Four Corners Economic Development hires Kentuckian as new executive director
Officials at Four Corners Economic Development have brought their 10-month search for a new executive director to a close.
The Farmington-based public-private partnership that works alongside county and municipal governments, member businesses and resource organizations to promote economic growth in San Juan County, has hired Tim Gibbs of Ashland, Kentucky, as its new leader, according to Scott Bird, 4CED’s interim executive director.
Bird said Gibbs was hired after the 4CED board brought him in and another finalist in late December for interviews. Gibbs will begin his duties with the organization on Monday, Feb. 5, Bird said.
Gibbs serves as the president and CEO of the Ashland Alliance Regional Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development. He is in the process of completing his doctorate at Morehead State University, according to his resume. Gibbs also has worked in economic development and workforce development positions in Aberdeen, Washington; northwest Colorado; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Moffat County, Colorado.
Bird said Gibbs’ educational and professional qualifications made him a good fit for the job, along with his experience in site-selection processes for companies that were looking to relocate in Ashland.
“He’s done quite a bit of that,” Bird said. “And he’s very highly regarded in Ashland.”
Jeremiah Hayes, the chairman of the executive committee that interviewed Gibbs said it was Gibbs’ interpersonal skills that sealed the deal for him.
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“I think the big thing for me is, he has a very engaging personality, and that’s going to help him fit in well here in the Four Corners,” Hayes said. “And he has a tremendous amount of experience.”
While the economic and cultural landscape in northeast Kentucky may not be a precise match for conditions in the Four Corners area, Hayes said he and other members of the committee were convinced Gibbs would adapt quickly to the situation here, where a movement has been afoot for several years to transition the county’s economy away from an overreliance on fossil fuels toward outdoor recreation, manufacturing and other areas.
“We did think about that in the hiring process, and we thought there were enough similarities between the two situations that would make his coming here a good fit,” Hayes said. “He has lots of transferrable skills.”
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He described Gibbs’ hiring as a fresh start for 4CED and said he hopes it ushers in a new era for the organization.
“We’ve got a lot of exciting things happening in the upcoming years,” said Hayes, who appeared before the San Juan County Commission last month to report on 4CED’s plan to ask the state Legislature for $100 million to jump start an expanded energy economy in the county. He said the money would be used on such projects as a planned western interstate hydrogen hub at Navajo Agricultural Products Industry headquarters south of Farmington, as well as for investments in infrastructure and sequestration support.
The executive director’s job at 4CED has been open since Arvin Trujillo resigned in March 2023 to accept a position as senior adviser and executive administrator to Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren. Trujillo had been with the organization since 2019.
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Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e.
This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Tim Gibbs of Ashland, Kentucky, named Four Corners Economic director
