About KEDC

Kern Economic Development Corporation’s mission is to cultivate and promote Kern County’s boundless opportunities for business.

As we look to the future

 

Kern EDC’s vision is in advancing employment opportunities and economic well-being. We plan to build on the success of the past, continuing our efforts to position the Kern EDC at the forefront of the competition for job creation. With a strong and formidable team, composed of experienced economic development professionals, we will continue to develop and implement innovative strategies for the region’s emerging and established industry clusters.

Meet the Team

PRESIDENT & CEO

Richard Chapman

Get in Touch
Call Me at:
(661) 862-5161

Or Email me at:
Richard@kedc.com

Vice president of business development

Melinda Brown

Get in Touch
Call Me at:
(661) 862-5058

Or Email me at:
Melinda@kedc.com

marketing & member relations manager

Sophia Gligorevic

Get in Touch

Call Me at:
(661) 862-5156

Or Email me at:
Sophia@kedc.com

Research & Marketing coordinator

Andy Young

Get in Touch
Call Me at:
(661) 862-5164

Or Email me at:
Andy@kedc.com

Business DEVELOPMENT Specialist

Heather McMahan

Get in Touch
Call Me at:
(661) 862-5162

Or Email me at:
Heather@kedc.com

Adminstrative Specialist

Christina Miller

Get in Touch
Call Me at:
(661) 862-5150

Or Email me at:
Christina@kedc.com

Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Chair

Dana Brennan

Grimmway Farms

Immediate Past Chair

Joe Ashley

California Resources Corporation

Treasurer

Andy Stanley

Bank of America

Secretary

Denise Newton

Pacific Gas & Electric Company

Supervisor

Zack Scrivner

County of Kern

Supervisor

David Couch

County of Kern

Directors

Daren Alexander

A-C Electric

Nick Ambrosini 

Valley Strong Credit Union

Alyssa Armesto

Tangram Interiors

Jimmy Balentine

Mojave Air & Spaceport at Rutan Field

Mary Barlow

Kern County Superintedent of Schools

Sonya Christian

Kern Community College District

Ted Cordova

E&B Natural Resources

Tim Curley

Valley Children’s Healthcare

Roman Cyrus

S.C. Anderson

Beckie Diltz

PROforma Solutions for Printing

Rob Duchow

Southern California Gas Company

Bill Farris

City Of Ridgecrest

Alexandro Garcia

Wasco City Council

Mary Beth Garrison

Rio Tinto

Andrae Gonzales

Bakersfield City Council

Mayor Sally Gonzalez

City of McFarland

John Guinn

Wonderful Real Estate Development

Joe Hay

Jim Burke Ford Lincoln

Teresa Hitchcock

Kern County Division of Economic & Workforce Development

 

David Howlett

Braun Electric

Sheri Horn-Bunk

Taft College Foundation

Joe Hughes

Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb, Kimball, LLP

Jeff Jones

City of Arvin

Ken Keller

Dignity Health Bakersfield Mercy & Memorial Hospitals

Rick Kreiser

Carney’s Business Technology Center

Wayne Kress

Cushman & Wakefield/ Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors

Orchel Krier

Taft City Council

Chevelle Krinitt

Macpherson Energy

Jey Lacey

Southern California Edison

Maybelle Liquigan

Kaiser Permanente, Kern County

Megan Lopez

Chevron

Karen Macedonio

California City

Jason Marshall

Berry Corporation

Phil McLaughlin

Tri Counties Bank

Mike Moore

Farm Credit West

Suzanne Noble

Western States Petroleum Association

Mark Novak

California State University, Bakersfield

Mayor Cathy Prout

Shafter City Council

Tom Saba

Saba Agency

Derek Sprague

Bakersfield Association of REALTORS

Tim Sullivan

Sullivan Petroleum Company

Scott Thayer

Castle & Cooke

Jamie Swetalla

Aera Energy LLC

Jason Wells

Adventist Health California Central Network

Susan Wiggins

Tehachapi City Council

Mark Wyatt

Bakersfield Adult School

Ex-Officio, KEDF

Contact Us

Do you have a question, comment or suggestion for us? We would love to hear it.

Please select a subject from our drop-down menu and complete the form so that we can direct your communication to the right department here at Kern EDC.

1 + 13 =

Kern Economic Development Corporation (Kern EDC) is a public-private partnership that brings together private businesses, education, elected officials, and non-profit organizations for the purpose of a single goal: creating a strong and diverse economy for Kern County. Kern EDC promotes the region to businesses looking for areas to expand, and works with existing local businesses to ensure they have what they need to thrive and grow here in Kern County.

Contact Us

 

Kern Economic Development Corporation
2700 M Street, Suite 200
Bakersfield, CA 93301

661-862-5150

Email us