati Business Committee (CBC) and the Board of Directors for Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation, along with the Boards of Directors for the United Way, Cincinnati Museum Center and Source Cincinnati. She was a member of the Board of Advisors for Cincinnati USA Partnership for Economic Development, the predecessor to REDI Cincinnati. She has a master’s degree in business administration from Thomas More College and a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Memphis.
About REDI Cincinnati
Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Cincinnati is the first point of contact for businesses interested in growing in or relocating to Cincinnati USA, a three-state, 15-county region with 2.2M residents and 120,000 businesses, including 10 Fortune® 500 companies. In 2013, Cincinnati USA ranked sixth in the U.S. for new/expanded facilities among metros with 1M+ residents. An economic growth engine, REDI Cincinnati is comprised of top business leaders, investors and community partners. REDI Cincinnati is dedicated to attracting new businesses, expanding businesses and drawing top talent within six key sectors: Advanced Manufacturing; BioHealth; BrandHUB; Finance, Insurance & IT; Food Processing & Agriculture; and Advanced Energy. As the JobsOhio Network Partner for southwest Ohio, REDI Cincinnati helped create and retain 16,000 jobs in 2013, representing $571M in capital investment. Discover more at REDICincinnati.com.
