Herndon hires new economic development director to support businesses

The Town of Herndon is getting a new director of economic development.

Marc G. Smith will assume the position starting on May 13, the town announced today (Tuesday). He will succeed previous economic development manager Dennis Holste, who was appointed to that newly created position in 2013 and vacated the job last year to move to his native Florida.

Previously the senior business development manager for Arlington County, Smith will be responsible for promoting Herndon as a destination for new businesses, maintaining relationships with existing ones, and leading initiatives “related to economic development and business vitality,” according to a Town of Herndon press release.

He will also serve as the town’s liaison to Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce and other organizations involved in the commercial sector.

“Marc brings an exceptional mix of experience and expertise to his new role,” Town Manager Bill Ashton said. “He has held both county- and state-wide positions throughout the Commonwealth, which have resulted in solid connections as well as deep knowledge of Virginia’s commercial landscape. Herndon’s business community will be well-served with Marc in this key position.”

According to the town, Smith’s prior work in Arlington involved oversight of a team responsible for attracting and retaining businesses. Their efforts brought in $28 million in investments and 6,400 new jobs, including a net addition of 650 jobs with CoStar Group relocating its headquarters to Rosslyn from D.C.

More from the town on Smith’s resume:

He also managed the county’s lead generation and business development portfolio and created a new strategic plan for the division. Previously, Smith was a business manager for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), the economic development authority for the Commonwealth, where he developed and executed lead generation strategies and served as project manager for significant prospects, amounting to $7 billion in capital investment and 9,400 new jobs; and served as business development officer for Stafford County, where he oversaw business attraction, development and expansion. He holds a BS in Political Science with a minor in History from Radford University.