Fresno County economic leader Lee Ann Eager to retire from development corporation

Fresno Bee
·2 min read

Lee Ann Eager, president and chief executive officer of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, has told its board of directors that she intends to retire after 14 years attracting investment to the area and working on business recruitment and retention and public policy initiatives.

She will leave the post Aug. 4, but continue to work with the EDC board to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

“I’m proud of what we have accomplished at the EDC and of the incredibly talented and committed people I work with every day,” Eager said in a statement.

“ I remain 100% committed to working closely with the board and my eventual successor for a smooth transition and to ensure the EDC continues to focus on supporting Fresno County’s growth and working with the business community to create opportunities for all.”

The Fresno native has a daughter, four step-children and 12 grandchildren, according to a 2022 profile in the Capitol Weekly.

Eager, who serves on the board of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board, Access Plus Capital and California Central Valley Economic Development Corporation, was appointed to the state transportation commission in 2020 and elected as its chairperson last year.

The Fresno State graduate has been among the leading advocates in the San Joaquin valley for the development of high-speed rail, and has worked on relocation efforts for businesses displaced along the rail line to help retain jobs in the county. Eager also has been an advocate for The Central Valley Training Center on Fresno City College’s West Campus, which is to offer classes in construction, manufacturing, information technology and welding in an underserved area in the county.

“Lee Ann has been an outstanding leader of the EDC for close to 14 years,” EDC chairman Nick Audino said. “Under her leadership the EDC has tripled in size and done incredible work in the community focused on business expansion, attraction, and retention.