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Susan Fleetwood serves as Executive Director of Economic Development in the Office of the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. In this role, she provides strategic leadership on complex economic development projects and issues; leads the Department’s efforts in defining processes for working with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina; helps to develop competitive proposals for the Department’s active economic development projects; and serves as liaison to the Governor’s Office to prepare for his active engagement with prospective and existing companies.

With more than 18 years of experience in economic development, she has served in various, increasingly responsible capacities. Prior to her current role she served as Director of Business & Industry Development and provided leadership for 25 economic development professionals working to recruit new domestic and international companies to the state and helping existing companies grow and expand.

She also served as Director of Strategic Projects in the Business & Industry Division and served as a senior project advisor on major economic development projects; oversaw the development of high-impact content for marketing and collateral materials prepared for clients and consultants; managed the selection and implementation of the Department’s client relationship management system; and led a redesign of the state’s buildings and sites database.

She also worked as an International Development Representative and worked directly with a number of companies throughout their site selection process, worked as an International Trade Specialist with the Department’s International Trade Division, and as International Trade Coordinator and Marketing and Development Coordinator with the City of Birmingham, AL Office of Economic Development.

Fleetwood is a graduate of Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics, and NC State University with a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and a member of the North Carolina Economic Developers Association.