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Turner to leave post as president of Spokane Economic Development Council

Mark Turner, who served as president of the Spokane Economic Development Council for nearly six years, will leave his job in August.

Tom Sowa
Staff writer

Turner, 51, said he plans to return to upstate New York, where he worked before taking the Spokane job in 1997.

Turner said Wednesday that he’s leaving with a sense of accomplishment, even though the EDC is currently struggling to regain financial support from area companies in this tough economic climate.

He credits the EDC’s role in helping to recruit 5,000 family-wage jobs to the region between 1998 and 2002 as a major success.

But Turner said he has struggled to expand the organization’s role as a coordinator of what is now "fragmented" economic development efforts in the region.

The EDC has also tried, unsuccessfully, to establish long-term funding for its work and for other local development groups, Turner said.

"That’s the one frustration we’ve felt, that economic development lacks a predictable source of funding in the community," he said.

The EDC’s annual budget has decreased from $1.3 million in 2002 to about $900,000. The largest contributor is Spokane County, which provides about $300,000. But county officials have said they will reduce the level of support to help offset the amount of money lost in property taxes to the new city of Spokane Valley.

The city of Spokane provides $95,000 to the EDC. The remainder comes from private donors — primarily corporations and businesses.

Turner’s salary was about $98,000. In addition to Turner, the EDC has eight people on its payroll — down from 13 three years ago.

The EDC board expects to appoint an interim executive by Aug. 15, Turner’s final day, said chairman-elect Randy Fewell.

Fewell will lead a national search for a replacement that could take as long as 12 months, he said.

Turner said one reason for leaving Spokane now is to be closer to friends and his aging parents on the East Coast. He added he’s been contemplating leaving the region for "some time."

He’s uncertain about the next step in his career.

"First I’ll put my feet up for a while," he said. Later, he’ll likely look for work as a consultant for agencies or regions looking at economic development.

Bob Potter, former president of Kootenai County’s Jobs Plus recruitment agency, said Turner is a skillful manager and a dedicated professional.

"Mark’s a good competitor. But he also cares a lot. He’s a gentleman and has a lot of integrity," said Potter, who retired this year after 15 years at Jobs Plus.

Potter said he isn’t surprised by Turner’s decision to leave, since leading the EDC "involves a fair share of tribal warfare."

Competition over priorities sometimes erupts between groups with differing geographic interests such as downtown or Spokane Valley, Potter said.

"I figured Mark would leave sooner or later," he said.

Turner’s predecessor, Bob Cooper, remained in Spokane for 10 years, but that was an exception, Potter said.

Most economic development executives stay with a job for about five or six years, then find they need new challenges, he said. "Mark did very well in a tough job."

•Business writer Tom Sowa can be reached at (509) 459-5492 or at [email protected].

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=062603&ID=s1372846&cat=section.business

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