Jeff is a Senior Vice President of Location Strategies and Operations in Evergreen’s Location Strategies practice. With more than 30 years of experience in location analysis, site selection, and business incentive services, he is skilled in securing, negotiating, and implementing economic incentives such as cash grants, tax abatements and credits, PILOT agreements, workforce training grants, payroll rebates, sales and use tax refunds, utility benefits, and more for his clients. His experience ranges from large corporate headquarter relocations to small manufacturing projects across hundreds of markets throughout North America.

Before joining Evergreen, Jeff was the Executive Director for the Virginia's Growth Alliance (VGA), a regional economic development organization serving 11 counties and communities in southern Virginia. Although the primary focus of this endeavor was business recruitment. The organization also created strategies for entrepreneurship, asset, and leadership development.

Jeff previously managed projects for the Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County, Virginia, where he and his team successfully brought in over 450 new jobs and saved over 800 existing jobs within three years including projects with ABB and Faneuil. During his five years of service as the Project Manager/Interim Director/Assistant Director for the Danville Office of Economic Development in Virginia, he assisted with attracting more than 6,700 new jobs and over $700 million in new investment, including IKEA's first US manufacturing facility, EBI, Target, Home Depot, Harley Davidson and Yorktowne, and many other manufacturing, retail, and commercial projects.

Location Strategies

Jeff directs the team on behalf of national and global clients resulting in investments of over $2.5 billion and the creation of over 2,000 new jobs. Through his leadership, the team has negotiated over $500 million in incentives, conducted extensive on-site visits, and negotiated incentives with economic development organizations for projects in thirty states. The ELS team is committed to building relationships based on trust resulting in clients being positioned to achieve their highest goals.

Education

Jeff holds a BA in Geography from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Speaking Engagements

Jeff speaks on topics such as corporate location strategy and site selection trends, workforce and talent issues, and successful economic development.

Organizations

Jeff is an active member of several professional organizations, including The Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC), Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC), The American Planning Association (APA), The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), The International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and The Transatlantic Business and Investment Council – where he serves as a member of the advisory board. Additionally, he has served local communities as the president of the Community Arts Foundation and is a current member of the board of the Touching Our World Foundation and the Southern Virginia Food Hub.

Interests

Jeff’s love for travel and architecture has led him to explore 49 states and over 40 countries on three continents, providing him with a unique perspective and understanding of different cultures and local markets. His experiences have taught him to be detailed oriented, culturally aware, and adaptable. Jeff’s passion for discovery and innovation drives him to find creative solutions and deliver exceptional outcomes for his clients.